LEYDEN — Monday’s town election ballot sees new candidate Erica Jensen running unopposed to fill a one-year vacancy on the Selectboard that was left following the resignation of Lance Fritz last summer.
Polls will be open from noon to 8 p.m. at Town Hall, 16 West Leyden Road.
Jensen, who moved to Leyden from New York with her partner about five years ago, said she is interested in joining the Selectboard so she can help the town grow, while maintaining “vital” aspects of the right-to-farm community.
“I want to respect the older, farmer crowd — for lack of a better term — and those coming in who are younger, and help the town stay vital,” said Jensen, who is in her 50s. “It is one of my desires to try to be a bridge between folks who have lived and loved living in Leyden for multiple generations, and newcomers who have recently moved to the area. As a potential new Selectboard member, I want to help find ways to keep the town vital and source potential new revenue streams that will continue to assure Leyden stays the amazing town that it is.”
Jensen works as a director in an advertising agency in Manhattan, but lives full-time in Leyden and commutes to the city occasionally. While bringing “a rather progressive outlook” to the town, Jensen said she is interested in reviewing aspects of public safety if elected to Selectboard.
“As for public safety, I think it is important to look at this with fresh eyes,” she said. “I’d like to help make sure that all applicable personnel have the most up-to-date training that can be sourced. This could include EMT and CPR training and 21st-century policing/community policing policies that the state is rolling out. Making sure that we respect and are true advocates for all Leyden citizens is very important to me.”
She is also interested in investigating ways to bring in solar power to expand clean energy and create a revenue source for the town. Meanwhile, she also wants to explore land conservation efforts.
“I’ve never served on a municipal board, so everything is going to be fresh to me, and I think that’s actually a good thing,” Jensen said. “I think it’s a point in my favor that I’ll see things with fresh eyes.”
The only race on this year’s ballot is between three candidates who are seeking a three-year term as town clerk, a position that was vacated by Nicole Glabach last year and has been filled in an interim capacity by Bob Hardesty since January. Candidates for town clerk are Lewis Becker, Gilda Galvis and Jessica Snow.
The remaining candidates, all in uncontested races, on Monday’s ballot are:
■Board of Assessors, three-year term: Kenneth Spatcher (incumbent)
■Board of Health, three-year term: Marcia Miller (incumbent)
■Board of Health, two-year term: Currently vacant, no candidate
■Constable, three-year term: Philip Juliani
■Robertson Memorial Library trustee, three-year term: Richard DiMatteo (incumbent)
■Moderator, one-year term: Katherine DiMatteo (incumbent)
■Planning Board, five-year term: Emily Yazwinski (incumbent)
■Selectboard, three-year term: Jeffrey Neipp (incumbent)
■Tree warden, one-year term: William Brooks
Zack DeLuca can be reached at zdeluca@recorder.com or 413-930-4579.