Source: City & State Coronavirus Update

From the office of Congresswoman Elise Stefanik

Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Elise Stefanik has announced that following her advocacy, USDA published new rules for the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) yesterday that now make apple and select specialty crop producers eligible for the funding beginning July 13th. In June, Congresswoman Stefanik led a letter along with Congressman Anthony Brindisi (NY-22) and Congressman Dan Newhouse (WA-04), requesting that apple producers be deemed eligible for CFAP funding. Following their letter, USDA has made the necessary changes to include apple producers in CFAP funding.

“The North Country is home to many apple producers who help feed our communities and boost our local economies,” said Congresswoman Stefanik. “Given the market disruptions that resulted from the COVID-19 pandemic, our apple and specialty crop producers deserve to be included in this important USDA program as they get back on their feet. I am proud to advocate on a bipartisan basis with my upstate New York colleagues to make this essential change, and I will continue to work on behalf of our North Country farmers.”

“Many apple growers are hanging on by their fingernails, so USDA’s decision is great news and not a moment too soon,” said USApple President and CEO Jim Bair. “Growers usually take the risks of weather and markets in stride, but the impact of COVID-19 pushed many right to the edge. We thank and congratulate USDA for this welcome news.”

Here are today’s Clinton County COVID-19 case updates.

A Heat Advisory is in effect through 7 PM today with a peak occurring between 12-7 PM. Stay cool while staying safe. Continue to wear face coverings, be mindful about maintaining a physical distance of 6 feet from others, and wash your hands frequently.

*Clinton County’s next COVID-19 case updates will be on Monday, July 13.

“There have recently been instances of blatant acts of racism and hatred right here in the North Country, and it cannot and will not be tolerated. It is most concerning that one of our very own diversity officers feels threatened and unsafe in her own community and this is quite simply unacceptable. I have personally reached out to her and I have encouraged other officials to reach out to her to express support and encouragement. No individual has the right to use racial slurs against another human being, whether in the form of graffiti or hostile acts and language. What these incidents in Plattsburgh and Saranac Lake have taught us is that racism exists everywhere and is not unique to one area. This was also exemplified by a local student’s compelling graduation speech regarding her trials and tribulations dealing with bigotry in her young life and I commend her for speaking up about her experiences. I look forward to continuing my work with the LINC steering committee to address racism in our community and stop bigotry in its’ tracks.”

From the office of NYS Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli

Federal Aid Needed to Cushion the Blow as Revenues Drop

The COVID-19 pandemic has negatively affected many local governments’ revenues and its impact will likely be severe for many municipalities’ finances, according to a report released today by New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli.

As sales tax revenues fall by double-digits and state aid is reduced or delayed, DiNapoli called on the federal government to provide aid to local governments before drastic service cuts occur.

“Local governments are under extreme fiscal pressure. Costs for fighting the pandemic are adding up while revenues are rapidly falling,” DiNapoli said. “In this year’s state budget, aid to local governments was flat and now the state has withheld some aid. Local governments can only tighten their belts so far. They need federal aid and they need it now.”

Federal aid is typically only a minor component of local government revenues in New York — about 5 percent of total revenues in 2018, excluding New York City. In extraordinary circumstances, the federal government has stepped in with financial assistance to help states and local governments weather difficult times. Between 2008 and 2010, in response to the Great Recession, federal aid to local governments in New York increased by nearly 60 percent and was critical in shoring up local finances.

The report notes that sales taxes are one of the most important sources of revenue for many of New York’s local governments and are directly affected by the economic pause and social distancing measures implemented to control COVID-19. Sales tax collections for local governments in May fell 32.3 percent from last year. From March through May 2020, local governments have received $824 million, or 19.2 percent less, in sales taxes than they did during that same period in 2019.

Another risk to local revenues is the flow of state aid. The state budget director withheld 20 percent of May and June Aid and Incentives for Municipalities (AIM) payments to 12 cities and 20 percent of June Video Lottery Terminal (VLT) aid payments to 15 counties, cities, towns and villages. These combined reductions totaled $75.9 million. It is not yet determined if this aid will be paid to municipalities at a later date. While property taxes provide revenue stability for local governments, the tax cap and other constraints will likely limit their use to shore up local revenues. Property taxes could also be impacted by owners not being able to make payments.

DiNapoli said his office is tracking sales taxes on a monthly basis as well as pushing for legislation that gives local governments and school districts more flexibility in repaying debt and using reserve funds for pandemic-related expenses. The legislation has passed both the Assembly and the Senate and is awaiting action by the Governor.

FULL REPORT:

Under Pressure: Local Government Revenue Challenges During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Source: Holiday weekend brought wave of tourism | News | pressrepublican.com

Source: Rising coronavirus cases among young people worry Onondaga County officials – syracuse.com

Source: CNY person with coronavirus arrested for breaking quarantine, released due to bail reform laws – syracuse.com

Source: At least 16 sick after coronavirus exposure at DeWitt in-home day care: ‘Take this seriously … stay home if sick at all’ – syracuse.com

Source: Shelburne Museum scheduled to reopen this month

Source: Gyms, still shut, are part of a class-action lawsuit against NYS | Newsday

Source: Following warnings, crowded scenes and few masks at Burlington’s bars – VTDigger

1. Call Meeting To Order
2. Pledge of Allegiance

3. Roll Call

4. MOTION/DISCUSSION: To Accept reports from all Departments: (Water/Sewer/Valcour; Highway; Town Clerk; Dog Control; Youth Department; Code/Zoning; Supervisor’s Report; Court; Website; JCEO; and Banking Reports)

5. MOTION: Approval of Minutes for the Town Board Regular Meeting of June 22, 2020.

6. DISCUSSION/MOTION: Set up IT Workshop time with PrimeLink.

7. RESOLUTION/DISCUSSION: Approving Additional Purchase Cost of KM Hotbox for Shared Services.

8. RESOLUTION/DISCUSSION: Approving the Creation of the Deputy Highway Superintendent Position.

9. DISCUSSION/MOTION: Bridge and Culvert New York Grant. 

10. RESOLUTION/DISCUSSION: Pay Bills 

MOTION:     Adjourn

**In an effort to help stop the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak, this Town Board Meeting will not be open to the public.  The minutes will be available online as soon as they are approved at the following Board Meeting of July 27, 2020.  Thank you your understanding in this matter and stay safe!

The Peru School Board of Education will hold its reorganizational and regular monthly meetings on Tuesday, July 14, 2020 at 6:15 PM and 6:30 PM, respectively.  For the regular meeting, it is anticipated that an executive session will take place immediately following the 6:30 PM start, and that the Board will reconvene for public session business at approximately 7:00 PM.  Due to current COVID-19 conditions, the meeting will be held remotely via Google Meet.  The public may view the meeting live at https://youtu.be/7R5ukQVljYs  The meeting will also be recorded and will be available on the District’s website at www.perucsd.org.  The regular meeting will include a public comment period not to exceed twenty (20) minutes.  Comments will be read in the order received and will be limited to two (2) minutes per sender.  Public comments may be submitted until 12:00 noon on July 14^th.  Comments may be emailed to perucomments@perucsd.org.

Anticipated Topics Include:

• Approval of BOCES/CVES Services
• Appointment of Personnel
• Board Meeting Dates for 20-21
• Mileage Rate
• Substitute Rates
• Donation Acceptance

The agendas will be available on the District’s website (perucsd.org).

Positive +1, Active +1, Tested +186

– In case you missed yesterday’s media release, read it here: www.clintonhealth.org/BulletinsPress/PR07082020.pdf
– For answers to some FAQs we’ve received, visit: https://bit.ly/2O3s5Ga
– To find a COVID-19 test site, visit: https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/find-test-site-near-you
– For hospitalization data for the North Country Region, visit: https://forward.ny.gov/daily-hospitalization-summary-region
– For more details on the NYS travel advisory (requiring a 14 day quarantine after travel from states with significant community spread of COVID-19), visit https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/covid-19-travel-advisory

Source: Getting started with bird watching – – The Adirondack Almanack

Source: It’s Not Just You, There Actually Are A Lot More Chipmunks Out There | Vermont Public Radio

Source: Diversity leader moving out of Saranac Lake | News, Sports, Jobs – Adirondack Daily Enterprise

Source: Northern New York man charged with hate crime