The Peru Gazette

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By John T. Ryan (Please Share)

Peru – July 16, 2024 – A few weeks ago, Brandy McDonald announced that he was moving to Plattsburgh and would, therefore, be stepping down as Peru Town Supervisor. At the town board’s Thursday, July 11 meeting, Councilman Melvin Irwin announced that the board has agreed to appoint Craig Randall as interim town supervisor from August 1, 2024 – December 31, 2025. A vote to approve his appointment will be on the July 29 meeting agenda.

Craig Randall and his wife, Cheryl “Woodward” Breen Randall, a Peru native, moved here from Lake Placid in 2021. Randall brings forty-four years of banking and twelve years of government leadership experience to our community. In 2007, he retired as NBT Regional Vice-President of Commercial Lending, specializing in small business loans. In March 2009, Lake Placid voters elected him a village mayor, where he served three successful four-year terms until term limits sidelined him in April 2021. Since moving to Peru, he’s joined the Peru Lions Club and the Keeseville Elks Lodge.

As Lake Placid’s mayor, Randall developed a $20 million budget. He oversaw all aspects of village operations, including accounting, finance, code enforcement, the fire department, highway department, municipal electric department, water and sewer department, and village court. Two of his most memorable accomplishments were working to bring the International Children’s Games to Lake Placid in 2019 and the World University Games to Lake Placid in 2023.

Peru town board members are enthusiastic about working with Randall. Deputy Supervisor Jim Douglass told the Gazette, “Craig was a successful mayor. It will be good to get an outsider’s perspective. He’s got the time to be in the office every day. We have a lot of projects going on. Let him come forward and see what he can do for us. I think he will be good for the town.” Douglass said the board talked to one other well-qualified person, but it came down to how much time they could devote to the position. There are no mandated hours for the town supervisor position; however, the board wants a person in the town hall to supervise finances and interact with personnel and the public.

Counselor Melvin Irwin stated, “I like his financial experience, especially since we’re likely to spend about $30 million on water and sewer projects over the next couple of years.” Kregg Bruno commented, “I was impressed not only with his political background but also with the fact that he worked in banking. He’s very knowledgeable and has a lot of experience with grants. I’m looking forward to seeing what he can do.”

Eric Duquette also cited Randall’s mayoral experience: “He’s dealt with multiple unions and a water department. He knows the avenues for grants that might help us. He’s familiar with people in Albany. His banking experience should be helpful in budgeting. We want someone to sit in that seat three or four hours daily to keep a handle on and steer the ship. People I’ve spoken with say he’s a true gentleman, very business-oriented, and ready to reach across the table and to make sure everyone’s happy.”

Approved minutes added 1/19/25 – Minutes 2024-07-11-RM

Chicken & Stuffing Casserole 

Vegetable 

Bread

Dessert

Served 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. at St. Augustine’s Parish Center, 3030 Main St., Peru, NY 12972 

All are invited and welcome!

LOCATION CHANGE FOR

ADIRONDACK REGIONAL THEATRE
PRODUCTION OF ROALD DAHL’S MATILDA JR.
NOW AT PERU HS JULY 13 AT 6:30PM

Sometimes, You Have to Be a Little Bit Naughty if
You Want to Change Your Story

Peru will be filled by the smell of rebellion when Adirondack Regional Theatre’s Young Director Series presents Roald Dahl’s Matilda The Musical JR. The show has been moved from Heyworth Mason Park to the Peru HS Auditorium. It was announced today due to the possibility of a storm on Saturday. Roald Dahl’sMatilda The Musical JR. tells the story of an extraordinary girl who, armed with a vivid imagination and a sharp mind, dares to take a stand and change her own destiny. The Young Director Series consists of actors 8-17 years of age.

Matilda, a little girl with astonishing wit, intelligence and psychokinetic powers, lives with cruel parents who find her to be a nuisance, a lousy little worm, and a bore. When Matilda enters her first term at school, she captures the attention of Miss Honey, a kind teacher, and the two form a wonderful friendship. Unfortunately, the school is ruled by a tempestuous and mean headmistress named Miss Trunchbull, who hates children and delivers cruel and unjust punishments to all her charges. Matilda is determined to change her story, but will her cleverness and courage be enough to withstand the reign of Miss Trunchbull?

This project is made possible with funds from the Statewide Community Regrants Program, a regrant program of the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and New York State Legislature and administered by the Adirondack Lakes Center for the Arts.

Roald Dahl’s Matilda The Musical JR. is presented through special arrangement with and all authorized materials are supplied by Music Theatre International 423 West 55^th Street, New York, NY 10019,212-541-4684, mtishows.com.

6:00 PM

July 14 – 1 – 3 pm. Visit the Bluff Point Lighthouse on Valcour Island. Three floors of exhibits on island history. Your own transportation is required. 

July 19 – 12:30 pm.  Plattsburgh Senior Center, 5139 North Catherine Street, Plattsburgh.  The History of Railroads in Clinton County – Part 1. Inspired by CCHA photo albums of early area trains and the recently acquired collection of rail enthusiast Lawrence Duffina, Transportation Historian Dick Soper will share the history of rail development, which opened up Clinton County to new markets and eventually to new tourism and a past we now take for granted. This is the 1st of a multi-part series that will span the period from 1833 to the present and include photographs, newspaper articles, and information from our large collection of railroad books recently added to our research library.

July 21 – 1 – 3 pm. Visit the Bluff Point Lighthouse on Valcour Island. Three floors of exhibits on island history. Your own transportation is required.

July 25 – 6:30 pm, Clinton County Historical Association, 98 Ohio Avenue, Plattsburgh. Booming Blueberry Business on the Altona Flat Rock with Steve Frederick sharing the legacy of the Flat Rock community of local pickers who supplied blueberries throughout the East Coast and into Canada.

July 28 – 1 – 3 pm. Visit the Bluff Point Lighthouse on Valcour Island. Three floors of exhibits on island history. Your own transportation is required.

August 4 – Sunday on the Island. Visit the Bluff Point Lighthouse and explore the trails on Valcour Island.  Transportation to the Island begins at 9:20. $30 per person. Call 518-561-0340 to reserve your spot.

August 10, 9:30 am. Walking tour of Riverside Cemetery. Visit the graves of Plattsburgh pioneers and notables with narrations by Anne Bailey, Helen Nerska, Kit Booth and Jackie Madison.

Except for August 4^th, all events are free and open to the public.

For more information, please contact:

Helen Nerska, Director

518-561-0340

On June 20, ECOs Thibodeau and Kelley were attending a training course in Lake George on the safe handling of rattlesnakes when they received a call reporting a rattlesnake had made its way into the common area of a local hotel on the lake, just five minutes away from the training site. The Officers responded to the location, successfully caught the young timber rattlesnake, and relocated it into the wild. Lake George and the South Bay area on Lake Champlain contain a large breeding population of timber rattlesnakes.

TOWN OF PERU

1. CALL MEETING TO ORDER
2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
3. ROLL CALL
4. APPROVAL of April 17, 2024 minutes
5. OPEN FLOOR to public hearing
6. APPLICATIONS:
7. Z2024-009 Area Variance: 13foot 3 inches side setback for placement of car chargers

                                                               Tesla Corp

                                                               280.1-9-21.2

                                                               2997 Main St

2. Z2024-093 Special Use Permit; Off-Premises Sign

        St Augustine’s Church

        268.-1-26

        3035 Main St

3. Z2024-094 Special Use Permit; Off-Premises Sign

        St Augustine’s Church

        268.-1-26

        3035 Main St

7. AN FURTHER BUSINESS
8. CEO REPORT
9. ADJOURNMENT

Christine Crawford

Codes & Zoning Secretary

Town of Peru

3036 Main St.

Peru, NY 12972

Email:    zoningsecretary@perutown.com

Phone:  518-643-2745 Ext. 106

Fax:         518-643-0078

The new deal is for a 23% wage increase over three years.

Click here for the MYNBC5 story 

Stuffed Shells 

Vegetable 

Bread

Dessert

Served 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. at St. Augustine’s Parish Center, 3030 Main St., Peru, NY 12972 

All are invited and welcome!

Four top 4th grade winners honored at City Hall

Click here for the Sun Community News story 

Events new and old happening all day at City Beach and historic downtown July 6

Click here for the Sun Community News story 

Artists will visit Keeseville, Saranac Lake, Tupper Lake and Malone

Click here for the Sun Community News story 

Schedule of Events

12:00 PM – 9:30 PM: Trinity Park Food Court will feature local food trucks and food vendors

1:00 PM – 2:30 PM: The Fourth of July parade showcases over 30 floats, firetrucks and race cars, dance performances and more!

6:00 PM – 9:30 PM: FREE Concert on the steps of City Hall featuring COUCH and Taylor LaValley!

9:30 PM – 9:50 PM: Fireworks display viewable from Downtown Plattsburgh, Harborside, Champlain Monument and The Plattsburgh City Beach

Event Accessibility

Accessibility and inclusivity are important aspects of the Fourth Parade so that all residents of Plattsburgh can enjoy the festivities. This year, there will be a designated Accessibility Tent located on the North Lawn of City Hall. This area will provide an unobstructed view of the parade for folks who are wheelchair users or have mobility needs. In addition to the Accessibility Tent, a designated Quiet Zone will be established in front of Plattsburgh Pediatrics at the corner of Bridge and Jay Street. This area is designated for families and children with auditory sensitivities who require a quiet area to view the parade. Parade participants will not play music or blow horns or sirens in this area.

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Click here for the Syracuse.com story 

Click here for the Adirondack Almanac story 

Click here for the NCPR story