By When Larry Woolbright was sworn in as Ballston Spa’s newly elected Mayor in April 2019, he fully expected to face his share of challenges. But he could never have imagined the unprecedented issues that would confront him one year later due to the coronavirus pandemic. It is hoped the following recent Q&A between Mayor Woolbright and Ballston Spa Living Editor Ann Hauprich will be a source of renewed fortitude and optimism for villagers during these uncertain times.
As unpleasant as the current situation is, however, we have to remember that it is temporary. The restrictions on our activities will (eventually) start to be relaxed. Little by little we will be able to do more and more of the things we’re now missing.
A: Stay home, wash your hands, and maintain social distance. Help family, friends and neighbors who need your help. Try to be patient. Continue to be kind. Try to have as normal a life as possible. If you are fortunate enough to keep your job and your salary, be aware that many others are not and they need our support. It is very important that you do what you can to help our local businesses survive this challenge. Some of them offer take-out services or online purchases or sell gift cards. One of the nice things about the Village is its great downtown. We need to try to ensure that those businesses can continue to exist. In the past six weeks I have seen and heard of many examples of friends and neighbors helping each other. We need to think of our businesses as friends and neighbors and help them as well.
Q: If you could personally mingle with villagers at a candlelit vigil in Wiswall Park as your longtime predecessor John Romano did following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on our nation, what words of reassurance would you most like to share?
A: The past several weeks have been no fun. We all have a vague sense of anxiety and unease. We’re tired of being cooped up at home. We want to see our friends, go out to dinner and do the other normal activities that we’ve been denied. We’re all really tired of this. We share these emotions. They are normal, if unpleasant. As unpleasant as the current situation is, however, we have to remember that it is temporary. The restrictions on our activities will (eventually) start to be relaxed. Little by little we will be able to do more and more of the things we’re now missing. I think the most important thing to remember is that we have a wonderful community here. Ballston Spa is a great place to live and work, and this temporary problem is not going to change that in the long run.
Q: What is the greatest leadership lesson you have learned since the pandemic began?
A: Leadership is an interesting topic. I really don’t consider myself to be the “leader” of the Village as much as a public servant trying to make sure the business of the Village gets done in a responsible manner. To the extent that I serve as the public face of the Village, I try to behave in such a way as to bring our community the dignity and credit that it deserves. The real leadership that I’ve seen in the past six weeks is coming from community members. All the people who are acting selflessly to help others, to keep the Village running, to be first responders in our times of need – they are the real leaders setting the example for the rest of us.
Q: What has been the most challenging part of being at the helm during this unprecedented crisis?
A: So far, the biggest challenges have been trying to figure out how to do what needs to be done under a new set of constraints: Zoom meetings, emergency declarations, government paperwork, etc. However, my fear is that the most challenging part is yet to come. I’m afraid that sales tax revenues will fall dramatically and payments to the retirement system will skyrocket. We just approved a budget for the coming year that has very little wiggle room in it. The Village is in the process of playing catch-up after a difficult period financially. If the downturn is serious, it could damage our ability to make progress on critical needs like paving, building maintenance and equipment replacement.
Q: What has been the most rewarding part?
A: The response of the people. The Village workforce has found creative ways to continue to do the business of the Village, from home or in shifts or online. Our police, firefighters, emergency squad and Department of Public Works are all making sacrifices to do essential jobs in a dangerous time. Neighbors are helping each other, shopping for friends and making donations to food pantries.
Q: When it is finally safe for villagers and visitors to gather in celebration again, how do you imagine that occasion unfolding? Would festivities, for example, include a ceremony honoring our first responders and front line workers (cashiers in stores and postal clerks, medical professionals, etc) as well as the contributions of volunteers from every hop, skip, jump and walk of life?
A: As we all are coming to realize, there is not going to be a light switch that suddenly returns everything to normal. COVID-19 cases in Saratoga County continue to rise, and when they eventually do level off or start to decrease, it will be a gradual return to normal. We will probably still be wearing face masks, limiting the number of people who can be in the same place together and social distancing until after we have an effective vaccine and the majority of us have been vaccinated. However, I think that the restrictions on our activities will start to decrease relatively soon. When they are completely gone and we can actually get back to normal, I think a major celebration will be in order. I look forward to that time as much as anyone, but right now it is still too early to start thinking the details of what that celebration might look like.
EDITOR’S NOTE: To learn more about the Village of Ballston Spa’s response to COVID-19, please visit https://www.
