Republican Ken Hotopp will challenge incumbent Democrat Tom Murray for the Cobleskill supervisor's spot this fall.
This is a race between two longtime Cobleskill officeholders, but it's also something of a rematch from 20 years ago, when Mr. Hotopp, a newcomer, ousted Mr. Murray from an incumbent councilman's seat in a four-way campaign in 1991.
What was probably a central issue 20 years ago--bringing jobs to Schoharie County--is certainly the main issue today.
Mr. Murray, 58, spent much of his first two-year term as supervisor trying to extend Cobleskill's water and sewer lines from the village boundary to Howe Caverns.
The funding's not in place for the project, which Mr. Murray sees as essential for developing the Route 7 corridor and boosting the economy.
"I'm seeking re-election because the job's not done," he said Monday. "We need those water and sewer lines for jobs for this county.
"This is my life's mission."
Mr. Hotopp, who's served as a councilman since his first election win in '91, agreed with Mr. Murray.
"We need to see those lines done as soon as possible," Mr. Hotopp said. "We can't wait any longer."
He'd also push for more aggressive marketing of the vacant Guilford Mills plant.
"We've got to work with everything we've got," he said. "If it's Guilford, fine. If it's tourism, fine.
"Somehow, we've got to get out of the doldrums we're in."
Along similar lines, Mr. Murray said he'd push for a full-time or a full-time and part-time position in the county Planning and Development Agency. The position--or positions--should be devoted to economic development, he said.
Pointing again to the need for jobs, Mr. Murray argued that Planning Director Alicia Terry, also being part-time county budget officer and in charge of county tourism.
Mr. Murray weathered the "n-word" controversy, during which village Mayor Mark Nadeau resigned.
Since then, Mr. Murray feels he's worked closely and well with Mayor Mark Galasso and with other supervisors on the heavily-Republican Board of Supervisors.
"We're working closely with the mayor instead of against him," Mr. Murray said, referring to edgy town-village relations when he was a town councilman in the 1980s.
"And we're working with Republicans at the county level. We're getting along well."
Without criticizing Mr. Murray, Mr. Hotopp, 77, said that Cobleskill "needs a different person leading on the town and county level.
"I'm not a micro-manager. Give a person the tools and let him do the job. I like to listen to people. That's my style."

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Besides their two front-line candidates, both parties firmed up the rest of their Cobleskill slates.
Republicans Linda Angell and Alan Rubin are running for councilman, and Sheila Hay-Gillespie, the current village clerk, is seeking the town clerk position. Dick Hamm is running for justice.
Democrats Ron Williams and Scott Kelley are running for councilman, and incumbent Tina Shuart is seeking another term as town clerk. Democrats did not nominate a justice candidate.