Meet the Candidates event drew light crowd, but generated many ideas

October 23, 2019Dan McClelland

by Dan McClelland

The four candidates running next month for two town board spots open outlined their views and ideas to about 25 local residents at the October 15th “Meet the Candidates” forum at the Knights of Columbus hall.

The event was organized and sponsored by the Tupper Lake Free Press and Stuart Amell's new property rights group on Facebook.

On stage that evening were Republican incumbents Councilwomen Tracy Luton and Mary Fontana and Democratic and Conservative party challengers former town supervisor Dean Lefebvre and Daniel “Boonie” Carmichael.

The Free Press publisher moderated the hour and one-half long session and Mr. Amell served as the timer, keeping the candidates to three- and five-minute answers.

“I'd like to thank in advance our candidates for participating as these sorts of public forums are not always easy for people to do. I hope tonight's presentation is all about ideas...good ideas to move our community forward,” Mr. McClelland said in his introductions.

“In the interest of full transparency I should tell you that each candidate was supplied with the questions in advance so they could prepare. Stuart and I didn't think 'off the top of your head' answers were in anyone's best interests.

The four were first asked to introduce themselves.

Dean Lefebvre began his introduction by thanking the residents in attendance for coming.

“I was born and brought up in Tupper Lake and graduated from Tupper Lake High School in 1970 and from North Country Community College in 1972. I also attended Plattsburgh State for a time.

“Following that I had a position with the Village of Tupper Lake for over 24 years during which I was a senior clerk, a deputy clerk/administrator, village treasurer, president of the village CSEA local and treasurer of the local.”

He said he also served on the Tupper Lake Board of Education for over four years.

“I was town supervisor for just short of 18 years. I was the co-founder of the Adirondack Association of Towns and Villages which will turn 25 years old this coming January. That is the most influential organization in the park and that's been told to me by every environmental group in this state. The group has a lot of influence because it is made up solely of elected officials whose townships are either wholly or partially in the Adirondack Park.”

“Also in 1998, following the loss of the prison I worked with two other people and was one of the co-founders of the Wild Center.

“During my tenure as town supervisor I appointed a committee called 'Save Sunmount' and through that Sunmount was prevented from closing and we were able to get the centers for intensive treatment facilities. I know there are people pro and con on the CITs, but it meant a lot of jobs for Tupper Lake.

“And of course, during my tenure, we made the most major improvements to the Tupper Lake Golf Course. I don't know how far in our history you would have to go to find more improvements made there than that,” he said of the complete reconstruction of the upper nine.

“We did it by working in conjunction with the country club board, the golfers and together we were able to do a really great job.

“One final thing, during my time as supervisor, we took over 400 homes off septic tanks and that were leaching into Lake Simond, Big Tupper Lake, the Raquette River and Raquette Pond. We put them on municipal sewer through sewer districts. That, to me, was another great thing for this community!”

He said the municipal park walkway was another project tackled under his administration.

Councilwoman Tracy Luton said she was originally from Central Square, N.Y. and moved to Saranac Lake in 1996. She is a graduate of Monroe Community College.

“I decided to move to Tupper Lake the next year and I now call Tupper Lake my home. I moved here by choice and I raised my three beautiful children here- Paige, Amy and Shannon. I have been involved in the community ever since.

“I've been from cheerleader mom to t-ball coach to girl scout leader, all with and for my children. Tupper Lake welcomed me with open arms!

“I've raised my kids as a single mom and bought a house here. I have worked with Dr. Bill Maroun, who was my greatest supporter here. He taught me how to be a good dental assistant and how to be a great person. He's such a great guy!

She said she worked with Dr. Maroun until his retirement in 2015 and then went to work in the new dentist practice on Park Street.

“I went back to school and became the office manager at Tupper Lake Family Dental and now help run that place and we are doing very well there.

“I love Tupper Lake and think it's a great place to be. I'm a veteran of the U.S. Navy and a currently the commander at the VFW Post 3120 here. I am also first vice commander of the new AmVets Post 710 here and have been a member of the Tupper Lake Honor Guard for the past nine years or so. That's probably the thing I love to do most as I like to be there for the veterans when they pass and being there for their families.

“I was asked to be on the town board four years ago and I was hesitant at first as at the time I didn't know a lot about local politics and how it all ran. One thing I did know was that Tupper Lake was a great place to live. Our community members rally around each other when things are both positive and negative. They want to discuss a lot of things when they happen and they want Tupper Lake to prosper.

“So I decided I'd give it a try.”

She said she didn't know if she wanted to run for re-election this fall.

“But then I said to myself, 'you know what? I learned a lot these past four years on the board' and so I decided I'd give it another shot.”

She said she is running for re-election to keep Tupper Lake “staying positive so we grow.”

“I want us to continue to work together to produce more positive things so we keep growing!”

Ms. Luton said she was proud to serve on this very positive town board whose members “don't fight and all get along. These are all the things why I'm running again!”

“-And “I'm proud to be a Tupper Laker now!”

Daniel “Boonie” Carmichael said he knew almost everyone in the room that evening, “and I know you know me.”

He said his lifelong nickname came from his mother when he was a youngster and after the well known outdoorsman of TV fame, Daniel Boone.

“I was born and raise here, have owned and operated some small businesses at different times here, so I'm very familiar with the difficulties of being a small business owner.”

He said he believes one of the main roles of a town board is to support small business in their community.

“I actually didn't want to run. This is my third time running. I'm a two-time loser. I first ran for mayor and two years ago ran for town council.”

He said his bids for elected office in recent years were because he felt “someone has to do it” and that political candidates for every elected office can't be permitted to run unopposed.

“Our two opponents (Tracy and Mary) ran unopposed last time and it looked like they were going to run unopposed this time too. I just couldn't see that happening!

“It didn't take too much persuasion and the local committee urged me to run again.”

“I think boards get stale and I think that change is good. My primary interest is to make our town government very transparent.

The candidate has requested information from the town for over a year with little success through the Freedom of Information process, and he bemoaned his frustration at a recent town board meeting.

“Years ago the town and village board meetings were broadcast over the local cable system which was owned then by Adelphia Cable. I don't know when it ended or why but I believe it should be started again. I think there are state grants available to help us do that.”

He said he has been making telephone calls in recent months to various state agencies to get television coverage help for local government meetings with little success. “I have no standing. They would ask me who I was and I'd tell them: a private citizen. They'd tell me they didn't have to give me any information. But when I get on the town board, I'll be able to call them and tell them I'm a town board member and I want the information over the phone or I will drive to Albany and get it.

“Tupper Lake's future has looked pretty bleak, except for the last couple of years. It's nice to see new businesses opening up on our main streets. I'm a firm believer that the Adirondack Club and Resort is going to come to fruition. It may not be by the original developers, but someone is going to develop that project. -And Tupper Lake will finally become a booming place!”

Last to introduce herself was Mary Fontana.

“I may not be local or your stereotypical local politician, and despite my public position, I'm not comfortable talking about myself.

“That being said, I'm a local Saranac Laker, born and raised there. Twelve years ago I moved to Tupper Lake. I'm not a native, but I'm certainly a local!”

She said she works at One Group Insurance on Park Street, where she specializes in personal insurance and risk management.

“I ran for the town board four years ago after I was approached to run.”

Mary said she previously ran for county coroner in a write-in campaign but was unsuccessful. “It was my first political jump and following that I felt I needed to invest myself more in Tupper Lake.”

“When I moved here 12 years ago I was still a teenager. I was pursuing my education. I received my bachelor's degree. I started my career, I started a family here and I realized this is the community I want to raise my child in!

“I'm now a stakeholder in Tupper Lake. I want to make this community great and being on the board has afforded me so many opportunities. I get to cast a vote. I get to have a say. I get to attend meetings like this. I get to communicate with the public and I'm very grateful for the opportunity to serve as an elected official!”

“Like Boonie said, it is not in the best interest of politics for someone to run continuously unopposed. I grateful to the opportunity to again be able to run and I welcome the challenge! I look forward to hearing (my opponents') viewpoints and to hear what they offer Tupper Lake.

“I think our board has done some phenomenal things in Tupper Lake. I think we are constantly making strides to bringing more tourism to Tupper, to promoting our community, to the development of our web page, to promoting the APO (now Sky Center)...the town has so much, the beach, the golf course...Tupper has so many assets. As a board, so far, we've done a tremendous job in promoting those assets, allotting funds to them.

“I think we can continue to do great work and I hope to remain on the board, to being re-elected and to continuing the great work we're doing!”

Question: The meat and potatoes of Tupper Lake's economy is Sunmount, controlled by Albany. But the piece we can control and improve is tourism. As a town leaders what would you do or what would you support to improve tourism here?

Mary Fontana said tourism is the cornerstone of the Adirondacks and especially of Tupper Lake.

“In the past few years Tupper Lake has grown, thanks in large part to the Wild Center. But also to the relationship and contract we have with ROOST (Regional Office Of Sustained Tourism, based in Lake Placid).

She acknowledged Katie Stuart, the local ROOST staff, in the audience that evening.

“ROOST has done a wonderful job promoting Tupper Lake. We get monthly updates from ROOST on what projects and programs they are doing for Tupper Lake and what we, as a board and a community, can do to help with those projects.

“As elected officials, it is our goal to improve our economy and our infrastructure, our employment, our branding and through our contract with ROOST we have been able to promote those things.”

Both the village and town in recent years have contracted with the Lake Placid-based agency for tourist promotion services, via social media and conventional types of advertising.

“I got some numbers today that tupperlake.com (community website) has seen 294,000 sessions, the hiking page is up 30% from last year, the Triad page is up 130% and the Facebook page has about 34,000 followers- all directed at this community. That is a huge improvement. That tells us people are looking at Tupper Lake and people want to come here. It's our job as elected officials to invest in our society and invest in our community.

“Our existing board has unanimously supported the construction and development of the travel corridor. We continue to support the development of our cross country ski trails at the golf course, and the beach, the park. We actively seek grants that afford us additional capital to invest in our town. We've developed a wonderful relationship with Melissa McManus, who is a great advisor and aide in the pursuit of grants and bettering our communications, along with ROOST...to get the word out that Tupper Lake is the place to be. It's a great place to live.”

Boonie Carmichael said when he was a little boy there were three industries in Tupper Lake- the VA Hospital which later became Sunmount DDSO, tourism and logging.

“But tourism then was very active. When Big Tupper was open, the winters were flourishing times in town. A couple of bad winters came along with no snow-making” and things for the ski center began to take a down turn.

“People forget how well Big Tupper treated the people of Tupper Lake. When ARISE (Adirondack Residents Intent of Saving our Economy) had the volunteers, I was running a local restaurant. Immediately our winter sales went up 60%.

He said Adirondack Club and Resort developer Tom Lawson's “heart and soul” was into rebuilding that mountain. Unfortunately I think he ran out of money. The environmentalists subjected to him what one of the locals referred to as 'death by 1,000 cuts'.”

He said the many preservationists groups opposed to the ACR “wanted to run him out of money and they were successful!”

Mr. Carmichael said he knows Tom's heart was into reopening Big Tupper and with his blessing ARISE volunteers ran it during those seven years. Lack of money and no snow year after year were major problems for ARISE, he noted.

“I'm sure Big Tupper is going to open again and the town and village have to be prepared for the influx of new businesses and new residents who will come here.

Of the golf course, he said “golf worldwide is in a deep depression. It's popularity is the lowest it's been since after World War II.”

He admitted he wasn't sure of the golf course “numbers” this year, in terms of members, but knew that last year there were fewer than 100 full members.

Mr. Carmichael said he worked in the pro shop a number of years ago under Golf Pro Brent Smith and part of his job was “to track the numbers.” At that time there were well over 300 full members.

“So now if you only have 25% of the membership you had a few years ago, something has to give!”

“I believe the town has to get the maximum profitability from every piece of real estate it owns. They have to research everything- the beach, the country club.

“We have a hidden gem at the golf course with those cross-country trails. I love them. When I was younger I was an avid cross country skier and I wish I still could.”

He said he spoke recently with some of the cross-country trail promoters here and told them how wonderful it would be to have trails around the entire perimeter of the golf course, “and they agreed.”

“I also think there should be some place in the winter for cross-country skiers to warm up and get a bite to eat at the facility.

“If the town is going to be in the entertainment business, the town board may have to take the lead on that!”

Tracy Luton said that one of the great things about Tupper Lake is its abundance of tourism and the assets that draw it. “We have the mountains, lakes, the Wild Center, the Triad, camping, hiking, cross-country skiing, the golf course, our campgrounds, the rod and gun club.

She said the golf course, in particular, is a local jewel that is packed many days. The finances of the place are now out of the red. “They made money this year!”

“Anyone who comes to town, including my family” is drawn to the place. “It's beautiful...it's a gem!”

Ms. Luton said during the years ARISE operated Big Tupper she was a volunteer there many weekends.

She called it a great asset to the community. “I wish it was still running! We're missing out now on a couple of generations of people not being able to ski. I hope something there happens and we don't have to wait 20 years for that.

Another town asset is the beach and campgrounds at Little Wolf, which she said “is always full! People are routinely turned away left and right because there are no available sites.

With Blue Jay campsites also often full weekends each summer, more available vacant campsites will only help tourism grow here, she noted.

She said “ROOST is doing an amazing job with advertising” showing off all that Tupper Lake offers to visitors.

Tracy applauded the advances this year on Park Street with the new Adirondack Store... “and kudos to Spruce and Hemlock.” She said every visit to that locally-owned store she sees many visitors...”shopping and spending their money here.”

“I'd love to see more snowmobiles in town. I'd love to see snowmobiles and other users- bikes, hikers- on a new recreational trail here.”

“We do have grants coming in regularly. People say grants are still taxpayers' money. We're taxpayers and I'd like to see grants coming here rather than some other place downstate!”

“If state or federal agencies have money to give away, give it to us!”

Councilman candidate Dean Lefebvre said he agreed with most of the points the other speakers had made about tourism that evening.

He said he believes the proposed rail-trail between here and Lake Placid “will be a big asset for Tupper Lake.”

“I personally know that trail can be expanded.” He said he and his running mate will soon produce a map of additional trails in the vicinity that can be tied to the new rail trail. “We know of many trails that can be built off the main one!”

“When it comes to the golf course, let's make it perfectly clear. I'm not willing to sell the golf course. I've been down that route years ago when people were talking about selling it!”

“I can promise every golfer I'll never touch that with a ten-foot pole!”

“The golf course is a great asset to Tupper Lake and we need to use that asset.

“As far as skiing at Big Tupper, I agree with Boonie. Tom Lawson came to town; he wanted to get the mountain open. “Legal fees, engineering fees, the environmentalists and the next thing you know the guy is broke. They did it at Gleneagles. They gave us the permit. Gleneagles (principles) didn't even wait for the permit, they walked away before that!”

“I never understood why no one ever approached Tom Lawson” with the idea for the municipalities to run Big Tupper in conjunction with him and the ACR. “Our leaders should have gone after grant money to get the mountain open first. That would have been feasible!

“The governor just handed out $10 million to Saranac Lake and it didn't even have a plan for the money when the grant was awarded!”

“Why couldn't we have done that? Well, we didn't!”

He said that might be a plan for any new town board.

“I agree we need more tourism. I think the rail-trail is a big issue I don't want to see us behind the eight ball on the trail development. We need to be talking with our neighbors Harrietstown, Santa Clara to work together on these new trails.”

“If four townships collectively applied for grants the chances of getting the money are far greater, than if just one town applies!”

He said he was co-founder of the Wild Center, which is by far the biggest tourism asset Tupper now has!”

Question: How would you improve transparency on the town board and improve communications with taxpayers?

Daniel “Boonie Carmichael: “Anyone who has read that last two issues of the Free Press and the Adirondack Daily Enterprise will know I have problems with the current board members with their lack of transparency. I have FOILed (Freedom of Information Act) repeatedly, asking for information on different issues and I have been stone-walled. There's no other way to put it!

“To this day I haven't got answers to my questions. Various excuses have been given: 'it fell by the wayside, there was a misunderstanding, you weren't specific'. No matter what the issue I haven't got the answers I requested. My biggest complaint about the current board is that they make every situation into an adversarial relationship!”

He gave the urging of John Klimm and Barbara Close for town help to fix their Upper Park St. sidewalk as an example.

“They are asking for something they are entitled to. They are not asking for something they merely desire. The state says the sidewalk has to be provided to them. -And they have been met with comments like 'the wheels of government turn slowly'.”

“If the state mandates that it must be done, then let's get it done!”

“The other thing is this new zoning ordinance draft. I'm proud to be a member of the new Tupper Lake property rights group on Facebook, started by Stuart Amell. The last time I looked there were close to 500 members.

He said one of the key issues is recreational vehicle seasonal occupancies on private lots here. “If they take away the RVs this year, next year will they take away pick-up trucks? Will they take away tents for kids in their back yards. There must be an end to it. There's too much government interference with our rights now. We don't need any new stuff” to take away more of our rights.

“We should be promoting small businesses. New York State ranks 50 on how small businesses are treated. They don't need any help from the Town of Tupper Lake to make it harder!”

He said he wished he had a list of small businesses that have come and gone in the past 25 years. “We should be actively trying to bring more small businesses here...more restaurants, more gift shops. We definitely need the hotels” that have been proposed for Tupper Lake and which are arranging their own financing.

“We definitely need to go after Assemblyman Billy Jones...to go after Senator Betty Little” for their grant help. “The state is currently spending $100 million to renovate Mt. Van Hoevenberg in Lake Placid. It already gave $10 million to Saranac Lake. Why not give Placid $80 million and give Tupper Lake and Long Lake each $10 million?”

He said state officials figure giving millions to Lake Placid each year, helps the rest of the Adirondacks too. “It doesn't!”

“I've explained to Senator Little many times. Lake Placid money is Lake Placid money.” The only benefit others communities around it see are at local gas stations, where travelers fuel up on the way to or from the Olympic village, he continued.

“If elected, I will go to Albany to force those politicians to give money to Tupper Lake!”

Tracy Luton: “My view of transparency is we have a meeting every month. The public is welcome to come. Few people do!

“I've been on the board for four years and in the last few months, the meetings have gotten busier. Before that, it was an empty room” at board meetings.

“So now things are getting busier because now it's election time and two other candidates are running!”

She said there have been small crowds recently related to the zoning ordinance draft, which has not yet been presented to the village and town boards.

She admitted she hasn't followed the sentiments of the members of the new Facebook property rights group started by Mr. Amell.

Ms. Luton said whatever develops from this review of the zoning law update, there will always be zoning. “You have to have zoning!”

She said recreational vehicles will still permitted on private properties, hooked up occasionally in the summer to house visiting family members and friends.

The councilwoman said she expects a long process of review ahead before any new zoning law is ever adopted.

“What it's trying to prevent is that you just can't run amok on your property,” as is the case in many third world countries without zoning.

“I have been to some of those places and I don't want to live in a third world country.”

“Zoning laws have to be in place and they have to be organized and they have to be occasionally picked apart. That's my view on zoning!”

The village and town meetings here are now carried on the internet, thanks to Jim Lanthier, she said.

“Now you can hear the little arguments and you can hear the other issues we talk about, like budgeting and such. If we could get it on television, let's put it on TV. I know it used to be on TV here.”

She suggested Spectrum Cable, the current cable provider, should be asked to offer that services to the local governments.

“It's not all that exciting, but if you want us on TV, I'll be on TV!”

She said the news of the meetings is covered well in the local news media, and more media scrutiny is welcome.

The candidate said that if people want to know about the various town issues such as water and sewer districts, planning and zoning board meetings, town board minutes, etc., all that material is available at the town office.

“Any FOIL request needs to be specific” to a particular agency, committee or issue,” she added.

She said she understands Mr. Carmichael's frustration with the FOIL process due to its complexity.

“I don't hide anything. I'm an open book. -And everyone one else on our board is too!”

Ms. Luton said she believes the village board is similarly open in all its deliberations with the public.

“-And I'll be on TV...that's a far as my transparency goes!”

Former Town Supervisor Dean Lefebvre said he doesn't believe “there is a lot of discussion” taking place at town board meetings.

“Whether there is or not, it doesn't seem that way. That is part of the problem why people wonder what is going on. Are their decisions being made before people get to the board table? There doesn't seem to be a lot of discussion.

“As far as FOIL requests and transparency, I think when someone asks how much the addition costs, it's a pretty simple question and there should be a pretty simple answer. That addition was done over a year ago. I would hope by now our elected officials know what it cost the town and its taxpayers.

“If elected I want to see the meetings televised. I'd also like to see- and I don't know if this is transparency- the town board take the initiative when you have a major expenditure like the entrance addition to move it to a referendum, rather than leaving it up to a permissive referendum where people have to petition to bring it to a vote.

“That would clear a lot of things up because there is a lot of angst in this community about the expenditure for that expensive addition.

“The town hall building was handicapped accessible as it was. It didn't have an elevator, but we had it set up that someone could enter from the rear of the building and go up a ramp. The town clerk or her assistant would come down (the stairs) and deal with that person. The sum of $400,000 is a lot of money!”

He said there should be more immediate attention paid to responding to any and all FOIL requests from constituents. “I hear a lot of people- I've heard Boonie- say they asked these requests for information six or seven months ago. That's too long to wait...that's just not right!

Looking at Town Supervisor Patti Littlefield, who was in attendance Tuesday, he said: “I know you are good people but that's just not right!”

Mary Fontana, in response to the need for more transparency question, said she was a bit confused when she was asked about her thoughts on the issue of transparency at the board meetings.

“Our meetings are advertised. We always invite the community to attend and participate. They are covered by both the Tupper Lake Free Press and the Adirondack Daily Enterprise, and now thanks to Mr. Lanthier (Jim Jr.) the audio of the meetings is available on Youtube.

“If the meetings are to be televised, I'm perfectly happy with that. I don't feel we have the technology in place right now or the contract (with the cable company) or however that works to get them televised. But I'm perfectly happy if they are televised.

“The minutes of all our meetings are accessible on the web page and anyone who needs information they just need to call or stop by the town hall. You can see Laurie, Angie, Paul or Patti. The board members are also accessible. I work right here on Park Street, and Tracy does as well. Our contact information and phone numbers are available on the town web site!

“When it comes to the response to FOIL requests, Boonie I can't speak to the information you have received or you haven't. I apologize if there's been a hold up in any way. I have full faith in Laurie (Town Clerk Laurie Fuller who is the town's FOIL officer) and the other employees of the town to provide the information that you are requesting. In my history on the board, I can attest that our meetings have been very poorly attended by the public.

She said regarding the new addition, “we had a public hearing. It was in the paper. We had meeting after meeting, with the message (to the public) to please come and that we are putting on an addition and this is what it is going to cost. It wasn't until construction took place that everyone said: 'Whoah, what are they doing?”

Mary said that had people bothered to attend those meetings there would have been more discussion on the topic.

“I feel the price wouldn't have been such a shock. The sticker price on the building wasn't just for this little addition. There was excavation (costs), the payment of prevailing wages (required by the state), there were handicapped accessible issues. Whenever you take on a project like this everything has to be ADA (American Disabilities Act) compliant.” To meet those requirements required a lot of work and a lot of costs, she added.

“We wanted all our residents to be able to come in and pay their taxes and talk to Laurie. If you were in a wheelchair, we didn't want you to have to come in through the downstairs entrance and into the town court and have Laurie Fuller walk down those steep stairs to meet you there.

“Regardless of your ambulatory status, you should be able to come into the town hall like everyone else to pay your taxes or ask your questions. That was part of the reason the addition did cost so much!

If there was a do-over, she said she would still vote for it again.

“The sticker price did shock some people, but there is still grant money coming in.”

Part of the $400,000 cost was covered by a $100,000 grant from Betty Little, state senator, and there was another $30,000 or so from town grants to improve the basement court room access.

“I don't feel as a board we are opaque in any way. We encourage residents to attend our meetings, to participate, to give us feedback. If you can't attend our meetings, we can all be reached by phone or e-mail.” That information is all on the town web site, she added.

“If you contact me I will do to the best of my ability to answer your questions or refer you to someone who can!”

Question: The topic of consolidation has again raised its head this year with the forum hosted by Supervisor Littlefield. There are several options: co-terminus governments where the village and town boundaries become one and the dissolution of the village in favor of a single town government. “These are village issues, but as town board members we would like to know how you would react? asked Mr. McClelland.

Dean Lefebvre said he has already been down that road when he served with former village trustee, the late Marvin Madore, on a consolidation study.

“Our committee went through both the town and village budgets, the employments of each, and everything else. Our premise was that no one who worked for the village or town were going to lose a job. It is a village issue but the village board at the time seemed to want to look at the issue, and hence the study.

“Well, it went nowhere! At the time a village resident, had we consolidated, would have saved about $800 on an average home. The taxes of town residents would have increased $100 of so.”

He said at that time Roger Amell's board sent the village a plan stating that no one would lose their job and the insurance at the village would be hundreds of dollars cheaper per month for the village. “The village officials at that time never read the town's plan. I know that because I asked several village officials about all these comments going around town that were answered in the town plan” and they were unfamiliar with it.

“But it's a village issue and until the village board decides it really wants to look into this, really look into it, I think the town board should stay hands-off. That's my opinion!”

“The topic of village and town consolidation,” began Mary Fontana, “has been broached numerous times in Tupper's history and most recently by some village board members. In July the town and village hosted an information session that included a representative from the state department of state. A lot of the conversation and discussion at this session was dissolution-oriented. I feel that because of that some people might have felt a little bit defensive.”

Editor's Note: one of the sharpest critics of the forum and the absence of discussion of co-terminus governments was Trustee Ron LaScala, who had pushed the town board to explore it earlier.

Mary Fontana that evening said the reason for the one-sided discussion was that almost all of the studies done in New York State on consolidation have centered on dissolution of villages, and so that was the only information the state official could bring to the meeting.

“In order to eliminate one of the bodies of government, we first need to discover whether it is beneficial to the taxpayers to do so. It's not about control, it's not about territory, it's about the taxpayer. Is it going to save taxpayer dollars? The only way to get this information is to do the study. I know the study can be expensive. But the benefit of doing the study can be invaluable. If a study shows us that dissolution or consolidation might not be in the best interests of the taxpayers, we can't dissolve one of the bodies of government. But what we can do is consolidate services. There may be areas where we are overlapping (in services)...there may be areas where we both have too much expenditure and the study can give us information that shows us in this area, maybe the highway department and the village DPW are doing the same job.”

In those cases there can be changes made where the village and its crew could tackle one job and the town and its crew could tackle another, she continued. “It's not about losing jobs. God forbid if we did consolidate the amount of work overall doesn't change. The amount of work it takes to maintain this total community isn't going to change. You still need those folks to do all those jobs!

She said there are no tax credits available from the state right now for villages and towns to begin co-terminus governments. “It's a massive undertaking and it's not one that I feel will work for Tupper Lake. There are only five municipalities in New York State with co-terminus governments and they are in Albany, Monroe and Westchester counties” which are all bigger and more populous than Tupper Lake.

“It's a really big venture and I don't know it's for Tupper Lake!”

“A study, however, regardless of the outcome, would be a great asset to Tupper Lake. We could find out exactly what we have, what services we offer and by who and what more we can offer our residents. Talking about a major reorganization of our local governments is premature until a study is down and we find out that it is fiscally reasonable.

Daniel “Boonie” Carmichael said he believes the consolidation of the town and village governments “is a dead horse.”

“The first time I remember hearing about it I was a junior in high school. It has been brought up every few years since then. It's probably never going to happen until the State of New York mandates it, which I see coming down the road within the next five to ten years.

“I would be happy just to see the town and village cooperate more than what they have been. A couple of years ago the village board came up with what I thought was a great idea: to purchase the old Rite Aid store, known to older people here as the old Grand Union Supermarket (on Park and Wawbeek). There's room for both the town and village offices there. If you've ever been in it you can see the spacious square footage on the main floor. What most people don't know is that there is the same square footage of space in the basement, with lifts to get to it, making it ADA compliant.

“The village board was pushing it, pushing it, pushing it, and as far as I know the town board wanted no part of it. Instead town officials decided to throw $400,000 plus into a building (town hall) that was already ADA compliant. Then the town board locked itself into it because in order for them to get rid of it as surplus, because of their policy, started last year, of starting bids at their assessed value. I'm assuming the assessment would go up $400,000. It (the town hall) was already assessed at $260,000. I don't know anyone who would start a bid at $660,000 for that building. I'm tired of hearing about the $400,000 addition, which became kind of a joke around town and it garnered a lot of nicknames. My favorite was 'Patti's gun tower for the community garden.'”

“It's there now! Now I guess we're ADA compliant!”

He said at the September town board meeting, I went to the back door and it was dead-bolted. So I had to go around to the front, climb down a set of stairs to get to the town meeting (in the basement). So the town board will spend $400,000 to make a building ADA compliant, but they won't unlock the back door to make their town meeting accessible.

He said he was “laughed at” by some when he raised that same issue.

“Maybe I'm way off base, we must coordinate everything between the village and the town. The village board seems to be more open to doing that than town. The town seems to be more, 'no, we're going to do things our way'.”

“That has to change!”

Tracy Luton said she didn't know what consolidation had to do with Mr. Carmichael's points about the former Rite Aid building, but said the town officials were approached with the idea of sharing space there the day of the town vote on moving ahead with the new addition.

“I didn't know anything about the Rite Aid building deal” before then. She said she didn't think any of her board members knew of the village plan either.

She contended that plan to share space in the old building next to the village offices should have been raised with town officials long before the addition plan was the subject of numerous town discussions.

About consolidation, she said it has been talked about several times in the 20 years she has been a Tupper Lake resident.

She said she did agree with Mr. Carmichael that “it was like beating a dead horse.”

She agreed with her running mate Mary that before any serious discussion occurs about consolidation, a study must come first.

The councilwoman said that before any study is tackled, no one here, including herself, knows that answers to those complicated questions about changing governments here.

“What are the right answers? I don't know them and I don't think anyone sitting here tonight knows them!”

She speculated that regardless of the path to future local governments here, “no one is going o lose their jobs because the community needs the people who are currently doing those jobs.

Ms. Luton said it is imperative that local government leaders continually look at the jobs their employees are doing to make sure they are doing them correctly.

She said the cost of a consolidation study has been estimated to be about $50,000. “I'd pitch in. How much is $50,000 split among 3,000 people to get a good study to find out what's best for Tupper Lake?'

She noted that a co-terminus single government may not be the best option for Tupper Lake, given that only five places in the state have embraced it.

“Do we want to be co-terminus? There will still be someone in charge, someone will lose their authority, some jobs may change. I don't know if it is the right answer for us!”

“It is something that must be carefully studied,” she said of the entire consolidation issue.

“Right now the town and village will likely stay as they are and it will be probably be like that long after I'm gone!”

Final question to the candidates: why should voters vote for you and why you are the right person for the job?

Mary Fontana: “I would ask voters to consider me for re-election because I feel it's very important to have the younger generation represented on the board.

“Building a diverse team is critical to success. I think I'm accessible, I'm still involved in the work force and I have a stake in the future of Tupper Lake...for myself, my family and my generation.

“A large portion of the youth in Tupper Lake graduate from high school, they go to college and post-college, but they don't return!

“So those people in my generation who chose to make a life here need to become involved in their community and I feel I'm doing so by sitting here at this table and by seeking re-election.

“Watching the news today, you see a trend of campaigning, via disparagement. I think that is very counter-productive. In order to move forward in Tupper Lake, we have to look to the future of Tupper Lake. We don't need to look back on past decisions and past actions and criticize them. I think we must respect one another and give respect to our constituents in order to receive that back. We have to find ways to work together to encourage prosperity in our community!”

Daniel “Boonie” Carmichael: “When I'm on the board there is going to be total transparency! If someone calls up with a question, I will answer it or find out the answer. I will get back to them!

“My big thing is ensuring fiscal responsibility. I feel this current board is spending money that my grandson is going to have to pay back. -And he's five years old!”

“A previous board had the dam (Setting Pole Dam) sold for $1.6 million. A couple of members who are the board now thought that was a low-ball price and promised to have it assessed or evaluated. As far as I know they never did!

“But now the dam is in dire need of repairs, which the town (as its owner) is on the hook for! Had the dam been sold a few years ago, that company would have been on the hook for that!

“Nobody to this day has given me one solid reason why we should own that dam. The water level is dictated by New York State law. The dam was built at the request of the Litchfield and Whitney families so they could float logs down to the mill at what now is the municipal park.

“The level is dictated by the Assembly... so the town doesn't have any more control over that than if a private company owned it. Since there is no longer camping (at the dam site) I would really like to know the advantage of the town owning it...especially when they had it sold.”

Tracy Luton said she should be re-elected because “I love Tupper Lake, I support Tupper Lake, I will do everything in my power to make sure everything in Tupper Lake is secure. I will be at every board meeting I can possibly attend. If you have a question and you call me, I'll do my best to get the best information I can for you!

“I've thrived in Tupper Lake. I've raised my kids here. I think Tupper Lake is a great place. My employment is here. I'm not going any place else anytime soon.

“I'm not as young as Mary, but I'm not as old as my competitors over there!”

That brought laughter from the audience.

“My heart is in Tupper Lake. I think it is a great place with great assets and I don't want to sell off any of them.

“I'm here. I'm not going anywhere. If you re-elect me...I'm going to do what's best for the community and I'm not going to waste taxpayers' money!”

Dean Lefebvre: “Why people should vote for me. I served 22 and one half years in public office in Tupper Lake. I made some mistakes, but when you are doing things that sometimes happens...you make mistakes!

“The other thing is that when I first decided to run I thought there needed to be competition. Since then I've seen issues that truly do bother me. Mary a few minutes ago adhered to being respectful of all constituents. But the last couple of town board meeting, and one that Boonie attended, I didn't find several of the board members to be very respectful. Comments were made after he left.”

He said when John Klimm and Barbara Close were there in recent weeks there was laughter by board members. “You don't laugh at someone. When you are on the board you simply don't do that!”

“You have to respect the people of the community. I've always done that. People haven't always agreed with me on where I stand, but I've always been respectful of everyone and their views.”

“We do need to work closer with the village!”

Over the issue of sharing the former Rite Aid building on Park and Wawbeek, he claimed he learned from the mayor the town board knew well in advance of the final addition decision meeting of the village's plan. “He was told they wanted nothing to do with the Rite Aid building!

“So we do need to work closer together.”

Mr. Lefebvfre touched on what he called “the zoning fiasco.”

Of the public hearings to date, he said whatever a board puts forth at a public hearing about a project, it's something that board wants. Anyone who tells you they just want your opinion, that's not the case.

“When you put something forward as a board that's got your stamp of approval on it!

“You may later change it, but that's your stamp of approval!”

He said the zoning draft should “never have seen the light of day” before the boards released it.

“We're Tupper Lake. We're not Manhattan, we're not Syracuse. We're a small community where everyone tries to get along. We may disagree but neighbors still help neighbors.”

He said the plan as presented could have put a business out of business at Moody, pointing to Blue Jay Campsite. “It never should have seen the light of day!”

He said when the draft version was released in May it upset many people here and “there was no need for that!”

Mr. Lefebvre said that when the public action committee considered the recreational vehicle changes in the proposal advanced by the consultants there was only one person in favor. “So why was it in there?”

“I was told that by one of the people involved. They said they wanted everyone to have a say in what was being put forth. I asked them if they agreed with it and they said they didn't, only one person on the committee. Those sorts of things have to change!”

“I honestly believe that if Boonie and I are elected, it will be a good thing for Tupper Lake...a positive thing.

“We will get additional miles of trails in the community!”

“I would hope that people vote for me. I have a lot of experience in local government. I'm very familiar with budgets and how assessments work as far as taxation.

“I will serve people well. Again, I made some mistakes. We all make mistakes. But on my record I'm proud of it.

“All I ask is you consider me and my running mate for the town board. One person is not going to make a difference. It needs to be the two of us to try to make any kind of headway” in improving town government.

“It just seems like the current board is just following the pied piper at times. I don't mean that to be disrespectful, but from the outside looking in, that's what it looks like!

“Please consider us. That's all we ask!”

“Some people will never vote for me in this community and I understand that. But I'm hopeful a majority of the community will for Boonie and I!”

Moderator Dan McClelland thanked the candidates for participating that evening. “We've heard some great comments here and some terrific sentiment. I think we're very lucky as a community to have four people running who are so interested in our town and that we are going to have a great race. I applaud all four of you!”

He acknowledged his son, Ben, for providing the sound system that evening and Dave LeBlanc and the local Knights of Columbus council for making their quarters available for the town event. Dave's coffee was delicious!