2 | December 3, 2016 • The Sun NE/AJ
www.suncommunitynews.com
Published by Denton Publications, Inc.
Lake George Village mayor proposes building out fire station to host ambulance squad
By Thom Randall
thom@suncommunitynews.com
LAKE GEORGE — For many years struggling with an inadequate building, the Lake George Emergency Squad may have new headquarters in a few years, if a proposal aired at a recent village board meeting becomes reality. The Lake George Village board discussed purchasing the residential property at 177 Ottawa St. adjacent to the village fire station either for future station expansion or additional parking — and Mayor Robert Blais suggested the space could be used to for expanding the station to host offices and a garage for the local ambulance corps. Blais said such a conversion of the fire station into a village public safety building would allow both the emergency squad and the fire department to use the existing fire hall’s meeting rooms, fitness center and kitchen to best advantage. He also said such a move might centralize response to emergencies, and boost the efficiency of the agencies’ operations. “Since the rescue squad is looking for new quarters, it seems to me that adding two bays onto the existing firehouse might be economically attractive to taxpayers,” Blais said, noting that the cost of buying land and developing a new stand-alone station for the ambulance squad would likely be far more expensive. He said that Tanya White, owner of the property, is eager to sell the two parcels which are situated between Ottawa and Iroquois streets. White has offered the village the right of first refusal on purchase of the property, Blais said. He said an appraiser hired by the village to determine market value concluded was it was worth about $220,000, far less than the $311,000-plus sum cited in an appraisal the owner had commissioned. Village Public Works Superintendent Dave Harrington estimated that demolishing the two houses on the property would cost $200,000 or more. Blais responded that the cost of providing new squad headquarters would be shouldered by taxpayers in both the village and town. Noting that the ambulance squad officials had years ago declined an offer to share space in the new fire station when it was under development, Blais said he would contact both the ambulance and fire officials to see if shared quarters was feasible. Responding to the proposal aired at the meeting, village Fire Chief Jason Berry offered his thoughts.
“It could be a good thing if emergency services were all located under one roof,” he said. In other business, the village board: • endorsed an idea to create a Facebook page to promote events and keep in touch with local residents. Village trustees agreed that a policy on its administration and postings should be in place before it goes live. Trustee Ray Perry volunteered to work with Village Clerk-Treasurer Darlene Gunther on the project. Blais said a village employee had offered to keep it updated. • heard from Blais that he has discussed with state Department of Environmental Conservation officials about planned improvements to Dog Beach, and that Blais has pledged the village’s cooperation. • discussed taking action to enforce a ban on dogs and other domestic animals at Gage Brook Recreation Area and Park — although a dog show is held there annually. Village officials talked about how people are bringing their dogs there, but not cleaning up their dogs’ excrement. Blais said he would send a letter to the Lake George Youth Commission citing the problem. • heard that the board has been awarded a grant from the Charles Wood Foundation to install new stage lighting, sound amplification and additional tiered seating at the village’s Shepard Park amphitheater. The two- part grant is for $25,000 outright, plus $25,000 additional if a matching amount is raised from the public — potentially providing $75,000 for the upgrades. Expressing appreciation for the grant, Blais said fundraising for the matching portion would begin soon.
State’s youth obesity rate decreasing WASHINGTON, D.C. — New York’s obesity rate among young children from low-income families decreased from 16.1 percent in 2010 to 14.3 percent in 2014, according to a study published last week by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and U.S. Department of Agriculture. New York’s rate is 26th highest. Overall, obesity showed a statistically significant decrease in 31 states and three territories and increased significantly in four states (Nebraska, North Carolina, Ohio and West Virginia) among 2-to-4-year-olds enrolled in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) from 2010 to 2014. Officials said they were heartened by the decline.