By Kate Hill
Staff Writer
On Nov. 5, the Madison County Board of Elections posted the unofficial results of the 2019 local elections.
Cazenovia
In the Town of Cazenovia, the office of town supervisor (4 year term) and two town board seats (4 year terms) were up for election.
Voters returned Supervisor Bill Zupan (DEM) and Jimmy Golub (DEM) to their positions and elected a new town councilor, Kyle M. Reger (REP).
Zupan earned 1,299 votes with 16 write-ins, while Golub was reelected with 937 votes.
“Naturally I’m thrilled to be one of the ones selected by voters to be councilman,” Golub said. “It’s very satisfying to get the support from voters throughout our town. I’m also really passionate about some of the upcoming projects. I think Kyle will make a great addition to our board. He’s very smart and obviously eager to roll up his sleeves and get to work. But at the same time, I feel this is bittersweet, in that Tim Hunt was [a] deserving and qualified [candidate]. This makes me even more committed to doing the best job I can for this town that I love. Thank you to voters for putting your trust in me.”
Reger beat out Timothy L. Hunt (REP) for the second seat on the board with 1,151 votes to Hunt’s 864 votes.
“I am very happy for Kyle and Jimmy,” Hunt said. “The residents of Cazenovia will be well served with great representation on the town board.”
Reger expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to serve his hometown and for the support he received throughout his campaign and on election night.
“It was my honor to share a ballot with two outstanding gentlemen who have given so much to our community and I applaud them both for their service,” he said. “ . . . I am especially thankful for the hundreds of residents that allowed me to speak with them at their doorsteps as well as local businesses and organizations. Their openness to share their issues, needs, and ideas for our town are paramount for me to best represent them on the Town Board. I am excited to continue the open dialogue with everyone so we can work together and so I may best serve this wonderful community, that is so special to me.”
The board of elections reported 4 write-ins for town council.
Nelson
In Nelson, the offices of town supervisor (2 year), town clerk (2 year), highway superintendent (2 year) and two town council seats (4 year) were up for election.
James J. Cunningham (REP, CON, IND) defeated incumbent Supervisor Roger D. Bradstreet (DEM, STR) with 385 votes to Bradstreet’s 266 votes.
“I’m thrilled, honored and humbled to represent the wonderful Town of Nelson,” said Cunningham. “I wish to thank the citizens of the town for the confidence you have shown in me by electing me Town Supervisor. I promise to do my best to preserve and protect our outstanding human and natural resources. I thank Roger Bradstreet for his many years of devoted service and leadership. Thank you for all you did to move the town forward, Roger. Our small-town image that is shaped by the Comprehensive Plan vision can only be successful if we all listen to one another working together as a community. We have an extraordinarily committed [number] of volunteers that are driven to sustain our vision to protect our magnificent history, streams, wooded lands, lakes and farmlands. I promise to listen to the people to pursue a town that is beautiful, safe, and a place we all can be proud to call home. Thank you.”
Bradstreet has served as Nelson town supervisor since 2010.
“I called my opponent and left [my] congratulations and an offer to help with the transition, as needed,” Bradstreet said. “Dick Williams, my predecessor, assisted me greatly, as did Maravene Marion, both now retired, and off I went. [I am] very fortunate to [have been] surrounded by great staff for all of my 10 years. I very much wanted to follow the [Town of Cazenovia/Town of Nelson Route 20 Water District] to completion in summer 2020 — my proudest moment for sure. The Nelson Hamlet safety project was a close second. Both will open lots of doors for the Town of Nelson, moving forward. I had four to five new projects on the docket for 2020. I can watch from the sidelines, and I will.”
Incumbent Town Councilor John E. Laubscher (REP, IND) earned another term on the board with 364 votes.
John Lagorga (REP, IND) beat out incumbent Tammy Hayes (DEM, STR) and Nancy Demyttenaere (DEM, STR) for the second seat on the board with 358 votes compared to Hayes’ 234 votes and Demyttenaere’s 245 votes and 2 write-ins.
“I appreciate the support I received during the election campaign and on election day,” Lagorga said. “I look forward to serving the town as a councilman.”
Hayes was elected to the town board in 2015.
“I would just like to thank the Nelson community for the past four years,” said Hayes. “It has been a pleasure to work for them. The results were not what I had hoped for, but it is how our democracy works.”
Incumbents Deborah J. Costello (REP, GC1) and Joseph E. Deyo, Jr. (REP) ran unopposed for town clerk and superintendent of highways, respectively.
Costello earned 564 votes with 1 write in; Deyo earned 517 votes with 5 write-ins.
Fenner
In the Town of Fenner, all five incumbent candidates ran unopposed and were reelected to their positions.
The offices on the ballot were supervisor (2 year), town clerk (2 year), highway superintendent (2 year) and two town council seats (4 year).
Town Supervisor David Jones (REP) was reelected with 247 votes and 1 write-in.
Town Clerk Lisa Dolan (REP) earned 245 votes and Highway Superintendent Dan Smith (REP) earned 254 votes.
Voters reelected Town Councilors Adam Pushlar (REP) and William W. Wester (REP) with 242 votes for Pushlar, 222 votes for Wester and 6 write-ins.
Tax Collector Sharon Larkin will be retiring Dec. 31, 2019. The town taxes will be collected by Madison County going forward.
