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Today, I present my questions to town board candidate, Art Borin, and his responses. He is running for one of the two seats up for election on the town board this year.

Could you please tell us about yourself and why you are running for the town board?

“My wife and I have been married for 48 years. We have 6 children and 15 grandchildren. We have had a home in Dresden for 20 years. I served on the town board for 4 years. I believe I was a contributor to many areas in the town and I feel that my experience would serve the town well.”

As President of the Huletts Landing Volunteer fire department you spearheaded the construction of the new firehouse. For this you should be commended. Other Adirondack communities are dying rapidly. What other businesses and/or development would you like to see Dresden attract?

“I would like to see a country store in Dresden and I would like to see it also be a farm market so that residents who grow local product would have an outlet for their eggs, fruit and vegetables. This would be a co-op. It would also be nice to be able to buy the basics without a long car ride.”

Because the Town of Dresden pays a high percentage of the taxes to finance the school budget, and the school district shows no willingness to curb spending, this percentage will likely grow in the years ahead. What specific steps will you advocate that will “grow” the tax base of the Town of Dresden?

“I do not feel that a large increase in the tax base is the answer. Rather I have joined a group that is petitioning the legislators to fund the schools with an alternative means. Currently Huletts Landing has 0 students in the Whitehall school yet we pay a large percentage of the budget. Dresden in total has less than 10% of the student population and Dresden pays a large portion of the school costs.”

Over the last 30 years, radical elements of the environmental movement have moved into the area often proposing rules which either they don’t want to comply with themselves or which they show no understanding of how these rules will affect the tax base of local communities. How should the Town best “stand up” to these radical environmental elitists?

“It is difficult for the town to react to the radical elements. One of the worst is the APA. They stifle any attempt at progress in our area. As an example, it took me over 1 year to get APA approval for the new firehouse. Their attitude is costing jobs in the area and we are powerless to resolve the problem.”

Many residents of Huletts Landing have turned to renting their property in order to afford the exorbitant taxes we pay. What steps should the Town of Dresden take to market and promote Huletts Landing as a popular destination?

“Dresden is fortunate to be bordered on one side by Lake George and on the other by Lake Champlain. We should have a Dresden website that promotes our town.”

Today, I present my questions to town board candidate, Carl Sobeck, and his responses. He is running for one of the two seats up for election on the town board this year.

Could you please tell us about yourself and why you are running for the town board?

I moved to Dresden a few years ago and was welcomed by many to this wonderful town. I am the proud father of two daughters and grandfather of one grandson. Today I would like to serve my community by running for the Town Board. I feel a need to be active in town affairs and would like to make a viable impact in my community. In this regard, I refurbished the old Huletts school house and have made it my home. If you would ever like to discuss any issue, stop at the red school house as you come down the mountain into Huletts. I’m always willing to listen to, and help anyone who wants to make our community a better place.

Since you moved to Dresden you have gotten involved in civic life and have volunteered your time for a number of worthwhile causes. What are some of the things you would share about small town life with those who might be thinking of moving here?

I truly believe Dresden is a special place and I will work hard to keep it that way. Since I moved here, I have refurbished my own house, painted the Chapel of the Assumption, helped rehab the old firehouse and donated my time to help build the new firehouse. I am involved in the Huletts Volunteer Fire Co. as the Assistant Fire Chief.

A number of people have told me that they have been impressed with your campaign materials and your forthrightness when campaigning. Could you share these with the Huletts Current and give us your thoughts on what type of campaign you are running.

I believe in running an honest and sincere campaign. I will not engage in mud slinging.

Since you decided to run, you have had some vicious untrue smears spread about you. Has it been a surprise to you that this would happen in a town the size of Dresden and why do you think this person is doing this.

Sadly, I have had an individual spread lies about me. I think this person is uncongenial.

Finally, our readers are concerned about rising property taxes. The current Town Board has cut taxes 2 years in a row. Will you try to continue this practice?

Yes. I am against any tax increases and will vote “NO” to any tax increases. I am running as a fiscal conservative. I will watch over the town budget like it was my own checkbook.

Sincerely submitted,
Carl Sobeck

During this past summer, I noticed this beautiful hand-crafted boat on the shoreline one day.

Click on both images to see full scale.

I stopped to look at it and the artistry and the workmanship was just exquisite. Well it took me a few days but I tracked down its owner, longtime Huletts guest, Mr. Robert Davidson. Mr. Davidson explained to me that he had built it himself over a period of 5 years.

So today, I’m pleased to present an interview Mr. Davidson did with me about his beautiful hand crafted boat.

Your hand made boat is very unique. Could you tell us a little bit about your boat?

“It is a design that was very popular back in the late 1800’s. They used to use them as water taxis in Boston and New York Harbors. The hull type was designed to be an extremely fast rowing boat while still able to carry several passengers. This boat hull style, called a “Whitehall” is also quite good at sailing. I am still working on the sailing rig for it, but I hope to have it ready for sailing by next spring.”

How did you decide you would build a hand-made boat and how long did it take you to build it?

“After owning numerous different boats over the years, I became interested in getting a small boat that I could row and also do a little sailing. In the book “The Wind In The Willows” by Kenneth Graham, there is a passage where the water rat says to the mole: “There is nothing, absolutely nothing, half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats.” After researching the possibilities, I concluded that the most suitable for me was one of the older styles that were perfected before outboard motors were invented. The only way to get one of these is to either have someone build it for you, or build it yourself. The cost of having someone build it for me was out of the question, so I built it myself. It took me over 5 years to build it, because I was also working full time. It was a lot of work, but it was a labor of love.”

You must get people coming up to you all the time and asking about it. What are some of their comments?

“The comment I hear most often is: “That is a beautiful boat!” I hear that a lot. Quite a few people have asked me if it is a restored old boat. I tell them no, it is brand new. A couple of people have asked me if I could build them one. A number of people have asked me what materials it is made out of (mahogany keel, longitudinals, and ribs; cedar strip planking, fastened with epoxy glue and dowels; trimmed with teak).”

Boat making is a bit of a “lost art”. What would you tell someone who was interested in building a boat like yours?

“First, don’t do it to save money. Building a boat is a very serious, long term time commitment. One should only do it if they are convinced that they will really enjoy the process of building a boat. If you’re interested in instant gratification, boat building is probably not for you. If you think you might be interested in building a boat, but aren’t sure, I recommend subscribing to two magazines: “Wooden Boat” and “Messing About In Boats”. Some recommended books to read would be: “Building Classic Small Craft” by John Gardner, and “Boats With An Open Mind” by Philip C. Bolger. I would also recommend a trip to the Mystic Seaport Museum in Mystic, CT. Ideally, it would be a good idea to attend the “John Gardner Small Craft Workshop” which is held one weekend a year in Mystic around the end of May or the beginning of June each year. There is also an excellent classic boat museum in Clayton, NY that is worth visiting.”

I hope you don’t mind me asking this, but when you’re in rough water, do you get nervous at all that it will hold together or are you just really confident having built it yourself?

“I don’t get the least bit nervous. The boat is solidly built, and the design is extremely seaworthy. Back in the 1800’s people representing Boston boarding houses and Inns used to row and sail boats like this out around the tip of Cape Cod to meet ships arriving from Europe. They would tie on to the incoming ship while it was still quite far from shore, give a bottle of whiskey to the first mate and ask him to refer prospective customers to them. An interesting article describing the history and seaworthiness of the whitehall hulls can be found at: http://www.whitehallrow.com/legacy_html/history.php”

Mr. Davidson, thank you for spending some time with us. Maybe after this interview you’ll start your own boat building company.

“Thank you, but I don’t think I’ll be starting my own boatbuilding company anytime soon! Considering the length of time I put into building this boat, I won’t be building another one for quite a while!”