Deputy Supervisor JoAnn Scheels and trustee Darlene Andolsek will run for re-election in March, facing resident Don Berger.

The polls will be open at the senior center, 36 Bridge Street, from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Darlene Andolsek
If re-elected, board member Darlene Andolsek will monitor proposed building projects, keep taxes low and continue her role as liaison to the police department.

Andolsek said she will follow the progress of all developments regarding the Medline project, a 1.3-million-square-foot warehouse proposed just outside village limits on the east side of NYS Route 416 and north of Interstate I-84. She is concerned about traffic and will make her concerns known to the town planning board.

Andolsek said she will also follow the progress of the two proposed projects in the village: Kings Service Holding, Inc., a senior development and warehouse project; and a mixed housing retail project on Candler Lane; and City Winery, an event space and winery at the old Montgomery Worsted Mills.
“We have several large projects under way, and we just need to make sure that everything that is done is done in the best interest of our village,” Andolsek said.

Another priority for Andolsek is to ensure the village budget stays under the tax cap.

“We have to look out for our older residents who are on fixed incomes,” Andolsek said.

She also works as a liaison to the police department, providing a bridge between village government and police.

“I’m involved in the hiring for the police department and we’re always trying to make sure that we have the best possible people working for us that we can and I think that we do,” Andolsek said.

Andolsek is also involved in various community day events, such as the easter egg hunt, the General Montgomery Day Parade and the St. Patrick’s Day Parade.

Andolsek has been a trustee since 2006. She said her experience on the board has taught her how a village operates.

“I’m familiar with how the village runs and what it takes to run a village,” Andolsek said.

JoAnn Scheels

If re-elected, long-time board member and deputy supervisor JoAnn Scheels will stay vigilant on proposed building projects, keep taxes low and oversee children’s programs.

Scheels said her and other board members will follow the progress of the proposed building projects in the village and town.

While Scheels said she realizes change is inevitable, she is concerned about the effects of increased traffic on village residents.

“I want to make sure that our village stays the way it is,” Scheels said. “You have to allow growth, but you can make sure that it’s planned growth.”
Scheels said she would also like to build a budget that stays underneath the tax cap, keeping taxes as low as possible for village residents.

“Nobody wants to pay any more taxes than they have to, so we want to be mindful of that,” Scheels said.

Scheels is also the liaison for summer recreation programs and will continue to oversee the summer children’s programs already in place. The program runs full-time for five days a week throughout the summer, providing recreation for children and relief for working parents.

While the details are still being worked out, Scheels said she would like to implement an after-school program. Possibly staffed by Montgomery’s school teachers, this would provide after school enrichment and child care for working parents.

Scheels has served on the board for 32 years. She said she has an intimate knowledge of the issues facing the village and the board after serving for so many years.

“I’m more abreast of all of the issues that are going on right now and all of the projects that are there so I don’t have to be educated to bring me up to speed,” Scheels said.

She said she is very accessible for village residents that have concerns.
“I want what’s best for the village,” Scheels said.

Editor’s Note: Berger was profiled in the Jan. 16 edition of the Wallkill Valley Times.