Christine Bello and Jack Penney (seated) received the endorsements of Senator Larkin and Todd Dorio of the Labor Council.
Updated 3:40 pm
By Nancy Peckenham
A week before the general election on November 8, the two candidates for Mayor of the City of Newburgh came out to meet the press on Wednesday, each in their own style.
In the morning, Christine Bello, the city councilwoman running for the top elected spot, held a press conference at the Laborers Local 17, where she received the backing of the Hudson Valley Building Trades Council. Todd Dorio, president of the Council, said that the group voted to get behind Bello and fellow Republicans John Guidice and Jack Penney, who are running for city council seats.
State senator Bill Larkin, joined Bello and Penney, praising their involvement in the city and giving them his support. He also said that he supports the candidacy of John Guidice, who was unable to attend because of a serious illness in the family.
Councilwoman Bello talked about her support for Local 17’s apprentice training program that could help bring more city residents into the workforce. She also highlighted her efforts to bring more Latinos into the political process, saying that they often work several jobs that make it hard to be involved.
Judy Kennedy described her support for senior citizens at a press conference outside Burton Towers.
In the afternoon, Democratic mayoral candidate Judy Kennedy held a press conference outside of Burton Towers, a HUD-subsidized senior apartment building whose residents have suffered from inadequate facilities for months. The city transferred the property to Mountco Construction and Development Corporation at the end of September after a court battle that was initiated by councilwoman Bello.
Kennedy said that she became concerned after talking to Burton Towers residents on Monday who said that some of the elderly residents were frightened by legal notices they had received and that they felt the new management team was not showing them enough respect. She also noted that once again, one of the building’s elevators was out.
Kennedy said she has faith that Mountco intends to fix code violations and make improvements in the building, saying that, if elected, she would work with the company to improve conditions at Burton Towers. She had fewer kind words for her opponent, saying that the councilwoman Bello had positioned herself as “a champion of Burton Towers.” She also questioned Bello’s commitment to open meetings and why she approved a contract with Mountco that Kennedy said has vague language about impact fees and other matters.
“We need to protect our seniors across the city,” Kennedy said, “their rights need to be protected.”
Bello Re-Iterates Her Support for Burton Towers Residents
Councilwoman Bello denied that she has ignored Burton Towers, saying she has been in regular contact with the residents and the president of the tenant’s association, George Long. She said she aware of the problems they face and had set up a meeting with Mountco and the residents that she will attend in two weeks. Asked about Kennedy’s accusation that she allowed Mayor Valentine and acting city manager to make an important decision about the city’s future last June without holding a public meeting, Bello said the two men’s meeting was not a violation because other city council members were not there.
John Madeo, a vice president of Mountco, spoke to reporters after Kennedy’s press conference and said he is looking into complaints about the management company’s attitude toward residents. He also described the $4 million renovation project set to begin in the spring that will include new windows and a new roof, as well as new kitchen cabinets and other interior renovations in the 125 apartments in the building.
UPDATE: On Thursday, the Hudson-Catskill Central Labor Council and the Hudson Valley Area Labor Federation, two major coalitions of area labor groups, endorsed Judy Kennedy’s campaign for mayor. The CLC and HVALF made their endorsement on the basis of Kennedy’s commitment to supporting Newburgh’s middle class.
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