Three Clinton County towns will see new supervisors following this past Tuesday’s general election.
In AuSable, Tim Bresett (Republican) unseated 26-year incumbent Sandy Senecal (Democrat) for the top seat.
The Schuyler Falls race saw business owner Mindy Smith (Republican) beat town board member Reg Facteau (Conservative & Families First) for the seat that opened up due to current supervisor Kevin Randall running for and winning the Area 5 county legislature seat.
And in Altona, town board member Joe Snide (Democrat) beat Republican challenger Scott Decker to replace current supervisor Larry Ross.
SCHUYLER FALLS
Smith took a decisive victory over Facteau in her race, with unofficial results showing her leading 630-355 as of Thursday.
It was Smith’s first time running for office, and while she wasn’t sure what to expect going into polling on Tuesday, she was confident in the way she ran.
“You can never tell with an election, but I knew a lot of people supported my values, and a lot of people agreed with the way I intend to approach things for the town,” Smith said.
Her election also marked the first time a woman has been voted into the top office in the town, an element to the race that adds a little extra pride for Smith.
“I am very proud; I couldn’t have done it without everyone who helped out and voted, and believed in me,” Smith said. “It allows me to show something to my daughters, that anything is possible if you are driven.”
When Smith takes over, the main focus, she said, will be continuing ongoing work on the Morrisonville water district, including areas like Sand Road, Macey Lane, Rickson Ave and River Street.
“The biggest thing will be the water projects,” Smith said. “Kevin (Randall) has done an amazing job, as well as the board, getting things lined up with grants and everything, so continuing to push those things forward.”
AUSABLE
It was also Bresett’s first venture into politics, as the longtime general manager at AuSable Chasm is aiming to bring that business knowledge to the supervisor job after beating Sencal in a tight, 291-251 race.
Getting that community support and votes in his first race, and against a longtime incumbent like Senecal, meant a lot to Bresett.
“It feels great, it really does; the momentum is going to be there to make some meaningful changes,” Bresett said. “(When talking to voters) it didn’t matter so much if you were left, right, Republican or Democrat, it was ‘What are you going to do to change things around.’”
Going forward, growth and improved communication from the town government will be at the top of the docket when Bresett takes over the job.
“It’s going to be a focus on growth; AuSable has seen some growth, but compared to other towns around, it’s been slow,” Bresett said. “We need to improve our communication to residents, because things are going on that people aren’t fully aware of.”
He added that he wants to focus on adding more community spaces, and lauded the work by Senecal and other town officials in re-purposing the former Keeseville High School, now the Civic Center.
There is still work to be done at the gym there, Bresett said, but it is close to opening.
“The kids need places to play, and the high school and elementary school are tapped out time-wise,” Bresett said. “Give credit to the Civic Center Committee and Sandy for pulling that off and getting that going, but I look forward to getting the doors open on that.”
ALTONA
While it will be his first time in the supervisor seat, Snide will be bringing 14 years of experience on the Altona Town Board to the top job.
“I was overjoyed, really,” Snide said of finding out about his victory. “It was a humbling win.”
Altona has become a hotspot for renewable energy in the area in recent years, something that Snide will be looking to continue.
Also on the agenda will be finding temporary quarters for the board as the town begins work on a new town hall.
“Those two things will be my main priorities for right now,” Snide said.
Along with the 14 years of board experience comes relationships with the other members of the board. With only one new member coming from this election, those relationships will help ease the transition for Snide.
“It will definitely make things a lot easier, knowing a lot of the individuals,” Snide said. “We have one new member on the board, Brady Smart, but the other members I’ve been working with for quite some time now.”
It’s work he can’t wait to get going on, and work he’s thankful he’s getting a chance to do.
“I’m deeply grateful for the trust that the voters placed in me,” Snide said. “I got a lot of work ahead of me, and I’m excited to get started.”