This traditionally Republican town just likes staying red, if Election Day polls are any indication. Democrat William J. Cooke was defeated for town supervisor a second time around by incumbent Republican Steven A. Tommasone with a vote of 4,130-to-3,216.
The town also elected two new Rotterdam Town Board members, only one of whom is a Democrat.
I am very disappointed we didn’t change the town administration, newly elected Democratic town board member John M. Silva said. `I was disappointed in the tenor of the campaign and the vitriol.`
Silva said, nevertheless, he is confident he can work with the Republican town board in moving the town forward after running his campaign on the pledge for transparency in local government.
`We need more transparency,` he said. `Agenda items and issues should be done in full view of the public with more public involvement.`
Silva is the chief executive officer of Hometown Health Centers, which specializes in providing primary health care to low income and uninsured patients. He moved to Rotterdam eight years ago from Boston, where he served as a town selectman.
Republican Michael Della Villa, a Schalmont graduate and president of the Schalmont Board of Education, said he was very excited by what appeared to be a vote of confidence on Election Day.
Della Villa received 3,655 votes to Silva’s 3,405, Jack Denny’s 3,222 and Richard W. Leet’s 3,120 votes.
`I will continue the progress to build corporate commerce in town to attract and retain business thereby easing the burden off our taxpaying residents,` Della Villa said.
He said he will also serve to help the town’s children and senior citizens.
Others voted into Rotterdam town office include town Justice Kevin Mercoglan with 6,629 votes and Highway Superintendent James E. Longo with 4,593 votes. Both ran unopposed.“