Tucker will decline Brighton position
Knapp to be appointed to fill town supervisor term through 2009By EMILY HUNKLER, Enterprise Staff Writer
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Despite publicly announcing he didn't want the job, Steve Tucker was elected supervisor of the town of Brighton.
On election night, Tucker's contender, and the man who wanted the position, David Knapp, was ahead by two votes, but following the final count of absentee ballots, Tucker outnumbered Knapp 201 to 194.
"I'm not going to accept the nomination," Tucker said. "The supervisor's job takes a lot more time than a councilperson. I can handle the councilperson job, but to be a supervisor you have to be involved in every aspect of the council."
Tucker's name was on the ballot following the resignation of former supervisor Peter Martin; nobody else had expressed interest in the job and as deputy supervisor, Tucker stepped up to the plate. Days later, Knapp, an independent, was asked to assume the position and run, and he agreed.
By that point, the deadline to withdraw one's name from the ballot had already passed, meaning voters would still choose between Tucker and Knapp when casting a ballot, despite Tucker not wanting to be elected.
Veronica King, Republican commissioner of elections for Franklin County, said that the proper procedure is for Tucker to resign from the position, and the board may then appoint a replacement for the remainder of the term, which expires in 2009.
In an e-mail, Brighton Councilwoman Sheila Delarm wrote that after speaking with Tucker Wednesday night, "Steve is declining the Supervisor's position, the Board will appoint David (Knapp) to fulfill the rest of Peter Martin's term, and will re-assign Steve Tucker to his Council Member position."
Knapp could not be reached for comment. According to Tucker, he is on a hunting trip in the Catskills without cell phone coverage and will return in a week-and-a-half.
Contact Emily Hunkler at 891-2600 ext. 24 or ehunkler@adirondackdailyenterprise.com.
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amraksays
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11-21-08 5:34 PM
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I would like to say Mr.Tucker is the best man for the lob.To bad for the politics in the way,as usual.
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NativeTransplant
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11-21-08 1:25 PM
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North Country politics at its finest.
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