PLATTSBURGH — Outgoing Democratic Mayor Chris Rosenquest is hoping to remain in City of Plattsburgh politics when his term is up at the end of the year.
Rosenquest, 48, who announced he would not seek re-election as mayor this November so he could spend more time with his family, has instead opted to run for the Ward 3 Common Council seat.
He officially filed his petition with the Clinton County Board of Elections last week and it was finalized Monday.
“My family is paramount and still remains my priority,” he said in a news release announcing his candidacy.
“Making the shift to a council seat not only supports my family goals but helps to maintain the momentum created since 2021 that our residents and voters have demanded.”
BACKGROUND
Rosenquest was elected mayor in 2020 after winning the general election against Republican Scott Beebie.
He first defeated incumbent Mayor Colin Read in a Democratic primary in June of 2020 to set up the challenge with Beebie.
Prior to becoming mayor, Rosenquest was also a Clinton County legislator for five years, representing the city in Area 9.
He also ran for mayor in 2013 in a three-way race that was won by Jim Calnon.
As a legislator, he served as the chairperson of the Economic Development, County Operations and the Finance Committees. He also served as the legislative liaison to the North Country Chamber of Commerce, Workforce Development Board and Clinton Community College.
PERSONAL LIFE
Rosenquest, raised in the City of Plattsburgh, holds degrees from Clinton Community College, SUNY Plattsburgh and an MBA from University of Washington’s Foster School of Business.
Rosenquest is also set to become the first vice president of the New York Conference of Mayors (NYCOM) and serves on the conference’s Community Revitalization Policy Committee and the College Community Working group.
In his personal life, Rosenquest is a Division 1 college rugby referee, co-owns Chapter One: Coffee & Tea, located in Historic Downtown Plattsburgh, with his wife and business partner, Tracy Vicory-Rosenquest, and together they raise their 6-year-old son, Miles Charles Hudson Rosenquest.
PRIMARY ELECTION
Now seeking public office once more, Rosenquest will again find himself in a primary election June 25 — this time against fellow Democrat and Ward 3 incumbent Councilor Elizabeth Gibbs, who has been in the seat since 2019.
“With the help and support of many of our voters, I’ve been entrusted to usher our community forward with a focus on growth, infrastructure improvements, and community engagement,” he said.
“When I moved back home just 10 years ago to start a family and contribute to our community, I never imagined being blessed with the opportunity to lead our community to a new future. I’ve been in the Mayor’s office for just three short years. We’ve made significant progress as a community in that very short time; there’s more work to be done.”
CAMPAIGN FOCUS
Rosenquest plans to campaign on a number of issues including housing, economic growth, infrastructure improvements, continued quality of life improvements and whether the city should hire a city manager.
“Housing remains one of the most pressing and important issues we face as a community. The work the city is doing to protect existing housing through the several housing protection initiatives recently introduced such as the Vacant Property Permit, Short Term Rental Registry, expanding the Residential Rental Registry, and launching the much needed revision of the Zoning Code regulations,” Rosenquest said.
“All of these will contribute to increases in available housing, across all levels of housing needs in the coming years. This is much needed foundational work — what’s next is a proactive approach to working with developers and other investors that align with our community’s values who are interested in developing housing stock in the City of Plattsburgh.”
INFRASTRUCTURE
In his time as mayor, Rosenquest has been at the helm for many completed and ongoing city projects, including the complete overhaul of Margaret Street in 2023; the Saranac Riverwalk; the Bike Friendly Plattsburgh Plan; Comprehensive Master Plan; Parks Renewal Master Plan; and SmartCode Plattsburgh.
“We’ve spent the last several years making the much needed investments and improvements into our aging infrastructure,” he said.
“Instead of constantly saying ‘NO’ to these much needed improvements, we need to continue the momentum of investment into this required city service.”
“Over these years we’ve had to make tough but necessary decisions to ensure the basic services we’re providing to our residents, visitors, and businesses are reliable and trusted,” Rosenquest continued.
“These need investment dollars as this is what’s expected and needed for our residents.”
ECONOMIC GROWTH
Other ventures like the failed hotel development agreement in September of 2023, which could have brought a hotel to the city’s harborside, have loomed large over the city.
On economic growth, Rosenquest said “our elected officials cannot keep turning our backs on development opportunities.”
“Investors and developers will just stop knocking on our door and the last thing we want is to be a community where development isn’t supported. We must find a path forward that supports community-driven development and business opportunities; a mutually beneficial path for all involved,” he said.
“This includes marketing our city, networking with local, regional and national developers, and continuing the investment in the quality of life projects that make our community attractive for residents and investors. We should continue to leverage the city’s revolving loan fund and our strong partnerships with the North Country Chamber of Commerce and the Small Business Development Center to support entrepreneurs and make doing business in the City of Plattsburgh attractive and worthwhile.”
‘OBLIGATION’
“All of this work requires building a cohesive and professional working relationship with the Mayor’s office, other members of the Common Council, and the professionals who run our City,” Rosenquest said.
“It’s our job and I dare say, obligation, to find a way to build bridges to do what’s right for the City of Plattsburgh and what the voters have entrusted us to do.”