By Jake Palmateer
ONEONTA _ Lucy Bernier will replace Judge Walter L. Terry III on the Oneonta City Court bench.
Bernier, the appointed judge on the city bench, received 61 percent of the vote in two-way race against City Prosecutor Michael Getman, according to unofficial results from the Otsego County Board of Elections.
In the town of Oneonta, Justice Bruce Smith, an incumbent, was returned to the Oneonta Town Court bench with 755 votes. With Andrew Liddle's 572 votes and Philip Hosley's 568 votes following well within the margin of the more than 100 outstanding absentee ballots, there was no clear winner for the second seat on the town court bench, according to unofficial results from the Board of Elections.
Bernier garnered 1,259 votes to Getman's 811, according to the results.
"I'm just very, very happy," Bernier said before giving a brief victory speech at The Autumn Cafe, the traditional gathering place for Democrats on Election Day.
Bernier said she was looking forward to filling Terry's shoes.
Terry is retiring from his elected seat on Oneonta City Court at the end of the year but will maintain his private practice. His half-time city post pays $54,000.
"I'm going to work as hard as I can for equal justice," Bernier said.
Bernier was introduced to Democrat Party faithful at the Autumn Cafe by former Oneonta Mayor Kim Muller after the results showed a clear victory.
"Lucy Bernier is going to do us well," said Muller, a leader of the local Democratic Party.
About 80 people were gathered at the cafe.
"I first want to congratulate Mike Getman on his hard-fought campaign," Bernier said. "I had a lot of help from everybody in this room and a lot of other people, too."
Bernier, a former city prosecutor and assistant district attorney, was appointed in 2004 by then-Mayor Kim Muller to the quarter-time position at City Court. Bernier filled the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge William K. Atchinson Jr.
Getman is the Oneonta city prosecutor and Otsego County Chief District Attorney.
Oneonta City Court judges preside over traffic, municipal code and misdemeanor cases and perform felony arraignments and preliminary hearings. They also handle civil cases.
Bernier said it will likely be up to Mayor-elect Richard Miller to appoint a judge to fill her current position when she vacates as scheduled at the end of the year.
