By KIM SMITH DEDAM
SARANAC LAKE — Former Plattsburgh Mayor Clyde Rabideau won Saranac Lake's mayoral election Tuesday.
"The first order of business is to establish a positive relationship with the trustees and village employees," the Democrat said shortly after results were tallied.
"It's a little bittersweet because we lost Susan Waters, and we lost her place, so we're (Democrats) in a minority."
The unofficial vote total, provided Tuesday night by the Sound Adirondack Growth Alliance because village officials were busy recanvassing the vote, was 704 for Rabideau and 578 for Republican Jeffrey Branch.
Rabideau ran alongside a team of Democratic candidates on a platform of smart growth against Branch, a three-time village trustee whose Republican contingent urged fiscal restraint and bottom-up budgeting.
Branch retains his post as trustee, with two years left to serve.
MOVING FORWARD
Conceding shortly past 10:15 p.m., Branch said: "We're going to go forward, we're going to work together. Unfortunately, some people have to win; some have to lose. Tomorrow, it's just back to work.
"I know (newly elected Trustee) Allie Pelletieri, myself and John McEneany feel the same about the budget. We started a campaign with our issues, and we're going to push them. We're a strong community. We're going to move forward."
Rabideau was struck by the win after 10 years out of public service.
"I really don't think it has sunk in," he said. "The title comes with a lot of responsibility. I feel an immense responsibility now to carry the title of mayor of Saranac Lake, which I'm honored to do."
Official results will be late coming, with a recanvas undertaken due to questions with absentee ballots.
COMMON GOALS
Contenders faced off in a lively forum earlier this month but kept the political conversation responsive and friendly.
Both mayoral candidates promised careful budget analysis with a plan to ultimately lower taxes by increasing business opportunity here.
Both parties view affordable housing as a critical concern for young families.
And both promised to foster consensus in a village faced with building a multi-million-dollar water-treatment facility, even as they study town and village co-terminus boundary lines.
Republicans promised to repeal the retail-size cap, which they view as an obstacle to interested development.
Rabideau and the Democratic team said the future is in finding a good fit for business in Saranac Lake.
GOP candidates met Tuesday evening at headquarters on St. Bernard Street.
Democrats assembled their camp at Blue Moon Café.
Both parties met in the Harrietstown Town Hall after the polls closed, awaiting results.
And both sides found the 2010 campaign process productive, leaving newly elected leaders to start on a positive note.
"I think the tenor has been good," Scollin said earlier Tuesday.
"Both parties are respectful of each other's position and careful about not letting misinformation get out.
"I'm happy about how both campaigns went and enjoyed the process. We used a lot of multi-media; it was fun."
E-mail Kim Smith Dedam at: kdedam@pressrepublican.com
