Why I Am Running for Glens Falls Ward 5 Councilperson
When I started to learn how to run for Glens Falls Councilperson two months ago, I had been rediscovering myself and taking the next step to finalizing my marriage to Michael Biele. I began to look back at the past ten years as a couple; not only reminiscing about our relationship but the small city in upstate New York that I came to love.
During a late January 5K, I ran from our home at Feeder Bend to the bustling Downtown Glens Falls to our first apartment on Nelson Street past our second apartment on Ridge Street to the Feeder Canal Trail. Once there, I realized that running on the trail after a major snowstorm mixed with icy rain was very tumultuous and potentially dangerous. But as I slowed my pace, running along the canal, over the Water Street bridge, and through Overlook Drive toward Feeder Bend made me realize the number of changes to the area since I moved up here.
South Street, while still in construction, is nearly unrecognizable when I first drove up to Glens Falls in 2015. Nelson Street has a new dog park, after tearing down the children’s playground recently. Ridge Street has seen tons of new developments, from restaurants to bookstores to short-term living rentals. The Centennial Circle now has two wonderful murals that bring color to the area. City Hall now has a cover over the stair entrance, allowing the local Department of Public Works to prevent snow and ice from causing slip-and-falls. The Feeder Canal Trail now has two additional pedestrian bridges, with more trails, bridges, and park developments in the work at the nearby Haviland’s Cove Park.
Change is inevitable in life, some good and some bad. While it might be distressing and sad to watch something change into something new, if done right, it will inspire more new developments in so many ways. Once I learned how to work through my heightened anxiety and depression, trained my mind to appreciate meditation, opened up about mental health struggles with friends and family, rebuilt my attention by limiting the endless-strolling social media feeds, and rediscovered my love of putting thoughts to paper as well as reading, I can now say that my life has value as it does for all of us. Through these changes and guidance, I have unleashed my boundless creative energy. I became a supporter and framed photographer at LARAC, wrote 30,000 words across 25 essays (some of which is about two locally produced plays at the Wood Theater), and cultivated a courageousness that had been lost in me for a long time.
As I collected 43 signatures in my neighborhood, I met a small fraction of the folks that make up Glens Falls Ward 5. I learned the struggles of procuring Federal grants from Jeff Flagg, the decades of history among neighborhood feuds, the concern from folks surrounding unsafe drivers, the excitement from dog owners on the future of Haviland Cove Park, the guiding philosophy of holding office from Margaret Farrell, and so much more. Our neighborhood in Glens Falls is as vibrant as the country, whether young, old, rich, poor, middle class, black, white, Asian, or Hispanic, we are all looking to make our lives and the lives of others better. And that is what I will try and accomplish, no matter if I become a councilperson or not.
I have attended a half dozen Common Council public meetings so far this year, learning about the various issues and updates in the city. Just by listening (or talking during public comment), I am making a difference; showing our elected officials that I care about this city. For those of a certain political persuasion, this year can be scary, with so many uncertainties and changes in store for America and the world. But remember to keep holding your head high; live to fight disinformation and despair. And keep showing up for your local community.
This November 4th, if you live in the Glens Falls Ward 5 community, vote for Sean Palladino. I will listen to you and help make sure our city remains a beacon of hope for all.
