Two Vie for Open Somers Town Board Seat
A former Somers councilman is being challenged by a first-time candidate in the special election for a one-year term on the town board.
George Dieter, who served one four-year term on the board before being defeated for reelection in 2009, is on the Democratic, Independance and Working Families lines.
Dieter will face Anthony Cirieco, who will be on the Republican and Conservative Parties lines.
On May 17, Richard Benedict took his council seat for his first regular town board meeting. He was appointed on May 3. Benedict replaced Harry Bolton, who resigned his seat in March due to health problems.
Bolton’s four-year term is set to expire on December 31, 2013 and an election to determine who will serve the final year of his term will be held on Election Day in November.
Cirieco
Cirieco said running for the town board for the first time was an outgrowth of previous efforts in the town. “My time on the school board is up this year,” he said last week. “I have always participated in the community
Cirieco, 59, said his over 25-year business background would be an asset to the town board. He said his business background would bring a different perspective to the town board. “It would be a perfect fit,” he said.
If elected, Cirieco said one of his priorities would be to come up with a “three-year long range plan” for town budgets in an effort to hold down taxes. One of the advantages would be to plan to pay for infrastructure projects, he said. “We just need to prioritize all of them,” he said.
Cirieco said the town and school district should look to share playing fields and facilities as a way to reduce costs for both.
Cirieco is active with his wife, Carol, in the Relay for Life, which has raised $200,000 over the past two years for the American Cancer Society. As a school board trustee, he has served on the district’s Citizens Finance Committee. He is a former CFO of a technology company, with a Master’s degree in finance.
Dieter
Dieter, 60, said he decided to again seek a town board seat because he likes “giving back to the community.”
He said he would “try to provide a high level of services” in the current difficult economic climate. “Everything else flows from that,” he said.
Dieter said the town government needs a long range plan “of at least five years.” The town should work with the school district to finds ways to reduce costs, by such means as having joint bulk purchases of items, he said
He maintained he would not want to exceed the 2 percent property tax levy cap. “The taxpayers won’t support a tax increase,” he said.
Dieter, who is an attorney, was on the school board from 1994 to 2000, the planning board from 2004 to 2005 and the conservation board.
