Democratic Candidate for Town of Jay Council
My name is Knut Sauer, and I am running for Re-Election as Councilman in the Town of Jay. I have brought high energy, dedication, hands on approach, and a drive for transparency and accountability to the council. During my first 18 months on the council I dedicated a lot of time and energy on educating myself through research, attending webinars & trainings and reading many publications. There is a lot to learn, and being a productive council member requires dedication, commitment, and a significant time investment. I have also had the opportunity to get a much better understanding of the inner workings of the town, both the positives and the challenges.
I am committed, dedicated, and ready to take on another term as your town councilman. With the experience I have gained the past 18 months I will be able to be very productive and focus on moving the Town of Jay forward.
For the past 26 years, I have worked as an international sales and marketing manager. My strong financial & budget acumen and planning & project management experience brings some critical skills to the town council. I serve as Vice President of the AuSable Acres Property Owners Association, and a very active volunteer with the local Rotary Club, North Country SPCA, ORDA/Mt. Van Hoevenberg, NYSEF at Whiteface, and founding member of the Au Sable River Valley Business Association.
During the 2021 budget process I was adamant we stop the annual property tax increase, and our town wide general budget was slightly decreased, after years of increases. As your councilman I am strongly advocating for better long-term planning, including an infrastructure improvement and a capital equipment maintenance & replacement plan, and more responsible fiscal management. Being a very active member on the parks committee, with a hands-on approach, and with volunteer help we have done general upkeep at the Douglas Memorial Park, secured a grant and planted a pollinator garden, completed major upkeep by resetting the fence and rebuilt the garden beds at the Community Garden. We currently are in the process of upgrading our Children’s Park Playground having secured grants and donations to cover the cost of some new play equipment and a covered open-air structure. Our town planning board used to be comprised of the town council members. We now have an independent planning board comprised of great community volunteers, who are able dedicate the required time and effort, acquire the expertise needed, and at the same time free up the town council to focus their efforts on the many other town needs and challenges requiring attention.
The wheels are in motion, but we have a lot of catching up to do to turn the economic tide in the Town of Jay, and it will take a lot of hard work, dedication, teamwork, and community involvement to achieve our joint goals. We need to welcome more community involvement and re-activate the Jay Task Force, initiate a comprehensive planning process, and develop a Vision for Jay that capitalizes on all the great things our town and community has to offer. We need to aggressively pursue grants and other non-property tax revenue and explore options and ideas to broaden our tax base, and not just increase or property taxes to keep up with costs. We need to bring new business to our town, capitalize on the growing tourism in the region, support and encourage potential investors, and make Jay a place to stop, not just a town to pass through. At the same time, we need to find a good balance for our full time residents and provide affordable housing, capitalizing on our towns ideal location between Lake Placid and Plattsburgh, while preserving our slower-paced, friendly atmosphere, and beautiful natural setting.
Together we can achieve our common goals and see the Town of Jay prosper long into the future.
Knut Sauer
knutsauer@frontiernet.net