JEFFERSONVILLE — With a population that hovers around 400, it's no surprise that Jeffersonville's village election turnout tends to be small in number.

“We can have as few as seven voting,” said Village Clerk Colleen Freitas, “or as many as 34.”

This year, however, the numbers are likely to swell. Village elections take place on Tuesday, March 16 from noon until 9 p.m. at Village Hall, with the out-of-the-ordinary happening. Two well-known and respected individuals are vying for top spot as mayor.

There's candidate Debra Thony, age 65, and wife of the current mayor Bill Thony who is stepping down.

“I care deeply for this village,” said Debra Thony, “and after much thought, I decided to throw my hat into the ring for mayor to see if I could make a difference and continue to pay it forward.”

And there's mayoral candidate William Chellis, an attorney who practices law from his home on Maple Avenue. Chellis, age 45, sits on the five-member Jeffersonville Village Board and was formerly village attorney.

“Jeffersonville is my home, and I want to continue to live here and keep it sustainable and affordable,” Chellis said. “I have a great love for Jeff's history, identity, its unique architecture. It has great potential.”

Both are energetically campaigning through phone, texts and facebook pages. Here is what they have to say.

CHELLIS: 'SMALL IS BEAUTIFUL'

“Jeffersonville has a 100-year-old water system and a sewage plant that's 40 years old,” and these have to be reckoned with, Chellis said.

“We did go through a study for a new water system a few years ago and the cost was astronomical,” he said. “To fix the sewer system, we ended up with a $200,000 bond. We should not fall into a trap where we overstep ourselves.”

In the village, “We are seeing growth but a diminishing tax base,” Chellis said. “We don't have a lot of resources to help the infrastructure.”

The answer? “We need to make sure we do everything in our power to fix in small increments, in small bites. Borrowing $5 million is not the answer.”

“I'm a 'small is beautiful' guy - small farms, small businesses, small government,” he said.

The challenge remains to both welcome newcomers to Jeff “at the same time as preserving the good things that everyone wants to be a part of,” Chellis said. “We have tremendous beauty, a beautiful valley, unique architecture, shops and restaurants. We are seeing new bushinesses moving in.

“Jeffersonville is a happy town. People know each other,” he said. “We're attracting an influx of people because of our unique character. Jeff is at a point now when it can really thrive. Not to become Westchester or an outpost of New York City, but a place that is livable and lovable.”

A good hard look at Jeffersonville's zoning and code enforcement is also needed, he said. “The zoning code adopted in 1998 was built on post World War II assumptions about growth and the cult of suburban sprawl. We need to rethink zoning and code enforcement before it's too late,” he said.

Chellis is pastor of the Walton Reformed Presbyterian Church, vice chairman of the Delaware Company operated by county historian John Conway, and a board member of Lake Jeff Association.

THONY:

GROW VILLAGE

“My platform is to preserve the history of Jeffersonville, and keep it growing and going,” said Debra Thony. “In the last few years there's been an uptick in new businesses and I want to see that momentum continue to move forward.”

She's the person to do it, she said, “I'll work with the business community to promote our Village. I'll work with elected officials in Albany to see that Jeffersonville gets its fair share.”

Debra Thony's career includes work as a paralegal, insurance adjuster and real estate agent. For 20 years, she worked for the Legal Aid Society in Monticello as paralegal and advocate for the disadvantaged.

Then, at Frontier Insurance Company in Rock Hill, her 15-year career saw her work as a paralegal in the in-house law firm and then as a claims examiner in the medical malpractice claims unit. She has served as a licensed real estate salesperson since 1978 and currently has her license listed with Callicoon Real Estate.

She served on the Town of Callicoon Planning Board for over 20 years and now sits on the Town of Callicoon Grievance Board, (for people saying their taxes are too high). She is a member of the volunteer JEMS group and a member of the James Dworetsky Holiday Parade Committee, which her husband chairs.

Mayor Bill Thony decided not to run again, in large part due to continuing visual problems prompted by a retinal tear several years ago.

“I have the time and energy to devote to the mayor's position,” Debra Thony said. In Jeff, the mayor position carries no salary or benefits.

“We're a village rich in history and beauty, and our centennial will be celebrated in 2024, with the village incorporated in 1924,” Debra Thony said. “We're steeped in history with our beautiful architecture, as witnessed by our school that sits high up on the hill overlooking the village, built under the Works Progress Administration during the Depression to create jobs.

And, with today' pandemic on the wane, she said, “we look forward to better days for our village and county.”