To the editor:

On Tuesday, I’ll be proudly casting my ballot for Paul Van Cott and Aurora White for village trustees. Yes, Paul is my dad, so I have to like him a little bit, but he is also far and away the best candidate to step into office at this crucial point for the village’s future.

In the last two years the village government has lost decades of institutional knowledge with the departures of longtime staff. While the idea of “new blood” and “fresh ideas” is a good thing, it is clear that someone with experience in government is needed to help the relatively “fresh” mayor and current trustees govern and communicate better and support a largely “fresh” staff in helping the village function at its best. With DRI projects ongoing, a large public safety project(s) in the making, and a dire need for housing, now is the time when we need that institutional knowledge back, and Paul Van Cott is the man for the job. The efforts during the 2010s to bring DRI funding to our downtown, for example, happened because my dad knew how to do the work to make it happen. Efforts that we’ve seen starting to pay off in the last 2-4 years. We need that knowhow, and that energy, in our government.

My dad is a positive guy who is only running to bring his experience to the table and collaborate with the existing board for a better future for us all.

With a decades long legal career, years of experience in actual Saranac Lake local government as trustee, and a truly selfless love for our village, Paul Van Cott will be a trustee that continues Saranac Lake’s forward momentum.

Aurora White is also the kind of trustee the village needs. Her detail oriented focus on budgetary matters, and focus on problem solving will be a welcome addition, especially given the ongoing conversation surrounding upgraded public safety facilities. Aurora will be a trustee that digs in to see what will actually work, without undue burden on tax payers, and with less focus on “the best answer for right now.”

One of the reasons I love this community so much is the care for the wellbeing of each other, the village itself, and the area surrounding us. This is a special place, and this dedication is exemplified by the multiple candidates who are running for village trustee this election year — they all truly care. That said, Paul Van Cott and Aurora White are the only candidates who are truly qualified to meet this crucial moment for our village with positivity and experience, focused on Saranac Lake’s future. Please join me in voting Team Saranac Lake!

Dylan Van Cott

Saranac Lake