Bethlehem Supervisor Jack Cunningham said he intends to run for another two-year term and serve the town he’s known all of his life.
I love this town being a supervisor has always been an opportunity I wanted, I grew up in this town, Cunningham said. `The community has been very supportive and I’ve been really appreciative of that.`
Cunningham hast yet to be officially endorsed by his Democratic Party, a move expected in the coming weeks by the town party and its chairman Matthew Clyne, but he is actively pursuing other ballot lines in the form of the Independence and Conservative parties.
The supervisor will be making an official announcement next Thursday, March 5, along with his supporters at the Normanside Country Club in Delmar. Being the first to make his intentions public, his announcement will serve as the official kickoff of the 2009 political campaign in the Town of Bethlehem.
`There’s a lot of things still to do done here,` Cunningham said about running again.
Continuing the infrastructure improvements and getting federal and state stimulus funding for local projects were on the top of his list as well as pedestrian pathways.
`Everyone knows that sidewalks are my passion in this town,` he jested.
Cunningham said automating the town was a previous priority that he plans to continue. Town assessment roles are now online are well as registering with the department of parks and recreation, he said, and paying for fees online has become the norm.
`Believe it or not, you couldn’t do that just a little while ago,` Cunningham said.
Currently some of the town’s water pump stations have to checked on every day by town workers, according to Cunningham, but soon the town will be able to monitor any water and waste water problems remotely because of computerized upgrades.
Cunningham won his first full term in 2007 by nearly doubling his challenger James Grady’s 3,299 votes with 6,045 of his own votes. Prior to that, he was appointed by the town board to replace former supervisor Theresa Egan. He was an Albany County Legislator before becoming supervisor, a seat now occupied by Tom Cotrofeld.
There will be four other town wide seats to be voted on in November, including two town board seats, town clerk and highway superintendent.
For more on this story return to www.spotlightnews.com or read the Wednesday, March 4, print edition of The Spotlight.
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