Highway superintendent
After the supervisor vote wrapped up, the caucus turned next to the hotly anticipated highway superintendent race.
Incumbent Doug Myer was, until recently, a Republican, but switched to the Democratic Party after the GOP denied him the nomination earlier this year. He received the Conservative line last year. Contractor Ray Mayone is the Republican pick and was hoping to take the Conservative line as well this year.
However, it was evident that Mayone would have a tough uphill battle when Heidcamp announced the search committee recommended Myer.
“He showed our committee that he has done a good job as highway superintendent,” Heidcamp said.
Myer said he wasn’t surprised to receive the search committee’s recommendation. “I have been running a very aggressive campaign based on honesty,” he said.
He pointed out that his department is running a budget surplus and is $1.4 million under budget on all FEMA projects associated with hurricane damage.
“And, I’m really proud of the fact that the Teamsters have endorsed me as well, and the only way to get that is if you have the support of your men in the highway department.”
Myer won the caucus vote 41 to 31.
“We endorsed Doug the last time, and the guy is doing a good job for the town,” Heidcamp said after the vote.
Several days after the caucus, Mayone said he was disappointed by the outcome but noted that there are only slightly more than 400 registered Conservative Party members, while the Independence Party has about 700 and he figures on getting more votes there.
“It was really no surprise,” Mayone said. “He had the nomination last time.”
Right now, Mayone will be concentrating on holding the Independence Party line in the Sept. 10 primary and then running an aggressive campaign for November.
“I didn’t talk about any of the issues at the caucus,” Mayone said. “I’ll be bringing those out for the November election, and it will be a very strong campaign.”
Town Board
Other results from the Conservative caucus saw Jimmy Bruno and Bill Schirmer, who both have the Republican line on the November general election, getting the Conservative line as well.
Town Board incumbent Bruce Leighton, who has the Democratic nomination, and going into the Independence primary, that nomination as well, was hoping to get the Conservative nod, saying that as a businessman he views himself as a “fiscal conservative.”
In three uncontested races, incumbents Town Justice Dan Lamb, Town Clerk Lisa Stanley and Receiver of Taxes Suzi Filak received the Conservative Party nomination.
I would like to publically state for the record that following the Republican Caucus this year, I chose to withdraw from the Republican Party and I am now non-enrolled. I am more than willing to show proof of this to any concerned citizen that would like to see it. Although, the Democratic Party did in fact endorse me, they never pressured me to join their party to acquire the endorsement.
Too much is being made about George Heidcamp. He is one person and 54 voted in favor of Ciarlante. I have voted with George AND against him and he has always remained professional afterwards. You can’t blame one man for the outcome of a caucus.
Now let the party bosses take a back seat and lets here what the candidates are going to do for Saugerties.