NEW SCOTLAND — Although the New Scotland FIRST ballot line was accepted by both the Republican and Democratic election commissioners, the Albany County Board of Elections is facing a suit to invalidate the petition.

John Dearstyne, a New Scotland Republican, filed a legal challenge on Monday seeking to invalidate the petition and naming, with the Albany County Board of Elections, Roselyn Robinson, Timothy Stanton, Michael Fields, Louis Neri, and Karen Moreau.

Citing pending litigation, Dearstyne wouldn’t comment on the action this week, but he did say, “This is strictly on my own,” when asked if the citizens’ group New Scotlanders 4 Sound Economic Development was involved.  Dearstyne is supportive of the group’s stance on cautious development in New Scotland, but he has never attended a steering committee meeting, he said by way of explaining his involvement with the group.

Robinson, Stanton, and Fields are each running for office in New Scotland’s upcoming election and they are planning to run on the New Scotland FIRST line.  Fields has Republican backing for the supervisor’s post while Robinson and Stanton are running in the Sept. 15 primary to try to get on the GOP line.

“People are tired of party politics,” Anne Brill, New Scotland FIRST’s treasurer and Robinson’s sister, said last week of the impetus to form the party, which will dissolve after November’s election.

The acronym FIRST stands for fiscal responsibility; independence from the politics and influence of other towns; realistic goals; sensible growth; and townwide representation.

Candidates in this election haven’t split along party lines, but instead on the issue of zoning in the commercial district.  New Scotland FIRST’s candidates favor few restrictions on development, most notably by opposing a limit on the allowable square-footage for retail developments, a measure supported by NS4SED.

“What are they afraid of?” Robinson asked this week, referring to those trying to keep her line off the ballot.  “If they are the majority, then they shouldn’t have anything to worry about.”

The case is scheduled to be in front of judge Joseph Teresi on Sept. 9.