Former county executive running for town supervisor
Former Orange County Executive Edward Diana, who left politics less than four years ago due to illness, is returning to the public eye: He’s been nominated to run for town of Wallkill supervisor in November.
Diana has yet to make a formal announcement, but town Republican Committee Chairwoman Nanci Itzla said the party has backed him.
“We feel he has the skills and the leadership abilities to continue to lead the town of Wallkill forward in the progressive nature that Supervisor Dan Depew has been leading the town in over the last five years,” Itzla said.
Depew is leaving the supervisor’s job later this month to become Sullivan County’s first deputy county manager.
Diana received a liver transplant on Nov. 2, 2013, due to non-alcohol fatty liver disease. He returned to work less than a month later, but he already had announced he would not seek re-election. He was succeeded by fellow Republican Steven Neuhaus.
Diana served on the Wallkill Town Board early in his political career. He later served as an Orange County legislator before becoming county executive.
Under Neuhaus, Diana has been serving as an appointed member of the Orange County Industrial Development Agency.
There currently is no Democratic candidate for Wallkill supervisor, but Orange County Legislator Michael Paduch is said to be considering a run.