Village elections will choose mayor and two trustees
(Credit: Steve Thurston, 2023)
Bob Blais, seated, at one of the many ribbon cuttings he attended as the longest-serving Mayor of Lake George, the state and the nation. His retirement April 1, 2023 comes after 52 years.
Lake George Village will hold general elections next Tuesday, March 21, and for the first time in 52 years, Mayor Bob Blais will not win. He is stepping down from that position, though he has told FoothillsBusinessDaily.com and other news outlets that he hopes to stay active in some capacity.
[Read more about his move here.]
"It's bittersweet getting done after 52 years. I'm certainly going to miss the challenges and our staff. And I'm going to miss working closely with the Town of Lake George," Blais said in a quick interview today, adding that it is time at 86 years old to step down and enjoy “whatever time I have left” outside of office.
Village Trustee Raymond Perry is running unopposed to take the mayor’s place.
In the competitive race, two seats are coming open this year as Perry vacates his seat and trustee and Deputy Mayor John Earl is stepping down.
Three candidates are running for the open seats: Randy G. Powell, Alyson E. Miller, Josē Filomeno.
Current Village Trustees Joseph Mastrodomenico Jr. and John Root have terms that end April 1, 2025.
The Village of Lake George General Election to be held on Tuesday, March 21, 2023, upstairs at the Town Office Center, and that the polls will be open from 12 Noon until 9 p.m.
Candidates:
Mayor Raymond A. Perry
- Office: Mayor
- Term: 4 years beginning April 1, 2023.
- Party: Family Values Party
Randy G. Powell
- Office: Trustee
- Term: 4 years beginning April 1, 2023.
- Party: Woodland Party
Alyson E. Miller
- Office: Trustee
- Term: 4 years beginning April 1, 2023.
- Party: Beautification Party
Josē Filomeno
- Office: Trustee
- Term: 4 years beginning April 1, 2023.
- Party: Our Village Party
Also on ballot: Volunteer Fire Department service award increase
Also included on the March 21, 2023 ballot is a proposition to amend the Lake George Volunteer Fire Company Service Award Program. State law calls the service award program a “municipally-funded, pension-like benefits for volunteer firefighters.”
The Town of Lake George and Lake George Village share the fire department, and have provided the service program for years, though state law leaves it up to the municipality to decide whether to create a program.
The state also controls the maximum amount a municipality can pay into the program and the maximum benefit a volunteer firefighter may receive.
The current pay-in limit is $1,200 per year and the maximum payout is $30 per month times the number of years served by the firefighter, according to FireflyAdmin.com. That is, $300 per month for a firefighter with 10 years' service.
According to state law, the municipality must first consider and approve the raise, and then they put it to a public referendum.
Two years ago the town and village boards in Lake George considered but said no to a raise in the payment, Mayor Bob Blais said.
"This year the village and town boards, because we share the costs of the fire company together, brought it for a vote," the mayor said.
According to the post on the village’s website, voters will consider and vote yes or no on:
“The Village of Lake George Board of Trustees adopted a resolution amending the Fire Company Service Award Program defined contribution on February 13, 2023 authorizing, pursuant to Article 11-A of the General Municipal law of the State of New York, a public referendum of eligible voters of the Village of Lake George.
“This amendment would, if approved, increase the Village paid service award contribution from $1,000. to $1,200. each for eligible volunteer firefighters. The maximum potential increase in the Village budget for the overall cost of the program including professional administration could be approximately $20,400. for each calendar year beginning after December 31, 2023.”