The questions were largely submitted by Wilmington residents and chosen by newspaper staff: Flynn and Adirondack Daily Enterprise Managing Editor Elizabeth Izzo, who was the videographer and time keeper for the event. Candidates did not get to see the questions ahead of time.

The forum, which was co-sponsored by the Enterprise and the Lake Placid News, was also livestreamed on Facebook. People can watch the archived forum recording on the Lake Placid News Facebook page under the “Live” tab. The ADE and LPN will also publish questionnaires answered by the candidates next week.

A different forum was originally planned for September, but Hooker and Winch — along with town supervisor candidate Timothy Follos — dropped out of that event. All candidates were present at this forum.

The four candidates are vying for two contested seats on the town board. Both seats come with four-year terms.

Early voting will be held from Saturday, Oct. 28 to Sunday, Nov. 5 at the Mirror Lake Beach House, 31 Parkside Dr., Lake Placid, and the Essex County Public Safety Building, 702 Stowersville Road, Lewis. Early voting times are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Oct. 28 and 29; noon to 8 p.m. on Oct. 30; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Oct. 31; noon to 8 p.m. on Nov. 1; and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. from Nov. 2 to 5.

Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 7, and polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. at the Wilmington Community Center, off Springfield Road.

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Candidate visions

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Flynn asked the candidates to describe their visions for Wilmington in the next five to 10 years and how their visions would serve the year-round residents of the town, not just the tourism industry.

Forbes said that he would like to see Wilmington “continue to grow, but grow responsibly.” He pointed to new businesses in town as a sign of positive growth, but also expressed concern about businesses that have closed. He also said that Wilmington is a tourist destination because of its residents and he wants the community to continue to be welcoming.

Preston, who is the operations manager of the Whiteface Mountain Regional Visitors Bureau, said that her vision for Wilmington would start with a comprehensive plan to “figure out who we are and what we want to be.” She said that any goals for Wilmington may take years to accomplish, especially if they involve grants.

“We really need to have everyone come together and be patient,” she said.

Winch said that he wants local motels to “come back to life” and for local businesses to open and grow in town. He said that the town could use more nightlife for visitors. He also proposed the return of bus tours for skiers, which he said could revitalize the local economy, and endorsed capping the amount of STRs. He said he supported affordable housing projects like the Homestead Housing development on state Route 86 recently announced by the Housing Assistance Program of Essex County.

Hooker said she would like Wilmington to “go back five or 10 years” or remain the same. She said that perpetual growth is not the goal of her campaign. She proposed creating more services and resources for the elderly residents of Wilmington to make sure they are taken care of and not isolated. She also proposed revitalizing the North Pole, which is a hamlet that includes Santa’s Workshop, a private business.

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Zoning changes

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Douglas asked the candidates if they would advocate for any changes to the zoning code once elected and, if so, what those changes would be.

Preston said that she is not opposed to changes to the zoning code, but that they also do not need to be “drastically overturned.” She said that most of the changes she would propose would be to remedy inconsistent language throughout the code.

Winch said that he would propose STRs be reclassified as businesses rather than residences. Under current Wilmington zoning code, if a resident wanted to turn their home that is zoned residentially as a “single-family dwelling” into an STR, they would not have to apply for a zoning change to, for example, “hotel/motel” or “home occupation,” which are commercial uses. They would only need to register their STR with the county treasurer’s office. With the town board debating STR policy proposals from the STR committee, this could change.

Winch also said that he would also support a sign ordinance that encouraged businesses to have more “rustic” signage, as well as further setbacks for buildings along state Route 86.

Hooker said that the zoning code is a “sticky subject,” as she is on the Wilmington Planning Board. She said that it “could be a little bit more concise” and that the board’s rulings should be more consistent. She also said that the town could raise more money by raising permitting fees for events.

Forbes said that the zoning code needs to be updated. He said that STR regulations need to be in place before the zoning code is “cleaned up.” He agreed with Hooker and Preston that the language in the code is, at times, confusing. He also said that, in the spring, he proposed an architectural review committee for planned development, citing an application from Dollar General to build a location in Wilmington that was ultimately withdrawn.

In a rebuttal, Preston said that she agreed with Winch that STRs should be classified as businesses so they may be “taxed accordingly.” However, she said that this is not a change that would happen at the town level, but rather at the state level. In New York, STRs currently only face an occupancy tax, which STR companies such as Airbnb or Vrbo usually collect on their behalf. In January, state Sen. Michelle Hinchey (D-Saugerties) introduced the Short Term Rental Registry Act, which would amend the state tax code to classify STRs as hotels, therefore allowing municipalities to collect both sales and occupancy taxes. The bill passed the state Senate in June but has not yet made it to the Assembly floor. It must pass the Assembly before being signed into law by the governor.

Winch said that it “shouldn’t be too hard of a job” to get the state to make the change, as “they’d be more than happy to get more tax dollars.”

Forbes declined a rebuttal. Hooker said that she agreed with Forbes’ idea for an architectural review committee and wants to make sure that Wilmington is not “getting bamboozled by big box stores.”

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Taxes

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Flynn asked the candidates if lowering town taxes was on their agendas. If it was not, he asked them to explain why. If it was, he asked them to detail the changes they would make and describe how they would make up the lost revenue.

Winch said that he is at “the front of the line on lowering taxes.” He said that the town needs to revisit its spending and potentially make some budget cuts. He also proposed raising fees on STRs, saying that he does not want to over-tax them but also believes that, currently, the town does not benefit much from STRs.

Hooker said that the town must spend money in order for town employees to make a “livable wage.” She also said that money from the town’s cut of the Essex County occupancy tax revenue should go toward residents of the town rather than the tourism enhancement fund. She said that she did not agree with the town board’s recent vote to go above the 2% state tax cap, suggesting that the town board should look for places to cut before collecting more money.

Forbes, who sits on the town board, said that the board had to vote to go above the 2% tax cap as a precaution in order to pass its budget next month. He said that, if they did not vote to exceed the tax cap and later could not find any ways to reduce the budget, they would have been “in violation.”

“It doesn’t mean that we’re necessarily going to exceed the tax cap,” he said. “But, it gives us the flexibility if we need to, to exceed that tax cap in the future.”

He also said that he would “love to sit here and tell everybody that it’s possible to lower taxes,” but the town’s budget is already “very tight.” He said that it was “almost impossible” and “almost irresponsible” to start lowering the town’s budget. He was skeptical of STR fees as a reliable source of income for the town.

Preston said that she “hate(s) paying bills” and “would love to lower “taxes.” However, she said that this is likely not realistic, given the town’s budget and amount of income.

“We have a budget meeting (on Wednesday), and we will go line per line per line and we truly will look at every single item to see where we can trim any fat possible, and if there’s any way, I promise you we will,” she said.

She also said that tourist enhancement funds, which Hooker suggested be used to benefit residents, is not consistent in the budget every year. Rather, it is “on top of our normal budget.” Preston said that the funds are used to “enhance” the community, but the spending varies every year in terms of how much money is spent and what it’s spent on. She also called using STR fees as a reliable source of income for the town budget “irresponsible,” as an STR may become a residence again, lowering the town’s income from STR fees.

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Business growth

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Douglas asked the candidates how they would encourage business growth in Wilmington.

Hooker said that there are “lots of people in this town who don’t necessarily buy their things in this town,” which may lead to business closures. She also said that she would poll residents to see what sort of businesses they would like to see in town. She said that she would encourage existing businesses to work with the town government, but also called encouraging businesses a “slippery slope.”

“I think we need to foster the residents and the residential areas and let the businesses come in as they may,” she said.

Forbes said that funds generated from STR fees are supposed to be used to “enhance tourism and business growth.” He said that he would prefer the money go toward stimulating business and local events such as the Festival of Colors rather than offsetting budget items, as other candidates suggested. He also said that the town government should help local businesses look for revitalization grants.

Preston said that she already has a background in helping local businesses start and expand due to her work at the visitors bureau. She said that she would like to look into tax incentives for business and also encourage locals to offer both financial and moral support for new businesses.

“I would like to see a lot more community support for businesses that are coming into this town and realize that everyone has growing pains,” she said.

Winch said that “small business loans are available, I would think” for potential new businesses. He added that Wilmington needs more businesses on offer, such as a hardware store or another gas station, and proposed offering tax incentives for new businesses.

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Healing division

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Flynn asked the candidates how they plan to bring the community together following the divisive election.

Forbes said that “a little bit of give-and-take” would help the community unite. He said that Follos’ claim in the earlier town supervisor forum that the tension is a result of the STR debate is “probably true.” He also said that communication and “talk(ing) like adults” is key.

“Working together is the only way to bring the community back together,” he said.

Preston said that she agreed with Forbes about compromise and communication. She also said that she wanted voters to remember that she is an independent candidate.

“There’s been the three individuals that have made it a point of saying that they’re campaigning together, and it’s been perceived, then, that were three other people campaigning together,” she said, referring to Hooker, Winch and Follos.

“I made it a point of saying that I may have like ideas with other people, but I am an independent and I have an independent mind and I independently vote.”

She said that she hoped whoever was elected would be “strong enough individuals to vote independently.”

Winch echoed the other candidates’ sentiments of compromise and communication. He said that he did not approve of the “bickering” at recent town board meetings.

“Being on a town board means you’re working for the people,” he said. “You’re not working with the people on the board, necessarily, but you have to learn how to work with the board in order to satisfy what the taxpayers want the people to do.”

Hooker said that “there’s division in the town because there’s division in the town.” She said that people in Wilmington are becoming angry because they feel that they are not being listened to or are being ignored. She also said that the “key” to resolving the turmoil in Wilmington is through listening.