Posted at: 11/03/2009 11:16 PM
Updated at: 11/04/2009 12:04 AM
By: THOMAS DIMOPOULOS
The Post-Star

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Johnson defeats Kim for top job in Saratoga Springs

SARATOGA SPRINGS -- City voters re-elected Scott Johnson to the Spa City's highest office, marking the first Republican two-term mayor in a decade.

Johnson, who was first elected city mayor in 2007, defeated Democratic challenger Ron Kim.

Johnson defeated Kim, 4,165 to 2,837 votes.

It was a good night for city Republicans, securing all four available seats on the City Council that were contested.

"We have a lot ahead of us to do. We know what our problems are,' Johnson said. "The only way to solve our current crisis is to work together. Now we have to build a consensus,' he said.

"It was a team effort," said Saratoga County Republican Chairman John "Jasper" Nolan as he stood beneath a screen that read "Clean Sweep" on stage at GOP headquarters at the Holiday Inn.

Johnson and Kim, the city's public safety commissioner, have had a strained relationship during the past two years, often presenting opposing views on many city issues.

At stake are a number of infrastructure projects under review or in various stages of development. They include the possibility of a city paid parking scheme, what to do about developing a $2 million city-owned lakefront property and a $6.5 million indoor recreation facility.

"Tonight, hopefully, is the final nail in the coffin of the division in our community," Johnson said.

Another issue in the campaign is the potential of a new police station and court building, the latter of which Kim has aggressively advocated.

"Well we fought the good fight," said a dejected Kim as he huddled with former Mayor Valerie Keehn at the Inn at Saratoga, where Democrats gathered.

In the city's commission form of government, the vote of each of the five council members carry equal weight and result in majority rule.

Detractors have argued that it also encourages commissioners to promote their own specific departments, rather than the city as an entirety.

Two years ago, Johnson secured nearly 4,500 votes in a three-way race on his way to his first victory. Nearly 9,300 city voters cast their ballots in the 2007 election.

Kim was first elected public safety commissioner in 2005.

Vying for the seat he vacated, Republican Richard Wirth defeated Democrat Kevin Connolly.

Finance Commissioner Kenneth Ivins, a Republican, was re-elected over Democratic challenger Peter Martin, and Republican Public Works Commissioner Anthony "Skip" Scirocco emerged victorious over Independence Party candidate Edward Miller.

Democrat John Franck was unopposed as commissioner of accounts and will return to the City Council for a third term.

This story originally appeared on Post-Star.com.