A couple months ago, I was on an organizing call about local short-term rental regulation. At the end of the call, a man who I had never met before asked me, “Is Fred Balzac involved with this group?”

He told me that Fred would be a great person to have on our side, and that Fred’s efforts helped save the Jay Covered Bridge.

It dawned on me that Fred’s local activism has impacted many over the years.

In the time I’ve known Fred, I’ve seen him take public, principled stands on issues others deemed too controversial.

Fred was not afraid to publicly speak out against the opening of the first crisis pregnancy center in the Adirondack Park, an issue that has become even more important since the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.

Fred consistently pushed for more transparency in the Village of Saranac Lake. In my view, his efforts paid significant dividends. Two of the three candidates elected in 2022 made government transparency a major policy plank, and several changes have been made that make the Saranac Lake village government more transparent and accessible.

Fred has been a consistent champion for housing rights and affordable housing. Importantly, he has made sure to advocate on behalf of tenants, a group that is often under-represented in discussions and on task forces related to affordable housing.

The North Country faces many challenges: climate change, a lack of affordable housing, a local economy too dependent on tourism and events. I applaud the efforts the North Elba Town Council has made in addressing these issues, but there is still much work to be done.

At all levels of government, we need leaders who will fight for what they believe in, even when it’s hard or not politically advantageous.

I’m confident that as a town council member, Fred will continue to work hard for the people of North Elba, and provide much-needed representation for Saranac Lake village residents in North Elba.

I encourage you to vote for him on Nov. 7.

David Lynch

Saranac Lake