To the editor:

At our most recent village board meeting, I proposed that we allocate funding to make the main entrance of the Saranac Lake Police Department ADA accessible. The response? A flat dismissal from the mayor, who said the Armory isn’t our building and that accessibility upgrades aren’t our responsibility. The idea — and I — were shut down.

This isn’t about property ownership. It’s about how we choose to serve the public.

At the same meeting, the board unanimously approved spending over $6,000 to audit accessibility at 12 village parks — many of which were already improved through recent state grants. The bill, sponsored by Trustee (Sean) Ryan, included the statement: “the Village Board acknowledges that accessibility for people with disabilities is important for the people of the Village of Saranac Lake at all of our municipal parks.”

I would think that this sentiment naturally extends to all public facilities — not just parks, but also our police station and every building that serves the public. We also continue to fund up to $5,000 in accessibility upgrades for local businesses through the “Access to Everyone” program launched by the previous administration. These are important efforts — and they make this contradiction all the more glaring. And yet, we can’t invest in making the front door of our police station accessible?

The village manager and police chief should absolutely guide how the entrance is adapted. But they need the resources to do that work. It’s our role, as a village board, to ensure those resources are available. Dismissing the need outright sends the message that accessibility is negotiable — something we address only when it’s easy or when it’s visible.

That’s not leadership. That’s optics.

Let’s not forget: we moved our police station from the center of the village to its outskirts. This facility now serves people in moments of crisis, emergency and need — including those with disabilities. No one should have to struggle — physically or otherwise — to get through the front door.

Our police chief, our officers, and the Department of Public Works have done an outstanding job physically moving the department to the new location. Many of them have volunteered their own time to handle critical adjustments — setting up servers, refreshing the paint, and making the space fit their needs. The village manager coordinated with an electrician to complete necessary electrical upgrades. The police chief worked on getting a soft interview room set up to have a more comfortable atmosphere to talk to those who need help. I want to thank all of them for their extra effort to ensure the our police officers and our residents have access to the services they need. These are important efforts — and they make this contradiction all the more glaring. Their dedication deserves our support.

If we truly value equity, inclusion and public service, that commitment must extend to every public building — including the one housing our police officers and the services they provide.

The people of Saranac Lake deserve a village board that listens, collaborates and makes decisions together. What we saw instead was the mayor alone deciding that this investment isn’t worth it. We can be better.

Let’s do the right thing. Let’s do better.

Aurora White

Saranac Lake