To the Editor:

Well, that time of year is here again! The time when the leaves change their colors, the air is a bit chillier, candidates for town board resurface, and some letters to the editor reflect a general ignorance of our local issues.

Headlines for letters like “New Scotland is unfriendly to small business,” “New voice needed … against anti-business attitudes,” “Who would want to open a business … .”  The author of one of these letters is a small-business owner who, as far as I know, has never had a business-related issue with the town. Another is from a Republican Committee member who regularly surfaces at election time. And the last is from the Republican Committee Chairman. Hmmmm.

Let’s be honest here. Track 32 is a busy, wonderful, new small business that moved as quickly as possible through the planning and building process. Our planning board recently also approved a new, modest retail development on Route 85A between Falvo’s and Stonewell.

In all, the town of New Scotland hosts well over five dozen businesses, small and large! If allotted by square miles of the town, that would be more than one for every square mile! Just because the town board doesn’t wish to have New Scotland lit up like Wolf Road or want a WalMart-type big box, that doesn’t mean we are unfriendly to business. It’s our rural nature that attracts both business and residential development.

This is why, for the last several years (the post big-box era), the residents of New Scotland have elected the town board we have! Subsequently, that town board has replaced planning board members with excellent people who refuse to just rubber stamp any and all development.

This is just one of the many reasons that I would ask for your consideration on Election Day, of our town board candidates, Adam Greenberg and Dan Leinung. Adam has actively helped me throughout his first term as councilman, even more than we should expect from the position. Dan has been regularly attending town board meetings and doing an excellent job as one of our planning board members.

I am also up for re-election this year, but do not have an opponent. It has been extremely humbling that the people of New Scotland have been so supportive throughout my many elections and I never will take that for granted. To do my job for you, though, I need a town board that works hard with me to do what’s right for our town. Dan and Adam are committed to doing just that!

On Nov. 7, please vote for Adam Greenberg and Dan Leinung for town council, Diane Deschenes for town clerk, Ken Guyer for highway superintendent, Robert Johnson for town justice, and Doug LaGrange for town supervisor.

Doug LaGrange

New Scotland