Hartwick Town Council Candidates: In Their Words

With the General Election fast upon us, and early voting set to begin on Saturday, October 25, AllOtsego continues its pre-election coverage with questions and answers to the four candidates competing for two Town of Hartwick Town Council seats being vacated by Chris Briggs and Bruce Markusen. Below, in alphabetical order, are the questions and corresponding responses from JoAnn Gardner (REP, HUN), Kimberly Henderson (CON), Caren G. Kelsey (HUN), and Sarah McGuire (CSE).

1. Please describe your previous work in the community and how these experiences qualify you for a position on the town council.

GARDNER: Being a member of the Town Board requires fiscal responsibility, a willingness to work together and respecting the concerns of all residents. Prior to having children, I was a location scout/production manager in the film and television industry. This job requires teamwork, problem solving and the ability to work closely with all stakeholders, while also staying within a set budget. It demands clear communication between departments and the willingness to put the final project ahead of ego. When the assistant director yells, “Action,” everyone on that set has a sole purpose—get the shot! This kind of collaboration is crucial for a town board to be successful. When I moved to Otsego County and began working in the public school system, I brought with me that love of collaboration. I volunteered on the committee that created a school garden at the Laurens Central School. I worked with students at both LCS and Cooperstown Central School to create an award-winning dis-tracted driving PSA for NYCM and an award-winning documentary. I also serve on the steering committee for the Glimmerglass Film Days. Most recently I have joined both the Hartwick Conservation Committee and the Youth Advisory Committee, where we have been working with current town board members on a plan to fix up our town playground and offer community events throughout the summer. I continue to hone my negotiating and problem-solving skills as co-president of the UCCS Service Unit.

HENDERSON: I’ve held numerous positions in fields of work which required high “customer satisfaction” results. Work which required me to be organized and which has allowed me to grow my listening and communication skills. I believe one of our biggest assets as a person is the ability to adapt. If not for the better then what for? My work now is finance. Not just running numbers, but helping our community members with household budgets, with loan payments, planning for their futures, and offering advice along the way. I grew up in Hartwick, and I intend to retire here. My goal is to allow our children to feel the same secure feeling within the community to hopefully return home after college endeavors to grow the community and enrich it even more.

KELSEY: I lived in Hartwick most of my life. I have been a member of the Hartwick Fire Department and EMS for 48 years. During this time I have served in every officer position. I understand the ins and outs of running these departments and have written budgets and grants for both departments, including a recent grant for a heart monitor that is currently in our town ambulance. I have worked closely with town government to ensure that the people of Hartwick are safe and that their first responders have all necessary resources to respond to any emergency. I worked in Career Pathways and the Health Occupation class at OAOC BOCES for 37 years. Students who graduated from Health Occupations graduated with five licenses allowing them to find well-paying jobs in the community right out of high school. My many years of service and vast knowledge of how different departments function within the town government have prepared me well to step into the role of council member on the Hartwick Town Board.

McGUIRE: My career began in local government approximately 20 years ago at the Village of Milford, where I served for five years as village clerk/treasurer (chief financial officer). Simultaneously, I finished my associate’s degree gaining my paralegal and later my bachelor’s degree with a concentration in finance. Around 2006, I accepted the position of asset manager at the Baseball Hall of Fame, enhancing my experience with not-for-profit accounting. In 2010, I returned to local government as the Hartwick town clerk/collector. I proudly served the people of Hartwick for approximately eight years. I possess years of experience, a strong understanding and deep respect for local government, its many facets, roles, and responsibilities and, more specifically, governmental accounting/budgeting.