Glens Falls: 3 races for Warren County Supervisor

By Ben Westcott, Chronicle Reporter

Glens Falls has contests in three wards for seats on the Warren County Board of Supervisors.

Ward 2: McDevitt vs. Gilligan

Long-time Glens Falls Ward 2 Warren County Supervisor Peter McDevitt lost the Democratic nomination to challenger Haley Gilligan, 94-26.

Mr. McDevitt is continuing his pursuit for re-election on the Conservative line.

He’s 80 years old. “I’m in excellent physical health, and I’m a young 80,” Mr. McDevitt says. “I think anyone up at the county who has engaged in intelligently discussing issues will understand that if they are looking to get in a verbal battle about issues related to the city of Glens Falls, they’ll be in for a significant fight with me.”

He graduated from Plattsburgh State University, spent some time in the Marine Corps during the Vietnam Era, and then spent over 20 years working for IBM. Today, he works in commercial real estate as the owner of the McDevitt Group.

“I think being in a position to know the issues as well as I do makes me a more attractive candidate to the average person in the city of Glens Falls.”

He said his number-one issue is economic development, including trying to work hard with the local administration to ensure that the Cool Insuring Arena is viable, healthy, and being funded appropriately.

Mr. McDevitt has been at odds with some Glens Falls Democrats, but he downplays it. “I basically have received some verbal criticism at a city Democratic meeting, but I have never seen a resolution which publicly censors me.”

Ms. Gilligan, a phlebotomist at Glens Falls Hospital who declined to give her age, said, “My ward needs somebody new with a fresh set of eyes just to get to meet people on a more personal level.

“I think they’re looking for somebody to listen to them and their concerns.”

Ms. Gillian said she wants to focus on sidewalks, roads, tax fairness, and the environment.

She said some of the neighbors on her street approached her and asked if she would be interested in running because she knows a lot of people and is outgoing.

“Once I kind of looked into it, I said yeah, I’ll give it a go,” she said.

“I want to get money back to the city from a county level.”

Ward 3: MacDavid vs. Turner

In Glens Falls Ward 3, Republican Magen MacDavid, 37, does sales for a local radio station.

“Hard work is what I want my constituents to expect. I want to be tranparent and accountable.”

She says she’s a fiscal conservative who wants to work across the aisle.

“I think that’s super important in local politics,” she said. “You don’t call 911 and say, are you a Democrat or Republican? You’re just asking for help.”

“I think I bring youth and fresh eyes to the table,” she said.

She says keeping the area’s tourism going is a priority.

Democrat Nancy Turner owns The Bell House. She declined to give her age.

She said she wants to help keep taxes “at least level” and help people with any services that they might need. She also wants to make sure there’s funding going toward outdoor spaces.

Ms. Turner is president of the Glens Falls Collaborative. “I know the business owners in our beautiful city, and I’m not afraid to get out there and get the needs taken care of for businesses and residents in this community.”

Ward 5: Driscoll vs. Collins

Long-time Ward 5 Supervisor Ben Driscoll, 65, is a program director for Catholic Charities of Saratoga, Warren & Washington Counties.

He’s had some friction with the Democratic Party because he has also run with the Conservative endorsement.

“That seems like 100 years ago,” Mr. Driscoll said. “I’m just focused on not using how I’m registered, but the fact that I’m just one guy trying to do the best I can for the public.”

“I don’t focus on people’s politics,” he said. “I focus on the fact that they are looking for a hard-working individual who is going to listen to them and help them solve their problems. I don’t consider myself to be as much of a politician as I do a person in service to the community.”

Nick Collins, 66, is a retired from the New York State Department of Transportation who now drives Uber part time.

He said one of the main reasons he’s running is so that the 5th Ward has a choice. “I think that the parties should always have somebody running for an open position,” he said.

Part of his platform is that he would never support the abolition of the Glens Falls Police Department, to go with the county Sheriff’s Department.

Mr. Collins said he supports improved public transportation options and infrastructure.

“Now that Warren County has become part of the Capital District Transit Authority, which is replacing Greater Glens Falls Transit, I feel my transportation background and learning people’s needs as a rideshare driver would bring a different point of view to the County Board,” he said.

“I also believe the congestion at the Route 149, Route 9, and I-87 corridor at the Outlets needs to be improved.”

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