Democrats Nominate
Board’s Incumbents
Mayor, 2 Trustees Seek Full Terms
COOPERSTOWN – By acclamation, the Democrats caucused a few minutes ago and nominated the three incumbents – Mayor Ellen Tillapaugh Kuch and Trustees Joe Membrino and MacGuire Benton — to run for reelection in the March 18 village elections.
“It’s not a given that productive government continues,” former mayor Jeff Katz said in nominating his successor for her second term. Patty MacLeish seconded the nomination.
Lynn Mebust chaired the caucus, with Ann Brown as secretary.
In her remarks, the mayor credited Katz with many of the projects she is moving forward, from the $8.6 million sewage-treatment plant reconstruction to the $5 million Doubleday Field renovations. The impetus continues with the Pioneer Park redo and “a lot of infrastructure projects,” she said.
Membrino, a lawyer whom the mayor appointed to serve out Lou Allstadt’s term, thanked the 40-some attendees for their confidence in him. He was nominated by Gene Berman, seconded by Keith Kraham.
Benton, the county’s Democratic deputy elections commissioner, who was elected in 2019 for a one-year term to fill a vacancy, called his first year in office “a huge education.” He was nominated by two of his board colleagues, Jeanne Dewey, seconded by Jim Dean.
The village Republicans are caucusing at 9 a.m. Saturday at 25 Chestnut St., the offices of Casale Associates.
