Category: Our Neighbors

Previously I had posted the names of the Republican and Democratic nominated candidates for the Dresden Town Board. This year there are two open seats on the Board. Both parties have nominated two candidates. I have posted all 4 of these candidates answers to my questions already.

However, I was recently made aware that there is another candidate running as an Independent. Mr. Wayne Barrett is on the ballot and was unknown to me at the time I sent out my questionnaires. He is the son-in-law of former town clerk, Patricia LeClaire. I recently spoke to Mr. Barrett and gave him a questionnaire to complete. He has assured me he will be returning it to me this week. My policy was that would I post candidate responses in the order they were returned to me. However, because Mr. Barrett was unknown to me when the original questionnaires were mailed out, it is not his fault his questionnaire is the last returned. As soon as I have Mr. Barrett’s answers to my questions, I will post his responses.

Once again, Dresden is fortunate to have 5 qualified candidates running for the two open seats on the Town Board this year.

Today, I present my questions to town board candidate, George Gang, 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 have been a member of this community for thirty years and have been attending town meetings, on and off, for most of that time. My wife of twenty eight years is a teacher at BOCES in Hudson Falls and I am currently retired. I was a Senior Purchasing Agent for Tyco Healthcare in Argyle for 22 years until the medical device plant moved to Mexico. I have an undergraduate degree in Business Management and a Masters degree in Public Administration. I am currently a full time care-taker for my mother-in-law and a seasonal part-time employee for H&R Block as a tax preparer. I see my role on the town board as a person who will work toward bringing the diverse communities of Dresden together for the betterment of all.”

The first question has to do with taxes. The readers of the Huletts Current 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? If not, why? If so, what will you cut?

“As for the current level of taxes levied upon the residents of this town I can promise I will do my best not to allow any future increases. I realize that we have very little to say concerning the level of school taxes we now pay to Whitehall due to taxes assessed thru property values. I will work with other towns and our state representatives to make changes in the way our school taxes are assessed. We also need to look into the availability of stimulus funds for projects around the town, possibly to upgrade and repair our town buildings or better cell phone availability. Monies are being made available and if we do not access them they will be spent somewhere else.”

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?

“I feel that the marketing of our town, both Lake George and Lake Champlain, is an area that the town has not handled very well. There are many ways, some with little cost, in which Dresden can be positively promoted. For one we should have signs on both the north and south borders of the town on RT 22. We should also have an official town website that is tied into the state tourism website. Fishing on Lake Champlain, water sports on Lake George, historical sites and the Beach at Huletts can all be presented. These can be completed at minimal costs with help from the diverse residents of the town.”

This year the Town kept the Washington County Beach open. Could you give us your thoughts on how things are going with the Town running the beach and what we should expect in the future if you are elected?

“We are currently awaiting a report from the current town board on the status of the town helping to keep the Washington County Beach opened this past summer. I cannot comment on this until this report is issued but I will say that it is imperative that the beach remain opened and maybe we can find some stimulus monies to help keep it opened in the future.”

You have lived in Dresden for a number of years and have been involved in civic life. What are some of the things you would share about small town life with those who might be thinking of moving here?

“I moved up here from the bustling city of New York. Having traveled extensively around the world, both with the Navy and on my own, I found Dresden to be one of the most beautiful places on earth. For the peace and quiet, access to two beautiful lakes, a strong sense of history and all of the friendly people, this town cannot be beaten.”

“Again, thank you for the chance to answer these questions to the voters of Dresden. If anyone would like to discuss these subjects, or any others, any further they can contact me at the phone number below or visit me on Lake Road.”

Thank you,
George D. Gang
39 Lake Road
Whitehall, N.Y. 12887
499-2761
geordav@aol.com

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!”

Today, I present my questions to town board candidate, Joanne Farley, and her responses. She 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 have been a Dresden resident all my life. I have been married to my husband Scott for 19 years and have two children, Kelsey 13 and Ethan 5. I am now a stay at home mom but have previously worked for NYS Department of Corrections at Great Meadow Correctional Facility, Washington County Department of Social Services and North Country Community College.

I am running again for town council to continue to serve my community in a positive and fair and impartial manner. There are things I have started to work on and haven’t had the opportunity to finish and I would like to continue to work on those projects.

You have served on the Town Board for 4 years already and have done many positive things including cutting town taxes 2 years in a row. What would you like to accomplish over the next 4 years if re-elected?

To continue to serve in a positive, fair and impartial manner. I would like to continue to work on making our community a place where people want to be and a place where we are safe. I also want to continue to better our community and keep an eye on wasteful spending and direct those funds to where they are needed.

You are spearheading an effort to establish a children’s playground for local residents which is moving ahead. Could you tell us if there are things that people could do to assist you accomplish this goal?

My biggest problem with this project is finding a location that is central to all. This lack of location and parcel is a big problem as I cannot attempt to gain any kind of funding or grants until there is property secured. I am trying my best to tackle this problem. If and when I find a place, much support with funding and volunteer work will be needed and appreciated from all.

I know as a mother, you are deeply concerned about opportunities for youth. You worked very hard to keep the Washington County Beach open this past summer. For this you should be commended. Could you give us your thoughts on how things are going with the Town running the beach and what we should expect in the future? (Administrator’s correction: My question was improperly stated. The Town subsidizes the operation of the beach. The County operates the beach.)

I think the support of the workers who do an excellent job of maintaining the beach and the help of the county’s Alternative Sentencing program really helped us out this year. Also the support of the residents with donations was a big factor. If this problem with funding arises again next Summer, I feel the support of the people will help us avoid any closings. It is an important area that needs to remain available for all residents of the town, for some of us, it is the only access we have to the beautiful lake, if it were taken away I think it would be a shame and create more problems.

I know you have worked hard to bring people throughout the town closer together. This can be difficult at times because the different areas that make up Dresden sometimes see things differently. What is your vision for the entire town moving forward?

I think we are all capable of getting along and supporting each other. I saw proof of this as stated above with the coming together to keep the beach opened. We are capable of this and feel we can come together on other issues as well. No matter where we live we should work together as a community and support one another. It can be done!!