DELMAR – John “Tiger” Anastasi was Bethlehem Highway Superintendent before, and may have feel victim to party line voting after New York State forced Independence Party candidates to choose Republican or Democrat.
Anastasi is owner and CEO of a residential/commercial construction development company. The experience he draws from that experience enables him to navigate through contract reviews, purchase equipment, develop long-term strategic plans and prepare budgets.
Voters had rewarded Anastsi the highway superintendent job after a successful campaign in 2017. During his tenure, he said he prepared budgets working closely with the town comptroller, and ensured that spending was on track. From the garage, Anastasi said he brought work back from contractors to town employees, teaching highway workers new job skills and saving the town funds by not outsourcing work.
Anastasi cites leadership and communication skills as essential tools l to maintain a well-run and effective highway department.
During Marc Dorsey’s term, he has often shared the lengths in which he has paved roads and installed new sidewalks, each of which at a higher rate than his predecessor. In the two years, Anastasi remained quiet. Tiger ran in 2019 under the Republican Party line and barely lost to Dorsey, then a newcomer.
“A lot has changed in the highway department in the past two years since I’ve been gone, and sadly not for the better,” he said. “We successfully installed much needed sidewalks throughout the town while still maintaining the roads that needed repaving, and staying within our budget. Can Mr. Dorsey say the same after going over budget by close to $200,000?”
