Danielle Jury to complete Alex Bay trustee term

ALEXANDRIA BAY — The village Board of Trustees welcomed its newest member, Danielle L. Jury, Tuesday night.

At a regular meeting that night, Mayor Terry J. Robb appointed Mrs. Jury, a Republican, to complete the term of Cindy M. Chaltain, who died in October.

Ms. Chaltain, 52, died of leukemia on Oct. 5 at St. Joseph's Hospital Health Center, Syracuse. Ms. Chaltain served the village for almost five years and was running for mayor against Mr. Robb as the Republican candidate.

Her term expires Nov. 30, 2010.

Ms. Jury, St. Lawrence Avenue, said she is a political newcomer and has a lot to learn about running a village.

Born and raised in Alexandria Bay, Ms. Jury said she lived in the village for 34 years and has been following village politics closely as a concerned citizen.

"I originally started going to the village meetings as a taxpayer," she said.

Ms. Jury has been attending board meetings regularly for almost a year, and when she heard that the mayor was seeking candidates for the trustee seat, she decided to give it a shot.

Ms. Jury said she does not have a specific matter she wants to focus on as a trustee.

Her duties as trustee will be determined at the village's annual organizational meeting in December. Mayor Robb said the village board needs to reassign several duties with the departure of Deputy Mayor and Trustee Brent H. Sweet, who decided not to run for re-election.

Mr. Sweet served the village for 10 years after first being elected village trustee in 1999. He was the liaison with the municipal golf course, tennis court, the assessors' office, the Planning Board and Zoning Board of Appeals.

He also played a significant role in planning the proposed $1.13 million Alexandria Bay Riverwalk.

The village Board of Trustees will hold its annual organizational meeting at 6 p.m. Dec. 7 at the village office on Walton Street.