By ADAM ATKINSON

CANTON – After a campaign season colored by recent controversy, the Canton town supervisor’s race was decided last night by the almost 4-to-1 victory of challenger Mary Ann Ashley.

Town Supervisor David Button expressed disappointment at the loss, but did not shy away from the difficulty in running a campaign on the issues over the last few weeks.

“It’s tough when allegations are tossed at you, unsubstantiated allegations. You are almost immediately backpedaling,” said Button following release of the election results.

Button has faced recent intense criticism from local media, town residents, board members and political adversaries over the handling of his salary and that of the bookkeeper in his department since 2015. The issues led to several public hearings, multiple editorials in a local newspaper and finally an accounting adjustment and request for a comptroller’s audit. None of which, seemed to detract from attention on the issue in the days leading up to the election.

Button and his wife had worked in his department as supervisor and bookkeeper since his taking office in 2002. She officially retired in 2015 and the salary for the bookkeeper was redistributed to him. While Mr. Button, as supervisor, is able to handle that department’s budget how he sees fit, the redistribution of an additional salary required board approval which was never done. The Buttons ultimately gave back the entire salary earned by Mr. Button for the bookkeeping since 2015 and Mrs. Button was properly paid for work she has done in the office since her official retirement.

Although the salary situation in question had been in place since 2015, the controversy surrounding Mr. Button was raised only this past summer. Button, his supporters and more than a few observers have commented that local protest and media attention of the issue, brought forward only recently a couple months before the election during campaign time, over a situation in place for a couple of years, was an orchestrated political move.

However, the supervisor expressed gratitude to the town residents for their confidence during the bulk of his tenure in the position, almost 16 years.

“The people of Canton have allowed me to do some wonderful things (in my time as supervisor),” Button said.

“But the town is ready to move on and I am ready to move on,” the outgoing supervisor said.

“(Mary Ann Ashley) is stepping into the most wonderful job in the world and I wish her well,” Button said. “If she has half as much fun as I’ve had she will have a wonderful four years.”

Ashley was celebrating her victory with friends and supporters at the Best Western in Canton following the closing of the polls.

“I think it's a vote of confidence and that they are looking for a change,” the former mayor, now newly elected town supervisor said.

Given the recent controversy surrounding Mr. Button and the salary distribution issues in his office and department, Ashley admitted that it was a challenge during the campaign to stay away from that fray.

“I’m proud of the campaign we administered. It was clean, it was positive.”

“It’s all about the integrity of the process,” Ashley said. “You have to stay authentic to your true beliefs.”

“Our strategy was to focus on the door to door campaign outside of the village.”

“I congratulate Mr. Button on his service. I look forward to a smooth transition,” Ashley said.

The supervisor-elect seemed anxious to get to work.

“The biggest focus is going to be the finances of the town,” the supervisor-elect said.

Ashley said she plans to handle the supervisor’s duties the same way she did when serving as village mayor previously, largely focusing on building consensus and formulating action plans to implement policy.