David Boice (R)
David Boice is running for a third consecutive four-year Ancram Town Board term, this time as a Republican. (Two of the four seats are up for grabs.) A member of the Ancram Democratic Committee for 15 years, he recently changed his party affiliation. “The local Dems kicked me off the committee in the spring of 2021,” Boice said. “They never told me exactly why, so I joined the Republicans this cycle. I may have changed parties, but my morals and values are the same.” (Mary Murfitt, chair of the Ancram Town Democratic Committee said, “The committee reorganized that year for administrative reasons. Mr. Boice had effectively resigned, so he was not reappointed for membership.”)
The 59–year–old Ancram native prioritizes a 10% tax cut for town residents. “I will do this without cutting services—we have enough money in the town reserve fund to make it work,” Boice said, adding, “I want to make it easier for young people to stay here, and improve the two things we can control: lowering taxes and improving zoning laws.”
Boice wants to act quickly to stop the exodus of young families. “People are leaving fast,” he said. Boice advocates zoning changes to allow homes to be built on parcels smaller than the current 3.5 acre requirement, so they can be more affordable. “The town will also have to get a large land grant or buy enough land to accommodate our needs,” he said.
A landscaping business owner and grandfather, Boice is a 40–year member of the Ancram Fire Department and chief for more than 30. He is the current president of the Ancram Union Cemetery and a 20–year–member of the Ancram Youth Commission.
Town Board transparency is important to Boice. “We’re doing too much online and through emails,” he said. “We’re disconnected in so many ways. Board members need to be visible around our town. More public meetings would help a lot”
He added, “It doesn’t matter what party I belong to; I still want the same things for Ancram that I always did. My family has been here for generations; I want people to live here and love Ancram like me for generations to come.”
John Ingram (R)
John Ingram is worried: Young families are leaving Ancram. The 20–year member of the Ancram Fire Department said, “It’s been difficult attracting and retaining firemen. Property values are through the roof, and the locals can’t afford it.”
Ingram, a Republican, credits current Town Supervisor Art Bassin with investing Ancram’s tax surplus wisely. “There’s $1.2 million in the unallocated surplus sitting there,” Ingram said. “I’d like to give 10% of that back to the local taxpayers. The rest is needed for town improvements.”
Concerned about the dearth of low-cost homes for Ancram families, Ingram said, “We need to talk about affordable housing and agree on its definition. I want to keep people here, not invite new people in.” Ingram would change existing zoning laws to allow smaller land parcels. “We could build homes on half-acre lots in the ag district. If you build it, the locals will come.”
Ingram, 73, was born in Scotland and grew up in Westbury, N.Y. He began spending weekends in the Ancram area in 1986, and took up permanent residence in 2010. Ingram retired as superintendent of the Water and Fire District in Westbury, and now works part-time as a consultant.
The grandfather of nine was a member of the original committee to build the new Town Hall in 2001. Ingram has served on the Ancram Planning Board for 12 years (10 years as chair), and is vice commander and treasurer of the Millerton American Legion/Sons of the American Legion. He has completed his 54th year as a Westbury volunteer fireman.
“I will talk to as many locals as I can, and try to be fair and even-handed in my decisions,” said Ingram. “I will work as hard as I can for the benefit of Ancram.”
Colleen Lutz (D)
Colleen Lutz is passionate about the environment. The Stanfordville native recently completed her master’s degree in conservation and biodiversity at SUNY Albany. A founding member of the Ancram Conservation Advisory Council, Lutz favors careful town development with an eye toward protecting environmental health. “Preserving the beauty and sustainability of Ancram’s landscape is very important to me,” she said. “This is a priority in Ancram’s Town Comprehensive Plan and amending the zoning laws will help protect our natural resources.”
Lutz considers herself a progressive Republican; she is backed by the Democrats, “The deadline was approaching and I hadn’t heard from my local caucus, so I accepted the Ancram Democrats’ endorsement,” she said. “I warned them not to expect me to vote with them on everything, and they were okay with that.”
The 46–year–old mother of two includes affordable housing in Ancram as a top priority. “There’s no inventory, no rentals,” Lutz said. “My adult son, who works for the PPCSD [Pine Plains Central School District], has to live with us. This is a regional and national problem, not just Ancram.” She is concerned about basic services for local residents: Ancram has no grocery and few restaurants, and Copake’s urgent care center recently closed. Lutz called Neighbors Helping Neighbors a “godsend for Ancram’s seniors,” and added, “We need to all sit together and solve these problems. We have to include a diverse group of people, with input from young families and elders.”
Keeping taxes low for town residents is important to Lutz, but she is cautious about using the Ancram tax surplus fund toward that end. “I understand that dollars could go back to taxpayers, but how impactful would it be on our lives?” she asked. “It may do more for everyone to use the money for land and housing.”
If elected, Lutz would work to create a land trust. “If someone could donate property, or if the town could win a grant, that would be great,” she said. “This way, we could build small affordable homes and encourage all ages to stay in Ancram.”
Lutz is a 20–year member of the Ancram Fire Department, a 29-year member of the Stanford Fire Department and a member of the Ancram Climate Smart Task Force and the Planning Boards. She is active in the Ancram Youth Commission, volunteers for the Roe Jan Watershed Community board and is secretary of the Roeliff Jansen Community Library Board of Trustees. Lutz moved to Ancram from Stanfordville in 1998.
Lutz is optimistic about Ancram’s future: “It’s super important to have community input. Our residents need to be involved in town decision-making, so if you have an issue, talk to me. Let’s figure this out together!”
Bob Roche (D)
Bob Roche is a lifelong Ancram resident and a fourth–generation farmer. “Farming was on both sides of my family,” he said, “dairy and horses.” Roche worked on the family property until 1980, then did custom farming for 17 years. He became an expert in tractor repair and was service manager for a John Deere store in Connecticut. Roche, a grandfather of five, returned to farming in 2006 on his Gallatin acreage.
When asked by his brother-in-law to volunteer for an Ancram committee 15 years ago, Roche was uncertain: “But then I thought why not? I like meeting people.” Roche served on the Planning Board and the Zoning Revisions Committee (ZRC), and worked on the Town Comprehensive Plan.
Roche, 69, stated that affordable housing is his “number one issue.” He would amend zoning laws to make it easier to build homes. “There’s very little land available in our hamlet, so most houses will have to be in the ag district,” he said. “Right now, land parcels are 3.5 acres; they’ll have to be smaller.” Roche will seek private donations to pay for the property. “We can do all of this and still keep the beauty of Ancram,” he said.
Roche believes that economical homes for young families will help Ancram thrive. “The paper mill employs a good number of people, which keeps the town going, but our town is mostly small businesses, like plumbers and electricians,” he said. “We need to make it easier for them to stay here.”
His love of Ancram and desire to best serve the community are the reasons Roche seeks a Town Board slot, he said. “The ZRC can only make recommendations; as a board member I would have more clout to make the zoning changes we need. My management experience will help to get the job done.”
“Elections are really important,” he added. “All types of people should be in office. I’ll be Bob Roche on Nov. 6, and I’ll be Bob Roche on Nov. 8, and I’ll still be your neighbor whether or not I get elected.”