Saranac Lake candidates detail views

By JACOB RESNECK
Contributing Writer

March 14, 2008 04:00 am

— SARANAC LAKE -- Three candidates vying for two seats on the Saranac Lake Village Board faced off Wednesday evening in advance of next week's election.
The candidates answered questions from a panel of journalists and others submitted in writing from the 40-strong audience.
A fourth candidate, Democrat John Sweeney, will appear on the ballot, though he has withdrawn from the race.
Trustees serve four-year terms. Voters go to the polls from noon to 9 p.m. Tuesday at the Harrietstown Town Hall auditorium, 39 Main St.
Incumbent Trustee John McEneany and former Trustee Jeff Branch -- both Republicans running on a shared ticket -- and Democrat Jason Brill, a relative political newcomer, all agreed that affordability and easing the tax burden were primary concerns.
McEneany, who has been on the board for six years, said he's valuable because of his experience as a trustee and small businessman.
"When I say I need to cut taxes, I don't say that because I need to get elected," said McEneany, 48, a building contractor. "I say it because I want to be able to stay in my house."
Branch, a food-services worker at Camp Gabriels minimum-security prison who unsuccessfully ran for mayor in 2006, pledged to work hard to keep the area affordable.
"Right now, we are at a crisis point," said Branch, 45. "As I drive around the village, I see a lot of For Sale' signs and a lot of properties going downhill."
He said his cumulative experience -- about four years of serving on the Village Board -- makes him qualified. He said the fact that the village is split among three towns -- Harrietstown, North Elba, St. Armand -- and between Essex and Franklin counties is something that needs to be fixed. Branch proposed looking to either dissolve the village or incorporate into a city.
Jason Brill, a sales representative from American Management Association, said he'll bring a fresh perspective to the board. The 48-year-old former screen actor said he moved to Saranac Lake five years ago and has been planting deep roots ever since.
Brill said Saranac Lake could use its location in the Adirondacks as a marketing tool to attract innovators of environmental technology.
"There is a green revolution going on in this country. There are businesses that would be happy to relocate to a place like this."
Answering a question about establishing a size cap for retail stores, Brill's position set him apart from the two Republicans. Opponents of Wal-Mart in 2006 had suggested establishing the cap to prevent box outlet stores from relocating in the village.
"I do think we need some kind of document that says what kind of businesses, what size of businesses come to town," Brill said.
Branch and McEneany disagreed.
"Without a cap, we're maximizing our opportunities but not eliminating any of them," said McEneany.
"I don't want to slam the door on anybody," Branch said. "It's hard enough trying to attract businesses in the first place." Facilitating the forum were Chris Knight, news director of WNBZ and Mountain Communications, and Peter Crowley, managing editor of the Adirondack Daily Enterprise newspaper.
The forum was videotaped by students from the Saranac Lake High School Video Club and will be airing on Time Warner Cable's public-access channel at 2 p.m. today in the Tri-Lakes region.