The people of Sullivan County and New York State have spoken and Sullivan County is finally going to be home to at least one major resort destination. We did it!
Even though change will not happen overnight, we finally have the psychological and mental boost we all need. The hills have come alive.
Governor Andrew Cuomo traveled to Sullivan County on Wednesday to celebrate the victory of Proposition One.
Cuomo was electrifying as he told the jubilant crowd that he was able to accomplish something no Governor before him was able to achieve in New York State.
He explained to the audience how resort destinations will stimulate our economy. “You have workers in these facilities that are making 40, 50, 60 thousand dollars per year. These are good, well-paying jobs. And they are permanent jobs, not to mention the construction jobs that hundreds of millions of dollars in construction will bring in. So there is no doubt that there will be a significant boost to the economy.”
Resort destinations are projected to bring in 10,000 jobs and $200 million for schools and property tax relief.
Cuomo spoke about the bipartisan coalition he put together to get proposition one on the ballot. He praised State Senator John Bonacic for all his efforts as the Chairman of the State Senate’s Wagering and Gaming Committee, and speaking of Assemblywoman Aileen Gunther he told the cheerful audience – “I love Aileen Gunther.”
The vote in Sullivan County supporting passage of proposition one was stupendous.
Accolades must be given to all the people who worked endlessly to get the vote out in Sullivan County.
Randy Resnick, Terri Ward, Marc Baez, and Amy Goodstein must be congratulated for putting their heart and soul into this effort. Steve Kurlander did an outstanding job in getting the message out in Sullivan County as did all those who assisted in designing the media campaign.
Let’s not forget Michele Klugman Resnick’s brilliant idea of putting together a video getting Albany to listen to our need for resort destinations.
We must also thank all those people who worked so hard throughout the years to bring us resort destinations. All their efforts will never be forgotten.
Thank you – Tony Cellini, Leni Binder, Jacob Billig, and Jake Gunther who began the fight years ago in the Assembly.
It was the issue of resort destinations that originally began my political activism in Sullivan County and I am still in shock that it is finally going to happen. As they say – Better late than never!
According to Bonacic we will know by early summer which operators will get the licenses. Bonacic said a resort destination must be built within two years of site approval, meaning a Sullivan County resort destination will open by 2016.
A commission will solicit proposals for four upstate resort destinations, of which our region will get two in the first round. The criteria will be 70 percent based on economic activity and business development; 20 percent on local impact and other factors; 10 percent on workforce.
So far in Sullivan County there are plans to develop at the Concord site with Empire Resorts/EPR Resorts, and at Grossinger’s two developers want in with two separate resort destinations, Louis Cappelli and Mohegan Sun, and Muss Development and Foxwoods.
In Ulster County, which is also in our region, developers want to construct a resort destination at the Nevele Hotel. Other developers are expected to surface at different locations.
Under a plan already approved by the IDA giving millions in tax abatements, Empire Resorts will move their video terminal operations and harness track over to the Concord property to be included in a resort complex housing a convention center, hotel, golf course, and water park. This proposal was said to be going forward with or without proposition one approval, leading one to speculate that perhaps at least one other developer will get a license in Sullivan County to jump start our depressed tourism industry, ultimately granting our region three resort destinations with two having table games.
This election was not just monumental because of the passage to proposition one – it also saw some major changes in our town governments.
Bill Rieber was elected in a three way battle to become Supervisor in the Town of Thompson. Rieber will now fill the shoes of Tony Cellini who was often considered and seemed as if he was the County Executive of Sullivan County.
Rieber is a former town councilman and household name in the Town of Thompson, he was considered the favorite to win the election.
Incumbent Town Judge Marty Miller won a challenge from popular Town Councilwoman Sharon Jankiewicz. Richard Sush and John Pavese won town council seats.
In Mamakating, the issue of a Hassidic development took center stage in a bitter election. Bill Herrmann who was considered the favorite to win this election did just that
In the Town of Bethel popular Town Supervisor Dan Sturm easily won reelection as did
Councilwoman Lillian Hendrickson. Former Bethel Democratic Committee chairwoman Dawn Ryder also swept to victory.
In the Town of Liberty sitting Judge Harold Bauman crushed a challenge from former deputy highway superintendent John Lennon.
In the other hotly contested race in Liberty, Russell Reeves and Brian McPhillips won seats on the Town Council.
It should be noted that in the Town of Fallsburg there were no contested elections, but Former Sullivan County legislator Leni Binder was reelected to a Woodridge Trustee seat.
In Countywide races, District Attorney Jim Farrell, Sheriff Michael Schiff, and Treasurer Ira Cohen all swept to reelection – They all ran unopposed.
Congratulations to all the winners, and thank you to all those who ran for political office.
Now – It is time to put political differences aside and to work together for the benefit of Sullivan County.
Here are the unofficial Election Results in Sullivan County.
SHERIFF
*Michael Schiff, R, C, I 13,425
DISTRICT ATTORNEY
James Farrell, R, C, I 12,726
TREASURER
*Ira Cohen, D, C, I 12,854
BETHEL
Supervisor
Judith Maidenbaum, FL 237
*Daniel Sturm, D, C, I 870
Town clerk
*Rita Sheehan, R, C, I 916
Town justice
*Kevin Rhyne, D, C, I 971
Council (2 seats)
Cirino Bruno, R, I 426
James DiLeo, R 273
*Lillian Hendrickson, D, C, I 864
Dawn Ryder, SF 472
Highway superintendent
James Crowley Jr, R, I 349
William Crumley, D, C 697
Tax collector
*Debra Gabriel, D, C 933
CALLICOON
Supervisor
*Thomas Bose, R, C, I 741
Nancy Lew Lee, D, RH 396
Town justice
*Edward McKenna, R, C, I 869
Council (2 seats)
*Scott Gaebel, R, C, I 765
Ken Hilton, D, RH 371
Van Morrow, D, RH 309
Charles Schadt, R, C, I 771
Highway superintendent
*Kristofer Scullion, D, R, C, I 1018
COCHECTON
Supervisor
*Gary Maas, R, C, I 421
Town clerk
*Hollye Schulman, D 412
Town justice (2 seats)
*Craig Fine, D, C, I 433
*Steven Sauer, D 398
Council (2 seats)
Joan Glase, D 232
*Edwin Grund, R, C, I 304
Sean Nearing, R, C, I 337
Paul Salzberg, D 260
Highway superintendent
*Kevin Esselman, R, C, I 448
Tax collector
*Eileen Hennessy, D, C 447
DELAWARE
Supervisor
Stephan Lundgren, D 352
*Edward Sykes, R 418
Town clerk/tax collector
*Tess McBeath, D 581
Council (2 seats)
*John Gain, R 427
John Murphy, D 404
*Alfred Steppich, R 439
Highway superintendent
*William Eschenberg, R, C, I 637
FALLSBURG
Supervisor
*Steven Vegliante, D, C, I 1502
Town clerk/tax collector
*Donna Akerley, D, C, I 1594
Council (2 seats)
*Nathan Steingart, D, C, I 1450
*Michael Weiner, D, C, I 1466
FORESTBURGH
Supervisor
*William Sipos, D, C 212
Town clerk/tax collector
*Joanne Nagoda, R, C 263
Town justice
*Maryjean Carroll, D, C 248
Council (2 seats)
Katherine Barnhart, D, FF 192
*Susan Parks-Landis, R, C 224
Robert Sipos, D 162
Highway superintendent
*Dan Hogue Jr., D, C, I 235
Joe Ruggeri, R 99
FREMONT
Supervisor
*George Conklin III, R, C 318
Town clerk
Mesa Greier, D, RH 181
Diane Hess, R 226
Town justice
Frank Armstrong, D, R, C 348
Council (2 seats)
Sam Avrett, D, RH 125
Kate Sykes Bowers, D, RH 149
*Brian Brustman, R, C 298
Louis J Milucky, R 264
Highway superintendent
*Joe Niero, D 200
John Hubert, R 230
Tax collector
*Loreen Gebelein, D 300
HIGHLAND
Supervisor
*Andrew Boyar, D, C 400
Town clerk/tax collector
*Doreen Hanson, D, C 436
Town justice
*Kathryn Sweeney, D, C, I 418
Councilman (2 seats)
Donald Haas, D, R, C, I 424
*Scott Hallock, D, R, C, I 430
Highway superintendent
*Thomas Ebers, D, C 415
LIBERTY
Town justice
*Harold Bauman, D, I 1164
John Lennon Jr, R, C 673
Councilman (2 seats)
*Chris Austin, R, I 710
Constantine Chanov, D, WOR 812
Brian McPhillips, D, C 989
Russell Reeves, R, C, I 1003
Highway superintendent
*Timothy Pellam, D, R, C, I 1486
LUMBERLAND
Supervisor
*Nadia Rajsz, D, C, I 375
Ron Thiele, R 200
Town clerk
*Virginia Horn, D, R 510
Town justice
*Charles Fallon, D, R 493
Council (2 seats)
*James Akt, D, R, C 452
Jenny Mellan, R 354
Martha Tully, D, C 227
Highway superintendent
*Donald Hunt Jr., R, I 516
MAMAKATING
Supervisor
*Harold Baird, C, I 451
William Herrmann, D, RH 1556
John Moul, R, MC 727
Town justice
Cynthia Dolan, D, RH 1546
*Marcelle Matthews, R, C, I, WOR 1292
Council (2 seats)
Brenda Giraldi, D, RH 1407
Michael Robbins, R, C 970
*Regina Saunders, R, C, I 941
Matt Taylor, D, RH 1711
Highway superintendent
*Riley Buddy Platt, D, RH 1879
Vincent Lamendola, R, C, I 935
NEVERSINK
Supervisor
*Mark McCarthy, D, C 628
Don Starner, R, I 552
Town clerk/tax collector
*Lisa Garigliano, D, R, C, I 1022
Town justice
Mary Grace Conneely, D, I 437
*Brian Edwards, R, C 689
Council (2 seats)
*Richard Coombe Jr., R, I, C 768
Michael Mullen, R, C, I 814
Donna Schick, D 430
Council (vacancy)
Jesse Noren, R, I 889
Highway superintendent
*Preston Kelly, D, R 1052
ROCKLAND
Supervisor
*Edward Weitmann, D, C 727
Town clerk/tax collector
*Judy Newman, D 697
I
*Peter Feinberg, D, C 736
Councilman (2 seats)
Edwin Edwards, D 515
*Robert Eggleton, D 503
Charles Irace Jr., R 422
Highway superintendent
*Theodore Hartling, D, R, C 797
THOMPSON
Supervisor
Ramon Cedeira, R, TU 1134
Gerald Fielding, I 424
William Rieber Jr. D,C 1524
Town clerk
*Marilee Calhoun, D, R, C, I 2546
Town justice
Sharon Jankiewicz, R, C 1258
*Martin Miller, D, I 1739
Council (2 seats)
Michael Croissant, R, I 773
John Pavese, D, NB 1677
Jay Rubin, R, C 1254
*Richard Sush, D, C, I 1685
Highway superintendent
*Richard Benjamin Jr., R, C, I 2121
TUSTEN
Supervisor
Bernard Lohmann, D, C 200
Carol Ropke Wingert, R, I, RH 278
Town clerk/tax collector
Nicole Peters, D 307
Debra Wasylyk, R, C 150
Town justice (2 seats)
David Casey, R 214
Charles Hoffman, C 83
*Thomas Nuttycombe, D, R, C, I, RH 411
*Carmine Rufrano, D, I, RH 204
Council (2 seats)
*Edward Ned Lang, R, C 247
Jane Luchsinger, D 249
Richard Pierce, R 184
Andrea Reynosa, D, I, RH 205
Highway superintendent
Lewis Meckle III, C 55
*Glenn Swendsen, R, RH 409
VILLAGE OF WOODRIDGE
Trustee (2 seats)
*Leni Binder, PC 109
*Louis Saperstein, U 85
Isaac Yits Kantrowitz, PC 90
C: Conservative
CD: Citizens for Deerpark
CF: Cornwall First
CG: Clean Government
CG: Common Ground
CS: Clean Sweep
D: Democratic
F: Freedom
FF: Forestburgh First
FL: Fat Lady
FO: Free Olive
FP: Fresh Perspective
G: Green
HE: Had Enough
HF: Hardenburgh First
I: Independence
J: Justice
KL: Kingston Lighthouse
LJ: Local Justice
LL: Living Liberty
MC: Mamakating Coach
NB: New Beginning
NU: Neighbors United
OG: Open Government
PC: People’s Choice
PG: People for Gardiner
R: Republican
RH: Rural Heritage
SF: Saugerties First and Foremost
SF: Straight Forward
SU: Saugerties United
T: Taxpayer
TT: Tuxedo Today
TU: Thumbs Up
U: Ultra
UM: United Monroe
V: Veterans
VL: Village Lifestyle
WF: Working Families
WOR: Working
http://webapps.co.sullivan.ny.us/electionreportingv2/default.aspx?eID=12
Bill Liblick has made a name for himself on National TV Talk Shows where he spouted his outspoken views from the front row. Now he offers you his opinion every week in the “MOUTH THAT ROARS” Column in THE SULLIVAN COUNTY POST.