To the editor:

It’s that time of year! Election season is in full swing, and before you all cast your votes, I’d like to weigh in on one gentleman whom I feel is most qualified for your vote as Franklin County legislator — Cliff Donaldson. I’ve known Cliff for all 31 years of my life and witnessed firsthand his devotion to North Country residents, including millennials like myself. His commitment to young people in terms of educational opportunity and professional growth are admirable in every sense of the word.

While Cliff served on the Saranac Lake Central School District Board of Education, he also welcomed two foreign exchange students into his home simultaneously — one of whom was my classmate for the 2003-04 academic year. After both of us graduated in 2006, he returned to the U.S. from his home country to enroll in a business program at Bard College. Cliff was indispensable in helping him adjust to life once again far from home, and he continued to support him as a mentor as the years went on. To this day, they maintain a strong relationship, and it is clear Cliff made a lasting impression on this young man’s personal life and professional career. I have no doubt that Cliff would exhibit the same virtues of humility, trustworthiness and loyalty in equal measure as county legislator.

Cliff was also an invaluable influence early on in my career, leveraging his many state and federal-level networks to help secure my first internship at the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C. This experience cemented my own commitment to public service and served as a springboard to future graduate programs, as well as my current profession as a federal and commercial sector consultant. I credit Cliff for advocating on behalf of our rural youth and striving to provide a conduit for our success — all the while donating his time and efforts freely, unapologetically and whole-heartedly.

I fully endorse Cliff Donaldson as your candidate for Franklin County legislator. He is the kind of person who will always have your best interests at heart and will work tirelessly to create opportunities for our communities to flourish. Come Nov. 5 — choose Cliff!

Krista Tuthill Jakschis

Cologne, Germany