Town of Newstead has one contested race in the current election

October 30, 2025December 10, 2025 10 min read

Town of Newstead voters have several seats to fill in the current election with early voting underway at various locations including the lower level of the Akron Village Hall, Main Street and your designated polling place on election day, November 4, 2025, however, only one is contested. Two candidates are seeking the position of Town of Newstead Highway Superintendent, incumbent Michael Bassennello and Gary Baehr, a veteran member of the Town Highway Department.

Running unopposed for Town Clerk is incumbent Jennifer DiChristina and running unopposed for Town Councilman are incumbents Dr. Edmund J. Burke, Jr. and John P. Jendrowski, Jr.

Each candidate was asked three questions by the AKRON BUGLE. The answers of those who chose to participate follow in the order they appear on the ballot.

The questions are: How would you describe the responsibilities of the office you seek?

What skills, experience do you bring that helps you uniquely meet those responsibilities?

What are the top three most pressing issues facing the Town of Newstead, related to the office you are seeking, that you will address if elected? Please include why they are important and how you plan to address them.

Edmund J. Burke, Jr.

Having served as Councilman since 2017, I feel I have worked well with my colleagues, whom I highly regard, and I wish to continue to do so in order to address the pressing issues the Town faces. I therefore ask that you cast a vote for me in this year’s election.

In order to conduct the Town’s business, it is important to both attend the work sessions at which discussions are held and positions established, as well as the regular meetings at which resolutions are adopted to enact the policies deemed prudent for the Town. The record will show that I have very good attendance.

The main issues facing Town government invariably involve their costs and how to satisfy them.

Adopting a budget below the 2% tax cap while encountering the NYS unfunded mandates is a yearly hurdle but one which the Town has fiercely worked to achieve. It is not easy to do while providing the needed Town services.

Some of the pressing issues before the Town are establishing sewerage services for the Town overlay zone at the junction of NY 5 & 93, maintaining growth in compliance with the Comprehensive Master Plan of the Town, and the feasibility of constructing a Community Center.

People at our public meetings have expressed their interest in maintaining the ambience of the Town which many have said is why they moved to Newstead. To address the pressures of development in a rural community a task group has been established and is presently gathering data to make recommendations to the Board. The pursuit of grants for the sewerage service, and the Community Center are ongoing.

My wife and I are proud to call this home for 51 years and blessed to raise our two children here. We indeed are very fond of the Town and we look forward to always having new members participate in Town government. So please be sure to vote in this year’s election.

Jennifer L. DiChristina

The Town Clerk serves a vital, administrative role in the operations of the Town. The majority of the Town records are maintained by this office. Attending the Town Board meetings and keeping a precise record of the proceedings is an included responsibility. This requires the highest level of accuracy and consistency from the Town Clerk, who serves as the Custodian of Records.

All financial transactions, except for court fees, are handled by the Town Clerk’s office. The office is the receiver for the collection of taxes, fees for issued licenses and permits, and for other monies collected by the Town. The office vouchers the majority of the Town expenditures for Town Board approval and payment.

The Town Clerk is most often the first to greet the residents and other visitors to the Town Hall. A pleasant and professional persona is a must to greet our neighbors and guests as they come through the door. The Town Clerk must be able to direct visitors to the appropriate department or individual, based on the needs of the request. Therefore, the Town Clerk must have a working knowledge of the Town staff and the functions of each department within.

As a resident since my early childhood and a senior employee of the Town, I bring over twenty years of Town experience to the chair of the Town Clerk’s office. Following my first five years of service as the Clerk to the Town Building and Assessor’s office, I moved across the hall as the Deputy Town Clerk for fifteen years. In November of 2023, I had the honor of being elected by the residents to the seat of Town Clerk, where I have served to date. I have been blessed to have gained the knowledge and skills required to perform every aspect of the Town Clerk’s responsibilities, through my experience at this great facility. This ensures that the Town residents will continue to receive the highest level of service that is the standard of this office.

As an administrative department, the Office of Town Clerk is not where Town issues are addressed, but rather upheld. This privilege is reserved for the Supervisor and Town Board. The issues of my concern include staying current with the ever-changing environment surrounding us, maintaining my fiduciary responsibility to the taxpayers, and to continue to provide outstanding services to the residents of our community. I find it important to stay current in my professional, continuing education. To maintain my knowledge, I hold memberships in the New York State Town Clerks Association and the Erie County Town Clerk & Tax Collector’s Association. These associations provide a yearly conference and monthly meetings including keynote speakers, a generous number of workshops covering the multiple aspects of Town Clerk responsibilities, as well as specialized assistance and classes relative to professional development. This not only helps keep my knowledge current but has also allowed me to make acquaintances with fellow, area Town Clerks, an indispensable resource.

Michael C. Bassanello

How would you describe the responsibilities of the office you seek?

The Superintendent role requires someone devoted to the community. This position demands being available 24/7 throughout the year. Talking with residents, checking out concerns, and submitting reports are just a few examples of unplanned responsibilities that are addressed by the Superintendent. The safety and well-being of Newstead is not limited to the work week.

What skills, experience do you bring that helps you uniquely meet those requirements?

For the past forty-five years, I have been involved in infrastructure management. Formerly working in the streets department with the Village of Akron before taking on the Superintendent role has provided me with practical firsthand knowledge of the unique challenges of the area. On top of this, I have worked well with the Village of Akron and other Town Municipalities, which has resulted in saving Town of Newstead taxpayers a substantial amount of tax dollars. I am heavily involved with the Town Highway Superintendents Association of Erie County and served as their President for several years.

1. The cost of equipment continues to soar. In my position, I try to maintain a balance between updating and repairing our equipment. This requires a lot of preparation with budgeting and project forecasting, while looking ahead to what the community needs will be. I plan to continue being fiscally responsible with equipment purchasing in order to make the best use of taxpayer money.

2. Drainage for the Town is an ever-increasing issue. While we have grown as a Town the landscape of Newstead has been affected. It is time to invest in updated equipment to make our work more efficient. This will result in more work being completed during the short window of time ditching can be completed.

3. Over the past twenty years in office, I have watched the community grow. However, new residents are not always aware of all of the services that are available. We are a small department, but we work hard to provide quality services at a low tax rate. I encourage residents to call or stop in when they have questions about what services are available. We have flyers available for residents and continue to update the website with information.

Gary A. Baehr

How would you describe the responsibilities of the office you seek?

The Town of Newstead Highway Department is a cornerstone of our local infrastructure efforts. Led by the Highway Superintendent, the department manages and maintains local roadways, drainage, and all departmental buildings, grounds, and parks. The Superintendent’s role is supervisory and administrative, requiring them to plan, organize, direct, and oversee the department. They must also act as a lead worker and perform any additional work needed for the town.

What skills and experience do you bring that help you uniquely meet those responsibilities? (100-word limit)

I have over 20 years of dedicated service with the Town Highway Department, progressing from Laborer and Mechanical Equipment Operator to serving five years as Deputy Highway Superintendent. This experience has given me a deep understanding of our community’s infrastructure needs.

Furthermore, since 1998, I have served as an active volunteer firefighter of the Akron Fire Company. My leadership roles—including Chief and President—have provided essential experience in contract negotiations, budgeting, and ensuring fiscal stability while enhancing community services.

My top priority is improving communication with town and village residents, councilmembers and trustees, and county and state officials. As Highway Superintendent, I’d actively advocate for community needs and work directly with county and state representatives to secure resources and complete more local projects.

Second, the Town Highway Department must achieve better cooperation at the joint Town Highway Department and Village Department of Public Works facility. This facility was built to maximize our collective capabilities and save costs. By improving interoperability among our talented crews and continuing to collaborate with surrounding communities, we can efficiently and cost-effectively deliver services that benefit taxpayers.

Third, we must implement a structured departmental plan. A structured long-term plan is imperative and will serve as a guideline for all key areas, including budgetary expenses, equipment replacement cycles, road and drainage maintenance, and future growth planning. In an environment of rising costs, decreasing material quality, and parts scarcity, this structured plan—combined with strong communication—will ensure we budget effectively for maintenance, plan for future growth, and remain fiscally responsible within state mandates and financial limits.