Local caucus season is underway, with Pine Plains Republicans gathering on July 12 to name their recommended candidates for town elections on November 7.
Several local government positions will be on the ballot in Pine Plains, including town supervisor and two seats on the Town Board to be vacated by long-serving members Don Bartles and Sarah Jones. The town will also elect a town clerk, a town justice, and highway superintendent.
Town Republicans endorsed incumbent Brian Walsh to run for a second two-year term as town supervisor. They also named Jim Smith, who currently serves in the appointed position of deputy supervisor, and Paul Murphy as candidates for the Town Board.
Lisa Ambrose was named as the Republican candidate for highway supervisor. Madelin Dafoe was endorsed to run for reelection as town clerk, and former Deputy Sheriff Rich Brenner was tapped to run for town justice, to fill the seat vacated by David Humeston, who announced his retirement earlier this year. All positions are for a four-year term with the exception of supervisor.
Pine Plains Democrats will caucus on July 14 to name their candidates. The meeting is open to all party members registered in Pine Plains and will be held at 7 p.m. at the Community Center above the library at 7775 South Main St.
Stanford
In Stanford, a number of town government seats will be up for election in November, including the town supervisor and two members of the Town Board.
Stanford Republicans, who caucused on June 12, recommended William Harklerode as their candidate to run against the incumbent town supervisor, Democrat Wendy Burton, who is seeking her third two-year term.
Adrienne Zetterberg and Joe Colclough were named as the party’s candidates for the two board seats whose four-year terms are coming to an end. Those positions are currently held by Democrats Margaret Fallon and Corey Clanahan. Clanahan has indicated that he will be running for reelection.
Republican Dennis Buchal will be running to serve as one of Stanford’s two town justices. Two incumbents, Town Clerk Ritamary Bell and Highway Superintendent Jim Myers, will also be running for reelection on the Republican Party ticket.
Stanford Democrats are due to formally name candidates for the town supervisor and Town Board positions when they caucus on July 15 at 10 a.m. at the Stanford Town Hall, 26 Town Hall Road. The meeting is open to registered Stanford democrats; registration begins at 9 a.m.
Ancram
Three Town Council positions are due to be vacated in Ancram, including that of supervisor. Art Basin, who has held the position for the past 14 years, has announced his retirement. Council members Hugh Clark and David Boice are also stepping down.
In addition to the three council positions, the town clerk and highway superintendent are also up for election.
Ancram Democrats held their caucus on June 17 and named Bonnie Hundt, who has focused on housing insecurity as a priority issue, as their candidate to replace Basin as supervisor. They also named lifetime resident Bob Roche, who has served on various town committees including the Planning Board, as a candidate for Town Council, in addition to Colleen Lutz, a Republican.
“Our candidates might be from two different parties, but they are committed to listening with respect to all points of view,” Mary Murfitt, chair of the Ancram Democratic Committee, said in a press release.
Ancram Republicans are due to caucus on July 15 at 1 p.m. at the Ancram Town Hall, 1416 County Road 7.
Milan
In Milan, several positions are up for election including town supervisor, two Town Board positions, the highway superintendent and two assessors.
At their party caucus on July 8, Milan Democrats named incumbent Al LoBrutto to run for reelection as town supervisor; sitting Town Board members Debra Blalock and Kevin Pike were also selected to run again for their seats.
Three additional incumbents, Highway Superintendent Glenn Butler and assessors Elizabeth Burns and Michael Ferrante, also received the party go-ahead to run for another round of four-year terms.
The Milan Republican caucus meets July 19 at 7 p.m. at the Milan Town Hall, 20 Wilcox Circle.
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The Pine Plains Town Board will hold a public hearing July 20 to receive comments on a proposed moratorium on commercial solar projects in Pine Plains.
The proposed 8-month moratorium on so-called Tier 3 solar projects would provide the board time to reconsider the town’s solar law, enacted in October 2022. In its proposed local law, the board stated that it is concerned by the prospect of more commercial solar applications in Pine Plains and seeks to “prevent the proliferation of such facilities” in order to “protect the Town’s predominantly rural, agricultural and forest land.”
The moratorium was prompted by a decision last month by the Pine Plains Planning Board allowing Carson Power to take steps toward building a Tier 3, 24,000-panel commercial solar array on farmland in Pulvers Corners.
If approved, the moratorium will not affect the Pulvers Corners project. State courts have rejected enacting a moratorium simply to halt specific projects. The moratorium would also not apply to private rooftop or individual ground-mounted solar units.
The July 20 public hearing will be part of the Town Board’s monthly meeting. It will be held at 7 p.m. at the Pine Plains Town Hall, 3284 Route 199.
Mary Jenkins contributed to this report.