To the Editor:

My name is Steve Warr and currently I serve as a Trustee on the Board of the Village of Potsdam. I hope you will join me in supporting Democrats Jason Clark, Jim Bunstone, Ryan Warr, and Rick Perkins, who are either candidates for re-election or election to the St Lawrence County Board of Legislators on Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2014.

I have served on various boards in Potsdam for close to forty years. That experience has taught me that you don’t win every argument or get everything your own way. During decision making, if you have good ideas that can be developed, or promising alternatives, then people will listen. In any case at that point, you vote and move on to the next challenge.

I read with interest about people currently on the County Board of Legislators and some who have chosen not to run again, who lament the state of the County and toss all the blame on the Board’s Democratic majority. At the end of the day, all Legislators shared in the decision making process. Every Legislator had skin in the game, had an opportunity to be involved in the decision making process, and had opportunities to offer worthy alternatives.

It does not serve the people of St. Lawrence County for the naysayers to continue to deny involvement, to deny any good decisions have been made since the last election, and to continue to criticize the Board majority as part of a campaign tactic. I am sure voters in this County are tired of the rhetorical complaints, the lack of unison on our board and the fact that some Legislators don’t remember that they represent us. I say it is time to focus on the future and not on the past.

The proposed County budget is out and it includes money for highways, an increase to the fund balance and stays under the tax cap. All who contributed to this should be congratulated. I firmly believe the county in on the right track moving forward. If you, as a voter, believe the same, then the Democrats need to stay in the majority. If you believe that change in needed, then vote that way. I am going to support those local Democrats running in November, to include Jason Clark, Jim Bunstone, Ryan Warr, and Rick Perkins.

These men will add common sense, a strong work ethic, and a single-minded focus on the future issues facing County residents. This letter does not mean to cast any bad light on their competition. It is intended to serve notice that we need to back the group of Legislators who have guided us this far and add allies who share their forward thinking.

Steve Warr, Potsdam