The Peru Gazette

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After decades-long negotiations, Franklin County has reached an agreement with New York State regarding Land Claim issues and the St. Regis Mohawk Reservation. The St. Regis Mohawk Tribe first filed a lawsuit in the 1980s against New York State regarding land purchased from the reservation by the State in the early 19^th century. In 2022, a federal judge ruled that New York State did not have the authority to purchase that land because it was not approved by Congress as required under the Non-Intercourse Act of 1790.

            Since New York State illegally purchased the land in the 1820s, local government and state leaders, including Assemblyman Billy Jones (D-Chateaugay Lake) when he was Chair of the Franklin County Legislature, have been working together for years to determine the next steps for this Land Claim issue. Compensation for land ownership, taxes and public services like road maintenance and water infrastructure are major concerns for local governments, which is one of the reasons why it has taken so long to reach an agreement. Jones met with Franklin County and State officials on Friday, June 2 to finalize the agreement so that Franklin County and the Towns of Bombay and Fort Covington are compensated for land and services rendered. Read more »

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Reduced visibility and air quality possible through Tuesday

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Small Businesses with 100 or Fewer Employees May Receive Tax Credits for COVID-19-Related Costs 

Empire State Development today announced that the application deadline for Empire State Development’s (ESD) $250M COVID-19 Capital Costs Tax Credit Program has been extended to September 30, 2023. New York State small businesses that made investments to comply with emergency orders and regulations in response to COVID-19 can apply for a refundable tax credit of up to $25,000.Governor Hochul announced the launch of the program on October 25, 2022 and secured an extension of the program’s application deadline through September as part of the FY 2024 Budget.

Empire State Development President, CEO and Commissioner Hope Knight said. “By extending the application deadline for the COVID-19 Capital Costs Tax Credit Program to September 30th, we are expanding the reach of our support, ensuring that more New York small businesses receive the financial relief they need to bounce back and thrive once again”.

Small businesses with qualifying COVID-19-related expenses are eligible for a refundable tax credit of up to $25,000 based on qualifying expenses of $50,000. Qualifying expenses are related to building upgrades, structural changes, or supplies to comply with public health or other emergency-related orders and regulations to increase public safety through infectious disease mitigation during 2021 and 2022. Expenses can also include hand sanitizer stations, supplies to disinfect against COVID-19 transmission, equipment for social distancing, air purifiers, contactless point of sale equipment and more.

Businesses independently owned and operated in the State of New York with less than 100 full-time employees and gross receipts of less than $2.5 million are eligible.

Applicants and qualifying businesses can expect the following:

• To fill out a pre-screening questionnaire to confirm their eligibility
• An online application portal available in 68 languages
• Access to multilingual application assistance via phone, text, and email
• To present proof of expenses and other supporting documents
• A tax credit certificate to submit to the Department of Taxation and Finance when filing a tax return

Applications will be open until September 30, 2023. Small businesses are encouraged to apply through the pre-screening tool. If businesses receive a tax credit certificate in 2023, they can claim the credit on their 2023 tax return.

To learn more about eligibility and qualifying expenses, visit www.esd.ny.gov/covid-19-capital-costs-tax-credit.

Remember the CVPH blood drive today, June 5, from 3 to 6:30 p.m. at the St. Augustine’s Parish Center, 3030 Main St., Peru.

Fastening photos of Peru High School”s graduating seniors along Route 22B began during the Covid pandemic. Fortunately, the practice is continuing! Parents, family, and friends erected 130 banners on Saturday. Thanks to Jennifer Madore for the photos and congratulations to all the seniors. 

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The 15-year-old driver- identified by loved ones as Saranac Central athlete Donavyn Smith- was critically injured in the May 29 crash. A GoFundMe page has been set up to assist his parents who are out of work as they stay at his side.

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N.Y. Environmental Protection Fund grant to help expand community engagement

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The Clinton County Sheriff’s Department claims a lawsuit filed by a former corrections officer is “untimely” and “unjustifiable”

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Nauman Hussain, convicted of manslaughter in connection with the 2018 crash, was sentenced to at least five and a maximum of 15 years.

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By John T. Ryan

Deputy Supervisor Jim Douglass chaired the meeting of May 22, 2023 

General Town News 

J. Hogan Refrigeration will provide and install a new electric-powered heat pump heating and air conditioning system. The board deemed Hogan’s $18,996 bid to be the most responsible.

Peru will host nine Heyworth-Mason Park summer concerts.

Bids will be advertised to stump and chip the town’s forty-one acre parcel adjacent to Brand Hollow Rd. The board plans to sell the property since the sewer plant no longer utilizes it as a filtration basin. The bid opening is scheduled for June 12 at 10 a.m.

The board amended a portion of the town’s employee handbook to suspend nepotism rules permitting the town to hire a part-time seasonal junior employee ages 18 or under, provided an unrelated person does not apply for the position.

Jim Douglass noted that Kravitz Landscaping of Keeseville cut, chipped, and hauled away 135 trees along the John Boswell, Mannix, and Lapham Mills Roads. The highway department wanted the large trees cut because they shaded the highways resulting in snow-covered, icy conditions during winter months. Douglas said Kravitz has a county contract that extends to towns. Its prices are based on stump diameter. The cost totaled $70,600.

The Hometown Hero Banners should be up in time for Memorial Day.

Highway Department News

Paving the Dashnaw Road was accomplished on Thursday, May 18. Unfortunately, the town’s paver broke down the previous day. Burnell Paving provided a paver and operating personnel to get the job done. Highway Superintendent Michael Farrell said Burnell’s $600,000 paver and experienced personnel did an excellent job. Mannix Road is the next road to be paved.

Kyle Spear is the town’s newest equipment operator. Michael Farrell said Spear comes highly recommended. He has worked for the NYS Department of Transportation operating snow plows and heavy equipment. He starts at $22.34 hourly with a one-year probationary period.

Farrell said his department is back at full staffing levels. He thanked Darrell Martineau, who returned to work temporarily last winter after retiring. His help was invaluable.

Water-Sewer-Parks Department News 

The department’s twenty-four foot Haulmark maintenance trailer was declared as surplus equipment. It will be advertised for sale in as-is condition, with no warranties, with a minimum bid of $25,000. The bid opening is scheduled for June 12 at 10 a.m.

A 2000 backhoe was declared to be surplus equipment. As a result, auction International will offer it in as-is condition, with no warranties with a $25,000 minimum bid.

The board accepted Jonathan Babbie’s $4,250 bid for a surplus 1985 Model 1710 Ford tractor. Five bids were received. The town recently purchased a new John Deere tractor.

The meeting adjourned at 7:01 p.m.

Peru – CVPH Donor Center Blood Brive, Monday, June 5 from 3 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., at St. Augustine’s Parish Center, 3030 Main St. in Peru.

The blood collected by the Donor Center provides more than 95% of the blood used at CVPH and is used to supply other hospitals in Elizabethtown, Malone, Massena, Saranac Lake and Glens Falls.

St. Augustine’s Knights of Columbus Council 7273 is coordinating the drive. 

Below statement for the office of Congresswoman Elise Stefanik

Washington, D.C. – Speaker Kevin McCarthy (CA-20), Majority Leader Steve Scalise (LA-01), Majority Whip Tom Emmer (MN-06), and Chairwoman Elise Stefanik (NY-21) issued the following statement on the release of legislative text for the Fiscal Responsibility Act:

“The American people elected House Republicans to stop the out-of-control inflationary spending that has broken family budgets. Today, we secured a historic series of wins worthy of the American people.

“We cut spending year-over-year for the first time in over a decade while fully funding national defense and veterans’ health benefits, include the largest rescission in history by clawing back billions in unspent COVID funds, and achieve consequential work requirements to welfare programs to lift Americans out of poverty and grow the economy. We enact for the first time into law ‘Pay-Go’ rules for the Executive Branch, which forces the Executive Branch to find dollar-for-dollar savings in the government for costly rules and regulations, so that executive overreach is reined in and held accountable. And in order to help grow our economy and lower costs for the American people, we streamline the process for permitting in America and begin to prune an overgrown federal bureaucracy that has expanded during the Biden administration.

“The Fiscal Responsibility Act does what is responsible for our children, what is possible in divided government, and what is required by our principles and promises. Only because of Republicans’ resolve did we achieve this transformative change to how Washington operates.”