Kurt Schmeling was not a typical student. Instead of sitting through the usual classes five days a week, Schmeling spent most of his school days in the industrial shop.
“What you got to understand is I really like to work with my hands. I like to build things. I used to be able to get the keys to the shop, the industrial arts teacher and I used to build a lot of things together.” [Schmeling]
Now, about 45 years after his school days, Schmeling is campaigning to become what he describes as a hands-on politician to rebuild troubled parts of Syracuse. In the November election, Schmeling is the Conservative Party candidate for Common Council District 1. He is running against Republican Albert Julian and Democrat Michael Heagerty. Jeff DeFrancisco, the current Common Councilor of District 1, decided not to run for re-election.
Here’s how Schmeling describes his hands-on approach to politics:
“I don’t care if you’re an automobile mechanic, refrigeration mechanic, or TV repair mechanic- whichever- you need to be able to analyze things and find a solution, that if you can’t do that you’re in the wrong business. And I think that’s what’s lacking in our people who do get into political office because either they’re too blind to find the problem or they don’t care to fix it.” [Schmeling]
Schmeling first ran for office in 2003 and 2005 for Common Council At-Large—but lost both races. Schmeling is 66. He has always lived in Syracuse. Schmeling and his wife Joan still live in the same house they bought in 1964. They have six children. Schmeling worked at Carrier Air Conditioning Corporation for 39 years.
Schmeling is now retired, but still teaches refrigeration at BOCES and serves as treasurer and deputy director for the Refrigeration Service Engineers Society, an educational organization. When Schmeling’s not up to his ears with refrigeration, he enjoys hunting deer and spending time with his three sons.
“I’ve had lots of great hunting time with my boys and my son-in-laws. I’ve seen them shoot their first deer, first with a gun then with a bow and arrow.” [Schmeling]
As a hunter, father, teacher, and most importantly technician, Schmeling says he would bring to the Common Council his ability to identify, analyze, and solve problems. Schmeling says he hopes to improve the quality of life in Syracuse by creating a curfew for teenagers, promoting trade professions in the schools and keeping the streets safe by getting more police out in the city.
On his support for encouraging students to enter the trade sector, Schmeling says a lot of kids gravitate towards more mechanical fields and are not necessarily college-bound. William Parlapiano III, regional director at Refrigeration Engineers Society, has worked hard with Schmeling to promote service sector jobs, such as carpentry, mechanics, and refrigeration.
“He and I both share a passion to get more emphasis placed on the importance of putting people in the service sector because without people in the service sector, it affects our energy, our environment, our economy.” [Parlapiano]
On his support for a curfew, Schmeling says he wants to get kids off the streets by ten at night. He suggests that if these kids are home earlier they would be better able to get up and attend classes the next day. Schmeling is infuriated by the fact that the Syracuse city schools see about 2,300 students absent from school each day.
“If they’re out at midnight or two in the morning, they’re in training to occupy a jail cell- that’s what they’re doing.” [Schmeling]
Not everyone agrees with setting a curfew for Syracuse’s youth. DeFrancisco proposed a teen curfew in 2004—but it was rejected locally by residents, civil liberty groups, and the Common Councilors. The opposition groups argued that a curfew would be expensive and ineffective. These groups also suggested that police can break up groups of young people committing crimes. They say there is no need to question every single teen out at night.
Despite the opposition, Schmeling is confident that a curfew will be one way to improve the safety of the streets. Jeff DeFrancisco, current Common Councilor of District 1, says crime is always an issue in this district and says that Schmeling shows a keen interest in public safety.
“I know he’s always contacting the police, pushing for more police presence in the neighborhood.” [DeFrancisco]
Schmeling never saw himself as a politician—but he’s always been a problem solver. Schmeling says he will be one of the most accessible and practical councilors the Common Council has seen.
“I have several e-mails. I have the phone, both cell and phone and land line. No matter what happens, there’s answering machines. No matter what happens I’m there.”
The general election is November 6th.
For Democracywise, I’m Amy Aaronson.
Kurt Schmeling Basic Information:
Age: 66
Hometown: Syracuse, New York
Occupation: Retired after 39 years with Carrier Air Conditioning Company an running his own business (Kurt’s Refrigeration an Air Conditioning).
Family: Wife (Joan Brusso), six children, 12 grandchildren, two great-grandchildren.
Education: Attended Lyncourt School, St. Daniel’s School, and North High School.
Career: Never held office, but ran for Common Council At-Large Seat in 2003 and 2005. In both races, he won about 8,000 to 9,000 votes compared to his opponents who got about 11,000 to 12,000 votes. Member of the Conservative Party.
Stands on Issues:
- Absentee Landlord Licensing: Wants to end long-term problems of destroyed housing in the neighborhoods.
- Curfew: Keep minors off City streets after 10 p.m. to reduce crime and truancy.
- Community and City Court Judges to come to Neighborhood Watch meetings
- Quality-of-life issues: Reducing neighborhood noise by eliminating unnecessary noise of radios, horns, and barking dogs. Reducing street safety by re-assigning police to problem areas.
- Parking tickets: After four unpaid tickets, the fifth ticket would cause the vehicle to be towed and impounded until all fines were paid.
- Municipal power: Supports using a local distribution system to purchase power in bulk and lower the cost to the user.
(Amy Aaronson is a junior broadcast journalism major).
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