Macaulay, Wilson Expected To Run For Seats Again

MASSENA - Both incumbent village trustees whose seats are up for reelection this fall have intentions to run again for office.

This year's village races feature the mayor's post, two village trustee seats and the village justice position.

Mayor Randy G. DeLosh will not be seeking re-election, but the two trustees whose seats are on the ballot this fall are expected to be candidates although one candidate could be leaving his trustee's post to run for mayor.

Village Trustee Patricia K. Wilson said she is open to the possibility of running again, but she needs to hear from Republican party leaders at the upcoming caucus before she makes a decision.

"I really don't know how it's going to filter out," she said.

Trustee Joseph A. Macaulay said he is definitely running for office this fall, but he declined to say Thursday if he expected to be the Democratic party's candidate for mayor.

Speculation has centered in recent weeks that Democrats would turn to either Mr. Macaulay or former Mayor Charles R. Boots as their mayoral candidate for the November election.

Mr. Macaulay has surfaced as his party's likely choice in recent days, party officials familiar with the process said. Mr. Boots emphatically reiterated Thursday he will not be running for the village board this fall.

Mayor DeLosh was rehired in March as a permanent employee with the St. Lawrence Seaway and became ineligible to run for re-election.

Because he is now a federal employee, provisions in the federal Hatch Act of 1939 prevent him from running for public office when his term as mayor expires.

On the Republican side, James F. Hidy said he expects to receive the Republican nomination for the mayor's seat.

"I haven't heard anything to the contrary," Mr. Hidy said.

He first put his hat in the ring in March and decided to run on the Republican ticket even though he is currently a registered Democrat, because they are the party he felt he could better identify with, he said.

"I'm getting some great responses from both the Democrat and Republican sides," Mr. Hidy said.

This fall's election season is an exciting time for Massena, he said.

"We can bring in fresh people with new ideas and better ways to restore the pride," Mr. Hidy said.

Village Justice Eric J. Gustafson, who has been village justice since 1997, said he too will run for reelection this fall.

"It's something I can do and I'm glad to contribute," he said. "Everybody should be doing their little part. It's the least I can do."

The Massena Republican Party postponed its caucus originally scheduled for Thursday evening to a later date.

Town Supervisor and Massena Republican Committee Co-Chairman Joseph D. Gray said there were multiple scheduling conflicts with candidates and party members. The results do not have to be in to county's Board of Elections until Sept. 21, Mr. Gray said.

There has been interest on the Republican side for each position on the ballot, Mr. Gray said.

"I'm optimistic we're going to have a full slate of candidates for the village," he said.

Charlie B. Romigh, Massena Republican Committee co-chairman, said the current problems the region faces have piqued interest in politics and fleshed out potential candidates. "It has been one of the better years in recruiting," he said.

Mr. Romigh also said he is hopeful his party would have a full slate of candidates on the November ballot.

"Even at the caucus, someone can change their mind," Mr. Romigh said. "Regardless of whether we have a full slate or one person, we always try to put up good qualified candidates that we can support and we hope the whole community can support."

Rene P. Hart, chairman of the Democratic committee, could not be reached for comment on Thursday.