Position sought: Mayor

—

Why are you running for this position?

I love this community. I care deeply about the health and future of our beloved home. We have been treading water for 12 years without vision or advancement. It is time to live up to our potential. It is time for change! I have always been forward thinking and have always had a vision for our future. I believe I am the one qualified to get us there.

—

What are your qualifications?

I served on the board for nine years; three as village trustee, two as deputy mayor and four as mayor. In my four years as mayor, we completed Mid’s Park, Mill Pond Drive and the repaving of Main Street. We implemented several parking upgrades and expanded public transportation. We introduced multiple energy efficiency projects including the very successful Boy Scout Light Bulb Program. This program saved our community 2 megawatts of power annually, at a time when we were facing serious power issues. We completed a $14 million sewage treatment plant upgrade. While this upgrade was necessary, we had another related issue. We worked with local, state and federal officials to secure funding for an equally important upgrade to the main trunk sewer line. And, for the first time in the history of the village, we implemented asset management planning and multi-year budgeting.

—

What are your main goals?

My main goal is to promote the well-being and future of Lake Placid. In order to accomplish this, the board needs to work together, seek input from our department heads, and most importantly, be transparent. Communication is key. We need to listen to our residents, and visitors. We also need to expand on cultural and economic diversity. I will strive to make sure today’s decisions will improve this community’s future. I have a proven track record of accomplishing my main goals.

—

What do you think are the three biggest problems in the village, and how do you propose solving them?

I don’t think in terms of problems. I think in terms of short-term and mid-term challenges. The solution to any challenge is to build a diverse team. Diversity in opinions and thoughts is what breeds creative solutions and innovative ideas.

For the short-term challenges the most pressing will be the Main Street construction project. Not only will this directly impact the businesses, it will impact their employees and families as well. Having been through one Main Street project already, I know that you have to be incredibly organized. Parking areas and public transportation are critical and need to be well coordinated. It is imperative to communicate as much information as possible with residents, businesses and visitors to ensure that Main Street remains vibrant and that our businesses survive during this project. I know there is work being done on a communication plan, not only for the Main Street project, but also for government communication as a whole. I plan to provide as much support to this project as possible. I have also reached out to Stowe and Waterbury Vermont. These two communities, very similar to ours, have just completed their own two-year Main Street revitalization projects. I have reached out to them to get their thoughts and ideas and to see how we could learn from their experience. I received some great feedback, including some very creative ideas to promote the local businesses, which I believe we should adopt.

The other immediate challenge that needs our attention is Mirror Lake. We need to continue efforts to address the salt issue. Some progress has been made as we saw the lake turn over this fall for the first time in several years. We also need to move quickly to remove harmful styrofoam from underneath docks. Addressing these two issues is just the start. We need to be diligent in the long-term stewardship of preserving this lake for years to come. I look forward to working with the town, the Mirror Lake Watershed Association and the Ausable River Association. I have a long history of working with all of these organizations.

As for mid-term challenges, I will continue to look at workforce housing, short-term rentals and parking. Parking has been an ongoing challenge since the first nickel was dropped into a meter. As former mayor, I worked hard on solutions to this very issue. I implemented permit parking, which at the time was meant to be an affordable management tool. Unfortunately, it has since been turned into a revenue source creating hardship for Main Street employees and residents. I believe we need to address this. As deputy mayor, I initiated our public transportation system within the village. “Take the Free Ride!” As mayor, I expanded it to the entire community. We need to embrace the latest technology, such as mobile apps, to enhance the system even further. I do believe it is time for a parking garage on Main Street. However, it needs to be done thoughtfully with the community and environment in mind.

In regards to housing, again, I believe we need to be creative in our thinking to find a balance between workforce housing, short-term rentals and full-time residents. Camoin Associates prepared a Housing Needs Assessment for our community in early 2020. One of the most striking points to come out of this assessment states, “The Town of North Elba and Village of Lake Placid are facing a workforce housing crisis.” I serve on the board of directors for the Homestead Development Corporation. In response to this need, we have a project in progress to build six houses and 16 condominiums on donated land. Each unit will be sold at cost. We believe that this is a viable model that the community can build upon for the future. Another point that was identified is that our “Community is Losing Families and Children and its Population is Aging.” We must find a way for younger generations to live and thrive in this community. The Camoin Housing Needs Assessment has valuable information that will help us achieve this goal.

—

Other comments:

The village has a general fund budget of $6.6 million. The General fund covers all costs except water, sewer and electric, which are separate funds. The fund balance, which is money left over at the end of each year, is now $6.1 million. This is well beyond what the Office of State Comptroller recommends for any fund balance. This means that over the last 12 years, we as taxpayers have been overtaxed.

We all love this community. It’s time to get its well-being and future in balance. I am ready to give my best to these challenges.