Glens Falls Chronicle Serving the Glens Falls/Lake George region; Warren, Washington and northern Saratoga counties since 1980
The Chronicle’s Ben Westcott reports: Political newcomer Kevin Stephenson, 40, is challenging incumbent Councilman Ed Donohue in the Glens Falls Ward One Democratic primary on June 24.
Mr. Donohue has not returned calls seeking comment, but The Chronicle has been told he is seeking re-election.
“After talking with friends and peers, it sounded like this was a good way to be able to help out the best I can, and do something more local, something that actually matters with people’s lives.”
Mr. Stephenson, a 2003 Warrensburg High School grad, said he was registered with the Green Party since shortly after graduating high school until he recently switched to the Democratic Party “to be able to get into local politics.”
He said he works at Hollingsworth & Vose R&D in Greenwich as a technician and previously spent 13 years at CD Bard/BD in Queensbury in manufacturing lead and technician roles.
“I think I’m really great at looking at data and stats, crunching it quickly and coming up with an answer that’s generally pretty accurate,” he said. “I think that my mind is just kind of built for understanding what to do when there’s a big picture with a lot of different spectrums.”
As to the direction Glens Falls is headed, Mr. Stephenson said, “We’ve got a lot of work on South Street, which is good overall, but then when you kind of hear of the water and sewer systems needing attention, things like that, it does make me question if we could have went for grant money to do more repairs on infrastructure that would relate more to safety, and less putting that money towards fun.
“I think the South Street renovations are fun, they look great, but could that money have been spent better elsewhere for infrastructure in something that’s kind of long-term and long-standing?”
Another issue in the city he brought up is “police accountability.”
“The transparency, the communication, the accountability — I think all of those things relate to a functioning and efficient society and community,” he said.
“The local issue with Michelle McFarren [the woman who died of fire-related injuries in a clothing donation bin March 5] and not really having the details on that is concerning,” he said, adding “Michelle McFarren and the news around that is really disappointing, and I’m hoping that we can work to do better on that.”
On other issues, he said, “Sidewalks, snow clearing and sewers are just a large topic for Glens Falls in general.”
For Ward 1 in particular, he said “East Field could really utilize some renovations and some upkeep…The pond used to be maintained much nicer, it seems, in the past, and was even originally designed as a swimming hole, which I don’t even know if it has been a swimming hole in a long time.”
“That East Field area originally had some really great plans that have since kind of fallen through,” he added. “I’d really love to get in there and see what’s possible with grants and renovations to really make that into the park that it once was, because I know it was at one time a really popular and large park for sports venues and everything.”
He also cited constituent concern “when it comes to trucks going in and out, noise complaints, potential hazards in the street from those trucks going back and forth” at R. Cohen Recycling and Ames Goldsmith Corporation.
“I think balancing residential with industry needs as a whole is the overall point,” Mr. Stephenson said.
Asked his view of the race for mayor, Mr. Stephenson said he supports Ward 3 Councilwoman Diana Palmer over incumbent Mayor Bill Collins.
“I feel like I would work really well with Diana, and I think that she would be a really good peer for me to bounce my ideas off of,” he said. “I fall pretty left on the spectrum — Diana falls more center than I do. But I still feel that we would be able to work really well together.”
He added, “I love to be proven wrong when there’s data and facts behind it, and I think Diana will have no problem being able to do that.”
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