MEET THE CANDIDATES!

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1 MEET THE CANDIDATES! City of Saratoga Springs Meg Kelly, Mayor Currently serving as the City s Deputy Mayor, Meg has demonstrated her ability to achieve progress on City priorities, such as The Greenbelt Trail, Open Space, Complete Streets, and the Recreation Master Plan. Prior to her current post, Meg was an LPGA golf professional, Founder/CEO of the Saratoga Children s Theatre and a small business owner. Francine Vero, City Court Judge The first woman ever to serve as Saratoga Springs City Judge, she presides over a variety of civil and criminal cases and the specialized Domestic Violence Compliance Court. Prior to becoming a judge, she was senior counsel with Harris Beach PLLC, one of the country s top law firms. Peter Martin, Commissioner Public Safety He has served two terms as County Supervisor and now seeks to become Commissioner of Public Safety. An attorney and a former Saratoga County Clerk, Peter has served on the boards many nonprofits both nationally (the Arthritis Foundation) and locally (Caffe Lena, Lakes to Locks Passage). John Franck, Commissioner of Accounts A Certified Public Accountant, John seeks a seventh term leading the Accounts Department, where he has earned awards for his recordsmanagement practices; beefed up the City s risk-management safeguards; and brought property-tax disputes (grievances) down to the lowest number in 15 years. 1

2 Michele Madigan, Commissioner of Finance She seeks her fourth term leading the city's Finance department. She has prepared annual City budgets with stable property taxes since 2013; refinanced City debt to save $2.3 million; and led the 2.5 megawatt Spa Solar Park project to provide up to 40% of the City s power. An experienced library professional, Michele holds a MLS degree in Library and Information Science Tara Gaston, County Supervisor An attorney and spouse of a veteran, Tara has focused on rights advocacy, military law, and security. She has served on the boards of several national non-profits, and works with the Capital District Women s Bar Association LGBT Committee, Emerge America, and various local organizations. Pat Friesen, County Supervisor A Leadership Saratoga program graduate with a MS degree in Guidance and Counseling, Pat has led local campaign efforts for Kirsten Gillibrand and the 2012 Campaign to Re-Elect President Obama. She has served on numerous boards and committees with leadership roles including SPAC, Saratoga Film Forum, Saratoga Arts Fest, Yaddo and Opera Saratoga. Town of Wilton Nancy Dwyer, Wilton Town Supervisor Nancy brings experience and commitment to mindful growth, respect for Wilton's history and a pledge to prudent fiscal management. She runs for office to increase transparency and collaboration which will create more opportunities to connect and communicate with the citizens of Wilton. Nancy is a graduate of Saratoga High School, earned an Economics degree from SUNY Albany and a Masters in Math Education. Her background in teaching, real estate, finance and small business ownership prepare her for the varied skills necessary to govern Wilton. 2

3 Eric Rosenberg, Wilton Town Justice Eric is running for Town Justice and wants to bring his legal expertise to Wilton and become further involved in his new community. Eric is a newer resident of Wilton and bought a home and settled in Wilton in the summer of Prior to his move to Wilton, Eric was a licensed attorney and member of the Florida Bar since He obtained his Juris Doctor, Magna Cum Laude from Nova Southeastern University, Shepard Broad College of Law in Fort Lauderdale in Today he owns and operates an antiques, collectibles and art business. Paula Tancredi Penman, Wilton Town Board Paula is running for Town Board and feels this is a way for her to contribute to our growing community. Paula has been consistently active and currently serves on the board of Shelters of Saratoga. Her son is entering the 5th grade at Dorothy Nolan Elementary school and Paula, always the involved Mom, coaches his basketball and Odyssey of the Mind teams. Paula has a degree from the Yale School of Management and has supported both Republican and Democratic candidates in the past. Ken Garcia, Wilton Town Board Ken has lived in Wilton for 25 years and has three children with the youngest in the South Glens Falls School District. Ken believes that town government should be transparent and he would like to see more involvement by the community. "It's important for citizens to attend town and planning board meetings to help shape the future of a successful and family-oriented Wilton." John Helenek, Highway Supervisor When John sees the transformation Wilton has undergone over the course of his life, and in his 28 years on the Highway Department, he recognizes that changes to the town will be even greater in the years ahead. His approach would be to meet the citizens of Wilton, talk to them about their needs and concerns and solve problems before they occur. Prior to the Highway Department, where he worked in multiple positions, John worked in local businesses and learned how to work with and enjoy Wilton's public. 3

4 Town of Malta Bill Breheny, Malta Town Supervisor A resident in the Town of Malta for 32 years, Breheny has been actively involved with a number of local organizations, including the Malta Town Park Planning Committee, the Ballston Spa Business and Professional Association, Ballston Spa Soccer Club, Ballston Spa Little League, and the Knights of Columbus. Breheny spent more than 25 years in the IT industry in national account sales and sales management. He now practices in the insurance and retirement planning industry, working with families throughout the Capital District. He holds a bachelor s degree in political science from SUNY Brockport Michelle Storm, Malta Town Justice Storm is a graduate of the University at Albany and received her Juris Doctorate degree from Albany Law School in 2012, where she was awarded the Isabelle Redman Prize. Storm has nearly 15 years of experience in the legal profession. She currently practices with the law firm of Conway & Kirby, in Delmar, N.Y. Storm is a member in good standing of the American Association for Justice, New York State Trial Lawyers Association, New York State Bar Association, Albany County Bar Association and Saratoga County Bar Association. Tracey O Rourke, Malta Town Board O Rourke and her family have lived in Malta since She has worked for the Ballston Spa school district transportation department for 21 years, with her duties including school-bus routing and new-student registration. She is a member of the Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA). Working for the school district has allowed Tracey to see the rapid growth in Matla s population, and she believes better planning when making Town decisions is essential. Cynthia Young, Malta Town Board Cythia Young and her husband Doug have lived in Malta for more than 30 years. She has long been active in town government and is now chairperson of the town s Board of Assessment Review. She has served on the town Zoning Board, the Youth Commission, the Malta Sunrise Rotary, and is a former trustee of the Brookside Museum. Young believes the business of the Town needs to be conducted in a more open environment, focused on what s right for all of the residents of Malta. 4

5 Town of Milton Mark Juda, Milton Town Justice Mark Juda is a 17 year resident of the Town of Milton. He is a former Assistant District Attorney and a practicing litigation attorney for over 23 years. Mark has the education and experience that is required to handle the volume and complexity of cases that are handled in Milton Town Court. Mark is a member of the New York State Bar and the United States District Court for the Northern District of New York. He was Rotarian of the Year and was awarded the 2013 Justice Award by the Schenectady County Human Rights Commission. Mark is looking forward to bringing his expertise to the Town of Milton Court system. Mark Juda is endorsed by the Town of Milton Democrats. Meg Stevens, Milton Town Board Meg Stevens is a 30 year resident and was named Citizen of the Year by the Ballston Spa Rotary in She has been an officer of multiple associations most recently as the volunteer administrator of the National Bottle Museum. Meg also has served on multiple town Committees from Family Fun Day to the Falling Leaves Festival. Meg currently serves on the Town of Milton Planning Board. Besides the Democratic endorsement, Meg Stevens is also endorsed by the Working Families Party and the Women s Equality Party. Sergia Coffey, Milton Town Board Sergia Coffey is a 19 year resident of the Town of Milton who as a cub scout leader spent many summers at Boyhaven. She has managed a small business and understands the challenges business owners face. Currently, Sergia chairs the Saratoga Health Committee and is a member of Saratoga Progressive Action. Sergia received a PHD from NYU and has taught college level economics courses for over twenty years. Besides the Democratic endorsement, Sergia Coffey is also endorsed by the Working Families Party and the Women s Equality party. 5

6 Town of Stillwater City of Mechanicville 6