Better Saranac Lake

08/09/2025

📝 Village Board Recap – July 28, 2025

This meeting covered decisions on arts, recreation, grants, and community safety. Here’s what happened:

Village Notes 2025-07-28 Jul 28 Written By Saranac Lake Democrats Board Actions(Trustee White participated virtually and was therefore unable to vote.) BILL 96 (Passed 4–0): Appointment to Arts & Culture Advisory BoardThe Board approved members for the Arts & Culture Advisory Board. BILL 97 (Passe...

08/04/2025

Saranac Lake has a long history of building together. Parks. Trails. Rec centers. Downtown spaces.
We succeed when the community is involved — not just a few people behind closed doors.

This isn’t about politics. It’s about process.
It’s about trust.
It’s about our village.

Share this. Talk about it. Show up.
Because we build better when we build together.

Emergency Services Complex Floor Plan 2025-08-01 Aug 2 Written By Saranac Lake Democrats 🚨 Public Records Reveal New $30 Million+ Emergency Services Complex Floor Plan(Obtained through FOIL — not provided by the Village)For two years, residents have been asking for information about the Village...

08/03/2025

🚨Just in: An updated $30 million + “concept floor plan” for an Emergency Services Complex.

Trustees and the public ask the Mayor for updates at every single public meeting.
Crickets.

We didn’t get this from him — we got it from a citizen who FOILed the NY State Parks & Historic Sites.

So… what’s the Mayor hiding?
And why keep it from the public?

05/28/2025

Good governance means clear rules, fair enforcement, and putting community first.

Last night, Trustee Kelly Brunette and the Village Board took another step toward protecting housing accessibility by updating Saranac Lake’s Short Term Rental law.

These changes eliminate loopholes, clarify definitions, and ensure the law works the way it was intended — preserving neighborhoods and keeping more homes available for year-round residents.

https://www.mynbc5.com/.../saranac-lake-village.../64896348

Board member Kelly Brunette said the goal is to protect the community's neighborhoods, support STR operators, preserve housing opportunities for year-round residents, and "ensure transparency, safety and fairness in the STR market."

05/28/2025

Accessibility shouldn’t be optional — it should be a given.

In her latest letter to the editor, Village Trustee Aurora White raises an important point: while we celebrate progress on parks and public spaces, we must also ensure every public building — including our police station — is accessible to all.

Read her full piece in the Adirondack Daily Enterprise:
📰 https://www.adirondackdailyenterprise.com/opinion/letters-to-the-editor/2025/05/accessibility-shouldnt-be-optional

Let’s keep pushing for a Village that works for everyone.

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’...

05/16/2025

📝 Village Board Recap – May 12, 2025
Here’s what happened at Monday’s meeting — big discussions, big decisions, and big questions:

🏠 33 Petrova:
600+ residents signed a petition urging the Village to study housing options at the site.

📣 STR Law Hearing:
Residents shared smart, thoughtful feedback on improving the Short-Term Rental Law — from denying renewals for bad actors to protecting neighborhood quality of life.

🏘️ Community Development Update:
• Baldwin Park demo starts fall 2025
• Woodruff St. upgrades planned for 2026
• 9 storefronts expected to go vacant

Read more here:

Village Notes 2025-05-12 May 12 Written By Saranac Lake Democrats Do OutsSewer Rate Hearing: A public hearing was scheduled for proposed 2025–2026 sewer rates.Public HearingThe Board held a public hearing on proposed changes to the Short-Term Rental (STR) Law. Residents provided constructive and t...

04/29/2025

Back in the summer of 2022, a group of residents and families spoke up.
They asked for safer ways to walk and bike along Ampersand Avenue — especially for kids heading to the Civic Center, the Bike Park, and beyond.

The Village listened.
Bike lanes were painted.
And, well … let's just say the ex*****on became a bit infamous.

The wavy lines, the missing symbols and signs — the social media memes came fast and furious.
Some even mocked the idea of advocating for safer streets altogether.

But here’s the thing: pushing for a better community is never wrong. Read more: https://www.saranaclakedems.com/meeting-notes/ampersandsidewalk

04/27/2025

Music to bring people together 💚

Free concerts Wednesdays at 7PM in Riverside Park, starting July 2.

Let’s gather, dance, and celebrate the vibrant, welcoming community here in Saranac Lake. See you on the Green!

04/23/2025

📋 Village Board Recap – April 14, 2025
Here’s what you need to know from the latest Saranac Lake Village Board meeting:

📌 A resident flagged that sewer rate changes weren’t posted before the public hearing—as required by law. The Village will post them ASAP.

🗣 The tentative budget hearing raised concerns about budget changes that hadn’t been discussed publicly. Though the Board planned to keep the hearing open, it was closed to meet the April 15 deadline.

🗳️ Transparency, accessibility, and infrastructure are front and center. Stay informed. Stay involved.

Village Notes 2025-04-14 Apr 14 Written By Saranac Lake Democrats Do Outs📌 Post Sewer Rates: After a resident pointed out that proposed sewer rate changes had not been posted prior to the public hearing—as required by New York State Law—the Village will post them online as soon as possible.Pu...

04/23/2025

What Is Due Process — And Why Does It Matter Locally?

At its core, due process means fairness under the law. It’s the constitutional guarantee that no one can be deprived of life, liberty, or property without proper legal procedures and protections.

In our local democracy, due process is the foundation of:
✔️ Transparent government decision-making
✔️ Fair zoning and land use reviews
✔️ Accountability in law enforcement
✔️ Public hearings where every voice is heard

Whether it's a neighbor applying for a variance or a village resident facing enforcement action, everyone deserves a fair process.

We believe that justice, transparency, and equity start at the local level. Due process isn’t just a legal term—it’s a promise we make to each other as a community.

04/11/2025

Malone has one. Plattsburgh has two. Ticonderoga? Yep, they’ve got one too. So why not us?

A YMCA in the Village of Saranac Lake would be a game-changer.

We support investment in youth, families, and public health. We believe every child in Saranac Lake deserves opportunity, support, and a place to grow.

Let’s keep this conversation going. The future we build reflects the values we choose today.

To the editor: The average attention span for an adult is 8.25 seconds (less than that of a goldfish). I’ll make this quick, I promise. The zip code where you are raised can determine your future. I was born and raised here. Although I left for many years as an adult, I chose to return […]

04/03/2025

As the state budget deadline approaches, so does a major decision about the future of Saranac Lake, the New York State Adirondack Park Agency, and our Village of Saranac Lake's emergency services complex.

What began as a hopeful win-win—bringing the APA headquarters downtown and building a new public safety complex—has grown complicated. Funding gaps, environmental permits, and conflicting priorities threaten to leave both projects hanging in limbo.

This guest commentary dives into the choices that lie ahead for our community and our state:
https://www.adirondackalmanack.com/2025/03/adirondack-park-agency-headquarters-parade.html

Do you care about transparent planning, responsible budgeting, and local input in decisions? What happens next will shape Saranac Lake’s future.

Like a slow-moving homecoming parade, the process begun three years ago to relocate the Adirondack Park Agency’s headquarters is approaching a critical juncture.