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March 19, 2009

Challengers victorious

Placid, Port Henry mayors defeated in Wednesday's vote

By LOHR McKINSTRY,

ANDREA VanVALKENBURG

and KIM SMITH DEDAM

LAKE PLACID — Incumbent mayors in Lake Placid and Port Henry were defeated in village elections Wednesday night, while the Village of Champlain's mayor won a third term in office.

LAKE PLACID
In Lake Placid village elections, the Republican trio on a slate ticket won by a comfortable margin.

Republican Craig Randall, a retired NBT Bank vice president, earned the mayor's seat with 463 votes, beating incumbent Jamie Rogers with 233 votes and Peter Roy with 192, both independents.

Randall celebrated with trustee winners Republicans Zay Curtis and Art Devlin as results came in.

"It's been a long day, but a good day. It's a good day for Lake Placid," Randall said.

"I think the voters came through with what they told us they wanted over the last several months. They're interested in new leadership, and we will bring a different style to the board."

Randall said Lake Placid could look forward to having a team with financial experience on the board at a time when taxpayers are concerned about the economic future.

"Our job is to help the village get through these difficult times. There is a lot of excitement in the people around us."

Rogers was grateful for the term spent as mayor of Lake Placid.

"The first thing I want to do is thank the residents of this community for providing me with one of the greatest opportunities of my life over the last four years."

He said municipal leadership in Lake Placid is top flight.

"What I'm really going to miss about this job is working with the department heads. They care about the community, they care about their department, and they care about the employees."

Rogers said he would work steadily with Randall over the next few weeks toward a smooth transition.

"We've got to sit down together and keep the ball rolling. It's about the community."

Roy, who has two years left to serve on his term as village trustee, expressed confidence in the election outcome.

"The village will be in great hands," he said.

In the Village Board race, Devlin received 493 votes; Curtis, 442; Jason Leon, 361; and Paul Strack, 301.

PORT HENRY
Incumbent Mayor Gary Cooke lost by exactly two-to-one to challenger Ernest Guerin, 124 to 62.

After the votes were counted Wednesday night, Guerin said he worked hard on his campaign.

"It was very tense for me. I wasn't used to it."

Guerin said he's now going to count on the people who supported him to work with him to make the village better.

"We need to get more people involved. I was approached by people who wanted me to do something. They said they would help if I was elected."

Cooke has been ill for the last two weeks, and he said the pressure is off now that the election is over.

"I've got a lot to do in my life. Nobody likes to lose, but that's the way it is. I did for this village what I thought was right, and I think I did a lot of good things."

In the Village Board race, incumbent James Hughes and newcomer John "Jack" Sheldon ran unopposed. Hughes received 135 votes and Sheldon, 129. William Ball received three votes as a write-in candidate.

CHAMPLAIN
In the Village of Champlain, incumbent Mayor Jeffrey Moore was seated to his third mayoral term after a landslide 112-to-26 vote victory over challenger Michael Rock.

After the final votes were tallied, Moore said he was "looking forward to serving as mayor for another two years" and will continue working on the capital-replacement program and shared-services grant.

He congratulated Gregory Martin and Kim Trombley on their seats to the board, with 108 and 102 votes, respectively, and said he's always "been fortunate to have a very dedicated board" of spending-conscientious trustees.

"And I'd like to thank the people of the Village of Champlain for supporting our efforts to improve our village."

Rock, who campaigned for "smarter spending" and infrastructure improvements, was pleased with the voter turnout, even though his bid "unfortunately didn't go as planned.

"But that's OK "¦ we'll see what happens in the next couple years, and if things don't improve in the village, I'll run again."

OTHER VILLAGES
Here are the results from other village races held Wednesday:

BURKE
Village Board (one seat): Patsy Rousell, seven votes.

CHATEAUGAY
Mayor: D. Billy Jones received 48 votes with five blank ballots and one void after running unopposed to replace Gabriel Lopardo, who decided not to seek another term.

Village Board (two seats): Francis Boadway, 45 votes with nine blank ballots, and Charles Cheyne, 46 votes with eight blanks.

DANNEMORA
Village Board (two seats): Eric Jarvis, 173 votes, and Richard Scholl, 160 votes.

Village justice: Dan Lucia, 189 votes, and Kristine Bowman, 53 votes.

ROUSES POINT
Village Board (two seats): John Cooper, 88 votes, and Brian Jefferson, 87 votes.

Village justice: John LaBonte, 100 votes.

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