National politics may intrude into Bethel race

Biggest local issue is growth

By FRITZ MAYER

BETHEL, NY — There are two candidates vying to fill a seat on the Bethel Town Board that was vacated when Harold Russell was voted in as supervisor. Both candidates, Ted Yeomans, who is running on the Democrat and Open Door lines, and AndyLaPolt, who is running on the Republican and Conservative lines, said the national trend favoring Democrats this year may be a factor in the local election.

Yeomans said that while campaigning in the community, he has heard several people say they’re voting for a Democrat no matter who is the candidate. He said he has heard this much more often than in previous elections, and he therefore expects the national trend may play a larger role this year than in past years.

LaPolt said that he would hope that at the local level, people would not vote based on what is happening at the national level. He said, however, since the public does not know either candidate very well, he is “concerned that there will be some spill over.”

Of the local issues facing the town, both said that rapid growth is the most important, and both regarded the completion of the comprehensive plan as one of the most urgent tasks facing the board. Both were concerned that until the comprehensive plan is complete, developers may try to build under the existing zoning laws, which are not optimal for meeting the growth the town is now seeing.

One of the more contentious issues the board has discussed in recent meetings is whether new homes on non-sewer parcels in the town should be allowed to be built on lots one acre or larger, or two acres or larger. Yeomans said he favors the two-acre lot size, at least in the agricultural district. LaPolt said he didn’t think either size should be the determining factor, but instead the decision should be made on a parcel-by-parcel basis, based on the results of a “perc test” and ability of the land to handle a septic system.