Hoyt, Exum square off again in Windham supervisor race

WINDHAM―The 2026 General Election is Tuesday, November 3, and voters across Greene County will cast their ballots for governor, state comptroller, attorney general, representative for Congress, state Senate, state Assembly and state Supreme Court justice, as well as county coroner and district attorney.

Of the 14 towns in Greene County, only four have contested local races. They include Athens, Cairo, New Baltimore and Windham.

In Windham, incumbent Town Supervisor Thomas F. Hoyt (R, C) is facing a challenge from Connor Exum (D) in a rematch of last year’s contest.

Candidates were asked the same series questions about themselves, their experience and goals, and why they are seeking office. Their responses appear below.

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Thomas Hoyt

How long have you lived in the town where you are seeking office?

I have lived in Windham for the past 60 years and have been married to my wife Lisa for the last 36 years.

What is your current occupation or field of work? If retired, what was your previous occupation?

I recently retired from Greene County. I held the position of safety officer.

Are you active in any community organizations or groups?

Member of the Windham fire department; board member of the Greene County Soil and Water; board member of CWC (Catskill Watershed Corporation).

How long have you held your current office, and have you served in any other elected positions?

I have served as the town supervisor for the past seven years and before that town highway superintendent for eighteen and a half years; also served as a Windham fire commissioner for five years.

Why should voters support you, and what do you bring to the table that makes you the right candidate for the position?

I have a proven track record from my years of serving the community and I bring fiscal responsibility, institutional knowledge and protection of community identity, and total commitment.

If elected, what would be your top priorities?

The town’s ambulance department and responsible growth.

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Connor Exum

How long have you lived in the town where you are seeking office?

I was born in Windham, and I have lived here for a total of 36 years. I spent approximately a decade living in Kentucky and California during the early 2000s.

What is your current occupation or field of work? If retired, what was your previous occupation?

Currently, I am semi-retired and looking for the next step in my life after closing a family business in 2021. I served as the operations manager of a family business specializing in the maintenance of commercial kitchens, working with large companies, state and federal agencies, and educational facilities.

Are you active in any community organizations or groups?

I am an active member of Mountain Top Progressives, and I serve as director of the Mountain Top Issues Coalition, a nascent policy institute that studies economic and local issues affecting Windham. The MTPIC is currently in the process of becoming a nonprofit organization. I am also part of a volunteer group working to install parking-lot lighting for St. Theresa’s Catholic Church in Windham.

Do you currently hold, or have you previously held, any elected office? Have you run for political office in the past?

I ran for town supervisor in 2025.

Why should voters support you, and what do you bring to the table that makes you the right candidate for the position?

Windham is facing a gentrification crisis. Local residents are being squeezed between higher prices caused by inflation and rising costs at the gas pump, grocery store, and through their utilities, while a housing crisis continues to prevent many young people from attaining the American Dream.

That is why I stand for a level playing field in Windham—a community where political connections do not determine who has the best opportunity to succeed.

My campaign is about recentering Windham’s middle- and working-class families at the heart of our political and economic growth. It is about creating programs that reduce the cost of living and improve the quality of life in Windham. It is also about creating growth that supports a future where our children can find housing, start businesses, and raise the next generation of residents here.

I bring an innovative vision and the practical experience of a small-business manager. I have years of business experience working with organizations ranging from small businesses to international firms.

If elected, what would be your top priorities?

My priorities are the following:

1. Developing a program to help residents living on fixed incomes improve the energy efficiency of their homes. This would include adding insulation, replacing older showerheads with low-flow models, sealing windows, doors, and outlets, and installing smart thermostats. These improvements can significantly reduce annual energy costs while making homes more comfortable and efficient.

Funding would be pursued through New York State and USDA grants, along with available local funding. My goal would be to begin helping those who need it most by the winter of 2027–2028. We would also explore energy-efficiency improvements at our water treatment plant and ambulance building to reduce costs and improve services to the public.

2. Childcare and youth development are major concerns in a community such as ours. That is why I plan to create a program called “Real Genius.” The program would have two parts: first, funding additional after-school enrichment programs for children at the Main Street Community Center; and second, providing school-supply vouchers for low- and fixed-income families in Windham.

We would pursue available New York State grants for community-center development, along with appropriate local funding, to support these children and help provide them with the strongest possible future.

3. My final priority is good governance. This means increasing public participation through meaningful public hearings where residents receive real answers to their questions. All public meetings should be livestreamed so residents who cannot attend in person can participate virtually or, at minimum, have access to a full public record of the meeting.

I would also establish an ethics commission to review complaints from the public and hold regular meetings to discuss ethical concerns involving local government. Finally, I would create an Economic and Development Study Committee to examine growth patterns and help guide Windham’s development through the 21st century.

Windham’s local government must also help create what I call a “Common Good Economy,” an economy that recognizes small and medium-sized businesses, consumers, employees, tourists, residents, and the municipality itself as interconnected stakeholders in a holistic economic system. Our goal should be to create stronger, longer-lasting local businesses and broadly shared prosperity rather than growth that benefits only one part of the community.

As part of that approach, I would pursue the development of a Community Wealth Fund that could reinvest locally generated wealth into priorities such as infrastructure, middle-class housing, childcare, business development, and other long-term investments in Windham’s future.

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