Town of Ulster Supervisor James Quigley (Tania Barricklo/Daily Freeman file)
TOWN OF ULSTER, N.Y. – Longtime Supervisor James Quigley on Thursday began a transition of his position in anticipation of a planned Aug. 31 retirement.
The move was marked by swapping seats with Councilman Clayton VanKleeck, who is deputy supervisor, to take over the chair position during a Town Board meeting.
“Clayton has the keys to the car,” Quigley said. “Clayton will lead every single meeting that he is present at from now until August. Clayton is the defacto supervisor for day-to-day activities. I am there to support him, to conduct an orderly transition.”
Quigley said there are three capital projects he will continue to oversee and assist the town comptroller with financial duties over the coming five months.
Quigley, 67, said he decided to retire after finding that his stress-related health concerns such as high blood pressure had eased during a recent vacation but then returned upon resuming day-to-day handling of the town’s administrative duties.
“I can very clearly see what happens…based on stress, and it’s time,” he said.
The town supervisor since 2010, Quigley, a Republican, was elected for two-year terms as supervisor in 2009 over two-term incumbent Nick Woerner. He was uncontested for reelection in 2011 and 2013, and defeated former Supervisor Fred Wadnola in 2015. He ran uncontested for four-year terms in 2017 and 2021.
He ran unsuccessfully for county comptroller in 2008 and for county executive in 2022.
Quigley, a 1974 graduate of Coleman Catholic High School, was short on ranking accomplishments during the past 14 years but has been known for attacking debt and improving the town’s financial status. He has attributed the approach to lessons learned as a partner with Rothschild Realty Management LLC in New York City.
“There is nothing in my mind that stands out,” he said. “It’s just keeping the town functioning and addressing issues that were addressed with a higher degree of focus and commitment.”
However, there were things that one-time critic Regis Obijiski credited Quigley with accomplishing and one of them was becoming flexible on environmental issues.
“The first best thing that he did was to impose a moratorium on development that would require an air permit on development from the (state Department of Environmental Conservation),” he said. “That was the result of him turning from supporting the development of a power plant … to actually accepting and embracing an alternative for a battery storage facility which is very clean. So, I think if people see Jim Quigley as someone who is…inflexible, that’s just not true.”
Obijiski, a co-chair of townofUlstercitizens.org, also found Quigley has respect for residents who raise concerns.
“He really embraced the voice of citizens in this town, seeking their advice and counsel before acting,” he said.