Three vie for two ballot spots in Clarkson primary

All three candidates for the Clarkson Town Board say they are committed to preserving the town's rural character and keeping taxes low. Board members Alan Hoy and Duane Marshall are seeking re-election. John Lemke has also thrown his hat into the ring for one of the two available council seats. Marshall and Lemke are the Republican endorsed candidates. A primary will be held September 13 to decide who will be on the ballot for the November election.

Alan Hoy, who received the Independence Party nomination and has been a board member since 1994, said the issues facing the town are the need to control growth, to keep taxes at reasonable rates and to preserve the town's rural character.

During his tenure on the board Hoy said he was a member of the committee involved in opening the Sweden/Clarkson Community Center and for working to keep the town's tax rate level.

"I worked on a joint municipal committee that was responsible for bringing additional fire protection services to the town," he said. "We worked to bring the first fire station to the town."

The close to 30 years that he has served on the fire department, he said, have allowed him to see all sides of the community and to help him get a feel for the real needs of the residents.

"Residents have also said they want to keep Clarkson rural," Hoy said. "We don't want to let the town grow too quickly and people have said they don't favor a lot of big business."

Hoy has lived in Clarkson for close to 20 years. He and his wife, Deb, have two children, Amanda and Mark.

John Lemke served on the town board about six years ago and is looking forward to getting back to serving the community again.

"Like most people, I want to preserve Clarkson's rural character," Lemke said.

Percentage-wise, Lemke said, Clarkson is one of the fastest growing towns in Monroe County.

"When I ran before, the issue was taxes. They've been held down but they still aren't cheap," he said. "We have to work to keep them in line and keep Clarkson affordable for residents."

Construction of a new town hall is also a necessary expense the town needs to look at, Lemke said. "The town hall dates back to 1899. It needs to be renovated," he said. "The building is old and dangerous."

Lemke said there should be money available toward town hall renovations.

As for why he is seeking election, Lemke said, "the town needs independent minded people to represent their interests."

Lemke said his experience, his ability to be open minded and his commitment to keeping taxes low are the reasons voters should look to cast their votes for him in the upcoming primary.

He is a life long resident of the town and lives with his wife, Marlene. They have three children, Adam, Jason and Eric.

Duane Marshall, a member of the town board since 1999, said he is seeking re-election because there are a "few more things" he wants to follow through on.

"I want to see the master plan through to completion," he said. "It's in its final stages right now and I want to be a part of the finished product. I also enjoy speaking with, and for, the residents."

As for the future, Marshall said the board needs to get a handle on taxes. "I'm leery of the future especially with the state of finances within the county and state government - they keep passing things down to us and I know Clarkson will eventually feel the effects of the financial strain the county and state are feeling," he said. "We need to keep control of our spending."

Marshall said he is a people person and tries not to be a "politician" when speaking to the residents. "People also know I don't have a problem speaking up when issues are raised," he said.

A life-long resident of the town, Marshall lives with his wife, Suzanne. They have a daughter, Anna, who graduated from SUNY Brockport.

Marshall urges voters to come out on primary day and cast their votes.

"It's a civic duty to vote when there is an election and to let your voice be heard," he said.