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RFH 2010, Cover Stories, Village Election

Independent Sam Cooper Gets Support of GOP at Caucus

Wed, May 04, 2011

This retired educator is running as an independent but also sought and received the stamp of approval from the Republicans. No one else sought nomination to run for the three seats that will be open.

Sam Cooper, a retired educator who has lived in the village for 26 years, was the lone candidate endorsed at the village Republicans' caucus tonight, and he is also seeking to run as an independent in the June 21 village election.

Village Republican Chair Ben Barrett tonight said no other Republicans sought to run. Although two registered members of the party -- Anne Clauss and Margaret Miller -- are among three candidates running on the newly-formed Bullthistle Party line. They did not seek the party's endorsement.

None of the three Democratic incumbents whose terms expire -- Mayor Sue McVaugh and trustees Suzanne Collins and Jim Bona -- is seeking reelection.

Cooper said he is running for office to continue what he did as an educator: working to help people. He praised many aspects of the village's operations said he wanted to maintain all that is good and make it better if possible.

Cooper also said he wants to ensure that everyone -- regardless of who they are or what they do for a living -- are represented.

"My big concern will be to listen to the people," said Cooper, who was the high school principal at Morrisville-Eaton Central Schools from 1986 to 1991, and then spent 14 years as a district administrator for the Cobleskill-Richmondville district. Before that he was a teacher.

Barrett said, "I give the guy (Cooper) a lot of credit for running."

And, the GOP chair said he was concerned that there seems to be less interest these days in people seeking local public office. He worries that many believe that no matter who is elected, little will change.

Barrett also said he understood why Clauss and Miller -- who is running for mayor -- aligned themselves with Debbie Kliman, a registered democrat and created a third party. He said all three truly believe this is best for the village.

Village Democrats were also holding their caucus tonight.

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