Fallsburg just finished a bellwether election

Dear Friends and Neighbors

Nathan Steingart won the position of Town Supervisor with 1,500 votes. The challenger Brett Budde potentially received 622. Michael Bensimon (1,054 votes) and Miranda Behan (1,174 votes) won the two open Town Board seats. Challenger Amy Barkley-Cary earned 813 votes. The Fallsburg for Everybody (FFE) slate potentially received 1,012 write-in votes.
 
It is important to note how the write-in votes played out. If the 1,012 write-in votes were evenly split between the two write-in candidates, Josh Druckman and Dara Manzi (506 votes each), neither would have surpassed Bensimon’s total, and therefore neither could have won the second council seat. Even if all 1,012 write-in votes went to a single candidate, they still would have fallen just short of Bensimon’s 1,054 votes. Moreover, many absentee/mail-in ballots were likely submitted before Josh and Dara officially entered the race. Those ballots would not have included their names, meaning they would not count toward either candidate, further reducing their potential to overtake the top vote-getters.

The Sullivan County Board will not certify the election results until all write-in votes are counted.
(Election Results | https://app.enhancedvoting.com/results/public/sullivan-county-ny/elections/GE25

How do we read the results of this election?
It is clear that a substantial percentage of Fallsburg residents want a change in town policies. Both Amy and FFE advocated for responsible, sustainable development; protection of agricultural land and our aquifer; and real enforcement of the town’s zoning codes.
 
So, why did no change occur?
Amy, a ninth generation local farmer, declared her candidacy months ago, ran in the primaries, and earned her place on the ballot. FFE, well aware of Amy’s long-standing campaign and shared goals, chose to launch a last-minute write-in effort just 10 days before Election Day. One can applaud FFE’s energy and passion.  Their slate generated excitement, but in doing so, split the reform vote. If you combine Amy’s vote total with FFE’s, it is undeniable that Amy would be on the Town Board today.

It is clear that for real change to occur, everyone has to unite around the same goals. It is important to work together rather than compete. The existential threats that Fallsburg faces from overdevelopment trumps labels. Democrat, Republican, Working Families, Conservative, blue collar, white collar, hipster, scooper, Jewish and Christian are all divisive markers that separate us rather than unite us. All of us will suffer if our quality of life is compromised.

Fallsburg’s real divide is not religious versus secular, it is full-time residents versus out-of-town developers, concerned solely with the bottom line. A large number of our citizens, including religious families, desire responsible planning, code enforcement and infrastructure protection. Nathan, with 20 years of government experience, understands well these dynamics and issues. He has the desire and skills to maintain relationships with all groups. He will also have a solid Town Board majority to support his agenda. He will serve only one year before running again for a full two-year term.

Meanwhile, Fallsburg faces enormous challenges: antiquated water and sewer systems; overloaded infrastructure; the long-delayed Route 42 sewer plant upgrades; an understaffed and overwhelmed Code Enforcement department; no comprehensive aquifer study at the county or town level; and ongoing legal battles over rampant code violations. Addressing these problems will require increased funding, and almost certainly increased taxes. The next administration will have to walk a tightrope, balancing constituent needs and desires while preventing a “Bloomingburg-style” takeover.

And yet, this election also sent Nathan Steingart a very clear message. All those who did not vote for him are signaling that Fallsburg needs a supervisor who truly listens to all of us, especially as developers continue to strain the natural resources we depend on.

We wish Nathan well in the enormous tasks ahead. And we thank Amy Barkley-Cary and Fallsburg for Everybody for proving that hundreds of residents are tired of the status quo and want real change. 

Now that the election is over, Fallsburg Future will resume a monthly schedule calling attention to issues that are important to our residents and town.

Fallsburg's Future is a community network of concerned Fallsburg residents established in January 2016. Its Mission is to help guide the urban development of the town of Fallsburg and its five hamlets, to promote its sustainable economic development, protect the fragile beauty of its natural habitats and enhance the opportunities and quality of life for all its residents and visitors. We hope to curb the suburban sprawl that is threatening to overwhelm the town’s physical infrastructure and destroy the natural beauty that the area depends on for its future development. See us on Facebook and our website Fallsburgsfuture.com.