By Russ Tarby
Contributing Writer
When the village of Liverpool’s Republican caucus convened May 1, its 31 party members chose two candidates, including one incumbent, who are assured of victories in the upcoming June 19 election.
First elected in 2016, incumbent Matt Devendorf seeks a second term, and newcomer Michael LaMontagne will pursue the seat being vacated by Trustee Bradley Young.
Devendorf works as director of sales and marketing at Young & Franklin/Tactair. From 2013 and 2016, he served on the village Zoning Board of Appeals.
LaMontagne is a principal architect at C&S Companies in Syracuse, and for the past several years he has sat on the village planning board. He serves on the C&S Education, Healthcare and Public Facilities group with a focus on higher education and aviation. The new candidate is also a member of the board of directors of FOCUS Syracuse.
Both LaMontagne and Devendorf will run unopposed in the June 19 election. Only an unexpected write-in effort could possibly jeopardize their elections.
Voting will take place from noon to 9 p.m. Tuesday, June 19, at the Village Hall, 310 Sycamore St.
Democrats MIA
Democrats have failed to field any candidate for village office since 2001 and have not conducted a caucus since that year. In the 2001 election, Republican Marlene Ward defeated incumbent Democratic Mayor Jon Zappola to become the first female mayor in village history.
If elected, LaMontagne and Devendorf will join three fellow Republicans — trustees Christina Fadden Fitch and Jason Recor and Mayor Gary White — to complete the village board.
Democrats have been reluctant to challenge the GOP domination of the village despite the fact that registered Dems now outnumber Republicans in the village by 70 voters, according to the Onondaga County Board of Elections.
Last week, the BOE counted 517 Democrats, 447 Republicans, 423 not enrolled in any party, 96 Independents, 23 Conservatives, two Working Families Party members, three Green Party members and two Libertarians, for a total of 1,514 eligible voters out of a village population of approximately 2,300.
Republicans have dominated village government for decades and have enjoyed largely unchallenged control for the past 18 years.
