Rosendale Town Supervisor Jeanne Walsh. (photo by Lauren Thomas)
There were no surprises in this year’s election returns in the Town of Rosendale: The only outcome there that was not a foregone conclusion was who would hold the position of town justice. Democratic incumbent William Pape won that handily, beating Republican/Conservative challenger Thomas A. Briggs by a vote of 1,072 (59.39 percent) to 733 (40.61 percent).
All the rest of the Rosendale winners ran without opposition. Incumbent town supervisor Jeanne L. Walsh, endorsed by the Democratic, Republican and Conservative Parties, sailed into another term with 1,538 votes versus eight write-in votes.
Refilling three seats on the town board, with only three candidates in contention, still involved a bit of a shuffle. Incumbent councilman Chris Pryslopski, whose term was up, opted to run to fill out Stacy Lipari’s unexpired term instead of seeking reelection to another four-year stint. Endorsed by the Democrats, Republicans and Conservatives, Pryslopski took 1,544 votes, with three write-ins. His seat will be refilled by newcomer Matt Igoe, who received a total of 1,294 votes on the Democratic and Working Families lines. And incumbent councilwoman Jennifer Metzger, also endorsed by the Democrats and Working Families, was returned to office with 1,385 votes. Twelve write-in votes were submitted for the two four-year Town Board openings.
Incumbent town clerk Mandy Donald, a Democrat cross-endorsed by the Rosendale Republicans, received 1,549 votes, with four write-ins. Tax collector Deborah Checchia, also running on both the Democratic and Republican lines, was reelected with 1,568 votes, with four write-ins. And superintendent of highways Robert Gallagher, running as a Democrat, Republican and Conservative, was also returned to office with 1,554 votes, with six write-ins.