Berne Archives —The Altamont Enterprise, November 1, 2007
In Berne
In four-way race for two board seats, zoning and growth are issues
By Tyler Schuling
BERNE — In a town where Democrats outnumber Republicans nearly three to one, two Republicans candidates will challenge two Democrats for two seats on Nov. 6.
The candidates for town board are Republican challengers Randy Rapp and Rudy Stempel, and incumbent James Hamilton and Peter Vance, both Democrats.
Democratic Councilwoman Carol Crounse is not seeking a second term.
The current town board has four Democratic council members and a supervisor, Kevin Crosier, who is enrolled as a Democrat but was elected on the Republican line. Crosier is half-way through a four-year term as supervisor, and so is not running for re-election.
There are 1,992 registered voters in Berne, according to the Albany County Board of Elections. The party enrollment breaks down as follows:
— Democrat, 1,001;
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— No party, 489;
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— Republican, 336;
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— Independence, 91;
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— Conservative, 62; and
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— Other small party, 13.
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Town board members serve four-year terms.
If the town’s preliminary budget is passed, each will earn $3,225 in 2008.
The four candidates were asked about their backgrounds and why they are seeking office. Candidates were also asked about four issues:
— Zoning: The rezoning of the Berne hamlet was controversial. The town is partially funded a project with the Capital District Transportation Committee to study pedestrian and traffic conditions in the hamlet of East Berne. Candidates were asked if the town, rather than studying its hamlets individually, should look at the entire town and adopt new zoning laws and subdivision regulations;
— Growth: Tech Valley is becoming a reality in the Capital Region. Candidates were asked how they would balance growth while preserving the town’s farms and open spaces;
— Senior housing: Developer Jeff Thomas is planning to build a senior-housing complex at the west end of the Berne hamlet. The project is largely supported by residents. Candidates were asked what role, if any, the town should play to move the project along; and
— Worker input: Since last year, the town’s highway workers have asked that they be included in decision-making. There has been controversy over a proposed merger of the town’s highway department with the Albany County Department of Public Works as well as over equipment purchases. Candidates were asked if there should be a mechanism in place for workers’ input.
THE CANDIDATES
James Hamilton
Democratic incumbent James Hamilton is seeking a second four-year term on the Berne Town Board.
"I’m running for office because it’s an opportunity to do something very worthwhile for the town," Hamilton said. "I’m also running because I want to assure that there is open communication between the residents of the town and the town board," he said. "I think residents’ opinions need to play a strong role in the operation of our government."
Born in New Scotland, Hamilton has lived in Berne for 24 years. He and his wife, Maryellen, have been married for 31 years. The Hamiltons have three daughters who attended Berne-Knox-Westerlo schools.
Hamilton, 53, is an assistant professor at Hudson Valley Community College. He served in the United States Army during the Vietnam War.
He has been a member of the Berne Youth Council for six years and the director of the annual Fox Creek 5-kilometer Road Race for nine years. This year, Hamilton was appointed to the county’s Municipal Highway Services Board.
Hamilton is endorsed by the Conservative Party. In 2005, he ran unsuccessfully for supervisor on the Democratic ticket against Berne Supervisor Kevin Crosier.
Regarding the town’s zoning, Hamilton said, "It is actually in process, so to speak. We are looking at the individual hamlets as part of the whole. We are going to be looking at the entire town," he said.
The two largest hamlets were chosen first — the Berne hamlet was first and then the East Berne hamlet, he said.
"We will be looking at the rest of them, as far as I know," Hamilton said, adding that he is not sure whether traffic studies, such as the evaluation that has occurred in East Berne, will be needed in all areas of the town.
Hamilton said he played a strong role by working with the planning board and the town’s consultant to clarify the latest revision to the zoning ordinance — to make it more understandable and acceptable to a variety of residents.
Regarding growth, Hamilton said, "We need to evaluate what areas of the town may be desirable for growth.
"We don’t want to lose any more old family farms. A lot of people are still sitting on their retirement, essentially, and their property will be handed down to their children or possibly sold to developers," he said.
Either way, he said, the town is going to be seeing applications for subdivision.
"We are ahead of the game here a little bit in the Hilltowns in that there are many areas that are just not suitable for building," he said of controlling development. Berne is "ahead of the game" compared to Guilderland or Bethlehem, he said.
Regarding senior housing, Hamilton said, "The town has already played somewhat of a role."
The town board and the planning board reviewed the area where developer Jeff Thomas has proposed building a retirement complex, he said.
"It was requested that we change the zoning to accommodate the senior housing. That is progressing nicely," Hamilton said.
Because it is a private enterprise, the town is not going to have an investment in the project, Hamilton said, adding that he doesn’t think the town, at this point, should invest in the project.
"But we should do what we can to bring good things like that into town," he said.
Regarding worker input, Hamilton said, the merger has, many times, been described "a little inaccurately."
"It’s been stated that the town board came out against it after a lot of the workers voiced opposition to it. That’s not exactly correct," he said.
At its onset, some town council members said that, if the workers opposed it, then they could not approve it, he said.
The Town Board looked at the merger proposal six months after it was introduced, Hamilton said, and there was inadequate information and the information did not seem entirely accurate.
"It was not something we could stand behind," he said.
"It is good to hear input from the workers," he said, adding that, ordinarily, he would say input from workers should go up through the chain of command — with workers going through their supervisor up to the level of the town board.
"However, in a case where they strongly disagree with their supervisor, that may not be possible," Hamilton said, "so there should be some means for those people to let their opinion be known to the town board and to the residents of the town."
Randy Rapp
Randy Rapp, a Republican, is making his first run for town board because his family lives in Berne and he wants to see things stay pretty much the same as they are now, he said. Rapp would also like to see more agriculture, he said.
Rapp, 48, has been a union carpenter for over 20 years. A Berne-Knox-Westerlo graduate, he is married with two children, ages 19 and 22.
Regarding zoning, Rapp doesn’t think a new comprehensive plan is needed. "From hamlet to hamlet, there’s such a difference," he said. The business districts in the hamlets are different, and the hamlets are far distances apart, he said.
"You’ve got one little store in Berne and you’ve got one little store in East Berne," Rapp said. The way in which the hamlets have been re-evaluated, he said, is the best way.
"If farmers can’t make money, you can’t make them keep it," said Rapp of keeping open farmland, adding that he supports local agriculture. All Berne stores, he said, are carrying products made locally, such as syrup and honey, which help the farmers.
On senior housing, Rapp said, because the senior housing project is private, he doesn’t know how much the town’s residents will decide.
"Where I live in South Berne, that wouldn’t really affect me," he said of the project. "It’s not the town’s business to dictate what the citizens can and can’t do," he said. The county, he said, dictates certain things, such as meeting health standards for sewer and water when something new is built.
On worker input, Rapp said, the town’s workers already have an opportunity for input. "They vote. They go to the town board meetings," he said. Rapp said most people are not for the merger of the town’s highway department with the county’s.
"There’s a few people that are for it, but most people are against it," he said.
Rudy Stempel
Republican Rudy Stempel, a former town supervisor, is running again for Berne town council in this fall’s election.
Stempel, 78, was the town’s supervisor in the early 1980’s. Stempel ran for town board in the most recent election in 2005.
The owner of a small business — Rudy Stempel and Family Sawmill — he is married and has five children.
Stempel has lived in Berne his entire life except for when he served in the United States Army during the Korean conflict. During the conflict, he served on the front line for six months, he said.
"That’s why I’d like to see a two-party system in town," said Stempel, adding that, while in the Communist country, he saw people did not have choices.
Stempel would like to look into subsidizing small businesses and farms as the government does in Canada.
Stempel votes for whoever he feels like voting for regardless of political party, he said. He has been a volunteer fireman and has been a member of the Kiwanis for about 20 years, he said.
Asked why he is running for the town council, Stempel said, "I was a little disturbed with the $12,000 grant that they gave for the"East Berne study."
Berne funded $6,000 of the total $12,000 study of East Berne as part of a linkage program with the Capital District Transportation Committee.
"I can’t quite see where it would cost $12,000 to do a study," he said. "It’s very possible that it’s true," he said, "but I don’t think the government should meddle in the town business as much as they’re meddling."
Regarding zoning, Stempel said, "I think it should be done with the entire town, but I think there’s a misconception of the situation."
Stempel said he thinks there are two different versions of the East Berne study, and nobody really knew what happened. Grants should be looked into more before people jump at them, because they don’t realize that it’s costing the people money, he said.
Stempel said the town’s zoning should be less strict and taxes "are too damn high for businesses." He estimated he pays $14,000 annually in school and property taxes.
Regarding growth, Stempel said, "If there were lower taxes, people like me would keep their land more, but if they keep raising our taxes, we can’t afford to pay the taxes that we’re paying.
"If they just keep the taxes low, some of us old-timers could exist," he said.
If elected to the town board, Stempel would try to look at how the town’s taxes could be lowered, he said, adding that he is not prejudiced against any of the town board members.
He said he would like to see open town board meetings, where people ask questions and get answers if possible.
People attending town board meetings do not realize that five people are running the town, not just one person, he said.
When a question is asked, a board member can’t give an answer without talking with the other four members, he said.
"No one person is in charge of the town," Stempel said. "They think that they have to have an answer right away. They can’t get an answer right away. People don’t realize that.
"As far as I’m concerned, the supervisor is nothing but a glorified secretary," Stempel said.
Regarding the senior-housing proposal, Stempel said the town should ask people if it is something they really want in the Hilltowns and the town should send a questionaire to residents.
About worker input, Stempel said the town workers definitely have a right to give input into anything involving them.
"I am deadset against the merger because I, as a former town employee,"know what it is to plow snow, and there’s no way that they can predict how much it will save," he said.
There’s no way any amount of money can be put down on a winter, he said.
"And anyone who says so is crazy," Stempel said.
You’ve got to get from point B to point A, he said. "I don’t care how the hell you’re going to do it. You’re going to have to drive the same roads," he said.
Stempel is an advocate for working with other towns.
"They’ve done it for years," he said.
"Nobody realizes what happens to those guys in the winter," Stempel said. "They don’t realize"it’s a son-of-a-bitch to plow snow night after night. They’re out there in the elements.
"You’ve got to give them guys a lot of credit," Stempel said. "They deserve all the benefits they can get."
Peter Vance
Democrat Peter Vance is making his first run for the Berne Town Board in this fall’s election.
"I feel that I’ve been pretty fortunate, and you need to give back. It’s part of your responsibility," Vance said.
Vance said what he brings to the job is really simple — his management experience, his knowledge of government finance and accounting, his knowledge of planning and zoning, and a desire to build consensus.
Vance, 63, retired from the New York State Dormitory Authority as assistant director of Information Services. He had worked as a computer systems manager and consultant for the state government and not-for-profit agencies. He has lived in Berne for over 20 years and is a former chair of the town’s zoning board of appeals.
Vance is married and has a son and daughter, both of whom attended Berne-Knox-Westerlo schools.
Vance graduated from the University of Maine with a degree in psychology and earned his master’s degree in administration from the University at Albany.
Vance is endorsed by the Conservative Party.
On town planning, Vance said, "One of the terms I have used is ‘open government.’ As processes occur in the town’s various boards, I think it’s important that we somehow get out to the voters what they’re going to be talking about at meetings."
Agendas should be published prior to meetings, he said, adding that, by the time a formal legal public hearing is held and people have invested in a proposition, it evolves into a "for and against" situation.
People should be involved in the process in the beginning, whether it be comprehensive planning or looking at a hamlet, he said.
"I believe that the number of alternatives that are developed and the opportunities for building consensus are there, and that keeps the process from being acrimonious," Vance said.
Vance said a comprehensive plan needs to be looked at.
"And we shouldn’t be looking at the hamlets as separate from that because the type of development that most people are wary of or concerned about, chances are, will not occur in the hamlets," he said.
On growth, Vance said, "I’ve long been in favor of encouraging agricultural easements even though I know that’s not necessarily a popular solution, and we have few working farms, but it’s the only mechanism that allows for a tax break."
The town needs to balance the requirements for infrastructure and to deal with growth along with its desire for open spaces, he said.
"We’re not in an envious position," Vance said. "A great deal of the type of soil we have recommends a lesser density than we allow."
While setting up a process to look at development, the town should consider alternatives — conservation easements, agricultural easements, and clustering, Vance said. The majority of people he’s talked to are opposed to clustering, he added.
"It’s not a simple process, and the process is what’s going to be important — getting input and building consensus," Vance said.
For Berne to move the senior-housing process along, Vance said, the town should "be as supportive as we can during the permitting processes."
Vance said the town did fairly well with the Buddhist center project.
The Tenzin Gyatso Institute for Wisdom and Compassion, a Tibetan Buddhist center, recently bought and is developing a large piece of property on Game Farm Road.
"I think that process was handled well and was fairly open," said Vance, adding that he doesn’t think the knowledge of how to handle that process has been lost.
"Many of the people that were involved in that process are still in position," he said.
On worker input, Vance said, "I think the town board is supposed to deal with policy, and I think the workers’ input is valuable, but I also believe that accepting that, soliciting that, is a management issue, which is different than policy."
Vance said he thinks good management practices teach the acceptance of worker input and the solicitation of worker input.
"Nearly 30 years of managing in the state, and consulting and managing for not-for-profits — that’s what I was always taught," he said.
"I believe that consolidation doesn’t necessarily bring efficiencies," Vance said. He added, "I believe consolidations and shared services in an open process, where you’re able to look at facts and figures, can certainly lead to efficiencies, but it needs to always be done with an eye towards the level of services and making sure that the level of service being provided is still what’s required."
Vance said he is very supportive of the Albany County Municipal Highway Services Board, created earlier this year by a unanimous vote in the county legislature.
"Unless you know what something’s costing you, how can you say that you’re going to save money"" Vance asked.
Crawford, Crounse, Marshall, and Whitbeck run for two assessor’s posts
By Tyler Schuling
BERNE — Four are running for two assessor seats in Berne in this fall’s election.
Democratic incumbent Brian Crawford, the town’s chairman of the assessors, and Carol Crounse, a retiring Democratic town board member, will face Republicans Paul Whitbeck and Dan Marshall.
The chairperson of the assessors earns $12,000 annually, and the two assessors earn $10,200 annually. The chair of the assessors is appointed from among the three at the town’s organizational meeting in January.
Based on the most recent figures, from 2006, Berne’s assessments fall within the acceptable range, according to Joe Hesch, spokesman for the state’s Office of Real Property Services. There are no laws requiring towns to perform reassessments, said Hesch. It is still a local decision and process, he said.
Brian Crawford
Democrat Brian Crawford is seeking his fifth four-year term as a town assessor. He is the chairman of the assessors. Crawford could not be reached for comment.
Crawford is a life-long Berne resident, according to his campaign literature. He has been married for 19 years to his wife, Patricia, and has two sons.
He graduated from Berne-Knox High School and attended Schenectady County Community College, where he earned his associate’s degree in applied science. He has worked as a principal engineering technician for Albany County for 15 years.
Crawford is a past member of Berne’s conservation board, and a certified assessor.
He is also running on the Conservative line.
Carol Crounse
Democrat Carol Crounse, 51, is making her first run for assessor.
Originally from Colonie, Crounse has lived in Berne for almost 25 years. She is a member of the Berne Town Board; she is retiring at the close of her term in December.
Crounse works for Hannan’s Paving & Sealing and Heldeberg Bluestone & Marble as a bookkeeper. She attended Albany Academy for Girls from the sixth grade on, and then Centenary College in New Jersey, studying childhood education. She is married and has two sons and two step-daughters.
While on the town board, she has been the liaison to the zoning board of appeals and the planning board.
"I’ve learned much from them," she said.
In 2002 and 2003, Crounse was the assessor’s clerk and Berne’s bookkeeper. She said she would like to get back to doing what she was doing four years ago.
Crounse said she is "a very organized person"; she separates things out and uses folders — whatever needs to be done to stay organized.
Most of the town’s assessors have full-time jobs and often do their work as assessors on Wednesday evenings and on weekends. Crounse said that will be her schedule also, and she will be available in the evenings.
Crounse is also endorsed by the Conservative Party.
Dan Marshall
Republican Dan Marshall, 45, is making his first run for elected office. Marshall grew up in Stillwater and has lived in East Berne since 2001. He owns Jersey’s in East Berne, a restaurant he began running in the summer of 2006.
He is not married and does not have children. His lifetime partner is Wanda Williams.
Marshall said he is running because he feels he can help the community. He knows building and construction, and he is good with computers and software, he said. He worked for 20 years in industrial and commercial construction and six years as a professional engineer, he said.
He acquired computer skills through his work experience, he said. He graduated from the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, an engineering school, in 1997, and, because he was one of the older students, he said, he was more apt to volunteer for projects than 18- or 19-year-olds. While in school, he worked on air, sewer, and wastewater pollution systems projects.
Marshall said he can add a different perspective. He is tired of people doing things for themselves or their political party, he said.
"It should be more about working together," he said.
If elected, Marshall said, he would probably have formal office hours so people know when he is available and can plan around their schedules. Marshall said he would also speak with people outside his set hours if he has time. Because he is a small-business owner and has no boss, he has the leeway to get away for an hour to visit with someone, he said.
Paul Whitbeck
Republican Paul Whitbeck, 56, is making his second run for assessor.
Originally from Delmar, Whitbeck has lived in Berne since 1979. He is a lifetime member of the East Berne Volunteer Fire Company. He has served with the company for 20 years and is the captain of the fire police.
Whitbeck owns Hilltown Locksmith, which he operates out of the Helderberg True Value in East Berne.
Whitbeck graduated from Bethlehem High School. He attended locksmith school at North Bennet Street School in Boston, Mass.
Whitbeck said he is running because the Republican Party asked him to run, and he felt he could do a good job.
He described the assessor’s office as "an office-type job" that is not political. He cannot raise or lower taxes, he said.
"It’s not up to me to make the decision," Whitbeck said.
Whitbeck said that, if elected, he will be available to anyone at their convenience. Because he owns his own business, he will be in the town 90-percent of the time, he said.
Whitbeck said that he would have to go to school, a requirement for assessors. Because of new advances with computers, it will be a learning process, he said. "If I get the job, I’ll just have to learn how to do it," he said.