NEW SCOTLAND — Two incumbents are running for New Scotland town board and one is stepping down.

Supervisor Ed Clark and council member Andrea Gleason will both seek reelection on the Republican ticket.

Long-time Democratic councilman Scott Houghtaling is stepping down.

Both parties announced their fall slates this week. Two four-year council seats are up as well as the two-year supervisor’s post. Currently, the board has two Republicans and three Democrats.

Enrollment in New Scotland is roughly divided in thirds, with a third of voters enrolled as Democrats, a third as Republicans, and a third not en-rolled in a party or enrolled in a small party.

Gleason, running for her third four-year term, said that the Republicans are offering an "excellent ticket.... that has a great spread of diversity... and represents all parts of town."

Clark is running for his third two-year term as supervisor. Farmer Douglas LaGrange, narrowly defeated in a bid for a council seat two years ago, is running again.

Clark, who lives in the village of Voorheesville, was the mayor there for 17 years. Douglas LaGrange is an eighth-generation Feura Bush farmer who runs the family’s dairy farm with his brothers. Gleason, a retired Voorheesville Elementary School teacher, said she "brings another opinion to the plate" as a senior citizen.

The Democrats are endorsing Wayne LaChappelle and Peg Neri for town council. LaChappelle, a retired police-man, currently a land excavator, was beaten two years ago in his first political run—against Clark for supervisor. Neri is a lawyer, making her first run.

Houghtaling, the longest-sitting town board member, has chosen to step down and not re-run after serving for 12 years.

He told The Enterprise that there’s no story of him going anywhere, and that it was just a personal decision, to free up some time for work and his family. He said his family is a priority for him and he thinks it’s time to focus on them.

He has two children, ages 10 and seven, and with school functions and scouting, he said, "I don’t want to miss those events." Houghtaling said he has enjoyed being a part of town government, and he thanks the residents for giving him the chance to be on the board. When Houghtaling’s children are grown-up, he said, he sees him-self returning to government in some capacity.

LaChappelle, like Houghtaling, is from Feura Bush. He currently is a sitting member of the zoning board.

Peg Neri lives on Helderhill Road in Voorheesville. Burns said. Neri’s husband, Louis, is legal counsel for the zoning and planning boards, annual appointments.

Connie Burns, who chairs the town’s Democratic committee, said the committee has not yet chosen who it will endorse for town supervisor, but has narrowed the field to a few individuals who have expressed interest.

The Democratic committee is, however, backing a number of incumbents to other positions: Town Clerk Diane Deschenes, Highway Superintendent Darrell Duncan, and Town Judge Thomas Dolin.

Burns said that the committee continues to support these officials because they have been doing an excellent job.

"They are good at what they do," she said.

Republican ticketLance Luther, chairman of the New Scotland Republican Committee, said that Clark has demonstrated leadership over the last four years. Even though some politics that have arose, Luther said, "He has seen us through that and done an excel-lent job," particularly with economics.

Under Clark’s leadership, New Scotland will continue to see progress, Luther said, "particularly when the Republicans take control of the board," he said.

"There’s a lot left to be done," Clark said. He told The Enterprise that he wants to continue with and conclude the things he’s started; including the development of a town-wide comprehensive plan and several water development projects, such as on Lower Flat Rock Road.

"I think the Residents Planning Advisory Committee gave us direction to continue moving for-ward with good planning," Clark said, adding that he thinks the town is now in a good position to build a comprehensive plan be-cause RPAC helped the town to gain a good grasp of what residents want.

Clark said that he and Gleason "work very well together — we always have."

"Above anything else, she does truly care about the people of the town," Luther said. Gleason is also the most vocal when individuals act in a partisan manner, Luther said. "She holds other board members accountable," he said.

"One of the things I’m proud of is trying to work together on decisions — it’s a give and take," Gleason said. "I’ve often said the cliché there is no I in team and no I in town board."

Gleason said, while she tries to represent all the people in the town, she is a senior citizen on a fixed income. She said she is re-ally aware of money, and cautious and conservative when it comes to money.

She said one of her goals is the continued growth of the senior outreach program, under the direction of Sue Weisz.

Gleason has served for eight years as town board member and Clark for four years as supervisor. Clark told The Enterprise that this third run will probably be his last as supervisor.

Luther said that Douglas LaGrange has the background and qualifications that the Republican committee looks for in a town board candidate. LaGrange is a successful business leader, is a member of the planning board, served on RPAC, and has shown leadership qualities, Luther said.

"We’ve had many conversations," Luther said, and LaGrange has said he can’t imagine "living in a community and not wanting to do something to better that community."

In 2003, LaGrange lost his town council bid by 22 votes to Deborah Baron.

"It’s the Republican ticket — yes," LaGrange told The Enterprise this week, but, he said he’s letting people know that he is tired of the "political parties constantly going at it in Town Hall."

He ran last time because he thought the board had not made good financial choices, and he was concerned when he saw the town "eating a lot of our re-serves," he said.

LaGrange operates what he calls a fairly large dairy-farming business in Feura Bush.

LaGrange said he was hum-bled by support for him in 2003 in his southern end of town. Three voting districts on the southern end of town over-whelming supported him, he said.

"People who know me think I can do a good job, not just for them but for the town," LaGrange said.

Democratic councilmanLaChappelle said his primary interest is "in the town’s future."

He has concerns about the industrial and commercial growth and about the character of the town. He plans to be vigilant about growth changes. The Helderberg escarpment and the rural character with the "real nice suburban flavor," is some-thing that LaChappelle appreciates, he said.

His "vow" as a council member is to be truly and completely accessible and approachable, he said. He said he knows what it’s like to have red tape that he can’t get through in government and he wants people to be able to come to him with their concerns or questions whether it be during a meeting, or after a meeting, be-fore, or "at my house." After a resident comes to him, he’ll use a "common sense approach to their problem," LaChapelle said.

He lives on a horse farm that he built with his wife from scratch. He owns his own business, Land Services, which is an excavation company located in Feura Bush.

He is a retired from the Bethlehem Police Department, where he worked for 25 years on the K-9 unit, handling dogs, he said.He likes to be involved in the community and, LaChapelle said, "I like to be a part of change."

LaChappelle has served on the town’s water committee in the past, and is currently a sitting member on the town’s zoning board.
After learning who the Democratic candidates were on Tuesday night, The Enterprise was not able reach Peg Neri this week for comment.