BERNE — In the town of Berne, all seats are contested in the upcoming November elections, from the town supervisor to the tax collector, giving the town a total of 20 candidates for residents to choose among.

The town Republican party has a slate of candidates enrolled in a variety of parties, who have also won several of the Conservative and Indepence party slots through a write-in campaign, similar to a write-in campaign in Knox that gave all Independence slots to all on the Republican ballot. The town’s Democratic line is made up of all enrolled Democrats, many of whom are incumbents looking to keep their seats this November.

The Enterprise asked candidates for town supervisor and town council questions on these issues.

— Shared services: This spring, the town board approved beginning a study on the effects of consolidating Berne’s highway department with the Albany County Department of Public Works. Town residents will eventually vote on whether or not to do this. A similar plan to share a nearby county garage between town and county workers was laid out in the county’s recently approved shared services plan. Do you believe either of these measures would help or hurt the town, and why or why not?

— Highway autonomy: The town supervisor and highway superintendent have had conflicting opinions on which leader has jurisdiction over things like the work week, time cards, social media, and security cameras. How autonomous should the highway department be from the rest of the town government? What should the highway superintendent have the authority to do?

— Garbage: Tipping fees charged by the Albany City Landfill on Rapp Road to the town of Berne have gone up. The landfill is also expected to close within a matter of years, while the town attempts to deal with excess garbage at its transfer station. What is the solution to these issues?

— Insurance: A conflict over a year ago between the supervisor and a town worker was brought up again after the employee said he was not allowed coverage for his unmarried partner. Should the town’s insurance policy offer coverage to unmarried dependents?

— Tax cap: Should the town board ever vote to go above the state-set 2-percent tax levy and, if so, what would the situation have to be to do so?

— Business and agriculture: Should the town government attempt to encourage or assist agriculture and business development in Berne and, if so, what sort of programs or legislation should be implemented to do so?