Marlborough candidates chosen

By Mark Reynolds
Posted 7/17/19

Marlborough Democrats and Republicans have chosen their candidates for the fall election.

There are several positions open; Town Supervisor, two Town Council seats, Highway Superintendent and …

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Marlborough candidates chosen

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Marlborough Democrats and Republicans have chosen their candidates for the fall election.

There are several positions open; Town Supervisor, two Town Council seats, Highway Superintendent and Town Justice. At the county level the seat for Marlborough Legislator is open due to the retirement of Richard Gerentine.

The Marlborough Democratic Party has only one candidate for the position of Town Supervisor, Al Lanzetta, who is seeking re-election. He said if elected this would be his tenth year as Supervisor. Mici Simonofsky is running for the Ulster County Legislature.

Lanzetta described himself and the Town Board as very “business-friendly.”
“We’ve changed a couple of zoning codes to have the availability for people to come into our community and build,” he said.

Lanzetta said he is proud to have worked with the late NYS Assemblyman Frank Skartados in obtaining a member item of $250,000 for sidewalk work in town. He thanked Todd Diorio, of Local 17, as well as the town’s Highway Department, for their assistance on this project. Lanzetta also pointed out that another $250,000 was secured by Skartados to help rehabilitate the TOMVAC building, which he is hoping will start towards the end of 2020.
“I was very pleased with Councilmen Howard Baker and Scott Corcoran working together on that, formulating that committee, and they came up with a great plan,” he said.

Lanzetta was able to receive two other member items that will be used for sewer infrastructure work in the Route 9W corridor. He has also followed up on a $150,000 member item for the playground at the town park that was obtained by NYS Sen. William Larkin before he retired. Lanzetta said work on this will start in a few months.

Lanzetta said the rehabilitation of the south pier at the Milton waterfront is moving ahead. The board transferred some funds for this, a few donations have come in and he secured $10,000 from the cell tower project that will be built at the town highway department on Route 9W. In total, about $140,000 has been set aside to pay for the engineering plans for the pier. Some of the actual work on the pier has to be done between August and September to avoid disturbing spawning fish. In all the project is estimated to cost $1.2 million and the Town Board will be drawing up a bond resolution they will discuss at a special meeting on August 5.

Lanzetta pointed out that in 2023 a $4.5 million road bond will be fully paid for, leaving the town free of paying $350,000 a year that could go toward this project. He also successfully secured $313,000 towards this project through a Consolidated Funding Application grant.

Lanzetta is also exploring the possibility of having a company erect a solar farm at the landfill that would produce nearly 2 Mega-Watts of power. In addition, he received $150,000, also from Sen. Larkin, that was used to finish the painting of the Milton Train Station.

“It’s completed now, it’s beautiful and it’s a town building that is rented out and we’re very happy about that,” he said. “That’s like the cornerstone of the whole thing that is going on in that area.” He said he resurrected a $98,000 grant from NYS Parks and Recreation that will be used for a walkway down from Watson Avenue, some plantings and a few benches just west of the station.

Lanzetta pointed out that through volunteers and securing member items, he did not have to raise taxes on the residents.

Lanzetta said Republicans Ed Molinelli and Scott Corcoran will run unopposed for their Town Council seats. He said Highway Superintendent Gael Appler Sr is retiring and he supports candidate Republican John Alonge for that position “100 percent.”

The Marlborough Republicans have fielded a full slate of candidates; Russell DeSantis for Supervisor, John Alonge for Highway Superintendent, Dan Jackson for Town Judge and Ed Molinelli and Scott Corcoran for Town Council. Tom Corcoran is running for the Ulster County Legislature.

First time candidate, DeSantis has owned a home in Marlborough for 26 years and said he wants to be involved in the town. He said being employed by the MTA loop bus transit system in northern Dutchess County has prepared him for what is involved in working with a county government.

DeSantis said he wants to make the roadways in Marlborough better and push to make the town more affordable.

“I’d like to see Marlborough where everybody wants to come here because we are an apple industry and bring that industry more and more to the farmers,” he said.

DeSantis said he will try to prevent taxes from increasing by bringing more businesses to town.

“Marlborough is a very good area where we can bring in some beautiful industrial parks and I would make it mandatory that there are lakes in front and a lot of shrubbery and landscaping. That would be a big help to Marlborough,” he said.

DeSantis favors continued work at the Milton waterfront, however, he says, “it’s not what it should be, it really isn’t. Let’s be honest, we can make it better.” He would like to bring in boat slips and have day and seasonal rentals.

DeSantis wants to make the train station more profitable.

“Let’s bring in people where we have an income coming in; whether we acquire it and we run it as a business or we bring in people that want to acquire it and make it where the money is brought in.” he said.

DeSantis said he would like to see Marlborough producing more agricultural products, be more of a resort town, have more bed and breakfast establishments, and continue to promote the pick-your-own farms.

DeSantis said he is retired and is able to dedicate 40 or 50 hours per week to the position of Supervisor, if elected.

DeSantis described his outlook.

“I am very adamant, I want to make changes and I want to do the right thing,” he said. “I want to make Marlborough the way it used to be in the 1980s. I want to make it so when you come here you’re not apprehensive [and] that you can live here.”

DeSantis said his in-laws were Polish immigrants who came to the United States with $10 in their pocket and worked hard and have a beautiful home. I want everybody to have the same opportunities that my in-laws had.”

DeSantis said his campaign slogan is Make Marlborough Affordable Again.

“I want to bring business to this area. We’re not going to do it through manufacturing but use what we have, which is agricultural,” he said. “I want to let the people of Marlborough know that I’m here and I’m going to take this job very seriously. I’m not going to look at it like a part-time job. I want to be there for the people and that’s my promise.”