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Wallkill Valley Times, Wednesday, April 10, 2019
IN THIS ISSUE
Calendar. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Classifieds. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Crossword. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Letters to the Editor. . . . . . . . . . 8
Obituaries. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Opinion. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Police Blotter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
School News. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Service Directory. . . . . . . . . . . 34
Sports. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Walden.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Walker Valley. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
PUBLIC AGENDA
MONDAY, APRIL 15
Town of Montgomery Zoning Board of
Appeals, 7 p.m. Town Hall, 110 Bracken
Road, Montgomery.
TUESDAY, APRIL 16
Walden Village Board of Trustees,
6:30 p.m. Village Hall, 1 Municipal Square.
Gardiner Planning Board. 7 p.m. Town
Hall, Route 44-55, Gardiner.
Montgomery Village Board, 7:30 p.m.
Village Hall, 133 Clinton Street.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17
Montgomery Town Board Audit/
Work Session, 6 p.m. Town Government
Center, 110 Bracken Road, Montgomery.
Shawangunk Zoning Board of Appeals, 7
p.m. Town Hall, 14 Central Ave., Wallkill.
THURSDAY, APRIL 18
Shawangunk Town Board, 7 p.m. Town
Hall, 14 Central Ave., Wallkill.
Crawford Town Board. 7 p.m. Town
Hall, 121 Route 302, Pine Bush.
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The Wallkill Valley Times, (USPS 699-490) is a weekly
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Three in running for Supervisor
Continued from page 1
impact groundwater and the Tin Brook.
“Creating jobs and expanding our
businesses are extremely important, but
we also can protect our local environment
at the same time,” Maher said. “We can do
both.”
Maher said residents’ concerns
highlight the need for updates to the
town’s zoning code and comprehensive
plan, which he would make one of his top
priorities. The zoning
regulations of the
comprehensive plan
date back to 1988.
Maher said he
will also identify
top
infrastructure
priorities in the
town and secure
revenue
through
grant funding and
revenue-generating
investments.
Another top priority would be to
create a Montgomery Youth Employment
program, which teaches youth job, resume
and financial skills.
Maher was mayor of Walden from 2009
to 2015, where he co-founded the Hudson
Valley Honor Flight, re-established the
Walden comprehensive plan, addressed
infrastructure needs, established the
Walden Youth Employment plan, and
more.
Maher
has
also
been
the
communications director for Senator
Bill Larkin, the executive director of the
National Purple Heart Hall of Honor, Inc.,
a reservist for the United States Navy, and
a member of the Orange County Grant
Development Block Grant Committee.
Maher is running on the Conservative
and Independence party lines.
Dennis Leahy
If elected, Leahy will address failing
infrastructure and promote smart growth
and economic development.
Leahy said he will address the
infrastructure of town buildings. A recent
report from Anderson Design Group
stated the town highway department
garage is deteriorated and poses a serious
safety risk to workers. Building 112, which
is connected to the town hall, has been
unused and vacant for years.
Leahy said he will address water and
sewer infrastructure in the town for
future growth and promote smart growth
and economic development to benefit the
town and three villages.
He requested a traffic study for Medline,
and he is concerned about proposed
projects’ impacts on the environment. He
will make sure residents concerns about
the town’s largest proposed projects—
including Medline, Project Sailfish and
BHT—will be addressed by the planning
board.
“I have no problem with smart growth,
I just want to make
sure that something
is not just slapped
up that’s going to be
later on regretted
because it wasn’t
thought
through
right,” Leahy said.
He
also
promises to provide
leadership
and
structure in town
government.
Leahy ran for town supervisor in 2015
and lost to former supervisor Mike Hayes.
“The town was in desperate need for a
unifying force in 2015 and clearly the need
still exists today,” Leahy said.
He will also enhance town parks.
Leahy has served as Maybrook’s
mayor for the past 11 years, where he
has spearheaded village infrastructure,
obtained a new senior center, government
center, sewer treatment plant and
sidewalks. About 90 percent of the village
sewer lines have been relined.
Leahy has also upgraded the village’s
parks, structured the police department
to meet civil service standards and
promoted economic development through
conversations with the Galaxy project.
“Rather than waving from the sidelines,
I have taken an active role in the village’s
infrastructure and economic development
from the ground up while keeping taxes
reasonable for the residents,” Leahy said.
“I feel my 17 years of experience as an
elected official will be an asset on a town
level.”
Rodney Winchell
If re-elected, Winchell will promote
business, update the comprehensive plan
and spend taxpayer money wisely.
“I will continue to move the town
forward if I am re-elected,” Winchell said.
A business owner himself, Winchell
said he will promote small business.
“I’m pro-business,” Winchell said.
Winchell said he realizes that large
businesses, such as Medline or Project
Sailfish, will come into the town, or risk
litigation against the town if they meet
resistance.
He will continue to improve
infrastructure in the village, including
water and sewer infrastructure.
Currently, the town has aging water and
sewer infrastructure, and although this
problem is not unique to Montgomery,
Winchell said quality water and sewer
infrastructure will attract businesses into
the town. Businesses want to purchase
property with water and sewer hookups
already set up.
Winchell said he is currently updating
the comprehensive plan and will seek
taxpayer input.
“I want the public to be involved in the
plan,” Winchell said.
“Business people,
people of all walks
life, the average
joe
citizen,
get
everybody involved
and say, ‘What do
you want the town to
look like?’ There are
going to be different
views, which is
wonderful.”
Winchell said he will spend taxpayer
money wisely.
“I’m the custodian on your investments
as a taxpayer,” Winchell said. “You are
taxed by forced; you’re not voluntarily
giving your tax money up. So, I’m here to
look where your money is going and how
it’s going.”
Winchell has served as town supervisor
since December 2017. In his first year in
office, the Winchell administration placed
security in the town hall, cleared out
building 112 and removed the defunct
HVAC system, replaced the town’s aging
vehicle fleet with new leased vehicles, and
more.
Winchell owns Romar Contracting,
Inc. He is also an Air Force veteran.
Winchell is running on the
Independence and Conservative party
lines.
Other Candidates
There are two seats open on the town
board; Dan Dempsey is retiring and Mark
Hoyt is running again.
The Town of Montgomery Democratic
Committee endorsed Leahy for town
supervisor; Kristen Brown and former
Montgomery town supervisor Susan
Cockburn for town board; and Lynda
Mitchell for town justice.
The Town of Montgomery Republican
Committee endorsed Maher for town
supervisor; Hoyt and Ron Feller for town
board and Fred Gorss for town justice.
While they did not secure the
Republican endorsement, Winchell will
run, as well as Dwight Warrington for
town board.