How to resolve AdBlock issue? BALLSTON SPA — After a tumultuous year, regarding Ballston Spa’s finances, the village will vote for two new trustees, and a new mayor, each for a four-year- term. Elections are being held March 19.
Current village trustees, Stuart Hodsoll and Robert Cavanaugh, announced that they are not seeking re-election this year. Nor will Mayor John P. Romano. All three have held their positions for nearly 24 years each.
Liz Kormos and Christine Fitzpatrick, who were endorsed by the village Democratic Committee, are running as an independent body, under a newly formed party line “A Better BSpa.” Their platform is centered on first addressing the poor state of financial management in the Village. Following that they would like to concentrate on repairing and improving the infrastructure, roads, parking and sidewalks; increasing the tax base by redeveloping existing properties, improving public safety on the streets; and supporting senior citizens.
Kormos was a member of the budget advisory committee appointed by the village board to develop strategies and identify opportunities for advancing the state of the village’s fiscal affairs. Kormos was also a member of the Zoning Advisory Committee with members of the Planning and Zoning Boards, Ballston Spa Business and Professional Association, and local developers to make recommendations on improvements in the zoning code, which were then adopted by the Board of Trustees.
Fitzpatrick has been a resident of Ballston Spa since
1987. For 16 years, Fitzpatrick was responsible for strategic planning, budget and daily operations, of a non-profit member-driven organization. She was the corporate-wide manager of employee benefits for a Fortune 500 company for seven years and worked in employee relations and labor/management negotiations for more than 10 years for the Governor’s Office of Employee Relations. She was also a middle-school teacher in Washington D.C. and New York City and worked in social services agencies in New York City in the 1970s.
There are also two Republicans running for the village trustee seats as well. Candidates Peter Martin and Rory O’Connor are running under the tagline “Deliver 4 BSPA,” were endorsed by the Villages Republican Committee. The two sat on the village’s budget advisory committee alongside Kormos.
Martin, owns and operates an 18-year-old small business, Village Photo, LLC, in the heart of Ballston Spa’s downtown. Additionally, he has more than 20 years of experience managing high-volume grocery stores giving him a background managing large budgets and personnel. He is an active member of the Ballston Spa Business and Professional Association (BSBPA). Martin is also highly involved with the local community by supporting many organizations, especially those for youth and high school athletics.
O’Connor is a real estate broker who owns Saratoga Real Property and 199 Professional Building. He dedicated years serving the village on its Planning Board and the Board of Assessment Review. He is active on the boards of the Greater Capital Association of Realtors and the New York State Association of Realtors. He is a current member of the Ballston Spa Elks Club and a former board member of the BSBPA.
Trustees are voted on separately despite their conjoined platforms.
Larry Woolbright, who was also endorsed by the village’s republican committee, is running for village mayor. Woolbright was also on the budget advisory committee alongside Martin and Kormos.
Woolbright is a retired professor from Siena College and former head of the Biology Department and Dean of Science. He has an extensive background
in government service having dedicated many years of service as chair of the Town of Milton Planning Board and the Open Space Committee. Additionally, he served on the Ballston Spa Central School District Board of Education and co-founded the Friends of the Kayaderosseras.
Former Mayor of Ballston Spa James Capasso announced on Feb. 23 via Facebook that he decided to run for mayor as a write-in after his petition to run independently was declined due to lack of signatures.
“After some serious thought I’ve decided to run a write-in campaign for Mayor. This is our Village and we deserve better.
I will be needing a lot of help to get the word out. We can win this. Please pm (private message) me if you can volunteer,” Capasso said in a Facebook post.
James Capasso was reached for comment but did not respond. In October of last year an audit from the New York State Comptroller’s office was released, the audit determined that the treasurer did not maintain adequate accounting records and that Board did not adequately monitor the village’s financial condition. No incumbents are seeking re-election this year. The two elected trustees will join Trustees Noah Shaw and Shawn Raymond.
