Letter to the Editor: Milone Seeking Re-Election

Editor's Note: Gene Milone is the Town Supervisor of Schoharie and is currently serving in his second term. He has defeated former Supervisor Martin Shrederis twice at the ballot box.

Dear Editor,

I write to inform you as well as the residents of the Town and County of Schoharie, that I will be seeking re-election as Supervisor of the Town of Schoharie in the November, 2015 general election.

While there have been some major issues addressed at the Town level such as flood recovery, assessment relief, the overturning of the Town's Land Use Laws by the Court, as well as budget difficulties, the Town has managed to address it all and will continue to move forward. There is still much to be accomplished as far as infrastructure is concerned, some of which will be funded by New York Rising money, flood mitigation efforts, economic development and my quest for a local grocery store. 

There are also a number of major issues at the county level to be completed such as the recovery effort at the county building, the rebuilding of a new jail in Schoharie and ongoing meetings of the flood mitigation coalition which I had a direct hand in putting together with hopes of mitigating flooding throughout the county. There is also the hope that the county will partner up with a local health care provider to put in place a skilled nursing facility, which I have addressed before, so we may meet the needs of our county residents. 

There must be an ongoing effort to keep in place a safe and prosperous workplace environment for Town and County employees, as well as an ongoing effort to prevent politics dictating the decision making process.

In closing, I wish for you to know that my interest and willingness to be a part of what yet still need to be accomplished is as strong as it has ever been. I remain willing to represent the best interests of the residents of the Town and County of Schoharie. 

Gene Milone, Supervisor

Town of Schoharie

Borst, Neary Win Re-Election Unopposed

Residents of the Villages of Richmondville and Schoharie headed to the polls on Wednesday to send their communities respective Mayors back to office for another term. 

Richmondville

With 28 total ballots cast, nine-term incumbent Mayor Kevin Neary was able to receive twenty-seven of them and secure a tenth term in office. Also running unopposed, Village Trustee Natasha Foote was reelected with 26 votes, and newcomer David Hotzler won with 25.

Schoharie 

Long-time Mayor John Borst received all eighty-nine votes cast to earn himself another term as the shepherd of the county's seat in the valley. Trustee Larry Caza was re-elected with 80 votes, while Trustee John Balliett gained another term on the back of 42 write in votes.

Village Justice Fred Kennedy was also re-elected with sixty-seven votes, and all candidates ran unopposed.

County Democrats Hold Slight Cash on Hand Advantage

Schoharie County's Democratic Party is in good shape financially to pose a solid challenge to local Republicans this fall, although it wont do them much good with no publicly declared countywide candidates in the mix yet. 

According to the most recent data available from the New York State Board of Elections, county Democrats maintain a $1,600 on hand cash advantage over their GOP counterparts with eight months until the off-year elections.

However, county Republicans maintain the overall advantage heading into the campaign season. An advantage that is due in no small part to the recent announcements that County Clerk Indica Jaycox and Treasurer Bill Cherry are seeking re-election.

With two countywide offices and all sixteen supervisor seats on the ballot in November, both parties are expected to intensify their fundraising efforts in preparation for the election season to come.

Although not as significant, the true wildcard could be in how much of a role the Schoharie County Conservative Party takes in fielding its own candidates and cross-endorsing potential allies in the major parties.

Running their own candidates for Sheriff and Town Supervisor in 2013, the Conservatives have established a small but potent following among the county's ideologically similar electorate, particularly in the southern portions of the county.

As of publication, there are no publicly declared Democrat or Conservative candidates for county office, and no announced contenders for any of the sixteen open supervisor positions.

Jaycox to Seek Third Term as County Clerk

Surrounded by family, friends, and supporters at the Daughters of the American Revolution house in Schoharie, County Clerk Indica Jaycox announced her campaign to seek a third term in office at a fundraising kickoff dinner on Thursday evening.

Explaining that she "continues to love serving the public," Mrs. Jaycox emphasized that she cares about the people of Schoharie County, and providing as best service to them as possible in the county clerk's office.

Schoharie County Clerk Indy Jaycox surrounded by
her husband of forty-four years, one of three children,
and two of six grand-children.

An office she has worked in since 1985, starting as a county employee under former county clerk Forest Wollaber in the Department of Motor Vehicles. Before that she worked in various fields and raised her children after graduating from high school.

Appointed to fill the remainder of then newly elected Assemblyman Peter Lopez's clerk term in 2007 by outgoing New York Governor George Pataki, Jaycox has successfully won two full terms in her own right, despite facing challenges both times.

Challenges that fail to compare to the devastation Hurricane Irene's wrath wrought upon the county clerk's office on Sunday, August 27th, 2011, which Mrs. Jaycox described as the biggest challenge of her career.

Finding the strength in herself to overcome the devastation of Irene, which left thousands upon thousands of public records destroyed and her office scattered across the county, Jaycox oversaw the return of the county clerk's office to Schoharie.

Commenting that "I will never say I love the challenges of the job, because that was the most difficult," the incumbent was seemingly relieved that the worst is behind for her office.

With the future in mind, Jaycox is focused on advancing the county clerk's system technologically forward with electronic recording and filing, which she stated optimistically, will be put in place "hopefully within the next two years."

Supported on Thursday night by members of the county board, her office, and other dignitaries from both parties, Jaycox, who is seeking the Republican nomination, noted the positive feedback her campaign has already received from the community.

"I feel I got very good support," she commented while looking across the room. Pausing for a second, she added: "That was proven in 2011."

Borst, Neary to Seek Re-Election

SCHOHARIE - Schoharie County's two longest serving Mayors are set to extend their time in office next month, when residents of the Villages of Richmondville and Schoharie head to the polls on Wednesday, March 18th. 

Filing the necessary petitions to seek re-election as mayor of their respective municipalities, both Kevin Neary of Richmondville and John Borst are all but assured victory with no declared opponents to their candidacies. 

Now concluding his eighteenth year in office, Mr. Neary has overseen the administration of the county's only self-sustaining municipal operated electric company, Richmondville Power and Light at low cost to citizens.  

Mr. Borst on the other hand, has obtained minor fame from appearing several times on the David Letterman Show, but is primarily recognized for his work in leading recovery efforts in Schoharie following the devastation of Irene. 

In addition to the mayoral campaigns, village residents in Richmondville will be electing two Trustees; neither of whom are opposed, while voters in Schoharie are set to also elect two Trustees as well as one Justice. 

Following Neary and Borst as the longest serving mayors is Matthew Avitabile of Middleburgh, Doug Plummer of Sharon, Linda Holmes of Cobleskill, and most recently, Charles Johnston of Esperance. 

Shrederis to Run for Schoharie Mayor?

The Schoharie News has learned, through multiple sources with knowledge of the situation that former Town of Schoharie Supervisor and current President of the Schoharie Fire Department Martin Shrederis is considering a run for Mayor in the Village's municipal elections in March 2015.

 

Mr. Shrederis, who served as town supervisor for fourteen years, lost his position atop the town in 2011 to then Councilman Gene Milone and in a heated rematch just two months ago failed to reach even forty percent of the vote despite an higher overall turnout amongst the electorate. A loss that has been attributed to the Fiztmaurice Report's untimely release and his involvement in a political advertisement by the Conservative faction.

 

Recently, Mr. Shrederis made local news for comments concerning the Schoharie Fire Department's construction of a new station and the town's lack of participation in ongoing negotiations with FEMA, telling the Cobleskill paper that "Mr. Milone has no business sticking his nose in fire department business,"  even though current plans call for a local residence to be knocked down, which Mr. Milone finds objectionable.

 

One variable in next March's election is whether incumbent Mayor John Borst decides to run for re-election. Mr. Borst is a well respected and beloved member of the Schoharie community, and would prove himself a difficult task for the former Town Supervisor to overcome in a non-partisan village race, where personality and government success tend to mean more than party affiliation.

Although still fifteen months out, it is definitely an interesting political situation to keep a close eye on.