Saratoga Springs needs experience in mayor’s post
My name is Meg Kelly, and I am running to be your next mayor of Saratoga Springs. I have spent most of my life finding new ways to give back to the city that raised me and gave me such amazing opportunities. I am intensely dedicated to improving our community that will be responsible for raising our children and grandchildren. In essence, running to serve as your Mayor is a personal choice my family has made to continue our commitment to the city of Saratoga Springs.
My family has a long history of public service, and in many unique ways. My husband, Doug Mills, served as Saratoga Springs City Court Judge appointed by Ellsworth Jones in 1988 and was elected to that same position in 1998. Doug also served on many boards including The Red Cross, Spaha, and The Hospital Foundation to name a few. My daughter Egan has also volunteered with the Salvation Army, Aides Orphan Education Trust, and Franklin Community Center.
Personally, I have worked in Saratoga Springs since I was 14 years old. Over the last 30 years I have worked as an LPGA golf instructor, one of the first female instructors in the northeast; I’ve authored an instructional golf guide, Easy Golf, and I’ve served as the publisher of Saratoga Lifestyles magazine. As a golf instructor, I always made time for children’s lessons, offering scholarships for those needing assistance. In 2008, I founded the Saratoga Children’s Theatre, which I ran for eight years, growing the business to benefit thousands of children, and again making sure scholarships were available to those families who needed assistance. My continued commitment to local families through sports, and the arts reflects a deeper belief in mentorship and the need to help foster creativity, focus, determination and healthy competition.
Over the past year, I have served as deputy mayor in city hall. Immediately, I began using my business experience to improve operations in the mayor’s departments, creating better relations and efficiencies. A well-run government saves time, aggravations, and most importantly money. It is an ongoing commitment and we continue to make progress every day. I’ve gained invaluable insight into how the city’s government operates and hope to bring my no-nonsense approach and business savvy to the mayor’s office.
While our city is steadily moving forward, there are important issues that must be addressed. I promote growth and business but only when it serves the city as a whole and must fit within our city’s long term vision. We cannot sacrifice our open spaces, the very characteristics that make our City so desirable, for short term gains that benefit a few stakeholders. We need to continue down the path of increasing our city wide green initiatives, pushing for sustainability is not only the right thing to do, it’s also good business.
We need to build affordable workforce housing so that every individual who contributes to our businesses and community can work and live in Saratoga Springs. We need to promote our city’s art, culture, and unique family-run businesses that make Saratoga Springs such an attractive destination for travelers. I believe that serving our city’s residents and capitalizing on our tourist industry should not be a binary choice. They are interdependent and we have the ability to do both. I learned a long time ago that being a good business person means being a good person first. We should not abandon our compassion for our fellow citizens simply because it’s easier to look the other way. I am very proud to live in a community that has created Code Blue and I am committed to working with all the wonderful volunteers, as well as Shelters of Saratoga, to help create its permanent home.
In order to accomplish this, we will need an experienced mayor, with proven leadership and business skills. Someone who will promote growth while staying vigilant over quality of life issues. I believe that I am uniquely qualified to be your mayor and am honored to be the endorsed by the Democratic Party, Working Families Party and Women’s Equality Party. Please consider voting for me this November and in the meantime, I look forward to meeting and talking with as many of you that I can to hear your ideas and suggestions. You can contact me through my website MegKellyforMayor.com or email me at MegKellyformayor@gmail.com. Meg Kelly is the Democratic candidate for Saratoga Springs mayor.