FACING THE FORUM
Patricelli, Fogarty speak to residents as the two Democrats set to square off in primary election
WATERVLIET, N.Y.» More than 50 city residents filled the Watervliet Senior Center to listen to two City Council candidates voice their opinions on various topics.
Current Councilman Charles Patricelli along with former Councilwoman Ellen Fogarty took part in a question-and-answer forum on Monday night hosted by the League of Women Voters of Albany County.
The two Democrats will face off in a primary election on Sept. 13. Patricelli is endorsed by the city’s Democratic committee and will also appear on the Conservative ballot, while Fogarty will also appear on the Independence line.
Due to past mistakes in the length of City Council members’ terms of office, Patricelli was informed earlier this year he would need to run in a special election this year instead of in 2020.
Patricelli ran for the open council seat after Fogarty decided to not seek re- election in 2016,
after serving on the council for 9 years. Fogarty said she decided not to seek reelection then after not being endorsed by the city’s Democratic Committee.
The City Charter states that elections to the threemember council must be done in odd- numbered years, with the mayor and one council member appearing on the same ballot and in the next election two years later the other council member is supposed to run.
According to the Albany County Board of Elections, Patricelli needs to run again this year for what would be a three- year term and then Councilman Frank McGrouty and Mayor Michael Manning need to run for their positions in 2019.
Patricelli and Fogarty each gave opening and closing statements during the forum, as well as answer 20 different questions that were asked on note cards by members of the audience.
“I have worked tirelessly during my time as councilman to correct a lot of the issues that were facing our city at that time,” said Patricelli in part of his opening statement. “There was little to no fiscal responsibility or oversight by the council at that time, they were lending out contracts under disguise of professional contracts with no bidding process.”
“[ We] need to create and return to an environment of teamwork within city administration and employees to strive to do what is best for all residents. Residents deserve to have a council of three people who can put aside personal interests and work for all residents, said Fogarty during part of her opening statement.
“A public servant needs to possess the ability to compromise for the best positive outcome and respect among our elected officials is something we should demand.”
The two candidates took questions related to the city’s financial situation, public safety, parks and recreation, the Delta Damproject alongwith employee retirement packages.
“I now feel as though this is the perfect time for me, there is a lot that I want to do, there is a lot that I think needs to be done, some things that need to be improved on and corrected since I left and I firmly believe that I’m the person that needs to step into this spot and do that,” said Fogarty during part of her closing statement.
“If the definition of teamwork now is to be able to say that ‘ you are now the second worst distressed city in the state’, then that’s not the team that I really want to be on,” said Patricelli to start off his closing statement. “No one person should have the power to make all of the decisions and everyone decides yes just to show harmony, this is not the way it works, if I disagree I must state my reasons why.”