Mantello will run At Large

Carmella Mantello is out of the race she was never officially in.

But, rather than run for mayor, the three-term councilwoman will take a shot at an At-Large seat on the Troy City Council.

If she did follow through and make a third attempt at mayor, something she has hinted at for months, she would have had to first primary the Republican nominee Jim Gordon, a Republican representing District 1.

And even if she managed to get by Gordon in the Republican primary, she would not have had the Conservative or Independence party lines without waging much more difficult write-in primaries for those two minor party lines. The two combined can make up 15 percent of the general election vote and it is nearly impossible for a Republican to win without them given that Democrats far outnumber Republicans in the Collar City.

While gearing up for a mayoral run, Mantello did her share of bashing Gordon. The decision to run for an At Large seat, though, has forced her to change her tune. In a press release announcing her intention, she said she have Gordon’s support as well as that of city GOP Chairman Mark Wojcik.

“I am looking forward to a “Partnership for Progress” with Jim and the Whole Republican ticket that will move our city forward in a constructive and comprehensive manner,” Mantello said in a statement.

Two years ago Mantello came in fourth by a narrow margin. She contested the election results and there are still questions as to whether she was edged out by Councilwoman Lynn Kopka, D-At-Large or not for the third and final At-Large spot.

Republican County Chairman Tom Wade, in an email to party members, called her the “strongest” At-Large candidate the GOP has this year, albeit with a hint of sarcasm.

“She is a three-time defeated candidate for citywide office and not a major threat to our campaign but will be the strongest in a field of weak Republican candidates,” Wade said in the email. “We can beat her again in her fourth try.”

Mantello will join Andrea Daley to run At-Large. The party is looking for a third. Last week former Times Union editor Bill Dowd said health reasons forced him out of his own race for an At-Large seat.

The WFP, the GOP, Wiltshire and Gordon

GORDON

Guess I better get caught up on what is turning out to be a wild year in the City of Troy.

-As expected, Councilman Jim Gordon, R-District 1, got the GOP Selection Committee’s nod. That recommendation now goes to the full committee, which is also expected to approve his nomination. If recent history is any indication, he will also have the Conservative and Independence Party lines.

-The Working Families Party is holding a press conference Monday (May 4) to announce at least a partial slate of candidates. As expected Council President Rodney Wiltshire, D-At Large, will head up the ticket. Other incumbents include, as expected, Democrats Anastasia Robertson in District 2 and Bob Doherty in District 4.

WILTSHIRE

Also slated to speak at the press conference at the top of The Approach is Peggy Kownack, A Democrat running for an At Large seat. Anasha Cummings, who had one of the corniest press conferences in recent memory to announce his bid for an At Large seat, is not listed as a speaker but he was out of town and is expected to run with WFP support.

Others in this year’s lineup include District 1 candidate Jessica Ashley, who served on the Council in the early 2000s and who ran in 2013 on the Green Party line, and District 5 candidate David Bissember.

KOWNACK

The WFP is going to be a major player. If the status quo holds true there will be a three-way primary for the all-powerful Democratic Party line with Patrick Madden getting the party proper support (that of Rensselaer County Chairman Tom Wade and company) and newcomer Ernest Everett also running.

That means even if Wiltshire loses the primary he will still be the WFP candidate on the general election ballot in November. If Wiltshire wins the primary, however, it could be the end of the Democratic Party hierarchy as we know it.

-The same could apply for the GOP with Carmella Mantello all but announcing her candidacy for mayor. She said she is starting her own line – Keep Term Limits in Place – so if she loses to Gordon in the primary she will be on the ballot. If she beats Gordon, he will still have the I and C lines and still be on the ballot.

-While it doesn’t seem likely any candidate would wage a serious run on the I or C minor party lines the WFP can and have rallied the troops and could use Wiltshire’s campaign to make their every increasing influence all the more significant.

-The Wade Democrats will likely not endorse Doherty in 4 or Robertson in 2 and it’s still unclear who they have to run for those seats.

DOHERTY

-Incumbent At Large Councilwomen Lynn Kopka and Erin Sullivan-Teta – both Wade Dems – have not announced their intentions but it would be surprising if they don’t run again. Especially given this year’s wild dynamics and the fact they are loyal to a party that needs them.

-Former Councilman Mark McGrath announced he is running for his old seat in District 2 and the enrolled Conservative will get the Wilson Pakula from the GOP. It’s not clear if the Wade Dems will challenge Robertson or not.

-Gordon can’t run for his District seat and for mayor and the neither Wade Dems, the Wiltshire Dems nor the GOP have not announced a candidate in District 1.

KOPKA

-Republican Dean Bodnar is running for his fourth and final term and the Dems – both Wade and Wiltshire camps – haven’t said anything about any opposition at this point in time.

-The Wade Dems will likely find someone to run against Doherty in 4.

-The GOP will find someone to run in 5 and the Wade Dems might too.

-District 6 is wide open.

MADDEN

-One more thing … word is Madden might be getting cold feet and who can blame him. Politics has always been called a “blood sport” in Rensselaer County and this year the metaphor could cross the line into the literal. And, the surviving candidates will have to deal with a multi-million deficit, six unions without contracts, likely indictments from a grand jury and that’s including all the other stuff like a crumbling infrastructure, racial tension, crime, arsonists, an eclectic electorate with a host of different needs --- and as sure summer is here now winter will come back and some pipes will surely freeze.

The smartest guy of the whole lot is Mayor Lou Rosamilia who opted to not run again.   

Mark McGrath is running for his old seat

MCGRATH

Mark McGrath, the spirited eight-year former councilman from District 2 who was term limited out two years ago, is running for his old seat.

“It’s been difficult watching the Council and the administration become the focal point of failure and ridicule around the Capital District,” he said when asked why he was running again. “People are disgusted.”

McGrath interviewed with the Republican Party Selection Committee Monday night. The enrolled Conservative Party member needs the GOP’s permission to run on their line as he did in each of his four successful elections.

The incumbent, Anastasia Roberston, a Democrat, has not announced her intention to run again but she is stepping up her public appearances by holding marches in response to the recent shootings in her neighborhood.

ROBERTSON

Although Robertson ran with Democratic Party support two years ago, she has since aligned herself with Council President Rodney Wiltshire, who is running for mayor. Wiltshire has been at odds with the Democratic Party proper, namely Rensselaer County Chairman Tom Wade.

Wiltshire did interview in front of the party’s Selection Committee, but that body picked Troy Rehabilitation and Improvement District Executive Director Patrick Madden. Wiltshire, though, has said he will take his case to the full committee in hopes of getting their support and has vowed to run regardless of that committee’s decision.

That’s the long way of saying Robertson will likely not get the Democratic Party support should she opt to run again in District 2.

Two mayoral hopefuls, former Councilwoman Carmella Mantello and Councilman Jim Gordon, R-District 1, also interviewed in front of the Republican Selection Committee Monday. McGrath had also toyed with running for mayor but the GOP would not give him the Wilson Pakula - the party's permission - to run on its line.

All nine Council seats are up this year with Districts 5 and 6 being vacant as their respective represenatives – Ken Zalewski and Gary Galuski – are term limited out. Wiltshire’s vacated his At Large seat to run for mayor and should Gordon pursue his mayoral aspiration his District 1 seat will be vacant as well.     

Democratic Committee selects Patrick Madden for mayor

MADDEN

The Troy Democratic Party Selection Committee is expected to announce it is recommending Patrick Madden, the long-time executive director at the Troy Rehabilitation and Improvement Program, for mayor either later today or tomorrow.

The recommendation will now go to the full committee for a formal vote. The full committee could accept Selection Committee’s recommendation but could vote for someone else who interviewed or someone else altogether. A break from the Selection Committee, however, is unusual and would require a candidate to buck county chairman, Tom Wade, and city chairman, Jack McCann, both of whom serve on the Selection Committee.  

The Selection Committee interviewed a number of candidates for the city’s top spot including Council President Rodney Wiltshire and newcomer Earnest Everett, both of whom have announced their intention to run a primary if they don’t get the party’s support.

Also interviewed were county Legislator Ed Manny and Elizabeth Young-Jojo, the former executive director at the city’s Downtown Improvement District.

Madden, who is not enrolled in any party and can’t vote for himself in a primary, has headed up TRIP, a non-profit organization geared toward housing for low and moderate income individuals and families, since 1987. He is Rensselaer County Executive’s Kathy Jimino’s brother. Jimino is arguably the most powerful Republican in Rensselaer County.

WILTSHIRE

Wiltshire was elected citywide twice and has publicly battled with Wade and the party hierarchy. He has stated he will take his case to the full committee to try to get the party’s endorsement but is prepared to run a primary should he fall short. He will also likely get the Working Families Party support and if that happens he will be on the ballot in November regardless of what the full Democratic committee does over the next couple weeks or the Democratic Party voters say in September’s primary. If Madden is successful in September, as the dynamics stand now, he will have one line headed into November’s general election.

Everett, on the other hand, does not have the ground troops the WFP will provide Wiltshire, and being a newcomer has less of a chance than Wiltshire to swing the full committee to his side. Everett could even have a tough time getting the required 421 signatures – 5 percent of the enrolled Democrats in the city – to get on the primary ballot. But, if the Wade Democrats want to derail Wiltshire, they would help Everett get the necessary signatures because, it is widely believed, he would siphon votes from the council president.

EVERETT (TU PHOTO)

Nobody has formally announced their mayoral intentions for the Republicans but former Councilwoman Carmella Mantello is expected to do so next month. And Councilman Jim Gordon, R-District 1, has all but announced too. Councilman Dean Bodnar, R-District 3, said he is ready and willing to run should the party need him to step up but added he would not primary Gordon should his Council colleague get the endorsement.

Mantello, though, indicated she is moving ahead with her own campaign regardless of what the party does. Appearing on Talk 1300, she said she would seek the Green Party endorsement and create another line along the theme of keeping term limits in place in Troy.

An odd dynamic is that Madden is Jimino's brother and Gordon works for Jimino as the county's DWI coordinator.

Last month, Mayor Lou Rosamilia, a Democrat, announced he would not seek a second term.

More information as it becomes available.       

Rosamilia is still out; Republican odds are in

MANTELLO

The fact Mayor Lou Rosamilia will not run for a second term did little to change the mix of potential Republican candidates or the odds of them getting into the race, according to Vegas bookmakers.

-Carmella Mantello: The former councilwoman and twice mayoral candidate has all but announced her intention to run for a third time. She is all over social media weighing in on about every issue facing the city, she routinely sends out FOIL requests and even put out an unsolicited statement on Rosamilia’s decision to not run again. After serving six years on the Council representing District 3 she ran unsuccessfully against Mayor Mark Pattison and then, a dozen years later, ran unsuccessfully against Rosamilia.  She really has nothing to lose and despite the Republican Party proper ready to endorse Councilman Jim Gordon, R-District 1, for the spot she is gearing up for a primary if it comes down to it. The Republicans have offered Mantello a job – such as head of the Planning Department – if she withdraws and if Gordon wins but nobody expects her to believe them or to take the deal even if she did. ODDS of her running stand at 2 to 1.

GORDON

-Jim Gordon: It’s a little harder to tell if Gordon is running since he is already an elected official and the electorate – and his party since he is in the minority - expects him to make some noise. But, while he clearly wants to run he would have to give up the district seat he worked so hard to win – and the $15,000 paycheck that comes with it. The Rensselaer County STOPDWI coordinator would, however, enjoy the Conservative and Independence party lines should he make it past what would be a near certain primary against Mantello. On the flip side of that, she would not have them and they are crucial to a Republican winning a citywide election since Democrats outnumber the GOP by about 5 to 3. He too has built up his name recognition beyond his Lansingburgh district. ODDS of him running stand at 2 to 1.

MCGRATH

 -Mark McGrath: The “Draft McGrath” movement is alive and well albeit too small to swing the Republicans into giving the enrolled Conservative Party member permission to run on its line. He could, though, play hardball with City Chairman Mark Wojcik and run a Conservative Party primary his can and then try to run in the general on just the minor party line. But, McGrath won’t run a suicide mission as a vendetta. Instead, he said, he is 99 percent sure he will run again in District 2, where he served eight years before being term limited out of office two years ago. ODDS of him running for mayor stand at 15 to 1.

TUTUNJIAN

-Harry Tutunjian: There is no question the former eight-year mayor loved the job and would like nothing more than to be in City Hall again. He did a decent job too before being term limited out. He had his critics, without a doubt, but compared to the Rosamiia debacle, he was FDR, JFK and Ronald Regan all rolled into one. But, he lost twice for Legislature so if the GOP endorses him this year it’s because everyone else bailed out – even Mantello. Odds of him running stand at 20 to 1.

 

Rosamilia expected to announce he will not seek a second term

Mayor Lou Rosamilia is expected to announce he will not run for a second term during his State of the City address on Thursday, according to sources close to the mayor.

Rosamilia was elected in 2011 by a comfortable margin over Republican Carmella Mantello, who is likely to take another shot at Troy’s top spot.

The former Hudson Valley Community College accounting professor and former Rensselaer County legislator has had a tough three-plus years in office and the next four, for whoever is mayor, will be all the more difficult.

This year’s budget contains two huge one-shots: A $1.9 million deferral of a mandated pension payment and the $650,000 sale of the former City Hall site. Plus, all six unions are without a contract, emergency dispatch service is expected to increase by at least $250,000, the city is mandated to build a new courthouse and bonded $1.5 million for the project and has bonded millions more for capital improvements. In other words, the city is broke – worse than broke.

Recently, the state Comptroller said the city spend $5.9 million more than it took in from 2011 through 2013 and Moody’s gave the city’s finances a “negative outlook.”

Over the past three years, Rosamilia has had to suspend the head of his Planning Department, Bill Dunne, for installing sidewalks outside the scope of the federal Community Development Block Grant funds, appointed a police commissioner that threw department leadership into chaos, has had to deal with a hostile Council – the majority of which are of his own party - that conducted an investigation into he and his administration for the first time in 36 years. Federal and state agencies are also looking into the controversial demolition projects on King Street and the King Fuels site.

He just never seemed comfortable in the job. He ran almost reluctantly after taking over the party's first candidate, Clement "Chappy" Campana, who ran into issues of his own.

The mayor’s expected decision will open up the slot of a host of possible Democratic Party candidates. Council President Rodney Wiltshire, an enrolled Democrat, said he won’t primary Rosmailia but since his relationship with the party proper is strained – to put it nicely – he may be forced to primary whoever the party picks if he wants the job. More on potential Democratic Party candidates later.    

Mantello clearly wants to run for the Republicans and Councilman Jim Gordon, R-District 1, also is maneuvering for the party’s endorsement.

Odds for Republican mayoral candidates

As promised, here are the odds for Republican Party Troy mayoral candidates. The same criteria was used as for the Democrats: it’s not based on winning the election but on who will run and by run we mean publicly announce and begin the arduous task of raising money.

First a bit of history. Troy changed from a city manager form of government to that of a strong mayor in 1994. Mark Pattison narrowly defeated now Rensselaer County Executive Kathy Jimino in the 1995 election and was sworn in as mayor on Jan. 1 1996. The Democrat served the maximum eight years allowed under the charter – despite efforts to abolish term limits. Harry Tutunjian, a Republican, won the next election and the next and served for eight years. For the last three-plus years Democrat Mayor Lou Rosamilia has been at the helm.

The point is, despite the Democrats enjoying a huge enrollment advantage, Republicans do have a shot at the mayor’s office, particularly since the state allows the minor parties to cross endorse major party candidates.

So without further ado … the odds:

-Carmella Mantello: The former councilwoman has run for mayor twice before – once against Pattison and once four years ago against Rosamilia – and has all but announced her intentions to run this year too.

She narrowly lost an At-Large seat two years ago and has gotten some decent press by exposing irregularities at the less-than-cooperative Board of Elections. She has also criticized the Council for the budget mess it did nothing about and Rosamilia for the same. And perhaps most telling is the fact she recently sent a letter to Republican Party committee members pointing out the many shortcomings in city government as well as her belief there is a need for change.

That said, she had to go directly to the committee members rather than the leadership because, plainly put, they don’t like her much and probably won’t give her the nomination. The thing is, she doesn’t care, has nothing to lose and wants the job perhaps more than anyone in the city - even if it means getting it by first running a primary.

Odds of her running - 2 to 1.

-Jim Gordon: The councilman from District 1 said he has made a decision on a run for mayor but isn’t ready to go public with it yet.

He does have party support should he take the plunge and he has, over the years, made a solid name for himself in his district of Lansingburgh. Being in the minority, he can point his finger at the paper majority of Democrats on the Council and the administration for not doing anything to address the looming fiscal disaster. Close observers, however, know he and his Republican colleague teamed up with four Democrats to form the true majority of six on the same Council that punted the fiscal problems down the road. Let’s just say he has been less than stellar in his role as the minority check and balance watchdog.

Also, he would have to give up his $15,000 Council seat, a seat he won on his third try, to run for mayor and he works for Jimino. a mayoral run would bring her office at least a little bit into the spotlight and that’s something the county executive would rather not see happen.

Odds of him running - 5 to 1.

-Mark McGrath: The former city councilman from District 2 staunchly denies any knowledge of an effort to recruit him into the campaign with “Draft McGrath” signs placed around the city this fall. But, there is no denying he got a kick out of it.

He also got a kick out of being a watchdog on the Council for eight years whether or not it was his own party he was watch dogging or that of the Democrats. He was also elected four times in a district that on paper is a Democratic seat so he obviously appeals to voters across party lines.

He will likely not, however, have the party’s support should he run for mayor – he was recently asked to run for an At Large seat. He responded to that offer with a question: “If I’m running city-wide why don’t I run for mayor?”

A city-wide campaign, though, would take about $150,000. While McGrath does enjoy mixing it up in the press, and the ego-stroke that comes with it, he doesn’t have the temperament or the skill to run the nuts and bolts of a campaign – which includes raising money and coordinating volunteers. A fractured party will do nothing to help that crucial effort. Plus, he is enrolled in the Conservative Party and would need Republican Party permission to even get on the ballot.

Odds of him running – 7 to 1

-Harry Tutunjian: There is no secret the former mayor loved the job and would like to run again but given losses for Council and Legislature the popularity he once enjoyed has evidently waned. The party knows that too and will likely not give him the nod for anything outside another run at Council.

He does, though, have a base of support among the party faithful and does appeal to more moderate voters across party lines. He rightly points to the hypocrisy of some of his critics who would have tarred and feathered him for some of the recent shenanigans - illegal sidewalks, shady demolitions and general incompetence – but have turned a blind eye to Rosamilia and company.

Odds of him running – 15 to 1

-Dan Crawley: The deputy mayor under Tutunjian is currently the executive secretary of the Troy Housing Authority. While his name has been floated as a potential mayoral candidate Crawley doesn’t like the spotlight and would prefer to exercise his influence from behind the scenes.

He has cleaned up the local organization that is funded with federal money and has historically been riddled with scandal and controversy but doesn’t have that much time until he can retire. He may run sometime down the road but likely not this year.

Odds of him running – 20 to 1

-Kevin McCashion: The mad tweeter who coined the phrase #troycrazy has been written up in the Times Union, the Business Review and has appeared on Talk 1300 to give his unique and sometimes off the wall take on all things Troy.

He probably has more enemies than friends and the party wouldn’t even support him for the thankless job of city chair so there is no way he gets the nod for mayor.

But, he did submit a bid to develop the old City Hall Site on Monument Square so there is really no telling what he will do.

Odds of him running – 30 to 1  

Odds for the rest of the field – which includes Councilman Dean Bodnar, THA Comptroller Deb Witkowski, Police Chief John Tedesco and Kevin Vandenburgh stand at 50 to 1.

The unspoken items on some gratitude lists

It’s Thanksgiving Eve and I’m sure the elected officials and appointed officials in the Capital Region all have something – family, friends and other loved ones – for which to be thankful.

I’m sure too there are those things they are nearly as thankful for, and for which they mutter a quick prayer to the God of their choosing as they walk to the car after a day’s work or perhaps as they lie in bed waiting for sleep to end the day.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone.

-Mayor Lou Rosamilia: I am thankful I only have 13 months and three days left in this gig.

-Deputy Mayor Pete Ryan: I am thankful I only have 13 months and three days left in this gig … now if only the governor’s office would call me back so I can land over in Albany somewhere. If Mirch can get a job over there I can, damn it.

-Planning Commissioner Bill Dunne: Thank God we have 13 months and three days left. Think of the fun we can have. Come on guys, we have to get Mayor Lou re-elected.

-Fire Chief Tom Garrett: I am thankful the city is in such dire financial straits because nobody has mentioned King Street (outside of FBI, DEC and EPA agents Johnson, Johnson and Johnson … no relation) in at least a month.

-Police Chief John Tedesco: I am thankful the weather is getting cold and crime is back down to normal.

-Take Back Troy (collectively): We are thankful that someone just spit on the sidewalk so we can post about it on Facebook and then fight about who we’re supposed to call.

-Kevin McCashion: I am thankful I live in Troy and will never have a shortage of things to Tweet about because there is always something going on that is #troycrazy.

-Carmella Mantello: I am thankful the Board of Elections screwed up the 2013 election because now I can say I may have won and still be a viable candidate for mayor. I am also thankful the Republicans have all but thumbed their nose at me so now I can run a primary against whoever they put up and not feel at all bad about it.

-Rensselaer County Democratic Party Chairman Tom Wade: I am thankful for … well I’m not thankful yet but I will be thankful when Mayor Lou opts not to run again.

-Council President Rodney Wiltshire: I am thankful I’m not mayor and can blame the financial mess on Mayor Lou. At the same time, I can plead ignorance of the whole thing and get away with it, and I can hold hearings to get to the bottom of who knew what when about the King Street demolition. It’s good not to be king … yet.

-Lynn Kopka: I am thankful I’m not Council president any longer because these guys are harder to corral than feral cats.

-Rev. Willie Bacotte: I’m thankful I no longer live in Troy … those folks caught onto my scams pretty quick.

Former Police Benevolent Association President Bob Fitzgerald: I'm thankful I'm no longer president for the same reason Bacotte is ... except it took them a little longer.

-County Executive Kathy Jimino: I am thankful for Mayor Lou because he makes me look good. Or, if not good, then everyone just ignores me and that’s even better.

- Assemblyman Steve McLaughlin: I am thankful for Gov. Andrew Cuomo … since I live upstate all I have to do is mention his name and I get votes.

-Rensselaer County District Attorney-Elect Joel Abelove: I am thankful for the same thing McLaughlin is.

-City Court Judge-Elect Jill Kehn: I am thankful for Rich Crist and his ability to get me the minor party lines. Without them, the fact I practiced law without a license for six years probably would have kept me off the bench.

-Councilman Gary Galuski: I am thankful this is my last term on the Council. It’s a pain in the butt and the paycheck got me in all sorts of trouble with the state Department of Labor – it seems like they frown on collecting unemployment while earning money.

-Chairman of the Legislature Martin Reid: I’m glad to be a Republican but because I am one I am on the front page of the Times Union for the same thing Galuski got jammed up for and all he got was a passing mention.

-The Record editors: We are happy nobody reads our newspaper any longer because at least now nobody will know how bad it really is.

-Councilman Jim Gordon: I am thankful for Mayor Lou because now a Republican has a shot at becoming mayor. Now if only Carmella would go away the nomination will be mine by default.

-Councilwoman Erin Teta-Sullivan: I'm thankful nobody knows who I am.

-Former Mayor Harry Tutunjian: I’m thankful I’m not in Mayor Lou’s seat right now because there really isn’t anything anyone could do about the financial mess.

 -The UFA and the PBA (collectively): We are thankful nobody in government has a spine or they would take the next logical step and lay some of us off.

-Jim Franco: I am thankful that people still read my stuff.

-The Friends of 112^th Street (Collectively): For all the above mentioned characters for giving us limitless material for jokes.

This list will be added on throughout the Thanksgiving Day and please feel free to add your own.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Judge: Give Mantello access to '13 ballots

 

MANTELLO

      After nine months, Council candidate Carmella Mantello will get a look at the ballots in her bid for At Large seat.

 

Supreme Court Judge Raymond Elliott signed the document ordering the Board of Elections to turn over all paper ballots cast and accepted and all voided ballots in the November 2013 election.

“This Troy City Council at large election was extremely close, and the people of Troy deserve an answer as to the true and actual outcome of the election,” Mantello said of the race she lost by 65 votes.

Mantello has filed a number of FOIL requests, got a favorable opinion from the state Committee on Open Government and even politely asked commissioners if she could have a gander at the ballots.

Elliott noted that Commissioners Ed McDonough and Larry Bugbee, a Democrat and Republican respectively, never refused the ballots but said they needed a court order to turn them over. 

According to Mantello, the BOE opposed her efforts to get a recount even though the range of her defeat fluctuated between 17 and 65 votes of several thousand cast.  

One irregularity, Mantello said, was at the Knickerbacker Ice Rink in Council District 2, where unofficial results were not posted on the BOE website until 11:30, some 90 minutes after the rest of the districts were posted.

Mantello came in fourth in the race for three At Large seats on the city Council. Democrat Lynn Kopka came in third, 65 votes ahead of Mantello. Democrat Rodney Wiltshire got the most votes of any At Large candidate and is now president. Councilwoman Erin Sullivan-Teta, a Democrat in her first run at office, came in second.

Elliot granted the BOE’s request to allow Mantello access for two hours per day with exemptions made during the time the office is busy with the primary on Sept. 9 and the general election on Nov. 4.

Mantello Decision and Order

Time for the board to cough up the records (DOCUMENTS)

MANTELLO

It’s been six months since the polls closed, but a candidate for Troy City Council is still looking for a definitive answer to the outcome of the election.

Carmella Mantello, who ran for an At Large seat last November, filed an Article 78 (see below) in state Supreme Court demanding the Rensselaer County Board of Elections cough up the backup, paper records of votes that were cast on electronic voting machines.

Mantello, who lost to Councilwoman Lynn Kokpa by some 60 votes, doesn’t think any review of the paper records will change the ultimate outcome of the race, but thinks she, like any candidate for office, should have the right to review the results.

In this case, she has reason. According to emails Mantello got through using the state Freedom of Information Act, there were problems with the machines and the board and the vendor were trying to work them out as late as Oct. 9, 2013. Yet, the Board of Election used the new machines anyway despite ongoing issues with the way they scanned the paper ballots.

See emails from Board of Elections employee Kevin O’Malley and Mike Nicholas, a representative from Dominion Voting by clicking here.

Previously, Board of Elections Commissioners Ed McDonough and Larry Bugbee, a Democrat and Republican respectively, said they would turn over the paper records but only if Mantello filed what they called the necessary paperwork in court.

She jumped through the hoops. So now it’s up to the board to not only stand by its word but follow through with what should be little more than common courtesy to anyone who sticks their neck out and runs for public office – full and unfettered access to the ballots.

The board has until May 29 to respond to the Article 78. As I said, I don’t think it can change anything, but Mantello certainly has the right to know as does the public.

 

Mantello Article 78

And now for odds on potential Republican candidates

The boys in Vegas said it was no easy task to put together a list of potential Republican candidates, and actually chuckled over some of them.

Whoever chooses to run – and that may be enough to get the nomination – will be at a distinct enrollment disadvantage to whoever ends up being the Democratic Party nominee.

MCGRATH

Yes, voters in Troy have ousted entire slates of candidates because they didn’t like the way things were going, and while things are going close to that ouster threshold I’m not convinced they are there yet. Close, but not yet. The Democrats must be thinking along the same lines too since the party’s front man by default, Mayor Lou Rosamalia, just hired a new spokesman and you really don’t do that unless you feel the need to shake things up a bit.

Anyway, without further ado, according to Vegas, the odds on potential Republicans ending up being the candidate come November:

GORDON

-Mark McGrath, 5-1: The former eight-year councilman is probably the party’s strongest candidate given he won handily in a Democratic district four times thanks, in part, to pragmatism that crosses party lines. He also knows city government, has name recognition and will not have to give up a job or another elected office should he choose to run. That said, it will take a lot of convincing for him to throw his hat in the ring.

-Jim Gordon, 7-1: I think the first-term councilman is doing a decent job of being the loyal opposition for the minority caucus of two. He has decent name recognition but had a difficult time winning in the ‘Burgh until this time around when Kevin McGrath decided not to run. Since the Council is also up next November he would have to give up his seat to run for mayor if he chooses. I think he has his eye on it but it would be a risky move by him and the Republicans.  

MANTELLO

-Carmella Mantello, 9-1: The former councilwoman and former Council and mayoral candidate would likely want to give City Hall another run but don’t expect the GOP to be too keen on that idea. She is, however, a hard working candidate and is nearly guaranteed a respectable showing so if the Republicans decide to punt next year and concentrate on the Council, which is a possibility, she may get the nod by default.

-Dan Crawley, 10-1: The former deputy mayor and current executive secretary of the Troy Housing Authority would make a solid mayor but I don’t know if he has it in him to run a campaign as the front man. Furthermore, I don’t know if he wants to leave the cocoon that is THA and jump into the mainstream spotlight. But, his name has been floated and as I said, it wasn’t easy coming up with a list of potentials.



TUTUNJIAN

-Harry Tutunjian, 12-1: The former mayor and councilman would probably like another four years in office but he comes off two city wide losses for Legislature so for him to win this time around – during a presidential year when turnout is generally higher which means more Democrats at the polls in Troy – is a tough sell. Not that Tutunjian had a bad eight-year run as mayor, but if the GOP backs him this time you know there is nobody else.



TEDESCO

-John Tedesco, 15-1: I have no inside knowledge that the police chief would want to give up being police chief, move into the city and run for mayor but if he did he would make a pretty good candidate. Despite Rosamilia’s move appointing a police commissioner Tedesco came out looking pretty good in the end. Again, his name was floated to me so I included him.

-Debbie Witkowski, 15-1: The current comptroller at the Troy Housing Authority and former city comptroller would be a great candidate if they GOP can convince her to run, which is a longshot. She knows and respects the political game but under Democratic and Republican administrations in City Hall, and now at the THA, she has managed to stay above the fray. While she would be a solid candidate, I’d be surprised if the GOP convinced her to run.

 

-Richard “Buddy” McAvoy, 20-1: As I was tying this up someone pitched the deputy chief’s name and since candidates are scarce I figured I would throw it in. I learned too he was considered for sheriff before the party picked Jack Mahar so he has a political bent to him and unlike Tedesco he lives in the city. Outside of that, I really don’t know what else to say about him.

  

Odds are in for Democratic mayoral candidates

ROSAMILIA

Petitions don’t hit the streets for more than another year, but I did heard back from my friends in Vegas and got the lowdown on some potential mayoral candidates. I’m surprised they are still working with me since I am just a lowly blogger rather than a high brow newspaper columnist, but after some arm twisting they did give me a peak. While the odds do come straight from Vegas, the commentary is my interpretation of what they mean.

I’ll start with the Democrats since the boys in Vegas are having a tough time finding any Republicans to even wager on. The odds reflect the chance they will run, not that they will win. Without further ado:

-Mayor Lou Rosamilia, 8-1: I think the incumbent will be the first one-term mayor since the city went to that form of government nearly 20 years ago. While I do think he likes the mayoral duties of cutting ribbons and reading Dr. Seuss to grade schoolers, I don’t think he likes the day-to-day, nuts and bolts duties and that’s evidenced by the way his administration has stumbled through the last two years. Sure, there are some good things going on in the Collar City but they are overshadowed by things like the King Street demolition, the Scolite debacle and well, not every mayor has the FBI asking questions about what’s going on in his administration.

WILTSHIRE

-Rodney Wiltshire, 3-1: I don’t think it’s any secret the Council president wants to run and his play on Scolite did nothing but reinforce that notion. Bucking the Democratic Party, though, is a risky game. He got the Independence Party line from the GOP and the Working Families Party coordinated his last Council campaign but neither one of those groups will help much in a Democratic Party primary. And it’s all but certain Chairman Tom Wade and company won’t support him. (As an aside, if he gets in a Dem. primary he will likely have the WFP and remain on the ballot regardless of the outcome.)

-Pete Ryan, 12-1: As Rosamilia’s deputy mayor, Ryan has been less than spectacular, I think the party knows that and realizes he would probably be a worse mayor than Rosamilia. The No. 2 guy should make sure the nuts and bolts gets done and well, for the past two years they really haven’t with any semblance of common sense of efficiency. Unlike Wiltshire, there is no way Ryan could wage an independent campaign for anything and I don’t see the party backing him.

KOPKA

-Lynn Kopka, 6-1: The councilwoman wanted to run three years ago but was bested by then Councilman Clement “Chappy” Campana. She has a strong base in Washington Park and is a party loyalist to the extreme – and I don’t mean that in necessarily a bad way. It’s a Democratic town and as such it doesn’t hurt to be a loyal Democrat. That said, she has done little establish herself as a true leader, be it in the party or legislatively, and while president she seemed more focused on corralling cats than political allegiances.

-Cindy Doran, 5-1: The county legislator could be the party’s sleeper candidate. She has strong ties to the school district, is a proven vote getter and has great name recognition thanks to her ex-husband, Dan Doran, who had his own political career going for a while. She is a relative newcomer and as such really is not defined by any stellar legislative initiatives or, on the flip side, any scandals or negative press either. She could come in as a blank slate and would be squarely in the party’s corner. That said, should she get elected, she would need a strong deputy to be an effective mayor.

ZALEWSKI

-Ken Zalewski, 15-1: The councilman is in his last term so he would not have to give up his seat to run and I think he can see himself as mayor someday but that means he would have to give up his six figure job in the state Senate which, in addition to paying more than the mayor, probably requires a whole lot less heavy lifting. Plus, he faces the same party loyalty problems as Wiltshire without the outside support.

-Bill Dunne, 16-1: The current commissioner of the Planning Department and former councilman surely has notions of becoming mayor but, unlike Doran, his slate is all chalked up. He certainly has made enemies along the way, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but his most recent stumbles – King Street, Scolite and the FBI nosing around – are just too much to overcome. The party knows it and probably so does Dunne, who has been accused of a bunch of things but never stupid.

CAMPANA

-Clement “Chappy” Campana, 12-1: The former mayoral candidate and Council president showed up at the last Council meeting and I’m sure he still has hopes of running for mayor. But, his slate is chalked up too and unlike Dunne he has also alienated a number in the Democratic Party. Chairman Tom Wade has coined Campana and his band of Democrats as the “Delusional Bunch” and if they think they can win a primary against Wade and company will only lend credence to the moniker.

-Carmella Mantello, 25-1: Vegas initially gave the Republican one set of odds but I talked them into giving them one for the Democrats too. They thought I was nuts but I just told them to look up #troycrazy. Anyway, she is probably unhappier with the GOP as they are with her and while I don’t see it happening, if the Democrats somehow see fit to give her a cross endorsement she wins hands down.

  Other possibilities

-Legislator Peter Grimm, 17-1

-Legislator Ed Manny, 16-1

-Former Councilman Kevin McGrath, 18-1 
 -Jack Cox Jr., 15-1 

-Legislator Gary Pavlic, 16-1

The cost of public information: $2,500

MANTELLO

Turns out former Troy Council candidate Carmella Mantello can get an electronic copy of last fall’s election – for a paltry sum of $2,500.

(A letter from the Rensselaer County BOE commissioners to Mantello, and a letter from Mantello to County Executive Kathy Jimino can be seen below)

According to a letter signed by Rensselaer County Board of Elections Commissioners Ed McDonough and Larry Bugbee, the data Mantello requested from the nail-biter of an election was handed over to a vendor, Dominion Voting, which provided technical support to the BOE.

“This presents you with two options to access the information you requested: Retrieval of the electronic data via the county’s BOE technology support vendor, or obtaining the legally required court order, with no opposition from the county BOE, to allow for review of the paper ballots,” said the letter from the BOE.

According to the invoice from Dominion, the process to extract the images is “complicated” and would take 10 hours at $250 an hour.

Why the BOE did not keep a copy of the images, as Mantello said the 2010 Help America Vote Act requires, is anyone’s guess. And why it would take 10 hours at $250 an hour to burn the images on a CD is another guess. Seems to me - and the Times Union editorial writers - the information should not only be readily available at the BOE, but made available on its website to save people the trip should they want to look at the results.

MCDONOUGH and BUGBEE

Mantello, who came up short in her bid for an At Large Council seat by 65 votes, has been rattling trees from local officials to the state Attorney General. She recently received an opinion from Bob Freeman, executive director of the state Committee on Open Government, which backed up her claim the electronic ballot images should be a public document. I’m not an attorney, but that seems like a no-brainer to me.

“The Board has an obligation to maintain these images so they are readily accessible for any member of the public, and not create the situation where it would cost an individual some $2,500 for this information,” Mantello wrote to County Executive Kathy Jimino. “This is clearly an attempt to hide this information from the public and not have the information readily available. “It would appear that there's an ongoing conspiracy at the County Board of Elections to conceal public information which should not be allowed to continue any further.”

The BOE in Putnam County was withholding similar information from a candidate down there but ended up giving it up as required by law.

As I previously wrote, I can see McDonough giving Mantello a hard time since he’s a Democrat and well, that’s just the way the game is played sometimes. But Bugbee – a Republican who Mantello states testified in court against allowing her to see the paper ballots – should help out a member of his own party despite who likes her or who doesn’t.

Another question that comes to mind is what is the BOE hiding and why don't they want Mantello to see the ballots?

BOE Letter

Dear County Executive Jimino, 

I received an email from you today, dated March 18, 2014, stating that 

you just spoke with the Chairman of the Legislature, Martin Reid, who informed you that the Board of Elections provided the information I was seeking in electronic format last week. 

Unfortunately, the information you were provided by the Chairman of the 

Legislature is incorrect. 

Subsequent to your email, I contacted Larry Bugbee, Republican Commissioner of Elections at the Rensselaer County Board. Per my request, Commissioner Bugbee emailed me the attached correspondence dated March 14, 2014 since it was only hard copy mailed. It is quite clear in the attached letter that the Rensselaer County Board of Elections has not provided me a copy of the electronic ballot images. 

I'm sure you are aware since 2010 the Help America Vote Act requires Boards of Elections to keep the digital images and a backup of these images as a record in any given election. Robert Freeman, Exec Director of the Comm on Open Government, has rendered an opinion that these images are available under a FOIL. It should be noted that I have been constructively denied this information for several months. 

Upon reading the letter I received today from the County Board of Elections it is obvious they continue to stonewall my efforts to receive the digital images which should be made available to me forthwith under the FOIL. 

The Board has an obligation to maintain these images so they are readily 

accessible for any member of the public, and not create the situation where it would cost an individual some $2500 for this information. This is clearly an attempt to hide this information from the public and not have the information readily available. I would submit county officials comply with the law, have it readily available, and send me the information request immediately as other counties, such as Putnam County recently did. It would appear that there's an ongoing conspiracy at the County Board of Elections to conceal public information which should not be allowed to continue any further. 

It should also be noted that Commissioner Bugbee gives the impression that my 

representative was given the opportunity to review any and all paper ballots. 

The only review of any paper ballots was during a random audit of 2 election 

districts and not a review of all paper ballots. In fact my request for review of all the paper ballots has been continually denied. In the correspondence Mr. Bugbee now states the board would not oppose a court ordered recount of the paper ballots. However, when I went to court and sought a recount in November, prior to the results being certified, Mr. Bugbee testified in opposition to my efforts. 

Carmella Mantello