By Derek Liebig

The village board of trustees will be together for at least another year.

Incumbents Walter Sandford and Ken Bartholomew are the only candidates who will appear on ballots next month and barring the unforeseen will be elected to serve another two years in office.

This is the second consecutive year the village elections have featured less than a full complement of challengers. Last year Mayor Peter Telisky was unopposed in his bid for a second term and only one candidate, Donna Filomio, challenged incumbents Mike LaChapelle and Marge Mohn. LaChapelle and Mohn were both overwhelmingly reelected.

The lack of challengers mirrors a common trend in Washington County this year. Of the eight village elections next month, only three featured contested races.

The current village board has been together since 2010.

Both Sandford and Bartholomew will be seeking their fourth terms in office.

Bartholomew is a retired truck driver and has served wastewater treatment commissioner and most recently as police commissioner.

He ran unsuccessfully for mayor in 2010, losing to Telisky, and threw his hat into the ring for town justice last fall losing to Thomas Nichols and Bob Purtorti Jr.

Sandford retired last year as chief of the Fort Edward Police Department and like Bartholomew has served as village police commissioner.

Bartholomew will appear on the Republican ticket while Sandford’s name will grace the Democratic party line.

Village-wide elections will be held from noon to 9 p.m. on Tuesday, March 18. Voting will be held at the Whitehall Municipal Center.