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Articles by Jackie Augustine
DOING THE WRITE THING: Change is easy ...
Last week I attended one of the local government training events that is meant to help elected officials, staff, and residents serving on boards and commissions learn more about the job they are hired (or volunteering) to do. With sessions on flood management, legalities of area variances, how to guide a comprehensive planning process, and many others, I thought I might see some city councilors there.
DOING THE WRITE THING: We're all we've got
I don’t want to take the words out of a good man’s mouth, but there’s truth in these words that should be shared. Across the Finger Lakes, there have been so many examples of neighbors showing up for one another — responding to needs, advocating for better conditions, doing the real caring that makes a community really feel like home.
DOING THE WRITE THING: We're all we've got
I don’t want to take the words out of a good man’s mouth, but there’s truth in these words that should be shared. Across the Finger Lakes, there have been so many examples of neighbors showing up for one another — responding to needs, advocating for better conditions, doing the real caring that makes a community really feel like home.
DOING THE WRITE THING: Look who's talking too
On online social media post announces a “town hall” meeting next Thursday night for the city of Geneva — but, if you read closely, only some residents are invited. And, the post warns, “I cannot represent you if you do not give me your input.” This captures the attitude of the city council majority: If they don’t hear you, they don’t govern for you. If you want to be heard, you must present comments in the place, time, and manner requested.
DOING THE WRITE THING: Talking taxes, part 2
In my previous column, I described the interplay between budgets, assessments, and tax bills. The column struck a nerve! Maybe it was the timing, maybe it’s that tax angst is a perennial issue, maybe the storms that rolled through the area had more people inside reading their papers and emailing responses. Whatever the reason, I was flooded with feedback. People who attended (or watched) the last Geneva City Council meeting seemed even more panicked in their concern.
DOING THE WRITE THING: Talking taxes
Tax Day! Yes, it’s Sept. 1, the day we receive our school tax bills and must pay the amount due, in full, within 30 days. This round of school (and later city/county) taxes has caused a great deal of angst in Geneva due to reassessments, largely owing to poor communication about the issue from our elected officials.
DOING THE WRITE THING: You have to spend money ...
Geneva’s Mayor has advanced some good ideas for improving city operations. Bringing back the ad-hoc committee structure that existed under former mayor Stu Einstein is one of the best. The names of the committees are different than the prior iteration, but the motivation is the same: take a fresh look at operations, give councilors a more focused education in certain elements of city government, and bring residents into the brainstorming.
DOING THE WRITE THING: The lessons of neglect
Should the building at 555 Exchange St. (the former “Holiday” bar) be torn down? I don’t know. An assessment of the building’s structural integrity is above my pay grade, and I’m not willing to engage in “eyeball engineering” where I just tell you how it looks to me. There are professionals who are trained to make those assessments. City Council should ask a licensed engineer (not their “friend who knows about this stuff”) before they make their final decision.
DOING THE WRITE THING: Decrease taxes, increase services?
Twenty years ago I received a piece of campaign “advice” from a fellow councilor. I was endorsed by the Working Families Party and he was endorsed by the Republican, Independence, and Conservative parties. (A reminder from a previous column: in New York State, you do not register “Independent.” There used to be the “Independence” party — which cross-endorsed Republicans in local elections, which many people chose by mistake.
DOING THE WRITE THING: America 250, Geneva 220
The great American experiment, 250 years in the making, is certainly something to celebrate! It’s amazing to me to think of the courage it took for the founding fathers to draft and sign the Declaration of Independence, knowing that they were making themselves targets of violence and ridicule. At least 30% of the colonists at the time were opposed to independence and subjected many of the signers to cruel treatment and conspired with the British to punish them.
DOING THE WRITE THING: Love the one you're with
At the risk of some kind of copyright infringement on the amazing group of residents who fuel the “Love Geneva” movement, I do need to affirm that I love Geneva. It’s also clear to me that in addition to the founders of that community care network, there has been a lot of love for this area demonstrated in the past couple of weeks.
DOING THE WRITE THING: The IDA isn't AOK
There’s been a lot of talk in the region about industrial development agencies. The idea of these agencies, from the late 1960s, was to give local control to retaining and attracting industry. At the time, industry was defined as “manufacturing, warehousing, research, pollution control, recreation, educational, cultural, horse racing, and transportation facilities.” Over time, it was expanded to include health care, college dormitories, and limited housing facilities.
DOING THE WRITE THING: About those assessments
Not everyone received an envelope from the city of Geneva with a preliminary 2026 assessment, but many of us did. My home jumped up the last time and had a repeat performance this go-round. It’s now assessed at nearly $200,000 more than I paid for it (or, for the sake of accuracy, what I am still paying on it, because I still have my mortgage). I have a complaint. I actually have several. But none of them are directed at the assessor, or the staff.
DOING THE WRITE THING: Crisis management?
I might not know the proper definition of the word “crisis.” When I see Geneva and other communities talking about their rising costs and anticipated tax increases as a crisis to be solved, I am truly puzzled. There’s nothing about the situation that we are in that’s a surprise or a sudden change.
DOING THE WRITE THING: The little city that could
I love Geneva! I want it to succeed. I want this Council to succeed. The governing of a city is important and can make or break its future. A city can survive bad Council decisions for a while but not forever. Someone wiser in these matters than me once described governing in a city like a roller- coaster. You need momentum to get up the big hill and then you have the speed and momentum to keep going. Good policy decisions push a city up that hill.
DOING THE WRITE THING: Is City Council the problem?
Voters in New York City supported referendums that largely remove City Council oversight from housing development projects. Those alterations to their City Charter have just taken effect, and the first projects are starting to move forward under the new rules. Residents decided that there were better mechanisms for meeting their needs than leaving it to City Council to decide which projects get approved in their neighborhoods.
DOING THE WRITE THING: Surely you're joking ...
As we say goodbye to March and prepare to observe April Fools’ Day, I’d like to use this column to reflect on a few puzzling things. There were several local, regional, and state discussions this month that had me wondering if the people involved were being serious and actually believed what they were saying or doing.
DOING THE WRITE THING: Aligning policy with data
As the saying goes, “that which gets measured gets done.” Many years ago, when I used to be a paid grant writer, philanthropy was having a moment of recognition that simply counting the number of people served was not enough. When evaluating whether invested dollars had made a positive impact, it became important to separate outputs from outcomes. The numbers-counting is an outputs metric. Outcomes are a measure of progress toward a policy or goal to be achieved by an activity.
DOING THE WRITE THING: The sound of silence
The major world religions all have observances this month centered on peace, re-centering, and — to some extent — solitude. For me, it’s Lent, but even if there’s no particular faith tradition you belong to, the change of seasons or the changing of the clocks, or the parade of planets in the sky, might give you a reason to take a moment to reflect and recalibrate. My first Lenten reflection was about taking time to sit in silence.
DOING THE WRITE THING: If I had a million dollars
It looks like Loomis Woods won’t be sold … for now. Thanks to the work of residents, the city attorney, and city staff, Council was briefed on the complexities of beginning a parkland alienation process which must precede any discussion of purchase offers. While I don’t agree with Councilor Lavin’s insistence on continuing to debate this moot point, I do appreciate that he has shared his views openly and without reservation or obstruction.
DOING THE WRITE THING: The work ahead
There is a lot in the world these days that can be disorienting and discouraging. At a recent gathering, I comforted some neighbors who asked “have people forgotten how to care about one another?” While it may seem that way sometimes and in some places, and while there is a lot of evidence to be found of people celebrating cruelty or ready to stomp on someone while they’re down, that is not all there is in the world.
DOING THE WRITE THING: New year, new ideas
Geneva’s tax bills have arrived. It’s the one time of the year when people want to talk about municipal finance and figure out how these tax dollars are being spent. And, without fail, there will be people who make suggestions about how to cut spending or increase revenue who have very good intentions but, unfortunately, very outdated ideas. Ideas like “sell off the parks!” or “raise fees!” or “stop planting flowers!” aren’t driving systems-change.
DOING THE WRITE THING: Let's stay inbounds
Happy New Year, dear readers! Let a year of peace and joy come your way! As we look to this year ahead, I am hoping for one simple resolution for our local governments: to please stay within the bounds of the law. Should be a simple task, right? But there are actually two immediate and direct challenges to this, one in Geneva and one in Seneca Falls, and both have to do with land use.
DOING THE WRITE THING: Mankind is my business
There was a delightful live performance of “A Christmas Carol” at the Smith last weekend. I was fortunate to attend with my mom and saw many friends in nearby seats. I admit that my interest in the Dickens tale borders on obsession. I think the attachment has grown stronger as troubles in the world have grown darker.
DOING THE WRITE THING: Tell me the reason for the season
The December calendar affords me two column spots — this one and Dec. 23. I suppose I will save my obligatory references to “A Christmas Carol” for the later one (oops, I guess that was a reference in itself!) and instead look at local indicators of holiday spirit. In my Philosophy of Religion classes, we explore the similarities between faith traditions as they define the obligations of the human experience.
DOING THE WRITE THING: More Finger Lakes extraction
In my philosophy courses, when we discuss the moral theories of Immanuel Kant and John Rawls, we explore the notion of “reciprocity.” Maybe you recognize the concept from your elementary school math lesson on multiplying fractions.
DOING THE WRITE THING: Geneva stands a chance
I admitted in recent columns that my optimism was being tested by this City Council. I was worried that Geneva was rapidly charging toward a fiscal cliff with no one at the wheel to change course or hit the brakes. But then Election Day refilled my cup! As some new energy and ideas come to the table, it seems like a good time to survey some thriving communities that have harnessed positive energy for real transformation and make some suggestions for the incoming group.
DOING THE WRITE THING: The budget reflects City Council
I was hoping that Geneva’s budget would pass before my final column of the month, but I should have made my wish more specific: I wanted a good, sensible, responsible budget to pass. No such luck. We may have reached the end of my naïve optimism. From what I have seen of recent Council meetings, there is not much hope of good governing taking hold.
DOING THE WRITE THING: Look who's talking
When Geneva still had a full-time director of planning and economic development, the city received proposals for six multi-million-dollar housing developments: the conversion of the former DeSales High School into apartments; new construction of apartment complexes on Genesee, Jackson, and Exchange streets; and construction of several single-family homes on Middle and Crystal streets. Housing is the bedrock of economic development.
DOING THE WRITE THING: People like sunshine
We’ve been enjoying a spate of beautiful days in the Finger Lakes, and while I know there’s a drought and it’s probably a sign of irreversible climate problems, I still think it’s worth taking a moment to be grateful for days that we can be outside without fear of slipping on ice, being bowled over by strong winds, pelted by sleet, or the like.
Removal of protections for lesser prairie chickens is a huge blow that harms voluntary conservation Original
Every spring, I venture to Gove County in western Kansas to witness one last connection to our wild shortgrass prairie heritage: the mating dance of the lesser prairie chicken. As the executive director for Audubon of Kansas, we host an annual prairie chicken festival that attracts people from all over the world to see this iconic prairie grouse species. Last month, a court ruling removed Endangered Species Act protections for the lesser prairie chicken.
DOING THE WRITE THING: We can't afford to stay
It was pointed out to me recently, by a wise friend, that many homeowners in Geneva could not currently buy their own houses right now. What do I mean? Look at the prices. Look at the interest rates. Look at the taxes. If your house was not already paid off (lucky you!), or if you didn’t already have a mortgage locked in when rates were low (again, lucky!), could you afford your home if you were moving into it now?
DOING THE WRITE THING: The road ahead
August may be the month when people are fitting in last-minute vacations, trying to enjoy the last bits of summer before school begins, and harvesting the fruits (and vegetables) of their garden labor, but in Geneva, this month has been marked by some significant political happenings. City Council has started arguing about next year’s budget, trying to decide among themselves how much our taxes should go up.
DOING THE WRITE THING: Government is boring
When I say that government is (or should be) boring, I do not mean to be insulting. I also don’t mean to suggest that governing isn’t interesting, meaningful, or worth doing. The characteristic of governing that I’m really trying to get is a sort of predictability or steadiness that can be a strong indicator of things going well.
DOING THE WRITE THING: Governing is homework
In my previous column, “Governing is a Job,” I took issue with the Geneva City Council for consistently engaging in wild rants, impossible wish-making, and unsupported claims. I pointed out that they rarely deliver any meaningful policy, particularly when it comes to crafting a budget — one of their most important jobs. The source of that poor performance is, in my view, the soundbite form of government in which they regularly engage.
DOING THE WRITE THING: Governing is a job
Due to the holiday weekend I am writing my column ahead of time. By the time it runs, two things probably will have happened: On the national level, the huge debt snowball that is the federal budget bill probably will have passed; and, on the local level, a couple of councilors will probably be weighing in on Geneva’s budget with a “plan.” These two budgeting issues have something in common: They eschew data in favor of soundbites and wish lists.
DOING THE WRITE THING: Hope from the Pope
When I walk my dogs, I am usually listening to Supreme Court oral arguments, or talking on the phone with family or friends, but then I got hooked on an audiobook. For more than 14 hours, I have listened to the autobiography of Pope Francis, a book aptly titled “Hope.” I grew up on State Street, just behind St. Francis de Sales. The window of my room looked out onto the parking spaces and windows of the sacristy.
DOING THE WRITE THING: Ideas: Old and new
The city of Geneva kicked off budget season a couple of weeks ago with the first of many workshops to allow City Council to learn about municipal finance and discuss policy priorities that will drive the tax levy (and corresponding tax rate) for 2026. I’d like to take some of what was said by councilors at that work session and connect the dots to real solutions they could implement if their words are sincere (which I am going to assume they are).
DOING THE WRITE THING: We need to talk
An old friend approached me with an inventory of things they were upset about in Geneva. They said their taxes are too high, there aren’t enough services provided, and the issues with police and parks have them worried that everything’s headed in the wrong direction.
DOING THE WRITE THING: Ontario County's first step
Acknowledging a problem is the first step to fixing it. For that reason, I was glad to read the guest appearance from the Ontario County ad hoc committee on housing (Finger Lakes Times, May 3). In the column, the CEO of the Greater Rochester Association of Realtors said, “When homeownership is within reach for more residents, the entire community benefits.
DOING THE WRITE THING: What Geneva has lost
A few years ago, an unlikely partnership brought forward a great blessing into the world. Pope Francis and filmmaker and director Martin Scorsese collaborated on a project called “Stories of a Generation.” It’s currently available on Netflix, and although movie reviews are best left to other writers, please consider taking the time to watch this multi-part documentary.
DOING THE WRITE THING: We could be better
When we great each other with the pleasant “Hi, how are you?” we often receive a standard-issue reply (or give one in return) that might be genuine (maybe everyone is always “good, thanks”) or might be a way of dodging a bit of introspection we don’t want to engage in at the moment.
DOING THE WRITE THING: Different actions, different words
My previous column, on the need for Geneva to start following the law on redistricting before further reducing representation in this city, generated a lot of feedback which I am thankful for. What it also generated, which I wish were not the case, was a great deal of frustration and sense of futility about city government.
DOING THE WRITE THING: The incredible shrinking city
Right before our eyes, but apparently unseen by this Republican City Council majority (and the people who voted for them), Geneva has been shrinking. And, much like the sci-fi thriller from the 1950s, they seem entirely perplexed by the consequences of that downsizing. The movie theater closed, along with Freihofer’s Bakery Outlet, Big Lots, two dollar stores, the downtown Rite Aid location, and more. These are large corporations deciding that small towns are not worth their effort.
DOING THE WRITE THING: Let the light in
We’ve not been experiencing the brightest of days, and you know I’m not just talking about the weather. The long-held belief of many people that government is somehow out there, distant, doing things that aren’t really vital to our lives, wasteful, expendable, is coming home to roost. In fact, the federal government is not out there; it’s right here.
DOING THE WRITE THING: A quarter-century of 'progress'
I was sworn in as a city councilor 25 years ago. Twenty-five years! Where does the time go? It’s hard to imagine that a teen mom, with a toddler in tow, renting a place at Geneva Garden apartments, could serve alongside the crew that’s in there now. In my view, the current close-mindedness is a loss for the city. I joined council with Alaine Espenscheid and Kay Cocola. That’s the most women ever elected to council.
DOING THE WRITE THING: A half-century of 'progress'
I was sworn in as a city councilor 25 years ago. Twenty-five years! Where does the time go? It’s hard to imagine that a teen mom, with a toddler in tow, renting a place at Geneva Garden apartments, could serve alongside the crew that’s in there now. In my view, the current close-mindedness is a loss for the city. I joined council with Alaine Espenscheid and Kay Cocola. That’s the most women ever elected to council.
DOING THE WRITE THING: The nature of the disagreement
Sometimes, I have trouble reconciling the attitudes and actions of my students with the attitudes and actions of the public at large. I find my students (for the most part) to be curious, open-minded, kind, and hopeful. This is not to say that they are not opinionated. In an ethics class, being opinionated is a good thing; and I believe that being opinionated outside of ethics class is also a good thing. The work of ethics is making a judgment and having reasons for that judgment.
DOING THE WRITE THING: 'Where Do We Go from Here?'
At our house we’re not much for “stuff.” We don’t buy trinkets. We have only one television. I decorate for the holidays. Otherwise, my aesthetic is best described as “perpetual flop-house” (though people who love me might nicely refer to it as “understated”). So, for Christmas we don’t do gifts in the traditional sense. Instead, we do experiences, and this year’s experience was the Civil Rights driving tour of the Deep South.
DOING THE WRITE THING: Help wanted: Active statesmen
With New York State’s revised election calendar and Geneva City Council’s change to staggered election terms, here we are plunged into another election cycle with huge consequences. Several council seats and the Mayor are up for a vote again, so petitions to get onto the ballot will begin circulating faster than you can say “Happy New Year!” Now that we have our tax bills in hand, we can see why the Democratic committee attempted to challenge the majority of people currently serving.
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