SARATOGA SPRINGS – The City Council will begin 2020 much as it will conclude 2019, with four of five current members returning for renewed two-year terms following this week’s citywide election with a majority of incumbents being re-elected to their respective seats.  

Democrat city Mayor Meg Kelly (D, WF, I) bested Republican challenger Timothy Holmes by a greater than 2-to-1 margin, scoring the night’s largest margin of victory in local elections. 

Incumbent DPW Commissioner Anthony “Skip” Scirocco defeated challenger Dillon Moran 54.04% - 45.90%, current Finance Commissioner Michele Madigan bested challenger Patty Morrison 54.77% - 45.03%, and Commissioner of Accounts John Franck will resume his current post after running unopposed.

Earlier this year, Democrat Peter Martin announced he would not seek re-election as Public Safety Commissioner. That position will be filled in 2020 by Republican Robin Dalton, who defeated Democrat Kendall Hicks 53.61 % - 46.19 % on Election Day.

Dalton described herself as “overwhelmed and inspired” by the support of voters. “I truly am heartened by the fact that when you get involved in this community and you give back in this community… they give it back to you in spades,” she told a crowd of GOP well-wishers gathered at the Holiday Inn on Election Night that included prominent local party members Elise Stefanik, Jim Tedisco and John Sweeney.

Republican Congresswoman Elise Stefanik, who represents the 21st District, also addressed the crowd, congratulating “all of the candidates with the courage to step into the political arena,” reminding attendees that she will be running for re-election next November and localizing White House talking points to take a swipe at political adversaries. “We are seeing the Democratic Party split into Socialism and seeing far-left influences right here in Saratoga County,” Stefanik said.

Perhaps surprisingly, Democrat city Mayor Meg Kelly and Finance Commissioner Michele Madigan – a Democrat running on the Working Families, Independence Party, and SAM lines – also took the stage at the GOP gathering to address the crowd.

“This is a real turning point for this city,” Kelly said after securing her re-election win. “We are all working together for the betterment of Saratoga Springs, and we need to remember that. We don’t need these nasty campaigns. We’re going to turn the tide all working together.” 

“I could not have done this without every single person in this room,” added Finance Commissioner Madigan, standing next to Kelly. “Democrats for Madigan. Republicans for Madigan.”

In June’s Democratic Primary for the party’s representation for Commissioner of Finance, challenger Patty Morrison narrowly defeated the incumbent Madigan. The Saratoga Springs Democratic Committee had endorsed Madigan prior to the vote and following her Primary Election loss, several members of the SSDC staged a high-profile walk-out.  

“I am proud of our grassroots campaign because the thousands of people we spoke to helped form our forward-looking platform for a stronger Saratoga Springs,” said Morrison, in her concession statement following Tuesday’s general election. “A sincere thank you to all our supporters and volunteers.  It was a hard-fought race, and I truly believe in the best for our community.  I look forward to continuing to serve on the school board and in many other effective ways for the community.  I wish Commissioner Madigan the best and for her service.”

Incumbent city Democrat Supervisor Tara Gaston, Democrat candidates Morrison and Dillon Moran and party supporters were joined by 20th District Democrat Congressman Paul Tonko at The Inn at Saratoga.

Gaston, Democrat incumbent Supervisor, and Matthew Veitch, Republican incumbent Supervisor, each received more votes than challenger Stephen Mittler (R,C,L) and were both re-elected to represent the city of Saratoga Springs at the county level as supervisors.

Voter Enrollment in Saratoga Springs is 18,691 and with 7,344 ballots cast, the 2019 election marks the lowest city voter turnout since 2011, and the second lowest city voter turnout in the past nine elections, dating to 2003, according to the Saratoga County Board of Elections.

All five City Council seats and two Supervisor positions are voted on every two years. Under the city’s commission form of government in matters of governing, the voting power of each of the five city council members is equal; each council member gets one vote.

Saratoga Springs 2019 Election Unofficial Vote Totals

MAYOR:
Meg Kelly 
(D, WF, I) | 4,887 (68.67 %
Timothy Holmes 
(R) | 2,222 (31.22 %)

COMMISSIONER OF PUBLIC SAFETY:
Robin Dalton
(R, C, L, I, SAM) | 3,695 (53.61%)
Kendall Hicks
(D) | 3,184 (46.19%) 

COMMISSIONER OF PUBLIC WORKS:
Anthony “Skip” Scirocco
(R, C, I) | 3,848 (54.04%)
Dillon Moran 
(D) | 3,268 (45.90%)

COMMISSIONER OF ACCOUNTS:
John Franck
(D, WF, I) | 5,623, ran unopposed 

COMMISSIONER OF FINANCE:
Michele Madigan
(WF, I, SAM) | 3,615 (54.77 %)
Patty Morrison 
(D) | 2,972 (45.03 %)

SARATOGA SPRINGS SUPERVISOR (VOTE FOR TWO):
Matthew Veitch
(R, C, I) | 4,536 (40.7%)
Tara Gaston 
(D, WF) | 3,499 (30.91%)
Stephen Mittler 
(R, C, L) | 3,273, (28.91%)

 SARATOGA SPRINGS – Discussions have been held for several years regarding a third city firehouse/ EMS station – one which would better serve residents of the city’s east side. This week, a tentative agreement was announced, the result of which may see that long-sought goal come to fruition. 

On Oct. 29, the state Franchise Oversight Board reviewed a proposal to allow for the construction of a firehouse on the border of the Oklahoma racetrack. The Board voted “to authorize our permitting agency to engage the city and NYRA to best structure a land utilization that meets the needs of all properties.”

The proposal comes via a city request to use 2.36 acres in the northern portion of the Oklahoma Race Track along Henning Road, across from the Myers BOCES Educational facility. The city advised NYRA that it has the funding secured to promptly construct the facility should approval be granted.

In her Oct. 1, 2019 budget message, Finance Commissioner Michele Madigan cited an East Side Fire & EMS station as one of the top city priorities moving forward.

 “When the 2020 Capital Budget was presented several weeks ago, a rough estimate of $6.6 million was allocated toward this project. As we still haven’t legally secured the parcel it is not financially prudent to include the full $6.6 million in the 2020 Comprehensive Budget and in turn pass the related debt costs on to City taxpayers. Still, an East Side Fire & EMS station is a priority, and the 2020 Comprehensive Capital Budget includes $600,000 toward the design of the facility,” Madigan said.

“In practice this means that as soon as the land is available the city can kick off the project. The design work will then provide a timeline and budget for the total project. Should land acquisition and design happen at a more rapid pace, the 2020 Capital Budget will be amended by the City Council so that funding and construction could begin as soon as feasible. Accordingly, the full project remains in the Capital Program. “

Mayor Meg Kelly said she is negotiating a land-use agreement for the parcel and that the potential station will serve “District 3,” including the eastern plateau.

The city currently has two fire stations - one on Lake Avenue just west of Broadway and near the center of the city, and on the other on the west side, near Saratoga Springs High School.

Residents, particularly some of whom live at or near the city’s eastern ridge have vocalized fears about longer response times to emergencies in their neighborhood from either of the two current locations, as opposed to having a third station close-by. 

Most recently, a pair of land transactions that proposed the city sell a parking lot adjacent to Broadway’s Collamer Building and subsequently purchase a Union Avenue parcel to build an East Side Fire/EMS station was declared a dead deal in 2013 after years of lengthy negotiations ended up mired in a lawsuit,  an investigation by the state Attorney General’s office,  and reportedly more than $50,000 in legal costs for the city.

Members of the Franchise Oversight Board reported Tuesday that given the city and racecourse’s similar interests, a fire/EMS station would “interlock nicely to address concerns of the state racing franchise,” and that NYRA “strongly advocates for its creation.”  

The potential location of the station along Henning Road was once used as a “speedway” trotting track - along with the adjacent road Fifth Avenue - and was thus named “Speedway Road” according to city directories in the mid-20^th century. Its name was changed to Henning Road in 1958 and was named after Rudolph T. Henning, who reportedly had lived there.

The proposed station is anticipated to measure 10,000 to 15,000 square feet and support one ambulance and one fire apparatus. On-site professional staff will be present 24 hours per day.

“Additionally, the firehouse could be used as a command center and operations post for law enforcement during the Saratoga meet,” the Board advised, cautiously noting the mostly wood structures existing on Saratoga’s nearby backstretch, and citing historically destructive fires that occurred at Northfield Park in 1959, Garden State in 1977, and Arlington Park in 1985. 

According to the Board, any formal transfer of property interests to accommodate this proposed facility will be returned for full franchise oversight board consideration before finalization.

SARATOGA SPRINGS – Elizabeth Sobol strolled the grounds of the Saratoga Performing Arts Center in the springtime thaw of 2017, a few months after taking the reigns as SPAC’s president and CEO. Green tarps were slung around the concession area and the infrastructure displayed signs of more than a half-century of use.

“Crumbling limestone, rusting metal, broken windows,” she says. “I remember thinking: this is one of the greatest venues in North America. How is it that it’s not being maintained the way it should?” This past summer, a full half of the restrooms located in the brick structure that frames the concession area high atop the lawn were out of order. “The plumbing is so old they could no longer be fixed, because the underlying plumbing is the issue. It was not fitting a venue of SPAC’s stature.”

This week, SPAC announced a $9.5 million renovation project that will see a complete replacement and upgrade of the existing concessions and restroom facilities. Two new concessions buildings will replace the existing tent structures, which have lacked proper security, infrastructure and storage space. In the center of the main plaza a new open-air covered pavilion will establish a more park-like aesthetic and restore the original sight lines from the Route 50 bridge to the Victoria Pool. The existing brick semi-circle structure will come down and the new center, set a little further back, to restore those sightlines of the pre-SPAC days.  

“It will be a completely re-imagined area. It’s gone beyond being just a concession area. All the old buildings are coming down and being replaced with all new buildings,” Sobol says. “There will be one larger building with brand new bathrooms – and many more bathrooms than are there now. There will be a new concession area, and up on the second floor a 4,000 square foot indoor-outdoor gathering space that will be multi-use: for education, community gathering, VIP experience. And it will be year-round - which is game-changing for us.”

SPAC has expanded its year-round programs as well as its education programming in recent years – from serving 5,000 kids to nearly 10 times that number. The year-round use availability will enable continued grow in both, the educational programming and community outreach in which SPAC has been involved.  Additionally, the covered pavilion in the center of the new project area will be used to showcase pre-concert talks – which are currently held in an 80-capacity room on campus, enabling hundreds to attend the events.  

The project - anticipated to be completed by May 1, 2020 - is supported by $8 million in private funding from Live Nation and Saratoga Performing Arts Center. New York State is providing up to $1.5 million in grants from Empire State Development and State Parks, awarded through the governor's Regional Economic Development Council initiative.  

The Live Nation component marks the first significant contribution by the venue’s summertime pop music concert promoter. Through the late 1990’s, SPAC had mostly done its own bookings of summer pop concerts. In 2000, SPAC signed a booking deal for those summer pop shows with concert promoter SFX Entertainment, which was sold to Clear Channel Communications and eventually spun into Live Nation.    

“This is a big deal that they’ve come to the table to help us,” Sobol says. “Live Nation brought expertise – they have architects on staff, a ton of knowledge about getting buildings done in the right way for the right party and using every dollar wisely.” Specific operations of the facility will remain status quo. A long-running existing contract between SPAC and Live Nation regarding the booking of summer pop concerts is nearing the end of its run and is anticipated to be renewed.

“It’s a 53-year-old facility with hundreds of thousands visiting every year. You have to be renovating and upgrading. For me the concessions area was really something that had to get done because when you have bathrooms functioning at 50% and you have shows that can range from 5,000 to 25,000 you’ve got a real problem,” Sobol says.

“I’m a big believer in maintaining the sanctity of the park, the park-like feel of things, restoring the sightlines. I want people to really feel the magic of being in the park.  This jewel that we have. I talk about SPAC as being the perfect confluence of man-made beauty and natural beauty. In my mind there’s no other cultural organization anywhere I can think of that melds those two things.”

Now in her third year as president and CEO, Sobol explains she realized early on the role SPAC plays both in the local community and beyond.  “The thing that totally bowled me over is how everyone seems to have a SPAC story; Whether it’s the rock and roll shows they first went to and ended up coming back over and over again, or that they met their spouse at a show, or that their toddler took their first steps on the lawn. It is unbelievably woven into Saratoga’s psyche. The memories are woven into the roots of the trees that are part of this park.”  

The $9.5 million funding for the project as well as the coordination includes a variety of collaborators including well-known locals Sonny Bonacio – who heads Bonacio Construction, and Mike Ingersoll, of the LA Group. Earlier this year, State Parks completed a $1.75 million project to renew the SPAC amphitheater's aging balcony ramps and lighting with an elegant and safe entryway. The amphitheater facade was upgraded in 2012.

SARATOGA SPRINGS – A battle between toy soldiers and mischievous mice, a blizzard of ballerinas, and a wonderful world of confection will come alive at SPAC’s popular “Nutcracker Tea,” slated for Sunday, Nov.

A Capital Region holiday tradition for families, both performances - at 11 a.m. and at 3 p.m. - feature excerpts from The Nutcracker by Northeast Ballet Company, a traditional English Christmas Tea, American Girl doll giveaways, boutique shopping, and a visit from Santa Claus.

Held at the Hall of Springs, tickets are $75 for adults and $35 for children 15 and under. Proceeds benefit arts education programs at SPAC.

The Nutcracker, composed in 1891 by Tchaikovsky, is a fairy tale ballet that tells the story of a little girl’s journey through a fantasy world of fairies, princes, toy soldiers and an army of mice. First performed in 1892 in St. Petersburg, Russia, it has become an American classic since choreographer George Balanchine introduced his production in 1954 in New York City.

 Features of the event include: ballet excerpts from The Nutcracker performed by Northeast Ballet Company; a raffle for an American Girl Doll; tea, mini sandwiches, cookies and light edibles; a visit from Santa Claus, and more.

Tickets for the Nutcracker Tea will go on sale at 10 a.m. on Oct. 23. and are available at spac.org or by calling 518-584-9330 ext.101.

SARATOGA SPRINGS - The Frances Young Tang Teaching Museum and Art Gallery at Skidmore College has been honored with three awards in the 2019 American Alliance of Museums Publications Design Competition.

The Museum won:

- First Prize in the Posters category for a poster created for the exhibition Rose Ocean: Living with Duchamp, designed by Jean Tschanz-Egger, Head of Design at the Tang Museum. The 2- by 3-foot poster features screen-printed text on clear mylar with the letters of the exhibition title made of orange circles with white dots in homage to the typography on a 1934 artist book by the legendary Dada artist Marcel Duchamp.

- Second Prize in the Exhibition Collateral Materials category for an interactive project produced in conjunction with the Tang exhibition Give a damn. Also designed by Tschanz-Egger, the project includes four 6- by 10-foot banners that announced the project and invited visitors to write to their federal, state and local elected representatives about a variety of topics on specially-designed postcards that were mailed by the museum during the run of the show.

- Innovations in Print for the exhibition catalogue Sixfold Symmetry: Pattern in Art & Science, designed by Barbara Glauber, principal of the New York City design firm Heavy Meta. The 128-page catalogue features new scholarship by Skidmore faculty members, contributions from Skidmore students, and a translucent dust jacket and open binding.

Also announced: Important works at the Tang by acclaimed contemporary artists Nayland Blake and Lari Pittman have hit the road and are now on view as central works in career-spanning surveys at two prestigious Los Angeles museums.

 No Wrong Holes: Thirty Years of Nayland Blake is at the Institute for Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, and will be on view through Jan. 26, 2020. Lari Pittman: Declaration of Independence will be on view through Jan. 5, 2020, at the Hammer Museum at UCLA.

 “We are honored to have Tang works included in these important exhibitions,” said Dayton Director Ian Berry, in a statement. “Blake’s monumental Feeder and Pittman’s epic history painting represent key periods in each artist’s body of work.  As stewards of these important late-twentieth-century artworks, and as the Tang collection grows and deepens, we are gratified to share them with new audiences and to see that they resonate with today’s art historians, who are inspired to write new art histories. These new contexts for the collection teach us all a great deal.”

 The Tang collection includes more than 16,500 objects, and the works by Blake and Pittman exemplify part of the Museum’s mission of acquiring important work by artists from underrepresented identities and that reflect the museum’s exhibition history: Pittman was born in Los Angeles from an American father and a Columbian mother, and his work often addresses issues of inequality and sexual identity. Blake’s work addresses his own queer and biracial identity, as both African American and white. Both of their works are fueled by history and biography and deftly combine narrative and form.

 Located on the campus of Skidmore college, admission to the museum is free (donation suggested). Hours are Tuesday through Sunday, noon to 5 p.m., with extended hours until 9 p.m. Thursday. http://tang.skidmore.edu.

BALLSTON SPA – A 25-year-old Clifton Park man was charged in connection with multiple burglaries and thefts in residential neighborhoods in the Crescent Road, Moe Road, Lapp Road and Grooms Road areas of Clifton Park.   

The Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office has investigated the incidents since Oct. 4 during which residents have reported that their homes have been entered during the overnight hours while they were sleeping and items, including purses and wallets, have been stolen. Other residents reported that items were stolen from their vehicles and/or they saw a suspicious subject near their home on their home security systems, according to authorities. Most of the stolen items, excluding the cash, were located discarded in the area after the thefts.

In the early morning hours of Oc. 15, the Sheriff’s Office responded to several residences in the Moe Road area of Clifton Park who reported burglaries and thefts. An alert deputy sheriff in the area spotted a man walking on Moe Road and stopped to speak to him. Sheriff’s Office investigators also responded and resulted in Tyler E. Lester being charged with 8 counts of Burglary in the Second-Degree, 3 counts of Attempted Burglary in the Second-Degree, 1 count of Grand Larceny in the Fourth-Degree, 1 count of Petit Larceny and 1 count of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Seventh-Degree.

Lester was arraigned by Judge Hughes in Clifton Park Town Court and is currently being held in the Saratoga County Jail on no bail. NYS Parole has also lodged a parole warrant for Lester for violating his parole. Lester is currently on parole for burglary.

The Sheriff’s Office issued a public thank you to the residents of the Town of Clifton Park for assisting with this investigation by reporting the suspicious circumstances.