Galasso elected mayor of Cobleskill

PHOTOGRAPHER: Edward Munger Jr.

Voters chose Mark Galasso over Alexander “Sandy” MacKay to serve as mayor of the village of Cobleskill Tuesday but the village Board of Trustees election was still up in the air, due to absentee ballots.

The unofficial tally put Galasso ahead of MacKay 536-424 with a total of 97 absentee ballots uncounted.

In the race for village trustee, Howard Burt Jr. held a narrower lead over Dawn Fiorillo, with an unofficial count of 491-438.

A former trustee and Planning Board member, MacKay, 69, ran for mayor in 2009 and lost to Mark Nadeau, who served for about seven months before resigning during a racial slur scandal.

Galasso, 42, is the president of Lancaster Development and served as a village trustee and a village Planning Board member.

He could not be reached for comment Tuesday evening.

Both candidates sought to put their experience to work for the village but offered different approaches. Galasso has said wants to share the village’s water and sewer to ease the financial strain on taxpayers in and beyond the village. MacKay sought to leverage the village’s capabilities to expand its tax base and alleviate taxes for villagers.

“The voters have spoken. If I failed to effectively convey my ideals and values to the community, I’m sorry for that,” MacKay said. He said he plans to remain active in the Cobleskill community and he is thankful to those who supported him.

Results for races in Schoharie County towns, according to unofficial tallies, are as follows:

Jefferson: Incumbent Republican Highway Superintendent Donald VanValkenburgh ran unopposed and was re-elected to another term.

Middleburgh: Voters approved a proposition to abolish one of the town’s two town justice posts, 315-216. Democrat Gary Wilkins ran unopposed and was elected town justice.

Schoharie: Incumbent Town Justice Kenneth C. Knutson ran unopposed and was re-elected to another term.

Sharon: In a 231-312 vote, Sharon residents shot down a proposition to convert the highway superintendent from a four-year elected term to a two-year appointed post.

Democrat Sandra Manko, who replaced former Town Supervisor Tony Desmond when he was elected sheriff, was elected to a full term as town supervisor.

Republican Joseph F. Falsarella defeated Democrat Peter Cookson for a seat on the Sharon Town Council, 342-187 vote.

Wright: Republican Lynn Herzog ran unopposed and was elected town clerk. Democrat Harry Beninati defeated Republican William R. Bentley for superintendent of highways in a 358-236 vote.