Candidates coming to Hartford

The town of Hartford has suddenly become a must-stop destination for on the political circuit.
All the major candidates in the 113th Assembly district, as well as the candidates running for 21st Congressional district will campaign in Hartford this weekend.
Carrie Woerner (D-Malta) and Steve Stallmer (R-Saratoga Springs), candidates for the 113th Assembly seat and Matt Doheny (R-Watertown), Elise Stefanik (R-Elizabethtown), Aaron Woolf (D-Elizabethtown) and Matt Funiciello (Green-Glens Falls), candidates for the 21st Congressional district, will all participate in Hartford’s Memorial Day parade.
Supervisor Dana Haff said he reached out to all the candidates to gauge their interest in coming to Hartford and they agreed to come. Even though Haff is a Republican, he said it was important that residents had a chance to meet all the candidates, regardless of political affiliation.
“I thought it would be interest of the local voters to have the opportunity to meet the candidates,” Haff said.
“Because they are all coming, we are assured that our next representative in the Assembly and Congress will know where we are.”
Woerner and Stallmer are running for the Assembly seat vacated last year by Tony Jordan, who resigned to run for Washington County district attorney, an election he subsequently won.
The race for the 21st Congressional district is expected to be one most highly contested races in the country.
Incumbent Bill Owens (D-Plattsburgh) announced earlier this year he would not seek reelection at the end of his term. He was first elected in 2009 and defeated Doheny in the general election in 2011.
This year’s elections will be held on Nov. 4.
Hartford’s Memorial Day Parade will begin at 6 p.m.

In other matters, the town proposed a policy regarding usage of the Hartford Town Hall.
Haff said the town does not charge a fee to use the town hall but wanted establish several guidelines regarding its use.
Any scheduled usage of the facility would be made through the town clerk; all events held at the hall must be free; and the event must be of interest or benefit to citizens of Hartford. As an example, Haff said a training seminar for propane distributors would not be permitted because there are no propane distribution companies in the town.
Councilwoman Barbara Beecher also requested a clause be included that the town hall be left the way it was found and any garbage be removed by the group that brought it.

The board will explore a Gold Star property tax exemption.
Haff said the exemption, which is eligible to parents who had a child killed in the line of duty, is being considered at the county level and asked fellow board members to consider doing the same in Hartford.
“I think it’s a very nice thing to do,” Haff said.
The town of Kingsbury as already implemented a similar exemption.
Town board members expressed interest in providing the exemption in Hartford and are expected to revisit the idea next month.

A number of renovations to the town hall have been completed.
A bathroom was remodeled so that it is handicapped accessible and a new storage closet was built. New ceiling tiles were also installed and the floors and chairs were steam-cleaned.
All the work was done by the town’s highway department.

Haff said the town’s insurance company has reimbursed five other towns for damage suffered to their fire trucks during the Tyler Farm fire earlier this year.
Nearly two dozen local fire companies helped fight the blaze, which occurred on Jan. 4. Temperatures that evening were as cold as 22 degrees below zero.
The frigid temperatures damaged a number of fire trucks.
Haff said according to New York State law, if any damage is done to a fire truck responding to another municipality for mutual aid, that municipality is financially responsible for the repairs.
Haff said the expenses were covered by the town’s insurance policy.

The next meeting will be held at 7 p.m. on June 10.