Notes from around town

 The people of Troy hadn't elected a Republican Mayor since Harry Tutunjian won his first term 20 years ago. After Tutunjian was term-limited out prior to the 2011 election, the city has had a Democratic Mayor.

Now, City Hall switches back to red.

City Council President Carmella Mantello, the daughter of a police officer, finally moved up to the Mayor's office on her 3rd try, becoming the first female Mayor in the city's history.

Photo courtesy Spectrum News 1.

Democratic county legislator Nina Nichols had the early lead, but Mantello surged in front by the time the polls closed at 9 pm. Mantello overcame the tactical errors of her campaign that we discussed a couple of weeks back.

Personal note: In the last week leading up to the election, I received two robocalls, both from the Mantello campaign. Nichols didn't employ the same strategy, which may have proved costly. Her television ads showed her to be as plain as the morning sun.

Meanwhile, get ready for "The Singing Sheriff".

Republican Sheriff Sgt. Kyle Bourgault, a country singer in his spare time, became Sheriff, defeating former Troy Police chief Brian Owens. Despite Owens having the advantage in leadership experience, Bourgault knows the layout of Rensselaer County, and that proved to be the difference.

There is one item on Carmella Mantello's to do list that will prove to be a little challenging, though, and that is to have a styrofoam likeness of her head made for the Tri-City Valleycats' Mayors Race prior to next season.

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As of press time, it appears the City Council will have elected a Democratic president in Sue Steele, who has expressed a willingness to work with the GOP. That should be interesting.

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Aldi Markets has only been in town a few months, but the announcement Tuesday that the chain plans to close not only on Christmas Day, but the day after, December 26, known as Boxing Day in Canada, shows cause for concern. It'll give the chain's employees a little extra time off, but what isn't clear is if this will affect their Hoosick Road location. We'll soon see.