In the most contentious race ever in the history of the Village of Cobleskill, Bob LaPietra has won one of two trustee seats with Linda Holmes taking the other.
Defeated for re-election was longtime Trustee Carol McGuire.
Ms. Holmes led the polling with 545 unofficial votes.
Mr. LaPietra had 396 votes, and Ms. McGuire, who was running for her own seat, 295.
Former Mayor Bill Gilmore, who successfully won re-election to a one-year term last November, did not run again for health reasons and Election Night reports said he may have suffered a stroke during surgery.
It was Mr. LaPietra who was the spoiler in a three-way race for mayor four years ago, when Mike Sellers got the job.
This time around, Mr. LaPietra’s nominating petitions drew a challenge from Ms. McGuire who questioned, among other points, his residency.
That challenge was tossed by the Board of Elections on technical grounds, but Mr. LaPietra was subsequently charged with—and indicted on--30 counts of first-degree perjury and filing a false instrument in connection with his petition.
The case is still pending, but for right now, Mr. LaPietra is celebrating.
“It’s been a success for the people of Cobleskill,” he said. “Now, it’s time to turn things around and get them moving in the right direction.
“We need to start living within our means and stop spending like drunken sailors…It’s time for me to be the peacemaker.”
It’s not clear what will happen should Mr. LaPietra be convicted as charged—he could face a likely maximum of two and two-thirds to eight years in prison, according to District Attorney Jim Sacket—but he feels the fact that he’s been elected is something in his favor.
“I’m certainly going to fight [the charges}. But now that the people have selected me, now that I’m the chosen one…”
Ms. Holmes was the only one of the three candidates waiting for results at the Cobleskill Fire House Tuesday.
“I’m pleased the people have chosen me,” she said.
“My goal now is to represent them and I’m looking forward to working with the rest of the board.”
Ms. Holmes is a longtime community volunteer; her husband, Floyd, was a village trustee for many years.

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In other unofficial Election Night results, John McCain outpolled Barack Obama for president, 7,520-5,460. Schoharie County voters also chose Paul Tonko over James Buhrmaster for Congress, and returned Jim Seward to State Senate over challenger Jim Barber.
The rest of the local results are in inside.