Candidates in the Town of Halfmoon met for a candidate forum on Wednesday, Oct. 26, at Halfmoon Town Hall.
Supervisor candidates answered audience-submitted questions.
Democratic challenger Deanna Stephenson got the first crack at it and laid out some steps she’d take to “relieve fiscal pressure while maintaining high levels of community service.”
“When I’m elected as supervisor it would be to look at budgetary items line by line and immediately institute an emergency finance plan,” said Stephenson.
Incumbent Mindy Wormuth, a republican who has served in office since 2007, said she and the Town Board have taken steps to stabilize the town’s finances.
“We’ve combined several different positions in order to alleviate layoffs and save money at the same time,” said Wormuth.
Wormuth said Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s 2 percent tax cap doesn’t affect the town.
“[It] doesn’t have an impact on the town property tax because we have zero town tax and we have zero highway tax, so if you multiply that by 2 percent you still come up with zero,” said Wormuth. “I’m proud to be able to say we’re sustaining that.”
The audience wanted to know how each candidate’s professional work experience qualified them for job of supervisor.
Stephenson touted her 16-year career in healthcare administration as a valuable asset.
“Every step of the way for this great ride I’ve had in healthcare, they’re all transitional skills. I’ve worked with $45 million budgets, had a team of 45 to 60,” said Stephenson. “Leadership, organizational skills, everything it takes to be a leader I have done.”
Wormuth said her work with disabled residents and supervising 15 employees provided her with leadership skills, as did owning a business with her husband for 10 years, not to mention her four years as current supervisor.
“My time here at the town has certainly been an interesting time where I’ve been able to manage many departments, oversee our government … and given me very good experience of not only how our town government functions but how county government functions,” said Wormuth.
Infrastructure was a hot topic, with audience members wondering how the town planned to handle it if developers refused to supply it.
Wormuth said if developers weren’t planning to include necessary infrastructure to support their new development, the project would not be approved.
“If you have a project and there’s not currently water to that project or sewer and you’re not willing to bring it, then short of them trying to go and get an IDA grant for that or a SEDC grant, there’s no way the town would let that happen because the town doesn’t take on responsibility for those thing,” said Wormuth.
Stephenson said one of the biggest pieces of her campaign has been infrastructure needs in town.
“In the 19 districts I’ve walked, I can tell you sewer issues, drainage issues,” said Stephenson. “Road congestion. Sitterly road at 12 on a Saturday, 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, Guideboard Road, the infrastructure cannot handle the kind of development this town is going through and we need to have those discussions up front.”
Town debt in Halfmoon (currently $40.1 million) is growing and candidates were challenged to detail how they planned to loosen it without losing services or necessary development.
Stephenson once again paraded her proposed emergency spending plan.
“Look at each budget line, we have to identify the waste; where can you cut, not a trim, a cut,” said Stephenson. “Taking money from other funds to pay down this debt instead of doing that by stabilizing the budget line by line.”
Wormuth defended the town’s second town hall.
“The first town hall was purchased through fund balance and was not mortgaged, as well as grants, and we quickly saw we outgrew that town hall, so it’s not a town hall it’s a public safety building,” said Wormuth.
The town’s response to natural disasters like Tropical Storm Irene came up, with audience members asking candidates to critique the existing procedures and suggest any improvements.
“We just upgraded the [county] 911 system. Locally in town we were able to handle setting up an emergency service center to handle our residents who were out of heat or water and we had residents here providing food for days,” said Wormuth. “I think our system works well. There’s always room for improvement and we’re certainly open to suggestions at the town level and county level.”
Stephenson agreed that the town’s response was effective.
“With this weather being as crazy as it has been, Halfmoon does a good job regarding first responders,” said Stephenson.
In a last ditch effort to secure votes, each candidate gave a closing statement.
Wormuth highlighted the town’s lack of a town tax and highway tax and said the town has increased services for the community.
“We have a town recreation plan, we have a town master plan, we have a riverfront visioning plan,” said Wormuth.
Stephenson said the Town of Halfmoon is “in need of a new direction” that she can bring.
“I’ve walked 19 districts and the residents’ message is clear. They want transparent and accountable government free of political favors and unfair practices,” said Stephenson. “They want to know their financial future and that the town is stable.”
Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 8.