Major changes are on the way to the Bethlehem Town Board, as new faces will be in place at a time when many believe the town is ready to make a name for itself in the Capital District and statewide.
Supervisor-elect John Clarkson won a decisive victory in the Nov. 8 elections. He’ll replace Sam Messina, who will exit after one term atop town government.
Clarkson is a Slingerlands resident who worked for the New York State Division of the Budget. He chaired the Lundine Commission on Local Efficiency, which examined ways that states could look at shared services and consolidation their operations.
“The voters are excited,” said Clarkson on election night. “I’m excited, and I think we can really make some progress here.”
Clarkson will be joined by another new face. Democrat Jeffrey Kuhn won a seat on the board, finishing first out of four candidates for two seats. Incumbent Joann Dawson won another term in office.
Along with Kuhn and Dawson, Clarkson will have to work with one of the men he defeated on election night. Board member Kyle Kotary, who lost in the September Democratic primary to Clarkson, ran on the Republican and Independence lines in the general election. Clarkson also ran on the Conservative line.
The two have had cordial conversations in public at events around Bethlehem, including at a debate held Oct. 24, sponsored by The Spotlight and League of Women Voters. Kotary was positive in his comments about Clarkson and others during a board meeting a day after the election.
“I’m glad that Joann will be back on the board,” said Kotary. “I look forward to working with John next year, and Jeff as well. I want to congratulate John and say ‘welcome.’”
Kuhn, who will fill the seat vacated by Mark Hennessey, who did not run for reelection, said that while three Democrats were elected, party affiliations will have little to do with how the board functions.
“We are going to, regardless of party label, work to turn this into a model community,” said Kuhn. “I think the results will be something that Democrats, Republicans, and everyone can be proud of.”
Dawson echoed Kuhn’s sentiments, and said that there is a strong team moving forward.
“I believe that everyone brings to the table their energy, their intellect and their commitment to the job,” Dawson said. “We will, as a group, work together to do what’s right for Bethlehem.”
One of the board’s first decisions will be to appoint a new member to the body. Mark Jordan, whose term runs through the end of 2013, was unopposed in winning a term as Bethlehem Town Justice. No matter who is appointed to the board, Democrats will hold a majority on the five-member panel for the next two years.
When asked about party affiliation, and the new members of the town board, Republican candidate Jeremy Near, who finished fourth behind Kuhn, Dawson, and Republican Jeremy Martelle, expressed his interest in seeing the board carry out the interests of the voters.
“It’s not a matter of moving forward and getting the job done,” said Near. “It’s a matter of first and foremost understanding what the job is. So, what is it that we want our Town Board to do?”
While there’s been very little talk publicly of how the final seat will be filled, and the makeup of the board moving forward, Messina believes that the new man at the top is the right person for the job.
“John is the leader of Bethlehem for the future,” said Messina. “He has all the skills, all the enthusiasm, and the capabilities to really lead Bethlehem in wonderful ways going forward.”
Messina said he’s already working on a transition file for Clarkson, and will work with him in the upcoming weeks.
“When he (Clarkson) gets in there Jan. 2, he should be able to start to lead and build,” said Messina.
