Mayor Jim Cecere

Mayor Jim Cecere As the Mayor of Geneva, it’s my goal to stay connected with the community. Just remember - be polite and respectful, and you’ll be welcome to engage.

This page will be used as a communication tool and always a way to hear from people in Geneva.

In case my last name didn’t give it away, I do have an Italian heritage. I celebrated with the Sons & Daughters of Italy...
08/16/2026

In case my last name didn’t give it away, I do have an Italian heritage. I celebrated with the Sons & Daughters of Italy - Geneva Lodge 2397 at their Italian Festival this weekend in Geneva. This packed event saw thousands of people over the weekend eat great food, compete for delicious and fun prizes, and celebrate the entire community (not just Italians). Terrific energy and engagement by so many!

Oh - I had the eggplant Parmesan, meatballs, almond espresso gelato, and Italian cookies. I started my diet the next day…🇮🇹

08/16/2026

I was honored to speak at the Friends of Castle Creek Festival about the potential "daylighting" of Castle Creek. The idea is that it brings sections of our creek that run underground through the city back up into the open, with a variety of impacts, especially Stormwater management.

Here's where things stand: in 2024, after several major storms, City Council formed a Storm Task Force to look at ways to make Geneva more resilient. Daylighting Castle Creek was one of the long-term ideas that came out of that work. The city has applied for state grant funding for a feasibility study, which is the first step before any real engineering or construction can be considered. Why? Because a project like this takes years of planning and significant investment to do right. We have nothing in the budget regarding this effort, and would need both a better understanding and a viable plan before moving forward in a responsible way. I believe it would take decades. But having a plan and doing what we can to improve our infrastructure and storm water management is the right thing to do.

None of this happens, though, without education and community. A huge thank you to Friends of Castle Creek for the vision, education, and advocacy that got us all talking about our creek in the first place, and to the Hildreth Hill Neighborhood for all the work that went into planning and pulling off today's festival. Geneva is lucky to have neighbors who care this much about our shared spaces.

Watch my full remarks from the festival below, and stay tuned as this work continues.

The Hilldreth Hill Neighborhood and Friends of Castle Creek (Geneva, NY) held a neighborhood festival with live music an...
08/16/2026

The Hilldreth Hill Neighborhood and Friends of Castle Creek (Geneva, NY) held a neighborhood festival with live music and also raised awareness about Castle Creek. Lots of other organizations present, too. Stormwater management and Castle Creek go hand-in-hand. There’s no silver bullet. It’ll take many years, dollars, and efforts to improve our infrastructure. Keep up the good work raising awareness and promoting community!

(Also, check out the last pic and join me in welcoming some new people and their pup to Geneva!)

Homeownership became a little more real today on Katherine Street.I joined Patricia “Trish” Nilsen, President and CEO of...
08/10/2026

Homeownership became a little more real today on Katherine Street.

I joined Patricia “Trish” Nilsen, President and CEO of NYSEG and RG&E, and Kim Brumber, CEO of Greater Rochester Habitat for Humanity, to meet the future owner of a new Habitat home being built in Geneva.

She currently rents in Geneva, and this will be the first home she has owned. It's a place of her own to raise her two children and build a secure future for her family.

We were also joined by five BOCES students who are gaining hands-on construction experience as they are helping build the house. Their work was supported by a $50,000 grant from NYSEG-RGE.

We have a long way to go, but this project shows what can happen when nonprofits, businesses, educators and the community work toward a shared goal. I’m grateful to everyone helping make homeownership possible for another Geneva family, and please join me in welcoming them to their new home!

08/05/2026

At the Night Out Event, so many kids demonstrated skill and determination to make sure I spent as much time as possible in the water. I was grateful to several who stood next to me as a part of the fun also got splashed as I hit the water. So many smiles and laughs - what a great time!

Last night, Geneva joined thousands of communities across the country in celebrating National Night Out. It’s an annual ...
08/05/2026

Last night, Geneva joined thousands of communities across the country in celebrating National Night Out. It’s an annual event that brings neighbors together with our police officers, firefighters, EMS personnel, nonprofits, and community organizations. Since 1984, National Night Out has been about strengthening relationships, building trust, and reminding us that public safety is a shared responsibility.

It was great to spend the evening talking with so many people and those in organizations that serve Geneva every day, touring the Mercy Flight helicopter, and thanking our first responders for everything they do. Events like this give us the chance to connect outside of emergencies, and those conversations help build a stronger community.

Of course, I also volunteered for the dunk tank. I can confirm that Geneva has some very accurate throwers. Maybe even some future major league pitchers as I was dunked more times than I’d like to admit, but it was worth every splash if it brought a few more smiles and helped support such a worthwhile event.

Thank you to everyone who organized, volunteered, participated, and came out to make the evening such a success. Geneva is at its best when neighbors know one another, support one another, and work together to make our city a safe and welcoming place for everyone.

Today I had the honor of welcoming everyone to the Annual Summit of Geneva 2030. I more convinced than ever that this pr...
08/03/2026

Today I had the honor of welcoming everyone to the Annual Summit of Geneva 2030. I more convinced than ever that this program is one of the most important things happening in our city.

Since 2011, Geneva 2030 has brought together our school district, Hobart and William Smith Colleges, and over 40 local partners around one goal: making sure every child in Geneva has a real path from cradle to career. Tutoring, early childhood readiness, outdoor learning, college and career prep and so much more. About 100 people attended this summit to talk about ways to both continue and improve on this tremendous, life changing initiative.

The keynote speaker, Dr. Ashley Cross, Founding Executive Director of HOPE585, a Rochester-based nonprofit dedicated to strengthening families and transforming how our region supports all children, especially those who are disadvantaged. She states that hope isn’t just a feeling, it’s a skill that can be taught, built, and used to strengthen entire communities. Her message was a powerful complement to everything Geneva 2030 represents: that with the right support, every family and every child can build a real, tangible path forward.

This is what makes Geneva different. It’s a place where families can raise their kids knowing there’s a real, well-supported path to a college education and a career. My thanks to Director Heather Mills and the entire group for their time and dedication to the children of Geneva. Proud of this community, and grateful to everyone who makes Geneva 2030 possible.

Please excuse the pictures - my skills could use some work!

07/30/2026

As we continue working through the 2027 budget process, we’re taking a thoughtful look at both our finances and how City Hall operates. One of the temporary changes made during our hiring pause affected customer service hours. I’m pleased to share that, with the addition of a part-time employee, those hours are now being fully restored as of August 3.

This gave us an opportunity to evaluate our operations, assess future needs, and ensure we’re delivering the level of service our residents expect. Over the coming months, we’ll continue working to strengthen the City’s financial position while finding better, more efficient ways to serve our community.

City Clerk Nicole Tillotsen and I wanted to provide a quick update. There’s a bit of an echo, and our thanks to everyone who agreed to be in the video!

Thank you for your patience and continued support.

What a night, Geneva!Last Saturday, thousands of peoplke lined Lakefront Park and watched the sky over Seneca Lake light...
07/16/2026

What a night, Geneva!

Last Saturday, thousands of peoplke lined Lakefront Park and watched the sky over Seneca Lake light up in celebration of America's 250th Anniversary and it was absolutely breathtaking. Looking out at that crowd, seeing families, friends, and neighbors all gathered together on the waterfront, reminded me exactly why I love this city and why moments like this matter so much.

This didn't happen by accident. It happened because this community showed up.

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who made this possible:

The City of Geneva
The Town of Geneva
Geneva Community Projects
The Smith Opera house
Geneva Business Improvement District
And the many generous individuals who donated to help make this dream a reality

This is just the beginning.

Next year, we're going to make it even bigger, even better, and even more special. What started as a community fundraiser has become something far more meaningful - a new Geneva tradition. A tradition of coming together, celebrating this great city, our beautiful lake and wonderful region.

Here's to July 11th becoming a date Geneva marks on the calendar every single year!

Thank you, Geneva. I couldn't be prouder to be your Mayor.

This past weekend, thousands of visitors and neighbors lined our downtown streets for a spectacular milestone - the 69th...
07/15/2026

This past weekend, thousands of visitors and neighbors lined our downtown streets for a spectacular milestone - the 69th consecutive Geneva Firefighter's Parade!

Dating back to the late 1800s and officially formalized in 1957, this cherished tradition continues to fill our city with immense pride, bringing generations of Genevans together to celebrate what makes our community so special.

I was honored to join Acting City Manager Taylor Youngs, along with Councilors John Brennan, Jamie Kaim, and Jim Petropolous, to stand together and cheer on the incredible men and women who keep us safe.

To our very own Geneva Fire Department: thank you. We are deeply grateful for your unwavering dedication, bravery, and absolute commitment to protecting our city every single day.

A massive, heartfelt thank you also goes out to the over 30 visiting fire companies who traveled from across the region to participate and make this year's parade an unforgettable success. Your camaraderie and support truly show the strength of our first responder family.

Thank you, Geneva, for showing up loud and proud to support our local heroes! Here’s to many more years of this incredible tradition.

Tradition

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