GOP endorses county candidates

DeFilipps, DeRoller are backed in first runs for Legislature

Photo by Tom Rivers – John DeFilipps, left, and Ken DeRoller were both endorsed tonight by the Orleans County Republican Committee for the County Legislature.

GAINES – The Orleans County Republican Committee endorsed a slate of candidates for county positions tonight, including two who are new to county elections.

However, John DeFilipps of Clarendon and Ken DeRoller of Kendall both have long-time ties to the community. DeFilipps was endorsed for a county-wide legislator position currently held by George Bower, who is retiring after 24 years as legislator.

DeRoller was backed to represent a district that includes the towns of Carlton, Murray and Kendall. Ken Rush currently serves in that position. He chose not to seek re-election after 14 years on the Legislature.

DeFilipps, 55, has been a member of the Clarendon Town Board for 12 years. He owned a convenience store and gas station in Clarendon for 10 years before joining the Town Board. He worked 28 years at General Motors in Rochester before retiring six years ago. He recently helped develop the Red Rock Ponds RV Resort in Murray.

DeFilipps and DeRoller both met with the 10 town GOP committees in recent weeks before the countywide meeting tonight. The Republicans are concerned about local taxes, DeFilipps said.

“The consensus is we’re at a turning point with the way government is running and with what we can afford,” DeFilipps said after the endorsement meeting at The Village Inn.

DeRoller worked 38 years at Kodak, retiring 11 years ago in the information technology department as a business analyst. DeRoller, 66, also worked as Kendall’s town assessor and served 25 years on the Town Planning Board, including 15 years as chairman.

He has been a member of the Orleans Economic Development Agency the past 10 years. He also helped shape a waterfront development plan in 2002 for the towns of Yates, Carlton and Kendall, a project that helped those communities secure grants.

DeRoller said his experiences, especially with economic development and land use, will be an asset to the seven-member Legislature.

“I want to make a difference in the rural community,” DeRoller said. “With the Legislature, I thought it was time for me to step up.”

Ed Morgan, the Republican Party chairman, said DeRoller and DeFilipps are both well-rounded candidates with years of business and community service. They’ve also proven themselves at the town level, Morgan said.

The GOP committee also endorsed five incumbent legislators: David Callard of Medina, Bill Eick of Shelby, Lynne Johnson of Lyndonville, Don Allport of Gaines and Henry Smith Jr. of Gaines.

The committee also supported two other incumbent candidates running for county-wide positions: Susan Heard of Albion for country treasurer and Karen Lake-Maynard of Medina for county clerk.