Rob Russell opens up Don Duso’s briefcase to inspect a pint of Guinness as he turns the Saranac Lake Winter Carnival chair position over to Jeff Branch on Tuesday. (Enterprise photo — Aaron Marbone)

SARANAC LAKE — Saranac Lake Winter Carnival Committee Chair Rob Russell stepped down from his role and chose to not seek reelection to the position at Tuesday’s theme selection meeting. The committee then elected a familiar face to fill the role, Jeff Branch, who was the chair from 2016 through the 2023 theme meeting.

“I never viewed myself as a one-and-done chairperson,” Russell told the crowd. He said he wanted a three-year plan.

Russell said stepping down was the second-hardest decision he’s made in his life, but he said he did it “for the good of Winter Carnival.”

He said he wanted to “unify” the spirit of Carnival and create a path forward for the new non-profit, The Society for the Preservation of Winter Carnival Inc., after a Carnival year he had mixed emotions about.

Russell said at a recent non-profit executive board meeting, a couple of members asked Branch to attend the meeting to work out a path forward. At that meeting, Russell said he wanted to stay on the board of the new corporation but that he did not want to be the chair.

Branch said he took the position again because “Carnival needs to continue.”

He’s retiring from his job with the state Department of Corrections and Community Supervision at the end of the month and said he’ll have more time to devote to Carnival now than he had before. It’s a full-time job, he said.

Russell said there were good times and hard times at Carnival this year. He had a “magical” year with the group of volunteers. But the Gala Parade brought several controversies — a monster truck with a Confederate flag painted on the hood and signs calling for a ceasefire in Gaza carried by musicians and dancers.

Branch was involved in the controversy, ripping a Gaza sign off of a drum. He said he knows people will be bringing this up, and said if anyone has any concerns to give him a call.

On Tuesday, IPW member Chris Grimone asked Russell if he would reconsider.

“I gave my word,” Russell said.

Russell received a standing ovation from the committee at the meeting, thanking him for his leadership during the 2024 “Creepy Carnival.”

After Russell’s announcement, executive board member Elle Finocan nominated Jeff Branch. Russell turned the meeting over to Branch, but then went through the formality of asking for other nominations and calling for a vote.

“It’s been a long tumultuous year,” Branch said. “Sadly, Winter Carnival has become a pain in the a** to be quite frank.”

He said people try to bring in outside influences and make political statements during a time to forget stresses of the rest of the world.

“Winter Carnival is a local event where we gladly invite the world in, but make no mistake, it is our event,” Branch said. “We want the people, but we don’t want their personal pet projects.”

Russell said he measures success in terms of the friends he made.

He said he’s proud of what they accomplished. They tried new things and these changes worked.

They got snowblowers for clearing the Ice Palace ice field, an AED machine and first aid kit to make Ice Palace build site and history hut safer, changed the date of the closing fireworks, packed the town hall for an illusionist show and brought in massive crowds for the 10-day festival.

Russell said he’ll still be involved in Carnival, the committee and especially the Ice Palace.

Russell brought longtime Carnival committee Chair Don Duso’s briefcase to give to Branch, as is tradition, and said he refreshed the pint of Guinness stored in the briefcase for emergencies. He added that all the old ghosts and stories are in there, too.