GLOVERSVILLE — Republican Bill Rowback defeated Conservative incumbent candidate Dayton King to capture the Gloversville mayor’s race Tuesday night.
Rowback, a city firefighter, ended up with 1,800 votes to King’s tally of 1,490. The race ended a contentious race and King’s two terms at the head of city government.
The mayor-elect, who paced as the results trickled in at Harold’s Restaurant, said he wants the city to move ahead.
“Thank you, Dayton, it was a nice race,” Rowback said on the phone to King, who conceded.
Someone yelled out: “No bashing of Dayton on Facebook.”
King, who was at the Eccentric Club in Gloversville Tuesday night, stated: “I’m certainly disappointed with the numbers. I thought it was going to be a close race. For me, I feel good with accomplishments that we made and the time in office I met some awesome people. I’ll work the rest of the year certainly and I’ll support Mayor-Elect Rowback. For me personally, I’ll spend a lot more time with my family.”
Republican Rowback can now claim a four-year term as mayor at the start of the year. Rowback had beat King in a Sept. 12 primary, 524-472, to capture the GOP nomination for mayor. But King was on the Conservative Party line. Rowback’s name also appeared on the independent Moving Forward line.
Rowback was surrounded by family, friends and political supporters at Harold’s.
He hugged his wife, Rosaland, and called his daughter. His mother stood by and gave her son a hug.
Rowback grew up in the Meco area and attended Gloversville schools. He served in the United States Navy before joining the city’s fire department, where he has been for the past 28 years.
He said he wants to see a planned commercial strip access road the city has planned that would run from Steele Avenue to South Kingsboro Avenue.
Rowback’s plans include the potential reopening of Littauer Pool, making repairs to the rail trail and public parks and holding craft fairs in conjunction with the farmer’s market. He said he wants to create a trolley system in the city that could run through downtown and out to Parkhurst Field, which is planning a major renovation. He is also proposing an 11 p.m. curfew for those 16 years of age and younger.
More on this story and election results from Fulton and Montgomery Counties will appear in Wednesday’s print and online edition.
