To the Editor:

On the morning of Sept. 11, I woke up in a somber mood just as many of you did. It marked the 20th anniversary of these dreadful acts and the heartbreaking lives lost 20 years ago. At that time, I was a young man who was only a few years into his career in public service with the city of Albany. I also reflected on the days and years that followed.

I have dedicated my entire adult life working in public service, providing vital support services for our law-enforcement officers. I also became involved in protecting and preserving the rights of my fellow union members for the last 20 years.

It is through this lens that I reminded myself that it’s easy to give up and remain silent, but we must not when we see unfairness.

Therefore, I stand fully committed to continuing my journey of public service, protecting and preserving the future of this town and all of its residents and I am announcing that I am continuing my campaign for a seat on the Guilderland Town Board in the general election on the Working Families line with the support of the New York Working Families Party, the New York State Law Enforcement Officers Union (Council 82, American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, AFL-CIO), the Albany County Central Federation of Labor, and Guilderland Town Council member Laurel Bohl.

Just like you, I’m a resident of this beautiful town. I care deeply about the direction it’s heading and its future because my wife and I chose to raise our children here and we have a small business in Altamont.

My message for this continued campaign has not changed. The residents should have the largest stake in our town and their interests should always be put first. Due process must always be followed, not just to the letter of the law but to the spirit of the law as well.

I’m your independent voice who will put you first, take on the issues that you deem important, and proactively work to create a higher level of outreach to the public to seek your input. Unity is achieved when everyone has a seat at the table, issues are fully discussed, solutions are found that work for everyone, and the outcome is not already predetermined by those in power.

To those of you who placed their faith in me before, carried and signed my petitions and voted for me in the spring Democratic primary, I thank you from the bottom of my heart and hope I continue to have your support.

To everyone in Guilderland who doesn’t like what you see is happening in Guilderland, I hope you will support me in this mission to create a town board that will be accountable, proactive, and that will not only listen to all of its residents, but put their interests first.

Remember, unlike the primary, every registered resident can vote in the general election and I encourage you to vote for our town in this local election on the Working Families Party line.

Please visit my website, www.kevinforguilderland.org, to learn more about me and my campaign. You can also find me on Facebook @FriendsofKevinMcDonald.

You can register to vote and check your registration status at the Albany County Board of Elections website, https://www.albanycounty.com/departments/board-of-elections, and you have until Oct. 8 to register to vote.

Kevin McDonald

Candidate for

Guilderland Town Board