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On Monday, March 18, 2024, Rifenburg Construction and their subcontractors will return to Margaret Street to wrap up items that could not be completed in the fall. They will begin with installing new signal poles and pedestrian crossing facilities at the intersections of Margaret/Cornelia Streets, Margaret/Broad Streets, and Brinkerhoff/Oak Streets. Following this, they will install the new concrete crosswalks, restrip all existing lines, and finish with punch list items. Please take care when traveling in these areas and watch for construction personnel and flaggers.
Please go to my.cityofplattsburgh-ny.gov/en/ for weekly project updates and to keep up to date on other City of Plattsburgh Projects.
Washington, D.C. — Today, Congresswoman Elise Stefanik sent a letter urging the Lake Champlain Basin Program and the Great Lakes Fishery Commission to establish a center for outreach and educational efforts on the New York side of Lake Champlain in the North Country.
The Lake Champlain Basin Program and the Great Lakes Fishery Commission lead important efforts to combat invasive species, protecting the watershed’s biodiversity and strengthening our local economy. This is vital, as non-native invasive animal and plant species cost the United States over $100 billion every year.
In the letter, Congresswoman Stefanik states, “As Co-chair of the Congressional Invasive Species Caucus, I remain committed to preserving our cherished environments and combating harmful invasive species that threaten wildlife habitats. Having a space for our communities and visitors in the North Country to learn about the restoration of Lake Champlain and its watershed, as well as the threat of invasive species, would help facilitate more informed and involved communities.”
Stefanik continues, “The Lake Champlain Basin Program and the Great Lakes Fishery Commission are uniquely qualified to provide opportunities for students, residents, and visitors to learn more via exhibits, hands-on activities, events, and educational programs for all ages. I urge you to partner with our North Country community by establishing a space for all to learn, engage, and actively participate in ensuring our ecosystems are preserved for years to come.”
Reprinted with Press-Republican permission. Appeared in the March 13, 2024 edition.
VIEWPOINT
EDITOR’S NOTE: This is a guest editorial by Jim Zachary. Zachary is CNHI Director of Newsroom Standards & Practices can be reached at jzachary@cnhi.com.
All government business is your business.
Government can only be of, by and for the people when it is out in front of the people.
State Sunshine Laws should not only codify the public’s right to know but should facilitate access to both records and meetings while providing real penalties when elected and appointed officials block or stall access.
Unfortunately, as a combined CNHI and Associated Press nationwide report published this week shows, in the vast majority of states public access laws have little to no teeth, and in the states that do have stiff penalties for violations, enforcement is sparse at best.
That needs to change. Every last penny government spends is your money.
It is your right to know every transaction, every decision, every expenditure and every deliberation of your government.
Whether at the White House, the statehouse or the county courthouse, all the documents held in government halls belong to the people, and all the business conducted by our governors is public business.
The understanding that we are the government and the government is us is primary to our Republic.
The only powers held by federal, state or local government are the powers we give.
So, whether it is Congress, the state’s General Assembly, county commission, city council or the board of education, it is your right to know all the people’s business.
When you attend local city, county or schoolboard meetings, and ask questions and hold elected representatives accountable, you are not minding their business, you are minding your own business.
When you make a public records request, you are not asking local records custodians to give you something that just belongs to them or the office where they work. You are simply asking for your own documents. Those custodians need to understand that.
The Bill of Rights guarantees the freedom of the press for very important reasons. The founders built a hedge of protection around the media because the press, as the Fourth Estate, guards and fights for the public’s right to know, holding government accountable.
Journalists help keep an eye on government, shine the light on its actions, fight the good fight for access to documents and meetings, champion transparency and defend the First Amendment because of a core belief in your basic, fundamental rights — principally, your right to know.
Access to public information, though, is not just for the press. It is for each and every one of you too.
On March 14, at 10:45 a.m., the Town of Plattsburg issued this statement.
“We honor the memory of a man whose unwavering devotion stretched across more than thirty years of service to the Town of Plattsburg as an esteemed member of the Town Board, Deputy Supervisor, and Town Justice. In every role, Marty’s dedication to serving his community and striving for its improvement remains a timeless testament to his profound influence and love for the community. We offer his family and friends our deepest condolences.”
News includes affordable housing, the Recreation Director Assistant position still not filled, a grant application to be submitted, town property sale faces obstacles, a new hire in the Highway Department, and Employee Handbook revisions
March 12, 2024—The Peru Town Board held a regular meeting Monday evening chaired by Deputy Supervisor Jim Douglass. The board excused Supervisor Brandy McDonald and Councilman Melvin Irwin.
Our nation, NYS, and this region have a housing shortage, especially affordable housing. Last year, Governor Kathy Hochul initiated and signed Executive Order 30, creating the Pro-Housing Community designed to reward local governments working hard to address New York’s housing crisis. Planning Board member Allison Webbinaro addressed the board to advocate for Peru to take advantage of the program and to be named a New York State Pro-Housing Designated Community. Webbinaro said the state had already named five North Country communities “Pro-Housing,” and she wants Peru to join them. A Pro-Housing designated community will receive funding priority for several state discretionary programs, including the Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI), the N.Y. Forward program, and more. The three board members present, Jim Douglass, Eric Duquette, and Kregg Bruno, supported the application and asked Code Enforcement Officer Bob Guynup to prepare it. Peru needs additional housing, especially in the water-sewer district, where relatively few property owners will bear the cost of the state-mandated water and sewer improvements.
Recreation Director Kristen Marino said she hasn’t received any applications for the recreation director assistant position. Marino may recommend subdividing the job by season, i.e., a baseball assistant, a soccer assistant, a basketball assistant, etc. She thinks people may be willing to commit to a specific sport over a shorter period.
Water/Sewer Parks Superintendent Courtney Tetrault reported that he’s applying for a federal grant through Congresswoman Stefanik to help pay for the upgrades to the wastewater treatment plant. The application is due this Friday.
The town wants to sell 45 acres of no-longer-used property adjacent to Brand Hollow Rd. At one time, the property was the town’s wastewater lagoon site. Unfortunately, decommissioning the property is going to be expensive. The NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) indicated that an engineering study and asbestos assessment of the property’s 20′ x 20′ building would be required. The estimated cost is $33,000. The board tabled the issue pending receipt of more information.
In other actions, the board accepted Adam Archer’s resignation as a Highway Department Machine & Equipment Operator and approved hiring T. J. Welch of Peru as his replacement. Highway Superintendent Michael Farrell praised Adam Archer’s work, saying he’d gladly take him back if he ever wants to return. Deputy Highway Superintendent Tyler Jarvis said T.J. Welch has a great, can-do attitude and will, hopefully, be a town employee for many years.
The board approved changes to the Employee Handbook regarding maximum compensation time for Highway and Water/Sewer/Parks employees and Highway Department Commercial Driver Licensing.
On January 31, 2024, the Compliance Team (TCT), a nationally recognized healthcare accreditation organization approved by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), announced the award of Exemplary Provider® status to the Clinton County Health Department (CCHD). This recognition follows the successful completion of TCT’s Health Department Clinical Services Accreditation program.
Debra Tackett, MSN, RN, Director of Health Care Services, expressed her satisfaction with the achievement, stating, “The Health Care Services staff is proud to have attained accreditation in Health Department Clinical Services from The Compliance Team. This accomplishment validates our team’s dedicated efforts and reinforces our commitment to quality measures and evidence-based practices, thus enhancing our preparedness for future healthcare crises.”
All first-time hunters planning to go afield this upcoming spring turkey season must first complete a mandatory hunter education course before they can purchase a hunting license. In-person, instructor-led hunter education courses are being offered throughout NYS during March and April. Classes fill quickly, so do not delay in registering for a course. All classes are free of charge.
The Town of Beekmantown invites you to experience the solar eclipse at the Beekmantown Town Hall and Recreation facilities located at 571 Spellman Road, West Chazy, NY, 12992, on Monday, April 8, 2024. View this once-in-a-lifetime event from our spacious fields with lots of parking. Starting at approximately 2:00 PM, a partial eclipse will begin with total darkness happening around 3:00 PM and then back through another partial eclipse ending around 4:00 PM. We are located directly in the path of this celestial phenomenon. In preparation for this cycle, viewing glasses will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis starting at 1:30 PM. Quantities are limited. Please be reminded to view the eclipse safely using only ISO-certified glasses to protect your eyes. Ultimately all those viewing the eclipse do so at their own risk. For more information and to purchase your own viewing glasses, check <https://eclipse.aas.org/eye-safety/viewers-;ilters>
This event is sponsored by the Town of Beekmantown and is free to the public. For more information, please contact the Town Hall at (518) 563-4650.
Join us in the theatre on May 19 at 3 PM to enjoy Baltimore-based jazz artists performing The Coastal Suite, a milestone in the rising career of award-winning composer-pianist Alan Blackman!
The Coastal Suite represents a highly programmatic sound universe that encourages the musicians to imitate nautical sounds and expand the vocabulary of their instruments to best reproduce the sonic environment that the projected images evoke
Temperatures will be well above normal for the next several days and the lows will be much closer to the normal high temperatures than the normal low temperatures
The Peru Central School District is seeking candidates to fill one (1) at-large seat on the Board of Education due to the upcoming expiration of Ms. Bonnie Berry’s term of office. The three-year term of the seat runs from July 1, 2024 – June 30, 2027.
The Petition for Nomination of Candidate form is available in the District Office at 17 School Street on Mondays through Fridays, except for school holidays, or via the web at https://www.perucsd.org/district/board-of-education/. Petitions must be directed to the School District Clerk, signed by at least twenty-five (25) qualified voters of the District, and state the names and residences of the candidate and petition signers. The candidate’s phone number shall also be stated.
The qualifications that must be met to run for the school board are:
· A U.S. citizen
· At least 18 years old
· A qualified voter in the District
· Able to read and write
· A resident of the District continuously for one year before the election
· Cannot be employed by the Board
· Cannot live in the same household with a family member who is also a member of the Board
Petitions must be returned by 5:00 PM on Monday, April 22, 2024.
The School Board Election will be held on Tuesday, May 21, 2024.
On January 31, 2024, the Compliance Team (TCT), a nationally recognized healthcare accreditation organization approved by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), announced the award of Exemplary Provider® status to the Clinton County Health Department (CCHD). This recognition follows the successful completion of TCT’s Health Department Clinical Services Accreditation program.
Beekmantown, New York 3/12/2024
