Bransford to take on Wojcik in Ward 2

The first challenger to come forward in Rochester’s city council elections made clear Monday he plans to make pay raises a central issue in 2020.

Mark Bransford, a software programmer residing in the Folwell neighborhood, announced he plans to campaign for the Ward 2 seat, now held by Council Member Michael Wojcik. The two have a bitter past that includes a pair of ethics violation filed by Bransford against Wojcik.

In an interview Monday morning, however, Bransford said he does not plan to make the complaints — the first of which centered around the Alatus development near St. Marys — an issue this election cycle. Instead, he cited recent pay increases adopted by the council, along with Wojcik’s leadership style as the main issues driving his decision to seek office.

“When they took a pay raise and recently didn’t give any of it back, I felt that was extremely poor leadership,” said Bransford. “Right now, people are really hurting and it’s important for leaders to lead by example. And when they don’t show that they are willing to take a hit to their bottom line while everyone else did, I felt that was in very poor taste.”

Bransford added that he felt Ward 2, which has been represented by Wojcik since 2008, is not currently being listened to. Bransford pointed to the “narrowing of streets, bike lanes … paying millions for national consultants and being intolerant of different views” as examples.

“My opponent is so focused on his particular vision of the future that his constituents in Ward 2 are taking a back seat to that vision,” he told us.

Wojcik and Bransford have been involved in a nasty feud since at least 2017 when Bransford charged that the council member aggressively tried to solicit neighborhood support for the $115 million Alatus development.

After hiring an outside investigator to look into the allegation, the Ethical Practices Board later dismissed Bransford’s complaint, noting there was no evidence to suggest Wojcik’s support for the contentious development was based on anything other than the merits of the project.

Wojcik called the ethics complaint from Bransford, a vocal opponent of the 13-story development, an attempt to “smear my character.”

In 2018, the two were in the spotlight again after Bransford filed a second complaint against Wojcik alleging the council member made inappropriate comments about him while his application for the Ethical Practices Board was under review. Board members called Wojcik’s conduct unprofessional, but ultimately dismissed the second complaint.

Bransford, a married father of four with a PhD in astrophysics, is the first non-incumbent to announce intentions to file for election on May 19, the first day in which candidates are eligible to do so. Wards 4, 6 and the at-large council president seat are also on the ballot this year.

Ward 6 Councilor Annalissa Johnson and Council President Randy Staver are both expected to seek re-election. Longtime Ward 4 rep Mark Bilderback has said he plans to retire at the end of the year.

Sean Baker is a Rochester journalist and the founder of Med City Beat.

Cover photo submitted by Mark Bransford