Letter to the editor: What Making Windham Local Again means

To the editor:

In a little less than two months, we will mark the 64th anniversary of John F. Kennedy's famous "We Choose to Go to the Moon" speech, delivered at a time when the United States appeared to be losing the Space Race to the Soviet Union. Yet Kennedy did not respond to that challenge by lowering expectations. Instead, he challenged the nation to pursue an ambitious vision that many believed was impossible.

As a community, Windham faces challenges that, while different in scale, require the same willingness to think boldly about our future. We need our own moonshot—a transformative vision of what local government can accomplish. Our moonshot should be to create a local government that actively invests in our community's future by building a strong foundation for sustainable growth. Rather than serving as a passive administrator, our local government should become an active leader in shaping Windham's future.

This is what I call "Making Windham Local Again"—a set of policies designed to create a proactive local government that is transparent, accountable, and responsive to the economic and social needs of our community. It is a local government that actively encourages business development through the creation of a Business Incubator and Accelerator. It is a local government that seeks opportunities to strengthen Main Street by pursuing federal and state development grants. It is a local government committed to maximizing the value of every taxpayer dollar by improving the efficiency of public services while reducing unnecessary costs. It is also a local government that develops programs to lower the cost of living for every resident.

Like many communities across New York State, Windham is struggling with rapidly rising utility costs. We should establish programs that help homeowners improve the energy efficiency of their homes, reducing heating and cooling expenses while strengthening our community's long-term resilience.

These are not unrealistic aspirations. Communities throughout our region are already pursuing similar initiatives and demonstrating that they can succeed. There is no reason Windham cannot do the same. The real question is whether we have the collective will to pursue them.

We can choose to build a community that creates opportunities for future generations, or we can choose to accept stagnation and decline. We can create a community that supports its most vulnerable residents, particularly those living on fixed incomes, while fostering a truly sustainable, multigenerational economy. We can welcome new residents, encourage new businesses, promote artisan manufacturing, and invest in long-term economic development.

Those choices belong to us. Achieving them requires a local government willing to lead, innovate, and create opportunities for everyone. That is what Making Windham Local Again means.

Connor R. Exum  

Windham, NY

2026 candidate for Windham town supervisor

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The views expressed in letters to the editor are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Porcupine Soup.