Bethel stands out in local elections

Action in Cochecton, Tusten too

By FRITZ MAYER

KAUNEONGA LAKE, NY — The race for a seat on the town board in Bethel is attracting the most attention in the county this year because of unusual tension in the town’s Democratic committee.

The story goes back to the beginning of the year when the board appointed Ted Yeomans to finish the term vacated by Dan Sturm, who had been elected to the position of supervisor in November 2007.

Some Bethel Democrats did not agree with that choice and thought that Denise Frangipane would have been a better appointment; she ran as an Independent for a seat on the town board in November 2007 and lost by a few votes.

In July, Frangipane and her supporters worked to get many voters to turn out at the Democratic caucus, which critics say was not well publicized, and thus leaves some Democrats out of the process of selecting the Democratic candidate. The result of the turnout drive was that the caucus was packed with a record number of people, many of whom supported Frangipane.

After Yeomans and Frangipane each made brief remarks, the Democrats voted for Frangipane by a margin of 91 to 81.

Despite the clear win, some prominent Democrats, among them Democratic council members Vicki Simpson and Robert Blais, as well as the supervisor’s wife, Dina, supported Yeoman’s effort to run as an Independent, and carried petitions for him to run on the “Let’s keep Ted” line.

Some of the Democrats who supported Yeomans, such as Simpson, were also members of the local Democratic committee, and Frangipane questioned the propriety of committee members stumping for a candidate not running on the Democratic line.

On November 4, Bethel voters will have a choice between Frangipane, who is also running on the Conservative line, Yeomans on the Lets Keep Ted line and Barbara Hazen on the Republican line.

Cochecton

In Cochecton, there is a race for a council seat between Democrat John Reggero and Republican Edwin Grund. Reggero was appointed to fill the seat vacated by Paul Peck, who resigned the board to become the town’s code enforcement officer, and who, incidentally, will be resigning that office before the end of the month.

The winner of the contest will serve for a year and will have to run again to retain the seat.

In the meantime, Larry Richardson is still serving as acting supervisor as supervisor Sal Indelicato is still recovering from a stroke.

Indelicato’s term as supervisor expires at the end of next year.

Tusten

Voters in Tusten will decide whether the town’s sewer and water departments should be merged with the town’s highway department into a single department of public works. It is a move that has been championed by supervisor Ben Johnson, who has said that it will save the town money through scheduling efficiencies and promote accountability.

The move would mean an end to the election of the highway superintendent, who would then be appointed by the town board. The plan has the support of both the current highway superintendent, George Kinch, and the water and sewer superintendent, Scott Birney.

Other races

Other races include one for town justice in the Town of Delaware between Democrat Eric J. Nystrom and Republican Adrienne M. Ruggieri-Hoffer.

Also in the Town of Delaware, there is a race for a vacant council seat between Jim Hughson, who is running on the Democratic line, and Cindy Herbert who is running on the Republican line.

In the Town of Highland, Anthony La Ruffa is running unopposed to fill a town justice vacancy.

County-wide, three candidates are running to fill three coroner positions.