Hidy Entering Massena Race For Mayor's Job

MASSENA - This year's mayoral elections are still eight months away, but James F. Hidy has already thrown his hat in the ring for the job.

And while he does not yet know under which party line his name will appear, the 57-year-old Massena native is actively working to make sure he is on November's ballot.

A graduate of the former Holy Family High School in Massena and Canton College of Technology, Mr. Hidy was employed by General Motors here before being transferred in 1988 to Detroit, Mich., where he started two businesses - first an automotive parts quality inspection company called Great Lakes Production Support and later a professional recruiting firm called Interstate Professional Services. He still operates the recruiting company and is in the process of bringing the business to the North Country.

Mr. Hidy returned to Massena in August with 20 years of experience watching other communities handle some of the many problems currently facing the region. He says he hopes to use that experience and insight to help his hometown reclaim its former glory.

"With the economy the way it is and the situation in the village, the lack of jobs, there's really no vision from what I've seen about how to handle it," Mr. Hidy said.

"This used to be a bustling place. My main focus is restoring the pride in Massena, looking for ways to reinvent Massena. It can't be business as usual; we've got to change and adapt, be more aggressive in the approach we're taking."

If given the chance to serve as mayor, Mr. Hidy said he would actively pursue opportunities to revitalize the downtown area, cooperate with other municipalities and encourage the Business Development Corporation and the Massena Chamber of Commerce to be more active in bringing high-paying jobs and tourist events back to the community.

His other priorities include finding resources to help clean up neighborhoods and improve dilapidated structures, working with recreation officials to offer more venues and activities for children of all ages and investigating potential areas for cooperation and consolidation between the town and village or between the village and other municipalities.

"Massena used to be the jewel of the North Country," Mr. Hidy said. "It concerns everyone in town how we can reinvent downtown and make it more appealing. We can't all be working in different directions; we've got to come together."

While Mr. Hidy is a registered Democrat, the mayoral hopeful says he has had discussions with officials from both the Massena Democratic and Massena Republican committees about being their candidate. He said he is still exploring his options in that regard.

"I really don't see being a party affiliate as a big concern," Mr. Hidy said. "I'm open to working with either party. I'm working on finding the party that I can identify issues with and work together with."

The support he gets from either party will depend largely on whether there are other individuals interested in running for mayor. Both the Massena Democrats and Massena Republicans traditionally select one candidate for each available post through a late summer or early fall caucus, making a primary by either party rare.

Acting Republican Committee Chairman Joseph D. Gray said he has been approached by at least one individual about the position so far, though he noted there may be others interested who have talked to other party members. He said it was still very early in the election season for such discussions.

Mayor Randy G. DeLosh, a Republican, says he has not yet decided whether he will run for a second term.

"There's still about four or five months," Mr. DeLosh pointed out. "When I decide, I'll announce it."

Mr. Gray said he has not gotten confirmation from Mr. DeLosh about his plans, but said the party would support whichever decision the sitting mayor made.

"I think [Mr. DeLosh] is weighing some options," Mr. Gray said. "If he's running again, we have a candidate. He'd obviously have support as an incumbent mayor if he decides to run again."

At least two other Democrats have been mentioned as potential candidates for the mayor's chair - Trustee Joseph A. Macaulay, who is up for reelection this fall anyway, and former Mayor Charles Boots.

Mr. Boots said he had considered getting back into politics, but has decided against it.

"I'm certainly interested in government, but as for running for office again, I don't believe I'm going to be a candidate," Mr. Boots said.

Mr. Macaulay said he definitely plans to run, but has not yet decided whether it will be for reelection as trustee or for the mayor's job.

"I'm going to be running for something, but I don't know what yet," he said.

Officials from the Massena Democratic Committee could not be reached for comment Monday.