Mark Galasso is Cobleskill’s next mayor.
And as much as he’s thrilled with the win, he’s equally impressed with the voter turnout it represents.
Mr. Galasso, deputy mayor under the tumultuous Mark Nadeau administration, defeated A.I. Sandy Mackay, 534-424, to win the top job.
Trustee Howard Burt kept his own seat, defeating challenger and first-time candidate Dawn Fiorillo, 491-448.
“I’m both surprised and happy to hear the number of voters who turned out,” Mr. Galasso said. “It means the people were engaged.”
All results are unofficial; fewer than a dozen write-in votes were yet to be counted
Mr. Mackay, who loses his trustee’s seat on the village board, said he’ll continue to be an active member of the Cobleskill community.
“The voters have spoken,” he said. “If I failed to convey my message, I’m sorry.”
Ms. Fiorillo, already a member of the Planning Board, said she, too, will continue to stay involved in community issues.
“Guy Burt will continue to serve our community well,” she said. “I look forward to working with him on numerous issues.”
Mr. Galasso has already said he’ll appoint Mark McDermott to fill his unexpired trustee’s seat on the board.
The two men ran as polar opposites with Mr. Galasso an advocate for dissolution and Mr. Mackay arguing there were other, better alternatives.
Mr. Galasso praised the tone of the race.
“Sandy and I stuck to our plan, stuck to the issues,” he said. “There were no negative comments and that speaks very well of our community. It was honest and civil and that reflects our community. Given the events of the past year, it could have been much more ugly.”
This year’s mayor’s race saw a dramatic increase in the number of people voting: 958 as compare to 657 last year, when Mr. Nadeau defeated Mr. Mackay for the post.
During his campaign, Mr. Galasso said he wants to see consolidation and sharing of services not only between the village and the town, but between Cobleskill and neighboring communities.
He also said he’d abolish the village court, allowing all related revenues to go to the town, said it’s time to look at creating a police district, and said he wants to see salaries abolished for the mayor and trustees.