And we're off to the races. Shauna Sutton announced she is running for mayor today, so it's a race. So far it's the only one contested by two announced candidates (unless you count Supervisor, which I don't, since it is two Republicans currently running for two seats).

Richard Wirth is announcing his campaign against Christian Mathiesen for Public Safety tomorrow in Congress Park, so that will be the second.

Anyway, here is a statement from Democratic Chair Charles Brown about Sutton's announcement (spoiler, he thinks Joanne Yepsen is better):

"I think the fact that the Republican Party has chosen to back the current Deputy Mayor for the office of Mayor is indicative that they are seeking to maintain the status quo.  By contrast Joanne Yepsen's candidacy represents an influx of fresh perspective and forward thinking ideas.  As Mayor, Joanne’s office door will always be open to our citizens, which is why I am proud to support her."

"I believe this race will give our community a chance to focus on our many pressing issues and how we would like our city leaders to lead."

Who is taking bets?

SARATOGA SPRINGS REPUBLICAN COMMITTEE

P.O. Box 3105

Saratoga Springs NY 12866

Phone: (518) 587-6670 and Fax: 587-6672

www.ssgop.com

David Harper, Chair                                                                                                                 Executive Committee

Rose Zacek, Whip                                                                                                                    Robert Barile

Stephen Rodriguez, Vice-Chair                                                                                                Keith Kaplan

Mary Flanagan, Secretary                                                                                                        Amy Cacozza

Michael Cummings, Treasurer                                                                                                 Matt Hogan             

Oscar Schreiber, County Executive Committee Member                                                        Drew Jarosh

                                                                                Joe Kakaty

                                                                                                                                Ken Ivins

***MEDIA ADVISORY***

For: Wednesday, MAY 8, 2013

City Republicans to Make It Official
To Announce Mayoral Candidate at Wednesday Press Conference

Saratoga Springs Republican Chairman David Harper will officially announce his party’s candidate for Mayor by launching a kick-off press conference this Wednesday, May 8^th at 2pm.


WHO:             Saratoga Springs Republican Chairman David Harper, Republican                                    Mayoral candidate and distinguished guests.      

WHAT:          Announcing and kicking off of Republican Mayoral Campaign.

WHEN:          2 p.m. Wednesday May 8, 2013.

WHERE:        Saratoga Arms, 497 Broadway Saratoga Springs.
                        **INSIDE** Conference Room.

 
CONTACT:   David Harper

ALL MEDIA WELCOME AND ENCOURAGED TO ATTEND

PHOTO OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE

###

 

I'll put $5 on Deputy Mayor Shauna Sutton, but I'll tell you, they've kept this one close to the vest. I asked her and she said she had sworn herself to silence. 

In other City Council news, Accounts Commissioner John Franck said the Democrats have lobbied him to some extent to run for both Accounts and Supervisor. He said he probably won't do it, though.

"Even I'll be surprised if I do it," he said, citing the time commitment.

I don't know anybody whose done it before, but I know there was a lot of talk a couple months ago about Supervisor Joanne Yepsen doing the same thing  (for mayor and Sup), but that fell by the wayside. 

Still, Democratic Chairman Charles Brown said one of the other City Council members might give it a go. At the time I thought he was alluding to Michele Madigan, but she said she hadn't heard that particular rumor.

Well played Ken Ivins...

Keeping it a secret what he planned to run for was a good play to get news coverage of an announcement that he would be running for supervisor, or at least to ensure it (particularly at 8 at night. I've got stuff to do!).

What he was planning to announce, in fact, may even have been a secret from him. He told me Monday he made up his mind about what to run for last Thursday. 

Ivins said "some people have really twisted my arm big time," to run against Accounts Commissioner John Franck. Ivins said he seriously considered it. In fact, I'm told he may have called Franck to tell him he was going to do it.

"That would have been rough on Ken," said Democratic Chair Charles Brown. "He probably made a good choice" to go for supervisor.

He took a couple of potshots at the Democrats in his announcement.

"This has probably been the most contentious council we have had since the Val Keehn days and I think we owe that a lot to the Democrats at the table."

But mostly he talked about the offices he decided not to pursue in lieu of a run at supervisor. 

He said he wouldn't run for public works or public safety because Skip Scirocco and Rick Wirth are running for those, but he was then able to run through the other three seats at the table as possibilities, since no one has announced a run at finance, accounts or — most importantly — mayor on the Republican ticket.

GOP Committee Chair Dave Harper said they have a candidate for that office, but won't say who yet.

He said it will be announced "on or before" May 13, when the GOP Committee will make their endorsements.

I've heard rumor for a little while here that it may be Deputy Mayor Shauna Sutton making a run at mayor and she has not denied it.

I called her today to ask about it. She called me back after 5 p.m. (you're not supposed to conduct political business during business hours as a city employee) and said she gave her word she would remain silent about who is running for anything, so she declined to comment.

"But I notice you are not calling me to deny that you are running for mayor," I said to her. She, again, didn't deny it.

Just rumor, but...

Harper said they need two more candidates to have a full slate (Which if they have mayor, would leave finance and accounts, assuming they endorse Rick Wirth). 

A few of the names he dispelled, though, were Jay Rifenbary, former Saratoga Springs School Board member and current motivational speaker, who Harper said "gave (running for Public Safety) strong consideration but pulled out." Similarly, he said Vice Chair of the ZBA Kieth Kaplan has also pulled his name out of consideration for any office (I had heard he might run for finance commissioner, but I guess not).

When I asked him about whether they would have a full slate when push came to shove, his eyebrows went up and he said "I'm not sure about that."

On Democratic Chair Brown's end, he is confident his side will have a full slate. 

At this point they'll need two supervisors and a Public Works Commissioner, which they didn't run in 2011. Brown said "I think we have one" and that he would not be a "paper lion."

For supervisor, Brown confirmed that Peter Martin is "genuinely considering" a run at the office. He is currently the interim Saratoga County clerk, but said he won't be running for that office.

He last ran in 2009 when he lost to Ken Ivins for Finance Commissioner, so it would be deja vu all over again like in the Public Safety race.

Brown, of course, said he doesn't think it will end the same. "Ken is qualified, but I suspect he won't be our next supervisor." 

In fact Christian Mathiesen told me he has spoken to Wirth about his run at his job and essentially said he would like to see the race run (and end, I'm sure) the way it did two years ago.

It was, I must say, a positive and respectful race on both sides.

UPDATE: At about the same time that Lucian hit publish on this blog post, WNYT ran an exclusive report confirming Cole's retirement. We've since confirmed that news, too, although Cole has not returned numerous phone calls. Here's our story on his retirement and his turbulent 3-1/2-year tenure as police chief: http://www.saratogian.com/articles/2013/04/24/news/doc517850bbc4590888048702.txt
-- Emily

This is a rumor, but one that I have heard from a number of people (people who would know if it were true).

Chief Cole may be retiring from his role at the head of the Saratoga Spring Police Department.

I'm not sure of the reasons.

I have put calls in to: Public Safety Commissioner Christian Mathiesen, Deputy Commissioner Eileen Finneran, Cole's office and cell phones but they didn't answer and I haven't heard back.

I did speak to Assistant Chief Greg Veitch, who I hear is the likely successor, but he said he had no comment about the rumors.

He said, however, that he is no longer considering a run for Saratoga County Sheriff, a change from earlier this month when he told me he was.

Police Benevolent Association President Paul Veitch said he too had heard rumors, but would not comment on them.

Civil Service Commission Secretary Patsy Barrigan said her office has not received any letters of resignation or retirement from Cole.

She said a Civil Service list is being compiled from a test in March but won't be done until June. In the meantime, the names of the five people who took it are not public.

Last time around (in June 2011, about a year and a half after Cole's promotion to chief), there were only two people who took the test: Greg Veitch and now-retired Captain Michael Chowske.

Barrigan said Chowske still has time to come out of retirement, though, if he wanted to be considered for the job (but added, "who would want to come out of retirement?"

Like I said, I don't know the reasons, but it has certainly been a tough run for Cole as chief.

He started the job behind the 8-Ball, coming in after seven officers were laid off amid budget concerns and things didn't get better.

He was the focus of a sexting scandal that at a time when Rep. Anthony Weiner's political career was crashing and burning for the same reason. 

Last year the department was roundly criticized for its handling of information following a reported rape on a city street.

More recently there have been a series of high-profile crimes (alleged machete assault, alleged hammer assault, alleged beating of a woman with a BB gun on Granger Avenue, sexual assault and robbery of a woman outside her home on Union Street).

Major crimes, including violent crimes, are up for the third year running (See 2010 Public Safety Annual Report, 2011 Annual report and the recent 2012 Public Safety Annual Report).

Recently Assistant Chief Veitch gave a presentation at a Planning Board meeting to address some of the concerns of the public over safety in the Spa City. 


Anyway, I'll of course be following up on this tomorrow (barring hearing from any of the people I have already called tonight), so stay tuned. 

Matt Veitch evidently is not running for mayor.

His was one of the names I'd heard floated in the recent weeks as a potential Republican opponent to Joanne Yepsen, but it doesn't look like Veitch will be taking that step.

He announced Wednesday that he will be officially announcing his run for re-election to county supervisor tomorrow in this brief statement:

"Supervisor Matthew E. Veitch (R)-Saratoga Springs will be announcing his run for a fourth term as Supervisor on the Saratoga County Board of Supervisors. He will review his accomplishments, as well as outline his ideas for the future of Saratoga Springs. Please join us at the Spring Run Trailhead, near the intersection of East Avenue and Excelsior Avenue for this important announcement."

It would have been interesting to see the Saratoga Springs supervisors go head-to-head in a winner-take-all race.

Election results show that, since 2007, when he beat-out Yepsen's Democratic running mate, Cheryl Keyrouze, for the second Spa City seat on the Board of Supervisors, Veitch overtook her as the top vote-getting supervisor.

Yepsen won with 4,883 when she was first elected in 2005. 

In 2007, election results show he came in second in the race with 4,584 to Yepsen's 4,946 (Keyrouze took 4,116 votes as a second Democratic candidate).

In 2009 Veitch had flipped the tables, taking 4,757 to Yepsen's 4,240 votes.

Last time around, though, the gap had closed and the two were both neck-and-neck, receiving the least votes either had ever received for supervisor — 4,035 for Veitch to Yepsen's 4,020, though it is worth pointing out that it was essentially uncontested, since it was only the two candidates running for two seats.

Either way, we won't be seeing a Yepsen vs. Veitch race for mayor (womp womp).

It seems we will be seeing Rick Wirth take on Christian Mathiesen for Public Safety Commissioner... again. A Caroline Street bulletin board told me so for certain (though I had heard a while back that he would be running with or without the Republican nod) with a flier that said he would be holding a fundraiser at the Mouzon House at 5:30 p.m May 2 .

And another blast from two years ago, Ken Ivins Jr. will be running for... something. You can hear all about it April 29 at the Thirsty Owl, but it'll cost some campaign contributions.

I had heard a while back that Ivins would be challenging John Franck for Accounts Commissioner, but with an open seat at the Board of Supervisors maybe he's changing his focus. We'll find out at the Thirsty Owl (also get some good wine).