Local November election lists take shape after whirl of caucuses

PINE PLAINS —  November 7 election rosters have taken shape in Pine Plains, Stanford, Ancram, Milan and Gallatin after local party caucuses concluded last week.  

Pine Plains Democrats, meeting on Friday, July 14, named Jeanine Sisco and Kevin Walsh as their candidates to run for two seats on the Pine Plains Town Board being vacated by long-serving members Don Bartles and Sarah Jones.  

Sisco and Walsh will by vying for the four-year seats against Republican candidates Paul Murphy and Jim Smith. The latter currently serves in an appointed position as the town’s deputy supervisor.  

The Democrats did not put forward a name to run for town supervisor, a position which is renewed every two years. Unless a write-in candidate is added, current Supervisor Brian Walsh will run unopposed for a second term in office.  

Pine Plains Democrats also supported incumbents Madelin Dafoe and Carl Baden to seek additional terms as town clerk and highway supervisor; in addition, they tapped Stella Isaza to run for town justice.  

While Dafoe has the endorsement of both parties, local Republicans opted not to support Baden for a renewed term as highway supervisor, tapping instead Lisa Ambrose at their Wednesday, July 12, caucus. Ambrose’s husband, Robert, is a member of the town board. Republicans also named former Deputy Sheriff Rich Brenner as their candidate for town justice. All positions are for a four-year term with the exception of supervisor.  

Stanford 

At their caucus on Saturday, July 15, Stanford Democrats endorsed Town Supervisor Wendy Burton to seek a third two-year term. They also tapped Julia Descoteaux and Eric Haim to run for two board seats that are being vacated.  

Burton will face Republican candidate William Harklerode in the November race for supervisor, while Descoteaux and Haim will be competing with Andrienne Zetterberg and Joe Colclough for the Stanford Town Board seats. Stanford Republicans tapped their candidates at their party caucus last month.  

The two parties dovetailed when it came to incumbents, with both groups endorsing Dennis Buchal for town justice, Jim Meyers for highway superintendent, and Ritamary Bell for town clerk.  

In a post on Instagram, the Stanford Democrats praised all three candidates, who they said “all keep this town running smoothly.”  

Ancram 

Republicans, meeting on Saturday, July 15, endorsed a number of candidates for local elections, including Jim MacArthur for town supervisor. That position is coming open as Art Bassin steps down after 14 years in the post. MacArthur will face current Ancram Town Board member Bonnie Hundt, who is the Democrats’ choice for the role.  

In addition, Republicans nominated incumbent board member David Boice and John Ingram to run for board seats. The Democrats nominated Bob Roche and Colleen Lutz, a Republican, for the two seats.  

Ancram Republicans also endorsed incumbents Jim Miller, the highway superintendent, and Monica Cleveland, the town clerk, to run for additional terms. The Democrats did not put up opposing candidates for those positions.  

Milan 

Some 15 people attended the Milan Republican caucus on Wednesday, July 19, emerging with a list that favored continuity over drama and was a match for the Democrats’ recommendations earlier this month.  

The Republicans crossed party lines to back incumbent town supervisor Alfred LoBrutto for a new term, as well as sitting Milan Town Board members Debra Blalock and Kevin Pike. They also supported a new term for Town Assessor Elizabeth Burns, an independent, and Republican Glenn Butler for a renewed term as highway superintendent.  

This article is courtesy of The New Pine Plains Herald.