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Essek Not Seeking Another Term As Mayor

Mayor Doug Essek

FREDONIA — Doug Essek has announced he will not be running for a second term for mayor in the village of Fredonia.

During an interview on WDOE radio Monday morning, Essek made it official that he would not be running again. Essek told the OBSERVER Monday afternoon, “This is one chapter that’s over and I need to move on to the next chapter.”

Asked why he wasn’t running again, he said, “I have a lot of different things going on in my life.”

Though he’s not running this November, Essek would not rule out another campaign for an elected office. “I don’t know what the future holds,” he said.

He looked forward to the future of Fredonia government. “We’re going to have a lot of new people in, with new energy and new ideas,” he said.

His political career began in 2017 when he was elected to fill a vacant trustee seat. Essek was elected for his first four-year term in 2018.

He won the position of mayor in the 2019 election over incumbent Athanasia Landis. But it has not been easy at the helm. After the village won the Small Business Revolution competition, the momentum was lost to COVID-19. Months later, a 20-day boil-water crisis in September angered residents and businesses. Essek later came down with the virus, which placed him in the intensive care unit of UPMC Hamot in Erie, Pa. “Between the services I got, the thoughts and prayers, this really has been an amazing experience,” he said. “I’m just very lucky to be here and share this with you.”

Democrats have endorsed Michael Ferguson for Fredonia mayor. Republicans in Pomfret-Fredonia have yet to put forth a slate of candidates.

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