Saratoga Springs City Supervisors

Cheryl Keyrouze 

Keyrouze said her campaign motto is ‘supervisor for Saratogians.’

“I bring issues to the public eye from the county board,” Keyrouze said.

She said her hard work over the past two years speaks for itself.

“My campaign is based on my hard work,” she said. “This is my full-time job.”

Keyrouze has served on Saratoga P.L.A.N., Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation, Saratoga County Arts Council, Saratoga County Farm Bureau, the League of Women Voters, Saratoga County Economic Opportunity Council, New York Horse Park, Inc., Citizens Transportation Committee of Saratoga County and the Saratoga Springs Democratic Committee.

As City Supervisor, she has to get other towns on board with certain issues. She has taken tours of other towns, seeing what challenges face them.

“I work well with the other supervisors and city officials,” Keyrouze said.

Each City Council meeting, the City Supervisors give updates on what’s happening on the county level.

One issue that needs all towns onboard is the green infrastructure plan. With connecting trails and neighborhoods, it could enable residents to walk or bike to work. She said when she  first took office, she started working on getting sidewalks for the Geyser Road bridge and seeing what the county could do.

She said there are a lot of simple ways to consolidate services between towns, saving the county money. One of these items is insurance. Back in 1996, Keyrouze said she first proposed to the City Council consolidating the city’s insurance with the school district because they are both public services.

Keyrouze said the city needs a new public safety building, but the City Council needs to get a budget passed to incorporate one. She said if taxes get a five percent increase, it might force people to sell their home. Affordable housing is a big concern of Keyrouze.

Living in Geyser Crest, Keyrouze said her neighborhood was built as affordable housing and is still considered so by the city’s assessments.

She has worked with the Preservation Foundation to find houses to rehab for affordable housing within the city and co-sponsored a workshop discussing the idea of an Affordable Housing Trust Fund.

Since 2002, Keyrouze has been fighting the county Hudson River water project and explaining her view of using Saratoga Lake for safe and affordable water. She said it won’t take away from the attractiveness of the lake’s recreational activities.

“Saratoga Lake is the cheapest and healthiest place to get our water from,” she said.

Keyrouze got CDTA to put a senior route back on the new bus schedules, so seniors can go to the store and run errands. She said 160 seniors have a bus card so they can ride for 50 cents.

Joanne Yepsen

Yepsen said her pledge to her constituents this campaign is to work for them by being an accessible and accountable supervisor.

She sees her job as supervisor as two-tier.

“It’s hard to draw a line between the city and county,” Yepsen said. “That is a good thing because what is good for one, is good for the other.”

Yepsen said two years ago she went door-to-door and the community did not want to be a part of the county water project and this year people are thanking her.

She said she’s worked successfully with all the members of the City Council and the other supervisors on the county level. She said working across party lines is crucial for being a supervisor.

“I work with the candidates, but work for the people,” Yepsen said. “It’s that simple.”

She said her priorities reflect the needs, concerns and interests of her constituents. She pledges to continue serving them as a strong voice in the city.

Yepsen said she didn’t make any endorsements this year to other officials and wants to continue to be the voice of reason.

Yepsen wants to create a more pedestrian friendly community in Saratoga Springs, which is incorporated in her green infrastructure plan to extend biking and walking trails between farms, surrounding towns and neighborhoods.

Yepsen said keeping the roads and bridges up-to-date is another key component.

The Geyser Road bridge getting repair and a sidewalk is one example. Extending the system of bike and walking trails is a priority and would like to see it include a route along the county water pipeline.

Another initiative of Yepsen’s is the future of racing in Saratoga Springs. She said it is critical in the city’s financial and cultural health. She said keeping the historic quality of the more than 250 buildings at the Saratoga Race Course is extremely important.

“People come to Saratoga Springs for Health, History and Horses,” Yepsen said. “Without the history they won’t come.”

As a co-founder of to the Race Course Preservation Coalition, Yepsen said she will make sure whatever franchise runs the track keeps the charm and beauty that it is known for.

Something new Yepsen said she will tackle if re-elected is innovative technology for small downtown businesses. She said Saratoga Free Net, a free wireless Internet service will enable business owners and residents greater flexibility in their work lives, because more people are telecommunicating these days.

Yepsen said if re-elected she would push for affordable health insurance and pursue a single payer health care at the local level.

Matthew Veitch 

Veitch said he will be heading door-to-door and won’t stop until Tuesday.

He said the main focus of his campaign is to find the balance of the city’s needs and what the

county can do for the city. Veitch said at some point the cooperative spirit with the county got lost.

“When you work together the best things happen,” Veitch said.

Veitch said the City Council is our government and no matter who is in office, they are the driving force of the city. He said he will bring what they want to the county level.

The first issue Veitch would set out to do if elected is balance economic development with preserving open space. Each year $500,000 of grant money is available that the city could try to use to buy land for small parks or trails, Veitch said. He said he’s been working hard on the Geyser Road trail, which is part of the county’s green infrastructure plan. He said the county should consider putting a recreation trail along the pipeline for the water project to add to the quality of life

Affordable housing is an issue that Veitch said he feels strongly about. Being a fifth generation Saratogian, his family has always done good public service for the community.

Veitch said the house his family grew up in would be out of their price range now, which is something he doesn’t want to happen to his children.

“I don’t want my kids or family to leave my city because they can’t afford to live here,” Veitch said.

The affordable trust fund was used to purchase house on Waterbury Street and will be rented out to families. Veitch said this program takes an existing house, fixes it up and preservers open space by not building a new home. While it’s not the overall answer for affordable housing in the city, it is a start.

“I’d rather do something than nothing,” he said.

His father was a teacher and his brothers are both Saratoga Springs Police Officers.

“Running for supervisor is my way to contribute to the city,” Veitch said.

Veitch said preserving racing is important to the city and keeping the revenue from the racetrack coming into the city and county.

His great-great-grandfather was a jockey, one of the reasons his family came to the Spa City.

Veitch has been on the zoning board for three years, but wants to get more done within the city by being an elected official.

Veitch said the possibility of having a republican and democrat both serving as City Supervisors just means they have to work together.

“I want you to vote for me not against someone else,” he said. “We are all Saratogians first before politicians. I’ll work for you and it doesn’t matter what party you are in; we are all in this together.”