History
The village is the site where the town was first settled around 1712–1713. [2] [3] Initially known as Weiser's Dorf, the first Palatine settlement in the Schoharie Valley was established by Johan Conrad Weiser in what is now the Village of Middleburgh. [2] This settlement eventually came to be named after Middelburg, the capital of Zeeland, one of the provinces of the then-Dutch Republic and the current Netherlands. The village was incorporated in 1881. [2]
"Middleburg" and "Middleburgh" have been used interchangeably in the past, as seen on old maps of the area. In the early 1980s the final "H" was added to road signs outside the village. In 2004, the Post Office finally added the "H". The only "missing H" to be found today is the name on the "Middleburg Diner".
The historic Middleburgh-Schoharie Railroad was half-based in the village. The Bellinger-Dutton House, Dr. Christopher S. Best House and Office, St. Mark's Evangelical Lutheran Church, United States Post Office-Middleburgh, and Upper Middleburgh Cemetery are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. [4]
The Village of Middleburgh was devastated in 2011 by the effects of Hurricane Irene. [5] [6] [7] However, due to a massive volunteer effort led and organized by local residents, the community was able to successfully recover and rebuild. [8] [9] [10]
Demographics
Historical population| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
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| 1870 | 863 | | — |
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| 1880 | 1,123 | | 30.1% |
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| 1890 | 1,139 | | 1.4% |
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| 1900 | 1,135 | | −0.4% |
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| 1910 | 1,114 | | −1.9% |
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| 1920 | 986 | | −11.5% |
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| 1930 | 948 | | −3.9% |
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| 1940 | 1,074 | | 13.3% |
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| 1950 | 1,298 | | 20.9% |
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| 1960 | 1,317 | | 1.5% |
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| 1970 | 1,410 | | 7.1% |
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| 1980 | 1,358 | | −3.7% |
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| 1990 | 1,436 | | 5.7% |
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| 2000 | 1,398 | | −2.6% |
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| 2010 | 1,500 | | 7.3% |
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| 2020 | 1,131 | | −24.6% |
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As of the census [13] of 2000, there were 1,398 people, 595 households, and 371 families residing in the village. The population density was 1,163.6 inhabitants per square mile (449.3/km2). There were 667 housing units at an average density of 555.2 units per square mile (214.4 units/km2). The racial makeup of the village was 96.78% White, 0.29% Black or African American, 0.72% Native American, 0.21% Asian, 1.07% from other races, and 0.93% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.65% of the population.
There were 595 households, out of which 28.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.6% were married couples living together, 11.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.6% were non-families. 34.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.33 and the average family size was 2.98.
In the village, the population was spread out, with 25.3% under the age of 18, 6.4% from 18 to 24, 26.7% from 25 to 44, 23.3% from 45 to 64, and 18.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.7 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $30,583, and the median income for a family was $44,286. Males had a median income of $31,438 versus $25,313 for females. The per capita income for the village was $17,948. About 12.2% of families and 17.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 27.9% of those under age 18 and 10.8% of those age 65 or over.
Politics
Middleburgh is one of the more prominent villages within Schoharie County and has a Village Board consisting of four trustees and a mayor. Currently the Trustees and the Mayor serve four-year terms. Before 1985 the terms were two years, but a local law changed this. [14] The 2020 general election took place in September, delayed from its original March schedule due to the Coronavirus pandemic.
--Timothy Knight, of Cliff Street, was appointed to the Village Board during the COVID-19 lockdown in March 2020 to fill retiring Trustee Bill Morton's seat. Knight was elected to a full-term on September 15, 2020, along with former Mayor Bergan and Trustee Tinker. He is the appointed Deputy Mayor and is currently serving as Acting Mayor after the resignation of Bergan in late April 2023. He was elected to a full-term as Village Mayor in the November 2023 Election, defeating former Mayor Gary Hayes.
–Robert Tinker, of Indian Acres, elected with 52% of the vote in 2012. Re-elected with 49% of the vote in 2016. Re-elected in 2020 with 51% of the vote. The longest serving member on the Board, he was re-elected to a fourth term in 2023 with 43.2% of the vote.
–Sheryl Adams, of Upper Main Street, appointed to the Village Board in 2012 to fill former Trustee Avitabile's seat. Won re-election for the remainder of the seat's term in 2013 defeating former Mayoral candidate John Shaw Jr. Successfully gained a four-year term in 2014 with 49% of the vote and was re-elected in both 2018 and 2021.
–Amanda Fernandez, of Main Street, was appointed to the Village Board in October 2022 after former Trustee Shane Foland resigned one year into a four-year term. Fernandez, running unopposed, was elected to serve out the remaining two-years of the term in the 2023 Election with 99.7% of the vote.
–Kevin Young, of Railroad Avenue, was elected with 34.5% of the vote in the 2023 Election. Previously a member of the Middleburgh Planning Board, Mr. Young ran on a joint ticket with Mr. Tinker, defeating their opponent David Jeremenko by a two-to-one margin in the first contested Trustee election in 13 years.
–Matthew Avitabile, of Maple Avenue defeated incumbent William Ansel-McCabe with 53% of the vote in the 2012 Mayoral Election. Avitabile was a Village Trustee for five years before the 2012 election. Re-elected over write-in candidate Ansel-McCabe with 90% of the vote in 2016. Avitabile resigned as Mayor at the end of his legal term, extended by two weeks by Governor Cuomo's executive order due to Coronavirus in the spring of 2020, and was subsequently reappointed to the Middleburgh Village Board as a Village Trustee. Avitabile's tenure in local government ended in March 2021 with Trustees honoring him with a "Matthew Avitabile Day."
2016
Incumbent Mayor Matthew Avitabile announced his intention to seek a second term with Trustees Morton and Tinker. Former Mayor William Ansel-McCabe briefly entered the race but did not submit a petition to receive a place on the ballot but supporters fielded a write in campaign. Mayor Avitabile was elected with 90% of the vote and Trustees Tinker and Morton received a total of 98% combined.
2014
Deputy Mayor Thomas Gruning declined to run for a second term. Incumbent Sheryl Adams was joined by newcomer Lillian Bruno of Grove Street. Both ran under the Middleburgh First Party, which won its fourth straight election. In March, Bruno won 44 votes, Adams 43 and were elected to four-year terms.
2013
In November 2012, former Mayor Gary Hayes submitted a petition to dissolve the 132-year-old Village. He cited excess cost and the "apex" the Village and Town has reached in consolidation. Citing New York State's Article 19, which expired in 2010, his petition contained over 140 names.
The question of dissolution went to a vote on February 19, 2013. The voters rejected Mr. Hayes' proposal 344–71.
In March, Trustee Sheryl Adams, appointed to fill Mayor Matthew Avitabile's unexpired term, won a one-year term to the board of trustees.
2012
In March 2012 incumbent Mayor Ansel-McCabe of the "Phoenix" party was defeated by Trustee Matthew Avitabile of the "Middleburgh First" party 53-46%. Thomas Wargo of the "Direct Democracy" party of Scribner Avenue received 1% of the vote.
2010
Trustee Avitabile and Trustee Bonnie Ingraham's seats were up for election. Trustee Ingraham announced that she would not seek re-election. Running for these two seats are Avitabile, Dr. Thomas Gruning of Grove Street and Paul Hayes of MT Path who had previously run in 1996. Elections were held on March 16.
Avitabile and Gruning were running jointly under the "Middleburgh First" party while Mr. Hayes was under the "New Beginning" party. His brother, former Mayor Gary Hayes, decided not to run.
The "Middleburgh First" Party received 88% of the vote while the "New Beginning" received 12%. Turnout was very high despite being an off-year election.
2008
Mayor William Ansel-McCabe won re-election over Assistant Fire Chief John Shaw in the top race that year. McCabe received several fewer votes than in 2004 and caucused with Trustees Bowman and Ingraham.
Trustee Gerald Bowman and Charles "Butch" Ingraham won re-election in a surprisingly tight race against political newcomer Andrew Adams. Adams came up short against the two incumbents in the three-way race. Ingraham's wife Bonnie was elected to a two-year term running unopposed.
Recent elections
Italics denote incumbent
| Race | Date | Candidate
| Candidate | Candidate
| Turnout |
| 2023 Mayor's Race | November 7, 2023 | Timothy Knight 220 (54.2%) | Gary Hayes 185 (45.6%) | Write-ins 1 (Pete Coppolo) (0.2%) | 406 | |
| 2023 Trustee Race, Two Openings (Four Years) | November 7, 2023 | Robert Tinker 265 (43.7%) | Kevin Young 206 (33.9%) | David Jeremenko 130 (21.4%) | 607 | Write-ins 6 (1%) |
| 2023 Trustee Race, One Opening (Two Years) | November 7, 2023 | Amanda Fernandez 307 (99.7%) | Write-ins 1 (0.3%) | | 308 | |
| 2021 Trustee Race, Two Openings (Four Years) | November 2, 2021 | Shane Foland206 (51.63%) | Sheryl Adams 183 (45.86%) | Write-ins 10 (2.51%) | 399 | |
| Proposition #1 (Moving Village Election Day to November) | March 16, 2021 | Yes 50 (96%) | No 2 (4%) | | 52 | |
| 2021 Trustee Race, One Opening (Eight Months) | March 16, 2021 | Shane Foland 46 (94%) | Kevin Young 3 (write-in) (6%) | | 49 | |
| 2020 Mayor's Race | September 15, 2020 | Trish Bergan 92 (95%) | Gary Hayes 2 (write-in) (2%) | Other write-ins 3 (3%) | 97 |
| 2020 Trustee Race, Two Openings (Four Year) | September 15, 2020 | Robert Tinker 91 (51%) | Timothy Knight 86 (48%) | Thomas Gruning (write-in) 1 (1%) | 194 |
| 2016 Mayor's Race | March 15, 2016 | Matthew Avitabile 127 (90%) | William Ansel-McCabe 7 (write-in) (5%) | Other write-ins 7 (5%) | 144 | | |
| 2016 Trustee Race, Two Openings (Four Year) | March 15, 2016 | Robert Tinker 122 (49%) | Bill Morton 122 (49%) | Timothy Knight (write-in) 2 (1%) | 248 |
| 2014 Trustee's Race | March 18, 2014 | Lillian Bruno 44 (50%) | Sheryl Adams 43 (49%) | Timothy Knight (write-in) 1 (1%) | 40 |
| 2013 Trustee's Race | March 19, 2013 | Sheryl Adams 40 (100%) | John Shaw Jr. 0 (0%) | | 44 |
| 2013 Dissolution Vote | February 19, 2013 | No 344 (83%) | Yes 71 (17%) | | 415 | |
| 2012 Mayor's Race | March 20, 2012 | Matthew Avitabile 193 (53%) | William Ansel-McCabe 169 (46%) | Thomas Wargo 2 (1%) | 364 |
| 2012 Trustee Race, Two Openings (Four Year) | March 20, 2012 | Robert Tinker 285 (52%) | Bill Morton 265 (48%) | | 550 Votes |
| 2010 Trustee Race, Two Openings (Four Year) | March 16, 2010 | Thomas Gruning 198 (44%) | Matthew Avitabile 195 (44%) | Paul Hayes 53 (12%) | 267(446 Votes) |
| 2008 Mayor's Race | March 2008 | William McCabe 128 (64%) | John Shaw 68 (34%) | Matthew Avitabile (write in) 3 (2%) | 199 |
| 2008 Trustee Race, Two Openings (Four Year) | March 2008 | Gerald Bowman 119 (37%) | Butch Ingraham 116 (36%) | Andrew Adams 89 (27%) | 199 (324 Votes) |
| 2008 Trustee Race, One Opening (Two Year) | March 2008 | Bonnie Ingraham 140 (70%) | Andrew Adams (write in) 2 (1%) | None 56 (28%) | 199 |
| 2007 Trustee Race, One Opening (Three Year) | March 2007 | Matthew Avitabile 105 (59%) | William Milack 74 (41%) | | 179 |
| 2006 Trustee Race, Two Openings (Four Year) | March 2006 | John Smith 69 (37%) | Jim Navilio 67 (36%) | Matthew Avitabile 51 (27%) | 93 or 94 (187 Votes) |
| 2004 Mayor's Race | March 2004 | William McCabe 131 (50.8%) | Lee Lacy 127 (49.2%) | | 258 |
| 2004 Trustee Race, Two Openings (Four Year) | March 2004 | Gerald Bowman 159 (36%) | Butch Ingraham 152 (34%) | John Wingfield 130 (30%) | 258 (441 Votes) |
| 2003 Trustee Race, One Opening | March 2003 | William McCabe 18 [15] | none 0 | | 18 |
| 2002 Trustee Race, Two Openings (Four Year) | March 2002 (% out of 267 due to # running) | Jim Navilio 135 (51%) [16] | Brian Devlin 126 (47%) | Dean Nunamann 112 (42%) | William McCabe 93(35%) | Evann Bennett 67 (25%) | 267 (534 Votes) |
| 2000 Mayor's Race | March 2000 | Gary Hayes, 181 (46%) | Henry Doerge 153 (39%) | Peter Braman 59 (15%) | 393 |
| 2000 Trustee Race, Two Openings (Four Year) | March 2000 | Ruth Strong 256 (42%) | Jeff Christiansen 202 (33%) | William McCabe 151 (25%) | 393 (609 Votes) |
| 1998 Trustee Race, Two Openings (Four Year) | March 1998 | Dean Nunamann 41 (48%) | Ed Guntert 41 (48%) | Paul Hayes (write-in) 2 (2%) | Gary Hayes (write-in) 2 (2%) | 48 (86 Votes) |
| 1998 Trustee Race, One Opening (Two Year) | March 1998 | Ruth Strong 48 (100%) | None | | 48 |
| 1996 Mayor's Race | March 1996 | Art Wargo, 146 (51.4%) | Buck Mahoney 138 (48.6%) | | 284 |
| 1996 Trustee Race, Two Openings (Four Year) | March 1996 | Russ Strong 202 (42%) | Bill Andrew 147(30%) | Paul Hayes 134 (28%) | 284 (483 Votes) |
| 1994 Trustee Race, Two Openings (Four Year) | May 1994 | Dean Nunamann 151 (50%) | Art Wargo 86 (28%) | William Andrew 65 (22%) | 151 (302 Votes) |
| 1994 Trustee Race, One Opening | May 1994 | Valorie Leith 122 | none 29 | | 151 |
| 1992 Mayor's Race | March 1992 | Charlie Slater 249 (62%) | Gary Hayes 152 (38%) | | 401 |
| 1992 Trustee Race, Two Openings (Four Year) | March 1992 | Russ Strong 320 (51%) | Glenn McCarthy 312 (49%) | | 401 (632 Votes) |
| 1990 Trustee Race, Two Openings (Four Year) | March 1990 | Robert Lang 86 (45%) | Dean Nunamann 86 (45%) | Raymond Swing 18 (10%) | 85 (190 Votes) |
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| Preceded by Matthew Avitabile | Mayor Trish Bergan
2020-present | Incumbent |
