The Peru Gazette

AGENDA PUBLIC HEARING ON 2015 Water/Sewer Rates, December 22, 2014, 6:30 PM  

1. Call Meeting To Order

2. Pledge of Allegiance

3. Roll Call

4. MOTION:      To Open the Public Hearing. 

5. DISCUSSION: Community Input and Questions

6. MOTION:    To Close the Public Hearing. 

7. MOTION:    Adjourn

Click here to see the earlier Peru Gazette story on the rate increases.

The Peru Community Church Senior Youth group will be conducting a bottle drive on January 3, 2015 to raise money for their annual mission trip to Washington DC. We will be stopping by our local neighborhoods requesting refundable bottles and cans or donations to help fund this very important mission to help others in need. For more information or to schedule a pick up on January 3, 2015 call Cheryl at 572-7442 or Brian at 420-4752. Please share this post with others!

Shock in Southern Tier of New York as Hopes of Gambling and Fracking Both Die – NYTimes.com.

LOOKING FOR THE PERFECT GIFT? Consider purchasing a gift certificate from The Strand Center for the Arts. Certificates are available in any amount and can be used for classes, lessons, memberships, artwork that is for sale in our gallery, tickets to performances at the Strand Theatre or for our “Sponsor a Seat” Strand Theatre fundraiser.

For further information call us at 518.563.1604 email outreach@plattsburgharts.org or visit us at: The Strand Center for the Arts, 23 Brinkerhoff Street, Plattsburgh, NY
HOURS: Tuesday to Friday, 10 am – 5 pm | Saturday, 10 am – 4 pm | Sunday and Monday closed. Holiday hours for The Strand Center for the Arts: closed Wednesday, December 24 to Thursday, January 1. We will reopen during regular hours on Friday, January 2, 2015.

A terrific gift for any occasion!

Beginning in January 2015, The Strand Center for the Arts will launch its new series of film classics. On Sunday, January 25 the Strand Theatre will show “The Maltese Falcon” the first in a series of three classic films which will include, “Some Like It Hot” (Sunday, February 15, 2015) and “Casablanca” (Saturday, February 28, 2015). The Strand Film Series will showcase one film each month. These films will include genres such as film noir, silent, classic, drama, independent and westerns.

A matinee and evening screening of all films is scheduled. To purchase advance tickets, visit www.plattsburgharts.org, call 518.563.1604 or visit our Box Office at 23 Brinkerhoff Street, Plattsburgh, NY. Box office hours are Tuesday to Friday 10:00 am to 5:00 pm and Saturday 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. Tickets can also be purchased at the door the day of the screening at, the Strand Theatre located at 25 Brinkerhoff Street, Plattsburgh, NY.

THE MALTESE FALCON | Sunday, January 25 | 3:00 pm and 7:00 pm
SOME LIKE IT HOT | Sunday, February 15 | 3:00 pm and 7:00 pm
CASABLANCA | Saturday, February 28 | 3:00 pm and 7:00 pm
$7.00 | General Admission
$5.00 | The Strand Center Members, Students, Military, Seniors and Children
Children under 5 are not permitted

Photos: Schenectady, this is what your casino will look like – Times Union.

Board Backs Casinos in the Catskills, Near Albany and in Central New York – NYTimes.com.

On November 19, 2014 former NPR correspondent Andrea Seabrook interviewed outgoing Congressman Bill Owens. In her introduction Seabrook described Owens as a rational pragmatist. Owens said, “My view of the world is that there is a band of rational thought that we should all act in. I’m not saying that there is nothing you should be passionate about. But I think ultimately you have to go back to a thought-process that is fact-based and analytic.”  Describing his vision of a being an effective legislator Owens said, “You can’t take a position, in my view, that says, ‘Well, I’m going to have you sacrifice but not me. ‘… We need to finds ways to, if you will, conjoin the interests of groups as opposed to splitting them apart. And we don’t focus on that in my view very often.”

The interview was conducted on the blog decodedc.com. Click here to listen to the 20-minute interview. 

Cuomo to Ban Fracking in New York State, Citing Health Risks – NYTimes.com.

St. Vincent’s sorting table some mornings. Volunteers are needed!

St. Augustine’s St. Vincent de Paul Store assists many people thanks to the many people who donate clothing and its many volunteers. During the winter months several volunteers depart for warmer climates and there is a great need for new volunteers especially on Wednesdays and some Saturdays. The store operates Monday-Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Thursdays from 7 to 9 p.m. and on Saturdays from 9 a.m. till noon. If you can help at any time please call Jane Woods at 834-5324.

From the office of Representative-elect Elise Stefanik

Glens Falls, NY – Representative-elect Elise Stefanik (R-NY) today announced new staff hires for her office in the 114th Congress.

Anthony Pileggi will serve as District Director. Mr. Pileggi was born and raised in Herkimer County and has worked in public service for most of his career. He worked as the Grassroots Director for Representative Richard Hanna’s (NY-22) successful 2012 re-election campaign and ran daily operations for Hanna’s Binghamton District Office. Most recently, Mr. Pileggi served as Deputy Campaign Manager and Director of Operations for Representative-Elect Elise Stefanik’s successful Congressional campaign, where he served as the principal Liaison to county and local leaders for the campaign. Mr. Pileggi graduated from the University at Albany, State University of New York with a degree in Public Policy and Public Administration.

Chris Perry will serve as Legislative Director. Mr. Perry has served as Legislative Director for outgoing Armed Services Committee Chairman Congressman Buck McKeon since 2011. Mr. Perry, with eight years of federal legislative experience, most recently handled the education and workforce portfolio for Chairman McKeon as well as overseeing a legislative staff of four. Mr. Perry holds a Master of Public Policy degree from George Mason University’s School of Public Policy and is currently working towards an Executive Master of Natural Resources from Virginia Tech where he serves as in Fellowship/Assistantship with the Center for Leadership in Global Sustainability. Originally from California, Mr. Perry received a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science with a minor in History from California State University, Northridge.

Ethan Gilbert will serve as Legislative Correspondent. Mr. Gilbert joins the office after running the Watertown office for Representative-Elect Elise Stefanik’s Congressional campaign. Mr. Gilbert is a graduate of Cornell University.

Anderson Briggs will serve as Staff Assistant in Ms. Stefanik’s Washington, D.C. office. Ms. Briggs most recently served as an intern in Representative Chris Gibson’s office (NY-19) and is a recent graduate of the State University of New York College at Cortland.

“I am pleased to announce that Anthony will join my team as District Director. Anthony knows the 21st District intimately and is a tremendously hard worker. He has a servant’s heart and great humility, and he will bring great institutional knowledge and energy to our district operations,” Stefanik said.

“I am also fortunate to have one of the most experienced and sought after Legislative Directors in the House of Representatives join my team.”

“Chris has demonstrated his mastery of key policy issues – with a particular expertise in Armed services as the LD for a former chairman – and has a proven track record. His experience and insights will bring great value to the North Country and I am excited to have him on our team.

“I am also pleased to have Ethan and Anderson on the team. Their strong New York ties, background and experience will serve our constituents well. We will prioritize constituent service above all else, and these two will help make sure that is a daily reality,” Stefanik said.

Mr. Pileggi, Mr. Perry, Mr. Gilbert, and Ms. Briggs will officially begin work on January 3, 2015.

WASHINGTON – This morning Congressman Bill Owens announced the nomination of 17 students from across Northern New York to attend U.S. service academies next year.

“Attending a U.S. service academy gives a student the opportunity to serve her or his country and receive a world class education at the same time,” said Owens. “I commend these students for choosing to pursue this path of extraordinary honor and selflessness. I am pleased to support their efforts in this regard and look forward to seeing them carry on the proud tradition of military service for their families and communities.”

Members of Congress may nominate students to attend one of the four U.S. Service Academies if those students meet certain eligibility requirements and submit a detailed application. The service academies that accept nominations are the Air Force, Army, Merchant Marine and the Navy. Rep. Owens, a veteran of the U.S. Air Force, is pleased to announce the nomination of the following individuals to a U.S. service academy:

United States Merchant Marine Academy – Kings Point, NY

Brendan Broderick – Massena, NY

Sarah Phillips – Johnstown, NY

United States Air Force Academy – Colorado Springs, CO

Cole Carpenter – Watertown, NY

Jesse DeMarsh – Hadley, NY

Kathryn Fanning – Canton, NY

Logan Graham – Queensbury, NY

Alexander Knecht – Cambridge, NY

D’Andre Lemieux – Plattsburgh, NY

Paige Lusk – Carthage, NY

Zachary Zeltmann – Adams Center, NY

United States Naval Academy – Annapolis, MD

Kathryn Fanning – Canton, NY

Logan Graham – Queensbury, NY

Alexander Knecht – Cambridge, NY

Connor Paquin – Massena, NY

United States Military Academy – West Point, NY

Blake Basmajian – Corinth, NY

Chandler Gach – Saranac Lake, NY

Nicole Gardner – Copenhagen, NY

Logan Graham – Queensbury, NY

Sarah Phillips – Johnstown, NY

Schuyler Radliff – Stillwater, NY

Brad Williams – Lake George, NY

Mary Young – Waddington, NY

Zachary Zeltmann – Adams Center, NY

Health insurance deadline extended 5 days – Times Union.

Click here to see the Museum’s Fall Newsletter!

The Peru Community Church is offering a HeartSaver CPR course with AED training January 5, 2015 at 6PM. The course will be led by Barbara Wagner who is a Certified CPR Instructor and 40 year Certified Emergency Room Nurse. The 2 ½ hour course is accredited through the American Heart Association. The cost of the course is $25 paid in advance, 100% of which will go to the Peru Community Church Jamaican Mission. For more information contact Harriet Burrell 518 643-9778 or ghburrell80@charter.net. Class size is limited. All Attendees MUST pre-register.

The Peru Community Church Jamaican Mission is planning its 16th annual mission trip to Jamaica. Each year, area volunteers pay their own way to Jamaica to build a small wooden house for someone in need. The mission also works with central Jamaican schools and an Orphanage.

As I turn the page to a new chapter, I want to express my appreciation to all of you for allowing me to serve as your Congressman.

I have often said that our district is made up of Rockefeller Republicans and Reagan Democrats, and I have done my best to bring your reasonableness and moderate approach to Washington. For those who disagreed with me on occasion, I appreciate that our conversations were respectful and thoughtful.

Whether dealing with specific cases or national issues, my goal has always been to act in the best interest of the region. That regional focus drove my efforts to improve policies governing trade, agriculture, energy, veterans’ services, and more.

Encouraging trade and tourism by making it easier for people, goods, and services to cross the border from Canada safely and efficiently is critical for our region’s economy. Our proximity to markets in Canada provides local businesses unique opportunities for growth. To this end, I worked to secure funding for upgrades to the Land Port of Entry at Alexandria Bay and monitored dwell times at all border crossings across the district. I authored legislation, which became law, to counter the trafficking of narcotics across our northern border, ensuring that the vast majority of trade and travel would be legitimate and safe. I also hosted several export events to help local businesses understand and take advantage of resources available to help them grow through exports.

To support the agriculture industry, I wrote several pieces of legislation that were incorporated into the 2014 Farm Bill to reduce the cost of exporting apples to Canada, expand access to credit for family farms, and encourage the expansion of New York’s maple industry. I consistently advocated for passage of comprehensive immigration reform to address our region’s agricultural labor shortage, which is perhaps the greatest threat to this important sector of our economy.

Throughout my term I worked closely with local, state, and national leaders to strengthen and protect Fort Drum, which is critical to both the health of the North Country economy and to national security and military readiness. Our district is also home to many veterans, some who must travel long distances to reach VA facilities that offer the healthcare services they need. I was pleased to see both parties work together toward system-wide VA reform.

My offices have worked diligently to help nearly 6000 people in an economically effective manner, allowing us to return more than $500,000 to the Treasury from office budgets and to secure almost $9.5 million in waived fees and compensation that was due to constituents.

Moving forward we should keep a positive attitude and support growth industries like biomass and tourism, encourage Canadian businesses to expand in the district, increase investments in rural broadband, and train workers for the thousands of unfilled jobs in our district. I would like to commend to each of you the thought that politics is almost never a competition between good and evil or right and wrong, but rather between competing goods.

As I prepare to leave office, I would like to thank my staff members in New York and Washington, who played an instrumental role in what we were able to achieve these past five years. Most importantly, I am grateful to the constituents of New York’s 21st Congressional District for sending me to Congress, and for the trust you vested in me during my time in office. It has been my great privilege to serve you. God bless each of you and our great country.
Congressman Bill Owens, NY-21

The Strand Center for the Arts is proud to announce that it is working with The University of Vermont Health Network at Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital to broker the purchase of works by local artists. The Foundation at CVPH is purchasing work to install throughout the hospital as renovations continue through the “R” branch of floors. The next set of purchases will be installed in R5, the Oncology floor, and R6, the Orthopedics Recovery floor. The Strand Center for the Arts will act as the broker for these purchases.

Artists of all mediums can apply, including photography, painting, sculpture, printmaking, and mixed media. Instructions on how to apply, what the theme is for each floor, and the submission form can be found on our Website www.plattsburgharts.org. All submissions will be collected digitally. Preference will be given to artists that adhere to the theme and follow the guidelines for submission. The deadline for submissions is Saturday, January 10th 2015 at midnight. Please forward any questions to our Gallery Coordinator at gallery@plattsburgharts.org or call The Strand Offices at 518.563.1604.

The ceremonial flag was presented to Rep. Owens by Christine Hanson, Minister-Counsellor of Congressional and Intergovernmental Affairs for the Canadian Embassy in Washington, D.C.

WASHINGTON—This morning, Congressman Bill Owens was presented with a Canadian flag that was flown over the Canadian Embassy in Washington, D.C. in recognition of his work supporting U.S.-Canadian relations.

“For many years, investments in the vast and growing economic partnership between the U.S. and Canada have paid off in the form of jobs and economic growth in communities on both sides of the border,” said Owens. “I am grateful for this recognition from the Canadian Embassy and look forward to returning to the North Country to continue supporting the growth of cross-border relationships in our region.”

From the office of Congresswoman-elect Elise Stefanik

Washington, D.C.—Today, Congresswoman-elect Elise Stefanik was appointed to the House Armed Services Committee and the Education and the Workforce Committee for the 114th Congress.

“I am honored to receive positions on the House Armed Services Committee and the Education and the Workforce Committee,” said Rep.-elect Stefanik. “It is critical for Fort Drum and the entire 21st Congressional District to have a voice at the table to fight on behalf of our military families and veterans. It is an honor to follow in the footsteps of Reps. John McHugh and Bill Owens in advocating for our troops and veterans stationed in the District and in our surrounding communities.

As a member of the Education and the Workforce Committee, I look forward to working with members on both sides of the aisle to ensure our graduates and local workforce are in the best position possible to grow our economy in the North Country, as well as keep America a strong competitor in the global economy.”

“Elise is a hard worker, and it is clear that she is committed to serving her constituents, local communities, and country in a meaningful way,” said Chairman-elect Thornberry. “Her strong policy experience and proven leadership skills will serve her well on the Armed Services Committee.”

Chairman John Kline (R-MN): “As someone raised in a family that owns a small business, Elise has firsthand knowledge of the challenges facing workers and job creators. She will be an invaluable member of the Education and the Workforce Committee as we advance reforms to make our nation’s workplaces more competitive and our classrooms a place where every child can access a quality education. I am delighted to have her on the committee and look forward to working with her in the months ahead.”

The House Armed Services Committee is responsible for general defense policy, ongoing military operations, the organization and reform of the Department of Defense and Department of Energy and other aspects crucial to our nation’s defense.

The Education and the Workforce Committee oversees education and workforce training and development policies.

Will Andrew Cuomo’s North Country love continue in second term? | NCPR News.

By John T. Ryan

Energy costs and relocating Peru Town Court were the primary topics at the Monday, December 8, 2014 Peru Town Board meeting.

Supervisor Peter Glushko related that at a recent town supervisors’ meeting Supervisor Bernie Bassett said Plattsburgh had saved thousands of dollars using Ambit Energy as its natural gas and electricity supplier. NYSEG is the Town of Peru’s longtime electric and gas supplier, but Glushko believed the board should hear a presentation by Ambit Energy Business Consultant Colleen LaFountain.

Lafountain told the board that Ambit Energy is a $1 billion company with the highest customer ratings. Along with a rewards and free energy program she said Ambit Energy would guarantee that Town of Peru would saves a minimum of 2% if it switched from NYSEG to Ambit Energy. She stated that some customers save as much as 8%. No contract would have to be signed and the town could return to NYSEG at any time. Supervisor Glushko said the issue would be on the Board’s December 22^nd meeting agenda.

Relocating Peru Town Court continues to be an issue. Supervisor Glushko and other board members do not want court proceedings held in the midst of the town offices when the building is open for public business. Judge James Kirby wants to convene court at 2 p.m., one hour before the Town Hall’s doors are closed to the public.

Counselor Donald McBrayer, the Board’s liaison to Peru Town Court, has stated he believes that conducting court downstairs would be the best option, but he respects the hard work Town Historian Ron Allen has done and he is concerned about Allen having to move his office and records upstairs to the court’s current office. Ron Allen was present at the meeting. He explained his position stating, “The biggest problem is space. When I took this position twelve years ago, the town’s historical records were in a two-drawer file cabinet. But as soon as people found out the historian had a location they came forth with photographs and other historical documents. The main floor doesn’t have sufficient space for our display cabinets and it wouldn’t be a good location to display items during our annual open house or to hold group meetings with other local historians.”

Counselor Bruno commented, “We’re are just looking at all the options at this point.” Counselor Brandy McDonald told the Board that the owners of Glenwood Plaza would be willing to rent space for $700 per month. Counselor Jim Douglass warned, “”We would have to look carefully at the hidden costs of moving.” Renovations, furniture, utilities, relocating technology and phone service were mentioned as expense items. Board members will look over the Glenwood Plaza space before the Board’s next meeting.

Elmore SPCA has not submitted a 2015 animal shelter contract proposal. Dog Control Officer Jim Drollette said he is satisfied with the North Country SPCA in Elizabethtown; however, traveling to it is 66-miles round-trip, a long trip for Drollette and for a Peru resident reclaiming an animal.

The Board scheduled a December 22, 2014 6:30 p.m. public hearing on increasing 2015 water and sewer rates. The 2015 town budget anticipates $26,496 in increased water revenues and $31,000 in increased sewer revenues. The water district has 704 users. The sewer district has 501 users. Click here to view Water-Sewer 2015 Rate Increases

By John T. Ryan

Peru water users can expect to see water and sewer rate increases effective January 1, 2015. The Town Board has scheduled a Public Hearing on the rate increases for Monday, December 22, 2014 at 6:30 p.m. A district resident utilizing 17,500 gallons of water quarterly will see an approximate 8% water rate increase. Water rates will increase from $52 to $54 for the first  6,000 gallons used and from $3.75 to $4.25 for every additional 1,000 gallons used. Sewer rates will increase from $52 to $54 for the first 6,000 gallons used and from $5.25 to $5.75 for every additional 1,000 gallons.Click here to review Water-Sewer 2015 Rate Increases