I’ve long criticized Saratoga Springs’ form of government in which elected council members oversee specific aspects of City Hall, creating silos of administration. But the charter change now on the ballot would replace that shortcoming with one far worse – a ward system that would drastically reduce every city resident’s representation on the City Council and make elected officials less accountable. I’m voting no.

The claim that residents would gain better representation with wards is false and grossly misleading. 

The ward system minimizes our individual clout as voters. It eliminates council members’ accountability to all but the sixth of the city that elects them. We would get to vote for a mayor and only one of six council members, with no promise that even that one candidate – let alone the other five – would feel compelled to address the concerns of our particular neighborhood. 

I looked at a map of the election districts to see how areas were lumped together in the proposed charter (in Article XI, section C) to form six wards. Here are three examples:

Ward Three stretches from the city neighborhoods around the Caroline Street School to the sprawling estates in the Beacon Hill Drive area off Meadowbrook Road and the rural developments north of Route 29 toward Wilton.

Ward Four would combine the South Side (everything south of Lincoln Avenue, including Jefferson Terrace) with all the Saratoga Lake and Lake Lonely developments, more than three miles and a world away. 

Ward Six puts together the downtown West Side (including the Beekman Street arts district) with the more suburban housing around Buff Road.

You get the idea. 

Check out the map yourself. 

Bottom line: Every citizen should be able to vote for all of the City Council members.

There are other reasons to reject this charter change. Promised cost savings are dubious as is the timing of the ballot proposal, with people unable to assemble to discuss the pros and cons, not to mention the city budget hole caused by the pandemic. And the idea of a city manager appointed to oversee all city operations makes sense — but not accompanied by the unnecessary creation of a full-time mayor as proposed. 

I could get behind a new charter with an appointed city manager beholden to a City Council whose members answer to all Saratoga Springs voters. 

This charter change would radically reduce our voice. Vote no.

– Barbara Lombardo, Saratoga Springs

With no public discussion…not even Zoom meetings or press releases…the self-anointed charter change leaders were able to make the bad 2017 Saratoga Springs charter proposal much worse by 1. Adding Wards, and 2. Enriching the future mayor.

Wards mysteriously appeared on this year’s ballot rejecting their 2017 charter change committee which had decided against wards after discussing in a public meeting. 

And the proposed mayor’s salary was increased by another $25,000 to an excessive $65,000 for a part-time job, again ignoring 2017 committee members’ research and recommendations. 

Official committee minutes reveal: “Jeff Altamari said he had read through NYCOM data and the average salary of a Mayor with the City Manager was $19,000.” Rob Kuczynski said “that $40,000 was too high for the Mayor’s position. He reminded everyone that we will have a City Manager to do the work.” 

Since the mayor’s responsibilities are identical with 2017, ask yourself: Did someone push for this much higher salary for themselves hoping to get $65,000 for a part-time job? One candidate seems to be maneuvering already.

These two bad decisions that will make city government worse were made in a back room, rather than receiving public input. I’m voting No.

– Richard Sellers, Saratoga Springs

The answer. Since 1915 Saratoga’s residents have had direct access to the commissioners who govern our city.

This unity created the city we all enjoy today while maintaining its historicalcharm. The residents have one governing body where they bring ideas benefiting the whole city.

The proposed charter would divide the city into wards known as the “Inner East Side,” “North Side,” “Outer East Side,” “South Side,” “West Side,” and “South West Side.” Wards have their own elected council people.

These wards are known to become competitive and exist to promote their respective turfs.

Imagine, the city’s great benefactors speaking to six ward councils, in order to win over their approval for a project NOT IN THEIR WARD!

I hope anyone contemplating abolishing a system of government that has worked for over 100 years will vote down this proposed fragmented and expensive structure. It’s wrong to change what has worked so well over the many years. The present city form of government has welcomed many new residents and deserves the support of everyone. Vote No for charter change. 

– M. Thomas Porter, Saratoga Springs

It’s not often people thank you for taking their money and supplies. Just ask the IRS. But Operation Adopt A Soldier (OAAS) volunteers experienced that gratitude during our recent drive-through donation day at our temporary headquarters in Wilton.

Our all-volunteer, non-profit uses the donations to pack and ship free comfort kits for America’s soldiers serving in areas of conflict.

The always-generous public responded after hearing our August shipment was canceled because of depleted inventory; now we’ll be able to send 150 boxes before the end of the month. Then it’s on to September.

Every person who visited OAAS thanked and encouraged us for helping our soldiers as they donated money (each box carries a $12 postage fee), dropped off supplies and purchased shirts emblazoned with our motto: “Until they all come home.”

One family made a memorial donation in the name of Korean War veteran Robert Ovitt, of Queensbury, who died July 30. The proud paratrooper and Purple Heart recipient was wounded in 1953 in the horrendous battle for the famed Pork Chop Hill. A regular donor from White River Junction, VT, dropped off his traditional car load of supplies. There was the female veteran who gave three bags of supplies and money, then purchased shirts. An elderly woman stopped just long enough to give us a sealed, blank envelope and her thanks. We later discovered it held a sizable donation that dropped some volunteers’ jaws. We can only hope this anonymous donor reads this letter and knows how much we appreciate her concern for our soldiers.

As founder of OAAS and on behalf of all our volunteers, thank you to all who donated on our special day, which marked the one-year anniversary that a fire destroyed our Route 50, Wilton headquarters. 

Our brave troops also thank you.

– CLIFF SEGUIN, SARATOGA SPRINGS

This November, Saratogians will have the opportunity to vote on a significant change to the city charter. The city’s charter is the most important legal document of our city as it defines the structure, function and powers of our city government. It should be every voters’ priority, as our local government has a direct impact on our daily life.

I have taken a significant amount of time reviewing the proposed 2020 charter change document and believe that it is not healthy for our city. 

Of utmost concern to me personally is the Wards system. The Wards system pits neighborhoods against each other and does not foster peace. It also increases bureaucratic layers, making voters dependent on their Wardsperson and suppresses the power of an individual’s vote.

Not only does this expensive version of charter change transfer power away from the people and give it to an appointed bureaucrat called a City Manager that cannot be voted out, it politicizes our neighborhoods and sets up our city for division, not unity. We do not need that. Not now and not ever.

I hope that peace and love whisper in your heart as you consider these points, and that you join me in voting no on this particular version of charter change. Vote no on Election Day. 

Make Love, not Wards.

– Connie Woytowich, Saratoga Springs

Although it isn’t on the news, nearly a hundred families seeking safety in the U.S. from violence and persecution have been locked up by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in the Berks family detention center in Pennsylvania and two detention facilities in Dilley and Karnes City, Texas.

Held in indefinite detention, they feel they are sitting ducks for COVID‐19, which runs rampant in the family detention centers. Declaring these detention facilities are “on fire,” a federal judge ordered ICE to release all children by July 17. Judge Gee doesn’t have the power to order the release of the parents, too, but we do. ICE will only release families together if they feel the cost of sustained outrage and pressure from people across the country. 

Right now, we have a choice: family unity or family separation. Our community must tell ICE: refugees are welcome here.

– Katherine Donnelly, Saratoga Springs

Last month, I needed emergency care unrelated to COVID-19. My experience made my family acutely aware of the emotional impact caused by hospital visitor restrictions for families. I recall a visit from my doctor discussing the findings of the test and not being coherent enough to understand what was being said and no family to ask questions made me feel quite anxious.

I acknowledge the seriousness of COVID-19 and the need to protect health care workers, patients and the public. I’m confident the current policies were made with the best judgment to promote safety in hospitals. However, these policies should be reexamined and adjusted to allow every patient the right to a support person to accompany them in the hospital.

The CDC has already outlined guidelines for hospitals in managing visitor access within their facilities. These guidelines include: limiting visitors to those essential to the well-being of the patient (such as care partners), limiting points of access to the facility, screening all visitors for symptoms of COVID-19, denying access to the facility to visitors who present with a fever, requiring all visitors to wear face masks, restricting visitors to the patient room and taking special measures to control visits to patients with COVID-19. These guidelines do not call for the complete restriction of all visitors in the hospital setting. Actually, they highlight the essential role care partners play in supporting a patient’s emotional and physical well-being.

Care partner presence promotes healing and lessens the burdens of health care workers. Hospital administrators should consider changing visiting policies to reflect CDC guidelines, improve recovery and healing and lessen demands on their staff.

– Robin Mitchell

This Spring has proven to be a challenging time for our communities. The COVID-19 pandemic has challenged us, but it has also highlighted the North Country’s exceptional public health officials, healthcare workers, first responders, law enforcement personnel, and community leaders as our community has risen to meet the unique needs of our region. 

Amidst this crisis, it is critical to highlight the role that the 2020 Census plays in funding our hospitals, emergency services including police forces and fire stations, schools, roads, and more. I am writing to personally urge all my constituents to fill out the Census. 

The 2020 Census will distribute federal resources to our businesses, community leaders, and elected officials to help them make informed decisions on how to serve you. This funding is especially important for communities who rely on USDA Rural Development funding to support local businesses and expand broadband access, EPA funding to protect the natural waterways of the Adirondacks, HUD assistance for homeless programs, and funding for telehealth and distance learning services, which are all so important to communities in our region. 

Now more than ever, it is critical that the North Country is accurately counted. As we recover and rebuild from the COVID-19 crisis, we must consider the substantial needs our region is counting on. An accurate and complete census count is the first step in making sure the North Country receives funding to make critical decisions. Given the current public health crisis, it is recommended that citizens respond to the 2020 Census online, by phone, or by mail. 

In mid-April, the Census Bureau began mailing the paper questionnaire to homes that have not yet responded online or by phone. If you receive mail through a P.O. Box, a Census Bureau worker may deliver a questionnaire, leave information about responding, or interview you.

You can complete the census online at my2020census.gov. You can also call the Census Bureau at (844)-330-2020. The U.S. Census Bureau is bound by law to keep all of your reported information confidential. 

If you have any questions or need more information about how to complete your 2020 Census, please visit my website at Stefanik.house.gov, or reach out to any one of my offices. I will continue to advocate for the North Country to receive critical funding and resources at the federal level, and I encourage all my constituents to complete the 2020 Census to ensure all are accurately counted.

– Congresswoman Elise Stefanik (NY-21)

Governor Cuomo has allowed sidewalk dining in Saratoga Springs. This should turn out to be a win-win for its residents, tourists and the finances of our city, provided our Covid-19 cases remain suppressed. According to most health experts, gathering outside as long as masks are worn before being seated and social distancing is abided by is considered low-risk of getting Covid-19. Now Saratoga is considering letting restaurants basically take over some sidewalks on some side streets and creating walkways on the streets with cement “jersey barriers” as safety buffers. 

So why stop there?

Let’s ask permission from the State to let S.S. have one of the two travel lanes of Broadway for parking (as a safety buffer) so tables can be put where the parking is now. They will hardly impede traffic flow as one lane will remain open in both directions and there will be minimal loss of on-street parking.  Deliveries can be made at a few designated parking spots for trucks only.

In other words, it will repurpose existing curb side parking lanes as expanded pedestrian and public space so Broadway restaurants and other businesses so the winning would be HUGE for all.

– Charlie Samuels

I thought I would give voice to the voiceless, defend the defenseless, and walk the walk, not talk the talk.  I thought I would shed some awareness of a situation that arises in our own hometown.  I would like to bring those in the dark into the light…

When I go to get ice cream at Stewarts, and I am greeted with friendliness and cheerfulness upon requesting a sample, when my friend, who requested a sample earlier,  is given no smile and is sneered at without eye contact…that is racism.

When I go to the checkout counter at the Saratoga Springs Public Library, and I am greeted with salutations, and served with eye contact, calm and relaxed service and smiles, but the man before me was given no eye contact from the checkout clerk, and even worse, serviced with a quick flurry of activity from the clerk to move him along as promptly as possible, and no salutations is offered…that is racism.

When I hear of a friend’s black son, attending high school at Saratoga Springs High School, sitting in a class, and the teacher admits to the whole class that he crosses the street when he sees a black person walking toward him, in order to walk on the sidewalk on the other side of the street…and even worse, nothing is done about it, no apology from the teacher in front of the whole class, no reprimand of the instructor…nothing in writing in the teacher’s record…that is racism.

Racism and bigotry knows no bounds, exists in more places, and occurs more frequently, than most white people can fathom.  When you have walked side by side with someone who is judged based on their color, and not on their character, perhaps some awareness will be awakened.  When you are sneered at or dismissed or disregarded while walking with your friend, perhaps you will “feel” what is means to be black…

Walk the walk, protest, give voice to the oppressed and victimized, and perhaps you will understand what white privilege is in your own home town.

– Rachel C. McDermott, Financial Representative