Republicans at caucus back Holler, Bennett for Albion village trustees
Greg Bennett, left, and Jeff Holler
ALBION – Two candidates were backed this evening at the Albion Republican Caucus for village trustees.
Greg Bennett already had the Democratic Party backing last week for the one of the trustee posts. Now he has the Republican Party’s support as well.
Republicans also backed Jeff Holler for the other trustee position in the March 19 election.
The caucus drew less than 10 Republicans in a small turnout that was similar to the eight who voted at the Democratic caucus last week.
Former Village Board member Kevin Sheehan said Albion should move away from the two-party system for village elections. He would prefer to see Albion follow Holley, Lyndonville and Medina and have the village elections be run on independent party lines, without Republican or Democrat next to the name of the candidates.
Sheehan said he has run and been elected to the Village Board a Democrat, independent and Republican. He doesn’t think at the village level party politics is much of a factor. He nominated Bennett to be endorsed by the Republicans even though Bennett just secured the Democrat line.
“It’s not about left or right or a political party,” Bennett said at the caucus at the Masonic Lodge on Platt Street. “It’s about doing the best for the village.”
Bennett, 47, of Chamberlain Street works as a locksmith at the Albion Correctional Facility. He has been there nearly five years. Previously, he worked a decade for Baxter Healthcare in Medina.
Bennett is well known in Albion as a long-time coach in the Albion Midget League. He also is an assistant with the Albion varsity baseball team. He also coaches youth baseball teams in the summer and fall.
Bennett during the Republican caucus said the board needs to communicate more with village residents about the issues facing the board and community. He would like to see quarterly town hall-style meetings where the board takes questions from the community and updates residents on projects.
Holler, 57, lives on East State Street. He worked as an executive chef for 25 years, and then head cook for 13 years at the Orleans Correctional Facility. Since he retired in 2014, he has been a very active member at the Masonic Lodge. He also has been a busy volunteer for the Royal Body Shop Outreach Ministries, especially with the efforts to cook Thanksgiving meals and also an Easter egg hunt and prize giveaway.
Holler said he would like to see local service clubs and organizations work together more for programs helping youth and also to help with a more vibrant downtown.
Holler said Albion needs more industry, but he doesn’t necessarily want more chain stores that drive out local small businesses.
“I think I can make a difference and fight for the community,” he said.
There is still time for other candidates to file an independent petition or mount a write-in campaign for the March 19 election.
Holler and Bennett are running for four-year terms for positions that are currently filled by Chris Barry and David Buczek. Barry has been on the board nearly four years while Buczek was appointed last month by Mayor Angel Javier Jr. He is filling the remainder of Zack Burgess’s term.