William J. Kemble reports in the Daily Freeman that there are four first-time candidates competing for two seats on the Saugerties Town Board this fall. Democrats Kevin Freeman and Kayleigh Zaloga, and Republicans also on the Conservative line Mary “Peg” Nau and Zachery Horton are running for four-year terms on the board. This may be the first election for Nau but she was appointed to a vacancy on the board in 2020 and is running for a full term. Board member John Schoonmaker is not seeking re-election. Freeman, 62, is a baker with the Hudson Valley Dessert Co., who has lived in Saugerties for seven years. “I think that housing is the number one issue,” he said. “It’s not a one-size-fits-all solution. On the table would be regulation of short-term rentals and looking at zoning to maybe increase density for availability of accessory dwellings.” Horton, 28, is a public safety representative for the state Division of Homeland Security and a lifelong resident of Saugerties. “I would like to play a role in making sure that [Saugerties-based] Diaz Ambulance receives the funding that they need,” Horton said. “It seems that with the increase in our population, our emergency services are really going to need to make sure that their equipment is up to date and that they are properly staffed. Nau, 75, is a also a lifelong Saugerties resident and previously served as town tax collector. “I do see a need to have a property maintenance law,” she said. “I was not happy with the first draft. … It was too detailed, it was too strict, it just wasn’t a good mix for rural and residential.” Zaloga, 31, is a legislative aide for state Assemblyman Richard Gottfried of Manhattan and has lived in Saugerties for five years. Zaloga said her priority is revising the town’s land-use regulations so that “businesses will hire locals for living-wage jobs and will produce goods or services that will serve our community.” Running unopposed for new terms in Saugerties are town Supervisor Fred Costello (two years), Town Clerk Lisa Stanley (four years), Receiver of Taxes Julie Dunn (four years) and Highway Superintendent Raymond Mayone (two years). Read more about this story in the Daily Freeman.