WESTERLO — “If I do get the honor of being re-elected — and I consider it an honor and a privilege — I’d like to continue the good work the town board is doing,” said Democrat Joseph Boone. “We have to remain vigilant in keeping spending where it needs to be.”

One of his goals, if elected, is to “bring in more business,” said Boone.

Boone works in sales at Hannay Reels. He grew up in Westerlo and has lived in town for about 35 years. He was appointed last August to fill a vacancy on the town board and won an election to keep that seat last November.

He was “personally involved” in reintroducing a summer recreational program that served 27 children, Boone said. Noting that county funds provided “seed money,” Boone said, “People came together to offer services, materials, and time … The feedback has been nothing but positive. We hope to see it grow.”

Boone said, too, that renovations to the Westerlo museum, along with a full-time director-curator, and revamped policies and procedures has created “a fantastic resource.”

And he praised the town library, with its renovations and community room. “Hats off to the library board of trustees,” said Boone.

On revaluation, Boone said, “My understanding is that I do not believe we are required to re-evaluate.”

He went on, “I know it appears skewed and has the biggest impact on people moving into Westerlo. People move here to get away from suburban sprawl. They want wide-open spaces and wonderful views of the Catskills and Helderbergs.”

If those lands that provide the open spaces and vistas were revalued, Boone said, “excessive taxes could lead to overdevelopment.”

He concluded, “It’s an issue we’ll have to look at going forward.”

On the town buildings, Boone said, “Temporary repairs have been made to the highway department.” The building has been re-roofed, he said, and the need for other repairs will be reviewed.

“The referendum was narrowly defeated,” Boone said about the recent plans to upgrade the old town-hall building. “We’ve highlighted several areas that need repair … We’ll make repairs case by case, piecemeal, which may come in at a higher cost.”

On transparency, Boone said, “We follow the laws regarding public meetings. We advertise when we have workshops or any meetings. We verbally promote them and we advertise in your paper,” he said of legal notices in The Enterprise.

While Boone noted, “I can’t answer to meetings before my time,” he said, since he has been on the board, “We follow the law. It is our responsibility to inform the citizens.”

On land-use planning, Boone said, “I believe areas of the comprehensive plan may need revision.” He gave an example: “Commercial development is an item it refers to, but there is no instruction regarding that.”

The only area that is noted in the plan for commercial development is along Route 32, Boone said. “We have to look at other areas like the hamlet,” he said.

Since the plan was adopted just two years ago, Boone said, “I don’t know how much can be completed. We’ll have to look at moving forward.”

On the budget, Boone said, “Our latest evaluation by the state rewarded us with a favorable rating on our financial condition and budgeting process.”

Boone went on, “We get input from various agencies — we’re in that process now.”

He noted that he started on the board at the “tail end of last year so that was my first run-through with the budget.”

Boone said he expected the upcoming budget will be presented in a timely fashion.