Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Local Government topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Saranac Lake trustees approve transfers, appointments and planning funds; reject advisory-board carryover
Summary
At its May 26 meeting the Saranac Lake Board of Trustees approved several resolutions including contingency transfers, administrative appointments, housing and downtown guidelines, a $12,000 appropriation for landfill athletic-fields planning and authorization to pay Pendragon Theatre from an ESD reimbursement; a proposed advisory-board carryover was rejected.
SARANAC LAKE, N.Y. — The Village of Saranac Lake Board of Trustees on May 26 approved a slate of routine and planning measures while rejecting a request to carry over advisory-board funds.
Mayor Brunette and trustees voted to authorize transfers from contingency accounts to cover incurred expenses, confirm a slate of administrative appointments and adopt bylaws and procedures for newly created advisory boards and the downtown streetscape program. Trustee Ryan moved the contingency-transfer resolution and Trustee White seconded; the roll call recorded Trustees Ryan, White and Evans and Mayor Brunette voting yes (the minutes list Trustee Trudeau as not present for most roll calls).
The approvals included: an authorization to transfer $8,189.87 from the General Fund contingency and $1,563.32 from the Water Fund contingency (to be applied per the attached adjustment schedule); a resolution appointing administrative officers that lists Brandee Reiley as Village Manager, Laura Ferranti as Village Clerk, Chrissie Wais as Village Treasurer and Cassandra Van Cott as Deputy Clerk/Treasurer and names Bachana Tsiklauri as interim Temporary Village Manager through June 30, 2026; adoption of Housing Advisory Board bylaws; and formal adoption of Downtown Streetscape Design Guidelines Amenity Review Procedures.
A separate motion to carry over unspent Parks and Trails Advisory Board and Downtown Advisory Board funds for outdoor furniture in Ward Plumadore Park failed. Trustee White moved the carryover and Trustee Ryan seconded; the minutes record the motion as defeated with all trustees recorded as voting “No.” The minutes also show an inconsistency: Trustee Trudeau is listed as not present for most roll calls earlier in the meeting but the roll-call line for the failed carryover records all trustees voting No. The minutes do not reconcile that discrepancy.
The board approved an appropriation of $12,000 for a conceptual plan to evaluate repurposing the village-owned closed landfill as athletic fields. The appropriation will be split between accounts 001-8620-0400 and 001-8010-0400 (50% each) and the 2026–2027 budget will be adjusted to add $12,000 to 001-1440-400 (Consulting Services). Trustee Ryan moved the appropriation; Trustee Evans seconded an amendment and Trustee White seconded the amended motion.
The board also authorized the Village Treasurer and/or Village Manager to process payment to Pendragon Theatre upon receipt of $407,020.75 in reimbursement funds from Empire State Development for the Pendragon project.
During public comment, Julieanne Stemp asked the trustees to give "thoughtful consideration" to the Riverside Park name. Trustees discussed creating a Future Families Task Force, capital-project funding priorities and initial plans for the nation's 250th anniversary but made no formal decisions on those items at the meeting.
The board entered executive session to discuss information regarding criminal investigations or prosecutions and employment/medical/financial history of a specific person or corporation, then exited and adjourned.
Votes at a glance: Bill 115-2026 (transfer from contingency) — moved by Trustee Ryan, seconded by Trustee White, recorded as approved; Bill 116-2026 (appointments) — moved by Trustee Ryan, seconded by Trustee White, approved; Bill 117-2026 (Housing Advisory Board bylaws) — moved by Trustee Ryan, seconded by Trustee White, approved; Bill 118-2026 (Downtown Streetscape Guidelines procedures) — moved by Trustee Evans, seconded by Trustee Ryan, approved; Bill 119-2026 (carryover of advisory-board funds for Ward Plumadore Park) — moved by Trustee White, seconded by Trustee Ryan, recorded as failed (all recorded 'No'); Bill 120-2026 (appropriate $12,000 for landfill athletic fields conceptual plan) — moved by Trustee Ryan, amendment by Trustee Evans and seconded by Trustee White, approved; Bill 121-2026 (authorize payment of ESD reimbursement to Pendragon Theatre) — moved by Trustee Evans, seconded by Trustee White, approved.
The meeting minutes and resolution texts are attached to the official record and contain line-item budget schedules and the exact wording of each resolution.
