COLONIE – The Colonie Republican Committee announced its candidate endorsements for town and Albany County Legislature seats that are up this fall.
On the town side, it appears that Supervisor Peter Crummey and Town Clerk Julie Gansle will run unopposed in November, while Rick Field seeks his second term for Town Board. Mark McCumber and Kristen Blais look to win seats on the Town Board.
Crummey currently serves as Colonie Town Supervisor after being elected for his first two-year term in 2021. He is seeking the first four-year term for supervisor after the town changed the term from two years in 2022.
Peter Crummey – Colonie Town Supervisor
A graduate of Shaker High School, Boston College and Albany Law School, Crummey previously served as a Colonie Town Judge for 21 years and also as the court administrator.
Prior to being elected as a Colonie Town Justice, Crummey served as an Albany County Legislator and Minority Leader, a prosecutor in the Colonie and Menands Traffic Courts, an attorney for the Town of Colonie and as the attorney for the Colonie Zoning Board of Appeals. Crummey also maintained a practice of law in Albany for nearly 35 years.
Crummey is a lifelong resident of the Town of Colonie and has five children, who continue to distinguish themselves in either the classroom, courtroom or boardroom. He and his wife, Sandy, reside in Loudonville.
Julie L. Gansle – Colonie Town Clerk
Julie L. Gansle is the current Town Clerk for the Town of Colonie after being elected in 2017. Prior to becoming Town Clerk, Gansle had served the Town of Colonie for over 23 years. Gansle began her career in the Town Justice Department, beginning as a clerical aid and advancing to typist while completing her Bachelor of Science Degree at Russell Sage College. Her service continued as she pursued her Juris Doctor degree at Western New England College of Law, and she was appointed as Clerk of the Court in 2000. Gansle is a lifelong resident of the Town of Colonie having graduated from Colonie Central High School, Hudson Valley Community College, Russell Sage College and Western New England School of Law. She and her husband, Eric, reside in South Colonie with their three boys.
Rick Field – Town Board
Frederick J. Field Sr. (Rick) is currently a member of the Town Board after being elected in 2019. Field has been married to his wife, Barbara, for 52 years. He has four sons, 16 grandchildren and is a lifelong resident of the Town of Colonie residing in Newtonville. Field is a 1967 graduate of Shaker High School and a graduating member of the 1975 class of Siena College. He has been in business in Colonie since 1972. At first, owning a catering and sandwich shop and then starting his real estate career in 1975. Today, Rick is a business partner with his son Michael, at Field Realty in Latham.
Mark McCumber – Town Board
Mark McCumber is seeking his first term on the Town Board. McCumber is a veteran of the United States Navy and recently retired from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), where he worked as an air traffic controller for over 35 years.
McCumber began his FAA career at the Albany County Airport, before his career took him to Philadelphia and then to New York. McCumber and wife, Jeanine, wanted to raise their two children in Colonie, so McCumber returned to the Albany County Airport as the manager of air traffic in 2003. In doing so, McCumber was able to coach baseball teams with his son in Colonie Little League and Colonie Babe Ruth.McCumber and Jeanine (Polito) both grew up in Colonie, Mark graduated from Shaker and Jeanine graduated from Colonie.
Kristen Blais – Town Board
Kristen Blais is seeking her first term on the Town Board. She is a mother of four, wife of a Colonie police officer, military veteran, and business owner.
In 2007, Blais joined the Air National Guard as a medical technician where she went on to fulfill 12 years of service. During her time in the service, she was afforded opportunities that would assist in her individual growth and as a business owner. While Blais enlisted as a medical technician, she thrived in various positions to include assistant comptroller, budget analyst and criminal analyst.
In 2017, she started an in-home daycare where she quickly recognized the need for childcare in the area. In 2019, she opened a daycare center that would care for more than 130 children and employs over 30 staff members.
The endorsements for Republican County Legislative Candidates by Legislative District, are:
Frank Mauriello, District 27: Mauriello is serving his second term in the Albany County Legislature and continues in his role as Minority Leader of the Republican and Conservative Conference. Mauriello is a graduate of Colonie High School and Siena College. Mauriello has served on the Colonie Sign Review Board, the Colonie Town Board, the Board of Fire Commissioners for Midway Fire District, and as Deputy Town Supervisor.
Paul Burgdorf, District 23: Burgdorf was elected to his first term in the Albany County Legislature in 2015 and is Deputy Minority Leader. Burgdorf has lived in the district he represents for almost 40 years, and is where he and his wife Jane raised their family. He is a graduate of SUNY Albany.
Alison Walden, District 14: Walden grew up in Loudonville, is a graduate of Shaker High School, and holds degrees from SUNY Geneseo and SUNY Albany. After working for almost a decade teaching inner-city middle school students, Walden came home to raise her three children. She has since built a thriving real estate and small business career through hard work and perseverance.
Todd Drake, District 19: Drake was elected 2015 and is one of the few members in County government that owns and operates multiple businesses. Drake resides in Latham, and is the proud father of four children raised in the North Colonie School District.
George A. Vogt IV, District 20: Vogt and his family have been in the Latham area for more than 125 years. He graduated from Shaker High, and received his Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration and Management from Siena College. George is part-owner of George’s Market and Nursery and is also a licensed real estate agent.
Jennifer A. Whalen, District 21: Whalen is serving her first term on the Albany County Legislature. Whalen served a four-year term as a Colonie Town Councilwoman 2015-19. She owns the Whalen Group, a residential and commercial real estate firm and is a solo practitioner in the general practice of law. Whalen attended high school at the Emma Willard School, received a law degree from Albany Law School and bachelor’s degree from Georgetown University.
Andre Claridge, District 22: Claridge was inspired to run for the County Legislature to build on the legacy of his friend and current legislator Peter Tunny, who is retiring. Like Peter, Claridge has worked on numerous school bus safety initiatives and a law to help Colonie schools address school bus driver shortages. He is a small business owner and graduated from SUNY Plattsburgh with a BA in Political Science. Claridge and his wife Morgan have three children in the South Colonie school district.
David R. Yule, District 24: Yule moved to Colonie in the late 1980s. He has two grown children, that graduated from Colonie High School. Yule is a licensed certified public accountant who has served his diverse clientele in the private sector for more than 30 years.
Ryan Conway, District 25: As a lifelong resident of Albany County, Conway is running to represent District 25 in the Albany County Legislature. After college, Conway worked in the New York State Senate doing legislative analysis. Conway and his wife live in Loudonville with their three children. Their two boys attend Loudonville elementary where his wife, Sarah, works as the school counselor.
Patrice Lockart, District 26: Lockart, a lifelong Village of Colonie resident, is serving her third term representing the Albany County Legislature’s 26th District and represents the Village of Colonie as a member of its Board of Trustees. Lockart is a retired member of the Colonie Police Department, with 34 years of service.
Mark Grimm, District 29: Since his first day in office, Grimm has focused on helping his constituents in any way that he can. He founded Mark Grimm Communications in 2002. Grimm is a Siena College graduate and received a master’s degree in Public Communications from Newhouse School at Syracuse University.