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MAYOR
QUESTIONS N-ELBA HIGHWAY TAX ON SL RESIDENTS
Saranac
Lake Mayor Tom Michael says he plans to ask Town of North Elba
Supervisor Roby Politi why village residents on the North
Elba-side of Saranac Lake should continue to pay a highway tax to
the town, considering town crews don’t maintain any roads in the
village.
The
move comes several weeks after a local resident, Alton Beideck,
asked the village board to stand up for its residents and try to
get the highway tax rescinded.
Beideck
says he’s been asking the same question for ten years.
“We get nothing out of our money,” he said Tuesday.
“You never see a North Elba vehicle in the village doing
anything on the roads.”
Currently,
residents in both the villages of Saranac Lake and Lake Placid pay
a highway tax to the Town of North Elba that amounts to about 20
cents per thousand dollars of assessed property value.
But
North Elba Highway Superintendent Larry Straight says his crews
don’t do any plowing or other road work in the Village of
Saranac Lake. He
noted that the town does share some services with the Village of
Lake Placid, but Straight wouldn’t say whether he felt
continuing to charge the highway tax to residents in either
village was justified. “I
don’t think that’s my call,” he said.
Saranac
Lake Mayor Tom Michael says he’ll be meeting with North Elba
Supervisor Roby Politi on Thursday.
He says the highway tax is one issue he plans to discuss.
“It is something I’ll bring up,” he said.
“Not living in the North Elba end of our village, I was
unaware they were still charging a highway tax.
If the town would like to contribute the monies raised to
help maintain the roads in that part of the village, there may be
a conversation there. But
if they’re collecting money for not doing any work, they
probably should no longer do that.”
There
is a local precedent for exempting residents inside a village from
having to pay a town highway tax.
In 1993, the Town of Harrietstown stopped charging a
17-cent per thousand highway tax to property owners on the
Harrietstown-side of Saranac Lake, according to town highway
superintendent Craig Donaldson.
He
said the village successfully petitioned the town to rescind the
tax inside the village, complaining that town crews didn’t do
any work within the village limits.
North
Elba Supervisor Roby Politi, who made working with people on the
Saranac Lake side of North Elba a big part of his successful
election campaign last year, said he understands the concerns.
“Village
residents tend to feel that they are being taxed for town services
they may not use in addition to being taxed for the same services
within their village,” he said.
“Who should pay for what has been a source of contention
between towns and villages since the 1950’s.”
Politi
indicated he’d be willing to talk with village officials, but he
also suggested that if the town were to consider cutting the
highway tax for village residents, the villages should consider
equalizing water and sewer rates.
Currently, North Elba residents who live outside the
villages of Lake Placid and Saranac Lake pay higher utility rates
than those who live in the villages.
Tom
Michael said he supports equalizing water and sewer rates.
(news2) “It just harkens back to the work we’re trying
to do bring all the municipalities together and eliminate these
governmental lines that really make no sense.
I think water and sewer rates should be equalized ‘inside
and outside.’ But
let’s equalize fire rates, park cost rates and all the things
that are maintained that people inside and outside any
municipality use.”
As
for the North Elba highway tax, Alton Beideck is hopeful the
village and town can find a solution by sharing services or
working cooperatively.
“I think the village and town can get together and work
this out,” he said. “And
we can get something for our money.”
Larry
Straight, North Elba’s Highway Superintendent, said he wants to
work more with the Village of Saranac Lake and the Town of
Harrietstown. “I’d
be very interested in sharing services with them,” he said.
-Chris
Knight
SUSPECT
SHOT WHILE FLEEING BORDER PATROL
A
Constable man was listed in stable condition Tuesday after he was
shot while fleeing U.S. Border Patrol agents.
And a second suspect is still on the run this morning.
Around
10 p.m. Monday night, State Police Captain Robert LaFountain says
Border Patrol agents encountered two all-terrain vehicles near the
Trout River border crossing in the Town of Constable.
Suspecting
they were smuggling marijuana, Border Patrol agents pursued the
ATV’s across fields and back roads in the Constable area.
“Two
border patrol agents encountered one of the ATV’s in a field,”
LaFountain said. “At
the time, the agents observed the ATV was driving at them and both
agents discharged several shots at the ATV.
The ATV continued and fled the area.”
A
short time later, Franklin County 911 received a report of a man
who had suffered a gun shot wound to the torso.
Police later identified the man as 25 year-old Timothy J.
Fleury of Constable.
He
was initially taken to Alice Hyde Medical Center in Malone then
transferred by North Country Life Flight helicopter to Fletcher
Allen Health Care in Burlington, Vermont.
Fleury reportedly underwent surgery and was listed in
stable condition.
Border
Patrol agents later located the second all-terrain vehicle.
LaFountain says an unidentified suspect abandoned the four
wheeler in a field and fled into the woods.
He was still at large this morning, according to State
Police in Malone.
LaFountain
said they did not have a description of the suspect, and he was
not believed to be armed.
He
says about 50 pounds of marijuana was recovered. “The initial
investigation being conducted by U.S. Border Patrol concerning the
marijuana smuggling activities that were suspected resulted in
several large duffle bags containing marijuana being secured in
that area,” LaFountain said.
Meanwhile,
LaFountain says State Police are investigating the shooting in
consultation with Franklin County District Attorney Derek
Champagne and U.S. Attorney Glen Suddaby.
Asked
if the Border Patrol agents’ decision to open fire was
justified, LaFountain said that issue won’t be addressed until
the investigation is complete.
The
two Border Patrol agents involved, who have yet to be identified,
were placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the
investigation.
-Chris
Knight
TL
NATIVE HONORED BY STATE SENATE
A
nine year-old from Tupper Lake has been honored by the New York
State Senate for raising awareness about muscular dystrophy.
Tai
McLear has been named as a recipient of the 2008 New York State
Senate Achiever’s Award.
Tai
was joined by his mother, Kam Foley, and his grandparents, Kevin
and Francine McLear, at a Disability Awareness Day event in Albany
on Tuesday where Senator Betty Little presented him with the
award.
Tai
was diagnosed with muscular dystrophy when he was three-years-old.
In striving to overcome his own personal challenge, Little
says Tai has become a champion for many others afflicted with the
disease.
“Tai
sets an example that we would all do well to follow,” she said.
“I am honored to present Tai with this award in
recognition and appreciation for all he has done on behalf of so
many others.”
Tuesday’s
visit was Tai’s first to the State Capital.
“It was fun and good to hear about all the good
things other people are doing,” he said.
“It was nice be down here.”
Little
said Tai has spent hundreds of hours and raised thousands of
dollars to fight the disease.
His fundraising projects have included a boot drive
sponsored by the Tupper Lake Fire Department in which Tai raised
$3,460.
A
student at LP Quinn Elementary School, Tai has also enlisted the
help of faculty and friends to raise funds through bake sales and
designating a “Jeans Day” at the school. A
Fall Carnival at the school netted more than $1,200 last year.
Some
of the proceeds raised by Tai have been earmarked for a child to
attend the Muscular Dystrophy Association’s 2008 Summer Camp
program.
Tai
serves as the northern region Good Will Ambassador for Muscular
Dystrophy. “Tai’s
goal in life is to help improve services that will improve the
quality of life for people like him,” said Little. “He’s off to a great start.”
-Chris
Knight
LAWMAKERS
MARK TAX FREEDOM DAY
The
North Country’s lawmakers in the state Assembly marked “Tax
Freedom Day” this week by calling for passage of legislation
meant to reduce the state’s tax burden on families.
“Tax
Freedom Day” refers to the amount of days individuals must work
to pay off their combined tax obligations at the federal, state
and local levels.
According
to the non-partisan Tax Foundation, the state’s 2008 Tax Freedom
Day was May 5, the third-highest in the nation.
Only New Jersey and Connecticut have Tax Freedom Days
falling later than New York State.
Assemblywoman
Teresa Sayward, a Republican, said her constituents are struggling
due to high property taxes. “We
have to do something,” she said.
“We have several proposals that would reduce taxes in
many ways. We’re going to stand behind Governor David Paterson
and his idea of cutting 10 percent from the budget next year. We’re going to work with him to try and bring relief to the
people of the state of New York.”
Republican
Assemblywoman Janet Duprey also expressed a willingness to work
with the Democratic governor.
She said it’s a “sad state of affairs” when New
Yorkers have to work until early May to pay off their tax
obligations.
“We
have got to stop taxing our residents,” she said.
“They deserve better than Albany is providing for them.
I hope working with Governor Paterson and Comptroller
DiNapoli that we’ll finally be able to put the breaks on
increased taxes.”
Both
Duprey and Sayward are supporting the “New
York State Property Taxpayers Protection Act,” which would cap
school property tax levies at four percent or the rate of
inflation – whichever is lower.
The lawmakers are also backing an enhanced child care credit and
a measure that would establish a summertime gas tax holiday for
motorists from Memorial Day to Labor Day 2008.
“We’re
going to try to take taxes off gasoline for the summer so that our
businesses, farmers, truckers, loggers and construction guys can
feed their families,” Sayward said.
“We’re working very hard to bring some kind of relief
to New York State to our taxpayers.”
On
average, the Tax Foundation says Americans must work 74 days to
afford their federal taxes and 39 additional days to pay state and
local taxes.
-Chris
Knight
BOIL
WATER ORDER LIFTED IN BEECHWOOD
A
boil water order has been lifted for residents in portions of the
Beechwood subdivision in the Town of Harrietstown.
The
order was issued last week after a drop in water pressure due to
construction activity on the water system.
But
the Department of Health says the boil water order is no longer
necessary based on the most recent tests of the water system.
Again
the boil water order for portions of the Beechwood subdivision in
the Town of Harrietstown has been lifted.
HISTORY
CHANNEL SHOW WITH PSC STUDENTS POSTPONED
An
episode of “Modern Marvels” on the History Channel that will
feature students from Paul Smith’s College has been pushed back
until the end of this month.
The
episode, named "Axes," was scheduled to air tonight. The hour long show includes footage of the Paul Smith’s
College Woodsmen’s Team that was shot on campus in March.
College
officials say the episode has been rescheduled to air on Friday
May 30 on the History Channel.
POLICE
AND FIRE REPORT
Lake
Placid Police arrested a 19 year-old Lake Placid woman on a pair
of felony charges at 5:45 p.m. Monday. Karyn A. Lincoln was arrested on a warrant from Lake Placid
Village Court stemming from a police investigation into a stolen
check that was allegedly forged and submitted to a local bank. Lincoln was charged with second-degree forgery and
second-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument.
She was arraigned and remanded to the Essex County Jail in
lieu of $1500 cash bail or $3000 bond.
Tupper
Lake firefighters were called to an island in Tupper Lake at 6:33
p.m. Tuesday. 26
members and two trucks responded.
They found a controlled burn which the property owner
didn’t have a permit for. The
fire was extinguished and firefighters returned to the fire
station by 7:31 p.m.
Lake
Placid Volunteer Fire Department members were called to a report
of a ground fire on River Road at 6:01 p.m. One truck and 20 members responded and extinguished the blaze
with 50 gallons of water. They
returned to the fire station by 6:45 p.m.
Lake
Placid firefighters responded to a report of a tree burning on a
power line at 8:46 p.m. last night. One truck and 9 members were called to Johnson Avenue.
They secured the area until the Lake Placid Municipal
Electric Department could arrive to remove the tree.
Firefighters returned to the fire station by 9:12 p.m.
DRAFT
OF NEW LP-NORTH ELBA LAND USE CODE COMPLETE
The
preliminary draft of a new land use for the Town of North Elba and
Village of Lake Placid has been completed and is now posted online
for public review.
It’s
been more than two years since the revision was launched with the
goal of addressing development pressures and issues in the town
and village.
Dean
Dietrich, chair of the technical steering committee tasked with
revising the code, says the new land use code embraces the
principles of “smart growth.”
It
encourages development in areas that already have infrastructure
and can handle additional building density.
But it discourages development, for example, in places that
don’t have water and sewer capacity.
“I think we’ve struck a balance where we allow growth
but at the same time limit that growth in the areas where it
should be limited,” Dietrich said.
The
code creates several new “overlay” districts that would limit
the amount of cutting and disturbance along ridgelines, hilltops
and shorelines.
Planners
also took a close look at the community’s cultural resources and
used an inventory of historic structures to create a “historic
overlay” district. Owners
of properties in that inventory would be asked to consider the
building’s historic character before making any changes or
additions.
The
new code includes language designed to boost the amount of housing
stock for permanent residents.
The committee is also looking at the possibility of
requiring developers of major projects to provide affordable
housing. And the new
code is written to encourage more mixed use development – such
as a combined retail and residential project.
Michael
Clarke, chairman of the Joint Planning Commission, says they set
out to make the new code more user-friendly and easy to interpret.
“We’re trying to be more explicit, so there isn’t as much
ambiguity as to how the code can be interpreted,” he said.
One
problem the new code hopes to solve, Clarke explained, is when
applicants for large projects come in with plans already prepared.
“They don’t give the Joint Review Board an opportunity
to go back to first base,” he said.
“In the new code we ask them to come in with a sketch
plan first.”
Asked
if the new code encourages or discourages development, Clarke said
they’ve been more concerned about quality.
“We’re thinking about quality of development versus
trying to do less or trying to do more,” he said.
Village
Trustee Pat Gallagher, the lone elected official involved in the
process, says he’s satisfied with the work of the committee.
“Everything was thrown on the table,” he said.
“I don’t think anybody held back – trying to vet
every possible circumstance and potential flaw.
I think it really got chewed up pretty good.
I think as a group we’re confident that we’ve done as
much as we can without going over board or being too heavy
handed.”
Initially,
planners hoped to have the new land use code written in a year.
But, Dietrich explained, it may end up being closer to
three years by the time the process is complete later this year.
“I
think the main reason is we didn’t really know the size and
scope of the task in front of us.
Three years is the average length of time it takes for
municipalities to do land use codes so we’re right on the
average amount there.”
The
preliminary draft – available at lakeplacid.com/jointplanning
– will be presented to the village and town boards by late June
or early July. That
will be followed by a series of informational meetings in the
summer before the process of adopting the new code, which will
include public hearings, gets underway in the fall.
LandWorks
of Vermont has served as the consultant on the project.
-Chris
Knight
WOOD
BOILER MORATORIUM LANGUAGE DRAFTED
The
Village of Saranac Lake’s legal counsel has drafted the proposed
moratorium on outdoor wood boilers that will be the subject of a
public hearing on May 12.
The
moratorium, as written by village attorney Charles Knoth [NO-th],
would restrict the installation and/or use of any new outdoor
furnace for a period of six months from the date the moratorium is
enacted. It notes
that the village currently has no regulations that address wood
boilers.
“Concerns
have been raised regarding the safety, environmental and health
effects of these heating devices, particularly the production of
emissions and offensive odors,” reads the proposed moratorium.
“The
village has significant concerns regarding the potential adverse
impact of unregulated outdoor furnaces and believes that this
moratorium is necessary in order to allow the Board of Trustees to
investigate the relevant issues and adopt a local law regarding
outdoor furnaces.”
The
village board considered regulating or banning the devices after
hearing complaints last week from a McClelland Street resident
about the smoke and fumes created by his neighbor’s outdoor wood
boiler. Other
communities across the state have enacted or are looking into
similar restrictions.
Village
Mayor Tom Michael said he believes six months will be enough time
for the village board to address the issue.
He
said he hasn’t made up his mind yet on whether an outright ban
or just regulations are needed. “What I’ve picked up so far is
they’re really not to be used in tightly populated areas like
the village,” he said. “But
we also have properties in the village that are large.
If you can set them back from property lines far enough to
allow use without disturbing your neighbors, I don’t have a
problem with that.”
An
outdoor furnace, as defined by the proposed moratorium, is any
device located outdoors and/or separate from the premises to be
heated which burns wood and/or other combustible material for the
primary purpose of producing heat or energy for any interior
space.
Village
Code Enforcement Officer Doug Fransen says there is one pending
application for a new outdoor wood boiler.
But it came in before last week’s village board meeting,
when word that the board was considering regulations was first
publicized.
The
local law that would impose a six month moratorium includes
provisions allowing the village to extend that time period, if
deemed necessary by the village board.
The
public hearing will be held at 6 p.m. on Monday, May 12, prior to
the regular village board meeting.
Meanwhile,
the state Department of Environmental Conservation is reportedly
considering drafting rules to regulate outdoor wood boilers.
DEC
spokeswoman Laurie O’Connell couldn’t comment on the proposed
regulations.
She
said the department has been already receiving a lot of public
comment on the issue, even though no formal proposal has been
created.
O’Connell
said the proposed regulations, if they’re drafted, could be
released for public comment in the next few months.
Tom
Michael said he doesn’t feel it’s necessary for the village to
wait and see what action the state takes on outdoor wood boilers.
“I don’t believe we should wait for the state to go through
its political process of determining what’s right and wrong.
If in tightly packed areas its obvious they’re a nuisance
to a neighborhood, I think the village should act on it.”
The
Adirondack Daily Enterprise, which obtained a copy of the draft
state regulations, reported that the new rules would restrict
everything but “clean wood” and starter materials like
newspapers from being burned in an outdoor wood boiler.
New
and existing boilers couldn’t be used between April 15 and
September 30 unless meeting certain emission standards and other
criteria. Setback and
stack height regulations are also being considered by the state.
-Chris
Knight
LP
BOARD HEALTH INSURANCE ISSUE BACK ON THE TABLE
The
compensation of Lake Placid's elected officials is back on the
agenda after a second proposal was introduced Monday that would
strip trustees of health benefits in exchange for a pay raise.
“In
a continuing effort to lower costs for village taxpayers and
taking into account the concerns expressed at our St. Patrick's
Day meeting I have worked out a proposal that I feel is equitable,
reasonable and cost reducing,” said Village Trustee Pat
Gallagher in a prepared statement.
Gallagher's
proposal would boost trustees’ base pay by -- $1,409 annually
– to a total of $6,865. In return, trustees would no longer
receive health coverage.
Currently
two trustees – David Jones and Paul Strack -- are on the village
health plan which costs village taxpayers about $14,000 for each
trustee.
Trustee
Peter Roy said that if the plan were adopted, trustees should no
longer be paid $1,500 extra to opt-out of health coverage.
Gallagher said he agreed though his concept would allow total
compensation to be adjusted upward to $10,000 as the cost of
health care rises.
Mayor
Jamie Rogers noted that municipalities cannot lump together salary
and the value of benefits like health coverage in into a single
item. The board agreed to study the issue further and revisit the
issue at the next village board meeting in two weeks.
In
other village business, trustees unanimously voted to boost
village bus drivers hourly wage by 40 cents. The board raised the
pay for the 16 part-time trolley drivers to $12.40 an hour.
The
board also set public hearings to raise the parking fines from $10
to $35 and install a three-way stop sign at the intersection of
School Street and McLenathan Avenue.
The
hearings are tentatively scheduled for May 19 in the Village Beach
House in Lake Placid.
-Jacob
Resneck
FUNDING
ANNOUNCED FOR ADK REGIONAL AIRPORT
Federal
lawmakers announced Monday that the Adirondack Regional Airport in
Lake Clear has received two grants from the state DOT, totaling
just over $1 million dollars.
The
first grant award is for $994,650, and will provide federal
funding for the rehabilitation of Taxiways C, D, and E at the
airport. Currently, officials say the taxiways are in very
poor condition and require repairs to ensure safe operations at
the airfield.
The
second grant award is for $61,448 and will provide federal funding
to replace the airport rotating beacon. The existing beacon
suffers from numerous outages and needs replacement.
In
addition to the Lake Clear airport, which is run by the Town of
Harrietstown, DOT funding was announced Monday for three other
airports in the region.
Ogdensburg
International Airport has received a $133,000 grant to replace an
approach path indicator system and rehabilitate the facility’s
general aviation apron.
Potsdam
Municipal-Damon Field has received a $272,888 grant to repair
cracks in a runway.
And
the Ticonderoga Municipal Airport received $131,955 for various
construction and repair work.
Congressman
John M. McHugh said the grants will fund improvements in safety
and efficiency. “Helping
rural airports remain safe and operable continues to be a top
priority of mine in Congress,” he said.
Senator
Charles Schumer said the federal investment helps guarantee the
airports are equipped to serve North Country residents as well as
bring commerce to the region.
“This
is welcome news for the North Country, and it is a critical
investment in these airports that play such key roles in the
regional economy,” added Senator Hillary Clinton.
-Chris
Knight
MINING MOVIE TO BE FILMED IN ESSEX
COUNTY
Filming
is scheduled to begin this fall for a $20 million movie set in an
iron ore mining town in the eastern Adirondacks.
Lori
Kelly Bailey, the film's producer and writer, says a crew will
spend 10 weeks in the Town of Moriah.
The
movie is titled “Mineville” and will be shot in the local
hamlet of the same name.
Irish
actor Jason Barry, who appeared in “Titanic,” will direct the
film about Irish immigrants who worked Mineville's ore deposits in
the early 20th century.
Also
signed on are actors Giovanni Ribisi ("Flight of the
Phoenix"), William Sadler ("The Shawshank
Redemption") and Anthony Lapaglia ("Without a
Trace").
Bailey
says shooting is scheduled to start Sept. 22.
-AP
wire reports
VISITORS
BUREAU TO RELEASE ‘IMAGE STUDY’ RESULTS
The
Lake Placid/Essex County Visitors Bureau will be releasing the
results of an Image Study for Lake Placid, the Adirondacks, and
competing destinations during a series of meetings this week.
In
2007, the Visitors Bureau contracted with the image research firm
Longwoods International to conduct an Image Study for Lake Placid.
Visitors
Bureau officials say the research will provide an in-depth
analysis of what visitors and non-visitors perceive regarding Lake
Placid and the Adirondacks, identifying strengths and weaknesses.
Dr.
Bill Siegel, Founder and Chairman of Longwoods International, will
introduce the research project with a presentation to be delivered
by Scott Hanson, the company’s President and CEO.
The
information will be released to the community during a series of
four meetings over three days beginning today and wrapping up on
Thursday.
A
final presentation will be given on Thursday, May 8th at 10:30
a.m. in the conference room at the Village Beach House and is open
to the public.
STATE
TROOPER INJURED IN LEWIS CRASH
A
New York State Trooper was injured after his patrol vehicle
crashed Sunday in the Town of Lewis.
Police
say 29 year-old Daniel White was responding to assist another
trooper with a vehicle stop on the Adirondack Northway when he
failed to negotiate a left-hand curve and lost control of his
Chevy Tahoe.
The
vehicle struck an embankment and guardrail and was totaled.
White
suffered bruised ribs in the accident which remains under
investigation.
-Chris
Knight
POLICE
REPORT
Saranac
Lake Police charged 27 year-old Joseph M. Rushlow of Saranac Lake
with failure to appear on Monday.
Police say Rushlow was arrested following a traffic stop of
a vehicle he was riding in as a passenger.
The vehicle had been stopped for investigation of a gas
larceny complaint for Tupper Lake Village Police.
Police determined that Rushlow had an active warrant out of
Plattsburgh Town Court for failure to appear.
He was turned over to the custody of State Police in Ray
Brook. Tupper Lake
Village Police, with the assistance of Saranac Lake Police,
arrested the driver of the vehicle – 26 year-old Virginia Kohler
of Saranac – on a charge of petit larceny for an alleged gas
drive-off at Stewarts in Tupper Lake.
She was issued appearance tickets for village court.
Tupper
Lake Village Police charged 22 year-old Michael Broderick of
Milford, Connecticut with third-degree aggravated unlicensed
operation at 10 p.m. last night.
He was arrested following a traffic stop on Mill Street. Broderick was arraigned and released on $500 cash bail to
return at a later date.
GAS
PRICES MAY IMPACT SUMMER TOURISM BUSINESS
Local
leaders and tourism officials say high gas prices will have an
impact on the summer tourism season in the Adirondacks.
But
they’re optimistic that the area’s location relative to major
population centers and an ongoing surge in Canadian visitation
will help to minimize that impact.
As
gas prices continue to surge, Douglas Yu, marketing specialist for
the Adirondack Regional Tourism Council, says people are probably
planning shorter trips for their summer vacations – something he
thinks gives the Adirondacks an advantage.
“The
Adirondacks have always been a driving destination,” he said.
“I’m thinking there is going to be some impact for us.
Then again, people are looking at destinations closer to
home now, maybe shorter vacations.
We’re ideally situated here in the Adirondacks for that
kind of choice.”
This
isn’t the first summer that travelers have had to consider high
gas prices when making their vacation plans.
In
previous years, Lake Placid Mayor Jamie Rogers says people have
shifted their plans – something he expects to see this year.
“The people that are traveling a long distance probably don’t
come in the numbers they usually do.
But people that live nearby, within in the state and
surrounding states, instead of taking long vacations, tend to take
them more in our area. We
don’t expect to see a large impact in this area because of the
price of fuel of tourism coming in.”
Lake
Placid’s tourism economy can also weather the high gas prices,
Rogers said, because of the many regular events the community
hosts in the summer.
Jim
McKenna, president of the Lake Placid-Essex County Visitor’s
Bureau, said the area’s tourism-based businesses are able to
bank on those events, regardless of high gas prices.
“If you look at what’s on our schedules for the summer months
– the horse shows, Ironman, rugby, lacrosse and the Can-Am
hockey schools – there’s a certain amount of guaranteed
business that we know we will have.”
Art
Lussi, whose family owns the Crowne Plaza Resort in Lake Placid,
says those events have been an “insurance policy” for the
Olympic village
But
other parts of the Adirondacks that don’t have the attractions
like Lake Placid could be more vulnerable to high fuel prices.
“There’s no question it could have an effect,” Lussi
said.
In
Tupper Lake, Chamber of Commerce Director Marty Modzier says she
expects people will think hard about driving long distances this
summer. But so far
she hasn’t seen any signs of a potential downturn in tourist
visits. “I’m
seeing a very active interest in our community and our area,”
she said. “I
don’t think we’ve seen a slackening of that type of inquiry
that I can document.”
Many
of the people contacted for this story said any potential loss of
summer tourism due to high gas prices will likely be made up by an
ongoing surge in Canadian visitation in the North Country.
The
Adirondack Regional Tourism Council runs a visitor center on the
Adirondack Northway in Beekmantown, 20 miles south of the border.
The council’s Douglas Yu says the number of Canadian
visitors continues to be strong.
“We haven’t had this much traffic in April coming south since
the early 1990’s. And
for the Canadians, the gas prices here in New York are considered
a bargain. I’m very
optimistic we’ll have a strong summer.”
Whatever
the impact gas prices may have on visitors to the Adirondacks,
some officials, like Lake Placid’s Jamie Rogers, say they’re
more concerned about the impact on the workforce that supports the
tourism industry.
“That’s
a great concern to businesses in our area,” he said.
“If you look at most of our lodging facilities, people
travel pretty far distances to come to work every day.
We’re working right now with Franklin and Essex Counties
to try and provide public transportation to reduce some of those
costs on the labor force in our area.”
A
poll released last week by Siena College found 80 percent of New
Yorkers plan to cut back on the amount they spend on their summer
vacation because of gas prices.
-Chris
Knight
FATE
OF WAWBEEK BUILDINGS STILL UNCERTAIN
The
fate of two historic buildings from the former Wawbeek Resort
remains uncertain after the only proposal to save both buildings
was rejected by the owners as not viable.
In
March, the owners of the former Upper Saranac Lake restaurant and
hotel announced they would freely give away the two 19th century
buildings slated for demolition to anyone who could remove them by
May 20.
Dick
and Diane Sittig of Malibu, California had come under pressure to
save the buildings by historic preservationists including the
Adirondack Architectural Heritage organization.
The
state Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation also
weighed in saying that the buildings, designed by William Coulter,
a noted Saranac Lake architect, were eligible for the National
Historic Register. But
that likely won’t prevent the Sittigs from tearing down the
buildings.
The
Adirondack Park Agency had asserted jurisdiction over initial
plans to construct a luxury house over the footprint of the former
restaurant. But the
agency later withdrew its jurisdiction after the Sittigs lowered
the height of their proposed new house to 2.4 inches below the
agency’s 40-foot height restriction.
Had
the new plans required an APA permit, the park agency would have
been required to consult with the state historic preservation
office, which had already ruled the buildings historically
significant.
Meanwhile,
efforts by a Tupper Lake man to save the buildings have suffered a
setback. Jim Lanthier had sought to move the buildings to Tupper
Lake in an all-volunteer effort. But his handwritten proposal was
rejected this month for lack of funding.
In
a letter to Lanthier, Tim Smith, the Sittigs’ Lake Placid
attorney, wrote that: “It
appears to us that there are significant organization
uncertainties, and that there is no currently-available funding
source, and that your group will not be able to complete your work
by the originally-prescribed May 20th date, or any date
even close to that.”
Lanthier
said he would be providing additional documentation this week to
the Sittigs. “I hope they change their mind,” he said.
Details
on the only other proposal submitted – a plan to save the
Mountain House but not the former restaurant – have not been
made public and it was unclear as of Monday whether that proposal
would proceed.
-Jacob
Resneck
VERIZON
SEEKS OK FOR FOURTH I-87 CELL TOWER
Verizon
is seeking approval from the Adirondack Park Agency this week for
the fourth of eleven new cell towers it’s planning along the
Adirondack Northway.
So
far, the company has secured APA permits for cell projects in
Warrensburg, Lewis and North Hudson.
On
Thursday commissioners will consider a proposed Verizon cell tower
in Schroon Lake. It’s the first of the 11 proposed towers that the company
plans to disguise as a white pine tree in order to minimize visual
impacts.
The
structure would be 90 feet tall, with a 12-panel antenna and a
lightning rod. The other towers the park agency has approved are
roughly 80 feet tall.
The
proposal is part of an agreement Verizon reached with the park
agency and environmentalists last year to improve cell coverage
along a stretch of the Northway between exits 27 and 35.
Apart
from the 11 new towers, Verizon is also modifying six existing
towers to improve cell reception on the Northway.
The
APA’s regularly scheduled monthly meeting will be held Thursday
and Friday at the agency headquarters in Ray Brook.
Among
other business, the park agency will consider Dean and Donna
Pohl’s proposal to expand a preexisting single-family dwelling
in order to create a new tourist accommodation and commercial use
restaurant on Raquette Lake.
The project includes an Inn with 27 bedrooms, an 80-seat
restaurant with a tavern, a small gift shop and an 8’ x 100’
dock for boat access.
And,
the New York Power Authority is proposing to re-align a portion of
the previously approved Tri-Lakes Reliability Project.
The 46 kilovolt electric transmission line would be located
parallel with State Route 56 in the Town of Colton for a distance
of 3.4 miles. 1.86
miles of the re-aligned transmission line route will be located in
what is now forest preserve land for which an amendment to Article
14 of the state Constitution is being sought.
Among
Friday’s agenda items, the agency’s Enforcement Committee will
meet to determine two enforcement matters; one involving an
alleged wetlands violation and the other involving an alleged
permit condition violation. The
committee will also discuss the civil penalty for a previously
decided matter involving a mining operation in the Town of
Ticonderoga.
For
a full agenda or meeting materials go to the APA website: www.apa.state.ny.us
-Chris
Knight
PLATTSBURGH
MAN CHARGED IN ALLEGED STALKING CASE
A
Plattsburgh man was arrested Friday in what police are calling a
stalking case.
Plattsburgh
City Police arrested 27 year old Nicholas A. Belvedere for
allegedly repeatedly following two twelve year old girls to and
from school and offering them a ride.
City
Police say they received a complaint from a parent reporting that
their daughter and daughter’s friend had been offered a ride and
followed to and from school on several occasions.
An
investigation conducted by City Police Detectives resulted in the
arrest of Belvedere.
He
was charged with two counts of second-degree stalking, a class E
felony, two counts of endangering the welfare of a child and one
count of making a punishable false written statement,
misdemeanors.
Belvedere
was arraigned Saturday and was taken to the Clinton County Jail in
lieu of $5,000 cash bail or $10,000 bond.
He’s scheduled to be back in court later this week.
Police
are asking anyone with information on the case to call 563-3411.
-Chris
Knight
MCHUGH:
TOBACCO MAILING BAN PASSES COMMITTEE
A
bill proposed by Congressman John McHugh that would outlaw the
shipping of cigarettes and other tobacco products using the U.S.
Postal Service moved forward last week.
The
House Oversight and Government Reform Committee voted to send
McHugh’s “Do Not Mail Tobacco” bill to the full House of
Representatives for consideration.
McHugh,
in a news release, called it an important step forward in
protecting minors from getting cigarettes online.
He
says private mail carriers like UPS, DHL, and FedEx have already
changed their policies.
“Right
now, the U.S. Postal Service is the sole carrier still delivering
cigarettes through the mail, allowing children to order tobacco
products online from vendors with few safeguards to stop underage
purchasers,” McHugh said.
“We
need to enact this legislation so we don’t continue to undermine
the efforts of parents, teachers, and organizations across the
country that have worked to educate children on the dangers of
cigarettes.”
The
bill would restrict cigarettes, smokeless tobacco, and
roll-your-own-tobacco from being carried or delivered by the
Postal Service. It also imposes a penalty of $100,000 for
each violation.
In
addition to the potential for cigarettes to be delivered to
minors, McHugh says online tobacco vendors have cost state and
local governments billions in lost tax revenue, and hurt the
ability of small businesses to compete.
According
to an American Journal of Public Health study, almost 20 percent
of tobacco sales websites do not say anything about prohibiting
sales to minors, more than half require only that the buyer
indicate they are of legal age, and another 15 percent require
only that the buyer type in their date of birth.
The
legislation has received the backing of the Campaign for
Tobacco-Free Kids, the American Cancer Society, and the New York
Association of Convenience Stores, among others.
The
bill is now before the full House of Representatives for
consideration.
McHugh
had introduced similar versions of the legislation in June 2007
and in the previous Congress.
-Chris
Knight
POLICE
AND FIRE REPORT
Saranac
Lake Police arrested 31 year-old Bryan K. Cole of Malone on Sunday
at 12:40 a.m. Police
say an Essex County Sheriff’s Department patrol traveling to the
Saranac Lake police station observed Cole’s vehicle failing to
stop at a stop sign on Kiwassa Road, then speeding on Main Street.
A sheriff’s deputy allegedly observed a beer can being
thrown from the front passenger side window.
Police stopped Cole’s vehicle and say he appeared to be
intoxicated. He
refused to take a roadside screening test and was placed under
arrest. Cole was
charged with aggravated driving while intoxicated, refusal to take
a breath test, speeding and failure to stop at a stop sign. He was processed and released to a third party to appear in
village court at a later date.
Saranac
Lake Police arrested a 17 year-old male from Saranac Lake at 6:38
p.m. Saturday. The
teen, whose name was not released due to potential youthful
offender status, was arrested on a warrant for allegedly riding in
a vehicle which he didn’t have permission to be in.
He was also accused of stealing gasoline from two different
local merchants. The
teen was charged with two counts of petit larceny, sixth-degree
conspiracy and third-degree unauthorized use of a motor vehicle.
He was processed, arraigned in village court and released
of his own recognizance to appear again at a later date.
Lake
Placid Police charged 21 year-old Thomas Tarka IV of Saranac Lake
with disorderly conduct at 3:35 a.m. on Saturday.
Police say Tarka was arrested for yelling obscenities at
people on Main Street. He
was released to appear in Lake Placid Village Court at a later
date.
Tupper
Lake Village Police arrested 20 year-old Georgia L. Smith of
Tupper Lake on a bench warrant from Malone Village Court on Sunday
at 3:17 p.m. She was
remanded to the Franklin County Jail pending an appearance in
Malone Village Court.
Lake
Placid firefighters were called to the Comfort Inn on Saranac
Avenue at 11:54 p.m. Friday night.
Two trucks and seven members responded.
They found a fog machine being used in a banquet room
activated the smoke alarm. The
fog machine was turned off and firefighters returned to the fire
station by 12:32 a.m.
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