WXXI: Parma Supervisor Loses Party Line, Heyman and Dunning Stay on Top (2009-09-16)

Three Monroe County town supervisors faced challenges within their own parties in this year's primary.

In Chili, incumbent supervisor David Dunning won the Republican primary, and in Irondequoit, Democrat Mary Ellen Heyman will keep her spot on the November ballot.

Heyman says despite negative campaigning by her opponent, she and her team worked hard for town residents, and will continue to do so.

"Our determination and our tenacity have really brought us some good things for the town ... You know people can say what they want, and they do, but it is a commentary for a very small group of people who have been consistently negative, meeting after meeting, month after month, and the rest of the town does not only not believe them, but doesn't agree with their assessment of what we've done."

Heyman challenger Robert Ament ran hard on a platform that stressed the need for updated facilities in Irondequoit. He says he tried his best to bring what he considers the most important issues to the forefront in the Irondequoit primary.

"[It's] the only town in Monroe County without a YMCA, modern sports facilities and a library that is completely unfunded. And [it has] the third highest tax rate in Monroe County. And believe me, this is not sour grapes. I am very happy to have had the honor of running. I'm a political realist, and I have no interest in every involving myself in politics ever again."

Meanwhile, in Parma, the incumbent Republican supervisor, Rick Lemcke, lost his bid to keep the seat he's held for 18 years.
Instead, former Monroe County legislator Peter McCann will have the Republican nomination in November.

Lemcke told WXXI in an interview last week that if he couldn't win on what he'd already accomplished - like keeping town taxes steady - he didn't deserve to be elected.

"If what I've done in the past doesn't get me reelected, it's the will of the people. It's the voters who put you in office. And that's another reason why I'm running the primary. It should be up to the voters, not the local committee, to decide whether or not I should stay in office."

Lemcke will face McCann again, in the general election. He'll still appear on the Conservative and Independence lines.

Democrat Heyman of Irondequoit will go on to face Republican Mary Joyce Daurizio in the general, and Chili Republican Dunning will be challenged by Democrat Susan Vandervoort.