Guilderland Supervisor Ken Runion said at the Tuesday, Dec. 18, town board meeting the last one of the year — that the town will miss outgoing board members Mike Ricard and Dave Bosworth.
They have moved the town forward,` Runion said. `We worked together as a strong team.`
Democrats Bosworth and Ricard failed to retain their seats on the town board on Election Day when they were defeated by Republican challengers Mark Grimm and Warren Redlich.
Board members Patricia Slavik and Paul Pastore thanked the pair for the work they did for the town.
`They brought history to the issues and helped me to understand the issues,` Slavik said.
Pastore agreed that Ricard and Bosworth were valuable sources of information.
`I have had the privilege to benefit from their insight,` he said.
Town Clerk Rosemary Centi said she will miss the outgoing council members.
`I couldn’t be prouder to serve with this board,` she said.
Ricard, who was first elected in 1997, said during his tenure under three administrations, he has seen a lot of positive changes in the way government is run.
`One of the things I am most proud of helping come about is the town’s master plan,` Ricard said. ` That is paramount. It is a good tool both the town board and the planning board can use.`
He said he is also proud of the way the police department was restructured.
`The police force is left better off with its restructuring,` he said.
He said there has been an influx of people into town, and the amount of housing being developed is a reflection of just how well off people are in Guilderland.
`Anything that makes the community more appealing to visitors is a good thing,` Ricard said.
Ricard said that even though he lost the election, he will not retire from politics.
`I would use my expertise I have learned at the town and state levels and throw my hat in the ring again,` Ricard said.
Bosworth said he was also proud of his work to revise the town’s master plan, which had not been revised in more than 30 years.
He said when he took office in 2000, the town was facing a situation in which cash reserves were depleted and a few capital projects were on the agenda that needed a bit of planning and preparation.
Bosworth said a comprehensive plan committee was put together to address the growth of those developments.
`This was to make sure that the existing character of the town was preserved, which would be harmonious with the environment and would cause no harm to existing residents,` Bosworth said.
He said he was also proud of the fact that a large tax assessment challenge with Crossgates Mall was settled amicably, and said if it turned out differently, it would have placed a financial burden on the school district and town taxpayers.
Bosworth said he was surprised by the outcome of the November elections.
`We had a message of sound government,` he said. `We wanted to get the people involved.`
Bosworth credits this with enhancing the town’s Web site and instituting a public comment period during town board meetings.
`My sense was that we were well connected to the public and had their support,` Bosworth said.
Bosworth said he will continue to be active in the community and will support youth activities.
`I will also hold the new board members accountable for the issues they were elected on,` he said.“
