More Front Page ADE Wal-Mart News

NOTE: The entire text of this article can be found here at the Lake Placid News web site.

Headline: Reactions mixed to co. mgr's Wal-Mart dealings.

Linda Piro (CARD): "We were very excited, we've been hearing for years that (local officials)have been looking at bringing a retailer to town, and I was thrilled to learn someone actually was."

Mark Kurtz (SAGA): "He's a public official, and (as such) needs to be a lot more honest with the public he serves." "We want this whole thing out on the table, and it needs to be out from day one." "He excluded the whole community".

Shirley Seney (North Elba Town Supervisor): "We asked him to try and keep his ear to the ground and assist in finding a business to replace Ames" "But nothing happened. As far as I was concerned, it was a dead issue."

Joyce Morency (St. Armand Town Supervisor): "I didn't know he'd had meetings with them and that the village board wasn't involved - after all it's their baby."

Tom Michael (Democratic mayoral candidate):"I was very disturbed by his announcement and the way he chose to make it" "Who is he to make business decisions on behalf of the village of Saranac Lake without consulting its elected officials?"

Jeff Branch (Village Trustee and Republican mayoral candidate):"I'm glad we found out the who behind the what" "He was just doing what he was directed to do. I would have liked to have known, but was it necessary? I don't think it was necessary." [Should be a good mayor, he doesn't think it's necessary to know what is going on, very President Bush of him. PS: as I've pointed out previously, I am a liberal and obviously a Democrat and thus biased]

Susan Waters (Democratic trustee candidate):"They (the village board) should have the authority to say, 'This is our business, and you need to keep us informed'". Linda Piro (CARD, Republican trustee candidate, BOE member) replied:"If he believed he was working in the capacity of his job, then not necessarily" "Sometimes, you do need to do things privately. I am glad he stepped in when he did because it was starting to cause real problems for the board." [Yet another candidate that doesn't think the village needs to know what is going on]

Good reporting by ADE Andy Bates.

ADE would do well to consider up-grading the content of their website.