ROCK CREEK — After eight years in Rock Creek, newly-sworn-in Mayor Sam Simones says the village is making steady progress toward a simple goal: making the community a place residents can take pride in.
“We want to be the biggest small town,” Simones said. “We’re small, everything we do is going to be small. But, to us it’s big.”
Simones, who was sworn in during an August workshop and will serve at least until the 2027 general election, said the village has accomplished a lot during the past few years, much of it through a combination of village resources and volunteer help.
A recent community cleanup brought together a handful of village employees and 15 to 20 volunteers to work at Brandeberry Park and in the surrounding neighborhood.
Other projects have included cleanup work at Union Cemetery, landscaping improvements at the village hall and the installation of new doors and an accessibility ramp there.
The roof on the park pavilion also was replaced last week.
“We’ve done a lot,” Simones said. “It actually put us ahead, with (the volunteers’) help.”
The village has put emphasis on improvements that can be maintained with limited resources.
Landscaping at public spaces has been mulched and trimmed to reduce the amount of ongoing maintenance required, while a Boy Scout project at the log cabin on High Street included new vegetation designed to make the site easier and less expensive to maintain.
A volunteer also is working to install a butterfly garden.
Downtown, the village added concrete flower planters last year. Village staff members maintain the flowers and decorate them seasonally.
Simones said the effort reflects residents’ desire to see the downtown area receive more attention.
The village also is working on an updated zoning code. Fiscal Officer Pam Forristal said the current code has not been updated in about 20 years, and the new code is being developed by the planning commission, which is soliciting public input.
“We’re trying to get residents to buy in,” Simones said.
Simones believes community involvement is closely connected to improvements in property and quality of life.
The village has seen dilapidated houses come down while home values have increased, a trend Simones attributes partly to broader economic conditions but also to residents becoming more invested in their community.
“If you own it, you take pride in it,” he said. “If you participate in it, you take pride in it.”
The village is also working to promote its downtown businesses, including Pasta Oven, Water Street Winery and Cantini’s Village Market.
“We call it the Mall,” Simones said. “I mean, everything’s down there.”
The concentration of businesses makes the downtown area particularly accessible, he said, with much of the village within walking distance.
Community events also remain an important part of the village’s identity. Simones pointed to the Christmas parade as an example, saying it drew solid attendance despite a winter storm and significant snow accumulation.
The village also is planning a garage sale during Labor Day weekend, Friday through Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Simones said even small projects can have an outsized impact on how residents view their community.
The village’s identity is embodied in Carl, a crane who can often be seen near the waterfall at Brandeberry Park. Carl has become a symbol or mascot for Rock Creek, appearing on signs, buttons and the village logo.
Simones said the village’s approach is to focus on what it can accomplish rather than dwelling on its limitations.
“When we’re stuck with something, we find a way around it,” he said.
That philosophy, he said, extends beyond physical improvements. The goal is to build a sense of participation and optimism among residents.
“We want to stay on the positive side,” Simones said. “Positivity is contagious if it’s presented the right way.”
