Archive: Around Town

Nobody can ever accuse Marty Christopher of being shy.  Christopher is retiring from the Lansing Town Board this year, and when he offered the Star an exit interview I knew he wouldn't be pulling any punches.

He didn't disappoint.  When we sat down in his kitchen Monday morning, he talked about his eight years as a town councilman, accomplishments and dreams, his take on next month's election, and gave me a scoop on this year's Lansing Athletic Hall Of Fame recipients.

Christopher is a lifelong Lansing resident, an accomplished Lansing High School athlete, and an extreme Cleveland Browns fan.  In December he will finish his second term on the Lansing Town Board, and he is going through a second retirement of sorts, leaving the board, as well as the chairmanship of the Lansing Athletics Hall of Fame, which he has held for the past ten years.

Christopher and his wife Margaret have two grown children, both of whom attended Lansing schools, a son who lives with his wife and 21 year old son in Ithaca, and a daughter in Cincinnati. He is retired after a career in records management, first at Tompkins Trust Company, and later at NYSEG. He also worked at a variety of jobs after retiring from NYSEG.

If he has passions as strong as his love for the Browns, I would say they are his family and the town where he grew up.  His father was the well known sports writer Matt Christopher, who was adored by his son.  As for the town, he has stepped forward and embraced it, serving on the Town Board, the Athletics hall Of Fame, and in many capacities over the years.  Here's what he has to say:

Lansing Star:  Why don't we start with your eight years on the board?  Did you run at first, or were you appointed to finish somebody's term?

Marty Christopher:  No, I ran.  Truthfully I had been asked a number of times prior to eight years ago to run by some people.  I had considered it, but until I retired I really didn't think I could give enough time to it.

Once I retired (former Lansing Town Supervisor) Steve Farkas, who was a high school classmate of mine, said, 'It's time.'

Even then I wasn't sure, but having been from lansing all my life I went and talked to a few people... a number of them... and came to the conclusion that what the heck?  I thought what I would do is give it a shot.

And more than that.  If I was going to give it a shot I was going to win.  I went around and talked to some people.  I was asking questions like 'Do you know who is on the town board in Lansing?'  I was surprised how many people, Dan, had no clue.  They didn't know anything about their local government.

I said, 'Wouldn't it be nice to have somebody on the board then, that you thought you could relate to or ask questions to, or feel comfortable about?'  A lot of them thought it was a good idea.

So, long story short, I ran, I won.  This was the same time that Connie (Deputy Supervisor Connie Wilcox, who is currently challenging Kathy Miller for the Town Supervisor seat) came on the board.

Even though she went on the Democratic ticket and I ran on the Republican ticket... even though I'm pretty much a conservative independent, I needed to have one of the parties support me.  We ran together, supported each other.

That was a pretty good board back then.  Lo and behold, my first year went by so fast learning, and then the rest of the first four years was learning.  Then I ran again, and I was fortunate.  It was a landslide victory.  But it wasn't like there was a lot of competition out there.  I can remember the two that decided to run at that time, but it wasn't close.

Then the next thing I know it's another four years gone by, Dan, and here we are eight years later and I decided early this year that I wasn't going to run.  A number of folks thought it was just sort of a ploy on my part, but I made up my mind that eight years was going to be it.

It had nothing to do with who is on the board.  Nothing to do with the folks.  Nothing to do with my occasional 'overreactions', as some people consider my waving of arms at some meetings.  I just thought it was time.  I've enjoyed it, but eight years is enough for me.

LS: So what would you say is your biggest accomplishment over the eight years?

MC: I don't know if it's anything I really did for the Town.  When it comes to accomplishments, as people will find out if they run for something like this, it's hard to get things done.  You know as well as anybody, having followed the politics in the community, red tape -- or whatever color tape you want to call it -- it makes it really not easy.  People talk about wanting to get things done.

One thing that finally got done was Chris n Greens getting removed, my uncle's restaurant.  God bless Uncle Fred!  I thought on my first year on the board it was going to be something simple, you know, that we'd be able to do.  We've got a local law about crumbling buildings, but nothing fit.  Nothing worked.

It wasn't until seven years later that (the current property owner) Mr. Jones decided to take it down.  So if anyone wants to think there was one thing, really that was it.  But there were a lot of other things.  You have to work together with the group.  I don't think any one person really accomplishes one thing unless they've got an agenda when they get on the board.

I never did.  If I had an agenda, Dan, and you well know, it was making sure that I spoke my piece.  I let the people know that I wasn't influenced by any political group.  And pretty much that was the case with me.

I just wanted to be there for people, and I think the folks knew that.  They could call me at any time.  Having been here I was grass roots here in Lansing and I think most people trust me.

LS: It's a little frustrating for a local journalist... it seems like the Town Board is more of a group effort than firebrand politicians doing headline things.  But it has seemed to me over the years that most of the people on the board have had that approach.

MC: A working together approach.  A joint effort. 

LS: If I had to pick one person over the six and a half years of the Lansing Star in the town government who had a strongly defined campaign platform, got into office, did those things like checking off bullet points and getting those things done, I would say it was Scott Pinney.

MC: I would have to agree with you.  Having worked for two supervisors... Scott's not running again so whatever I say isn't going to make a difference, and Steve and I have known each other since we were kids.  I was working for two different guys.

Steve Farkas was as laid back as Scott was the opposite.  At times Steve wouldn't say much.  He didn't like confrontation... I mean he didn't mind it, but it wasn't his favorite thing.  Where Scott is 'give me confrontation'.  And people to this day say that Scott came in with a platform and an agenda, things he wanted to see done, and it was personal.


I beg to differ with the 'personal' things overall.  There were some things that appeared to be personal.  Maybe they were, but if we were to think about those things that he did in most cases I'd say that if they tied into being personal, they still were, in most cases, good for the Town.  I don't think that Scott did anything that wan't good for the Town even if it was maybe second on his agenda to something personal.

I enjoyed working for both of these guys.  With Scott it was a little different, because I had to go in and talk to him at times like he was my kid.  Steve and I being the same age, we'd talk them over.  There were some times when I had to go in and say 'Scott, you can't do this bull.'  I said, 'You can't be on your own.  You can't run the Town like you do your own business.  you've got to communicate a little better.'  And there were times when we would get upset with each other.  But never to the point where we weren't friends.  And I hope to God that he still considers me a friend and someone he could go to regardless of what it was.

I enjoyed working for both of these kids.  Kids!  Steve is not a kid!  But I enjoyed working for both of them.  Different completely, but I enjoyed that.

While we're talking about supervisors: there's going to be a complete complexion change on the board now, I think.  Simply because you're looking at a race for Supervisor between two board members.  One of the reasons I wanted to talk to you today is to tell you why I am supporting who I am supporting.

Believe me, I'm a little concerned about what the complexion of the Board is going to look like after these elections.

LS: Well, it's going to be a pretty much brand new board, because the people who are staying on the board have only been on it for a few years.

MC: That's right.  Robert (Cree) has only been on for two years, and Kathy (Miller) also.

If Kathy wins she can remain on the board, but not vice versa -- Connie is off if she doesn't win for Supervisor.

My take right now is... I'm supporting Connie Wilcox for Supervisor partly because she has eight years of experience.  But the other reason is I want to see Kathy stay on the board.  And the only way that she'll stay is if Connie wins.  I think we loose too much to loose both of them, or one of them.

LS: But isn't Kathy considered to be on the Board if she becomes Supervisor?

MC: Yes, she is.  But the fact of the matter is that's hen you take Connie off, and you add somebody new.  The only way we can keep those two on is to have Connie win.

I'm not saying that's the only reason.  I'm supporting Connie anyways.  Partly because I've worked with Connie for eight years.  I think she's worked toward this.  But I would like to see Kathy stay on the board.

I don't know if Kathy's ready after two years.  I was completely shocked that she ended up running.  We had no clue that she was going to do that.

So I would like to see the two of them stay on.  That means they would be on with Robert.  Three there.  Then I'm supporting Eddie LaVigne.

But after that I've got a problem with the other candidates.  I've got a problem -- not personally -- but I can't believe Andra Benson.  If she wins it I think she will be on Eddie's coattails.  Eddie's worked his buns off the past few months, going to meetings.  He's doing his homework.  I've seen Andra Benson at one meeting and she never even stayed the whole time, and that was in (my) eight years on the board.  I haven't heard anything, haven't seen her since at anything.  To me you don't deserve to be on the Board if you can't express some prior interest by gong to meetings, finding out about it and so on.

Now that's one of the candidates.

Ruth Hopkins -- I've seen her at some of the board meetings.  I've heard from her in the past few years.  But I'm not supporting her either.

And the other gentleman, the guy from Ithaca, Koplinka-Loehr?

LS: That's right.  Michael Koplinka-Loehr.

MC: I'm not supporting him.  I'm really disappointed that we couldn't have seen a couple of other people come out, a couple of folks I would like to have seen that I talked to.  I won't mention any names, because they weren't interested and I couldn't convince them.

I guess the best scenario right now would be if Connie wins, Kathy stays on, Ed gets elected to stay on with Robert.  That's four and I don't care who they throw in after that.  Maybe there's going to be a write-in candidate...

But that's my take right now.

LS: If you were going to run to be Supervisor or even King of Lansing...

MC: (Laughing) Or Mayor?

LS: You've seen the interviews I've been doing of the candidates...

MC: Yes I have...

LS: One of the questions I asked all of them this year is whether they think Lansing is at a crossroads in its history.  I think a lot of things we've talked about are finally gelling.  They're happening.  The town center, to me, that's the big one. 

MC:  Me too.

LS: When I started covering the Board it was just a gleam in peoples' eyes... well, more of a glint that an gleam... it was something in the future, we don't know when, maybe something will happen, maybe we'll do sewer...  but it wasn't a real thing that people could almost taste.

MC: It wasn't a priority at all...

LS: And now we're looking at stuff happening even before the state sale of the land the Town wants to use happens... the supermarket opening, there's an office building going up... around the periphery.  And Scott says that contractors have already contacted him about building there when the land becomes available.  Now it's getting so people can taste it.  I was a person who would like to see it happen sooner for a variety of reasons, but frankly I'm surprised at how fast it seems to be happening now.

MC: After being so slow for so long.  You're right.

LS: Yeah, it was a 'nice idea', and now look at them go!  So if you were going to be King of Lansing... or Emperor -- why stop at King? -- for the next four years, what would you like to see?

MC:  A number of the things you said are true.  I do see it happening, and I think one of the major reasons is that we're very fortunate to have a guy like Andy Sciarabba.  Andy's a go-getter.  his vision is similar to what a lot of peoples' vision is.  The unfortunate thing is that for most people it's only vision.  Andy is a go-getter.  He's a doer.

And God bless him!  I wish he had been doing some of this eight to ten years ago.

One of the things I've envisioned growing up around here and living on Triphammer Terrace from '54 up to '87 is something like a downtown, a town center.

I would like to see, even just to start, some sidewalks put in from the Lansing Market right down through South Lansing, past Rogue's Harbor Inn.  Ditch that Pit Stop thing.

LS: Right, now it's the Chris n Greens...

MC: Right, get that out.  You can start off with your street lights and your sidewalk.  You hit it on the nose when it comes to the property that's going to be available, across from the Town Hall, back in there.  A mixture of small business, some residential... Get us a doctor's office, get us some things in there.  Whether or not they compliment each other right away... so what?

I picture it as being Lansing, South Lansing... I don't care what they call it.  Years ago we had a post office down there, too, but now people don't remember it.  The little building that's next to Rogue's Harbor?

LS: It's a micro-brewery now.

MC: I can remember when that was a post office.  Rudy Krantz's gas station was where the Pit Stop is.

So that's a great start.

I hope to God some of this happens before I'm gone.  But with Andy Sciarabba taking the lead, and if I was the Emperor, as you said, I think it would happen a lot quicker.

Not because of me, but he's that kind of guy.  He's a go-getter and I think when people start listening to him and supporting him I think you'll see some of those things happen.

LS: What are you going to miss now that you're retiring from the Board?

MC: Well, I don't think I'm going to miss a whole lot.  I mean the meetings haven't been that bad, and in the last year I haven't been on that many committees.  Maybe I'll miss some of the B.S. that goes on.  But I just think I've put in my time.

Maybe I'll miss some of the people.  I miss the old board.  I miss Matt (Besemer) and Bud (Shattuck) and Steve (Farkas).  I do miss that group, which I thought was a great group of people.

But along those same lines I am getting off something else that has been taking an awful lot of my time in the last ten years.  I'm resigning as the chairman of the Lansing Athletic Hall Of Fame Selection Committee, effective January 14th, which is when the induction ceremony is for the 'Class of 2011'.

It hasn't gone out yet, but we've already got the two candidates.  There are just two nominees in this year.  We're going to be inducting Eddie Redmond, who is in his first year of eligibility.  A former coach.  And we're going to be inducting an old timer from the '50s who was one of the great football players, Don Worsell.  And the team that's going in is the 1983 football team.

And I want to make this very clear -- as far as me resigning, we don't have anybody yet to take over.  I have talked to a couple of folks, and I know there are a few people who were hoping I wouldn't do this.  I've been doing it 10 out of the 13 years.

LS: Are you staying on the committee as a regular member or are you resigning?

MC:  I'm resigning.  I decided that maybe they need a change, too.

It's a busy job as you know.  You've been great about showing up for all of our inductions and taking pictures.  I think each year you've been down there and done the write-up on all these guys.

This will be the smallest class, but I think it's appropriate with Ed and Don gong in.  To have those two is special.  I want to go out comfortable, and Margaret thinks it's a good idea, too, because I spend 12 months a year working on it.  I campaign for it. 

We're not getting the kind of nominations that we need, and we need it from the public.  Even though I put a big article in the Lansing School District Bulletin last year with a nomination form and a write up... I think people think it's too much work and they think the committee should be doing it.

It's a lot of work and I've had a great run, but my run is over January 14th.

And one other thing I've got to do.  I want to thank you for those years (covering) the Board.  I think that's critical that the Lansing Star has done what it's done for the community.

It's been nice.  I hope you don't forget me after this, because any time you ened to fill in some space, you always know where you can come to do that.

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