Courtenay to run for Town Supervisor

Chester Councilman Robert Courtenay recently announced that he will be running for town supervisor in the 2023.

Courtenay discussed his initiatives at A Theme Come True in Chester as two dozen or so listened. Others also spoke on his behalf.

“We are very happy that everyone could join us this evening for a very special night, big news for the Town of Chester, and really, for Orange County as a whole,” Amir Sadaghiana, managing partner for Ostrer & Associates, P.C. said before opening the event.

Former state assemblyman Collin Schmitt complimented Courtenay’s dedication as the town’s liaison to the state assembly, adding that he answered calls regardless of the time of day.

“Bob is always there. Didn’t matter when something might be needed from Chester to help Chester, he was available,” Schmitt said. “And that’s the type of leader that you want in local government, not afraid to pick up the phone on the weekends, the holidays, doesn’t matter,”

Elias Cunningham, chairman of Orange County Team Republic, who announced that his organization will endorse Courtenay for the upcoming election and hopes to see his leadership in action.

“After this election, I will be absolutely excited to call Bob Courtenay my supervisor,” he said, adding that the organization will endorse Courtenay for the upcoming election.

Steven Keahon, founder of Preserve Chester, expressed frustration with the town’s ongoing issues.

“I’m tired of Chester being in the headlines for the wrong reasons. I’m tired of the lawsuits, I’m tired of the knee-jerk reactions, I am tired of the ‘my way or highway’ mentality. I am tired of the unchecked growth and lack of oversight on our planning boards and zoning boards,” Keahon said.

“It’s time we bring in leadership that focuses on what’s best for Chester, all the residents now and in the future. It’s time for Chester to get back to focusing on youth and their programs. It’s time for Chester to bring their committees back together, and promote constituent involvement...I believe that leadership is here today, and that’s my friend Bob Courtenay,” he added.

Courtenay’s campaign

Courtenay elaborated on his initiatives as a supervisor candidate. His main priority, he said, is providing the town board with proactive leadership - something that he feels is currently lacking in Chester’s government.

“I’m doing this because we need change in our leadership. We have a reactive leader right now. We need to make proactive decisions for our town right now, and we’re currently not doing that,” he said.

Courtenay cited Chester Commons as an example. He said that he and Town Supervisor Robert Valentine were aware of the park’s decaying fields since September 2022, but the board only recently addressed these issues after several residents brought up concerns for them.

Valentine added that the Monroe-Woodbury School District was partly responsible for the fields’ conditions due to its usage of them, a statement that Courtenay claimed was “poor leadership.”

“It is not about the school, it’s about all of us as one...it’s easy to make excuses and say ‘well it’s not my problem if the school does it’ or ‘it’s this one’s fault or that one’s fault’,” Courtenay said. “A leader finds solutions, finds ways to say yes, finds ways to muscle your way through all of that, and we don’t have that today.”

Courtenay said he also wants to focus on the town’s budget management and work towards lowering the area’s inflation and sales tax.

While the campaign was a difficult decision to make, Courtenay said he felt confident to run after hearing feedback from several associates, and he feels that he has the right skills to serve Chester and its residents.

“We are going to make Chester proud. And this isn’t about Chester republicans, this is not about conservatives, independents, democrats. This is about all of us. I’ve proven in my three years on the council that I can work with everybody,” Courtenay stated. “We’re going to move forward in a positive way and make everyone proud,” he added.

The primary election is June 7 and the general election will be held on November 27, 2023.