Three running for two seats on SL village board

SARANAC LAKE | The village election ballot on March 15 presents three candidates seeking two seats on the Saranac Lake Board of Trustees. Kelly Brunette is running on the Democrat and Stronger Saranac Lake party lines; Matthew Scollin is running on the Stronger Saranac Lake party line; and Susan Waters, a Democrat, is also running on the Common Sense independent party line. Trustees serve a four-year term. The Sun asked each candidate What is the most important issue facing the Village of Saranac Lake in the coming year? KELLY BRUNETTE Kelly Brunette said the most important issue is to "prioritize actions that can be taken locally to tackle our biggest challenges — affordable housing; climate change; health and safety; a strong economy with good jobs; and diversity, equity, and inclusion. Strengthen our neighborhoods through small, incremental improvements, and the adoption of policies that put residents first. Transform how the village engages with residents about budgeting, policy-making, and service delivery, and improve village infrastructure through long-range planning, prioritizing maintenance, and giving staff the resources and support to thrive." Bio: Kelly Brunette Education: Paul Smith's College and College of Environmental Science & Forestry. Previous government/civic organization experience: My service to our community began almost 20 years ago when I was employed by the Village of Saranac Lake for more than a decade. Community service includes; member, Downtown Advisory Board; DRI Project Committee; member, Pendragon Theater Board; Community Enhancement Committee; Music on the Green Committee; and the Adirondack Community Recreation Alliance. Family: Husband, Nick, two children, Brisa and Greta. MATTHEW SCOLLIN Scollin said "Like other desirable communities across the country, we are facing a serious housing crisis. We can't build our way out of it. We can't regulate our way out of it. We can't strategically plan our way out of it – though that was a good first step and I commend the work done so far by the housing task force. "We do need to attract new housing development. We do need to regulate short-term rentals, on some level. We do need to increase population density downtown, and wherever else it makes sense. We do need to prioritize infrastructural improvements that will support that increase in downtown density. And we do need to more fully explore the idea of deed restrictions, a market-based approach to increasing long-term housing stock while preserving the characters of our healthy and historic neighborhoods. All of those things are within the purview of the village board." Bio: Matt Scollin Education: Graduate of Saranac Lake High School; Cerro Coso Community College; Political Science degree from the University of New Hampshire. Previous government/civic organization experience: Constituent liaison and deputy district director for Congressman Bill Owens; former regional director for Congresswoman Elise Stefanik. Previously served as member of the DRI local planning committee; Saranac Lake Winter Carnival Committee; the Decidedly Different brand committee; and Saranac Lake Skatepark Committee. Currently a member of The Common Ground Alliance core team; DRI's project advisory committee; the New York State Association for Rural Health's membership committee; the Saint Bernard's School education council; the Saranac Lake Golf Club board of governors; the Saranac Lake Irish Gaelic Organization's executive committee, and moonlighting as vice-chair of the Saranac Lake Local Development Corporation. Family: Wife, Kristin, two children, Ryan and Cailin. SUSAN WATERS Waters said "Housing is unquestionably the most urgent challenge in Saranac Lake - it has reached a full-blown crisis. And our local economy is suffering: employers can't fill positions because people can't find homes. I want to apply my 25 years of affordable housing experience to finding practical solutions." Bio: Susan Waters Education: Bachelor of Journalism, University of Missouri, Columbia. Previous government/civic organization experience: Deputy Mayor/Trustee Village of Saranac Lake, 2007 to 10; Adirondack Habitat for Humanity, 10 years; Adirondack Community Housing Trust, six years; Homeward Bound Adirondacks; Adirondack Foundation Board. Coach and volunteer at Saranac Lake Central Schools, Paul Smith's College, and North Country Community College; Girl Scouts Young Women's Leadership Initiative; Saranac Lake Housing Plan Committee; Saranac Lake Comprehensive Planning Committee Family: Son, Nicholas. VOTE ON MARCH 15 Elections in Saranac Lake are on Tuesday, March 15 at the Harrietstown Town Hall, 39 Main St. In-person polling will take place in the Auditorium of the Harrietstown Town Hall (the same building as the Village main office) from 12 p.m. to 9 p.m. Please enter from the back of the building, signs will be present on Main Street to guide voters to the polls.

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Three running for two seats on SL village board

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