I agree with most that you say, but I feel that voting along party lines is sometimes necessary to accomplish a goal. That is the way things get done...really! That is how our political system is set up. Unfortunately the conservs are doing just that in Rotterdam just to swing the vote for Mr. Cooke so he will be the one negotiating the police contract next year. So for those who oppose that mind thought will vote against the dems/conservs and vote in reps. Sometimes ya just gotta vote along party lines!
Written by: Jessica Harding, Schenectady County Reporter email: hardingj@spotlightnews.com
Democrats in Rotterdam will have an opportunity to vote for their preferred candidates for town board at the Tuesday, Sept. 11, primary.
Two town board seats are up for election this fall because Democrat Robert Godlewski is running for a seat in the Schenectady County Legislature and Democrat Diane Marco is retiring.
According to Rotterdam’s Democratic Committee Chairman Tony Cervera, the committee has endorsed two candidates: Richard Leet and John Silva.
John Denny, who applied for the Democratic endorsement, but didn’t receive it, is pushing for the primary.
Leet, a Rotterdam native, is a manager at CVS, and Silva, who moved to Rotterdam about eight years ago from Massachusetts, is the CEO of a health-care company. Denny has lived in Rotterdam his whole life. He attended Schalmont High School and has worked for the town for more than 30 years in the highway department, the water and sewer department and most recently in the Department of Public Works. He is set to retire at the first of the year.
Cervera said Leet and Silva were chosen for the Democratic endorsement because of their leadership positions and because they have been active in the Democratic Party for more than 30 years.
“Rich Leet spends a lot of time at St. Gabriel’s Church and is on every committee there is. John Silva is active in helping the homeless and underprivileged through his company and is good at writing grants to keep his operation going,” Cervera said.
While both Leet and Silva are relatively unknown in the town, Cervera said he views that as a positive thing.
“I think this is what the town of Rotterdam really needs -- some new blood instead of career politicians,” he said.
Denny said because he has worked for the town, he knows how it runs and how to best save money. He is a controversial figure within the town because he has changed party affiliation many times and is currently seeking the Democratic endorsement although he already has the endorsement of the Republican Party.
Cervera views Denny’s attempt to capture the Democratic nomination through a primary as a way to control the ballot.
“He’s already got the Republican nomination, and if he wins this primary he can’t lose,” Cervera said. “We are pretty upset about it, but I think the voters are smart enough to see what’s really going on.”
Denny said he just wants to serve the people in Rotterdam and wishes he didn’t have to belong to any party to do it.
“Party affiliation doesn’t mean a lot to me, but you need to have a party to run for office, unfortunately,” Denny said. “I just want to serve the people and save the taxpayers some money.”
On Nov. 14, the center--soon to be known as Hometown Health--began seeing patients in a $5.2 million building at 1044 State St.
Under Silva it has upped its productivity and broadened its base through deals with Ellis Hospital, Schenectady County, the New York Racing Association and a Schenectady pediatrician. It's also working with the Chamber of Schenectady County to develop a unique program for small businesses.
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To pay for the building, Schenectady Family held a $1 million capital campaign and borrowed $1.5 million from the Schenectady Metroplex Development Authority.
Metroplex chair Ray Gillen said the center is an "anchor tenant" in the redevelopment of the mid-State Street area.
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That August, Schenectady Family won a $900,000 contract to operate the clinic at the county jail. It also was retained by NYRA to provide care to the backstretch workers at the Saratoga Race Course.
...you are a product of your environment, your environment is a product of your priorities, your priorities are a product of you......
The replacement of morality and conscience with law produces a deadly paradox.
STOP BEING GOOD DEMOCRATS---STOP BEING GOOD REPUBLICANS--START BEING GOOD AMERICANS
SCHENECTADY COUNTY Board primary an inter-party squabble Democrat forcing contest already has Republicans’ line BY JUSTIN MASON Gazette Reporter
Primary elections are scheduled Tuesday throughout the state, though in Schenectady County, only one race is drawing much attention. Rotterdam Democrats will need to pick two from a slate of three candidates running for the Town Board. In that race, one of the names is already on November’s ballot on the opposition party’s ticket. Jack Denny, a member of the town’s sewer and water maintenance department and an enrolled Democrat, was passed up by the Rotterdam Democratic Committee during the spring. Instead, political newcomers Richard Leet and John Silva were endorsed. Denny in June decided to force a primary contest. At the same time, the town’s Republican Committee began looking for a second candidate after one of their endorsed candidates decided not to run. The committee contacted Denny and then nominated him to run on the GOP ticket. “We picked him because we feel he’s the best candidate for the town,” said Town Republican Chairman Gerard Parisi. Getting the nod from town Republicans didn’t change Denny’s push to get on the Democratic ticket. Regardless of the endorsement, he said, his allegiance remains with the town Democrats, his party for nearly three decades. “That’s what I’ve been; that’s what I’ll stay,” he said. Denny also pointed to past races in which candidates received endorsements from both the Democrats and the Republicans. He said both major parties have endorsed Clerk Eunice Esposito and Town Justice Kevin Mercoglan. “Double endorsement isn’t something new,” he said. “It is something that is just politics.” But town Democratic Committee Chairman Tony Cervera said the the party didn’t choose Denny because they didn’t view him as a good candidate for the Town Board. Cervera said Leet, the manager of several area CVS pharmacies, and Silva, the chief executive offi cer of Hometown Health in Schenectady, reflected the type of leadership the party envisions for the board. He questioned Denny’s qualifications. “He’s been a laborer all his life,” he said. “I didn’t think he would be a good person to represent the town.” Cervera also questioned Denny’s loyalty as a Democrat. He accused the candidate of aligning with whichever party would offer an endorsement. “He switches parties back and forth,” he said. “He was going to switch back to the [Republican] party last year.” Parisi defended Denny’s record of party affiliation and his ability to serve. He accused the Democrats of spreading misinformation about a candidate who knows the intricate workings of the town. “What the Democrats are doing is not what this town needs,” he said. “They’re looking for people to do what the party tells them to do, and that’s not what Jack is about.” Conversely, the Democrat-endorsed Silva said town politics could use someone who has business experience and no prior connection to past administrations, “someone to provide a fresh look at what are pretty old problems.” Leet, Silva and Democratic supervisor candidate William Cooke will also seek the Working Families Party ballot line on Tuesday. Parisi collected enough signatures to force a write-in primary, according to the county Board of Elections. Likewise, Angelo Santabarbara, the Republican candidate for the District 4 seat on the county Legislature, successfully petitioned for a primary for the Conservative Party nomination. The Conservatives endorsed incumbent Anthony Jasenski and Rotterdam board member Robert Godlewski, both democrats. In other county primaries, Niskayuna town justice candidates Stephen Swinton Jr. and Louis W. Chicatelli Jr. are seeking ballot lines from the Conservative, Working Families and Independence parties. In Duanesburg, town justice candidates Camille Siano Enders and Rita Labelle will face off in primaries for the Independence and Conservative parties.
Clerk Eunice Esposito and Town Justice Kevin Mercoglan
and they are-----what???
clerk and judge,,,I rest my case
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He questioned Denny’s qualifications. “He’s been a laborer all his life,” he said. “I didn’t think he would be a good person to represent the town.”
Okay Mr.Cervera and Mr.Silva,,,,as a nurse, I too am a laborer....I could give you both an enema and smile while doing it, sit and listen while you talk about 'the good ole days' when you were younger, I will monitor your blood pressure, your food/fluid intake, take care of your skin, and remind you that the sun has risen this day, I can pacify and calm your family as you go to the Pharmacy to get your drugs and go to Hometown Health for a check up,all this while taking care of 20 or so other residents at a nursing home, not to mention supervise my certified nurse aides.....so please tell me if I would be qualified.....although I'm not fond of the Denny endorsement your statements are just ludicrous......
there are just too many cigars, blue dresses, toe tapping, watergates, troopergates and the like.........
...you are a product of your environment, your environment is a product of your priorities, your priorities are a product of you......
The replacement of morality and conscience with law produces a deadly paradox.
STOP BEING GOOD DEMOCRATS---STOP BEING GOOD REPUBLICANS--START BEING GOOD AMERICANS
Cervera said Leet, the manager of several area CVS pharmacies, and Silva, the chief executive offi cer of Hometown Health in Schenectady, reflected the type of leadership the party envisions for the board. He questioned Denny’s qualifications.“He’s been a laborer all his life,”he said. “I didn’t think he would be a good person to represent the town.”
I think that this quote by Mr. Cervera may have pushed me to vote Denny. This must be the most irresponsible thing a party leader could say. I don't know Denny, but Mr. Cervera sounds like an arrogant elitist. After watching some of the stupid things being uttered from Ms. Marco's mouth over the past few years, Denny can't be worst than that. Let's not forget our "professional" school teacher, town supervisor (D)James A. Constantino, a crook and a pervert. Just because somebody wears a white collar to work, it doesn't mean they are more qualified to make sound decisions for the town, than somebody who works blue collar.
Remember, Ronald Regan was just an actor before being elected president, I think he did an alright job.
The most dangerous man to any government is the man who is able to think things out for himself, without regard to the prevailing superstitions and taboos. Almost inevitably he comes to the conclusion that the government he lives under is dishonest, insane and intolerable, and so, if he is romantic, he tries to change it. And even if he is not romantic personally he is apt to spread discontent among those who are. ~ H.L. Mencken
Where did they ever get this Cervera from? Where ever they got him from, they clearly must send him back and quickly!! I mean what the hell is he talking about Denny being a laborer all of his life? This is Rotterdam. It IS a blue collar community. Well, I agree Cicero, I'm not impressed with either candidate, but he just pushed my vote to Denny!! So thank you Mr. Cervera for making up my undecided mind!
He questioned Denny’s qualifications. “He’s been a laborer all his life,” he said. “I didn’t think he would be a good person to represent the town.”
Mr. Cervera, by his words, has shown his contempt and disregard for the middle class and the working person. Even if he believes his statement, verbalizing it illustrates a lack of judgement.
We already have enough arrogance in the County Legislature, it is time for sincerity of word and concern for the constituents.
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Remember, Ronald Regan was just an actor before being elected president, I think he did an alright job.
Amen to that! IMHO he was the greatest President in my lifetime (since 1960).
Cervera views Denny’s attempt to capture the Democratic nomination through a primary as a way to control the ballot.
“He’s already got the Republican nomination, and if he wins this primary he can’t lose,” Cervera said. “We are pretty upset about it, but I think the voters are smart enough to see what’s really going on.”
What would be totally hilarious is, if Denny wins the Democratic primary. This would show how out of touch with Rotterdam Mr. Cervera really is. The guy that Cervera passed on, beating out one of the two guys he decided the democrats would endorse. And Denny's campaigning on Republican money....Priceless!
You notice how Mr. Cervera thinks the voters are smart enough. There are a lot of dumb laborers in Rotterdam that might not realize what is going on. The people actually might vote for that dumb laborer.
The most dangerous man to any government is the man who is able to think things out for himself, without regard to the prevailing superstitions and taboos. Almost inevitably he comes to the conclusion that the government he lives under is dishonest, insane and intolerable, and so, if he is romantic, he tries to change it. And even if he is not romantic personally he is apt to spread discontent among those who are. ~ H.L. Mencken
Cervera said Leet, the manager of several area CVS pharmacies, and Silva, the chief executive officer of Hometown Health in Schenectady, reflected the type of leadership the party envisions for the board. He questioned Denny’s qualifications. “He’s been a laborer all his life,” he said. “I didn’t think he would be a good person to represent the town.”
Nice to see that the Local Democratic Party aligns with the national party. Big Business all the way. I wonder if Mr. Leet or Mr. Silva have received any campaign donations from Ms. Hillary (Previously on the Board of Directors for Wal-Mart) Clinton.
Proud Rotterdam Resident Proud Patriot Proud Conservative Republican Proud Christian
I'm still shocked over that statement from Cervera. And he calls himself a democrat? Aren't the dems for the unions, blue collar workers and labor? Well BK, guess you're right...Cervera is a rep and don't even know it. Does someone want to enlighten him to this fact?
I'm still shocked over that statement from Cervera. And he calls himself a democrat? Aren't the dems for the unions, blue collar workers and labor? Well BK, guess you're right...Cervera is a rep and don't even know it. Does someone want to enlighten him to this fact?
Maybe he'll be enlightened after the primary...where he has to actually go out and campaign for the "blue collar worker." See what they actually want. See, the problem is that Mr. Denny is a Democrat...an FDR era Democrat. The Democrats today forgot what their party is supposed to be standing for.
Proud Rotterdam Resident Proud Patriot Proud Conservative Republican Proud Christian
I'm not shocked at his statement....remember,,,, they ALL eat at the same trough.....this could just be a rouse for a hack or a 'lamb' for the Dem party.....pay attention....remember the 'onion' .....peeling peeling peeling........
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But town Democratic Committee Chairman Tony Cervera said the the party didn’t choose Denny because they didn’t view him as a good candidate for the Town Board
those blue collar police would be upset,,,,I'm sure......
...you are a product of your environment, your environment is a product of your priorities, your priorities are a product of you......
The replacement of morality and conscience with law produces a deadly paradox.
STOP BEING GOOD DEMOCRATS---STOP BEING GOOD REPUBLICANS--START BEING GOOD AMERICANS
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