The county’s proposed campaign finance reform law, which would allow candidates for countywide office or county legislature to tap into a $75,000 fund per year in county money for their campaigns prompted more than a dozen speakers, over half of whom were in opposition and emphatic about their positions, and about 50 onlookers at the county legislature’s public hearing on the proposed law on Tuesday, Nov. 12.
A rollercoaster of an election night, followed by a suspenseful Wednesday morning, ended up with the closely watched race for Ulster County District Attorney in a virtual dead heat, even as Democrats secured decisive victories in two more countywide races and appeared poised to maintain their one-vote majority in the County Legislature.
County Executive Pat Ryan of Gardiner coasted to his first full four-year term Tuesday night, with the Democrat easily winning a rematch election with Ulster County Conservative Party Chairman Jack Hayes, also of Gardiner, who was running on the Republican line as well.
According to unofficial results Tuesday night, Saugerties Town Supervisor Fred Costello Jr. fended off a challenge from Councilman Paul Andreassen to win another two-year term, while incumbent Councilwoman Leeanne Thornton won re-election and newcomer Mike Ivino took a seat on the town board.
Charges against District 2 County Legislature candidate Christopher P. Allen alleging criminal trespass have been filed with the Village of Saugerties Court. According to the complaint, lodged by Saugerties resident Paul Fowler, at about 7:58 p.m. on Oct. 30, Allen entered his residence through an unlocked door and verbally harassed him and his girlfriend, Gail Serris, for approximately five minutes. Allen called the whole thing “a bunch of lies.”
A look at what Saugerties voters can expect on the ballot Tuesday, November 5.
Six months after coasting to victory by a three-to-one margin, County Executive Pat Ryan, a Democrat, faces an electoral rematch with Ulster County Conservative Party Chairman John J. “Jack” Hayes.
In a race that has become contentious in recent weeks, current town board member Paul Andreassen, running on the Republican, Conservative and Libertarian party lines, is seeking to unseat incumbent Town Supervisor Fred Costello Jr., running on the Democratic, Working Families and Independence party lines, for the highest office in town government.
In the wake of the departure of Elliott Auerbach, the only comptroller Ulster’s ever known, two women well-known to local public life, Lisa Cutten of Kingston and March Gallagher of Rosendale, are running for the job.
Democrat Dave Clegg and Republican Mike Kavanagh, seeking the post of Ulster County district attorney at Nov. 5’s election, offer voters competing visions of the role of the county’s chief law enforcement officer.
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