Town Supervisor Tom Dolin told the Spotlight on Friday, May 15, he is planning a re-election bid for New Scotland supervisor.
Dolin, a Democrat, has formally received the endorsement of the Conservative Party, according to county Chairman Richard Stack, and Dolin said he is pleased the Conservative Party chose to put its support behind him.
Dolin said several factors contributed to his decision to seek re-election. He said before he decided he first wanted to scope out the political landscape, and was also motivated by the desire to follow through on some key issues in the town that began during his administration.
I was exploring what support I had, Dolin said. `I am pleased they are willing to endorse me.`
Dolin, a former town justice in New Scotland, is launching his first re-election campaign for supervisor, but said he has received the nomination from the Conservative Party before when running for that position.
He said the commercial zone, and a limit on the size of retail developments inside of it, is an important issues to him. He said a project to close the Youmans Road railroad crossing and construct an alternate route to cross it, and finding funding for development of new water districts, such as Johnson Road, are also priorities.
The town’s Democratic Committee has not met yet to discuss its endorsement for this year’s election, and will be hosting a party caucus to officially choose its candidate on Tuesday, June 23, said Mike Mackey, the party chair and town attorney in New Scotland.
Conservative Party Chair Richard Stack said the party also endorsed Republican Chuck Voss, who sits on the planning board and incumbent board member Doug LaGrange, a Republican, for Town Board.
Stack cited their stance on `big-box` development as the No. 1 reason for supporting them, and said Albany County Sheriff James Campbell, who is also seeking re-election this year, suspects that an additional four sheriffs would need to be hired to handle a big-box retail development.
Stack said incumbent Peg Neri, a Democrat, did not receive the Conservative Party’s endorsement because of her stance toward big-box retail development. Neri did not support a 50,000 square foot-size cap for retail buildings in New Scotland.
Daniel Mackay, a newcomer planning to run on the Democratic and Independence lines, did not seek the Conservative Party’s endorsement and did not interview with them, but noted that LaGrange and Voss are the `sound planners’ and deserve the Conservative endorsement.
`They’re the two best candidates on that side of the ledger. It’s entirely appropriate that Doug and Chuck run on the conservative line,` Mackay said.
Mackay is a founding member of New Scotlanders for Sound Economic Development, an advocacy group that supports a 50,000 square-foot cap on retail buildings in the town of New Scotland.
He added that the Democratic Caucus will be a `very important event` and he is looking forward to it.
Attempts to contact Neri, LaGrange and Voss before press time were unsuccessful.“
