Administrative — Office of the Mayor & Board of Trustees
Leadership, Governance & the Future of Fonda
The Mayor and Board of Trustees provide the executive, legislative and policy leadership of the Village of Fonda.
Together, they are responsible for establishing Village priorities, adopting local laws and policies, approving budgets and expenditures, overseeing municipal services, planning for infrastructure needs and making decisions that affect the long-term future of the community.
While many of these responsibilities ultimately require action by the Board of Trustees, significant work occurs before a matter reaches the Board for formal consideration.
The Mayor serves as the Village's chief executive officer and provides day-to-day executive leadership for Village government. This includes identifying municipal needs and opportunities, developing initiatives, coordinating with department personnel and professional advisors, working with State, federal, County and regional partners, pursuing potential funding opportunities, and bringing projects and recommendations before the Board of Trustees for consideration and action.
The Board of Trustees serves as the Village's legislative and governing body, providing oversight and acting upon matters including budgets, expenditures, contracts, local laws, policies, projects and other municipal business as required.
This combination of executive leadership and Board oversight allows the Village to move opportunities from an initial idea through planning, funding, approval and, when appropriate, implementation.
Office of the Mayor
The Mayor serves as the chief executive officer of the Village and presides over meetings of the Board of Trustees.
In addition to the responsibilities established by New York State law, the Mayor provides executive leadership in the development and coordination of Village initiatives, works with department personnel and professional advisors, represents the Village in discussions with other levels of government and outside organizations, and works to identify partnerships, resources and funding opportunities that can advance Village priorities.
This work frequently occurs during the earliest stages of a project — before engineering is completed, funding is secured or a proposal is ready for formal Board consideration.
The Mayor also serves as the appointing authority for non-elective Village officers and employees, subject to Board approval where required by law, and appoints a Deputy Mayor from among the members of the Board of Trustees.
The Mayor may develop and bring proposals and recommendations before the Board for consideration, while projects requiring Board authorization, appropriations, contracts or other formal action proceed through the appropriate public process.
Board of Trustees
The Board of Trustees is the legislative and governing body of the Village.
The Board considers and acts upon matters involving Village policy, finances, budgets, local laws, contracts, expenditures, projects and other municipal business.
Trustees also provide oversight, represent community interests and participate in the evaluation of matters brought before the Board.
Major Village initiatives therefore involve both executive development and the appropriate legislative and financial oversight of the Board.
Working Together
Moving a community forward requires cooperation.
Village projects frequently involve Village employees, the Mayor and Board of Trustees, residents, engineers, attorneys, consultants, neighboring municipalities, Montgomery County, school officials, State and federal agencies, community organizations and other stakeholders.
The Village will continue seeking those partnerships when they can help Fonda protect essential services, secure outside resources, improve public infrastructure and create new opportunities for the community.
Planning for Fonda's Future
The Village is pursuing a broad range of initiatives intended to strengthen Fonda's infrastructure, protect essential services, improve public spaces, support economic development and prepare the community for future needs.
Moving Fonda → Forward
Honoring Our Roots. Building a Modern Future.
Moving Fonda → Forward represents a broader vision for the future of our community.
It brings together many of the ideas, opportunities and long-term needs the Village is exploring — from essential infrastructure and municipal services to recreation, housing, economic development, tourism and the continued revitalization of our community.
The initiative recognizes that Fonda's future cannot be defined by any single project.
Water and wastewater infrastructure, streets and pedestrian connections, parks and recreation, our waterfront and Canal corridor, housing, Main Street, municipal facilities and opportunities for economic development are all connected to the long-term strength of the Village.
Moving Fonda → Forward provides a framework for looking at these opportunities together while respecting the history, character and identity that make Fonda our community.
Some concepts are already moving through planning, engineering, funding or implementation. Others remain longer-term opportunities that require additional study, partnerships, property, funding or community discussion.
The purpose is not to suggest that every concept has been approved or funded.
It is to plan ahead, identify opportunities, build partnerships and position the Village to act when the right resources become available.
Moving Fonda → Forward
Honoring Our Roots. Building a Modern Future.
Explore the Village's broader vision for infrastructure, recreation, community development, housing, economic opportunity and Fonda's future.
From Vision to Action
Moving Fonda → Forward provides the broader vision. The Village's Current Projects & Initiatives resource shows how individual ideas and priorities move from vision toward implementation.