STEVE ECKEL

270 Seneca Parkway
Rochester, NY 14613
(585) 647-3718
steckel@frontiernet.net

www.steveeckel.com

In 2001, Steve Eckel and his wife, Bridget Monroe, bought a house in the Maplewood Section of Rochester, which they have been lovingly restoring to its original grandeur. Married for four years, Steve and Bridget have two sons, two-year-old Liam and five-month-old Ronan. In addition to his duties as a stay-at-home Dad, Steve has taught at the University of Rochester and SUNY Brockport. He is currently an Assistant Professor of Photography at Hobart and William Smith Colleges in Geneva, NY.

Born on July 8, 1965 in Norfolk, CT, Steve Eckel has always been an active member of his community concerning himself with various environmental and social concerns ranging from preserving open space in NW Connecticut to delivering Meals on Wheels to attaining the rank of Firefighter 1 with the Norfolk Volunteer Fire Department where he served for 8 years.

He studied Ecology at Northwest Connecticut Community College where his community activism included leading the successful fight to ban polystyrene "clamshell" boxes used by fast food restaurants. He also helped those same restaurants find an inexpensive paper alternative, saving consumers from a threatened price hike to offset the change.

Steve transferred to Hampshire College in Amherst, MA in 1991 to continue his studies in Agro-ecology and Photography. While in Massachusetts, Steve worked on political and environmental issues around the world, including traveling to Ocotal, Nicaragua. There he assisted local farmers achieve sustainable agriculture by reducing their dependence on DDT and other chemical pesticides, also increasing their profits and retaining wealth in their community. He also traveled to Milanovick, Poland to work with homeowners to make their homes more energy efficient.

In 1998, Steve and Bridget moved to Rochester so that Steve could attend graduate school at the Visual Studies Workshop/SUNY Brockport where he curated several exhibitions. In 2001 he earned his MFA and has participated in numerous exhibitions in New York State and around the world. His photographic work has been published in various books and national journals. He and his wife choose to make Rochester their home because of its welcoming neighborhoods and strong community spirit, as well as its exceptional arts and music offerings.

Steve has served on the Democratic Committee in the 26th Legislative District for four years, is an active member of the Northwest Democrats, and is now the co-chair, has volunteered at several local arts organizations and was an integral part of Mitch Rowe's 2001 Legislative Campaign. He is very pleased to be designated to serve the 26th Legislative District, which covers sections of Gates, Greece, Irondequoit, and parts of Northwest Rochester.

Steve is committed to:

Protecting our parks.
Green Space is critical to our quality of life. It provides play areas for our children, gathering areas for our neighbors and neighborhoods, beauty in an urban landscape and cleans our air.

Promoting fiscal responsibility.
Finding departmental efficiencies are a first step in bridging a budget gap. When re-organizations and cuts are done right, they are well researched and analyzed; public input is requested and weighs heavily in the decision-making process. As I work to close the budget gap this year, I will keep in mind the bigger picture - making smart cuts today that preserve our quality of life and promote a prosperous future.

Transparency of Government.
The process of governing must be clear to the public and open to comment. Pushing through legislation without due comment by the public is unacceptable.

Working across party lines.
I will support good legislation and good ideas regardless of what party a person belongs to. That is part of good government. I am committed to good governing in Monroe County because it is essential for Monroe County to prosper.