OSWEGO, NY -Voters in the Port City changed the face of the Common Council Tuesday night.Connie Cosemento (D-First Ward), the council president managed to maintain her seat.
But the remaining seats, unofficially, belong to the Republicans.
Cosemento held off challenger James Scanlon (R, C) 269 to 136.
In the Second Ward, incumbent Barb Donahue didn’t seek re-election.
Michael Myers (R, C) received 361 votes to 202 for Kirk T. Coates (D, OI).
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| Sue Sweet, left, is congratulated by Lauren Comerford upon her victory in the Third Ward alderman election Tuesday night |
Susan Sweet (R, C) claimed victory in the Third Ward by a margin of 249 to 193 over incumbent Ed Harrington (D, OI) in one of the most closely watched elections of the night.
In the Fourth Ward, it was Shawn P. Walker (R, OI) with 314 votes to beat incumbent Gerry Brown (D, OI) 265 and Rickie N. Bishop (C) 21.
Daniel Donovan (R, C) garnered 389 votes while running unopposed in the Fifth Ward.
In the Sixth Ward, William Sharkey (R, C) is slightly ahead of incumbent Timothy B. Rice (D, OI) by a count of 252 to 246. More than 110 absentee remain to be counted.
Michael Joyce (R, C) ousted Seventh Ward incumbent Dick Atkins (D, OI) 501 to 411.
The GOP candidates say they will work as a team to return city government to the people.
“I want to say thank you to all my family, friends and neighbors,” Joyce said. “All their help and support has really been a key factor in this.”
He said he also wants to thank all the voters of the ward.
“It was nice meeting everyone and being able to share stories and hear their concerns,” he added.
“I’m going to listen to everyone, and treat everyone equal,” Joyce continued.
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| Mike Joyce, left, is congratulated on his victory by former Seventh Ward councilor William Dunsmoor. |
“Bill (Sharkey) put a lot of work into his campaign and he got the vote out, obviously better than I did,” Rice said. “That’s the bottom line.”
“If there had been a contested mayor’s race, there would have been a bigger voter turnout,” observed former alderman Jim Sullivan.
“You know what? The truth always prevails,” Sweet pointed out. “We rose above the obstacles in our way. I think we really touched the heart of the people this time. I think
the candidates were coming really from no political background. We were all stepping forward, most of us because of good, strong traditional family values. That’s the avenue we were coming from. We saw a need and we wanted to put a choice out there, new blood.”
The Republicans worked very hard, she added.
“So many people came together; it was a wonderful experience. We saw people join in a common goal. We saw the need to jump in and do something, and we did,” Sweet said.
The landlords conspired to remove him from office, Harrington contends. Dozens of students living in rental housing were recruited to vote for his opponent, he claims.
“If the resident voters didn’t think it was important enough to get out and vote and keep the city out of the hands of (undesirables) … If you don’t care enough to get off your ass and vote, you pretty much deserve what you get,” he said. “I knew they’d come after me using student voters from the rental properties.”
“I owe a lot to my family and friends for all their support. And, I thank the voters for all the support they showed me,” Walker said. “I am going to be for the people. I’m a
working person there for the working person.”
“It’s a wonderful thing. I want to thank the voters for supporting me and my opponent for being an upfront and honest guy,” Myers said. “I think we can keep moving the city forward. We’re all going to work together. It’s a team effort, everybody knows that. You have to be there for the people.”
“I’d like to see things with the council move on in a positive way,” Donovan added. “I don’t think there will be any radical changes. We’re going to keep doing what is right for the city.
“I think here at the local level voters look more at the person than the political party,” Mayor Randy Bateman said. “As long as everybody can put their political hats down
after the election is over and come in and do their job, represent their constituents and work for best interest of the city, we’ll keep moving forward.”
“There are a lot of good things ahead for the city,” Myers said.
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I am resident of the City of Oswego, have been for over 20 years, and a homeowner. I take offense to the words of Mr. Harrington. I get off my a@# for every election and vote for the person I feel is best qualified for the job. I vote for the person I feel will act on behalf of their constituents and the city. I will continue to have my voice heard in every election for which I am on this earth for.
Good luck Ms. Sweet.
I too take offense to the remarks made by Mr. Harrington. I am a born and bred Oswego resident and have always done my civic duty by voting. You sir, are full of among other things sour grapes. I think the real picture here shows that the people of Oswego were sick of your embarrassing tirades and your disasterous actions against our brave firemen.
I do believe that one of your own party summed it up best last night when he stated that ” This thing with the Chief hurt us.”
It is a great day for the city of Oswego!
We should have expected that kind of classless reaction from Mr. Harrington. Why would he change now? If he knew the landlords were “recruiting students to vote against him” why didn’t he campaign to the students and try to reverse that vote? It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure that out. He has been an embarrassment as a representative of the city. He and Atkins have been nothing more than media hounds and now, they pay for it. Good riddens to both of you. Finally the educated voters have a win in their column.
Congrats to the winners.
As far as what Mr Harrington said,
consider the source. He lost and
he is bitter about it.
What happen to the chief was bound to happen. Geers and Amedio should have been let go a long time ago.
As far as the students are concerned, he didn’t know that until recently I bet.
Anyways, I am waiting for SS to make a dramatic exit when things don’t go her way. It won’t take long until the residents of Oswego see how wrong their votes for some of those elected are, except for Sharkey and Donovan. After all, If I lived in that ward, I wouldn’t have voted for her, she gives people the impression that she has high morals, but then excepts money from the very people who have detroyed out neighborhoods, etc., aka SLUMLORDS?