The Peru Gazette

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TOWN OF PERU 

1. CALL MEETING TO ORDER
2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
3. ROLL CALL
4. APPROVAL of August 2026 minutes
5. OPEN FLOOR TO PUBLIC HEARING
6. APPLICATIONS:
   1. File # P-2026-009 – Minor 2-Lot Subdivision – Parcel ID# 278.-1-2.7 – 292/384 Patent Rd. – Chip & Stephanie Blair – SEEKING TO DEVELOP A 2.789 ACRE PARCEL AT THE CORNER OF PATENT ROAD AND MANNIX ROAD FOR A SINGLE FAMILY DWELLING. **CONTINGENT ON APA APPROVAL**
7. ANY FURTHER BUSINESS
8. CEO REPORT for August 2026
9. ADJOURNMENT

“The life of a paramedic is hectic to say the least, but amidst the chaos of it all, Cushing has found his passion in helping others.”

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Additional $50 Million for Third Round Included in FY 2027 Budget

August 20, 2026 – Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that more than $38 million has been awarded to 49 projects across New York State through the County Infrastructure Grant Program. First launched in November 2024 and administered by Empire State Development, the program provides grants to support small- and medium-sized county-led infrastructure projects. To date, more than $74 million has been awarded to nearly 100 projects throughout the state. Modern infrastructure directly impacts New York State’s economic vitality, and the County Infrastructure Grant Program helps the state remain competitive and generate new economic growth, while supporting Governor Hochul’s bold housing agenda.

The North Country was awarded more than $3.7 million for six projects:

• Clinton County – $1 million: City of Plattsburgh – This project involves the redevelopment of the former Clinton Community College site. Funding will be used to plan, design, and construct essential water, sewer, and stormwater infrastructure, as well as to implement road improvements required to make these parcels development ready for 96 units of planned workforce housing. Enhancements will improve access to the site while addressing aging utilities, limited sanitary capacity, low water pressure, stormwater constraints, and inadequate internal circulation that currently prevent redevelopment. Clinton County Legislature Chairman Mark Henry said, “This $1 million award is an important step toward transforming the former Clinton Community College property into a productive community asset. The County has been deliberate in planning for the future of this site, and this investment will help us address the infrastructure challenges that must be overcome to support much-needed workforce housing and broader redevelopment. We are grateful to Governor Hochul and Empire State Development for recognizing the potential of this property and investing in Clinton County’s future.”

  Clinton County IDA Executive Director Molly Ryan said, “The CCIDA funded the feasibility study because we understood that realizing the full potential of this property would require a thoughtful, realistic plan supported by further analysis and investment. This award demonstrates the value of doing that work. By beginning to address the site’s water, sewer, stormwater and transportation infrastructure, we can move the property closer to development readiness and create opportunities for workforce housing, private investment and long-term economic growth.”

• Essex County – $246,701: Town of Ticonderoga – Program funding will be used to upgrade sewer and stormwater systems on Champlain Avenue and McCormick Street to meet Department of Environmental Conservation standards. These infrastructure improvements will stop wastewater treatment plant overflows and expand the sewer district, directly paving the way for 60 new multi-family homes at Fireman’s Field Apartments. 
• Franklin County – $500,000: Town of Malone – Funding will be used to modernize the Franklin County Emergency Services’ infrastructure by replacing outdated radio equipment at the Reynoldson, Mount Pisgah, and Mount Morris sites. This project will eliminate Canadian signal interference and radio frequency overlaps, enhance response times, and ensure a reliable communication grid for public safety.
• Jefferson County – $1 million: Village of Clayton – This project involves the design and construction of vital utility extensions intended to support the development of up to 20 new workforce housing units. This grant directly finances the expansion of approximately 1,000 linear feet of municipal water and wastewater lines to the residential site. Funding will be used for engineering, heavy site preparation, grading, stormwater management systems, and a dedicated municipal access road essential to making the parcel build ready.
• Lewis County – $500,000: Village of Port Leyden – This project targets extensive civil work along West Main Street and Elm Street. Funding will be used for comprehensive roadway reconstruction, sidewalk replacement, and the installation of a brand-new storm drainage system. By layering these surface and drainage improvements directly over the freshly completed waterway installation, the county eliminates duplicate excavation and mobilization costs. This synchronized approach dramatically lowers deployment costs and protects the long-term structural integrity of the newly laid pavement. These enhancements will modernize Port Leyden’s urban corridor through enhanced drainage, dedicated walkways, and improved vehicle lanes, reinforcing the village’s commercial zone and providing a durable foundation for surrounding private investments.
• St. Lawrence – $500,000: City of Ogdensburg – This project includes the construction of a new, heavy-duty covered pavilion and a centrally located, ADA-compliant restroom facility at Morrisette Park. These additions will directly resolve longstanding structural deficiencies at one of the city’s most heavily frequented recreational assets. Enhancements will address the park’s severe utility and facility gaps by establishing a permanent, weather-protected gathering space and modern sanitation infrastructure allowing for ease of access by seniors and individuals with mobility limitations. This civil project transforms the park into a fully inclusive, accessible hub for all visitors. This structural investment secures the park’s capacity to host large-scale community events and long-term waterfront recreation.

August 20 at 9 p.m.  – Story updated to include statements by Mark Henry and Molly Ryan 

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“Out of its population of 50 to 60 international students, SUNY Canton lost 12 last academic year due to changes in immigration policy.”

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Candidate News Release of August 19, 2026 

CLINTON COUNTY, N.Y. — Brent Davison, Republican candidate for Clinton County Sheriff, is continuing his campaign focused on bringing experienced, professional leadership to the Sheriff’s Office while strengthening public safety, restoring trust and accountability, supporting employees, ensuring the safe custody of incarcerated individuals, and leading with integrity.

Davison brings more than three decades of law enforcement experience and a lifetime of public service to the race. His background includes 20 years of service in the United States Army, service with the New York State Department of Corrections, and 29 years with the New York State Police.

Davison retired from the State Police at the rank of Major after serving as Troop B Commander, where he was responsible for operations across much of the North Country and approximately 420 personnel. He is also a graduate of the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia.

“My campaign is about providing the people of Clinton County with experienced, accountable and professional leadership,” Davison said. “The Sheriff’s Office belongs to the people we serve. They deserve an office that protects their communities, respects constitutional rights, supports its employees and holds itself to the highest professional standards.”

Davison’s campaign is centered on a Five-Point Plan for the Clinton County Sheriff’s Office:

1. Public Safety

Public safety will remain the first and most important responsibility of the Sheriff’s Office.

Davison’s plan emphasizes proactive and visible patrols, traffic and school safety, community education, marine patrols, and strong partnerships with local, state and federal law enforcement agencies. He also supports community education addressing drugs, alcohol, vaping, internet crimes, online predators and scams.

“Public safety and constitutional rights are not competing priorities,” Davison said. “Good law enforcement protects both.”

2. Restoring Trust and Accountability

Davison believes trust must exist between the Sheriff’s Office and the public as well as within the organization.

His administration would emphasize transparency, accountability and leadership that remains present and engaged throughout the entire term.

“There must be accountability at every level,” Davison said. “Employees deserve a professional workplace where they are treated with dignity and respect, and the public deserves confidence that problems will be addressed.”

Davison has pledged that sexual harassment, threats, retaliation and other conduct that harms employees or undermines public trust will not be tolerated.

3. Supporting Deputies, Corrections, Medical and Civilian Staff

Davison’s plan calls for ensuring deputies, corrections officers, medical personnel, civil employees and other staff have the training, resources, leadership and support necessary to safely and effectively perform their duties.

“Taking care of the people who serve our community is essential to public safety,” Davison said. “Good employees deserve good leadership, the proper tools to do their jobs and an administration that supports them while maintaining high professional standards.”

4. Safe Custody of Incarcerated Individuals

The Sheriff has a significant responsibility for the safety and security of individuals housed in the Clinton County Jail.

Davison’s plan emphasizes safety, professionalism, appropriate medical care, proper supervision, training and accountability within the correctional environment.

“People who are incarcerated are in the custody of the Sheriff, and that carries an enormous responsibility,” Davison said. “They must be managed safely, securely, professionally and humanely while maintaining the security necessary to protect staff, incarcerated individuals and the public.”

5. Professional Leadership and Ethics

Davison’s final point centers on integrity-based leadership and the belief that every division of the Sheriff’s Office plays an essential role.

“Patrol, Corrections and Civil perform different functions, but every one of them is necessary to accomplish the mission,” Davison said. “As Sheriff, I will treat each division equally and lead the entire organization.”

Davison said his approach to leadership was shaped by decades of military and law enforcement service and by leading people from first-line supervision through regional command.

“Leadership is not a title. It is a responsibility,” Davison said. “It means setting the example, making difficult decisions, giving your people credit when things go right and accepting responsibility when they do not.”

Davison said his candidacy represents a continuation of a lifetime devoted to public service.

“I have worn a uniform since I was 17 years old,” Davison said. “From the military, to corrections, to nearly three decades with the New York State Police, my life has been centered around service. I believe that experience has prepared me to lead the Clinton County Sheriff’s Office.”

“My commitment is simple: public safety within the boundaries of the Constitution, professional leadership, accountability to the people, and an unwavering commitment to serve all of Clinton County.”

Experience. Integrity. Leadership. Accountability.

Brent Davison for Clinton County Sheriff

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Candidate News Release of August 19, 2026 

ALBANY, NY — Republican and Conservative nominee for New York State Comptroller Joseph Hernandez today responded to Comptroller Tom DiNapoli’s press release touting a 6.12% quarterly return for the $309.7 billion New York State Common Retirement Fund, calling it a victory lap for underperformance while investment management fees have grown nearly sixfold under DiNapoli’s watch.

“Tom DiNapoli wants credit for a 6.12% quarter while the S&P 500 surged roughly 15% and the Nasdaq roughly 21% over that same stretch, one of the best quarters for stocks in six years,” Hernandez said. “New York’s retirees and taxpayers deserve better than billions of dollars left on the table while their current Comptroller celebrates.”

According to the Comptroller’s own release, nearly 38 cents of every dollar in the fund is invested in alternative assets, including 14.3% in private equity, 14.3% in real estate and real assets, and 9.1% in credit, absolute return strategies, and “opportunistic alternatives.” These investments sit in some of the least transparent and highest-fee corners of the market, with no public disclosure of specific managers, individual deals, or complete fee schedules. “New Yorkers have no idea who is managing this money, what they’re being paid, or what they’re buying,” Hernandez said. “That lack of transparency has a price tag.”

Investment management fees paid by the fund have exploded from approximately $145 million to $862 million during DiNapoli’s tenure. “That is real money that should be working for New York retirees and taxpayers instead of going toward fees paid to Wall Street middlemen,” Hernandez said. Those figures do not include carried interest, which is the share of investment profits paid to fund managers on top of traditional management fees. The true cost of managing the fund’s private equity, real estate, and other alternative investments tops $1.8 billion, more than double the figure DiNapoli’s office publicizes.

Hernandez also questioned DiNapoli’s reliance on two reviews cited in his release as independent validation of the fund’s management. One review was conducted by Weaver and Tidwell LLP, a private vendor selected and retained through the Comptroller’s own office procurement process. The second review was conducted by the New York State Department of Financial Services, another state agency operating alongside DiNapoli for nearly two decades.

“DiNapoli is grading his own homework and calling it independent oversight,” Hernandez said. “A vendor his office hired and another Albany state agency do not provide the kind of real, arm’s-length review New Yorkers deserve for nearly $310 billion in retirement money. New Yorkers deserve full transparency into how their retirement dollars are being managed and what they are paying for it.”

Hernandez, a businessman and investor with decades of experience in capital markets, has made greater transparency and accountability in the management of New York’s pension fund a central part of his campaign for Comptroller. As Comptroller, Hernandez will push for greater disclosure of investment managers, fees, performance, underlying investments, and the true costs associated with alternative investments.

“DiNapoli is celebrating while New York’s pension fund trails the broader market and taxpayers are footing the bill for nearly six times the investment management fees,” Hernandez said. “After nearly two decades in office, New Yorkers deserve a Comptroller who will demand better performance, greater transparency, and accountability for every dollar entrusted to the pension fund.”

This is HUGE change in New York State policy 

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One victim was stabbed to death, and the city reported one other stabbing and two instances of gunfire over the weekend.

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August 17, 2026 – The Peru Water Sewer Parks Department successfully replaced a sewer line at 22 Maiden Lane today. The homeowners also replaced the sewer line leading into their house. The street is open again.

The 36th annual Run For Jon will be held Saturday, August 29th, 5 PM at Forrence Orchards on Mannix Road in Peru. It attracts hundreds of walkers, kids fun runners and runners every year, in addition to their friends and family who attend as spectators. There are numerous door prizes for participants, donated by our generous donors.

It is also a great race, sanctioned by USA Track & Field, with some of the best runners in the Northeast participating. Over the years, the race has attracted state and national champions as well as a few Olympians.

The Run For Jon, Inc. is dedicated to supporting families in the New York counties of Clinton, Essex, and Franklin who have children under 18 in need of serious medical care. Our grassroots initiative focuses on assisting with non-medical expenses such as transportation and lodging, ensuring that families can focus on their child’s health and well-being.

Run For Jon Inc is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, EIN 45-2905801. All donations are deemed tax-deductible absent any limitations on deductibility applicable to a particular taxpayer.

Website: https://runforjon.org

Link to registration page: https://runsignup.com/Race/NY/Peru/RunForJon

Link to donation page: https://runsignup.com/Race/Donate/NY/Peru/RunForJon

Donations from sponsors or individuals are welcome!