Robert McKeon and Bill O’Neill get nod
Town Board
Member
Robert McKeon
Town Board
Candidate
Bill O’Neill
At their caucus on Thursday, July 9th, Robert McKeon and Bill O’Neill were nominated to run for the Red Hook Town Board in November’s elections. The caucus was open to all registered Democrats in the Town of Red Hook, and both candidates received unanimous support.
County Legislator Tom Mansfield was also endorsed for re-election. In making the motion for his endorsement, Micki Strawinski referenced his business experience and reputation for being a hard working elected official.
Tom is a small business owner and attorney, and after being elected in 2007, has become known for offering important financial and legal insights in the County Legislature. This has been particularly valuable as the County seeks ways to cope with the economic climate and declining revenue.
Robert McKeon was first elected to the Town Board in a special election in 2008, to serve out the term of a previous member. Harry Colgan, who serves on the Town Board with McKeon, cited his “bold leadership over the years on farmland preservation, economic development, and tax reform” as reasons to support his reelection.
Bill O’Neill was previously an assistant district attorney in Dutchess County, the Deputy Supervisor of the Town of Red Hook, and has been the chairman of the Intermunicipal Task Force for approximately five years. He was born in Red Hook, and is also a registered Republican. “Bill has shown himself to be an honest, dedicated man of incredible character. His work on the Centers and Greenspaces Plan is groundbreaking, he has shown the ability to achieve results by working across party lines, and we are sure that he is the best possible person for the job,” said Pat Kelly, co-chair of the Red Hook Democrats.
“The Red Hook Democrats believe that elections should be about what is best for the community, not what is politically expedient. This is why we have previously supported Republican and independent candidates, and why we will continue to search for candidates who will best serve the town, regardless of party affiliation,” said John Schmitz, co-chair of the Red Hook Democratic Committee.