Published: October 29, 2009 12:00 am      

LEWISTON: Campaign vets square off for town supervisor

Neither candidate for Lewiston Town Supervisor is a political newcomer in their community.

Yet that is about all Fred Newlin and Steve Reiter have in common.

As they come down to their final days of campaigning, Newlin sees a town that has made great progress during his three terms in office. Reiter sees a town that he believes has become stagnant.

“I don’t see stagnant as good,” Reiter said. “Things have stopped here.”

Newlin disagrees and says the town is better now then when he was first elected.

“I have a proven record of cutting taxes and improving parks and recreation,” Newlin said. “What I’m looking forward to is continuing to invest in what we have.”

After 14 years as the Water Superintendent, a civil service post, Reiter said he decided to jump into electoral politics and run for the Highway Superintendent’s job because he wanted to do more.

“There were some problems and they needed to be addressed,” Reiter said, “and I took a Marine hand to it. I could do more (as Highway Superintendent than as Water Superintendent). It was a challenge and the opportunity to do more.”

Reiter points with pride to his work on rebuilding roads and sidewalks. He talks about how his department has improved parks and other recreation facilities.

“We made Lewiston a better place,” Reiter said.

Newlin makes the same claim.

“I think I’ve made some progress in areas effecting all of Western New York,” Newlin said. “Taxes, economic development, energy costs, these are important.”

Newlin says town taxes are the lowest in Erie and Niagara counties and points to his role in negotiating the state Power Authority relicensing agreement that he says has paid significant benefits to residents.

“Since 2007, we’ve saved a total of $5 million off the electric bills on 5,000 homes,” Newlin said. “We’re the only municipality that has passed (NYPA electricity grants) right on to the residents.”

Reiter thinks more can be done with the NYPA power and has even proposed the creation of a new municipal electric company to better distribute the energy.

“We have very little development and no expansion of the tax base,” he said. “We’ve made it so difficult to build in Lewiston that the only people who can afford to build here are landfills. We have the ability to do more.”

Newlin doesn’t disagree that more landfills are not in Lewiston’s long-term best interest. However, Newlin doesn’t believe the town needs lots of new housing and subdivisions.

“I’m the first supervisor to oppose expansion for Modern and CWM. I can’t believe the best future for this area is an expansion of waste,” Newlin said. “And developers are trying to build homes and I’m going to oppose that because you don’t want to pave every available space. You want to save some of the character of this town. Lewiston has about the right amount of houses now.”

Reiter’s response, “We need to spur housing development.”

While Newlin trumpets the NYPA relicensing agreement, Reiter calls it flawed.

“Our fire departments have to protect (NYPA facilities) but they get no benefits,” he said. “(The agreement) was politically expedient. We are the most impacted community by the Power Authority, but we got the same deal as other communities.”

Should he lose the election, Reiter will remain as the town Highway Superintendent and have no regrets.

“I think (the campaign) has been great. I’m having a lot of fun,” he said. “I like seeing Lewiston residents taken care of.”



Fred Newlin

• AGE: 50

• FAMILY: He has been married for 2 1/2 fraction years.

• EDUCATION: Graduated from Lewiston-Porter High School and attended St. Olaf College for four years, majoring in Political Science.

• EMPLOYMENT: Worked as a publishing consultant prior to his election as town supervisor in 2004.

• POLITICAL AFFILIATION: He is the endorsed candidate of the Democratic and Lewiston’s Choice parties.

• EXPERIENCE: He is seeking his fourth term as supervisor.



Steve Reiter

• AGE: 55

• FAMILY: He is married with five children.

• EDUCATION: Graduated from Buffalo State College with a Bachelor in Science degree, majoring in Criminal Justice.

• EMPLOYMENT: Spent a total of 26 years in the Marine Corps both on active duty and the reserves and retired as a Lieutenant Colonel. Was employed as a quality control supervisor at Greif Brothers, a manufacturer of steel drums. He served as the Lewiston Water Superintendent for 17 years and has been the town Highway Superintendent for 10 years.

• POLITICAL AFFILIATION: He is the endorsed Republican, Conservative and Working Families party candidate.

• EXPERIENCE: He has been elected Highway Superintendent three times.