[JK: I received this release from the Tim Holmes campaign]
ALL FOR SARATOGA
Tim Holmes Announces Candidacy
for Mayor of Saratoga Springs
For Immediate Release
September 20, 2019
SARATOGA SPRINGS – Timothy Holmes, a business executive, philanthropist, historian and author, has announced his candidacy for Mayor of Saratoga Springs. His name will appear on the Republican line in the general election on Tuesday, November 5, 2019.
Mr. Holmes is an entrepreneur in both traditional and 21st century industries. He currently works in restoring real estate properties and in developing technologies for the 21st century workforce. He has been a leader in the non-profit sector. Applying ‘the Saratoga model’ of community revitalization, Mr. Holmes has worked for 20
years with Hudson River communities on economic revival. He believes that a full life includes community engagement with governance, business and charitable activities.
After attending schools on Long Island, NY, in Ethiopia and Japan, he graduated from the University of New Brunswick in Canada. He worked in construction in Rockefeller Center and with several foundations in New York City. While living in New Jersey in the 1980s, Holmes served as a commissioner and president of the municipal council of Rutherford, New Jersey, and in positions on its planning and zoning boards. He was trained in IBM systems administration and holds certification as a paralegal. Although his family ties to Saratoga Springs date to the city’s founding years, his residency dates to 1996.
A strong supporter of regional cooperation, Holmes has worked in social and business organizations, regional chambers of commerce and planning cooperatives such as the Historic Hudson-Hoosic Rivers Partnership. “This is a time when regional interests are converging. Through mutual planning we can realize best results,” said Mr. Holmes.
“Saratoga Springs is a world-class community and truly a gift to every person who lives here or visits. I would like to work on behalf of our people to protect it, preserve it and strengthen it for our children and grandchildren,” said Mr. Holmes. “At the same time, Saratoga Springs has set the example of a city able to reinvent itself in adapting to change over the years. We have now the opportunity to work with the County of Saratoga in shaping how the future develops around us.” Mr. Holmes said he seeks the support of every concerned citizen of Saratoga Springs regardless of political affiliation. “I will be a mayor for everyone who loves Saratoga Springs. The theme of my campaign will be ‘All for Saratoga,’” he said. “Years of service have confirmed it’s best to listen and learn from all residents.”
As Mayor, Mr. Holmes said he will focus first on:
• Protecting taxpayers through careful use of taxpayer dollars and realistic fiscal
management and investment;
• Preserving the community’s quality of life and ensuring its resilience; protecting its
neighborhoods, historic character, and open space;
• Planning for the continued growth the community is likely to experience over
the next 30 years;
• Supporting its business, arts, higher education and racing communities;
• Ensuring that city government responds respectfully to residents and is
customer-oriented and responsive to the community’s changing needs;
• Conducting the public’s business with transparency and high standards of
ethical conduct and accountability.
“I regard public service as a privilege, and I intend to be a mayor who never forgets that he serves at the will of the people,” said Mr. Holmes.
The rate of the city’s growth is a concern to residents. “Our city’s population doubled since 1950 and will substantially increase in coming years. We need to plan for the next 30 years anticipating levels of change we’ve not seen. To ensure that our community and our people have a say in future development, we need to maintain visibility and accountability on the part of the City. We can balance creation of good jobs with a healthy environment and community resilience,” he said. “Provision of efficient, high-quality public services is essential.”
Mr. Holmes said that during his administration a new fire and emergency services facility, properly staffed and equipped, will be built to serve the large and growing population on the east side of the city. “The East Side must be able to rely on the same high level of professional fire and emergency services 24/7 as is the rest of our community,” he said.
Another priority, he said, will be to support Saratoga Springs’ vibrant business community, “the beating heart of our city. These are the people who create jobs, generate millions in sales tax and property tax revenue, serve our visitors and residents, and re-invest their own money to makeSaratoga Springs one of the most attractive small cities in America.
“As mayor, I will be a stalwart friend and supporter to our partners and friends in the higher education and arts communities. They are the wellspring of creativity, economic growth and cultural renewal that makes our community so extraordinary.”
Mr. Holmes said he would restore a close working relationship with the racing community. “We recognize the unique cultural and economic gift we have in thoroughbred racing. I will do all I can to keep racing healthy, competitive, successful and beautiful, in a relationship based on mutual respect and consideration.”
Mr. Holmes has been an active full-time Saratoga Springs resident and volunteer for the last 20 years, supporting local businesses and arts enterprises, Chamber of Commerce initiatives, and serving presently on the city’s Open Space Advisory Committee and the Smart City Broadband Commission.
He and his wife Libby Smith-Holmes, are the authors of three books of local history: “Saratoga Springs: A Historical Portrait” (2000), “Saratoga Springs: A Brief History” (2008), and “Saratoga: America’s Battlefield” (2012).
Holmes has also been a leader of the Friends of Saratoga Battlefield’s effort to establish a memorial to honor America’s first veterans on the site where British General Burgoyne surrendered to American General Gates on October 17, 1777, the turning point of the American Revolution.
Saratoga Springs Politics 
You know what they say – imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Michele Madigan should be very flattered because the “All for Saratoga” campaign is eerily similar to the “One Saratoga” campaign, and Homes’ whole political affiliation sentence is pretty close to a copy-and-paste from her release.
If you follow politics enough in this town, you’ll notice that one “side” seems to copy the other, and then lay claim to being the creative, progressive ones when all they commit is a form of plagiarism.
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Much like making, “Saratoga Springs one of the most attractive small cities in America”, these talking points could have been taken from the list of accomplishments and directions that our present City Council has established in its years of governance and whose success, was not achieved without understanding all sides of the discussions and their decision to try.
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Finally, a qualified candidate.
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Tim Holmes, Oh great.
“Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups.” – George Carlin.
Tim’s Okay.
-JC (sure…sigh)
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An important aspect of the democratic process is that incumbents who have been effective in their positions and who choose to run again should be re-elected. This is the case for Michele Madigan. It is definitely the case for Meg Kelly. After serving the City as a pragmatic deputy mayor, Meg moved over to the mayor’s desk without losing a step. She has done an excellent job and has many accomplishments in her first term. Meg definitely should be re-elected.
Tim Holmes is a nice man with an interesting resume. It is great to have qualified people step up to run for office. It’s too bad that there isn’t a full slate of candidates running for local office from both major parties. I agree with Tim on the Morgan Street re-zoning issue but I fully support Meg Kelly for Mayor.
Chris Mathiesen
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