Since his inauguration in January, Mayor Ben Walsh has announced multiple partnerships with local colleges, including schools at Syracuse University, in an effort to collect economic development ideas.

He has also spoken at SU and Le Moyne College for other events, and several members of his administration and transition team were connected to local colleges — including the president of Le Moyne, who served on his transition team. David Van Slyke, dean of the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, was also a transition team member.

One of the major college-involved initiatives that Walsh has announced is a planned Fiscal Summit in collaboration with Maxwell. Walsh first detailed the summit during his public inauguration ceremony.

“We will convene our city’s anchor institutions, business leaders, the banking community, as well as county, state and national leaders,” Walsh said at the time. “We’ll find new ways to improve efficiency and service delivery, and work with our partners to address the deep structural issues that underlie the city’s revolving deficits.”

No date has been set for that summit. The mayor graduated in 2005 from Maxwell with a master’s degree in public administration.

Syracuse’s projected budget deficit for the 2017-18 fiscal year is $16.5 million, finance records show. Projections also show that Syracuse’s reserve funds could be exhausted within two years, Walsh said during his “state of the city” speech.

The city has also announced a partnership with SU’s School of Information Studies and AT&T to launch a civic “hackathon,” in which residents have the ability to brainstorm ideas to help Syracuse improve its snow removal policies.

“It starts with us. We’re excited to involve our community in not just the enforcement, but in the long-term solutions needed to improve the way we handle snow,” Walsh said in a university press release. “A better snow plan can improve commuting, safety, and pride in our city.”

Cash prizes for the hackathon are $3,500, $2,000 and $1,500 for winners of the competition. Project ideas are due by Thursday. The winners will be announced next week.

“Our faculty and students are deeply engaged in using data to address a wide range of issues, including the use of data for civic good. I am looking forward to seeing the solutions that all of the teams propose,” said Elizabeth Liddy, dean of SU’s iSchool.

Walsh also delivered Le Moyne College’s 2018 Madden Lecture at the start of the month, and many members of his administration haves ties to both SU and Le Moyne. Walsh, for example, in December appointed the head of the city corporation counsel office, Frank Price, who previously served as a past board member of the Le Moyne College Board of Regents.

Price, who received a law degree from SU’s College of Law, recently announced he would be stepping down from his new position, according to Syracuse.com, but Walsh has already announced that Kristen Smith will fill his place.

Smith — a lawyer at Bond, Schoeneck & King — also received a law degree from the College of Law.

Christine Elliott, who was appointed as City Hall’s director of administration, holds a master’s in public administration degree from SU. Corey Driscoll Dunham, who was appointed as Walsh’s director of operations, formerly worked in intergovernmental affairs at SU, according to Syracuse.com.

Director of City Initiatives Greg Loh, a top official in the administration, holds a bachelor’s degree from SU in political science and public relations.

Members of the Walsh transition team were also connected to universities in Syracuse. Le Moyne College President Linda LeMura was one of the leading members of the team, and Van Slyke was a member of the transition team that specifically analyzed Syracuse’s finances.

Published on February 26, 2018 at 8:59 pm

Contact Sam: sfogozal@syr.edu | @SamOgozalek