Village Board and Committees

Mayor

James P. Ryan
Mayor, Village of Montour Falls, NY

Elected September 2020
Previously served as a Trustee since 2011 and Deputy Mayor since 2018
Served on the Zoning Board of Appeals 2009 - 2011
Served as Village Asst. Fire Chief and then Chief from 1997 - 2009
Chair of the Montour Falls Sustainability Committee 2018 - present

Education

NY State University Broome, AAS in Fire Science
NY State Empire State College, BPS Fire Department Administration
Arizona Grand Canyon University, MS of Executive Leadership

Experience

41 years working in state government retiring in 2017, as an Investigator for the NYS Div. of Homeland Security / Office of Fire Prevention and Control.
Experience includes serving on state technical working group for fire debris analysis; acting as Lead Investigator conducting high profile investigations; and developing courses and training materials in the area of fire and explosion investigation.
During the 41 years of work experience, served as an Adjunct Professor to 3 area community colleges and as an online Professor and Course Leader at Purdue Global University.
Serving on the Chemung Valley Montessori Executive Board as Chair of the Fundraising Committee and a member of the Facilities Committee
Serving on the Southern Tier Regional Planning and Development Board since 2019

Philosophy

I believe being an effective leader relies on my passion for commitment and innovation. In order to build a strong community, as a leader, I am focused on reaching goals and creating advanced strategies that will propel the village community forward. My leadership style involves being determined to see everything through to completion and having the creativity to inspire new ways of thinking. I care about making an impact by doing what’s needed for the community and our environment as a whole. I value dedication and persistence and listen to the needs of others along the path toward goal completion. I strive to be a leader that inspires others to do the same.

Contact Information:
P.O. Box 812
Montour Falls, NY 14865
Phone: (607) 535-7367
E-Mail: jryan@villageofmontourfalls.com

Village Trustees

Philip J. Smith
115 N. Mulberry St.
PO Box 597
Montour Falls, NY 14865
E-Mail: [email protected]

Jeffrey P. Confer
339 College Ave.
Montour Falls, NY 14865
E-Mail: [email protected]

Jody Saunders
405 W. Main St.
Montour Falls, NY 14865
E-Mail: jsaunders@villageofmontourfalls.com

Board Meeting Info

Schedule
The Village Board meets the 1st and 3rd Thursday of each month* at 6:30 p.m. at the Village Hall, 408 W. Main St., Montour Falls, NY.

*Please Note: During the summer months, the Village Board only meets 1 time per month. This schedule is determined at the organizational meeting in April/May and will be posted here. Last minute changes will be posted on the Home page under News & Announcements and a notice will be posted at the Montour Post Office and Village Hall.

June 5, 2025
July 17, 2025
August 21, 2025
September 18, 2025
October 2, 2025
October 16, 2025
November 6, 2025
November 20, 2025
December 4, 2025

December 18, 2025
January 15, 2026
February 5, 2026
February 19, 2026
March 5, 2026
March 19, 2026
April 2, 2026
April 16, 2026
May 21, 2026

Agenda
If you would like to address the Village Board for a specific topic or concern, please contact the Village Clerk's Office to be placed on the Agenda. Your request must be received by the Monday prior to the meeting.

Contact

Minutes
Board Minutes will be prepared within 7 days of the board meeting, and will be posted here immediately. If you need a copy of board minutes that you do not see posted on this website, please contact the Village Clerk's Office to obtain a copy.

Board Minutes

Village Sustainability Committee

The Village Sustainability Committee is comprised of community members and members of the Montour Falls Village government. The aim of the Committee is to assist with and consult on sustainability actions taken by the Village in order to help Montour Falls achieve its climate resilience and sustainable development goals.

See the CSC Pledge Resolution

Executive Order Jan. 4, 2019

Schedule
The meeting schedule will be posted here as far in advance as possible. Check back often and join our mailing list to receive updates about upcoming initiatives and meetings. All meetings are open to the public, and all residents are welcome to participate!

The next Village of Montour Falls Quarterly Sustainability Committee meeting will take place on June 12th, 2025 at 10 a.m. in person in the Village Board Room and over Zoom. The Zoom link will be provided closer to the date.

What Have We Been Up To?
For a summary of the Committee's actions to-date, please visit our Reports and Actions page!
To see our ongoing public engagement campaigns, see our Initiatives page!

Members
Jim Ryan, Mayor
Nancy Doniger, CSC Coordinator and Montour Falls Resident
Emily Byers, Village Clerk
Dean Hillyard, DPW Superintendent
Emma Malnoske, Sustainability Education Coordinator
Amanda Rodriguez Demaria, Community Development Consultant
Liv Lovejoy, Climate Smart Communities Program
Mandy Qualls, Schuyler County Public Health
Heather Gilbert, Compost Hauler
Jess Westlake, Montour Falls Library and Montour Falls Resident
Mark Wilber, Business Owner of Montour Market
Michael Brown, Clean Energy Communities Program
Michelle Benjamin, Schuyler Hospital
Bruce Boughton, Chemung Canal Trust

Contact
For questions, to attend a meeting, or to get involved with our ongoing initiatives, send an email to [email protected]!

Minutes Archives