The four running for spots on the town council are Democrat incumbent Councilwoman Tracey Schrader, Democrat newcomer Doug Haney, Republican former town Highway Superintendent Craig Donaldson and incumbent Councilman Johnny Williams.

Schrader and Haney will run on the Democratic line. Donaldson and Williams will run on the Republican line.

Town Supervisor Jordanna Mallach was the only Democratic nominee. With the Republicans not nominating a candidate for the town’s top position and the deadline to file independent petitions having passed, she will be the only candidate on the ballot in the Nov. 4 general election.

Democrats also selected Town Clerk Sabrina Harrison, Highway Superintendent Dan Martin and Town Justice Allan Wright to run for reelection. They were each the only people nominated for their positions and also secured the GOP party line at a caucus last month.

Craig Donaldson (Enterprise photo — Aaron Marbone)

On Tuesday, Schrader, Haney and Williams were all nominated for two open council seats, which triggered a vote. A total of 122 people signed in and voted at the caucus.

Haney and Schrader earned the party’s endorsement with 77 and 74 votes, respectively — or 39% and 38% of the vote. Williams earned 45 votes, 23% of the vote — not enough to make the Democratic line — but he will still run on the Republican line.

To read more about the candidates on the Republican line, as well as about the caucus the GOP held last month, go to tinyurl.com/bdzz25sp.

–

Haney

Doug Haney (Provided photo — Doug Haney)

–

Haney has seen the town looking for solutions to its affordable housing shortage.

“That’s a positive thing that I want to be a part of,” he said.

Haney doesn’t have specific housing projects, proposals or ideas he’s ready to share publicly yet, but said he has a knack for bringing people together to work on an issue. The housing problem will not be solved by one entity, he said — it will take a regional effort of government and private individuals. As someone who has been an “organizer of things” his entire career, he believes he’s fit to help that happen.

Haney said he wants to be a productive member of the team. He sees “positive momentum” in the town and a good group on the board.

Jordanna Mallach (Enterprise photo — Aaron Marbone)

He’s been active as a citizen — attending many village meetings in recent years and making his voice heard on a variety of village issues.

“This is a way for me to actually do something,” Haney said. “You can say all you want as a citizen, but you don’t have a voice to actually make things happen other than just saying, ‘Hey, I think things should go this way.’ I’m looking forward to the opportunity of actually having some influence.”

The housing issue is a dire one, Haney said. He cares deeply for the community and said he sees people struggle in it every day — people who have lived here all their lives trying to keep their homes amid rising taxes or young people wanting to make the jump to buy a home but don’t have a path to do so.

He said they need to solve both problems, or the community dies.

If homeowners “cash out” in the strong seller’s market, and new residents can’t afford to buy those homes, Saranac Lake will become a bedroom community for second-home owners and vacationers, he said. That’s not why he moved here and stayed here.

Johnny Williams (Enterprise photo — Aaron Marbone)

–

Schrader

–

Schrader said she wants to continue bringing “experience, honesty and commitment” to the town council.

She is running for her “third and last” term on the board. She feels strongly about allowing turnover in government and said 12 years will be plenty. Schrader wants to have one last term because there are lots of town projects in the works that she wants to see through to fruition — especially under Mallach’s leadership. She said Mallach is an amazing leader.

She feels they have a good “working board” currently, one which asks tough questions before taking on projects.

The town is especially busy with projects now, she said. The town-owned airport terminal is under renovation. The town park is getting a new playground, expanding its bike pump track and working on getting a bridge to connect to the Adirondack Rail Trail. The council has been working on addressing the affordable housing crisis.

The town has a grant to renovate its historic town hall.

Schrader said they’re also dealing with things like invasive species and salt infiltration on Lake Colby and Lake Clear.

At 60, she is the oldest member of the town council. She said she leans on her life experience and background in construction to be a rational thinker when an issue comes before the board. She’s lived in town for 35 years and has gotten to know the town issues well.

Schrader said she’s running on her character.

“With me, what you see is what you get,” she said.

She added that she doesn’t have a secret agenda and that she wears her goals on her sleeve.

Schrader consistently is the board member who signs the expense vouchers at town meetings. These are essentially approving the town departments’ spending. Not every board does this at public meetings, she said. Doing this means reading every single invoice and she feels, as someone beholden to the taxpayers, it’s her responsibility to know where exactly their money is going.

She also feels a responsibility to put her due diligence in homework researching projects the town takes on. They need to know what they’re approving, she said.

–

Mallach

–

Mallach is running for a second term leading the town, saying there’s work she wants to complete. The airport terminal renovations are set to be completed in her term. Work improving the town park will begin this summer.

The town is also embarking on a 100% reassessment of all commercial and residential properties in town to update the assessed value of each property to reflect the current real estate market. It’s been many years since this last happened.

Mallach is proud the town has been able to pass budgets which keep the tax levy well below the state-imposed tax cap. She said the town relies on grants to keep the tax levy low.

Incumbent councilmembers praised Mallach’s leadership in their interviews, saying working with her is part of why they want to run for the board again.

Mallach said she tries to be a facilitator and to look at problems from multiple perspectives. She also said she tries to respond to community concerns and hear input from all board members. That’s not to say they always agree, but, it’s important to have discussion, she said.

Schrader attributed Mallach’s military service to her leadership. Mallach retired in April after a long career with the U.S. Army and Army National Guard. She said the military gave her a thick skin, an ability to handle the chaos or negativity of local government and a focus on goals.

“Rarely are you given the option to say ‘no’ in the military,” Mallach said.

When presented with problem, she said they can’t give up. They have to find a solution. If that doesn’t work, then they have to find another solution.

Mallach has been on the board a total of eight years, with four as a councilwoman and two as supervisor.