NORFOLK — Norfolk Town Supervisor Candidate Travis Bond says it is his competitive nature that will make him a great town supervisor, if elected.

Bond says martial arts has contributed to his growth on “an entirely new level,” helping him “remain calm during high-stress situations.”

He says those skills and his experience over the years push his desire to win.

“Not only do I want to win, but more importantly I want the town to win,” he said.

A former corrections officer, Bond is an instructor with the North Country Martial Arts Academy in Norfolk.

That desire to win, coupled with his formal education, which includes a bachelor's degree from SUNY Canton, “has led me to continually grow in leadership and management,” he said.

Bond says he, a lifelong Norfolk resident, is part of the town and is affected like all residents.

Bond also says he is an experienced real estate developer and experienced property manager, skills that will lend themselves well to the role of town supervisor.

“Success does not come until one fails and takes risks, along the way things will not always be perfect. Putting yourself out there and understanding that it is okay to fail is a hard thing to do. Norfolk can be successful, I have said it for many years and would love the opportunity to make it happen,” Bond said.

When asked what challenges he thinks Norfolk is facing and needs to address, Bond said transparency, public awareness, leadership and energy are all high priority issues in Norfolk.

“Transparency seems like a common theme, but a major issue in building a rapport between the public and the municipality. Evidence has shown, especially about zoning laws in Norfolk, the lack of transparency occurring within the town. Very importantly, without proper zoning, it allows the municipality to overstep its power by using taxpayer funds to try to shut down businesses. Secondly, if the zoning laws are not compliant then the town also will be, and is, ineligible for grants,” he said.

If elected, Bond said he will request a full audit of “all books related to the Norfolk town budget over the last ten years.”

In a letter to the editor, Bond also said he would live stream all town board meetings to ensure transparency.

“Folks raising families don’t always have time to attend board meetings. Others have no means of transportation. Work schedules can also interfere,” he wrote.

Bond also wrote that as part of his plan he will allow individuals to utilize the public comment period of meetings to raise concerns the board should be aware of.

“When elected, I will never cut off any of my constituents during public comments, as long as those comments are offered in a respectful and non-threatening fashion. Public comments offer residents an opportunity to voice questions or concerns about their town.It is imperative that people have the opportunity to speak to their elected officials,” he wrote.

But Bond says he and his team are working on a plan to address those concerns.

“We, my team and I, have started taking steps to disseminate accurate information to the taxpayers on what is happening in the town. My team and I would love to say we are working on grants with the town but were denied this opportunity at a previous town board meeting in July. We have steps in place to go forward with better, more effective transparency. We have selected board members who are also looking for growth in the community and are interested in applying for grant opportunities,” Bond said.

Those grants would be used to continue to support performing arts in the community and help low-income families upgrade their homes, among other areas of concern, according to campaign information.

Ultimately, Bond says his biggest goal would be to “do something beneficial that is a win for all taxpayers.”

“Getting the town of Norfolk cheaper energy would be something that can change the entire direction of the community. While the value of the dollar is decreasing, all other things are increasing in price. This can only be maintained for so long before those on set wages will not be able to afford even the necessary items to live,” he said.

Bond commented that Norfolk is a “system” with many moving parts.

If the town were to accomplish something like bringing affordable energy to residents, it would help local businesses and taxpayers alike.

“This would lead to many opportunities, but ultimately allow us to use our beautiful town to Compete! We need to start competing again and bringing people to the community. We need a better network,” Bond said.