Aurora White (Provided photo)

SARANAC LAKE — Five candidates are in the running for two seats on the Saranac Lake Village Board of Trustees.

Four of those candidates are on the ballot. Independents Sean Ryan and Katie Stiles are running on the Republican Party line as well as the independent “Sean Ryan for Saranac Lake” and “Integrity for Saranac Lake” party lines, respectively. Paul Van Cott and Aurora White are running a joint ticket on the Democratic and independent “Team Saranac Lake” party lines.

Fred Balzac, a Democrat, did not secure the Democratic line and did not file paperwork to get an independent line on the ballot and is instead running a write-in campaign.

Voters will choose two of these candidates to serve a four-year term. They will serve along with existing members of the village board — Mayor Jimmy Williams, Deputy Mayor Matt Scollin and Trustee Kelly Brunette.

A forum with the candidates on the ballot can be viewed on the Enterprise’s Facebook page in two parts at tinyurl.com/yk38tzk2 and tinyurl.com/4f2cc5jb.

On Election Day, March 19, polls will be open from noon to 9 p.m. in the Harrietstown Town Hall auditorium.

Each election cycle, the Enterprise issues candidates a questionnaire, which they can answer in their own words.

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Aurora White

Age: 47

Occupation: Lead Technical Analyst (Data Analyst)

Position sought: Saranac Lake Village Trustee

Why are you running for this position?

I love Saranac Lake, which is why my family and I chose to move here years ago. I am running for office because I believe our village government must become more inclusive and better support all residents, regardless of age or circumstance. We have a significant percentage of households that make under $40,000 a year. Drawing on my financial expertise, I’m committed to keeping our taxes in check while ensuring that everyone in our community, including families with children and elderly individuals, have access to affordable housing and essential services. I am running because I want to ensure our village becomes more financially, socially, and environmentally sustainable tomorrow than it is today.

What are your qualifications?

I have worked in the finance and health care sector as an accountant, auditor and analyst for over 25 years. I also bring a wealth of experience in financial management and budgetary oversight to the role of a Saranac Lake Village Trustee. I have seven years of experience helping to develop and monitor the school district’s $30-plus million dollar budget, as well as experience in the planning and execution of a substantial capital improvement project, several contract negotiations, policy maintenance and development, and improvements to the availability and use of technology throughout the district. I also have a proven track record in increasing public visibility into the governing process and encouraging public engagement at school board meetings to ensure that all voices were represented.

What are your main goals?

My main goals as a Saranac Lake village trustee are to prioritize affordability, promote sustainability, enhance community engagement and increase transparency and accountability to the governing process. I am dedicated to ensuring that Saranac Lake remains an inclusive and welcoming community for residents of all backgrounds. This involves making decisions with careful consideration of their financial implications on our community and property taxes. Additionally, I am committed to advocating for tailored affordable housing initiatives to address the diverse needs of our population while preserving the unique character of our village. Furthermore, we must address the needs of our fire department, police department and rescue squad for updated facilities. It is essential to look at all options for the emergency services building to find a solution that not only fits the needs of our community but is also financially sustainable. By fostering a transparent and inclusive decision-making process, I plan to work collaboratively as a board, and the community to create an environment where everyone feels valued and supported.

What do you think are the three biggest problems in the town, and how do you propose solving them?

In my conversations with residents across the village, three of the topics that have repetitively been raised are: Governance processes, infrastructure and housing availability.

Governing issues: I believe in openness, honesty and accountability in our governing process. Residents should know how we are using their tax dollars and why decisions are made. We need to be better at distributing information in a timely manner, answering questions and encouraging public input before decisions are made. I plan on proposing we appoint citizens to the Emergency Services Facility Committee as promised on the village website. I would also propose a more planned approach to creating the annual budget with clearly defined roles and deliverables. I promise to go through the budget line by line and analyze previous years actual expenditures in order to account for the increases or decreases in our spending. I am committed to fostering an open and inclusive governing process that prioritizes transparency and public input.

Infrastructure: We are fortunate to have experienced professionals in our community who contribute their expertise to our various task forces and committees. I am dedicated to updating our village’s comprehensive plan to assess our infrastructure’s current condition, identify community needs and plan for necessary future updates. This includes evaluating the state of our sidewalks to ensure accessibility to the downtown area. I propose utilizing a portion of our unapplied fund balance to enhance sidewalks and curbing, promoting accessibility to downtown and our public spaces. Additionally, it’s imperative to continue supporting the maintenance and improvement of our water and sewer systems and plan for necessary updates. Exploring multiple options for the emergency services facility, as well as the property on 33 Petrova Avenue, will help us to settle on a solution that will best address the needs of the community. Construction or renovation costs, as well as maintenance and operating costs must be included in the analysis in order to define the financial impact to the taxpayers and to make sure that the proposed solution is financially sustainable.

Housing Availability: The lack of affordable housing options stands as one of our community’s top concerns. As noted previously, I am deeply committed to ensuring access to safe, affordable and dignified housing options for all residents. To help address the issue of housing availability, I propose we provide additional resources to the Housing Task Force to create public outreach programs, reduce the barriers to adding new units to our housing inventory at residential properties, work directly with the Development Board to right-size solutions and recommend policy adjustments to streamline the review process. Additional solutions to explore include:

¯ Ensuring there are adequate household options for residents across income levels, including low-income families, seniors, and individuals with disabilities.

¯ Encouraging Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs), to increase both the housing supply and homeowners’ income.

¯ Assisting homeowners, particularly seniors and low-income families, in maintaining their homes by finding and applying for available grants.

¯ Identifying households, such as empty nesters, who could benefit from redesigning their space to include an apartment to help share their housing costs.

¯ Promoting the creation of inclusive housing options, such as co-housing and intergenerational living arrangements.

Other comments to voters?

Throughout my campaign I have been overwhelmed by the support I have received not only by my family and friends but from the community as well. Your encouragement and confidence inspire me, and I pledge to represent your interests with integrity, dedication and transparency. I firmly believe that public involvement is paramount for effective governance, and I look forward to hearing your ideas and concerns as we strive to be a little better each day then we were the day before. Thank you for your trust and your vote on Election Day.