Brian Nayor ‘03 is the Republican and Conservative candidate for the Binghamton City Council’s fourth district. He is currently the director of sales and development for the Binghamton Philharmonic and serves on the Board of Directors for KNOW Theater. Questionnaire responses have been edited for clarity.
1. What motivated you to run?
As someone who’s not only a longtime resident of Binghamton — 22 years and counting — but also a person who’s spent his entire adult life here — in truth, half my entire lifetime — I’ve grown to know, love and profoundly care for this great city. Without exaggeration, it has been a formative part of my existence, and I stand or fall with its progress.
Over the past several years, I’ve seen and proudly been part of some unprecedented amazing changes to the city’s landscape, namely Downtown Binghamton’s continued revitalization which has impacted its arts and culture, business climate and general atmosphere.
Yet, at the same time, I’ve borne witness to some rather frustrating setbacks to this city — and most notably my district — largely in the wake of [COVID-19] and other unforeseen circumstances. This includes an unprecedented number of business closures both Downtown [Binghamton] and on the North Side, a spike in crime and other public safety concerns — exacerbated by a number of factors, including bail reform laws, mental health struggles and an opioid epidemic — diminished quality of life brought about by blighted buildings, littered streets and neglected [and] forgotten parcels of land and, of course, a housing crisis that has sadly affected and shut out our most vulnerable citizens.
I believe sincerely that it takes someone who has dedicated the last dozen years of their life to this district — nine of those years waking up and going to work here — to roll up their sleeves and make this place I love that much better for residents, stakeholders and visitors alike.
2. How does your background and previous experience make you a strong candidate for this position?
Not only am I the only candidate in this race who has consistently and substantively lived — for nearly a decade — and worked — for over a dozen years — in District [Four], I’ve also developed a well-rounded set of skills and relationships brought about by my rather diverse professional and personal experiences and affiliations.
After graduating from Binghamton University in 2003 — that’s right! 20 years ago, time flies when you’re having fun in Binghamton — I worked as a paralegal for the better part of a decade, assisting in thousands of cases involving civil rights, criminal defense and tort litigation. This honed both my familiarity with a complex network of procedures and deadlines, and even more importantly my innate compassion for people from all walks of life, especially those less fortunate than me.
Throughout my 30s, I had been a small business owner, running the first 24-hour fitness center in Downtown Binghamton. GasLamp Gym — which was located on 33.5 Court Street, the current site for JOG33 — rolled out the red carpet to nearly 3,000 residents, students and workers from all corners of the community, which further forged my bonds with a wide array of citizens across socio-economic lines. It also provided me with an excellent platform to affect positive change in the city, contributing to Downtown Binghamton’s revitalization, partnering with numerous local nonprofit initiatives — spanning the Broome County Humane Society, Crime Victims Assistance Center, and Toys for Tots, among others — and assuming a leadership position which required me to regularly make tough, decisive calls for the betterment, safety and well-being of others. GasLamp Gym also enhanced my ability to balance the books in a manner that was simultaneously profitable for the business and empathetic for the customer.
Yet, as a small business owner, I learned firsthand the challenges of thriving in an economic climate beset by taxation, turnover and, to be sure, the COVID-19 crisis. My business partner’s and my decision to close GasLamp Gym’s doors in January 2021 — after nine months of [pandemic]-based closures — and ultimately sell the gym, was a bittersweet and humbling experience.
Thankfully, though, I had set the seeds for my current career, when I began working for the Binghamton Philharmonic seven years ago — at the same time when I ran GasLamp Gym. As its director of sales and development, I have written dozens of successful grants, worked over 100 different events and helped raise over $1.25 million in my fundraising and donor [and] patron management efforts. I’ve also partnered with dozens of other nonprofits for various outreach programs, spanning free popup concerts, providing tickets to the underserved and even raising food for those in need. I did all of this while helping lead one of the Southern Tier’s largest and longest-serving arts institutions.
I am also deeply committed to volunteering in our community, serving on the Board of Directors for two different nonprofits in and around my district — KNOW Theatre, since 2013, and Rotary Club of Binghamton, since 2022. These twin tenures have perfected my abilities to perform in a governing role on a collaborative, mission-driven body, much like Binghamton City Council.
Last but not least, I have received the endorsement of both current Mayor Jared Kraham and Former Mayor Richard David, [who served from] 2014 [to] 2021, as well as the support of Former Mayor Richard Bucci. [who served from] 1998 [to] 2006.
3. What do you believe are the biggest issues facing your constituents, and how do you plan to address them?
The four biggest issues facing my constituents are public safety, the economy, housing and quality of life.
As the proud recipient of the Binghamton Police Benevolent Association’s endorsement, I will work closely with the Mayor’s Office and my fellow council members — along with the men and women who serve the Binghamton Police Department, including their Chief, Community Response Team and Juvenile Division — on how best to mitigate and prevent crime in the most prone neighborhoods. Likewise, I will work with the surrounding community organizations on implementing and expanding their programs geared toward serving at-risk youth. I will also strive to improve community-police relations, supporting foot patrols and neighborhood watches, both of which serve to forge bonds between law enforcement and civilians, as well as empower each group to be proactive in addressing and preventing crime. I will also make sure that our first responders, both in the Fire and Police Departments, receive the resources they need to continue keeping our streets safe.
To boost our economy, I will work closely with the Mayor’s Office, Department of Economic Development and my fellow council members, along with the Downtown Business Association and local leaders in the North Side’s business community, on reversing blight and creating a more sustainable climate — which includes lowering taxes and fostering growth — that attracts and retains more quality businesses in the city’s fourth district.
To better assist those burdened by rent or affected by homelessness, I will work closely with the Mayor’s Office, Broome County Land Bank and other leaders in the housing sector on ensuring the increased availability of affordable housing and shelter for all residents, including our most vulnerable citizens. This can include, among other strategies, building new housing or renovating old structures into affordable units. As to quality of life, which has informed my full support for the city’s Lockdown Laws, I will work closely with the Mayor’s Office, Code Enforcement and Office of Corporation Counsel to crack down on negligent landlords and reverse the condition of some of the most abandoned and neglected properties in our district. Likewise, I will collaborate with the Department of Public Works [(DPW)] in improving their ability to keep our streets shoveled and salted in the wintertime, safely marked and paved in the warmer months, and cleaned litter-free year-round. I will also make sure that those who work in the Code Enforcement Office and DPW, receive the resources they need to continue keeping our neighborhoods safe, clean and attractive.
4. Many students and community members are concerned about increasing prices, including housing and household essentials. How do you plan to address these concerns?
As stated earlier, I will work closely with the Mayor’s Office, Broome County Land Bank and leaders in the housing sector on ensuring the increased availability of affordable housing for our most vulnerable and rent-burdened citizens.
Sadly, the housing crisis is not isolated to the city of Binghamton, but rather has continued plaguing communities statewide. However, our Mayor has made the city of Binghamton the first city in upstate New York to adopt the [New York state Homes and Community Renewal] Pro-Housing Communities Pledge, devoting millions toward affordable housing initiatives for families living paycheck to paycheck across the city. I am prepared to work alongside Mayor Kraham’s administration to see to it that this pledge impacts my district, with much-needed resources going to adequately house my fellow neighbors.
5. Why should students and young people vote for you?
Because I am one of you. Like most of [BU’s] student body, I first arrived in Broome County as a student. This gave me an especially clear-eyed understanding of the plight of an average student. From navigating affordable housing to encountering landlords of varying repute, and from acclimating myself to off-campus life via the local business community to acquainting myself with lifelong residents, I know particularly well just how equally tough and rewarding it can be to become embedded in this community. I call myself a “naturalized citizen of the Southern Tier,” and I hope you consider calling yourself one, too.
Best yet, I still live among you. I have resided side-by-side with the student population in Downtown Binghamton since 2014, and have gotten to know so many of you through my hands-on roles at GasLamp Gym and the Binghamton Philharmonic. Chances are, you or one of your friends already know me, either getting your coffee at Strange Brew, attending the Philharmonic’s annual Mac & Cheese Fest or even just seeing me jog from block to block.
I have also made friends with community leaders on both sides of the aisle, so I fully intend to work in a bipartisan, consensus-forming manner.
As a resident of the Fourth District, you deserve somebody who is willing to work for you, because I am already working and living alongside you.