Town adopts new ward system for elections

Six years after voters in a referendum overwhelmingly approved it, the town of Chester finally adopted a new ward system of voting for local council seats at its April 24 board meeting. Going forward, each of the four town council seats will represent and be voted on by separate wards representing approximately one quarter of the town’s population instead of the entire town voting on each of the four seats.

The town’s voting system will undergo other changes as a result of the new ward system and because state government has adopted even-year voting as the new law of the land. Due to the ward system being enacted, by state law, the town automatically reverts to two-year terms for councilmembers. Supervisor Brandon Holdridge said the town board will introduce a local law this year to return to four-year terms, which will have to be voted on by the public in November.

Also to be voted on by the public this November is whether or not to stagger the terms of the four council seats. Holdridge strongly supports staggering the council seat terms, because otherwise a scenario in which four new councilmen are elected at once is possible, which he believes would cause a chaotic situation.

In 2025, councilmembers Robert Courtenay and Antonio Ardisana will be up for reelection. Because of the even-year voting system to take effect in 2026, the election will be for one-year terms. Then in 2026 all four council seats will be up for election. If Holdridge has his druthers, and he said he would be campaigning aggressively for a staggered system, two of the four seats will be two-year terms and two will be four-year terms. After that the terms will revert to four years, if the public votes yay this November.

Holdridge’s supervisor seat is still scheduled for a 2027 contest, but that term will only be for three years due to the even-year voting law.

The vote

Two ward district maps were created to choose from with four of the five town board members voting for “Option 1.” Councilmember Tom Becker preferred the second option and so the vote on approving the ward system was 4-0-1 with Becker abstaining.

“We are just doing our jobs,” Holdridge said, noting the ward system had been voted into law with 3,292 yay votes to 1,040 nay votes in 2018. He said if the public does not like the system, voters are free to introduce a new referendum to repeal the law. The borders of the wards can be altered after the 2030 census.

Former Supervisor Robert Valentine sent the town board a comment over YouTube, complaining that the map was gerrymandered to the detriment of Republicans. Holdridge said the map is the same as the one proposed during Valentine’s tenure and the Orange County Planning Board, which was charged with creating the map, did not take political affiliation into account in its work.

Each ward will have two voting districts in it.

New lawsuit

The town of Chester is facing a new lawsuit from local businessman Paul Canevari, Supervisor Holdridge announced at the April 24 meeting.

Canevari is not only suing the town, but also Holdridge, the town board, and building inspector John Hand. The town board voted to cover the legal expenses of Holdridge and Hand, as per town policy on lawsuits resulting from official actions.

Canevari, who is represented by Rockland County attorney Dennis Lynch, claims Holdridge had targeted his agricultural business at 3549 Route 94 for political reasons, resulting in a stop work order being issued by the town engineer, Lanc & Tully.

The lawsuit was officially filed with the Supreme Court of New York State on April 9.

Holdridge told The Chronicle he could not comment on the claims made in the lawsuit.

Other business

The town will be holding a tire collection effort at the Highway Department from May 6 to May 17. Large trucks are not invited to take part.

Holdridge announced a $25 wing night at the Trout Brook Engine and Hose Company taking place June 8, from 5 to 10 p.m.

It was announced that the town summer camp had a paltry sign-up with only a few days left until admission is closed. So far only 14 families had signed up for the summer camp with more submissions inquiring for counselor positions than actual clients seeking to attend the camp.

Holdridge announced the town will be considering adding longer sidewalks, new crosswalks, and speed bumps to the downtown area of Sugar Loaf. Local resident and commercial property owner Ed Mullins commented via YouTube that in his opinion, speed bumps cause rear-end accidents and he did not support this measure.

Holdridge addressed an allegation by Jay Westerveld that he pressured the Chester Public Library to cancel his Earth Day talk on biodiversity at the library. He read a comment from the head of the library denying the allegation and stating that she had not talked to the town board since January other than to ask for them to approve two new trustees.

The town is working on co-hosting a clothing drive to help families impacted by the fire at Whispering Hills housing development, Holdridge said.

John Hand has officially been promoted to building inspector. Supervisor Holdridge was voted the town’s new fair housing officer, a position previously held by Supervisor Valentine.

Two projects seeking an exemption to the building moratorium were told their cases would be reviewed by town officials and revisited at the next meeting.

Editor’s note: The article was updated to note that it was the town’s engineering firm, Lanc&Tully, that issued the stop work order for 3549 Route 94, not the building inspector at the time, John Hand.