9/15/07 - Incumbent refutes challenger mailing

(As published by Cortland Standard, Evan Geibel reporting)

The Democratic 2nd Ward incumbent facing a primary has taken issue with a mailing sent by her challenger the week before the primary.

Incumbent Shannon Terwilliger (D-2nd Ward) is running for her third two-year term against primary challenger Clay Benedict.

The winner of Tuesday’s primary will appear on November’s ballot as a Democrat.

Terwilliger objected to a mailing sent by Benedict over the second half of the week. The blue card lists a variety of issues, with one column under Benedict’s name indicating his support of an issue and a column under Terwilliger’s indicating her lack of support.

Benedict, who declined to be interviewed for this article, says on the card that he circulated petitions supporting a study to stop the flooding; Terwilliger pointed out that she voted to allocate the $10,000 for half of the study, which would be split with the county.

Benedict says that he worked to elect Oneida County Democrat Mike Arcuri to Congress; Terwilliger said she also carried petitions and worked on Arcuri’s campaign and that Benedict should have remembered that fact.

Benedict says that he worked to prevent the former home of industrialist George Brockway on West Court Street from being converted into a multi-family apartment complex and that he “fights for enforceable codes and stronger enforcement.”

Terwilliger said that she does not think “anyone wants a multi-family apartment complex behind the Brockway House, but it’s in the hands of the Planning Commission.”
Benedict promises, in the mailing, to support the winner of the Democratic primary.

Terwilliger said she would pursue a write-in candidacy if she does not win the primary because she believes “it’s important to hear from all of the voters.”

Terwilliger and her husband, city Planning Commission member Tom Terwilliger, are the owners of The Local Bookstore, Mando Books on Main Street in Cortland and in Vestal, as well as the Red Jug Pub on Central Avenue. They have two children and live on Grace Street.

Benedict is a retired Homer Elementary School teacher. He and his wife, Gail, live on Homer Avenue. They also have two children.