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Nelson and Ooms face off in Kinderhook supervisor race

Oct 31, 2021 5:30 am

Emilia Teasdale is reporting for The Columbia Paper on the race for Kinderhook Town Supervisor between Democrat Matthew Nelson and Republican Timothy Ooms. Current town Supervisor Patsy Leader is not seeking reelection. Nelson, 42, was elected to the Ichabod Crane Board of Education in 2016 and has served as its president since 2018. He is employed as a commercial mortgage lender. In addition to this school board service, Nelson noted that his contributions to the community include service on the town’s Board of Assessment Review, his role as an active volunteer with the Columbia Friends of the Electric Trail and as an active parishioner at St. John the Baptist Church. He “has dedicated his life to public service and feels strongly about the important role that citizens play in making their communities stronger and better." Nelson is also a regional representative to the Capital Region’s Regional Economic Development Council and a longtime board member of the state Rural Housing Coalition. Nelson wants to preserve the character and feel of the town. He understands that positive growth and development will ensure a strong and stable community for all residents. He is running on both the Democratic and Kinderhook United ballot lines. Ooms, 54, has served on the town board since 2012, and as deputy supervisor since 2020. Ooms is endorsed by both the Republican and Conservative parties. He is a dairy farmer and partner in A. Ooms and Sons Dairy in Valatie. “It has been a pleasure serving on the town board for the past 10 years, and the past two years as deputy supervisor. ... As a dairy farmer and business owner, my tenure on the town board, deputy supervisor, and the chairmanship of numerous other committees, I have the experience necessary for the position. Having served on the board, I am most proud of being part of the team that has lowered taxes without cutting any services to the town," he said in a statement. "We have also acquired Martin H. Glynn and repurposed it into spacious community center, ..." Ooms said the board is currently working on updating the town's failing water infrastructure and improving its website for better communication. In addition to the race for supervisor, there are two town board seats on the ballot: incumbent Debbie Johnson and Sean Casey, currently a member of the Valatie Village Board, are running on the Republican and Conservative lines; Jill Mescia and Melissa Miller are running on the Democratic and Kinderhook United lines. Also on the ballot is unopposed incumbent Town Justice Lisa M. Mills, running on the Republican and Conservative lines. And current town Highway Superintendent John Ruchel, running on the Democratic and Republican lines, is also unopposed. Kinderhook voters will also be asked to vote on a library funding proposal Read the full story in The Columbia Paper.

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