GLENS FALLS -- Both contested city supervisor races in Glens Falls, Ward 2 and Ward 4, came down to the wire and at least one might be decided by absentee ballots to be counted later this week.
Democratic and Conservative candidate Peter McDevitt is the winner of the Ward 2 city supervisor race, unseating 10-year Supervisor Joseph Sheehan, who ran on the Republican and Independence party lines, by a count of 353 to 300 votes based on unofficial results. There were 36 absentee ballots yet to be counted as of Nov. 2.
"I'm very happy. I appreciate the confidence and support that voters of the Glens Falls 2nd Ward have shown to me," McDevitt said in a phone interview Tuesday night. "I recognize these are challenging times and I will seek to be a problem solver. I thank Joe Sheehan for his service on behalf of the citizens of Warren County."
Sheehan said he knew it would be a tough election year for Warren County Board of Supervisors incumbents.
"It's like a perfect storm for the incumbents. With a lack of revenue, the recession and the budget deficit, there's a lot of rocks to be thrown," Sheehan said, adding, "I've had five terms (on the Warren County Board of Supervisors) and two terms on the (Glens Falls) Common Council and I just want to say that it's been an honor and a privilege to represent the people of the 2nd Ward."
In his campaign, McDevitt said that if elected, he would address what he felt was "out-of-control" spending in Warren County and would "bring in department heads again and again and talk to them about finding common sense yet creative ways to save."
McDevitt formerly served four years on the Glens Falls Common Council representing Ward 3. He is vice president of the McDevitt Group, a commercial real estate company.
In the 4th Ward city supervisor race, William Loeb, a Democrat, was leading Republican and Independence candidate Daniel Bruno 132 to 122 after votes were counted, but there were still 13 absentee ballots yet to be factored in that could decide the race.
"It feels great that I am 10 votes up," Loeb said in a phone interview Tuesday night. "I appreciate all the votes and have my fingers crossed that the spread continues."
"We'll wait and see," said longtime Glens Falls Planning Board Chairman Daniel Bruno. "I thank all the people that helped and supported me. We (William Loeb and I) both ran a hard campaign."
Loeb is a New York state licensed medical technologist with the Glens Falls Hospital Clinical Laboratory. Since 2003, he has held the position as vice chairman of the Glens Falls Democratic Committee. He also served as Glens Falls 4th Ward councilman from 1986 to 1994.
The 4th Ward city supervisor position was vacated by Michael O'Connor, who served as 4th Ward supervisor for 22 years, but did not run for re-election.
Posted in Local on Tuesday, November 3, 2009 11:15 pm
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