Taghkanic Democrats

2011 Election Returns for Taghkanic

2011-11-08T11:18:00.004-05:00

Meet the Candidates

2011-10-24T09:16:00.003-04:00

Meet & Greet

Deborah Gilbert

Jerry McAward

Family Fun and Activities
Free Food, Snacks and Drinks
Door Prizes, Costume Contest and More
1- 3 PM Saturday October 29
At the Corner of Taghkanic and Livingston Road
(GPS - 795 Taghkanic Road)

Debora Gilbert for Taghkanic Town Board

2011-10-14T16:00:00.000-04:00

Debora Gilbert

Taghkanic Town Board

Debora Gilbert, a resident of Taghkanic since 1985, is a freelance reporter for The Columbia Paper. Since 2005 she has worked for The Independent, The Daily Mail, and The Register-Star newspapers. She grew up near Chicago where she attended New Trier High School before earning her BA degree at Wellesley College in Massachusetts and a master’s degree in fine arts at Columbia University. Gilbert, who has covered voting issues since 2006, began writing about Taghkanic during the Republican challenge to absentee ballots in the election of 2008. She went on to cover the town's regular board meetings and other aspects of town life. What she learned about the town's financial problems troubled her. The town is currently undergoing an audit by the state for perceived financial irregularities.

"The board is not accomplishing what it could, and there is not enough sense of working together to solve problems. We need some new town board members who are willing to reach out to every resident and look at both sides of each argument.” She proposes the town adopt Robert’s Rules of Order “and abide by it. Our meetings are not run well, and that deters participation which is a huge opportunity cost going forward.

She sees both reporting for local newspapers and serving on a town board as opportunities to perform public service. She will bring communications, research, and public relations skills developed in her work as a reporter to bear in a position on Taghkanic’s town board.

Jerry McAward for Taghkanic Town Board

2011-10-14T15:55:00.000-04:00

Jerry McAward

Taghkanic Town Board

I was born in New York City, attended Queens College, then served in the US Army. I was honorably discharged in 1954, and returned to school study law.

During my military service, I was recruited by the FBI to operate undercover as a Communist agent. That undercover career was necessarily terminated at the end of court testimony.

In 1961, I began a five-year term the executive director of a nationwide organization of former FBI agents. In 1966 I formed McAward Associates, Inc., a private investigation firm which became one of the largest purely investigative agencies in the country.

Our work consisted of private and corporate investigations, due diligence, electronic de-bugging, surveillance, vetting job candidates, asset location, missing person searches, and other matters requiring our particular skills. Clients included Fortune 100 firms, and foreign, state and municipal governments. I retired in 2009.

After attending numerous Taghkanic Town Board meetings I realized that good governance was in short supply, and decided to see what I could do to alleviate the situation. The result was my current candidacy for a seat on that board.

Taghkanic Assessor Candidates

2011-10-05T14:26:00.001-04:00

Susan Benton, 2011 Democratic candidate for Taghkanic Assessor

Susan comes from farming people on both sides of her family and began life as an “army brat.” She has lived on both coasts of the U.S. as well as in Germany, Japan and Hong Kong, and was raised on seven acres in Birmingham, Ala., where she cared for horses and gardens. She also gained hands-on construction experience helping her contractor father build major additions to her parents’ home.

Susan holds an MBA from Boston University, is a Certified Internal Auditor (CIA), and earned a Certificate in the Governance of Enterprise Information Technology (CGEIT). She retired earlier this year as a principal with a Big 4 accounting and consulting firm, where she was a specialist in internal controls for both multinational and Hudson Valley clients. Susan worked previously in the banking and telecommunications industries.

While she has worked much of her life in large urban environments, Susan values the rural lifestyle of Taghkanic and looks forward to spending her retirement here. “It’s where my heart lies,” she says. “And I’m happy to step up and serve the town and its people.”

• • • • •

Scott C. Stackpole, 2011 Democratic candidate for Taghkanic Assessor

Scott grew up in Westchester County, N.Y., and in New Hampshire, and has pursued a variety of careers that include advertising, fashion publishing, antiques, and public relations. He has spent much of his adult life as a community journalist with newspapers in Nebraska, Wyoming and California, and also taught high school history in Wyoming. He is currently a freelance writer and editor and works part-time for The Olana Partnership and at Copake Auction.

Scott is a graduate of Duke and has taught and done graduate work at San Francisco State University. He is Taghkanic’s representative on the Columbia County Environmental Management Council and is a co-founder and board member of Taghkanic Neighbors, Inc., a community organization committed to public awareness and reform. He served previously on the Roe-Jan (formerly Hillsdale) Public Library board of trustees, including one year as its president.

• • • • •

Scott and Susan share the belief that Taghkanic’s citizens and taxpayers will benefit from switching to a sole appointed assessor and the two candidates support the referendum on the November ballot that would create the appointed position. If elected to serve, however, both candidates are committed to educating themselves and fulfilling the duties of office with fairness and integrity.

• • • • •

McAward, Gilbert to Challenge for Taghkanic Town Board Seats

2011-10-04T17:59:00.000-04:00

McAward, Gilbert to Challenge for Taghkanic Town Board Seats
Democrats back sole appointed assessor referendum; nominate Stackpole and Benton for ballot

Taghkanic Democrats have nominated retired investigator Jerry McAward and freelance journalist Debora Gilbert for the two town board seats to be decided in the Nov. 8 general election. McAward and Gilbert were unchallenged at the town’s Democratic Caucus last Saturday, and each spoke of the crying need to make the often-contentious town meetings more productive and “user friendly.”

The 69 Democrats at Saturday’s caucus also expressed support for a ballot referendum that would replace the town’s three elected assessors with a sole appointed assessor. The town board has already passed a local law allowing the conversion but voted 3-2 earlier this summer to put the plan to a public vote. As a result, the two assessor terms that expire this year will also be on the November ballot and town Democrats nominated freelance writer and editor Scott Stackpole and retired auditor Susan Benton for the ballot spots. Longtime incumbents Art and Nancy Griffith did not seek nominations at the caucus.

McAward, 79, is a native of Queens, served in the U.S. Army during the Korean Conflict, and had a 50-plus-year career as an investigator in the public and private sectors serving government, corporate, and individual clients. Although he has had a home in Taghkanic for 30 years, McAward said he only recently began attending town board meetings and quickly recognized “the dire need for some civility, proper procedure and good governance” in the town. McAward is a registered Republican, and promised to work with all constituencies as “an advocate for the people of this town.” He proposes a formal end to future nepotistic appointments to town positions, a policy change from the common practice in Taghkanic that he said would encourage more talented people in town to participate in community service.

Gilbert, 59, grew up near Chicago before attending Wellesley College in Massachusetts and earning a master’s degree in fine arts at Columbia. She has spent much of her career working in the arts and currently works with Abigail Hartman Associates, the Claverack art and antiques appraisal firm. Gilbert is perhaps best known locally as a reporter for The Columbia Paper, The Independent, The Daily Mail, and The Register-Star newspapers, where she said her duties allowed her to “follow what’s been going on in Taghkanic, and I didn’t like everything I saw. The board is not accomplishing what it could, and there is not enough sense of working together to solve problems.” Gilbert said her focus will also be on building coalitions and getting results: “We need some new town board members who are willing to reach out to every resident and look at both sides of each argument.” She also proposed the town adopt Robert’s Rules of Order “and abide by it. Our meetings are not run well, and that deters participation which is a huge opportunity cost going forward.”

In the assessor races, both Stackpole and Benton urged voters to support the referendum adopting an appointed assessor, effectively eliminating the offices they seek. The majority of ColumbiaCounty towns already use a sole appointed assessor, and town board member Larry Kadish told the assembled Democrats that the measure represents a real potential for Taghkanic to save money in grievance litigation costs as well as improve the perception of fairness throughout the assessment process by depoliticizing the office.

Stackpole, 57, is Taghkanic’s representative on the Columbia County Environmental Management Council as well as a director and spokesperson for Taghkanic Neighbors, Inc., a community organization. He is a New Hampshire native, graduated from Duke, and was a teacher and community journalist in Wyoming and California before moving to Taghkanic. Benton, 55, grew up in Birmingham, Ala., and retired recently from a “big four” international accounting firm where she was a principal and internal control specialist. She is also a certified internal auditor with an MBA from Boston University. “We believe having an appointed assessor is the right way to go,” Benton said, “but if [the referendum] doesn’t pass, we’re ready to step in and serve.”

TAGHKANIC DEMOCRATIC PARTY
Taghkanic, New York

The Best Team of Competent Candidates for Columbia County

2011-09-23T02:51:00.003-04:00

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

This year in Columbia County, voters are going to have a real choice. They can choose whether to support the same old bunch of people, who don't seem to get much done. Or they can chose the incredibly qualified Democrats who are running Countywide this year.

Competency!

(l-r) Richard Koweek, Peter Stoll, Eugene Keeler, Dr George Davis

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Judge Richard Koweek for County Judge

Richard Koweek grew up and has lived is entire life in Columbia County. He raised great kids here too.

He's practiced most every kind of law that is handled at County Court. He was also elected City Judge in 2009 and currently sits in Hudson City Court. That experience will serve him well on the bench. It will also serve the people of Columbia County well. His opponent is sorely lacking the broad based experience that Judge Koweek brings to the bench.

County Court jurisdiction is broad and diverse, and the position of County Court Judge is multifaceted. It requires a person who can deal with emotional family issues with sensitivity and understanding yet is firm and forthright when dealing with people who have harmed others. He also understands the legal complexities of estate and civil practice. But most of all, he is fair and respects all who come before the Court.

Judge Koweek’s background, temperament, and experience uniquely qualify him to be the next Columbia County Court judge

Visit Judge Koweek's website.

Judge Koweek has been endorsed by:
Columbia County Democratic Committee, Working Families Party, and the Hudson Valley Area Labor Federation

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Peter Stoll CPA for County Treasurer

Peter Stoll is a Certified Public Accountant licensed and registered in New York State with extensive audit and income tax experience. He also has an extensive knowledge of information technology, financial systems, and internal controls. Skills that have been sorely lacking, as our county has thrashed back and forth from one unthought out scheme after another.
Peter Stoll has managed the finances for several mid-size businesses for the past 35 years. In this way he has developed the skills required to manage, monitor, and control the way public money is spent in Columbia County. He has a record of implementing major cost savings. Something that the next few years are going to require. He is eager to put his skills to work for the benefit of all of us, and to help reduce the cost of managing the County’s government.

These times require that we seek out and hire only the best people we can find to help solve our financial situation. That is what elections are supposed to be about, hiring the best person for the job at hand. We have found the best person for the job. He is Peter Stoll, the only CPA in the race.

Learn more about Peter on his website.

Peter Stoll has been endorsed by:
Columbia County Democratic Committee, Working Families Party, and the Hudson Valley Area Labor Federation

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Eugene Keeler for District Attorney

Gene Keeler is an institution in Columbia County. He is a former elected district attorney and has held the positions of public defender, conflict public defender, and, currently, director of legal and advocacy services at COARC. Gene holds a J.D. degree from the University of Memphis and a master’s degree from the University of Tennessee. He is an attorney with 30 years of general practice that includes criminal law and elder law, and is a licensed master’s-level social worker.Gene Keeler knows what is wrong with the system, because he has seen it from every side.

He has been telling the people of this county that the system is rotten and broken for years. Everyone knows about the cronyism, favoritism and shoddy work at the DA's office. But only one person was willing to stand up and call it out for what it was. That man is Gene Keeler. Lots of people have no problem with what goes on there. Because they figure that if they ever need to get off of a DWI or a domestic assault, that there familial, business or political connections, will get them off. When they have issues with the police or the DA's office, everything is just taken care of, with easy sentences if it even goes to court and rarely does anyone read about it in the paper.

But the regular Jane or Joe, who work hard, pay their taxes try to be good citizens, get the book thrown at them, in order to keep the conviction rate high at the DA's office. Political connections should not buy you a "get out of jail free card". Gene has promised to end the “get out of jail free” program for the well-connected. Instead he will give all citizens equal treatment under the law. Isn't that what we should all expect?

He cares about justice, not statistics. While at the same time, he will make sure that all evidence gets to court and will ooperate fully with the police and community agencies. He will work full time to save the taxpayers money, and will work especially hard to assist victims and to lock up hard-core criminals.

It's time to clean up the mess at the District Attorney's office and stop playing political games with people's lives. Gene will make it a place where all of the citizens of Columbia County will feel that they have an impartial and fair person sitting in the prosecutors chair. Eugene Keeler is the right person for District Attorney.

Eugene Keeler has been endorsed by:
Columbia County Democratic Committee Working Families Party, and the Hudson Valley Area Labor Federation

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Dr. George Davis for County Coroner

Dr. Davis has served one four year term as County Coroner. He is also the only doctor in recent memory to serve as Coroner. Shockingly, the Coroner's position does not require any medical training at all. All that is required is getting the most votes on Election Day.

Not many people understand what a corner does. Most people think that the coroner pronounces people "dead". In fact the coroner often gets to the scene quite a while after a person has died. What the coroner mostly does, is investigate why or how the person died. In essence the coroner is the advocate for the deceased.

Dr. Davis has four years experience as County Coroner. He has 30 years’ experience in family practice medicine in Columbia County. He has done extensive training in death investigation. He has a detailed knowledge of the legal system and ethics, and holds a Master’s Degree in bioethics, along with extensive experience in grief work.

He is the advocate for those who have no voices. He is the compassionate doctor who tends to the grieving families. He is the only candidate in the race for coroner with the education, experience and medical training to do the job properly.

He has earned the thanks and apprecaition from so many people in Columbia County, because he was there for them at one of the worst times in their life. He's earned their respect and he should have your vote. Keep the doctor at the corner's office.

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Victory for Democrats and Voters

2010-01-13T16:48:00.002-05:00

At the Hudson Elk's lodge today, Judge Nichols heard the final challenges to absentee ballots by Greg Fingar and the Republican Party. In the end the judge overruled every one of the Republican challenges and ordered the ballots opened and counted.

Once opened, the Democrats took every seat which was still in contention. Jeffrey Tallackson will be Taghkanic Town Justice, Larry Kadish and Joyce Thompson will be the new Town Board members and Thomas Youhas will be Superintendent of Highways.

Still to be decided: Kathleen O'Keefe, Democratic Party attorney and Dan Burstein, Democratic Commissioner Virginia Martin's attorney have requested sanctions and attorney fees. The attorneys will have until February 12th for briefs and responses. Judge Nichols will rule on their motions sometime in late February.

Read the Columbia County Democrats press release on the decision.

Ethics Complaint Filed Against New County Attorney

2010-01-08T02:41:00.006-05:00

Officials of the Columbia County and Taghkanic Democratic Committees and other Democratic candidates and officials have filed an ethics complaint against Robert Fitzsimmons with the Columbia County Board of Ethics.

Fitzsimmons was Deputy County Attorney and is now County Attorney. He is also the Town Attorney for the Town of Taghkanic.

The complaint alleges that Fitzsimmons, who as Deputy County Attorney represents the Board of Elections in the lawsuit initiated by the Republican County Chair Greg Fingar, violated provisions of the County Ethics Code when, as attorney for the Town of Taghkanic, when he involved himself in the drafting of a resolution criticizing his own client, the Columbia County Board of Elections (BOE). In addition that he has not exercised good professional judgment solely for the benefit of his client (BOE), and that he has been overly influenced by members of the Republican Party which has compromised his loyalty and his judgment to the BOE.

The complaint calls for “a full ethics investigation into the events that let up to this situation and the conduct of Attorney Fitzsimmons. We also request a more broad inquiry into the propriety of county attorneys representing both county agencies and individual towns and villages."

On Tuesday January 5th, Fitzsimmons was appointed Columbia County Attorney over the objections of Hudson Supervisor William Hughes. Before casting his vote, Hughes said that “given the gravity of the accusations against Fitzsimmons,” Daniel Tuczinski should continue in the position of County Attorney “until things are resolved.”

For more info:
The Full Complaint and the Columbia County Ethics Policy

Read more: The Columbia Paper and Register-Star

Judge McGrath Rules Against Wilzig

2010-01-08T01:57:00.054-05:00

Supreme Court Justice Patrick McGrath has issued a permanent injuction against Alan Wilzig and the Town of Taghkanic forbidding the completion and voiding the permits issued for Wilzig's racetrack.

From Judge McGrath's decision:

Petitioners request for a permanent injunction is granted enjoining the Town of Taghkanic, Zoning Board of Appeals of the Town of Taghkanic, Town of Taghkanic Planning Board, Dennis Callahan as Code Enforcement Officer and Building Inspector for the Town of Taghkanic or any other employee or agent of the Town of Taghkanic from issuing a Building Permit, Certificate of Compliance and/or a Certificate of Occupancy or Site Plan approval for the sporting course or track located on the Wilzig property and Alan Wilzig and Karin Wilzig are permanently enjoined from using, constructing, or completing the sporting course or track in any way or manner as well as any agent, guest, or invitee of Alan or Karin Wilzig.

Read the complete decision

Read the Granger Group press release
Read more:

Judge Rules Against Wilzig "Sporting Course" on ccScoop

Court: Wilzig Can’t Pave, Use Track in Register-Star

The Grangers Win! Judge Stops Wilzig Racetrack

See also:

The Granger Group

Taghkanic Neighbors

More on Wilzig:

Gimme Shelter NY Post

Questions for Alan Wilzig NY Times Magazine

Plans for a Private Racetrack Fuel a Public Battle NY Times

Two Taghkanic Resolutions - Neither Passes

2009-12-29T19:19:00.000-05:00

Two Taghkanic Resolutions -
One Not Voted Upon and one Fails to Pass.
Following the resolutions by the towns of Copake and Chatham and the City of Hudson which supported the rights of second home owners, Republican Supervisor Betty Young introduced a resolution, called “Right to Vote,” which proposed that citizens need to be “properly informed as to legal requirements for registration and voting” and that this information should be provided and disseminated by the Board of Supervisors and the Board of Elections.

Young was clearly uncomfortable with the “Right to Vote” resolution. She bluntly admitted, “I don’t like it.” When Edwards asked then why she presented it, Young shook her head.

When the Register-Star asked who authored the resolution, Young admitted: “He doesn’t want to be acknowledged. I presented it. I did what I was asked to do.” This resolution did not even make it to a vote — Young simply said “No” when asked to make a motion to go to a vote.

A second resolution, similar to resolutions passed in Copake, Hudson and Chatham denouncing the litigation was introduced by Democrat Erin Edwards.

Taghkanic resident Jeremiah McAward stood up in the middle of the argument cum debate — an anomaly. Usually no town members speak unless they have signed up to do so. He asked, “Why don’t you ask us what we think?

LaSalvia complied, and McAward, a second homeowner since the early 1980s, said, “No one’s ever challenged me because I’m a Republican. I care who gets elected but I care more about how. You choose your principal place of residence and that’s that.”

The number of second homeowners in Taghkanic — and in fact, Columbia County — is substantial. The resolution noted that they pay a “substantial portion of the Town and School taxes.” This resolution failed to pass, with Edward and LaSalvia in favor, and Young and Town Board members Richard Skoda and Carolyn Sammons against.
Read the full report in the Register-Star.

Court Confirms Taghkanic Voter's Rights

2009-12-19T04:25:00.008-05:00

Taghkanic Absentee Ballot Challenges
Can Continue but
Residency is Ruled an
Invalid Challenge.

This decision is on the appeal by the Democratic candidates in Taghkanic and the Columbia County Democratic Committee asking for a reversal of the lower court decision to deny our motion to dismiss the case.

While the court affirmed the lower court decision which says that the Republican's cause of action states a claim, the court agreed with our position that they cannot challenge residency after the absentee ballots have been issued; that the law regarding a voter choosing among residences for election purposes is construed broadly and that the failure by Fingar and the Republican Party to join the voters as necessary parties means they did not intend to challenge them on the basis of residency.

• • • • • • •

Columbia County Democratic Committee Chris Nolan issued the following press release after the ruling was handed down.

Appellate Division Upholds Democratic Committee and Reaffirms Voting Rights of Second-Home Owners

Today, the Appellate Division of the NYS Court sided with the Columbia County Democratic Committee in upholding 2nd home owners' right to choose from which residence to vote.

In issuing its decision, the Court threw out all Republican challenges based on absentee voters’ dual residency, finding that such challenges may not be made after a ballot has already been issued.

The case survives only as to those challenges that were not being contested in this appeal.

This important decision validates the rigorous defense of dual residents’ voting rights made by our attorney, Kathleen O'Keefe and Commissioner Martin’s attorney, Dan Burstein.

We are pleased that this issue has now been settled and that the court yet again has recognized the voting rights of second-home owners.

This pro-voter decision makes it clear that the voter suppression tactics used by the Republican Party in this case are not permitted.
View the decision here.

For a full report see: columbiadems.net
See also: Register-Star • The Albany Project • ccScoop

Nine More Votes Counted for Taghkanic

2009-12-14T00:10:00.001-05:00

After two days of court hearings at Hudson's Elk Lodge, nine more votes were counted.

Read More in ccScoop - Nine More Votes Counted in Taghkanic

Taghkanic Election Returns - Incomplete Due to Challenges

2009-12-07T07:39:00.002-05:00

These results are still incomplete due to Republican challenges to Taghkanic voters right to vote in Columbia County.

For more information:
See Status Report1 and Status Report 2 at ColumbiaDems.net

Please contribute to the Columbia County Absentee Ballot Legal Defense Fund on

Final Count: Primary and Committee Races in Taghkanic 2009

2009-09-25T20:00:00.010-04:00

After a counting of absentee ballots was completed on September 24, below are the final tallies for the 2009 primary elections.

Independence Party Primary

Loretta Hoffmann scored a decisive victory over incumbent Town Supervisor Elizabeth Young, 19 votes to 7 votes. Hoffmann also has the backing of the Taghkanic Democrats and the Working Families Party. This is the first time since 1993 that current Republican Supervisor Young has faced a challenger.

For Town Clerk/Tax Collector, the vote was 14 votes for Democratic candidate Audrey Koran and 10 for long-time incumbent Cheryl Rogers. Ms. Koran will also appear on the Working Families Party line.

For the two open town council seats, Democratic candidates Larry Kadish and Joyce Thompson received 18 votes and 15 votes, respectively, assuring them spots on the Independence Party line. Republican candidates Tom Kiely and James Romaine received 8 votes and 5 votes, respectively.

Democratic Highway Superintendent candidate Tom Youhas won a slot on the Independence Party line with 14 votes to Republican Edward Waldron's 9 votes. Mr. Waldron has been highway superintendent since 1973.

Democratic Town Justice candidate Jeff Tallackson was unopposed for the Independence Party line. This gives the entire Democratic slate positions on the Independence Party line -- for the first time in history.

Working Families Party Primary

Democratic candidates Joyce Thompson, Larry Kadish, Tom Youhas, and Jeff Tallackson each lost by 3 votes to 1 vote. Loretta Hoffmann and Audrey Koran were unopposed on this line.

Democratic Committee Race
Gary Stoller and Diane Rodriguez scored a decisive victory for the two open Committee seats, with 103 votes and 98 votes, respectively, to Cheryl Rogers' 30 votes. Ms. Rogers was the incumbent Chair of the Committee.

Taghkanic Democrats Hold Caucus and Select Slate of Candidates

2009-08-23T06:51:00.006-04:00

Taghkanic Democrats turned out in record numbers for the party’s caucus and nominated six candidates to challenge for town offices in November’s general election.

Loretta Hoffmann earned the Democratic nomination for town supervisor, and Democrats Joyce Thompson and Larry Kadish secured the party’s endorsements for two seats on the Town Board. Audrey Koran outpolled current Town Clerk/Tax Collector Cheryl Rogers for that nomination, and Tom Youhas bested incumbent Ed Waldron in the Democratic race for highway superintendent. Attorney Jeff Tallackson will be the Democratic nominee for town justice.

More at Register-Star
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2008 Election Results From Taghkanic and Columbia County

2008-11-07T23:29:00.001-05:00

For Election Returns from Taghkanic and all of Columbia County Click Here