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Collins, Geoghegan on ballot for county Legislature

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By Melanie Lekocevic

Capital Region Independent Media

COEYMANS — Two candidates will be on the ballot Nov. 7 for the county Legislature seat representing Coeymans in the 37th district.

The race will be a rematch between incumbent Republican Legislator Zachary Collins and Democratic challenger Kristen Geoghegan, who ran against each other for the same seat in 2021. Collins came out on top in that election.

This year, the two will again go head to head to represent Coeymans in the Albany County Legislature. Both candidates were asked to complete a questionnaire about their candidacy. Their responses are presented in alphabetical order.

Name: Zachary Collins

Age:      34

Family: Wife Kaitlyn Collins; children Trace Collins (7), Colten Collins (5) and Caleb Collins (2).

Place of residence: Town of Coeymans

How long you’ve lived in the town: All my life – 34 years

Occupation: I work for the family excavation and trucking business.

Are you an incumbent: Yes

Party line on ballot: Conservative, Republican

Previous elected offices, if any: Town Council 2012-21

College: Siena College (Bachelor of Science), Management major, Computer Science minor

Military service: No

What do you think is the top issue facing your community? What would you do to address this issue if elected?

From a county perspective, I believe our district’s biggest issue is making sure we get our fair share of county resources and services. We are currently underway in the midst of building a new public works building in its former location in the town of Coeymans. This building will operate on green energy and will have state-of-the-art equipment for our county workforce. My district has also received two grants this past year. The first grant was for our senior center so they could purchase a new vehicle to deliver meals to our elderly in need. The second grant was for our churches’ food banks in the area, so they could continue their services to the community. I am currently working on attaining funding for our Innovation Station STEAM organization. We have many resources at the county level that can help our district. I have and will continue to make sure that our district receives its fair share of county resources.

Why do you think you will be a good legislator? If you currently hold office, what are you most proud of accomplishing?

I believe my best asset as a county legislator is my willingness to work across the aisle. I have worked together on numerous occasions with both the minority and the majority in the Albany County Legislature to ensure our district received its fair share of county resources. My proudest moment in my tenure as a legislator was acquiring a $30,000 grant for the Senior Projects of Ravena. The grant funding went to purchase a new vehicle to help deliver meals to our seniors in Coeymans and the surrounding area. I look forward to continuing to represent the constituents of the 37th Legislative District in the Albany County Legislature, and to continue to build relationships and bridges, and work with my colleagues and local elected officials, to ensure that the needs of our constituents are adequately met, and that we receive our fair share of county resources and services.

Name: Kristen Geoghegan

Age: 59

Family: Husband of 27 years, Dave, and our two grown sons, Tom and Bob

Place of residence: Route 143, just outside the village of Ravena

How long you’ve lived in the county: 34 years in Albany County, 32 years in the town of Coeymans

Occupation: Retired from the NYS Assembly in 2020 as project manager of Legislative Finance Systems           

Are you an incumbent: No

Party line on ballot: The independent Coeymans Forward Party on line E

Previous elected offices, if any: None

College: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Military service: No

Statement: Our district deserves a dedicated, independent voice that puts the needs of our residents first. My commitment is to represent all residents of District 37 in Coeymans and the newly added areas in South Bethlehem and Selkirk. I firmly believe that every voice matters, and I am here to be your advocate in our local government.

I chose to move to Coeymans and raise my family over 30 years ago. I graduated from RPI and have over 25 years of experience in governmental financial management and budgeting oversight. During my time at the NYS Legislature, I worked hard to ensure the public could see how their tax dollars were spent. Now I want to bring those same values into county government.

I am a community leader who cares about her neighbors. I’ve volunteered my bookkeeping and organizational skills to assist local and national non-profits including the RCS Soccer Club, Boy Scout Troop #1087, Mohawk Hudson Humane Society, and the Sierra Club. 

If elected, I look forward to working hard for the people of District 37.

  • Work with county, town and village leadership to bring in new economic development dollars and create good jobs.
  • Support local businesses and attract new small businesses.
  • Protect public health and environmental quality.
  • Improve public safety services including fire protection and emergency response times, and,
  • Bring Southern Albany County back to the table in Albany.

Election Day will be Nov. 7. Profiles of the candidates for Coeymans Town Council will be featured in the Nov. 2 issue of the Ravena News-Herald.

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