After being elected in a landslide in 2023, Tim has been a hardworking, candid and openhearted member of Wilmington’s town board for almost four years. He ran for town supervisor two years ago and lost that election by a mere 21 votes.

Tim has been a public figure for four years. His track record is available to anyone who wants to see it. In addition to his town newsletters, the local newspapers have published quite a few op-eds authored by Tim.

Again, his opposition views all of this as negative.

Tim has persevered despite the lies and mudslinging that have been aimed at him for more than three years. One of their favorite falsehoods is that Tim is anti-business. Despite what his detractors allege, Tim supports positive development in Wilmington.

Tim continues to push to get the agenda so many of us voted for in 2023 accomplished. He has created and submitted amendments to the zoning ordinance that could protect Wilmington from undesirable development.

One might think that, because nearly half the town’s voters showed up to support Tim and his ideas, the majority of the current town board would have respected Tim and his platform over the past two years. Those of us who attend the meetings are aware that, unfortunately, that has not been the case.

As an example of what Tim’s amendments could accomplish: Dollar General recently tried to set up in Wilmington. They failed because the APA denied them based on their building site location, which was on a wetland. Some people wanted the store; most did not. But with Tim’s amendments in place Wilmington would have some control over what they built. With Tim’s amendments in place we could insist that the design be compatible with a higher level of aesthetics. We could have a dollar store more like the one in Lake Placid and less like the ones in Ausable Forks and Bloomingdale. And if the business were to fail there would be a desirable building left behind for another business to occupy. An attractive building is far more marketable than the ugly shells that dollar stores normally build.

With Tim’s amendments in place the KOA trailer park in the middle of Wilmington would not have been possible. They would have had to create a buffer blocking sightline from view of the streets and of their neighbors. Of all the feedback and complaints I hear, the loudest is about the blight that is Riverside KOA.

Tim cares about finally moving forward with creating affordable housing. He knows that we need to update our comprehensive plan and is eager to pursue grant opportunities as communities around us have. He has worked tirelessly over the past three years to keep the tax burden on Wilmington’s citizens as low as possible. He was the only member of the town board who voted against overriding the “tax cap” in each of the past three years.

In short, Tim is exactly what Wilmington needs: Someone who is fully engaged and invested, as well as motivated, determined, and hard-working.

Wilmington is ripe for the picking. As a neighbor to Lake Placid and home to Whiteface Mountain, it is just a matter of time before more developers descend. Let’s be ready for them!

Enough of the excuses and kicking the can down the road. Wilmington has had more than enough of that.

Speaking of which: The candidacy of Sam Haselton.

I am sure Sam has positive qualities. Certainly, he has supporters.

However, as far as I know, Sam has shown no interest in town issues in the past few decades — or ever.

I have been attending town board and planning board meetings for three years and have never seen Sam at a single meeting until Favor Smith abruptly announced that he was withdrawing from the town supervisor election.

I have read Sam’s political literature. It sounds nice. Not a single sentence of substance or specifics, but it sounds nice.

Sam explains that he is just now interested in seeking political office because he is now retired and has the time.

All the people on the town board work for a living and make the time to fulfill the duties of their elected offices.

Perhaps he was too busy to run for office. If he was genuinely interested in Wilmington’s future development he could have attended the town board or planning board meetings He chose not to attend those meetings.

I do not know Sam Haselton. But I do know he has no public service record, track record in office or history of attendance at town meetings. I also know that we are a few weeks from Election Day and he has not provided Wilmington’s voters with a single thoughtful or serious policy, plan or proposal.

To me, the choice is clear.

Wilmington town supervisor is not a job for someone who needs a year or two to get up to speed on the basics. Nor is it a job for someone who — after decades of complete disinterest — suddenly becomes intrigued a few weeks before Election Day.

I’ll be voting for Tim Follos, and I hope you will, too.

He’s earned it.

(Pat Winch lives in Wilmington.)