Supervisors race in Cochecton

By CHARLIE BUTERBAUGH

MONTICELLO, NY — With a brand new high school in Lake Huntington, some say the Town of Cochecton will graduate from an era when new businesses were scarce and development was rare.

With the new school will come campaigns for the town supervisor seat, presently held by Sal Indelicato. At a June 10 meeting of the Conservative Party of Sullivan County, five candidates, including Indelicato, sought endorsement. Joe Manaseri, a member of the Cochecton Planning Board, explained that the process involves an interview of the candidates conducted by representatives of the party, five minutes for each candidate to speak and a few minutes for the party to deliberate.

Three of the five candidates received endorsement that evening, including Lisa Haas, Linda Keesler and Gary Maas, which will give them spots on conservative lines in the September primaries. The party remained split, however, between Indelicato and Manaseri, and neither received the endorsement.

Manaseri sees the split as a good sign.

“It indicates they’re divided between me and my opponent. At least I know I have support; half of them [the party] think I am a good candidate,” he said.

Manaseri’s campaign will become official when his supporters submit a petition for his candidacy on July 7, a protocol all Republicans must follow. The Democratic caucus will be on July 12 in Cochecton.