Republican Jeff Branch and Democrat Clyde Rabideau seemed to track parallel on many issues. But when asked about the village's draft Comprehensive Plan and its component retail size cap, they metered progress differently.
MISSING CHANCES
Rabideau interpreted the size cap by degrees at 30,000, 60,000 and 90,000 square feet, saying he contacted the broker who was once interested in finding a site in Saranac Lake for Walmart, just to gather information on what developers need.
While the big-box-store acreage requirement was too great for any site in the village, Rabideau said, "a lot of retailers are building sites with a smaller footprint."
He sees the retail cap as a "trigger point" for discussion, not necessarily a turnoff to developers.
"It takes planning and forethought to do it the right way. If we limit perspective on big-box stores, there are a lot of (missed opportunities)."
NOT NEEDED
Branch interpreted the cap at 30,000 square feet, with 60,000 square feet in two floors.
"This is not a trigger point," he said, "this is a cap," calling it a "discussion breaker, not a trigger."
He said Adirondack Park Agency land-use regulation put in place more than 30 years ago is restrictive enough beyond the hamlet boundaries.
"We do not need to be further restricted by this Comprehensive Plan."
TOO RESTRICTIVE?
Branch said the retail cap in place prevents any open discussion on retail growth.
Rabideau rebutted, saying 60,000 square feet is bigger than a football field.
"We can do this," he urged, "we can find business to fit."
Branch redirected, saying 60,000 square feet includes a second floor in the retail cap.
And 30,000 square feet "is probably smaller than the size of this building," he added, standing in the bottom floor of the Town Hall.
Branch and the GOP platform are calling for repeal of the retail cap, which could become the signature point in this election.
SHARED SERVICES
Candidates were asked how they stand on the village sharing services with the Town of Harrietstown and for specific ideas as to what might work.
Branch, who as trustee has worked with the town-village Government Restructuring Committee, mentioned three options placed on the table:
He said the process is very complex in Saranac Lake.
"I think if you go to the GRC Web site, it's quite telling how complicated it is."
He said the Restructuring Committee is dedicated to exploring ways to combine services and commended how well Harrietstown and Saranac Lake work together.
Rabideau called shared services a "necessity for local government right now."
He said he is willing to pursue efforts to combine town and village sand/salt storage, village and town courts and land utilization.
Drawing from past experience, he said, "It often comes down to turf battles and power battles, and I don't have a turf battle or a power battle when it comes to (sharing services)."
BUDGETING
Asked for ideas about how to make government more efficient, both candidates promised to go through the budget line by line to justify costs.
Rabideau said that drawing from his accounting experience, he would create a "zero-based budget" and "go through line by line to make sure there is no waste."
Branch said, "as it stands now, I don't see taking jobs away."
But he did say he would enact a hiring freeze and remove village manager's role in hiring.
"We, as trustees, need to make the decision if a vacancy is to be filled."
JOBS
Asked how they would improve or expand the job base in the village, Branch said he would take a trip to Albany to explain how "we're different."
Branch noted he was among employees shuffled when Camp Gabriels closed last summer.
"I would take a proactive, hard stance on (Albany) and invite (the governor) to come up and meet the 'rock eaters,'" he said, referring to the recent jab at the North Country on "Saturday Night Live."
Rabideau said it is absolutely the village's role to improve jobs and the tax base.
Drawing from experience in Plattsburgh when the Air Base closed, he said, "We laced up our boots and got going."
But Plattsburgh is not like Saranac Lake, he advised, saying it is important to create business incubator space in the village and develop a limited development corporation.
VILLAGE ECONOMY
Closing remarks offered something of a counterpoint in how each views the current economic condition in Saranac Lake.
Branch turned his focus to a phone call he received the night before from a single mother "at wit's end" working two jobs who is struggling to pay her bills.
He said fiscal restraint and affordable housing are critical to the future of Saranac Lake.
Rabideau found the village "head and shoulders" in vitality and potential above other places in the region, encouraging the community to build on that strength by working together.
Organized by the Saranac Lake Area Chamber of Commerce, the Adirondack Daily Enterprise and Mountain Communications, the event drew more than 100 residents.
E-mail Kim Smith Dedam at: kdedam@pressrepublican.com
