The Peru Gazette

Officials are reminding boaters of hazards in the water as lake levels drop after a boat struck a reef, damaging the hull.

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More than $45K raised through annual effort and support from the Carpenter family

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And the delays have gotten worse in recent months.

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Building nuclear will test whether New York state is still capable of constructing megaprojects as it has done in the past.

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As environmental justice groups seek to compel the state to follow its climate law, the Hochul administration is set to argue that it deserves a pass.

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State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli, Franklin County District Attorney Elizabeth Crawford, and New York State Police Superintendent Steven G. James announced that Bridget Brown, the former treasurer of the Essex County Agricultural Society and former Willsboro town clerk/tax collector, was sentenced to serve five years probation and ordered to pay full restitution of nearly $90,000 after her conviction by guilty plea of grand larceny in the second degree and grand larceny in the third degree as a crime of public corruption for stealing funds from the society and the town.

“Bridget Brown abused the trust of multiple communities and treated public money in her care as her own to fund her lifestyle. Now she is a convicted felon and has been ordered to repay the money she stole,” DiNapoli said. “This case should serve as a warning to anyone who thinks they can steal from their community and get away with it. My thanks to Franklin County District Attorney Crawford and Superintendent James for their partnership in ensuring Bridget Brown was held accountable for her crimes.”

“I am thankful to the investigators who dedicated themselves to the successful prosecution of this case, which required the review and analysis of thousands of pages of records that spanned a period of theft from 2013 until 2021 between two organizations and three separate job titles that the defendant held,” Crawford said. “On the eve of the 176^th Essex County Fair, we are hopeful that defendant will pay restitution to that organization promptly. Ms. Brown stole from the public for years without remorse and now has to face the consequences of her actions.”

Executive Assistant District Attorney Alyxandra Stanczak was the prosecutor assigned to the case.

“This case is a clear example of how public corruption erodes trust and harms the very communities public servants are sworn to serve,” James said. “Ms. Brown betrayed that trust for personal gain, but thanks to the thorough investigative work and strong interagency cooperation, she is being held accountable. I thank Comptroller DiNapoli and District Attorney Crawford for their continued partnership in protecting New Yorkers from fraud and abuse.”

Brown worked for the Essex County Agricultural Society — a non-profit organization that promotes agriculture through the Essex County Fair — from 2013 to 2019. She also separately served as  Willsboro’s town clerk and tax collector from 2014 to 2021.

Brown stole approximately $60,000 from the society by padding her paychecks, making ATM withdrawals and using the society’s bank account to make personal purchases. She concocted phony business records in an attempt to cover her crimes. She took an additional $29,000 from Willsboro by pocketing residents’ payments for taxes, licenses, and landfill fees.

Brown pleaded guilty in May. She was sentenced before Judge Tatiana Coffinger in Essex County Court, who ordered Brown to pay a 10% surcharge on top of her restitution, bringing her total repayment to $97,600.

“We’ll have some preferences for folks who are homeless, but then people who are basically low and moderate income people, probably a good number of folks working will be able to come here; again, preference for the veterans”

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1. Call Meeting to Order
2. Pledge of Allegiance

3. Roll Call

4. MOTION: Approval of Minutes for the Regular Meeting of July 14, 2025. 

5. Community Input. 

6. RESOLUTION/DISCUSSION: Approval For LCLG Planning Board To Submit Application For Funding.
7. RESOLUTION/DISCUSSION: Shared Services Agreement with the Town of Jay.

8. MOTION/DISCUSSION: Vandalism at Heyworth Mason Park Porta-Potties.

9. RESOLUTION/DISCUSSION: Resolution Naming NBT Bank As a Depository Agency.

10. DISCUSSION: Telegraph Road Over Dry Mill Brook Culvert Project Engineering Update.

11. DISCUSSION: Other Business, Town Council.

12. DISCUSSION: Other Business, Dept. Heads.

13. DISCUSSION: Public Comments on Agenda Items Only.

14. RESOLUTION/DISCUSSION:  Pay Bills – July 2025

15. MOTION: Adjourn to Executive Session.

16. MOTION: Return from Executive Session.

17. MOTION: Adjourn. 

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L-R Wayne Wells operated a roller and Kyle Spear operated the sweeper.

Town of Ausable trucks and Town of Peru delivered asphalt, an example of shared serves at work.

Town of Peru truck

July 24, 2035 – Peru Town Highway personnel were out early this morning putting smooth sloped, paved shoulders on newly paved Telegraph Road. 

July 24, 2025, Ausable Point, Peru, NY – Teaching your son or daughter fishing is one of the most enjoyable activities for any parent. This morning, Ben Sabourin and his son Dylan were up early, casting fishing lines at Ausable Point. Ben grew up just a few miles down the road from Ausable Point. Yes, Dylan caught a fish only a couple minutes after his first cast.

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Photo Provided

Big Latch On at CVPH part of global event to raise awareness  

• Getting their picture taken courtesy of Nature’s Breeze Photography
• Prizes for the youngest and oldest nursling
• Door prize
• Refreshments
• Local agencies and vendors on site with information and to answer questions
• Bake sale benefiting the WCC Bereavement Program to help families through infant loss

July 21, 2025 – Governor Kathy Hochul announced the launch of a one-stop-shop for active duty service members, veterans, and family members currently enrolled or interested in attending any SUNY college or university. The landing page: www.suny.edu/military, includes information on available credit for military service and experience, tuition assistance, specialized scholarships, and dedicated campus services like veteran lounges and associations for all 64 SUNY campuses. The website also connects veterans with services offered by the counties where each campus is located, helping them stay close to home and community, and will be regularly updated as new information becomes available.

“We continue to rely so much on our veterans and military to protect everything we hold sacred, and it is a priority of my administration to make sure we help our military-connected New Yorkers have a smooth transition to their next career,” Governor Hochul said. “This one-stop shop from SUNY is easy to follow and helps guide service members and their families and puts them on a path to a rewarding degree or credential.”

Governor Hochul has recently announced expanded access to an affordable education through the Veterans Tuition Assistance Program, which went into effect on July 1. Under Governor Hochul’s leadership, the program will now serve even more veterans by broadening eligibility and increasing flexibility.

Thirty-seven SUNY campuses offer academic credit for military service and experience, and the new website includes connecting visitors to an easy-to-use search for available credit for military experience and training. Additionally, SUNY campuses have tailored support available including student veteran associations and military and veteran offices, and counties throughout New York State have programs and staff available as well. SUNY developed this comprehensive website so that servicemembers and veterans would be able to easily learn about and access all of the available programs and benefits that they have earned through their service.

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