PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. (WCAX) – A new mayor will take the gavel in Plattsburgh in a few months after Democrat Wendell Hughes beat Republican Donald Kasprzak by securing a little over half the vote Tuesday night.
Wendell Hughes is moving from the County Legislature’s chairmanship to the mayor’s seat next year.
“They put some confidence into me and I will not let them down,” Hughes said.
The seat opened after current Democratic Mayor Chris Rosenquest announced he would not seek reelection. Hughes took advantage and won the election over former Republican Mayor Donald Kasprzak.
“Of course everybody who doesn’t win is disappointed. I feel I let some people down, a lot of people who supported me, and I am really disappointed in that,” Kasprzak said.
Hughes is now looking ahead to his first day at City Hall, focusing on things like hiring a new police chief and bringing back a recreation program. “That’s one of the things I will talk with Michael Cashman about, too — and others. I mean, we have to bring other people on board for that. I mean, it is going to be a collaborative group,” Hughes said.
The mayor-elect will also inherit a long-standing housing project in the Durkee Street parking that’s been stifled by legal challenges. The developer, Prime, still has plans for some type of housing, which Hughes says he supports. “If they have a plan and they want to invest in the city of Plattsburgh, and we will have to bring it down to the downtown and see if it fits our downtown,” he said.
One of many future decisions he hopes to make with a gridlocked Common Council. “Each one of them have come out and said something good about me at some point or another and I just look forward to working with all of them. I think we can do some great things in the city of Plattsburgh,” Hughes said.