To the editor:

My family has lived in Saranac Lake for five generations. I have chosen to work and maintain a business here for the past 30-plus years. My commitment to the village and my connections run deep, so it saddens me to see the self-imposed divisions of the village board.

There presently is a lack of understanding regarding creative input by others being a smarter approach than the simplistic, top-down view of solving problems. Democracy, with its inclusivity, is messy, but generally yields better results we can all live with.

As a former Chair of the Downtown Advisory Board, I have known and worked with Kelly Brunette for several years. Her focus on positive outcomes, through consensus, has been impressive. Always listening, waiting, thinking, then at the right time presenting intelligent approaches to the challenge, she does not dictate an unwavering decision where certainty can often indicate arrogance.

Kelly Brunette’s track record of accomplishments are many, which have often gone unnoticed. If you want to change the village board dynamics to an open forum where ideas of others are heard and respected, then vote for Kelly Brunette and the full Democratic ticket on March 18.

Timothy Fortune

Bloomingdale