BY JEFF CHUDZINSKINorth Country This Week

NORWOOD -- Incumbent Republican Glenn Webster is seeking a second term on the St. Lawrence County Legislature to represent District 11, a matter he says he takes very seriously.

“If you don’t take it seriously, why do it? I’m doing this to help families throughout the county who are struggling to get by,” he said.

Webster has sat on many committees in his first four years on the legislature, having chaired the Services Committee for nearly two years now, along with roughly a dozen other assignments.

Whether working with Buildings and Grounds, sitting on hiring committees, or working on the county healthcare committee, Webster said he has taken a hands on approach to finding solutions.

“I’ve been in business many years and operate a number of businesses. I didn’t get here by always being the smartest guy in the room but through figuring out solutions to the problems we have. Sometimes it takes more work, other times it’s actually using a simple solution to fix a problem,” he said.

Webster said his time on the board is one that has seen the county further stabilize finances and improve services throughout the county. That’s something he hopes to continue to do, if reelected.

“We’ve been able to take on a number of capital projects, like the investments in our emergency towers and the public safety complex, without going back to taxpayers to fund those projects. The county Highway Department will also be getting a new facility on Route 11 but we’re still refining that project,” he said.

Webster noted that the project is constantly under review as the county looks to cut costs while maintaining quality services.

“The goal is to keep trimming away the cost of that project but still finding ways to provide everything those folks need to keep our roads paved and plowed. It’s a crucial job and they need a new facility, there’s no way around that. The current building in Canton is in bad shape and moving it from the downtown area will also benefit village and town residents who won’t have trucks on their roads every day,” he said.

Webster said the job was much more difficult than originally expected but commented he has learned to adapt quickly as time goes on.

“I had four years on the Norwood Village Board and I can tell you that without that experience I couldn’t have jumped up to the County Legislature. There’s just no way to know everything that is happening, even with previous experience in office,” he said.

Serving on a number of committees at the county level, Webster said he has had an inside look at staffing, insurance costs, equipment purchases, policy reviews and a wide range of other issues the county faces daily.

“Having sat on hiring committees and gone through those processes, undertaken a long county policy review and a long, hard look at our insurance plan, I’m working with our Administrator and other board members to bring the right people in to help the county and ensure we have the right benefits for our workers so they can keep the county moving forward,” he said.

He touted his work on securing funding for LED street lighting working on the streets committee in Norwood.

“That was a big undertaking at the time but we managed to get that project funded and it’s now complete. That’s the sort of thing I want to keep doing at the county as well,” he said.

Webster said his adaptability and work ethic are two traits that he feels set him apart from many.

“I work hard to help people, to put the right people together and find solutions to the biggest issues facing the county,” he said.

Webster said he was particularly proud of the work done by the county in arming probation officers, many of whom had sought training for years.

He said a ride along with one officer opened his eyes to the dangers of the job.

“After that I stepped in and pushed hard to get them the equipment they needed and necessary training so they could do that job safely. I’m very proud of all of them for their work,” he said.

Webster said he would also continue to work on solutions to ensure families have the resources they need, whether that be through food pantries, Social Services or other support services.

“I’m in the food industry and I see the cost of food right now. It’s tough for everyone and we can’t ask more of our residents to ask them to pay more in taxes when they are having a hard time putting food on the table,” he said.

Webster said he will continue to reign in spending where possible as well.

“State mandates hurt us and we have to pay for them. But even with some of the mandates we have options to save funds. We have to look closer at those line items and find areas where we can save funds,” he said.

He said improvements at the former county jail have saved funding, including sorting a water issue that was costing thousands of dollars.

“We saw issues at the jail and addressed those. We also had a number of windows replaced because probably 30 or so were cracked and broken. We’ve also stayed up on equipment purchases and made improvements with Solid Waste. There’s more work to be done there too but like anything we’ll keep working on improvements as we go along,” he said.

Webster said capital projects across county facilities have also saved taxpayers thousands of dollars each year.

He said in many cases he sits on committees that have found solutions to longstanding problems.

“If it means I have to roll up my sleeves and do it myself, I will. I have a number of times and that isn’t changing,” Webster said.

Webster said those investments and changes will have a significant impact on the long-term stability of the county.

“Having been on this side of things and having seen how things operate, I’m learning every day how we can save money and improve services for the county. That’s something I hope to continue,” he said.

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