By Matt Youngfrau
WOODRIDGE — June 21, 2002 – By this time next week, there could be almost an entirely new board in the Village of Woodridge.
In a tremendous upset, the results of Tuesday's election saw the mayor and two trustees lose their seats in what became a very heated election.
Incumbent board member and People's Choice candidate James Slater unseated long-time incumbent mayor and Progress candidate Nat Kagan. As of Wednesday afternoon, the unofficial tally was 176 votes for Slater and 137 votes for Kagan. With only 19 absentee and affidavit ballots to be counted, those results will not change.
However, results are not so clear in the trustee race. People's Choice candidate Arthur Natelson had 155 votes, People's Choice candidate Rivan Krieger had 147 votes, incumbent and Action candidate Arlene Messina had 145 votes, and incumbent and Oak Tree candidate Joan Collins had 134 votes. With 19 affidavit and absentee ballots left to count, those results could easily change the outcome.
The confirmation hearing for the election will be at the Sullivan County Board of Election on Tuesday, June 25 at 11 a.m. Once the results are confirmed, Slater will resign from the board and become mayor. Slater will then appoint someone to the board to fill his unexpired term.
In related Woodridge news, the village has yet to pass their 2002-2003 budget. They were unable to come to an agreement on the budget at their meeting on Monday. Village budgets are due to the state by the end of June. It is unclear when the village will pass their budget.