GENESEE COUNTY/Le Roy GOP, Conservative Party leaders say county legislature change is needed

By Mike Pettinella
For Video News Service

Le Roy Republican and Genesee County Conservative committee leaders are calling for a change in their representation on the Genesee County Legislature.

On Wednesday, Andrew J. Lathan, chair of the Le Roy Republican Committee, expounded upon his group’s decision last week to not endorse Rochelle Stein for another term as the District No. 5 (Town of Le Roy) legislator. (Photo-Andrew J. Lathan)

Stein was first elected to the legislature in November 2011. She has served as the governing body’s chair since 2020.

“The Republicans in Le Roy have made their decision based on policy, representation back to our community and her brand of politics,” Lathan stated. “Last night (Tuesday) at the county committee meeting, our fellow Republicans heard our concerns loud and clear and supported our community by not endorsing Legislative Chair Stein.”

Lathan went on to state, “The lack of support from her peers within her own party is a welcome sign that a much-needed change is in order. We look forward to a fair and honest primary if it is required.”

Stein and Dr. George Vito, a Le Roy podiatrist and political newcomer, sought the endorsements of both the county and Le Roy GOP committees. The lack of support from both organizations opens the door for a primary leading up to the November election.

Prior to releasing his statement, Lathan told Video News Service that the Le Roy Republican Committee has not yet endorsed Vito.

“He came about after hearing of us not endorsing Shelley (Stein). Because of the timing of it, he submitted directly to the county (GOP) committee,” Lathan said.

On Tuesday night, voting by Genesee County Republicans failed to produce an endorsed candidate for the District No. 5 seat and also for the District No. 9 (City of Batavia Wards 4 and 5) involving candidates Robert Bialkowski and Kathy Briggs.

COUNTY CONSERVATIVE CHAIR SPEAKS OUT

Julie Carasone, Genesee County Conservative Party chair, echoed Lathan’s comments, adding that her committee is endorsing Vito for the legislative post.

“We feel, by the answers we received from him, that he will represent the people in Genesee County and, especially, the people who live in Le Roy,” Carasone said. “We’re looking for someone to listen to us with compassion, listen to us with intention and to not talk down to us.”

Carasone said Stein didn’t reach out to the Conservative committee until after the deadline had passed.

Stein said she had sent a note to the committee but “was not afforded an interview because I didn’t return a survey. Therefore, it was not available to me.”

According to Carasone, the committee’s dissatisfaction stems from local government’s response during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020-21.

“This time around when we interviewed the candidates, what we were looking for were legislators who were going to push back towards the governor and actually represent us and listen to us,” she said. “We felt like that during COVID, we weren’t listened to. They just did whatever (former Gov. Andrew) Cuomo said and now, still, Kathy Hochul.”

Carasone said during the time of the pandemic, local residents asking questions about COVID mandates were “met with resistance and met with ‘you have to do this.’”

In response, Stein recalled that COVID “was a time of high anxiety through our entire population here and so much of what was orchestrated during COVID came down from the state to the counties.”

“We, also, at our county level didn’t feel that we were listened to,” she said. “We weren’t afforded the supplies so that we could make sure that our population remained healthy or could get healthy. I spent a ton of time advocating for the citizens of Genesee County during that time.”

Stein said she communicated on a weekly basis with all town supervisors in Genesee County.

“It was a phone call every Saturday morning where the supervisors could join us if they were available, and we talked through what we knew. During that time, we absolutely made a conscious effort to share the information that we knew when we knew it.”