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Image provided by: Guilderland Public Library
13 ^}.-^^':'^;:M Robert Conway \I enjoy being on the village board. Voorheesville is a great community,\ said Robert Conway who is running for mayor. He describes himself as the proud husband of 27 years to Linda Conway and the proud father of three children — Meghan, Sean and Kaitlin. He works as the commissioner of human resources for Albany County and has been a village trustee for four years. He has served as a mem- ber of the sewer commission and is a member of St. Matthew's Church and its men's association. WiMX mmm^ John Stevens \It's been an honor to work and serve the community,\ said Mayor John Stevens, who is running for vil- lage trustee. He has servedan many capacities — on the zoning board, as a trustee, as an interim mayor, and as mayor for four years. Stevens is also a member of St. Matthew's Church and its men's as- sociation, and he is a member of the American Legion. Richard Berger \We are family. People are happy being here and would iike to stay,\ said Richard Berger, who is peeking re-election as a village trustee. He describes himself as the proud hus- band of Terri, and the proud father of two children —Ashley and David. He has been a trustee for nine years, and a Voorheesville volunteer fireman for over 35 years. He is a member of St. Matthew's Church. Ken Connolly \It's a great job and I enjoy doing it,\ said village Judge Ken Connolly, who is seeking reelection. Connolly, an attorney, has worked in the Attorney General's Office and served as deputy commissioner and counsel, retiring in 2004. He has also worked in the State Senate in crimi- nal justice legislation for 38 years and was a town judge in New Scot- land for 20 years. Connolly is a member of the New Scotland Kiwanis. Uncontested elections ... V'ville trustee and mayor to swap jobs (Continued from Page 1) All five members work together for; a common good,\ Stevens saii#. Jhe mayor wants to stay on , the boeird as trustee to help with projects that are still in the works. Indeed, all three of the board candidates expressed similar views when asked about village issues, ranging from senior housing to sharing services with the town of New Scotland. The thriee board candidates listed projects they have jointly accomplished in the last two years. Much work has been com* pleted on sidewalk renovations; additional parking was added next to the village hall; and plans were made for a senior housing project and a refur- bished firehouse. Also, they said, infrastructure improvements were made with a new half-million-gallon water tank and pipeline; the Salem Hills sewer system was refur- bished, and plans are underway to connect with Guilderland's water system. \I enjoy being on the village board,\ Conway answered when asked why he is running for mayor. No one on the board is trying to make a career out of political office, he said. \We stepped up because we care about the community and want to offer something to the com- munity,\ Conway said. Berger and Connolly echoed a similar response when asked about their reasons for running again this term. \I was born and raised here,\ Berger said, calling himself a \life resident\ who wants to see the village continue being a \wonderful and safe place\ to live. Connolly says that he enjoys working as a judge and will con- tinue until it is no longer fulfill- ing. \At the local level, you can have a great impact on some people, younger people espe- cially,\ said the judge. \You have the time locally to do some hands-on work, to steer them in the right direction.\ Agenda \People recognize that the cur- rent board, has been responsi- ble,\ said Conway; His agenda for the upcoming term will in- clude: maintaining a reliable and safe water supply, seeing the completion of renovations to the firehouse; and continuing to . serve and provide cost-effective services to taxpayers. Berger also mentioned the im- portance of maintaining the vil- lage's water system. Most impor- tant, he said, is completing the water interconnect with Guild- erland. The idea for an intercon- nect between Guilderland and Voorheesville began two to three years ago with a conversation between Stevens and the super- visor of Guilderland. Most water now comes from wells strategi- cally placed throughout the vil- lage. According to Stevens, hav- ing access to another water source is imperative in case the aquifer becomes contaminated. Connolly's agenda for this term is to continue keeping up with changes in the law and to keep court records current using the village's new computer sys- tem. The judge said, \When I started it was all handwritten.\ The new paperless system has made it easier for the village court \to keep records accurate and up-to-date,\ Connolly said. The word \family\ was often used by all four candidates when talking about the village of Voorheesville. Voorheesville is a community without heavy crime. \We don't lock our doors,\ said the mayor. His reasons for this are that sev- eral law-enforcement officers have made this area their home, and, being located 12 miles from Albany also helps, he said. Conr nolly confirmed that the village courts rarely see any major criminal cases. Most cases are vehicle or traffic violations and petty larcenies, he said. Senior Housing Stevens states that the village has approved the senior housing project near St. Matthew^s Church. \We hoped to have a shovel in the ground by now,\ said Stevens. However, current' management issues and legal processes have slowed down the 1 project's progress. \We got water and we have sewer,\ said the mayor, \The senior housing will be built.\ When asked if the new devel- opment will change'the charac- ter of the neighborhood, Berger said he was assured by the com- petency of the current zoning and planning boards. \With their guidance and direction, it will fit in very well,\ says Berger. Trustee Conway believes that the addition of senior housing will hot hinder but enhance the village's character. \As people age and have less need or capability of maintaining a large residence,\ Conway said, \providing senior housing can allow them to continue to stay in the village, maintain their friendships and family ties.\ The St. Matthew's location will also give senior residents the ability to still walk to the post office and grocery store, he said. \People are happy being here and would like to stay,\ adds Berger. Population and business According to Stevens, the vil- lage has seen a drop in its population from 3,400 people in 1996-97 to a more recent census of 2,600 people. Trustee Berger explains that the Salem Hills and Scotch Pine developments used to be filled with young families with children. Those' same children are now adults and have gone to college or moved away. Stevens labels it the \empty- nester syndrome\ and believes that the new senior housing de- velopment will boost the village population. His belief is that, once residents begin to move into the new senior housing devel- opment; real estate will open back up and more families will be able to move in. Stevens disagrees that the commercial center of Voor- heesville is fading. He states thai; all buildings that can be used are being used for busi- nesses. According to the mayor, some people are even planning on converting two-family homes into businesses. Similarly, Berger has not no- ticed a decline in business but has noticed businesses relocating to more driver-friendly areas of the village. Shared services All candidates agreed that services between the town of New Scotland and the village would be advantageous. This summer, the village will be working with the town to plan a music festival, \Our doors' are always open for ihtermunicipal projects,\ said Stevens. The election will be held at the Voorheesville firehouse; polls will open at noon and close at 9 p.m. All village residents who are at least 18 years old and are registered to vote in Albany County can vote in this year's election. \We would like to have people come out and vote,\ said Berger. \It would be good to know that the people are aware of the vil- lage government.\ nWrnm FYDI For Your Dental Information THE BIG ENDORSEMENT Adam A. Edwards, D.D.S. The choices facing today's consumer in the toothpaste market can be somewhat overwhelming. There are many different flavors (fresh mint or original), textures (gel or paste), types (cavity protection or tartar control), and manufacturer claims (new and improved or super whitening). Many dentists will recommend a tooth- paste which has a research proven com- bination of fluoride and tartar control agents. The fluoride needs to be in a proper formulation and combination with other ingredjents in order to be effective in fighting tooth decay. The mere presence of fluoride alone in a toothpaste does not guarantee effectiveness. Luckily, the Council of Dental Therapeutics of the American Dental Association reviews the current research and available products, and is able to recorhmend only those products which have proven to be safe and effective; The familiar phrase,\.. .(Product X) has been shown to be an effective de- cay preventive dentifrice that can be of significant value when used in a con- scientiously applied program of oral hygiene and regular professional care... \ has true meaning and real merit. When shopping for any dental health products, be assured that any- thing with the ADA endorsement has been proven effective with scientific study and research. Your dentist and dental hygienist can also help to rec- ommend those items which will work best for you. 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