Betty Little hailed in ceremony renaming Lake George road in her honor

LAKE GEORGE | Betty Little, a prominent state legislator who represented a vast area of the Adirondacks for 26-plus years, was honored May 19 as dozens of community leaders, co-workers, and constituents gathered to witness an iconic Lake George road being renamed as "Betty Little Boulevard." In the ceremony, 10 speakers praised her for protecting the quality of Lake George, balancing environmental initiatives with encouraging economic prosperity, seeking solutions to issues in a bipartisan manner, and leading the way for women in the political realm. Guest speaker Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul said that Little had been a role model for her as she pursued a career in politics, describing her as "fiercely competitive" yet diplomatic, and a "powerhouse" bipartisan politician who blazed a new trail for women in New York State. "She was able to survive 34 years in this position in a fairly male-dominated world — a little rough and tumble," she said. "She's got the heart of a lioness." Hochul said that Little could convince other legislators to adopt her points of view and that her successors, state Sen. Dan Stec and Assemblyman Matt Simpson, would be held to "the Betty standard." "When she wanted something for her district, she made sure everybody in our state Capitol knew what it was and that she was going to get it," Hochul said. "She never let politics or party interfere with her ability to get the job done and to represent the people, not just of her district, but truly the people of her state." Sen. Little described as effective in building consensus Stec said Little was continuing to be a valuable mentor to him. "Sen. Little is everything that a public servant can and should be," he said. Simpson said that Little was able to build consensus among people and groups in the Adirondacks representing many differing points of view. He said that when she hosts meetings, "all of a sudden everybody becomes just focused on a good path forward. Just her presence brings the best out in all of us," he said. "Her leadership has been based on decency, honor, and respect." Lake George Land Conservancy Executive Director Jamie Brown said that Little had obtained funding for countless vital environmental initiatives, calling her "a real champion for Lake George" and the environment. "It's really amazing to see how Senator Little worked with so many different people to accomplish all these great things," he said. "She's going to leave a legacy of being a real leader — showing cooperation by reaching across the aisle. It's something that frankly isn't done that much today." Jeff Killeen, president of the Lake George Association/FUND for Lake George, said that 10 years ago, Little had given him blunt advice to change course and work on "building partnerships and balancing interests," and this had resulted in the merger of two environmental organizations which area officials say can now exert greater influence. "Betty, you took the right road from the very beginning, and you stayed on a perfect steadfast course, always focused on the right issues and on the right ideas, and now you have your own road," Killeen said. Area leaders: Little's influence was substantial Lake George Park Commission Chairman Bruce Young said that Little worked tirelessly "behind the scenes" to build support and obtain funding for vital efforts to protect Lake George including fighting milfoil and inspecting boats for invasive species. "Everybody here knows that when you're faced with a problem when dealing with a state, you called Betty and she got it taken care of," he said. Mayor Robert Blais said that the roadway being dedicated to Little, West Brook Road, was appropriate as it bordered state, county, village, and town property and that it bisected the Charles Wood Environmental Park for which Little secured many millions of dollars to make it a reality. The park not only features wetlands that remove pollutants in the stormwater before it reaches the state, but it hosts the Festival Commons which hosts concerts and major events. Blais praised Little for focusing on preserving the lake's purity as well as encouraging economic vitality. "Lake George was always Betty's first priority — And today our lake is just as pristine as it will ever be, because of what Betty did," he said. Warren County Economic Development Corp President Jim Siplon said Little was a skilled consensus builder. "Everyone was part of the solution," he said. Warren County CEO: Sen. Little wasn't the typical combative politician Ryan Moore said that it was Little's admirable character that made her so effective. "The qualities often praised in government and in politics are combativeness and ego, self-centeredness and one's ability to 'land a blow' — but none of those are the qualities that describe Betty Little," he said. "Betty Little is kind and fair; she's respectful. She's the type of person that we all aspire to be." Warren County Board of Supervisors Chairwoman Rachel Seeber said that Little had been a trailblazer for women in state government. "As the first elected chairwoman of the board, I am personally grateful for all of your hard-fought battles, your advocacy — and your advice and friendship," she said. Glens Falls Mayor Dan Hall praised Little for the many initiatives she had accomplished for the city. Responding to the accolades, Little said she was surprised and humbled when she heard of Mayor Blais' idea of renaming West Brook Road for her. "Ladies and gentlemen, thank you," she said with a smile. "This is unreal. This is a day I'll never forget."

Signup for our newsletter

Betty Little hailed in ceremony renaming Lake George road in her honor

COMPANY

CUSTOMER SUPPORT

SUBMISSION FORMS

BEYOND THE NEWS