Q&A with the next Scotia mayor - David Bucciferro

PHOTOGRAPHER: Natasha Vaughn-Holdridge

David Bucciferro, 67, will become the next village of Scotia mayor.

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SCOTIA — Family man, former budget analyst and former school board president, David Bucciferro, 67, prepares for another role — the village’s next mayor.

“People who know me throughout the village know I’m a very honest person,” Bucciferro said. “I’m dedicated to this community through all the things on the outside. I’m open to listening, I think one of my best skills is listening and then taking what people say and trying to understand it, whereas some people don’t listen.”

A close race on election night ended with Bucciferro ahead of his opponent, Joseph Talbot, with a total of 1,535 votes to Talbot’s 1,394.

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Question: What are your top priorities going to be as mayor of the village?

Answer: I think the first priority is really to govern for all the people, regardless of what party they are in, regardless of their perspectives, I want to make sure that everyone’s voices are heard, and that everyone has the opportunity to participate in the government.

A second priority is to fulfill the agenda that I think the people voted me in on. To address our high tax issue, to remain under the tax cap, to develop some long-term plans and short-term plans that can get us moving in the right direction as a village, especially around finance and infrastructure.

Q: What are some of the issues facing the village that you hope to be able to address as mayor?

A: The Sunnyside Road Bridge is a really big issue, it’s one of the biggest thoroughfares into Schenectady besides the Great Western Bridge. For people who are on that side of the village, that’s an important piece. It’s also an important piece for Glenville, because that’s how we get into that part of Freemans Bridge Road.

Everything Scotia-Glenville

Q: What do you plan to do differently from the current administration?

A: I want to have open conversations. We have to improve communications with the town of Glenville, the village has, for a number of years, had a very separate perspective of what is important for the people of Glenville, which we are a part of. Although we’re the village of Scotia, we’re a part of the town of Glenville. We’re going to improve that communication with the town of Glenville, and we need that same thing with the county, we need to have open communication with the county and with our county legislators. I plan to work really closely with our county legislators, and with our state representatives.

I’m not going to be satisfied with the status quo, we have to address issues and not be afraid of them. We can’t wait until things are in a crisis. I plan to do some really in-depth planning, where we can start putting aside some money for things we know are coming up and be able to address problems not as emergencies, but in a well thought-about plan for what we are going to do.

Q: What should people know about you, and your life?

A: I’ve been a hard worker all my life. I’m a father, I’m a grandfather. I love kids, I don’t even have kids who are in school here and I’ve worked on the school board. I’m clearly a family man. I’m open, I’m friendly, I don’t care what party somebody is, I don’t care how wealthy or poor they are. None of that stuff matters. I’m going to give you respect, and I ask it back.

I want people to know that I’m here for them, I’m doing this for the community and not for myself. I love my village.

Q: What was your reaction to winning on election night?

A: Surprise and excited. We put a lot of work into knocking on every door in the village, trying to talk to as many people as we could. I knew it was gong to be a very hard race. I was running against a very nice person; we’ve known each other for a number of years.

Everything Scotia-Glenville