Unchallenged, Democrats roll on



WESTERLO - With a dormant Republican party, Westerlo offered no challengers to the Democrats this year. Six Democrats ran without opposition; all but one of them are long-time incumbents.

About 24 percent of the town's 2,217 enrolled voters went to the polls on Tuesday in this rural Helderberg town where Democrats outnumber Republicans by nearly 3 to 1.

The long-time supervisor, Richard Rapp, garnered 522 votes, just behind top vote-getter Highway Superintendent John Nevins, who got 533 votes.
Asked yesterday for his reaction to the election, Rapp said, "I'm glad it's over."

Rapp had announced two years ago that the term he is finishing now would be his last. He has been supervisor for over 30 years.
"They talked me into it," he said of why he ran again. Rapp, who is 69, has retired from his job as the head of Albany County's Department of Public Works.
"I'm not going to run after this term," he said. "There's no talking me into it again."
Asked if he had a successor in mind, Rapp said, "There are several trying to replace me. That's good."

Two years ago, the town board tapped Councilman R. Gregory Zeh Jr., a Democrat, to take the place of Councilman Sonny Richardson, who died in office. Richardson was Westerlo's first Republican town board member in 70 years.
Asked what it's like to have an uncontested one-party government, Rapp said, "It's alright"We try to be fair with everybody, regardless of politics."

Westerlo's long-time clerk and tax collector, Gertrude Smith, was returned to office with 516 votes, making her the third most popular candidate. Smith, 68, has been town clerk since 1986 and said before the election that she was running because she likes the job.

Town Justice Joseph Dean was returned with 473 votes, according to unofficial results available yesterday from the Albany County Board of elections. That tally makes him Westerlo's fourth-highest vote-getter.

Robert Snyder, a farmer who has served on the town board for 43 years, got 457 votes. Snyder, 72, said his goals for the upcoming four-year term include trying to keep town taxes low, keeping the town rural, and providing new equipment for the highway workers.

The one newcomer in the Westerlo election is Kristen Slaver, making her first run for town board. She got the fewest votes, at 427. Slaver is a member of the town's newly-formed planning board. Fourteen years ago, Westerlo abolished its planning board and then, after town board members had filled the function, they formed a new planning board this past year.

Slaver, who has lived in Westerlo since 1990, said she wants to help guide the community.
Slaver is replacing Dorothy Lounsbury on the town board. Rapp said Lounsbury, who is retiring at the end of December, had been on the board "better than 20 years."
"We'll miss her in all ways," Rapp said when asked about Lounsbury's contributions. "She was always there and brought good ideas to the board."
Rapp went on, about Slaver, "She'll fill in Dorothy's shoes well."
Reflecting on having a female in Hilltown government a quarter-century ago, Rapp said, "I was the first one up here to have a woman on my board"I have no problem with a woman on the board."
Asked what he plans to accomplish with an all-Democratic board in his final term, Rapp said, "There are a lot of things to work on"The planning board is working on a comprehensive plan. With development all over the place, it's important they keep a handle on it."
Rapp concluded, "And we'll continue with our park system and our highway system in town."