The Peru Gazette

St. Augustine’s Church entrance

JCEO Peru Outreach Coordinator Trista Sheehan with Knights Greg Hart (L) and Gordon Santor (R)

St. Augustine’s Knights of Columbus Council 7273 is conducting a monthly food drive at St. Augustine’s Church to assist the Peru JCEO Food Shelf. This past weekend parishioners responded in a big way! The Knights delivered the food Monday morning.

November 17, 2025, Grand Isle, VT – The Patrick Leahy Lake Champlain Basin Program (LCBP), in partnership with NEIWPCC, seeks to fund projects that increase organizational capacity and long-term effectiveness of watershed organizations working in the Lake Champlain Basin.

The intent of this funding opportunity is to assist watershed organizations with the early stages of their development or to assist established watershed organizations in strengthening their capacity. The goal is to increase an organization’s capacity to achieve their mission, rather than develop new programming or education and outreach efforts (this work can be requested via other LCBP grant competitions).

All organizations seeking funding through this category must have a specific focus on achieving water quality improvements in the Lake Champlain watershed.

Grants of up to $20,000 will be awarded, with a total of approximately $250,000 in available funding. One proposal may be submitted per eligible organization. 

“Watershed organizations across the Basin play a critical role in implementing water quality and habitat restoration projects, as well as educating and involving our communities,” said Dr. Eric Howe, NEIWPCC Program Director of the Lake Champlain Basin Program. “We are proud to offer organizational support funding to boost our partners’ capacity for undertaking this work.”

The awarded projects will advance the goals of the long-term Lake Champlain management plan Opportunities for Action (plan.lcbp.org). This grant opportunity is supported by funds awarded to Lake Champlain by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and in partnership with the Great Lakes Fishery Commission.

Proposals are due at 5:00 PM EST on January 5, 2026, and projects are targeted to begin work in August 2026. An informational webinar will be offered on December 2, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. (register for the Zoom meeting here).

For further information, contact the Lake Champlain Basin Program, 54 West Shore Road, Grand Isle, VT at (802) 372-3213 / (800) 468-5227 or visit www.lcbp.org.

-end-

Assemblyman Michael S. Cashman is pleased to announce his initial committee assignments in the New York State Assembly. Cashman has been appointed to the Agriculture Committee, the Tourism, Parks, and Sports Development Committee, and the Veterans’ Affairs Committee three panels that directly reflect the strengths and priorities of the 115th Assembly District.

“These committees represent the core of who we are as a region,” said Assemblyman Cashman. “The 115th is powered by hardworking farm families, supported by a vibrant tourism and outdoor recreation economy, and deeply shaped by our veterans and military community. I’m honored to bring our district’s voice to each of these tables.”

Cashman noted that Assembly committee sizes are fixed by the Rules of the House, and as a result, senior members such as former Assemblyman Billy Jones may assume additional responsibilities as the new legislative session progresses. “This is the start of the process,” Cashman added. “As assignments across the Chamber shift, I will continue to advocate for roles that best serve the people of Clinton, Franklin, and Essex Counties.”

His appointment to the Agriculture Committee positions him to champion family farms and rural economic development. Serving on Tourism, Parks, and Sports Development allows him to support the region’s natural assets and small businesses that rely on visitors and recreation. Through the Veterans’ Affairs Committee, he will continue advocating for the service members and military families who are such an important part of the North Country’s identity.

Additionally, Assemblyman Cashman has been diligently working to open the new District Office located on the historic U.S. Oval in Plattsburgh. This includes hiring staff, establishing operations, and getting phone lines up and running. Constituents may now reach the office at 518-562-1986.

Even while preparing the office, Cashman has remained active across the district from meeting with leaders at the UVM Health Network’s Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital FitzPatrick Cancer Treatment Center, to attending the Annual North Country Chamber of Commerce Retreat, to joining the Annual Malone Chamber Meeting and Dinner, and celebrating the official opening of the new Champlain Fire Station and many more. These engagements ensure he continues to stay closely connected to the issues, opportunities, and people of the 115th.

Click here for the NCPR story 

Click here for the New York Focus story 

Wall Street tycoon and Adirondack agitator Sandy Lewis lists iconic Essex farm

Click here for the Adirondack Explorer Story 

Click here for the Sun Community News story 

Thanksgiving dinner

Turkey Dinner & All the Trimmings! 

Dessert 

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

All are invited and welcome!

Click here for WPTZ News Report 

Click here for the Adirondack Almanac story 

State to open proposed requirements for K-12 to public comment starting Nov. 19

Click here for the Adirondack Almanac story 

Corrected 11/15/25 at 3:10 p.m. Residents utilizing water and sewer services will see a slight decrease.  My first post did not take the water & sewer rate deceases into account. Taxes will increase for residents outside those districts. 

By John T Ryan 

Peru – The Peru town board has been formulating the town’s 2026 town budget since September 8. On October 2, it conducted a Special Meeting to unveil the preliminary Budget, and on October 5, it conducted a Public Hearing. On Wednesday, November 19, at 5:30 p.m., it will conduct a Special Meeting to adopt the Final Budget. 

Over the past several months, Supervisor Craig Randall stated that the 2026 budget would probably exceed the 2% state-imposed tax cap; he was correct. Noting that the board will probably make a few changes in the final Budget, Randall didn’t think the Final Budget would be under the tax cap.  While it doesn’t appear the budget will exceed the tax cap by much, Randall did not give the Peru Gazette the exact numbers. The exact amount should be available at the board’s November 19 Special Meeting. 

Preliminary Budget Tax Rates 2026 vs, 2025 per thousand dollars of taxable value 

General – $1.72/M vs. $1.43

Highway – $1.80 vs. $1.73

Water – $.86 vs. $1.03

Sewer – – $1.54 vs. 1.97

Increases in employee health insurance costs, NYS retirement expenses, and culvert replacement expenses drive the town’s increased expenditures. Facing about 18% increase in health insurance costs, the town is changing its employee health insurance plans; nevertheless, the board has budgeted $25,817 to cover the increased costs. 

The town installed several culverts following the 1998 flood. Unfortunately, the culverts are failing in rapid succession, meaning expense increases are likely to continue. The culvert replacement contracts are expensive, typically totaling several hundred thousand dollars.

Few, if any, of the expenses incurred at the ongoing Wastewater Treatment Plant Project are included in the 2026 budget. Those expenses will impact the 2027 budget, as well as work anticipated at the water treatment plant. 

Randall reduced anticipated Clinton County Sales Tax Revenue, saying, “How the County determines what it gives to the towns is a mystery to me. We’re budgeting much less for 2026 than we did in 2025.” The available fund balance is being reduced from $398,349 in 2025 to $200,000 in 2026.

The Peru Gazette analyzed portions of the Budget:

Health Insurance – $284,177 in 2026 vs $258,390 in 2025. 

NYS Retirement – $204,778 in 2026 vs. $165,283 in 2025. 

Sales Tax Income – $225,000 in 2026 vs. $326,466 in 2025 

Employee Wage Increases – 3% based on the Consumer Price Index.

Bond Payments on the Fuller Road Culvert – $195,000 

Bond Payments on the 1st Telegraph Rd. Culvert – $71,159 

Click here view the Preliminary 2026 Budget

Story updated  11/15/25 at 3:10 p.m. and 11/17/25 at 8:45 PM – Health insurance increase have been about 18%, not 22% as originally stated. 

By John T Ryan 

By now, many readers may be familiar with the Regional Food Bank’s massive effort to host a November 22 Single-Day Thanksgiving Meal Pick-Up for thousands of individuals, families, and seniors in the Adirondacks and the North Country. To make this happen, about 75 volunteers will be needed.  Organizations and individuals are invited to take part.

The items handed out will allow families to cook their own meals at home. Volunteers will fill a box/bag with more than 30 pounds of food items (including turkey, cranberry sauce, stuffing mix, gravy, vegetables, fruit, potatoes, and dessert) sourced from local partners.

On November 22, Clinton Community College’s Institute of Advanced Manufacturing will be the local food distribution site. Volunteers will be needed starting at 7 a.m. to organize and distribute the food via a drive-through system. Distribution will begin at 10:00 a.m. and continue until 1:00 p.m. or until all the food has been distributed. The Institute is at 53 Clinton Point Drive, Plattsburgh, New York 12901.

Individuals interested in volunteering can sign up using this link. Organizations desiring to participate should email Nicholas Rabideau at nickr#regionalfoodbank.net 

The Plattsburgh event is one of over 20 Regional Food Bank events across Northeastern New York. It is the single largest overall food distribution in the history of New York.

Click here for read a previous Peru Gazette story on this effort. 

Pictured left to right: Alex Jeffords Fessette; Vice President of Jeffords Steel & Engineering Company, John C. Bernardi; President & CEO of United Way of the Adirondack Region, Inc., and Jesse Ringer; President of Jeffords Steel & Engineering Company.

Jeffords Officials presented John Bernardi, President & CEO of United Way of the Adirondack Region, Inc. with a check from the employees’ workplace giving campaign and their corporate pledge contributing $16,000.00 to the 2026 United Way Campaign.  Jeffords Steel & Engineering Company has a long history of supporting United Way and several other community initiatives.

The 9th Vermont private college to close in the last decade 

Click here for the Vermont Public story 

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, a global leader in biotechnology founded in New York State, will create 1,000 new jobs as part of a $2 billion investment at its new facility in Saratoga Springs. The company plans to utilize a more than one million square foot property it recently purchased on Duplainville Road, which previously served as a printed material manufacturer. The project would encompass the design, reconstruction and fit-out of the existing space, with potential for additional expansion. Empire State Development has agreed to support Regeneron’s plans and job creation goals with up to $35 million in performance-based Excelsior Jobs Program tax credits.

“For decades, Regeneron has been one of our great success stories — now, they are doubling down by creating 1,000 good paying jobs and expanding the biotech industry that transforms lives across the world,” Governor Hochul said. “Regeneron’s choice to once again invest in New York State is proof that our continued commitment to innovation and talent is working. New Yorkers deserve the incredible momentum we are seeing in advanced manufacturing and life sciences.”

Regeneron was founded in 1988 in New York City; the following year, New York invested $250,000 in the company. Today, Regeneron is the largest biotech company in New York and one of the largest and most productive in the world. The new facility in Saratoga Springs will allow Regeneron to nearly double its existing manufacturing capacity in New York State. The project is expected to support approximately 500 short-term design and construction jobs, and create at least 1,000 full-time, permanent jobs. This project will bolster the company’s efforts in manufacturing and developing life-saving medications to fight the spread of infectious diseases, as well as continue to improve its oncology capabilities to fight cancer as well as a wide range of other life altering diseases. Read more »

A GREAT NCPR story 

Click here for the NCPR story