FLY CREEK - The Republican primary for supervisor in the town of Otsego could decide the race between Tom Breiten and Tom Lieber or set the stage for a face off in November's general election.

Both Breiten and Lieber filed independent nominating petitions in addition to their party petitions to place their names on the ballot on a second line. Bretien's petition was successful, but some signatures on Lieber's were challenged by Breiten and the petition was declared void, according to the county board of elections.

If Breiten defeats Lieber in the primary, he will become the sole candidate in the general election. If Lieber is victorious in the primary, he will face Breiten again in November running as an independent candidate.

Brieten, 47, grew up in Cooperstown and graduated from Cornell University where he studied horticulture and business. He is married with four children and is a landscape designer.

Prior to becoming town supervisor, Breiten served for eight years as a member and chairman of the town planning board.

When he took over from former supervisor Bill Gates, the town had just adopted a budget that reduced taxes by 16 percent, but as supervisor he was able to push spending to an even lower level, he said.

Since becoming supervisor, Brieten said the town has held the line on spending and he anticipates a budget for the coming year which will cut taxes again. The town also now has an investment policy which will, in a 12-month period, generate $36,000 in interest income.

Aside from the financial well-being of the town, the supervisor said one of his goals in the near future is the completion of the revision of the town's master plan.

Currently the town has put out a request for proposals from planning firms to assist in that process.

With his experience on the planning board, Breiten said it is important to update the plan to eliminate the gap between what residents see as the future of the town and what the land use regulations currently allow.

The town, he said, is also currently working on a re-evaluation of all property. The town's equalization rate is now .49 meaning that property typically sells for twice its assessed value and it is time for a reval. Hand-in-hand with the reval is the planned purchase of computer software for assessors which will make it easier to keep assessments current.

Changes in the town hall are also in the works, he said. The town received a records management grant to pay for a fire-proof records storage room. He and the board believed that as long as renovations were being made for the records storage, it would also be a good opportunity to bring the town hall up to date.

Breiten is being challenged by newcomer Tom Lieber.

Lieber is a retired architectural woodworker, corporate president and owner of two custom woodworking shops on Long Island.

In 1992 he and his family moved to the old Calico Print Works Water Mill in Oaksville following a four-year renovation of the property.

Today most of his time is spent in his shop/studio, designing radiant heat panels and repairing and building stringed musical instruments. He is a member of the Rotary Club and is a member of the Cooperstown concert committee. He is married with three children.

Lieber said his main goal as supervisor would be to work toward increasing the public participation in local government.

"My number one goal is getting residents of the town of Otsego to be part of their government," he said.

He said he believes it is the responsibility of the supervisor and town board to see that residents are informed about what is happening in the town.

"I believe the public will come out if you create a mechanism to keep them informed consistently," he said. "If you don't inform the public, it's not much of a democracy."

One way to do that may be through the expanded use of the town's website.

He also believes that more questions should be put to town residents.

"I believe it should be on the ballot as to whether we want to spend $1 million on a new town barn," he said. "It's going to cost us all and I think we should vote on it."

Lieber readily admitts that he is not a politician and has no long-term political ambitions.

He said he was asked to run and agreed to serve for one two-year term if elected.

"I'm not interested in politics. I will try to do my best, but two years, that's it," he said.

The Republican primary election will be held Tuesday, September 13, from noon to 9 p.m.

Republicans in districts one, two and three vote in the Cooperstown firehouse, 24 Chestnut Street, and in district four, at the town hall on county highway 26 in Fly Creek.