Track season is over and electioneering for seats on the Saratoga Springs City Council is in full swing. The good news is come January 1, 2022 we’ll have a new City Council.

However, some things never change. Already, we see the Republican candidate for Mayor claiming her political “independence,” while at the same time taking money, thousands of dollars, from the State Republican Party organization as well as city real-estate developers and land use attorneys doing business with City Hall.

I have witnessed firsthand the failures of both City Hall officials and developers’ disinterest in responding to a neighborhood’s complaint being totally ignored in the planning process. 

For a commitment to positive change in the way Saratoga Springs City government operates, vote for two candidates who will bring much needed balance and qualified experience to City Hall, beginning with Ron Kim for Mayor and Minita Sanghvi for Commissioner of Finance. 

– Marcy Taylor, Saratoga Springs

I am JoAnne Kiernan, candidate for Commissioner of Finance for Saratoga Springs. I have lived in Saratoga Springs for 18 years with my husband, Todd and my two sons. I have served as Treasurer of Watersedge/Woodlands HOA; Caroline Street School PTSO and, as a Board Member and race organizer for Kelly’s Angels. Recently, I finished serving nine years on the Saratoga Springs City School District Board of Education and served on the finance committee for all nine years, as well as other various committees. 

As a CPA for over 26 years, I have worked with large and small businesses creating and managing budgets as well as providing financial advice and accounting services. With my practical experience and knowledge I will be able to help Saratoga Springs recover from the pandemic stronger than ever. I will work toward establishing a plan for future unexpected emergencies. Our city must always be as properly prepared as possible. It is my commitment to the taxpayers of this beautiful city, to keep our taxes low without cutting services to residents. I will look to reduce  expenses across every department. I will advocate for the city at the county, state, and federal levels.

From my work on the school board I have learned we have more in common than differences when it comes to good governance and finances. I want to work with the citizens of Saratoga and continue to build on all that we have in common. So much can be accomplished with respectful dialogue and active listening. We must always stay focused on the issues and come together for the better of our community, instead of focusing on who is right or wrong. We must meet people where they are and work towards solutions for all residents. 

Small businesses are the cornerstone of our vibrant downtown. I will work with business owners, community leaders and all stakeholders to ensure we stay economically strong and continue to grow, while also taking steps to preserve and protect our beautiful Saratoga greenbelt. There has been great work done by the Climate Smart Task Force and I would continue to support and advance this work. 

When elected, I will be engaged, serve with integrity and work to keep the city strong, healthy, successful and safe. I am the only candidate with the qualifications, competency and experience to get our beautiful city through these difficult times. If I am fortunate enough to serve as our next Commissioner of Finance, I will always put our city’s best interests above politics. We should always have leaders who are willing to work with others. We need to accomplish much so that Saratoga Springs can continue to thrive.  We are presented with some challenging times ahead of us and we all must do what is best for Saratoga Springs. That is the truest definition of being a Public Servant—Service Before Self, and that is how I will lead as your Commissioner of Finance. Contact – joanne@joannekiernanforfinance.com

For some reason, likely because they have no voice and can’t vote, children have endured an unreasonably high percentage of the numerous COVID restrictions implemented since March of 2020.

From multi-week quarantines at home away from friends, remote schooling, eating lunches alone at desks many feet from peers to playing soccer and field hockey with masks on, outside!

However, as a parent of a 4-year in pre-school,  the recent news that 2 to 4 year old children are now required to mask-up at Pre-K centers and daycare facilities was a final gut punch to me.

Experts from Harvard Medical School have come out and indicated that ‘We lack credible evidence for benefits of masking kids aged 2 to 5’.

In spite of this information, our politicians and local health officials have pursued this strategy. My opinion is that this strategy, which is not being implemented anywhere else in the World, is being done to make the adults feel safer psychologically, and not for the benefit of the children.

Even if masks were proven to be somewhat affective in reducing COVID transmission, I don’t think we can ignore the negative consequences of masking 2 to 4 year old kids.

Covering a small child’s face can impact communication and language development, potentially cause breathing issues and affect social and emotional development. These factors should not be ignored.

The people implementing this mandate absolutely should provide evidence of a substantial benefit, which they have yet to do.

I’m recommending that all parents in a similar situation as myself contact their US Congress person, their State Assembly person, or County health official. Perhaps they will listen and provide a voice for these children and help get the face diapers removed from the children’s faces.

I know my 4-year wants the mask madness to end as he asked me today if he still had to wear it, and I’m sure there are many other kids feeling the same way, so we need the parents to stand up and end it for them.

– John Venditte

Hello fellow Saratogians. I’m running for the Board of Education on May 18 and want to take an opportunity to introduce myself.

I’ve been a resident of Saratoga Springs for over 10 years. A native of the Boston area, I’ve lived all over the country and was excited when I had the opportunity to relocate to Saratoga for work. I instantly fell in love with Saratoga’s unique combination of history, nature, and the arts and was grateful to settle here and start my family.

I’m a single mother and mompreneur. I have two young daughters who are enrolled at Caroline Street Elementary School. I’m a literacy advocate working with a children’s publisher on both a local and national level. Previously, I worked in the non-profit arts sector. I’ve been an active member of the Caroline Street PTA for three years and serve as a Girl Scout Troop Leader.

Raised by two educators, one of whom was a public school English teacher for over 30 years, I’ve always had a passion for education. However, after the past year, I feel even more committed to ensuring our community’s children have a safe and healthy environment in which to learn and that all students have equal access to educational opportunities. The events of 2020 shined a light on the importance of a healthy family unit, the unique and pivotal role our schools play in children’s lives on many levels, and the need for balanced conversations among parents, educators and administration.

Thank you for taking some time to learn more about me! I’d love to hear from you and what matters to you in regards to our school district. Please feel free to email me at ReadingMamaUBAM@gmail.com. I look forward to hearing from you!   

– Amanda Ellithorpe

I’m writing to you about Connie Woytowich, a brilliant woman and strong candidate for Saratoga’s Board of education. Connie is a mother of four and a NYS master teacher with over 20 years of experience. As a mother and a professional, I stand in awe of Connie’s dedication to our community. 

When my eldest began kindergarten, Connie was the PTA President. Her thoughtful leadership ensured that our first experiences in Saratoga Schools were amazing. Our school’s fun and educational STEM Expo, which Connie not only built from the ground up, but has improved on and added to each year has remained a family favorite. Connie was also the past director of Camp Invention, which our children absolutely loved. As parents, we were thrilled to have our children inspired and challenged in a fun and exciting way. 

As a neighbor, Connie will always be known for her friendliness, willingness to help and ability to bring people together. Each Labor Day, she organized a back-to-school breakfast for the families on and around her street to help get everyone in back-to-school mode. 

Connie knows that “it takes a village.” Her commitment to kids, families and community is needed now more than ever. 

– Christina Cicardi, Saratoga Springs

Like many parents across the Saratoga Springs City School District, I am looking forward to the 2021-2022 school year with a full-time, in-person educational experience for our children that fosters a healthy routine, puts learning at the center of every decision, and highlights the need for community, mental health awareness, respect for others, a safe learning environment, and a sense of love and belonging. 

In addition to being a parent and community volunteer, I am a lifelong learner with urban, rural, and suburban teaching and leadership experience at the K-12 level. My extensive network in the educational community in the Capital Region and state are a result of my selection and work as a New York State Master Teacher, former PTA President, and former Camp Invention Director.

I am running for the school board to continue my service to education and our community. The knowledge and skills that I have honed over the past 20 years make me the ideal candidate for handling the critical issues related to instruction, policy, and budget, especially in light of the pandemic. I urge you to take the time to learn more at connieforschoolboard.com and appreciate your vote on May 18. 

– Connie Woytowich, NYS Master Teacher, Saratoga Springs 

As we endure the 10th month of the pandemic many activities still remain off-limits. But if communities having access to books, reading should not be one. However, the Saratoga Springs Public Library’s response to the pandemic has made this opportunity difficult. Initially when the library reopened, their “Phase 2” response led to waiting over a week after requesting a book, having it be pulled from the shelf and then setting up an appointment to pick it up (which wasn’t possible on the same day). Then over the summer in accordance with the lower positivity rate, in-person browsing was allowed which made borrowing books much more possible. Throughout the pandemic, books undergo a 4-day quarantine, even though “spread from touching surfaces is not thought to be the main way the virus spreads” (CDC).

Now, however, the library as of January 11 has closed again and no books are being lent out. I appreciate the vigilance the library is taking in their response to COVID-19. Nevertheless, accessibility to reading materials is even more crucial whilst the public is inside with limited activities. There are other options than completely closing down the library and should be greater nuance in the protocol as more is learned about the virus. Lack of access to the library affects those lower in socioeconomic status disproportionately who don’t have the means to obtain books otherwise. 

Many other downtown businesses have adapted curbside pickup programs which fills orders within 1-2 hours and allows minimal contact between customers and staff. Was this considered for the library? 

There are many more options that allow library staff to still feel safe but ensuring tax-paying community members still have access to reading materials while waiting out the pandemic. I am asking the Saratoga Spring Public Library to reconsider its current policy to become more user friendly and allow the public to have access to reading materials. 

– Kathryn Cuneo, Saratoga Springs 

We have watched with interest the charter debate in Saratoga Springs, NY.   Having lived in New Hampshire for 40 years before moving to Saratoga Springs, we lived and worked in communities that had a city or town manager form of government.  We took it for granted that competent professionals with expertise in their areas were using their skills to manage the city/town departments that made those communities great places to live.  We have been disheartened, however, after attending meet-the-candidates’ nights for a previous city election, to learn that the city relies upon a system where lack of expertise or professional qualifications are not a bar to city office.  It seems to us that family connections or who you know are the way to get elected.  We urge our fellow Saratogians, new and old, to vote to adopt charter reform – a system of government that will provide professional leadership in the form of a city manager and city-wide neighborhood ward representatives.

– Bill and Janice Christiano, Saratoga Springs

For the first time (that I’m aware of), the Saratoga Springs Professional Firefighters have taken an official position on a charter election and recommend voting no. 

This is especially important because of the respect that firefighters have earned. Their letter has been posted on their Facebook page, and reads as follows: 

The Saratoga Springs Firefighters IAFF Local 343, proudly endorses the City of Saratoga Springs current form of government and opposes the charter change being proposed on the ballot this year (2020). We, as the Saratoga Springs Firefighters IAFF Local 343, confidently support Saratoga Works, Saratoga Success, and One Saratoga. Sincerely, Nicholas Colucci    Secretary     IAFF Local #343

– Richard Sellers, Spokesman for SUCCESS, Saratoga Springs

Under Saratoga’s current commission form of government, no one is in charge at City Hall. City staff are divided among 5 independent departments supervised by 5 elected officials and their 5 political deputies. Commissioners spend more time protecting their turf than collaborating on issues. When council members don’t get along, their departments don’t work together. Services suffer, and our government wastes lots of time and money.

Few people who would make good city council representatives have the time and expertise to run a department for a part-time salary. You can’t vote out somebody you don’t like, because nobody else will run. In their last election, 3 out of 5 city council incumbents went unchallenged.

The last Charter Review Commission surveyed City Hall employees. An overwhelming majority said our current charter promotes wasteful spending and prevents the effective management of the city. 65 percent said yes to a city manager.

In the new charter, direct responsibility for city operations is transferred from 5 elected officials to a single professional manager, and city staff work together as a single team. That’s going to save money. Freed from direct management responsibilities, more young people with jobs and families from all political parties will run for office and have a voice in city government.

We hear that a new manager and an assistant can’t replace 5 commissioners and their deputies. But I’ve spoken with the managers of other cities in the state, and they all told me – no problem. They’d work directly with the highly-paid department heads already on our payroll. Currently, 50 city employees make over $100,000, and 16 make over $130,000. They’ll be glad to give up 2 layers of bickering politicians for a streamlined system under a single professional manager, who will work under a more vibrant and representative city council.

It’s time, Saratoga. Turn over the ballot and vote yes! 

– Rick Fenton, Saratoga Springs