GOP legislative contest heats up
By ROB PRICE THE COURIER-ADVOCATE

Niem

BATH - A horse race is shaping up for the District 3 seat on the Steuben County Legislature.

Rosalie Niemczyk, a member of the Haverling school board and a principal player in efforts to prevent the demolition of the former Dana Lyon elementary school building, announced last week she will run for the seat currently held by Ron Nielsen.

Also last week, Larry Crossett, the former treasurer for Steuben County, announced he will run for the seat, citing his experience with county finances. Crossett worked 35 years in the county treasurer's office, the last 12 as treasurer.

Both Niemczyk and Crossett are seeking the Republican nomination and will appear on the September Republican primary ballot, along with Robin Lattimer, who announced her candidacy in last week's Courier-Advocate.

The winner of the September primary will appear on the November ballot for the general election.

In a formal announcement, Crossett said his principal goal as legislator would be "to keep taxes as low as possible, while at the same time ensuring that the county maintains a strong financial position."

He serves as commissioner of Bath Electric, Gas and Water systems and is a former trustee of the Village of Bath.

Crossett

A graduate of Haverling High School, he has lived in Bath for most of his life and holds a bachelor's degree in business administration from Alfred University.

Niemczyk and her late husband moved to the Town of Bath from Long Island in 1986 after vacationing in the area since 1940.

"I've been involved in enough local government, sometimes as a participant," she said, "and I have seen what I consider on the part of some officials a certain degree of complacency and ho-hum attitude toward the work at hand. I thought, let's give it a shot."

Lattimer