Madam Mayor!

DBA Meets the Candidates

SARATOGA SPRINGS – On Wednesday evening, October 16, the ballroom in the Courtyard by Marriott was standing room only as the Saratoga Springs Downtown Business Association (DBA) hosted the first face-to-face meeting between candidates for the Saratoga Springs Mayor’s office.

Side by side, at separate podiums were Saratoga County Supervisor Joanne Yepsen (D,I,WF) and Deputy Mayor Shauna Sutton (R,C).

 

The proceedings were moderated by Dawn Oesch, owner of the Candy Co. along with JJ Buechner of the Local Actors Guild of Saratoga and Tim Holmes, owner of Wheatfields Restaurant.

 

The candidates took turns responding to pre-submitted questions from Downtown Business owners and employees. As expected, many of these questions concerned the major issues and their respective impacts on the downtown core.

 

Parking, a potential casino and related infrastructure issues were discussed as expected. Yet there were also some wild-card questions that were posed to broaden out each candidate’s profile, such as what they wanted to be when they were young and how their respective backgrounds led them to where they were today.

 

Each candidate was forthright in detailing how their past and, most importantly recent experience, would best serve the mayor’s office.

 

While it was impossible to say if any minds were changed at this forum, it is obvious that each candidate and their supporters had plenty to feel good about and that resultant galvanizing energy should signal the beginning of an intensified campaign between now and election day on Tuesday, November 5.

 

The mayor candidates will meet once again at the Saratoga County League of Women Voters’ Meet the Candidates Forum next Thursday, October 24 from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Saratoga Springs High School Auditorium, 1 Blue Streak Boulevard, Saratoga Springs.

 

While Wednesday’s forum attendees were limited to DBA members and their invited guests, the League of Women Voters event next Thursday is open to any member of the general public.

 

One significant aspect of the race for mayor has been decided for some time already, however, and this may be taken to the bank.

 

Come January 1, 2014, we are guaranteed to address either Shauna Sutton or Joanne Yepsen as Madam Mayor.

 

The only question left to answer is which one it will be.

 

Stay tuned. The two candidates are rounding the far turn, and heading for the finish line. For local political junkies it doesn’t get any better than this.