Most of the elected officials is town government will be replaced in November — if the endorsements of the town Republican Committee hold.
The committee on Sunday night endorsed former Shenendehowa school district principal Vince DeLucia for town supervisor, to replace Paul Sausville, who is retiring.
But the committee also recommended the replacement of two incumbent Town Board members, the town clerk, and named a new candidate for receiver of taxes. Highway Superintendent Roger Crandall was the only incumbent recommended for re-election.
The committee endorsed public relations and marketing executive Timothy Dunn, who has cited his familiarity with the semiconductor industry, and deputy supervisor Craig Warner, who is a General Electric engineer, for Town Board seats. If elected, they would replace incumbents Tara Thomas and Peter Klotz.
Klotz, Thomas, and Tax Collector Lynda Bablin, who also sought a Town Board endorsement, are all considering or said to be considering running in a Republican primary.
“I feel I still have a lot to offer the town,” said Klotz, who has been on the board eight years, as has Thomas.
Bablin said she is considering a primary run, while Thomas could not be reached for comment on Monday.
Town Republican Chairman Ted Willette said the party will support whoever wins a primary, if there is one. The primary would be in September.
Willette said all five Town Board candidates were interviewed by the committee, and the nominees selected through three rounds of voting in which the low vote-getter was eliminated from further consideration.
The committee also recommended Patricia Ruggles for town clerk, a post held for the last 22 years by Flo Sickels, who has been dogged in recent years by ethics investigations. Sickels, while she had expressed interest in running again, did not appear before the committee for an interview, Willette said.
Ruggles is a former Round Lake village trustee. “They look at her as a straight-shooter,” Willette said.
The committee also recommended Sharon Schiera for tax collector. That post is held by Bablin, who didn’t plan to run for re-election and has sought a Town Board seat instead.
“Our slate of candidates is comprised of individuals who possess the type of forward-thinking consensus-builders that town hall needs,” Willette said. “The next Town Board has a chance to be transformational and responsibility lead our town into the future. I’m confident that our team will be candidates who listen first, and then always act in the best interest of our residents and business community.”
Nobody other than DeLucia came forward to be interviewed for supervisor, Willette said.
DeLucia, a Malta native who has not previously held elected office, is expected to face Democrat Cynthia Young in the November general election. Young lost to Sausville by a single vote in 2013 after the courts disqualified two write-in votes she received.
“It’s paramount that we move our town forward in a positive direction, one that balances keeping Malta a tax-free town while instituting responsible growth,” DeLucia said in a statement.
Reach Gazette reporter Stephen Williams at 885-6705, [email protected] or @gazettesteve on Twitter.
Categories: -News-, Schenectady County
