GUILDERLAND — After a hiatus in town politics, Republicans are looking to revitalize their party and end a nearly decade-long Democratic hold on the town board.

Mark Grimm has officially announced he is running for town board on the Republican ticket this fall.

Since Guilderland’s founding, over 200 years ago, the Republicans or their predecessors, the Whigs, had ruled the town. That changed when a Democratic supervisor was elected in the 1990’s. The town board is now made up entirely of Democrats.

Town Democrats say they won’t make any official announcements until August, but Supervisor Kenneth Runion and town councilmen David Bosworth and Michael Ricard are up for election this fall.

All three men are expected to run again for re-election.

Town Clerk Rosemary Centi and Highway Superintendent Todd Gifford are also up for re-election. Gifford is the sole Republican in Guilderland holding an elected position.

Bosworth, who is also the town’s Democratic chair and Albany County’s Democratic co-chair, told The Enterprise that his party has not yet made a decision on whether it will endorse Gifford or put up its own candidate to run against him.

Albany County Legislator Lee Carman is Guilderland’s Republican Committee chairman. Carman represents Fort Hunter in the county legislature.

Grimm said that Republicans are putting together a partial slate to run against the Democrats this fall. He told The Enterprise that Tyler Brandt of Guilderland is looking to run against Supervisor Runion and that Barbara Davis of Altamont is looking to run for town board along with Grimm.

Last election, the Republicans did no back a candidate for supervisor.

The latest numbers from the Albany County Board of Elections show that, out of 22,362 registered voters in the town of Guilderland:

— 37 percent are Democrats;

— 31 percent are Republicans; and

— 32 percent are enrolled in one of the small parties or are not enrolled in a party.

Grimm’s platform

Relying on his experience as a political consultant and an investigative television reporter, Grimm is running on a platform of open government and proper economic development.
"We all complain about politics, but it will never change unless we change it ourselves," Grimm told The Enterprise, "I think it’s incumbent upon me to generate some enthusiasm for the Republican Party in town."

Grimm said it is time for change on Guilderland’s all-Democratic board. He believes with his background, experience, and passion he cannot only revitalize a functioning two-party system, but act as a watchdog for the town’s interest.

Grimm is the president of Mark Grimm Communications in Guilderland. The company is a media relations, public speaking training, and political consulting firm.

Having managed five political campaigns in New York, Grimm has run himself, he said, coming within 114 votes of unseating a 16-year incumbent in a Monroe County Legislative race.
"The town government is very secretive. They billed themselves as an open government 10 years ago, but today you have to battle with them for basic freedoms of information," Grimm said. "The whole idea of the law is that these documents are not government property; they are the people’s property."

The Freedom of Information Law provides for the public’s right to government records and is used by the media and individuals alike to access information.
"The problem with the FOIL law is there is no penalty. They should be punished for withholding information," Grimm said. "I happen to believe the people should take the info and make a decision for themselves"If you watch a town board meeting, everything’s 5-0, 5-0, 5-0, because it’s decided in advance."

Grimm questioned how people can make an informed decision or judgement if they do not have the necessary information.

The town of Guilderland recently saw widespread media and public criticisms for withholding information following allegations of misconduct against its former police chief, James Murley. The allegations led to Murley’s retiring from the post at the end of May.
"All the more reason to get someone like me in there," Grimm said. "We need a watchdog." Grimm said Murley was "one case out of many, many cases" that showed secrecy in Town Hall.

Citing his 12-year journalism career as an anchor and reporter, Grimm said he has the investigative skills needed to uncover truth, coupled with the media savvy and communication skills to advance the causes of constituents.
"I think it would be a positive thing for the people of Guilderland," he said. "There’s a lot going on that we’re not aware of"everything on that town board seems to be done in advance."

Another major issue in town is economic development, Grimm said.
"Economic development is a fancy term for creating jobs and expanding the tax base"I understand this, but the board doesn’t," said Grimm. "The town of Guilderland has an anti-business reputation"We should be working to cooperate with area businesses to expand the tax base and expand the quality of life."
Concluding, Grimm said, "This antagonistic attitude doesn’t help anyone."

Grimm said the political makeup of Guilderland’s roughly 35,000 residents are not currently represented in the Town Hall.

He says voters will now have a choice.

If residents vote along party lines, Grimm will have to appeal to third-party and non-affiliated voters to win in the fall.
"The town of Guilderland is wide open to unaffiliated voters"There’s nothing in the numbers that says a Republican can’t win," Grimm said.