Save the date!
Sunnyside Par 3 · Queensbury
Saturday, October 3
Shotgun start at 1 pm – 4 pm
PRIZES ON EVERY HOLE!
- $50 per person includes round of golf plus pub fare
RSVP Requested/50 person max
-
$250 Hole Sponsorship Available
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$500 Event Sponsorship Available
Please RSVP at [email protected]
or call Matt at 518-361-1075
Online Donations can be made HERE
Make Checks Payable to Friends of Matt Simpson and mail to P.O. Box 324, Brant Lake, NY 12815
NON-GOLFERS WELCOME!
Come and Say Hello!
175 elected village, town and county officials endorse Matt Simpson
Matt Simpson has announced the endorsement of over 175 elected village, town, and county officials from throughout the North Country to serve as our next Representative in the 114th New York State Assembly.
This bipartisan network of voter representatives from across the district illustrates confidence in Matt’s understanding of the grassroots issues that matter to the people who live and work inside the 114th District.
“Matt Simpson has enjoyed the support of his constituents as their Town Supervisor for the past seven years in addition to serving as President of the Adirondack Association of Towns and Villages. Between providing the day to day services of Horicon and his leadership with AATV, Matt has become well informed of the North Country region’s needs that are vital to our daily existence,” says Craig Randall, Mayor for the Village of Lake Placid. “Together with Matt’s previous experience operating a small business in the district for many years makes him an ideal choice to represent us in Albany. I welcome the opportunity to support a fellow community leader and am pleased to provide my support for Matt in his quest to represent our 114th Assembly District.”
“Matt Simpson has the integrity, work ethic, and exceptional knowledge of the issues confronting the residents of the 114th Assembly District,” explains Sam Hall, Chairman of the Washington County Board of Supervisors. “There is nobody who can better serve and represent the everyday people of the North Country.”
“I believe Matt Simpson is the best candidate to represent our Assembly District. He knows all the issues which affect each individual and the fundamental challenges the state is facing as well.” Added Kevin Geraghty, Supervisor for Town of Warrensburg
“I am honored to have the support of individuals who have committed themselves to public service,” says Matt Simpson. “These men and women have been entrusted by tens of thousands of voters from the small towns and villages of the North Country to work towards building a better today and tomorrow. I look forward to putting their invaluable insights to work in Albany and fighting to make sure our voices are heard.”
Richard Lucia, Supervisor, Town of Corinth
Jeffrey Collura, Town Council Member, Corinth
Joshua Halliday, Town Council Member, Corinth
Ed Byrnes, Deputy Supervisor, Town of Corinth
Preston Allen, Supervisor, Town of Day
Curt Schreiner, Council Member, Town of Day
Lorraine Newton, Council Member, Town of Day
Lehman Allen Jr., Highway Superintendent, Town of Day
Arthur Mo Wright, Supervisor, Town of Hadley
James Brewster, Council Member, Town of Hadley
Carl Lawrence, Council Member, Town of Hadley
Katherine Austin, Council Member, Town of Hadley,
Jean Raymond, Supervisor, Town of Edinburg
Toby Edwards, Council Member, Town of Edinburg
Gene Greco, Council Member, Town of Edinburg
Marie Penino, Council Member, Town of Edinburg
Mike Swan, Treasurer, Warren County
Pam Vogel, Clerk, Warren County
Scott Endieveri, Council Member, City of Glens Falls
Dan Bruno, Ward 4 Supervisor, City of Glens Falls
Tony Metivier Council Member, Town of Queensbury
George Ferrone, Council Member, Town of Queensbury
David Duell, Highway Superintendent, Town of Queensbury
Caroline Barber, Clerk, Town of Queensbury
Brad Magowan, Supervisor At-Large, Town of Queensbury
Mike Wild, Supervisor At-Large, Town of Queensbury
Rachel Seeber, Supervisor At-Large, Town of Queensbury
Dennis Dickinson, Supervisor, Town of Lake George
Vinny Crocitto, Deputy Supervisor, Town of Lake George
Marisa Muratori, Town Council Member, Town of Lake George
Nancy Stannard, Town Council Member, Town of Lake George
Bob Blais, Mayor, Village of Lake George
John Earl, Trustee, Village of Lake George
Raymond Perry, Trustee, Village of Lake George
Gene Merlino, Supervisor, Town of Lake Luzerne
Dan Waterhouse, Council Member, Town of Lake Luzerne
Dave O’Neal, Council Member, Town of Lake Luzerne
Mark McLain, Council Member, Town of Lake Luzerne
Paul Lewandowski Council Member, Town of Lake Luzerne
Ronnie Deuel, Highway Superintendent, Town of Lake Luzerne
Kevin Geraghty, Supervisor, Town of Warrensburg
John Alexander, Deputy Supervisor, Town of Warrensburg
Donne-Lynn Winslow, Council Member, Town of Warrensburg
Bryan Rounds, Council Member, Town of Warrensburg
G. Edward Pennock, Council Member, Town of Warrensburg
Pamela Lloyd, Clerk, Town of Warrensburg
Craig Leggett, Supervisor, Town of Chester
Larry Turcotte, Council Member, Town of Chester
Karen DuRose, Council Member, Town of Chester
Christopher Aiken, Council Member, Town of Chester
Mindy Conway, Clerk, Town of Chester
Jason Monroe, Highway Superintendent, Town of Chester
Frank Thomas, Supervisor, Town of Stony Creek
Nathan Thomas, Council Member, Town of Stony Creek
Doreen Ryan, Council Member, Town of Stony Creek
Phil Coletti, Council Member, Town of Stony Creek
Susan Harrington, Clerk, Town of Stony Creek
Neil Bradley, Highway Superintendent, Town of Stony Creek
Edna Frasier, Supervisor, Town of Hague
Steve Ramant, Council Member, Town of Hague
Martin Fitzgerald II, Council Member, Town of Hague
Donald Smith Council Member, Town of Hague
Sylvia Smith, Deputy Supervisor, Town of Horicon
Frank Hill, Council Member, Town of Horicon
Peter Palmer, Council Member, Town of Horicon
Robert Olson, Council Member, Town of Horicon
Krista Wood, Clerk, Town of Horicon
Darian Granger, Highway Superintendent, Town of Horicon
Ron Conover, Supervisor, Town of Bolton
Robert MacEwan, Council Member, Town of Bolton
Susan Wilson, Deputy Supervisor, Town of Bolton
Tim Coon, Council Member, Town of Bolton
Wanda (Penny)Cleavland, Council Member, Town of Bolton
Jodi Pettys, Clerk, Town of Bolton
William Sherman, Highway Superintendent, Town of Bolton
Ed Brown, Council Member, Town of Thurman
Arnold Stevens, Council Member, Town of Johnsburg
Gene Arsenault, Council Member, Town of Johnsburg
Laurie Arnheiter, Council Member, Town of Johnsburg
Justin Gonyo, Council Member, Town of Johnsburg
Fred Comstock, Highway Superintendent, Town of Johnsburg
Joe Provoncha, Clerk, Essex County
Ronald Jackson, Council Member, Town of Essex
Bradley French, Highway Superintendent, Town of Essex
Noel Merrihew, Supervisor, Town of Elizabethtown
Phil Hutchins, Deputy Supervisor, Town of Elizabethtown
Ben Morris, Council Member, Town of Elizabethtown
Janet Cross, Clerk, Town of Elizabethtown
Cathy Reusser, Council Member, Town of Elizabethtown
Joe Giordano, Supervisor, Town of Ticonderoga
Shaun Gillilland, Supervisor, Town of Willsboro
Lorilee Sheehan, Council Member, Town of Willsboro
Charles Lustig, Council Member, Town of Willsboro
Travis Crowningshield, Highway Superintendent, Town of Willsboro
Craig Randall, Mayor, Village of Lake Placid
Art Devlin, Deputy Mayor, Village of Lake Placid
Scott Monroe, Trustee, Village of Lake Placid
Jay Rand, Supervisor, Town of North Elba
Laurie Dudley, Clerk, Town of North Elba
Roy Holzer, Supervisor, Town of Wilmington
Darin Forbes, Council Member, Town of Wilmington
Gerald Bruce, Clerk, Town of Wilmington
Joe Pete Wilson Jr, Supervisor, Town of Keene
David Deyo, Council Member, Town of Keene
Scott Smith, Highway Superintendent, Town of Keene
Ellen Estes, Clerk, Town of Keene
Davina Winemiller, Supervisor, Town of St. Armand
D. Joseph Bates, Deputy Supervisor, Town of St. Armand
Karl Law, Council Member, Town of St. Armand
Barbara Darrah, Clerk, Town of St. Armand
Doug Snickles, Highway Superintendent, Town of St. Armand
Jeff Subra, Supervisor, Town of Schroon Lake
Roger Friedman, Council Member, Town of Schroon Lake
Richard Gero, Council Member, Town of Schroon Lake
Ethan Thompson, Council Member, Town of Schroon Lake
Meg Wood, Council Member, Town of Schroon Lake
Patricia Savarie, Clerk, Town of Schroon Lake
Dana Shaughnessy, Highway Superintendent, Town of Schroon Lake
Ivan Macey, Council Member, Town of Crown Point
Tara Peters, Council Member, Town of Crown Point
Tom Scozzafava, Supervisor, Town of Moriah
Paul Salerno, Deputy Supervisor, Town of Moriah
Matthew Brassard, Council Member, Town of Moriah
Rose French, Clerk, Town of Moriah
Wester Miga, Deputy Supervisor, Town of Newcomb
Robin DeLoria, Supervisor, Town of Newcomb
Lana Fennessy, Council Member, Town of Newcomb
Paul LaCourse, Council Member, Town of Newcomb
Don Bott, Council Member, Town of Newcomb
Cliff Demars, Highway Superintendent, Town of Newcomb
Mary Pound, Clerk, Town of Newcomb
Clayton Barber, Supervisor, Town of Chesterfield
Stephanie DeZalia, Supervisor, Town of North Hudson
Marshall Gero, Council Member, Town of North Hudson
Maureen Marsden, Council Member, Town of North Hudson
Stephen McNally, Supervisor, Town of Minerva
Doug McCall, Council Member, Town of Minerva
Scott Fish, Council Member, Town of Minerva
David LaBar, Council Member, Town of Minerva
James Monty, Supervisor, Town of Lewis
David Blades, Council Member, Town of Lewis
Michael “Ike” Tyler, Supervisor, Town of Westport
Barry Morrison, Council Member, Town of Westport
Dennis Westover, Highway Superintendent, Town of Westport
Kate Simmer, Clerk, Town of Westport
David Kirkby, Council Member, Town of Westport
Al Nollette, Treasurer, Washington County
Allen Wilbur, Council Member, Town of Dresden
John Barber, Council Member, Town of Dresden
Richard Hobus, Highway Superintendent, Town of Dresden
Sam Hall, Supervisor, Town of Fort Ann
Deb Witherell, Council Member, Town of Fort Ann
Denny Fletcher, Council Member, Town of Fort Ann
Barb Winchell, Clerk, Town of Fort Ann
Michael Sexton, Council Member, Town of Fort Ann
Paul Winchell, Highway Superintendent, Town of Fort Ann
Matt Hicks, Supervisor, Town of Granville
Jim Bradt, Council Member, Town of Granville
Tom Cosey, Council Member, Town of Granville
Scott Taylor, Highway Superintendent, Town of Granville
Dean Hyatt, Trustee, Village of Granville
George Johnson, Highway Superintendent, Village of Granville
Dave O’Brien, Supervisor, Town of Hampton
George Flint, Council Member, Town of Hebron
Brian Campbell, Supervisor, Town of Hebron
Sanford Craig, Council Member, Town of Hebron
Dorothy Worthington, Clerk, Town of Hebron
Darrell Wilson, Supervisor, Town of Putnam
Charles Bain Sr, Council Member, Town of Putnam
Darlene Kerr, Council Member, Town of Putnam
David Hollister, Deputy Supervisor, Town of Whitehall
Patti Gordon, Clerk, Town of Whitehall
Tim Kingsley, Council Member, Town of Whitehall
John Rozell, Supervisor, Town of Whitehall
Stephanie Safka, Council Member, Town of Whitehall
Christopher Dudley Sr, Council Member, Town of Whitehall
George Armstrong, Former Council Member, Town of Whitehall
Reprinted from the Chronicle of Glens Falls
By Gordon Woodworth, Chronicle News Editor – February 6, 2020
Matt Simpson, the Brant Lake resident, Horicon Town Supervisor and State Assembly candidate, already has the backing of Warren, Saratoga and Essex County Republican Committees. He’ll seek the Washington County GOP nod Tuesday, Feb. 18.
Matt Simpson
He faces a prospective Republican primary challenge in June from Doug Beaty, an at-large county supervisor from Queensbury.
Candidates in November will include Democrat Claudia Braymer, who represents Glens Falls’s Ward 3 on the Warren County Board, and Evelyn Wood, former Republican Thurman Town Supervisor, who plans to run on the new SAM Party line.
Republicans outnumber Democrats nearly 2-to-1 in the 114th district. State Board of Elections statistics show 39,960 Republicans and 23,310 Democrats.
They’re seeking the seat being vacated by Dan Stec to run for retiring Betty Little’s State Senate seat.
Mr. Simpson, 52, who is also in his third year as president of the Adirondack Association of Towns and Villages (AATV), is in his seventh year as Town Supervisor.
He said he first grew up in Bolton, where his father Joe Simpson was a teacher. His mom Sandra was a registered nurse at Glens Falls Hospital. He said his father and Tim Smith started New Beginnings on South Street in Glens Falls, which became the Open Door Mission.
“We actually lived in [former town Supervisor] Frank Daigles’ home in Bolton,” Mr. Simpson said.
After the family moved, he graduated from Hoosic Valley High School in 1985, and started Matt Simpson Dry Wall in the fall of 1985. He said he worked in high-end homes on Lake George and in Queensbury for more than 30 years.
He said that while working on a home in Chester, he met his wife Judy, who was working at the Stewart’s in Chestertown. She is now assistant manager of the store.
They have two children. Matthew graduated from Paul Smith’s College and works in Vermont. Sarah is a certified nurses aide and “wants to be an RN,” he said.
Lived in GF & Qby before Horicon
The Simpsons lived in Glens Falls and then, from 1994 to 2007, in Queensbury. Then they moved to Horicon.
In 2009, Mr. Simpson says his relative Paul Smith was highway superintendent and asked him to be a plow wingman.
“That was my first experience in town government,” he said. “I was at the bottom of the food chain, and I got to work as part of a team. It was a great experience.”
Mr. Simpson said he became friends with then-Town Supervisor Ralph Bentley.
“He was a hunter and fisherman like me,” he said. “Ralph asked me if I’d like to join the Zoning Board of Appeals. So I started going to Town Board meetings, but there were other people who were interested in the position and I didn’t get picked.
“Ralph then asked me if I’d be willing to join the Planning Board, and a seat opened up in 2009, and I was appointed and served 16 months on the Planning Board.
“The next year, Ralph asked me to think about running for the Town Board, and I was kind of interested, but I was still focused on running my business. But I ran in 2010 against two incumbents who were both from Horicon.
“I didn’t know anything about campaigning, but I knocked on 800 doors that fall, and the passion that the people I met had made a real impact on me.”
He won, served on the Town Board for two years and became involved in the Adirondack Local Government Review Board.
Elected Supervisor in 2013
“I got more involved in Adirondack Park Agency matters through the relationships I built there, and then became involved with AATV. I was on the Town Board for two years, and Ralph told me he was thinking about retiring. So I ran for Supervisor unopposed in 2013 and was elected.”
Then, the baptism by fire began.
“I had a lot of things I had to experience. I had to learn how to develop and create a budget using factors that are largely out of your control, like sales tax.
“I developed my first budget and got a great understanding of how conservative you have to be. There are a lot of factors you can’t anticipate.”
He said Horicon has grown during his tenure as supervisor. “The Lazy Moose opened up, EZ Marine, and then the Hub really changed Horicon. There are great biking opportunities in the Adirondacks, and that caught us a little by surprise. But biking brings a lot of people into our region, and [Hub owner] Drew Cappabianca has great new ideas.”
As an aside, Mr. Simpson said he and his wife had their wedding reception in the former Town Hall, which became the Hub. “Guests brought dishes to share,” he said.
Involved in Adirondack issue
He said he quickly realized that “the greatest challenges affecting our community were outside of Horicon, and I had to be out and about. I became more involved at the County and in the Adirondack Park.
“I’m an outdoorsman. I call myself an environmentalist. There is a balance between us living here and protecting the asset that brings visitors to our region.”
Being president of AATV “gave me a new opportunity to work in Albany with the Governor’s Office and both houses.
“From my opportunities as Town Supervisor and through AATV, I worked throughout the district on many issues that affect residents of the 114th Assembly District,” including wastewater infrastructure and the timber industry.
“I love my job as Horicon Town Supervisor but I always thought if I had an opportunity to seek higher office, I would.”
Can he convince voters in Glens Falls and Queensbury to vote for him?
“I worked in the area for 31 years,” he said. “I know a lot of people from Glens Falls and Queensbury. My grandfather Ellsworth Simpson worked in the textile business at Binches, and I developed a lot of relationships there and have a lot of friends there. I lived there.
“I am known in Glens Falls and Queensbury. I did drywall in thousands of homes.”
Issues: High Taxes, infrastructure
Mr. Simpson’s top three issues? “High taxes, and the way our money is spent. Infrastructure, and wastewater and clean water issues. And economic development tied to the ability to support businesses.
“We don’t need a hand out. We need a hand up. We need to be sustainable to support families and bring the economic development that we need. There needs to be a major paradigm shift in what we’re doing now, to ensure taxpayer money results in the intended benefit.
“I’m also focused on affordable housing for working people within the Blue Line, something the APA can help with.
“I’ve seen the revitalization in Glens Falls. They have figured out how to attract and retain the right businesses for the people who live there.”
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Matt Simpson honored by the Adirondack Lakes Alliance
BRANT LAKE | The Adirondack Lakes Alliance has honored Town of Horicon Supervisor Matt Simpson for his half-dozen years of advocacy work towards protecting the environmental quality of lakes and rivers in the Adirondacks.
The award was presented Aug. 1 at the Alliance’s annual symposium, held at Paul Smith’s College.
Simpson was honored for distinguished stewardship of area waterways and their surroundings, as well as outstanding service to Adirondack communities.