Election Day is Tuesday, and five candidates are running for seats on the Lakewood Board of Trustees.

There are three candidates running for two trustee seats. Kristan McMahon is running on the Democratic and Taxpayer’s lines; and Ben Troche, and John Shedd are running on the Republican line.

In addition, two candidates are running for a trustee vacancy. John Jablonski is running on the Democratic and Taxpayer’s lines, while Scott Cooper is running on the Republican line.

The Post-Journal contacted each candidate and asked one question: If (re)elected, what is your No. 1 goal for the village of Lakewood?

Cooper, McMahon, Jablonski, and Troche responded. At presstime, Shedd had not responded.

Cooper — I feel fortunate to be able to call Lakewood my home since 1970. I’m committed to ensuring a strong fiscal responsibility, focusing on safety as well as promoting the health and well being of our residents. I will be transparent and act as a liaison who will listen to the concerns of different resident groups in order to ensure all voices are heard across our community.

McMahon — My No. 1 priority is leading with openness and transparency — who pays for what, who benefits, what the trade-offs are, etc. Many residents are frustrated with how confusing civic engagement has become, when the state or county offers money, when neighboring municipalities propose partnerships, when development initiatives get announced, it can be difficult to tell whether these are good for Lakewood or not. This confusion keeps people from participating meaningfully in their own government. Good decisions on complex issues require input from all stakeholders, and I’m committed to creating more opportunities for residents to be part of those conversations before decisions are made.

Jablonski — My No. 1 goal for the village is to make Lakewood as attractive as possible for families to live in Lakewood by delivering essential public services as cost-effectively as possible.

Troche — My top priority over the next four years is to create new and sustainable revenue streams for our village, reducing our reliance on property taxes. We can achieve this by re-evaluating our fee structures, encouraging smart development, pursuing grants and negotiating more favorable contracts with our partners. Our residents expect and deserve high-quality services, so we must continue to adapt and innovate to meet rising costs while maintaining the standards that make our community strong.

According to the Chautauqua County Board of Elections, the polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.