Re-election bid announcement stuns board
At town board meeting, Desso rallies base, says he’ll run for third term
Supervisor Lou Desso turned Thursday’s monthly Town Board meeting into a political rally to announce he’s running for a third term next year, stunning the three other board members who said they had never seen anything like it.
In the wake of a Times Union investigation, State Police investigators are examining Desso for potential ethical lapses connected to matters such as a sewer extension to his property on Stephen Drive, according to people familiar with the probe.
Desso, a Republican, has insisted he did nothing wrong and claims he and his family are victims of political attacks by town Democrats.
“I welcome personally an investigation by anyone who is looking for the truth, not to make political attacks,” Desso said Thursday night. “I’m running again this year because there are still more accomplishments that are needed for this town and its residents.”
He said he was announcing his intentions “earlier than usual to let all know that I remain committed and focused on my role as town supervisor to deliver the best services possible for our town.”
Rensselaer County Executive Steve Mclaughlin condemned Desso on Twitter: “Using a town board meeting as a campaign event to announce re-election and stacking the audience to build up a fragile ego is not only shamelessly unethical, it’s weak,” he wrote.
Mclaughlin and Desso have been at odds since last year’s Republican primary, when Desso backed former Deputy County Executive Chris Meyer in his unsuccessful bid to take the top job.
During the meeting, Desso and building inspector Michael Minor tried to blame the town’s failure to notify the county about sewer hookups on county officials, charging its departments had failed to talk to each other.
The county sewer district staff has identified unreported hookups, including the Shoprite store on Route 4. Minor said the county was informed in 2011
about the property being on the tax rolls. The grocery store wasn’t built and opened until 2017.
Mclaughlin tweeted that Desso blaming the county for the town’s failure to report sewer connections “is what passes for logic in ‘Lets (sic) Make a Deal De$$0’ land.”
The members of the Town Board — which is dominated by Republicans — sat stonefaced through Desso’s announcement. Board meetings are often lightly attended, but at least 65 people turned out for Thursday’s session, many of them Desso supporters.
“I don’t think this is an appropriate place for him to be announcing his candidacy,” said Councilwoman Mary Frances Sabo, a Democrat.
“I was surprised, very surprised that he would do this,” said Councilman Joseph Bott, a Republican who had considered running next year for supervisor. “Lou is Lou. He’s not going to change.”
“I’ve never seen this,” said Councilwoman Kelly Hoffman, a Conservative. “I’m going to talk to him about it.”