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Mary Sheeley

Mary Sheeley is a long-time community activist and local business owner.  For 24 years, she has advised local residents on financial matters as a local H&R Block franchisee and president of Orange Business Solutions, a small business consulting firm.

Mary is a past president of the Ellenville-Wawarsing Chamber of Commerce, a member of the Village of Ellenville Historic Preservation Commission and a founding member of the Hund Memorial Preservation Committee.  She was also a member of the Town of Wawarsing Bicentennial Committee

In addition to her business activities, Mary is a member of the Noonday Club, which named her Co-Citizen of the Year in 2003, and a member of the Ellenville Regional Hospital Board of Directors.  She is a past president of the Parent-Teacher Organization and a former Village of Ellenville Trustee.

Mary resides in Ellenville with her husband, George, the retired Chief of the Ellenville Police Department.

Mary believes that improved financial accountability and financial discipline are long overdue in our County and she hopes to bring her extensive business experience to the County Legislature.

Joe Stoeckeler

Joe Stoeckeler was first elected to the Ulster County Legislature in 2003.  In this capacity as a member of the minority party and a member of the General Services/Community Services Committee, he has seen firsthand the need for a more open governmental process and the elimination of the closed door political decision-making process that the Republican led Legislature operated under for decades.

Joe is now Executive Director of Veritas Villa in Kerhonkson and was the director of planning and plant operations at the Ellenville Regional Hospital and has fought to keep that excellent facility open to residents of Ulster Count.  He has significant experience in working with public entities and earned his masters degree in public administration from Marist College in 2005.

He was supervisor of the Town of Wawarsing from 1990-1993 and again in 1998-1999.  His excellent rapport with government and public services employees, including union members, has been beneficial in assessing long overdue improvements in the way that the Ulster County bureaucracy works.  Joe will continue to work to ensure that the cost/benefit analysis of all government services is maximized in order to reduce the cost of our County government.

Len Distel

Leonard Distel retired in 2004 from the Eastern Correctional Facility in Napanoch after 37 years of distinguished service.  He was he sole proprietor of D&D Jewelers in Ellenville and has been active in local government for many years.  He was a town councilman in Warwarsing for 13 years and acted as deputy town supervisor.  He's a former director of the Shawangunk Valley Senior Citizens Center and a past member of the Wawarsing Cable Commission. During his long working career, he was active in the NYSCOPBA.

Leonard has a BA in criminal justice from SUNY New Paltz.  As the owner of a small business and a retired public service officer, he knows what the burden of inefficient government can be on local taxpayers, including seniors and young working families.  As a legislator, he will continue to work to ensure that common sense prevails in our County Legislature.

Leonard lives in Ulster Heights with his wife and children.

T.J. Briggs

T.J. Briggs has spent nearly 30 years in public service.  Professionally, he has worked in the New York State Department of Corrections since 1982, starting as a corrections officer and now as a senior counselor, supervising a guidance unit and the Alcohol and Substance Abuse Treatment Programs.

In addition to work, TJ has also contributed much to the betterment of our community.  He started as a volunteer in the Ellenville Fire Department in 1976 and has been an active member (and president) of the Ellenville First Aid and Rescue Squad since 1973.   and has been a coach, sponsor and board member  in the Ellenville Youth Soccer since 1993.  He has also been a Ellenville Little League umpire and team sponsor since 1990 and an event coordinator for the New York State Special Olympics since 1991.  He is the current president of the Ellenville Noonday Club and a member of the Highland Residential Center Community Advisory Board.

He brings significant local government experience.  He was Mayor of Ellenville from 1999 to 2003, a village trustee and deputy mayor from 1995 to 1999.

T.J. earned a Bachelor of Science in Education from SUNY Cordlant.