Voters in the Town of Rosendale will choose between Charlie Kniceley and Carl Hornbeck for town justice on Election Day, November 3. Best-known in the community as a jazz/rock bass-player and longtime co-organizer of the Rosendale Street Festival, Charlie Kniceley is now running on the Democratic ticket for the vacant post of town justice. Longtime Rosendale highway superintendent and former police officer Carl Hornbeck is the Republican nominee for the position.
Here are their responses to questions from the New Paltz Times.
Charlie Kniceley
Why did you decide to run for this office at this time, and what experience/qualifications would you bring to the job?
I have been an active member of the Rosendale community for 35 years, and as a professional musician have participated in many fundraisers for the people and organizations located herein. I feel a need to give back to the community, and after ten years working with the Rosendale Music Festival committee, I decided to get involved in the justice race in an effort to continue giving back to such a loving and inclusive community. I am level-headed, able to see both sides of every issue and believe that every individual that comes before the court should be treated fairly and kindly.
What changes would you like to see in the Rosendale town court in the next four years, and why?
I would like to see a continuation of fairly adjudicated outcomes that are beneficial to the community and individuals involved. Creative solutions that do not include incarceration should be sought in every case where it is a possibility.
What are the top three challenges facing the justice court right now?
I believe that the court has established a high degree of judicial fairness in the past that should be continued through the next term. Most individuals have very little knowledge of local government and only see that government when they come before the court. If they are treated fairly and kindly, they should be able to walk away from every session with the feeling that even if the decision was not in their favor, it was at least fair.
Carl Hornbeck
Why did you decide to run for this office at this time, and what experience/qualifications would you bring to the job?
I have been interested in the judicial system for a long time, and always had plans to eventually run for the position of town justice. After the retirement of longtime justice Robert Vosper in June, I had many friends — both Republican and Democratic — urging me to run, and I decided to put my longtime plan into action.
As a former police officer and investigator with both the town’s Police Department and the Ulster County Sheriff’s Department, with a total of 21 years’ experience in law enforcement, I am well-versed in how the court system works. I also was the Town of Rosendale Highway Superintendent for 20 years until my retirement. I have been on the Ulster County Traffic Board for the last 14 years, with the last two years as the board’s chairman.
What changes would you like to see in the Rosendale town court in the next four years, and why?
The Rosendale Town Court is not only in a good place physically, with our recent move to the new Rondout Municipal Center, but it’s also in a good place as a part of our town government, as we have new personnel in clerk positions and a well-seasoned and respected justice, Judge [Bill] Pape. Consequently, I would say there are no changes needed at this point in time — except for a second justice.
However, if elected…as a new member of the court, I will sit down with Judge Pape and the clerks to familiarize myself with the court, and together we will make any changes that may become necessary down the road. As in any branch of government, in order to keep moving forward with any component within the department — from updating technologies to enhancing workflow — the need for modifications and adjustments may arise. When and if any changes become requisite, I am certain this will be carried out with a collaborative effort by all involved within our court system.
What are the top three challenges facing the justice court right now?
At this time the Rosendale Justice Court really has no major challenges, as we have a brand new court that I was fortunate enough to help design to accommodate all the court’s needs. We also have two competent clerks fine-tuning the move and working on getting all the records in order and up-to-date. I am certainly looking forward to working with them, as well as the other justice in our town. ++
To learn about the Rosendale Town Board candidates, visit newpaltzx.com.
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