Hello out there in SeeClickFix land.
After writing the article on the Gilbert Road intersection with State Route 29 (Lake Avenue) for Monday's SeeClickFix article (Saratoga Springs Public Safety Commissioner Richard Wirth adds Gilbert Road/Route 29 junction to list of intersections to address), I received this e-mail from another concerned citizen:

Allow me to add my concerns about the intersection of Gilbert Rd. and Rt. 29. As a resident of the Meadowbrook Area, we travel to the Wilton Mall area, almost daily. It is almost impossible to get from Gilbert Rd. to Weible at the "offset" intersection at Rt. 29, unless some sympathetic driver allows you "in" at Rt. 29. This intersection is exacerbated by two "green turn arrows" at the Rt. 29 and Weible intersection signal.

When all is "clear", traffic bursts out of Weible on the Green Arrow.

I have had so many "near misses" that I now go past Gilbert, to Henning Rd, (longer but safer) and enter Rt. 29 at the Henning Signal. Then turn right toward Weible and safely make the left turn since the signal is on Rt. 29 at Weible.

John Ginley
10 Winding Brook Dr.

When I spoke to Commissioner Richard Wirth, he agreed to work on getting me -- and thus you -- a follow-up story with some reports on these intersections and concerns that have been expressed to him over the last couple months through this continuing series. "Nothing is being ignored," he said, adding that as soon as the city's traffic safety control officer, Mark Benacquista, gets some free time to evaluate the issues. He has, in the past, generated reports specifically for the SeeClickFix users.
I'll keep at it, though, and make sure some there is a conclusion to some of these SeeClickFix complaints.

Here are some interesting stats from the Saratoga County Board of Elections about the breakdown of registered political party members in the Spa City:

Democrats — 6,006
Republicans — 7,053
Conservative — 158
Working Families — 45
Independence — 1,073

All of those numbers were as of April 1. The board uses them to determine how many people are required to sign petitions in order to get on the ballot under each party line. A petition needs to be signed by 5 percent of the number of each party from June 7 to July 11-14, the filing dates.
At this point, the Board of Elections is waiting on the final objections to be filed by voters who see discrepancies in the petitions. For instance, if a person who signed a Republican petition is not in the Republican Party or signed multiple petitions.
That process can last a couple weeks to sort through and for the board to make its determinations.
But as far as the Democrats and Republicans in Saratoga Springs are concerned, the slate of candidates is already established. The Democrats announced Brent Wilkes for mayor, Michele Madigan for finance commissioner, Christian Mathiesen for public safety commissioner and incumbents Joanne Yepsen for city supervisor and John Franck for commisioner of accounts (to see a brief run down of Wilkes' and Mathiesen's platforms click here, and for Madigan's click here).
The Republicans announced their list of incumbent candidates — Scott Johnson for mayor, Richard Wirth for public safety commissioner, Ken Ivins for finance commissioner and Anthony "Skip" Scirocco for public works commissioner and Supervisor Matthew Veitch — and I will be writing a story on their platforms in the near future.

The Friday-afternoon press conference apology from Saratoga Springs Police Chief Chris Cole more closely resembled Anthony Weiner's second matter-of-fact press conference than his initial tearful press conference as Cole read his apology for the sexting scandal he has been embroiled in for the latter two-thirds of June.
Cole declined to answer questions or speak beyond his prepared appology.
Saratoga Springs Public Safety Commissioner Richard Wirth answered questions about the investigation and the actions being taken by the city, but declined to comment on the scandal itself or Lourie Masi who initially went to a news organization with a phone full of sext-messages from Cole-- initiating his press release that thrust the issue into the public spotlight ahead of her televised interview.
News reporters from every agency under the sun as well as blogger John Tighe from SaratogainDecline.blogspot.com were joined by several members of the public who came out to see Cole's statement and Wirth's decision.
Hopefully this really is the conclusion of Saratoga Springs' very own Weinergate.