Life-long area resident Ed Jennings (R) is challenging Democratic incumbent James Dolaway for the position of Town Supervisor in this November’s upcoming election. After high school, Jennings helped operate a family-owned dry-cleaning business in Ellenville until the late 1970s, when he began his mobile steam cleaning service, taking clients from across five states. No that he is retired, Jennings says can devote all of his time to being Town Supervisor, enabling him to try and clean up town government.
“I have since retired from all business interests, which of course gives me the opportunity to spend my full time in serving my community,” says Jennings. “I was a county legislator for ten years. And four of those years I served as chairman of social services, which of course is the largest department in the county, with over 300 employees and an annual operating budget exceeding $100 million dollars. When I think back on that, boy it was an awesome responsibility. I was also a member of several other committees as well — tourism, cultural affairs, education.”

If you had asked Jennings six months ago whether he’d run for office, he would have said, “absolutely not. Then I began to look at the town, and see where we had been, where we are now, and what is the vision for the future. And I really didn’t see any vision. I don’t know what the present administration is planning for the future… I just didn’t like the picture.”

“I’ve been to several board meetings, and I don’t hear anything that they have planned coming up. Of course you know that in the last two and a half years or so we’ve lost a thousand jobs in this community…. As a result of these catastrophic industry losses… our biggest export is now our kids, and there’s no jobs for them when they get out of school. If they can find any work, it’s all low paying with little chance for advancement. Unfortunately, we have evolved into a one-industry town — the New York State Correctional System. Although they have many good paying jobs, we need a vibrant and diverse economy, I believe.”

Jennings believes that the establishment of an Economic Development Officer, an idea brought back into public discourse by Noonday Club 2006 Citizen of the Year Dr. Mark Craft, is a good one. Along with the creation of such an office, Jennings has some ideas about whom to approach to jump-start Wawarsing’s economy.

“I just got back from a business to business showcase,” recalls Jennings, “and there were a few county agencies down there…one of them was the Ulster County Development Corporation. Unfortunately, in past years, they haven’t been too active at this end of the county, but they’ve got a change in leadership, hopefully for the better. But I think it’s a good place to start. Empire State Development is another place. Ulster County IDA, Senator Bonacic is also going to have some valuable input, as well as Kevin Cahill, and even Governor Spitzer — he might help. Doesn’t make any difference where the help comes from, we just need jobs down here.”

As for his thoughts on town supervisor incumbent, James Dolaway (D), Jennings believes his own retired status will help set him apart from what some perceive as a lacking performance on Dolaway’s part.

“One of the things I’ve heard is that Mr. Dolaway doesn’t spend enough time in his office,” says Jennings. “Now, I really don’t know — I’ve been in his store, I’m very friendly with James. I happen to like him. I just don’t think he’s the man for the job. He doesn’t appear, at least to me, to have a vision. He doesn’t appear to have any plans for the future. If he does, I don’t know what they are. I haven’t heard them…but if the phone rings, I want to be there to answer it. And I certainly will be a full-time supervisor, with an open door, open government policy, and there will be no secrets with me, and no surprises. When I know it, the full board will know it.”

When presented with the idea about a town manager position similar to Elliott Auerbach’s in Ellenville, Jennings likes] the idea, saying, “What I would like to see if that does happen, I would like to see the Village dissolved, so that we all become one.” Elaborating on the idea, Jennings believes that the town as a whole would run more smoothly should the distinction between the town and the village be removed.

“It just seems to me that you have duplication of services right now. You have the village taxes — I don’t live in the village, but I understand that they’re very high, and going higher and higher, and you would eliminate that. Of course, some of your town taxes would probably go up a little bit too, but I think it would be for better operation if you had everything under one roof, so to speak.”

One of the past accomplishments Jennings is most proud of happened a number of years ago, when he was able to secure $20,000 for the Town of Wawarsing and $48,000 for the Shadowland Theatre in grant money from the Catskill Watershed Corporation, an organization of which he was at one time a director, and which draws its funds from New York City, not local area taxes. “It just made me feel good, when I was able to do that,” recalls Jennings.

“This election is not about me. It’s about the future of the Town of Wawarsing, and we’ve got to face the harsh reality of our economic crisis. And I welcome the opportunity to serve the citizens of this beautiful community. Together maybe we can pick up the pieces and assemble them for a brighter future. We can make it happen!”