While Bethlehem Supervisor John Clarkson is starting his re-election campaign, Councilman Kyle Kotary has announced he will not be running for his seat in November.
After eight years on the Town Board, Kotary said he will be stepping down at the end of his term. The councilman said he wanted to announce his intentions “well ahead of the political process,” so those with interest in running would have time to consider their options and prepare.
“I decided not to run months ago, maybe over a year ago,” he said. “It was a personal and family decision made for personal and family reasons.”
Kotary said it was an honor and privilege to serve on the board and he has enjoyed his time working with four supervisors, eight different Town Board colleagues and hundreds of town employees.
“We have phenomenal staff in Town Hall who work hard every day to make our community one of the best places to live in the Empire State and I’m thankful to have had the chance to pitch in and lend them a hand,” he said.
Clarkson is hoping to secure a second term in the supervisor’s office. On Monday, March 11, Clarkson announced his first campaign fundraiser through his Facebook page. The event was set to be held Wednesday, March 20, at 5:30 p.m. at Normanside Country Club. He has also launched a new campaign website at Clarkson2013.org.
“I don’t think this was any surprise,” he said. “Everyone knew I was going to run, this is just the first step.”
Clarkson said unlike in the 2011 election, he is hoping to get the backing of the town’s Democratic Committee. He said although he is starting his fundraising early, he still wants to maintain a grassroots approach to his campaigning and will be doing a lot of his electioneering by going door-to-door.
Councilman Bill Reinhardt, who won last year’s special election against former Supervisor Jack Cunningham in the primary and Republican Jeremy Martelle in the general election, said he also intends to run again for his seat.
“I’m going to wait for the Democratic Committee process to play out, but everyone has been every encouraging and I really enjoy doing what I do,” he said.
Democratic Committee chairperson and Town Board Councilman Jeffrey Kuhn said the vetting process has yet to begin, but will be getting underway at the beginning of April.
He said he plans for this year’s process to be much different from those in the past, as he would like things to be more open and transparent for the community. Any Bethlehem Democrat who would like to run for an open position is encouraged to apply with the committee and go through the interview process, he said.
“We’re looking for people who show dedication to town’s wellbeing and those who want to continue to make Bethlehem a model for efficient, transparent and effective municipal government,” Kuhn said. “I think we have accomplished a lot over the last year or so, but there’s still a lot left to do.”