The following are candidates running for various positions in the town of East Otto. Voting will take place on Tuesday, Nov. 3. Attempts were made to contact each candidate for their bio. The following were received by the Springville Journal:



James A. Beach

James A. Beach is a candidate for re-election as supervisor for the town of East Otto.

Beach has the endorsement of the Republican party. He has served as the East Otto town supervisor for four years. Prior to that, Beach served for 11 years on the Zoning Board as chairman and member, two years as town councilman, 10 years as an adult Boy Scout leader and over 25 years as vice president of Bank Operations Management. Beach is also the treasurer of the East Otto Cemetery Association and has formerly served on the East Otto Preservation Supporters Committee.

Beach graduated from Alfred State College with a degree in business administration.

A retired banker, Beach uses his experience and education in customer service and accounting while serving in the public office. During his dealings with the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, the East Otto Town Hall was listed on both the state and federal registry and East Otto was awarded more than $300,000 for renovating the town hall and playgrounds.

Beach is dedicated to administrating upgrades as required by the contracts and will ensure that the Town Hall’s renovations are completed.

Voters can rely on him to make fair decisions by listening to the facts, studying municipal law and dealing with conflicts with honesty and down-to-earth common sense. He will continue to encourage more citizen involvement in town affairs. Beach will be working with the highway superintendent, FEMA and SEMO to document all of the August flood damage and ensure that East Otto receives the maximum reimbursement to cover losses.

Beach is engaged and has two adult sons and one grandson.

The in-depth working knowledge of town government Beach possesses and his background in business more than suits him for the position of town supervisor.



Carol J. Dill

Carol J. Dill is a candidate for supervisor for the town of East Otto.

Dill serves on the Town Planning Board and is a member of the East Otto United Methodist Church and the Order of the Eastern Star. Dill worked with the U.S. Census Bureau as the address canvasser and has traveled nearly every road in East Otto.

She is able to work well with other people, is an avid team player and can listen and not ignore people’s concerns, questions and imput.

Dill is committed to prioritizing the activities of the town of East Otto. She encourages town members to share their input and attend Board meetings. She is dedicated to work together with the rest of the Board for the good of the town. She will ensure that all concerns are heard and addressed, work cooperatively with other organizations and agencies, apply for grants and perform town projects in a timely manner. She will also make sure that tax dollars are used to enhance the town.

Dill was raised in and went to school in East Otto before going on to Cattaraugus for high school. Dill has two sons and two step-sons with her husband Jim.

The experience Dill possesses in administration, accounting, supervisory, payroll, industrial and economic development and even heavy equipment operation qualify her for the position of town supervisor.



Richard K. Grey, Jr.

Richard K. Grey, Jr. is a candidate for re-election as councilman for the town of East Otto.

Grey has the endorsement of the Republican party.

Grey is a member of a committee that investigates code violations. His committee sent out post cards earlier this year informing residents of their intent; the committee is committed to keeping residents safe and is working on cleaning up old vehicles and farm equipment.

Grey believes that wind farms are a big part of East Otto’s future and will lower taxes and electricity bills. He is also in favor of installing solar panels for the same purpose.

While serving on the East Otto Town Board, Grey has pointed out that he believes raising taxes in the current economy is wrong. He believes the Town Board needs to put the residents of East Otto first.

Grey lives with his wife and four daughters in East Otto.



Mike Poch is also running for re-election in the town of East Otto.





The following are candidates running for various positions in the town of Ashford. Voting will take place on Tuesday, Nov. 3. Attempts were made to contact each candidate for their bio. The following were received by the Springville Journal:



John Pfeffer

John Peffer is a candidate for councilman for the town of Ashford.

Pfeffer has been endorsed by the Republican party.

For the past 12 years Pfeffer has been aiding the Department of Energy and NYSERDA in developing a responsible and safe decontamination and decommissioning plan as a member of West Valley Citizen Task Force. Additionally, he has over 10 years of experience in multiple leadership roles where he is responsible for provisioning quality services and resources and he is currently enrolled in a legal research course that will enable him to better understand the rules, laws and court options that shape residents’ lives.

Pfeffer graduated from SUNY Fredonia with a BA in education and is currently employed as Associate Director at the University of Buffalo.

Pfeffer is committed to work with NYSERDA, DOE and the NRC to get some of the uncontaminated state-owned land at the West Valley Demonstration Project turned back over to the town and taxpayers for development. He will work with the congressional delegation to bring back general revenue sharing for local municipalities, increase awareness of town of Ashford issues in Washington and work with the school district, fire district and other organizations to build partnerships and find creative, cost-saving ways to do more with less.

One of Pfeffer’s goals is to make a wise decision abut wind turbines, based on a full understanding of the facts and future impacts, both positive and negative. Additionally, Pfeffer will capitalize on the current resources and develop additional resources, cost savings and shared services.

Pfeffer and his wife Leanne live in Ashford with their three children, JD, Daniel and Allison.

Pfeffer’s leadership experience combined with his dedication to give back to his community and uphold the town of Ashford’s traditions and values make him more than adept for the job of town councilman.



Councilman William Heim and Justice Richard Neumann are also running for re-election in Ashford.