MADISON COUNTY — On Jan. 6, during its first meeting of 2026, the Madison County Board of Supervisors voted Town of Nelson Supervisor Jim Cunningham into a second term as chairman of the board. Following his re-election, Cunningham reappointed Town of Georgetown Supervisor Paul Walrod to serve as vice chairman. Cunningham was first elected as chairman in June 2024, and he has represented the Town of Nelson on the board since January 2020. He has previously chaired the Solid Waste and Recycling Committee and been a member of the Madison County Soil and Water Conservation District Board and the Madison County Finance, Ways and Means Committee. According to Cunningham, his priorities since first becoming board chairman have included stabilizing county tax rates; consolidating county, town, and village services; expanding broadband access to underserved residents; providing real property tax relief for first responders, veterans, and seniors; and establishing an all-volunteer solid waste technical committee composed of retired Madison County engineers. He has also been a strong advocate for slowing the development of large-scale solar and wind projects in Madison County that could impact its fertile farmland. Cunningham said that looking forward, his primary focus remains on strengthening economic development to create good-paying jobs and advancing affordable housing initiatives through a newly formed housing collaboration team. Cunningham is the second Nelson supervisor in history to hold the position of county chairman. The chair is elected by the town supervisors through a weighted voting system established by New York State in 1968. Cunningham was re-elected with 1,192 weighted votes, while Supervisor Matt Roberts of the City of Oneida received 308 votes. Under the current voting system, smaller towns carry fewer votes — the Town of Nelson, for example, holds 44 votes, compared to the 288 votes held by the Town of Sullivan — making it less common for supervisors from smaller jurisdictions to be elected chair. “The Town of Sullivan’s former supervisor served as chairman for 16 years,” said Cunningham. “[Given] these dynamics, it may be many years before another supervisor from a small town like Nelson again holds the county chairmanship.” According to Cunningham, the first county seat was the Village of Cazenovia, where the county recently purchased two properties — Reisman and Sigety Halls — that were previously part of the former Cazenovia College. A major part of the county’s plan involves relocating some members of the sheriff’s office to Reisman Hall. “Our first court and sheriff were located [in the village] where we are moving our sheriff to 215 years later,” Cunningham remarked during the meeting. “That’s pretty awesome, I think. [Repurposing this building] is a big historic event for us, and it saves us nearly $8 million for our county.” In 1817, Madison County relocated its county seat from Cazenovia to a more central location, the Village of Morrisville. “One hundred seventy years ago, Horace Smith — then Supervisor of the Town of Nelson — became the first supervisor from Nelson elected to serve as the county’s highest elected official,” Cunningham told the Cazenovia Republican after the meeting. “At that time, county meetings were held on the campus now known as SUNY Morrisville. Supervisors convened each November, following the harvest season, to conduct county business for the year. Smith traveled to Morrisville by one-horse wagon to attend meetings held in what is today Madison Hall. In 1907, the county seat was moved to Wampsville, New York.” Following his re-election, Cunningham delivered a presentation titled “Un-Imaginable Change,” which focused on the rapid pace of change in today’s world and the role Madison County must play in preparing for the future. He first reflected specifically on the profound changes in county governance that have occurred since Smith’s time. “Where supervisors once met for a single month each year, today the board convenes monthly and frequently holds multiple committee meetings throughout the month,” he said. “Travel that once required half a day by wagon now takes approximately 15 minutes in a modern vehicle. Real-time communication technologies, including Zoom and Microsoft Teams, now allow supervisors to meet remotely. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Madison County successfully conducted full board meetings with participants joining from their homes. [Smith] would likely be astonished to learn that future chairpersons might preside over meetings remotely.” Cunningham also contemplated the changes that may occur over the next 170 years, particularly given the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence. Additionally, he discussed the importance of developing a strategic plan to promote growth and opportunity throughout Madison County. The chairman encouraged his fellow supervisors to bring both short-term and long-term goals to the table by the end of the month to assist in the establishment of a clear vision for the county’s future. “In the past, [chairs] have set goals for the county, and now I’m changing that,” he said after assigning the task. “We’re going to set those goals together. We’re going to meet all together. We’re going to discuss where we want this community to go. We’re going to collectively figure out what are the best goals for us. . . . We must be efficient and competitive as we move into the unimaginable changes. I love Madison County. I’ve raised my family here. I’ve built several businesses here, three in fact, and I’ve employed many Madison County residents over the years. We really need to keep our children here and have opportunity for them.” The Madison County Board of Supervisors will hold its next board meeting on Feb. 10, 2026, at 11 a.m. ...read more read less