Professor, incumbent face of in Ward 2 race
The Common Council’s Second Ward Democratic primary race features a professor against a lawmaker.
This is one of a series of stories about the candidates in Kingston’s upcoming political primaries.
KINGSTON >> The Common Council’s Second Ward Democratic primary race features a professor with no political experience against a veteran lawmaker.
Douglas Koop, 74, a political newcomer, will face incumbent Alderman Brian Seche, 57, in the Sept. 10 primary to earn the Democratic line in November’s general election.
There will also be a write-in “opportunity to ballot” for the Green Party line during the primary election.
There is no Republican candidate in the race.
Douglas Koop
Koop has lived in Kingston for 21 years. Before that, he lived in Woodstock for five years.
His wife is Constance E. Rudd. Koop has four children.
Koop is an adjunct lecturer in SUNY New Paltz’s Physics and Astronomy Department. He is a graduate of Middletown High School and has earned a degree from Lehigh University in metallurgy and materials science. He also holds a degree from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in physics.
The would-be alderman has the endorsement of the city’s Democratic Committee and the Working Families Party.
Koop has held a number of positions in the business including general manager of Ferroxcube in Saugerties; president and chief executive officer of Hudson Valley Technology Development Center Inc.; chief operating officer of YBM Magnetics Corp. in Budapest, Hungary; president of Sun-Wize Solar in Kingston; and president of Crucible Magnetics in Elizabethtown, Kentucky, among others.
Koop said that he is “able to quickly understand and solve difficult and unfamiliar problems.”
He says he is running for office because “it’s an opportunity for me to utilize my experience to work with other progressive candidates to effect improvements in the quality of life (Uptown parking, traffic, living wage economic development, arts) in Kingston,” Koop said. “Most voters have no idea who their alderman is. I want to change that.”
Brian Seche
Seche, who has lived in Kingston for 39 years, works as a tax preparer for H&R Block. He lives at 146 N. Manor Ave. He is married and has five children.
Seche is seeking his second, consecutive term but has served on the Common Council in the past. He has attended the College of White Plains, SUNY Potsdam, Santa Monica College and UCLA. Seche, who is a graduate of John A. Coleman High School, has worked in the investment field for 30 years.
Seche said that there is one matter of utmost importance in city government.
“The budget is always the most important issue for aldermen, as a way to prioritize goals and objectives,” Seche said. “With a 0.73 cap in 2016 (a change from the 2 percent the last couple of years), managing contracted salary increases along with any needed capital improvements will be a challenge.”
Seche said some bonding payments will come due and there be some savings, particularly in electrical costs with the installation of new streetlights.
“I would like to reorganize the labor force by having DPW form a building maintenance crew, to keep continuous upkeep on city properties and hopefully cut down on bonding for repairs such as the Midtown center,” Seche said. “Keeping the properties up would also allow City residents to utilize these resources more often and more safely.”
Seche said he would also push to move personnel from the Parks and Recreation to the Department of Public Works.
“Being able to work on parks during the summer and having more people available during winter storms, all directed from one source, seems logical,” Seche said. “Parks Department could then focus on running the programs which they do very well.”