New Leb Dems Choose Robertson

by Kieron Kramer
At their caucus on Tuesday night the New Lebanon Democratic Party endorsed incumbent Meg Robertson for Town Supervisor over challenger, and former Deputy Supervisor, Allen Livermore by a vote of  38 to 21. Cherie Lane Smith was endorsed for Town Clerk over incumbent Colleen Teal by a 32 to 26 vote. Teal said she would now seek the Republican nomination.
Fifty-nine Democrats attended the caucus which is the biggest turn-out ever, according to Leonard “Rocky” Brown, the Chairman of the New Lebanon Democratic Party. Brown was pleased with the caucus meeting. “There was a good dialogue between the candidates,” he said in a telephone interview on Wednesday, and he added that the Chairman of the Caucus, John Trainor, did a fine job.
Two candidates were endorsed for the two council seats up for election this November. Doug Clark received the highest tally with 45 votes followed by incumbent Monte Wasch with 34. Phyllis Hulbert received 23 votes and Trina Porte, 14. Jessica Byrne won the Town Justice endorsement with 31 votes to incumbent Shaun McHugh’s 28 votes. Town Highway Superintendent Jeffrey Winestock ran for that nomination without opposition. Pamela Breen, the current Tax Collector, was endorsed by the Democrats, but she will not accept the nomination, according to Brown. Brown said that he was aware that she didn’t want to run but no one else would step forward. Brown now has the opportunity to find someone to run for that position.
Brown said that there are about 1,200 registered voters in New Lebanon and that 527 of those are registered Democrats. “This part of Columbia County has always been a Republican stronghold,” he said, “but the whole County is gaining.”
The vote counts in this story were supplied by Chairman Brown.