Macaluso, Smith win City Council seats

Voters in the city of Watertown have elected an incumbent and a political newcomer to the City Council.

Teresa R. Macaluso and Councilman Jeffrey M. Smith beat out former Councilman Stephen J. Bradley on Tuesday night. Mr. Smith and Miss Macaluso received 2,597 and 2,490 votes, respectively, while Mr. Bradley garnered 1,581 votes, according to unofficial results provided by the Jefferson County Board of Elections.

"I'm the glad that people came out to vote, but that's how the cards fall, I guess," Mr. Bradley said.

The three candidates were campaigning for two seats on the council opened by Mr. Smith and former Councilman Peter L. Clough's expiring terms.

While Mr. Smith chose to campaign for re-election, Mr. Clough resigned in August after moving from the city. His seat now is occupied by Jason R. Burto.

"I was basically upfront with the people from the start," said Miss Macaluso, while partying with friends at Pete's Restaurant, 111 Breen Ave. "I ran a clean campaign and I think people appreciated that."

Miss Macaluso said her first objective when her term begins Jan. 1 is learning the inner workings of City Hall.

"I'll be asking a lot of questions those first few months," she said.

Miss Macaluso, who owns the Brew Ha Ha, 468 Coffeen St., was heavily influenced by Mayor Jeffrey E. Graham to run for the council. While Miss Macaluso has said that economic development is her first priority, she also has said the city needs to focus more on economic development.

"Right now, I'd really like to encourage people to start attending City Council meetings," she said. "I think people really don't understand what's happening with the city with the whole decision-making process."

She will sit between first-term Councilman Joseph M. Butler Jr. and the newly re-elected Mr. Smith.

Mr. Smith, a neurosurgical physician assistant and co-owner of QuikMed Urgent Care Center, 727 Washington St., will continue to push the city to utilize alternative energies and to expand the Alex T. Duffy municipal arena.

"I feel like I've been very consistent over the years and people know I speak my mind; that's why they voted for me," he said. "People know I'm going to do what's best for the betterment of the community."

Mr. Smith has been active in Jefferson County politics since he was 23, when he was elected to a two-year term on the former county Board of Supervisors for the city's 3rd Ward. At the end of his term in December, he will have served a total of eight years on the City Council.

His aspirations to reach a higher office have shown through in recent years. In June, he stated a willingness to run for now-Army secretary John M. McHugh's congressional seat and in December 2007 conversed with local Independence Party officials about filling the state Senate seat being vacated by James W. Wright.

Mr. Smith said Tuesday night that he plans to stay in city government for his full four-year term.

"I have a family and a business here; I'm staying very busy," he said.

The Keyes Avenue resident and opponent Stephen J. Bradley linked campaigns and, at times, walked door to door together visiting constituents.

"To be honest, I don't know why they voted the way they did," Mr. Smith said.

"I worked just as hard, if not harder, on this campaign," said Mr. Bradley who served on the council from 2003 to 2007. "I don't plan on falling off the face of the earth; I'll still be around."