by David Flint
The Republicans of Stephentown have selected John Meekins to run for Town Justice in the November election. At the end of this year, Wes Edwards will be completing his 51st year on the bench and has declined to run for another term.
At the caucus on Wednesday, June 18, Tammy Madden presiding asked for nominations from the floor. Two names were put forward, John Meekins and Joseph Champion. The votes were counted, and Meekins was declared the nominee. It has long been the policy of the Town Republican Committee not to disclose the vote counts in these caucus elections.
Joseph Champion has been a member of the Zoning Board of Appeals since 2004. He was nominated by the Republicans in 2009 to run for Town Justice but lost in the general election to incumbent Cyril Grant.
John Meekins, currently serving as Councilman on the Town Board, is a retired Assistant Attorney General for the State of New York. With degrees in both accounting and law, he has experience as an auditor as well as a financial crimes prosecutor in the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office and the NYS Attorney General’s Criminal Division. A Stephentown resident for 38 years, Meekins has been a member of the Fire Department and active in the Library, the Veterans and the Senior Citizens Club. If elected Meekins will have to resign his seat on the Town Board.
Town Democratic Committee Chairman Andrew White said that his party is in the discussion stage on this topic and they have no plans yet to hold a caucus.