Candidates Night Tonight in Congers

BY ROBERT KNIGHT

The Congers and Valley Cottage Civic Associations will hold their semi-annual “Candidates Night” tonight (Thursday, Sept. 14) at 7:30 p.m. at the Congers Veterans Memorial Association (VMA) building on Lake Road in downtown Congers, next door to the firehouse.

All candidates running in Clarkstown for town and county offices have been invited to participate and most have already accepted according to Congers Civic Association president and event organizer Gerry O’Rourke.

The event is free and open to the general public, and refreshments will also be served.

Leading the candidates for this November’s ballot are incumbent Republican Rockland County Executive Ed Day and his challenger, Maureen Porette, endorsed by the Democratic Party although still technically a Republican through the end of the calendar year. Also scheduled to appear as county candidates are county judgeship challengers Keith Cornell, Alden Wolfe and Michael Koplen, and incumbent Democratic County Clerk Paul Piperato, who is running unopposed.

On the town level, incumbent Republican Supervisor George Hoehmann and Democratic challenger Michael Sullivan are leading the tickets for the two major parties. For the council seat representing the new Ward 2, an area comprised of Congers and Valley Cottage, the two candidates are Daniel Caprara and Peter Bradley.

The town clerk contests sees a face-off between incumbent Democrat Justin Sweet and GOP challenger Moria Balesca, both of whom are expected to be on hand. Candidates for two openings at the town justice level are Scott Ugell, Aimee Pollack and Craig Johns, while incumbent Town Highway Superintendent Frank Dienzo is running unopposed.

The Congers Civic Association also runs the Congers local history museum on the second floor of the restored Congers Railroad Station at the downtown Lake Road crossing. The museum is normally open one day a month, with visiting scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 24, 12 noon – 4 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 22 and Saturday, Nov. 18, both from 1-4 p.m.

Admission is free and knowledgeable hosts and hostesses are on duty to answer questions about the hamlet’s history.

  Clarkstown, Congers and Valley Cottage Civic Associations, Congers Veterans Memorial Association, rockland Candidates Night