fbpx
  • Subscribe & Support
  • Sign up for Free Newsletter
  • Print Edition
    • Get Home Delivery
    • Read ePaper Online
    • Newsstand Locations
  • HV1 Magazines
  • Contact
    • Advertise
    • Customer Support
    • Submit A News Tip
    • Where’s My Paper?
  • Manage HV1 Account
  • Free HV1 Trial
  • Movie Night Gift Subscription
Hudson Valley One
  • News
    • Schools
    • Business
    • Sports
    • Crime
    • Politics & Government
  • What’s Happening
    • Calendar Of Events
    • Featured Events
      • Art
      • Books
      • Kids
      • Lifestyle & Wellness
      • Food & Drink
      • Music
      • Nature
      • Stage & Screen
  • Opinions
    • Letters
    • Columns
    • Editorials
  • Local
    • Special Sections
    • Local History
  • Marketplace
    • All Classified Ads
    • Help Wanted
    • Post a Classified Ad
  • Obituaries
  • Podcast
  • Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • News
    • Schools
    • Business
    • Sports
    • Crime
    • Politics & Government
  • What’s Happening
    • Calendar Of Events
    • Featured Events
      • Art
      • Books
      • Kids
      • Lifestyle & Wellness
      • Food & Drink
      • Music
      • Nature
      • Stage & Screen
  • Opinions
    • Letters
    • Columns
    • Editorials
  • Local
    • Special Sections
    • Local History
  • Marketplace
    • All Classified Ads
    • Help Wanted
    • Post a Classified Ad
  • Obituaries
  • Podcast
  • Log In
No Result
View All Result
Hudson Valley One
No Result
View All Result

Woodstock town supervisor Bill McKenna say’s he’ll remain on the ballot, but won’t campaign

by Nick Henderson
April 25, 2023
in Politics & Government
2
Woodstock Town Supervisor Bill McKenna (Photo by Dion Ogust)

Bill McKenna said he’s still on the ballot, and will stay there if that’s what the voters want. But the five-term Woodstock town supervisor says he is done campaigning for this year.

“I am not going to go out and ask for more pain and vile, ” he said. “If the people really think I’m doing that good a job and they support me in June, I will absolutely continue to serve as supervisor. But I will do it with a new gusto. I will feel somewhat vindicated. And I think the bullshit and the vile will be called out and put on display so I’ll feel more comfortable about continuing on.”

At the end of the April 18 meeting of the town board, McKenna announced he was suspending his campaign. “The last year and several months, he said, have become unbearably toxic for me.”

While it is too late to remove his name from the ballot, McKenna said his campaign suspension is not part of some grand scheme.

“This is not a ploy,” he said. “Woodstock deserves an option. They deserve a choice. I’m just not going to go out and seek it,” McKenna said. “I’ll walk away happy on December 31. Except I’ll feel bad for Woodstock.”

McKenna’s only regret, he said, was using profanity in referring to his primary opponent, councilmember Bennet Ratcliff. “I feel sad for Woodstock because they’re going to be led by an asshole,” McKenna said after the meeting had adjourned but the public was still present. “While I totally agree with the sentiment, I shouldn’t use that word in public. So I apologize to the public for that. I’ve slipped once or twice before. I got lots of flaws.”

Was there one thing that pushed him over the edge?

Bennet Ratcliff

“The last straw …. I think I sat here last Friday during the day and watched emails fly back and forth about the reality of what happened at the meeting Tuesday, and the blatant mischaracterization by two members of the board over what happened,” he said, referring to an April 11 executive session, after which the town board voted to appoint Chris Compton the new Woodstock Environmental Commission chair. The minutes reflect a 5-0 vote to exit the closed session and re-enter public session, and then a 3-2 vote for Compton. 

Councilmembers Ratcliff and Maria-Elena Conte say the vote never happened in public, as required by law. 

But McKenna said it was all on the up-and-up. “I’ve been doing this long enough to know the rules. I was very clear and specific because I was taking the minutes. We came out of executive session. The vote was 5-0,” he said.

“I looked over at [councilmember] Reggie [Earls] and said, ‘Does anybody want to make a motion?’ and [councilmember] Laura Ricci said yes and made the motion for Chris to serve as chair for 2023. And that passed 3-2, and then we made a motion to close,” McKenna said. “The majority of us passed the minutes. It’s all on record. I remember looking at [confidential secretary] Melanie [Marino] that evening. We were all out together. And I just said I can’t do this anymore. I can’t spend my day fighting lies and mistruths. I’m not getting my work done. Woodstock is not getting what they deserve.”
He had unkind things to say about Ratcliff. “So you know, part of me, I kind of chuckle about the thought of this individual coming in and trying to run the town, ” McKenna said. “He doesn’t have a clue. He doesn’t have an understanding of process, procedure, or the law, and I think it’d be a mess.”

McKenna believes Ratcliff could win by continually criticizing how McKenna handled the 10 Church Road dumping. He insinuated that his primary opponent was misogynistic.

“I have a strong mother and a strong grandmother. I grew up surrounded by strong women. So that is just one more case of speaking a lie and then continuing to say it until enough people believe it. And he could win the election doing that,” McKenna explained. “You piss off a few people over the dumping and get them in. You piss off a few other people that I’m a misogynist, and all of a sudden they’re buying into that. You tell them that I hate gay people, and now all of a sudden there’s three or four [issues]. It’s ridiculous. And I hope Woodstock is smarter than to fall for a ploy like that.”

Tags: members
Join the family! Grab a free month of HV1 from the folks who have brought you substantive local news since 1972. We made it 50 years thanks to support from readers like you. Help us keep real journalism alive.
- Geddy Sveikauskas, Publisher
Previous Post

All-clear at Charles M. Riccardi Elementary School in Saugerties, students return to the classroom after last week’s chemical scare

Next Post

Hudson Valley Community Power re-launches its renewable program

Nick Henderson

Nick Henderson was raised in Woodstock starting at the age of three and attended Onteora schools, then SUNY New Paltz after spending a year at SUNY Potsdam under the misguided belief he would become a music teacher. He became the news director at college radio station WFNP, where he caught the journalism bug and the rest is history. He spent four years as City Hall reporter for Foster’s Daily Democrat in Dover, NH, then moved back to Woodstock in 2003 and worked on the Daily Freeman copy desk until 2013. He has covered Woodstock for Ulster Publishing since early 2014.

Related Posts

Woodstock police reform group likely to present recommendations in March
Politics & Government

Woodstock police get a three-year contract

May 31, 2023
Politics & Government

Woodstock dips into surplus funds to complete a variety of projects

May 31, 2023
Kingston mayor challenged for office by community organizer
Politics & Government

Kingston mayoral candidate Frank Waters plans a series of meet and greets

May 31, 2023
Op-ed: End the ethics waiting game
Politics & Government

Legislature must revisit Plattekill landfill exemption vote

May 30, 2023
Metzger gathers county executives at press conference
Politics & Government

In a push for affordable housing, Metzger proposes a $15-million fund  

May 30, 2023
Safety first as New Paltz mulls parking on Plattekill Avenue
Politics & Government

Safety first as New Paltz mulls parking on Plattekill Avenue

June 1, 2023
Next Post
Hudson Valley Community Power re-launches its renewable program

Hudson Valley Community Power re-launches its renewable program

Please login to join discussion

Trending News

  • Victim’s mother was assured by Kingston school officials that her son would be safe, notice of claim now entered against the district 3.7k views
  • Who’s to blame for Kingston’s inadequate playing fields? Just ask the parents 843 views
  • Pride reaffirmed in New Paltz 740 views
  • At iPark 87, things do seem different this time 444 views
  • Vintage baseball game in Hudson Valley will play by 1800s rules 357 views
  • In a push for affordable housing, Metzger proposes a $15-million fund   334 views

Weather

Kingston
◉
64°
Sunny
5:22 am8:25 pm EDT
Feels like: 64°F
Wind: 1mph E
Humidity: 87%
Pressure: 29.96"Hg
UV index: 1
SatSunMon
70/48°F
72/46°F
73/50°F
Weather forecast Kingston, New York ▸

Subscribe

Independent. Local. Substantive. Subscribe now.

×
You have free article(s) remaining. Subscribe for unlimited access.
View Subscription Offers Sign In
  • Subscribe & Support
  • Sign up for Free Newsletter
  • Print Edition
  • HV1 Magazines
  • Contact
  • Manage HV1 Account
  • Free HV1 Trial
  • Movie Night Gift Subscription

© 2022 Ulster Publishing

No Result
View All Result
  • News
    • Schools
    • Business
    • Sports
    • Crime
    • Politics & Government
  • What’s Happening
    • Calendar Of Events
    • Featured Events
      • Art
      • Books
      • Kids
      • Lifestyle & Wellness
      • Food & Drink
      • Music
      • Nature
      • Stage & Screen
  • Opinions
    • Letters
    • Columns
    • Editorials
  • Local
    • Special Sections
    • Local History
  • Marketplace
    • All Classified Ads
    • Help Wanted
    • Post a Classified Ad
  • Obituaries
  • Podcast
  • Subscribe & Support
  • Contact Us
    • Customer Support
    • Advertise
    • Submit A News Tip
  • Print Edition
    • Read ePaper Online
    • Newsstand Locations
    • Where’s My Paper
  • HV1 Magazines
  • Manage HV1 Account
  • Log In
  • Free HV1 Trial

© 2022 Ulster Publishing