Smith touts alternative energy, jobs

Councilman Jeffrey M. Smith does not mince words.

He is considered one of the most outspoken members of the Watertown City Council, and he wants to continue that distinction for another four-year term.

"What's on the forefront, a priority for this budget and for years to come, has to be what we can do to help bring development to this city," Mr. Smith said. "What better way to do that than by offering low-cost or no-cost power through the use of alternative energies to companies that can bring nice high-tech jobs to the city?"

Mr. Smith, 39, is the only current council member running for re-election. Former Councilman Peter L. Clough resigned earlier this year after moving into a home outside the city; his term would have ended in December. Mr. Clough's appointed replacement, Jason R. Burto, has said he plans to fill the vacancy until the term expires, then bow out.

Mr. Smith, Stephen J. Bradley and Teresa R. Macaluso are campaigning to fill two City Council seats that will become vacant in January.

During his current four-year term, Mr. Smith has pushed to limit outside engineering and administrative costs charged to the city during major projects. He has asked the council to hire another engineer to work on street reconstruction projects.

"If you look at the cost to hire consulting firms, it would make more sense to just have another engineer on staff to perform that work," he said.

Mr. Smith has lobbied the council to develop solar, geothermal or hydroelectricity generators.

"I've talked for 10 years now about alternative energies," Mr. Smith said. "I think that we could use more alternative energy production to bring down our costs and it would provide an alternative revenue stream for the city to sell power back to National Grid."

The Keyes Avenue resident said the city should look into using solar and geothermal energy at the municipal arena at the Alex T. Duffy Fairgrounds.

Mr. Smith has found a friend in Councilman Joseph M. Butler Jr. since Mr. Butler was elected in 2007. The pair have agreed on a number of financial issues and have pushed city staff to further develop use of alternative energies.

The pair, however, have lacked enough votes to implement costlier projects despite arguing that the city is not doing enough to lower its energy costs.

In terms of the use of alternative energy, the campaign initiatives of Mr. Smith and council candidate Stephen J. Bradley appear to be on similar pages.

"Based on the stories I've heard, and the statements he has made recently and in the past, it looks like he's also a proponent of the use of alternative energies," Mr. Smith said.

THE SMITH FILE

Jeffrey M. Smith

AGE: 39

ADDRESS: 140 Keyes Ave.

FAMILY: Wife, Milly C., and four children, Carlos, 16, Estevan, 7, Iliana, 5, and Neica, 2

JOB: Neorosurgical physician assistant with Owen & Krawchenko, 629 Washington St., and owner of QuickMed Urgent Care Center, 727 Washington St.

EXPERIENCE: Two-year term on the former Jefferson County Board of Supervisors in 1993-94; City Council in 2000-03 and 2006-09

EDUCATION: Immaculate Heart Central, Watertown; Associate's degree in criminal justice, Jefferson Community College, 1990; Bachelor's degree in political science, University at Albany, 1992. Physician assistant certification, LeMoyne College, 2004