Ballot Question, Positions on Ballot in Davenport

When residents in the Town of Davenport enter the voting booth for the 2025 General Election on November 4, they will see three local offices on the ballot: Town Supervisor, Town Council Member, and Superintendent of Highways. All of the candidates are running for re-election.

The Mountain Eagle recently caught up with the candidates to learn more about them and their ambitions for Davenport.

Timothy S. Kelso has been in the Town Supervisor position for the past two years. He succeeded longtime supervisor Dennis Valente following Valente’s passing in 2023. Kelso is a lifelong resident of Davenport and East Meredith. He retired from the New York State Office of Children and Family Services after 31 years, where he was a supervisor and administrator.

Explaining what he hopes to achieve in another two-year term as supervisor, Kelso said: “We have two grants out there we’re waiting for. We just got one grant approved for a new Generac for the town highway department. We’re working on getting a sand shed built. And just continue to make improvements and work with the people in the town of Davenport.” Kelso said that fixing the water district in the village of Davenport is currently his greatest concern. He added that he feels optimistic about Davenport’s progress, including hoping to attract more businesses to the Route 23 corridor near Oneonta.

There are two Town Council Member positions open. Current council members Norman A. Schubert, R, and Jacklyn R. Losie, R, are both running to retain their seats.

Norman Schubert is a cattle farmer and a retired state employee. He is also a former member of the U.S. Army Reserve. He has been in office for nearly two years currently. He previously served on the Town Council back in the early 2000s.

Schubert is particularly concerned about taxes: “I hope to see our taxes stay within 2% and that only essential services are funded and provided.” He also shares Town Supervisor Kelso’s concerns about the water district. “Right now the water district is a real challenge that has needs,” he said, adding, “hopefully grant funding will meet those needs.” Schubert also said that “Davenport has great potential for growth in the west end with Oneonta growing outward to the east.”

When asked why he is running for re-election to the town council, Schubert said, “I see it as giving back something to my community.”

Town Council Member Jacklyn Losie declined to comment for this article.

Superintendent of Highways Fred Utter is seeking re-election as well. He has been a Davenport resident since 1968. He has served the highway superintendent role since 2008. Utter drives a school bus for the Charlotte Valley Central School district, currently employed by Hale Transportation in Clinton, NY. Previously, Utter was chief of the Davenport Fire Department; he still works as an assistant in the department.

Utter’s primary concerns for the highway department are public works improvements like the sand shed. “My main source that I want to get done is a sand shed, so I can keep my sand dry. So when it’s really cold out we don’t put wet sand on a cold road, and it freezes up worse than what the road was,” he explained.

“The biggest hurdle is to be able to get enough money to maintain the roads up to a better condition [than] what they are,” Utter said. “Right now, they’re fairly good. I think they’re very good considering when I started,” he added. “I care about the towns. I care about the roads. And I want to make sure they keep up being decent roads,” concluded Utter.

Davenport citizens will also be casting votes for three Delaware County offices. Two positions are unopposed: Craig DuMond, R, is running for re-election to be the Delaware County Sheriff and the Honorable Gary A. Rosa, D, is seeking another 10-year term as Family Court Judge. There is a contested race for Delaware County Treasurer between Carli R. Pinner, R, and Ronda L. Williams, C.

There are no candidates running for the one opening as Town Assessor. As a result, town officials are asking residents to vote on a proposal that seeks to reduce the number of assessors in Davenport. Proposal Number Two asks voters to approve a reduction from three assessors down to one assessor, who will be appointed for a term of six years. Town Supervisor Kelso explained: “One of the three accessors decided they didn’t want to run again. And the trend county-wide is that [every town] except one has gone from three assessors to one. So, we’re trying to stay with the trend. And nobody stepped up to take that position.” He added: “We are actually going to keep the other assessor that’s on there now, as a clerk to the assessor.”

One other proposition appears on this year’s ballot: a statewide proposal related to land use at the Olympic Sports Complex near Lake Placid in the Adirondacks. New Yorkers are being asked to approve the state’s development of around 325 acres of “forever wild” land within the Mount Van Hoevenberg facility in exchange for adding at least 2,500 acres of new public land to the Adirondack Park Forest Preserve. Environmental advocacy groups, including the Adirondack Mountain Club, Adirondack Council, and Protect the Adirondacks, are urging New Yorkers to vote “yes” on the amendment.

The polling place for Davenport voters in both Districts 1 and 2 is the Davenport Town Hall and Historical Society building located at 11790 State Highway 23 in Davenport Center. Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.

This story was created by student reporters through the OnNY Community Media Service, a program of SUNY Oneonta and the SUNY Institute for Local News.