4 vie for 2 seats on Moreau Board

By Ben Westcott, Chronicle Staff Writer
Four candidates are vying for two seats on the Moreau Town Board:

• Mark Stewart is seeking his second term. He has the Democratic, Republican, Conservative and Moreau United lines.
• Kevin Ostrander is running on the Republican and Conservative lines.
• Laura Garrant is running on the Democratic and Moreau United lines.
• Maureen Jackson is running as a write-in candidate.

Mr. Stewart co-owns Northern Builders and is a retired Saratoga County Sheriff’s investigator. He said the (ultimately successful) fight to stop Biochar was the main issue last time. “This election is just the people wanting to know that they’re getting the service, that their money is being spent responsibly, and they have somebody approachable to come to.”

Mr. Ostrander, founder of KOST IT Consulting and former owner of two fitness centers in Saratoga and Warren counties, said,

“The top concerns I hear are rising property taxes, poor communication from town leadership and worries about uncontrolled development. Many residents feel disconnected from town decisions, and they want a government that listens and keeps them informed.

Mrs. Jackson, a licensed geologist working in environmental consulting and a Planning Board alternate, said she is waging a write-in campaign because “I had a lot of community members, both Republican and Democrat, not happy with the current choices they have for town council…a lot of people asked that I run….

“Some of the issues were: they’re not team players, they’re very hard to get along with, they don’t seem to see all sides,” she said. “I’m in the middle. I try to see all sides of a story, I try to come up with solutions that include everybody.”

“I’m pleased with what has occurred over the last couple years with the new Town Board. I want to continue the work that [Supervisor] Jesse [Fish] has started,” Mrs. Jackson says.

Mrs. Garrant did not respond to The Chronicle’s interview request.

She did submit a free 150-word statement (page 7) which said in part, “If elected, I’ll prioritize responsible budgeting, smart and balanced development that protects our rural character, and open communication between residents and town government.”

The Charlie Kirk controversy

Mrs. Garrant sparked big controversy after Charlie Kirk’s assassination.

After Democrat Blake Gendebien, who is seeking to run for Elise Stefanik’s NY-21 Congressional seat, posted, “I’m praying for Charlie Kirk and his family,” Mrs. Garrant posted in response, “I’m praying for the children who were shot today while in school. I’m not praying for someone who spews hate for a living.”

Mr. Stewart says, “Obviously everybody has their right to make their comments, but there are repercussions for comments that are made. I think every resident is looking at every candidate’s words and statements and views, and they’re going to make their educated choice on who they want to support.”

Mrs. Jackson said, “You still hear it being brought up. People are not happy about it.”

She said, “If I wasn’t praying for somebody, I wouldn’t make it a point to throw it out there…I pray for anybody regardless of what any of their beliefs are….I just think in our world today people have forgotten how to be respectful and kind and love your neighbor. I think a lot of people have forgotten the basics of human morality.”

Mr. Ostrander said, “I can’t speak to the specifics of those comments or their aftermath,” but added, “I believe most residents are focused on the future of our town and the issues that directly impact their daily lives, not on social media controversies or political headlines.”

How & how much should Moreau grow

As to future growth, “I would say the town is really split,” Mr. Stewart said. “Some residents are very comfortable in us being a residential community, growing families, and focusing on that. There’s another half of the community that’s very excited about trying to grow the commercial sector and corridor.”

He favors “commercial growth in the correct corridors and also looking at growing residential growth throughout.”

He says, “The commercial growth is going to come with the residents. These bigger businesses that would be looking to put up stores, they want to make sure that it’s a smart investment.”

Mrs. Jackson, from Moreau originally, said she moved back from North Carolina after 20 years away “because of the small town charm.”

“I want to make sure the town doesn’t get too big,” she said. “I think there’s a fine line between development and keeping the small town charm.”

But “we need to do something with the Moreau Industrial Park, getting businesses in there that are town friendly, good for the town. We need to sell the town to get people to want to come here.

“We need to fix the Route 9 corridor coming off Exit 17,” she added. “I think that’s a big eyesore that needs to be developed with family friendly businesses.”

She said, “The traffic is absolutely horrendous on Route 9. It seems like on a daily basis we hear sirens from traffic accidents and all that. I think eventually the town is going to have to get with the state about either widening Route 9 or doing something, because with growth you have to have the infrastructure. And I don’t think Route 9 is going to be able to handle too much more growth.”

Solar is another issue Mrs. Jackson raises. “A lot of people don’t want the town overtaken by solar because of the new zoning that was passed for solar farms. I agree with that. I think there’s a fine line with how many solar farms to allow within the town so the town doesn’t get overrun by solar panels.”

She said, “I don’t think it should be done on prime farmland, but at the same time I don’t want to see a family farm go under for lack of revenue either. If that’s what a farmer wants to do with their property, I don’t think it’s for anybody to say they can’t do it. I just think the town needs to be smart in how many they approve and where they approve it.”

Mr. Ostrander said he wants to encourage “responsible development” while preserving Moreau’s “small-town character.” He also wants to expand and improve parks, trails, and recreational spaces.

“I’m not a politician,” he said. “I’m a lifelong resident who believes our town deserves better leadership. My decisions won’t be driven by politics or personal agendas but by what’s best for the residents of Moreau.

“I’ve seen first-hand how much potential our community has, but also how easily that potential can be wasted without responsible leadership. My goal is to bring accountability, transparency, and common-sense decision-making back to local government.”

He said he’s looking to keep taxes stable through “smarter budgeting, improved project management, and careful long-term planning,” while “ensuring open communication and public access to information.”

He said he also wants to reduce unnecessary regulations on local businesses.

As the only incumbent in the race, Mr. Stewart said, “I’m really proud that we were able to get some new baseball fields and additional parking down at the Rec,” adding that “a full playground is being redone” there and “we’re in the process of getting quotes to redo some pickleball, tennis and basketball courts.”

“What I can bring to the table,” Mr. Stewart says, “is the experience, the knowledge of the workings of the town for the last four years, and having been involved in the community in different organizations and volunteer groups for the last 20 years.”

He said he’s “very approachable from all sides” and that “there’s never been a political issue before the Town Board in the four years that I’ve been on.”

Correction: Maureen Jackson

Due to an editing error, this story originally said that Maureen Jackson co-chairs the Moreau Democratic Committee. She has no connection to Moreau Democrats.

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