‘Taxation without representation’? How two citizens struck chord with mayor.
PLUS: How a museum about the past is embracing the future.
Had anyone else forgotten what actual sunshine on the skin felt like?
Never has a snow melt felt so good…
Happy Monday, Dispatchers.
— Abby
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‘Taxation without representation’?
Last week’s City Council meeting saw two impassioned pleas from residents against the proposed reduction of supervisors to the Saratoga County Board from two to one. (The recommendation was part of a larger plan by a charter review commission created by Mayor John Safford last year.)
First, Gordon Boyd asked, “Why would a city that supplies more than one fifth of the county’s total tax revenue want to have only 123rd of the representation?” He also estimated that the move would reduce our representation in various committees by half — all leading him to call the suggestion “an undemocratic recommendation” that “effectuates a policy of taxation without representation.”
Downtown’s Robin Baxter agreed, calling the recommendation “unfathomable.”
The Public Comment Period struck a chord with Safford, who said, “We heard very clearly that the idea of supervisor should be…two or more instead of one or more. So we’re hearing what you’re saying. We certainly are taking it under consideration.”
First condo sold in historical former Waldorf School
The first unit (unit No. 4 of five) in the recently restored 122 Regent Street project has sold, Roohan Realty’s Carol Raike has announced. The former Waldorf School (and before that, Skidmore classrooms — and a horse barn owned by Saratogian Tim Mabee’s great-grandfather) is now a beautifully restored luxury condominium project.
Raike was the selling agent; the listing agent was Julie Bonacio of Julie & Co.
The landmark building was sold to Bonacio Construction in summer 2024, with Tom Roohan (and the company’s Amy Sutton) representing the sale.
For the renovation, Mabee saw that the property’s original weathervane was saved from storage and brought back to life, with the restoration keeping many original elements — including hardwood flooring and exposed beams.
📰 IN BRIEF
Short-term rentals licensing’s roll-out re-do
After a “rocky start,” the city is at last issuing short-term rental licenses, according to an article in the Daily Gazette. The new system went into effect last June, “but the application portal did not go live until the end of October,” writes Melanie Synder. “Even then, there were issues with the process.” The city has received 270 applicants, with about half from owner-occupied homes, says the outlet.
Go back in time with futuristic AI tour guides
Leave it to the Saratoga Springs History Museum to embrace the future when talking about the past. The museum reopened Saturday, reports Snyder in the Daily Gazette, with bragging rights to not only AI tour guides (that make solo touristing easy), but ones that look like historical figures such as John Morrissey. Cute.
New season, new you
Who doesn’t want a health glow-up come spring? Saratogian Kelly Messier has new ways to help.
Emerging from your winter cocoon and looking for a full health & wellness glow-up? Nutritional Therapy Practitioner and Health Coach Kelly Messier — founder/owner of Saratoga’s The Nutrition Connection — is ready for you. “My mission is to empower adults who feel like they’ve tried everything yet still aren’t seeing the changes they desire,” she says of her specialized wellness practice. “Every client is approached as a unique individual, honoring true bio‑individuality rather than a one‑size‑fits‑all model of health.”
Q: What makes The Nutrition Connection different?
A: Its core belief that the body isn’t broken—it just needs the right inputs to heal, regain balance, and thrive. We each carry our own combination of genetics, health history, environmental exposures, stressors, illnesses and dietary patterns. Because of this, the path toward improved health looks different for everyone, even though certain foundational elements support all of us.
At The Nutrition Connection, we look beneath the surface of symptoms—fatigue, weight gain, cravings, brain fog, poor sleep, joint discomfort, digestive issues, inflammation, hormone imbalances and more. Addressing the underlying causes, rather than masking symptoms, is essential for meaningful and lasting progress.
Q: What services do you offer?
A: My most popular offering is a four‑month program, The Energy and Metabolism Reset.
I also have one‑on‑one Nutrition and Health Coaching (a single introductory session is available) — and small‑group sessions through one‑hour Lunch and Learns for friends, colleagues, or community groups. Each session focuses on essential health foundations that benefit everyone and serves as a powerful jumpstart to root‑level wellness.
Q: What’s your background in nutrition?
A: It all began with my own health challenges in my mid‑40s. As I worked to understand symptoms like fatigue, cravings and hormonal shifts, Nutritional Therapy helped me recognize that my body wasn’t failing—it was signaling that it needed support. I went on to complete my certification through the Nutritional Therapy Association and became a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner.
Q: What do you enjoy most about what you do?
A: Witnessing the moment clients begin to connect the dots between their nutrition, lifestyle and the signals their bodies are sending.
For more info or to contact Kelly about private or group coaching visit thenutritionconnectionllc.com.
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Gordon Boyd and Robin Baxter misspoke when they claimed the charter commission was proposing to reduce Saratoga Springs representation on the County Board of Supervisors from two to one. No such proposal exists.