James Cheney

James Cheney is a 1981 Graduate of Midlakes High School and then went on to attend the Rochester Institute of Technology where he graduated with a degree in accounting.

In 1992, while chair of the St. Felix Church Parish Council, he helped found the House of John, located in Clifton Springs, and now serves on the board of directors. In addition, James founded the Phelps Community Center and the Phelps Business Development and Tourism Council and still continues to work with both organizations.

He was mayor of the Village of Phelps for 16 years before retiring from this position in 2016 – during which he was a weekly opinion columnist for the Finger Lakes Times for 5 years. While a member of the Victor-Farmington Rotary Club, he started a Christmas Giving Tree that has been active for 30 years and has provided over 50,000 gifts to families in need.