Today’s candidate interview is with Cyndy Montana, Democratic Party candidate for Grand Island’s Town Council. She is running for one of two open seats on
the Town Council. The incumbents, Ray Billica and Chris Aronica, have chosen
not to run for re-election. The election will be held on November 7th.
the Town Council. The incumbents, Ray Billica and Chris Aronica, have chosen
not to run for re-election. The election will be held on November 7th.
Tell
me about you.
me about you.
I was born and raised on a dairy farm in
Quebec, so we would get up and milk the cows at 4:30 every morning. That’s
where I learned my work ethic. I was going to be a lawyer. I worked in a hotel one summer and fell in love with hospitality. I
love serving people, making people happy, and helping people.
Quebec, so we would get up and milk the cows at 4:30 every morning. That’s
where I learned my work ethic. I was going to be a lawyer. I worked in a hotel one summer and fell in love with hospitality. I
love serving people, making people happy, and helping people.
I am 44 years old. I
have one brother, who is a year and a half younger than me, and he has the farm. My parents, Butch and Phyllis, are both gone, but I was blessed
to have incredible parents and a wonderful relationship with them.
have one brother, who is a year and a half younger than me, and he has the farm. My parents, Butch and Phyllis, are both gone, but I was blessed
to have incredible parents and a wonderful relationship with them.
Basketball
was my passion. I played power forward. I was named one of the top five basketball players in eastern
Canada.
was my passion. I played power forward. I was named one of the top five basketball players in eastern
Canada.
What types of jobs have you had and what did you enjoy when you weren’t working?
I
started my career as a bar manager at the Four Seasons in
downtown Toronto. From there, I was recruited to be the front office manager at
the Prince of Wales in Niagara-on-the-Lake. In my spare time, I started going
to Williamsville to Howdy’s, a country bar, because I love dancing. That’s
where I met Pete, who was born and bred on Grand Island. While we were
courting, I changed jobs, and I started working for a shelter for abused women.
I did fundraising and public relations.
It really changed me, in a better way.
I would have lunch with the women
every day in the shelter and I’ll never forget one day, when there was a little
boy, probably seven or eight years old, and he commanded his mother to make him
a sandwich in a disrespectful way. To the children in an abusive home, that is
normal. Unless those children can be removed from that environment, the cycle
of violence will continue. When the child becomes a man or woman, they are going
to look for partner who will let them perpetuate what they believe to be
normal. All of the training that I went through was so eye opening. It’s so
hard to believe that this happens. I never understood why women stay until
I’d done all of that training and worked at that shelter. Their self esteem is
so beaten down by this person who “loves” them. They are told every day that
no one else wants them, and they start to believe that. The abusers usually stop
them from seeing their friends and family. They isolate them. It happens in all
socioeconomic levels.
started my career as a bar manager at the Four Seasons in
downtown Toronto. From there, I was recruited to be the front office manager at
the Prince of Wales in Niagara-on-the-Lake. In my spare time, I started going
to Williamsville to Howdy’s, a country bar, because I love dancing. That’s
where I met Pete, who was born and bred on Grand Island. While we were
courting, I changed jobs, and I started working for a shelter for abused women.
I did fundraising and public relations.
It really changed me, in a better way.
I would have lunch with the women
every day in the shelter and I’ll never forget one day, when there was a little
boy, probably seven or eight years old, and he commanded his mother to make him
a sandwich in a disrespectful way. To the children in an abusive home, that is
normal. Unless those children can be removed from that environment, the cycle
of violence will continue. When the child becomes a man or woman, they are going
to look for partner who will let them perpetuate what they believe to be
normal. All of the training that I went through was so eye opening. It’s so
hard to believe that this happens. I never understood why women stay until
I’d done all of that training and worked at that shelter. Their self esteem is
so beaten down by this person who “loves” them. They are told every day that
no one else wants them, and they start to believe that. The abusers usually stop
them from seeing their friends and family. They isolate them. It happens in all
socioeconomic levels.
How
long did you work at the shelter?
long did you work at the shelter?
I
worked there for three and a half years and then I left there to go to Brock
University. I did fundraising and public relations there, as well. That was in
2002, the year that I got married. We got married back home under a tree. It
was a gorgeous day. Pete lived with me in St. Catharines, while we worked on my
legal status. I worked for Ontario’s Finest and was inspecting hotels and spas
across Ontario for Quality Assurance, from the customer’s perspective. I went
in and they didn’t know who I was. I did that for ten years. It was a side job.
worked there for three and a half years and then I left there to go to Brock
University. I did fundraising and public relations there, as well. That was in
2002, the year that I got married. We got married back home under a tree. It
was a gorgeous day. Pete lived with me in St. Catharines, while we worked on my
legal status. I worked for Ontario’s Finest and was inspecting hotels and spas
across Ontario for Quality Assurance, from the customer’s perspective. I went
in and they didn’t know who I was. I did that for ten years. It was a side job.
We also started building this company called beer hats. They were cowboy hats
made out of beer cases. It started as a complete joke, and we took it to half a
million dollars in sales and then sold it. So Pete is the dreamer. He has
multiple patents and big ideas. He comes up with the ideas and gets them
started and passes them to me to be the business side of the project.
When
did you and Pete move to Grand Island?
did you and Pete move to Grand Island?
In
2005, I got my legal status, and we moved to the United States. It probably
took me a year (to get legal status). I was eight months pregnant, and I had to find a new doctor. It
was quite an adventure. Pete wanted to move back to Grand Island. When he
suggested that, I googled Grand Island. I saw that there was a low crime rate, a
beautiful location, and that it was close to everything. I said, yes, let’s
move to Grand Island. That’s the best decision that I ever made. I absolutely
love Grand Island. I’m from a 200 acre farm.
I lived in eleven places in ten years. And now, finding my forever home
on Grand Island fulfills so much for me. I have this little piece of land. I
need that. I can never live in an urban environment. There is land and nature all around, and it’s ten minutes from a Sabres game or the Canadian border. It’s so
perfectly located. The sense of community makes it feel like a small town, and
I’m from a town of 4,000 people. I had Kaylee in 2005, and I had Jaxen in 2007.
He’s in fifth grade, and she is in seventh.
2005, I got my legal status, and we moved to the United States. It probably
took me a year (to get legal status). I was eight months pregnant, and I had to find a new doctor. It
was quite an adventure. Pete wanted to move back to Grand Island. When he
suggested that, I googled Grand Island. I saw that there was a low crime rate, a
beautiful location, and that it was close to everything. I said, yes, let’s
move to Grand Island. That’s the best decision that I ever made. I absolutely
love Grand Island. I’m from a 200 acre farm.
I lived in eleven places in ten years. And now, finding my forever home
on Grand Island fulfills so much for me. I have this little piece of land. I
need that. I can never live in an urban environment. There is land and nature all around, and it’s ten minutes from a Sabres game or the Canadian border. It’s so
perfectly located. The sense of community makes it feel like a small town, and
I’m from a town of 4,000 people. I had Kaylee in 2005, and I had Jaxen in 2007.
He’s in fifth grade, and she is in seventh.
We
also started a Grand Island limousine company. We’re very entrepreneurial.
also started a Grand Island limousine company. We’re very entrepreneurial.
Tell
me about getting involved in this community.
me about getting involved in this community.
I
got involved in Grand Island right away. It was mostly through the PTA. I was
also part of the committee that helped lay out how the $55 million capital
campaign was going to be spent, and I helped market it. I also physically built
the Kaegebein Elementary School playground in 2015. I was part of the committee
that raised the money to build it. I became a citizen after the capital
campaign referendum. I spent months and months of work on this project and then,
I went to vote, and I couldn’t vote because I wasn’t an American citizen. Wait
a second! I want to help this community. I need to have my voice heard. So
that’s when I applied for my citizenship. I now have dual citizenship.
got involved in Grand Island right away. It was mostly through the PTA. I was
also part of the committee that helped lay out how the $55 million capital
campaign was going to be spent, and I helped market it. I also physically built
the Kaegebein Elementary School playground in 2015. I was part of the committee
that raised the money to build it. I became a citizen after the capital
campaign referendum. I spent months and months of work on this project and then,
I went to vote, and I couldn’t vote because I wasn’t an American citizen. Wait
a second! I want to help this community. I need to have my voice heard. So
that’s when I applied for my citizenship. I now have dual citizenship.
I
was part of the school system but, as my kids were getting older, I wanted to
help to make the town better. I want them to grow up some place where they want
to stay and that they are proud of. So I had breakfast with Ray Billica and
said, “I want to get involved, what should I do?” He first suggested the
Economic Development Advisory Board, and I went to a few meetings. But when he
suggested running for town council, my interest was piqued. He suggested that I
meet Bev Kinney and, after that meeting, I was hooked. She was so motivational,
wanting to get more women involved. She had a vision that I was really
intrigued by. And so, that’s when she said, “You’ve got to meet Jim Sharpe
because he is the chair of the Democratic Committee.” He’s the one who put
together our motley crew. There was me, a Canadian; Nathan McMurray, who was
unknown at the time; Sybil Kennedy, the long-standing judge who was rejected by
her party; and Jim Sharpe’s sister, Bev Kinney. But we totally connected, and
Jim is an incredible leader. We took the town by storm. Nathan was not expected to win. I’m the only one who
didn’t win. I only lost by 50 votes. It’s the
best thing that could have happened that I lost. But I became part of the team
anyway when I reluctantly became Nathan’s assistant. I’m not an office job kind
of person, and I wasn’t sure how it was going to go. I was determined to help
Nathan with the transition because I believed in his vision. So that’s why I
did it. I promised him one year, and I was there a year and half and decided to
run again.
was part of the school system but, as my kids were getting older, I wanted to
help to make the town better. I want them to grow up some place where they want
to stay and that they are proud of. So I had breakfast with Ray Billica and
said, “I want to get involved, what should I do?” He first suggested the
Economic Development Advisory Board, and I went to a few meetings. But when he
suggested running for town council, my interest was piqued. He suggested that I
meet Bev Kinney and, after that meeting, I was hooked. She was so motivational,
wanting to get more women involved. She had a vision that I was really
intrigued by. And so, that’s when she said, “You’ve got to meet Jim Sharpe
because he is the chair of the Democratic Committee.” He’s the one who put
together our motley crew. There was me, a Canadian; Nathan McMurray, who was
unknown at the time; Sybil Kennedy, the long-standing judge who was rejected by
her party; and Jim Sharpe’s sister, Bev Kinney. But we totally connected, and
Jim is an incredible leader. We took the town by storm. Nathan was not expected to win. I’m the only one who
didn’t win. I only lost by 50 votes. It’s the
best thing that could have happened that I lost. But I became part of the team
anyway when I reluctantly became Nathan’s assistant. I’m not an office job kind
of person, and I wasn’t sure how it was going to go. I was determined to help
Nathan with the transition because I believed in his vision. So that’s why I
did it. I promised him one year, and I was there a year and half and decided to
run again.
What
is campaigning for office like for you?
The
campaign process took an emotional toll and was more difficult and unpleasant
than I ever anticipated. But I am so excited about where Grand Island is headed,and I so want to be a part of it that I’ve decided to put myself out there
again. The best part of campaigning is meeting so many people with big hearts,
who love Grand Island as much as I do.
campaign process took an emotional toll and was more difficult and unpleasant
than I ever anticipated. But I am so excited about where Grand Island is headed,and I so want to be a part of it that I’ve decided to put myself out there
again. The best part of campaigning is meeting so many people with big hearts,
who love Grand Island as much as I do.
What
is your vision for Grand Island?
is your vision for Grand Island?
I
really want to preserve the uniqueness of Grand Island, with its green space. I
want to help support farming and promote ecotourism. I also want it to be more
family focused. If kids aren’t athletic, there isn’t a lot offered on Grand Island
other than sports. Even with sports, some have to go off island. I am
specifically about helping it be better for teenagers. We need a new, fresher
version of the old Reality Café. When I lived in St. Catharines, I sat on the
board for a teen drop in center called the Raft. Some of these kids had nowhere
else to go. They didn’t have an interest in sports. There were no programs. The
Raft gave them somewhere safe to be. We don’t have that in Grand Island.
really want to preserve the uniqueness of Grand Island, with its green space. I
want to help support farming and promote ecotourism. I also want it to be more
family focused. If kids aren’t athletic, there isn’t a lot offered on Grand Island
other than sports. Even with sports, some have to go off island. I am
specifically about helping it be better for teenagers. We need a new, fresher
version of the old Reality Café. When I lived in St. Catharines, I sat on the
board for a teen drop in center called the Raft. Some of these kids had nowhere
else to go. They didn’t have an interest in sports. There were no programs. The
Raft gave them somewhere safe to be. We don’t have that in Grand Island.
I want to attract
Green business, like the medical corridor. I don’t want industry, but we need to
build our tax base, and the way to do that is through business. We can keep our taxes under control by
tapping into grants and not increasing taxes. Over the last few years, with a
new administration, we’ve brought so much to Grand Island, without exceeding
our budget or raising taxes. It was done through grants and perseverance.
Green business, like the medical corridor. I don’t want industry, but we need to
build our tax base, and the way to do that is through business. We can keep our taxes under control by
tapping into grants and not increasing taxes. Over the last few years, with a
new administration, we’ve brought so much to Grand Island, without exceeding
our budget or raising taxes. It was done through grants and perseverance.
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I am very impressed by Cyndy's interview .Whta a beautiful vision.Green ,ecofriendly and not a tax burden. Sound sense with economic sense.I so wish India had a few such people.We are struggling badly.
Very good interview with lots of details and real insight. Thanks for sharing.
Cyndy is so inspiring. I loved her views on women empowerment and her work in shelter. So nice to read about such a strong and wonderful human being.
Very good interview