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December 11, 2010
A Denton Publication
Dedication
Dictionaries
Sports Wrap
Two local mail carriers are honored for their dedication , safety and dependability. See Page 2
Indian Lake students recieved dictionaries recently compliments of the North Creek Rotary. See Page 5
The Jaguars remained perfect this week with a non-league win over Hadley-Luzerne. See Page 7
Rumors of county revolt just that
The Gear Source finds a new home
By Jon Alexander denpubs@denpubs.com
Gerster Diaries continue at the Adk Museum B L U E M O U N TA I N LAKE — In time for holiday giving, the Adirondack Museum has announced the publication of Notes Collected in the Adirondacks 1897 & 1898 by Arpad Geyza Gerste. The book is available through the Adirondack Museum Store or on-line at www.adirondackmuseumstore.com. The Adirondack Museum Store is open for holiday shopping Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. through Dec. 23.
Master Gardener program continues WARRENSBURG — The Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) Master Gardener Volunteer Training Program in Warren County is now accepting applications for the program beginning in January 2011. Space is limited, so please contact the office soon for an application. Information can be found at counties.cce.cornell.edu/w arren or by calling 623-3291 or 668-4881.
MINERVA — Swirling rumors that supervisors were poised to remove Essex County Manager Dan Palmer from his position proved to be without substance Tuesday, Dec. 7 as the county board overwhelmingly backed his bi-annual reappointment. For an hour and 40 minutes, supervisors were sequestered in executive session debating Palmer ’s fate, as the county’s top administrator paced back and forth between his office and the board chambers. But when supervisors reconvened, nothing but support was voiced for the county manager. Roby Politi is supervisor of the town of North Elba and vice chair of the county board. “I for one can not make business decisions without up to date and relevant information in a timely manner. The information that we receive – from the Moriah Shock report, the budget deficit report, the county manager reports – are all done in a timely manner with relevant information,” he said. “They allow each of you to make a decision, regardless.” Politi said although he doesn’t always agree with Palmer on the issues, the manager ’s willingness to provide objective analysis is vital to county operations. Numerous supervisors lauded Palmer as a wealth of information who is willing to push for the unpopular decisions for the good of county taxpayers. The county manager job pays $98,000 annually. Palmer receives an additional $19,000 to manage the county’s informational systems. Five of the 18 supervisors voted to oust Palmer, each giving different reasons.
See PALMER, page 2
Jeff Palka, The Gear Source owner and building owner’s son, Kraig Millington spend a day at the new store along with Palka’s store companion, Wu2. Photo by Lindsay Yandon
By Lindsay Yandon lindsay@denpubs.com NORTH CREEK — While preparing for the winter ski season Jeff Palka, owner of The Gear Source, an outdoor outfitting store in North Creek is settling into a new retail home just off Route 28 on Ordway Lane this week. His move from the location on Bridge Street took place during the month of No-
See GEAR SOURCE, page 2
Essex County adopts budget; Palmer wins fund balance debate
THIS WEEK
By Jon Alexander
Johnsburg..................2 Indian Lake ................3 Bakers Mills News......4 Columns, letters..........6 Sports........................7 Classified ..............9-11
vember and the new location is now open for business. Palka of North River has hoped to move to a Route 28 location since he started his business and when the former location of Emmy’s Video was put on the market, he reached an agreement with owner Keitan and Saraha Millington to rent the building. The building can now be seen from the
denpubs@denpubs.com ELIZABETHTOWN — The Essex County Board of Supervisors cut another 1.3 percent from the projected 2011 tax hike during a special meeting Tuesday – but like their colleagues in Franklin County, supervisors decided not to use additional fund balance to buy down the tax levy. The board unanimously adopted the $99 million county budget, which features an 8.62 per-
cent tax increase in 2010 and boasts one of the lowest tax rates in the state at just $2.15 per thousand dollars of assessed value. The budget will apply $7 million in excess cash to buy down the $22 million tax levy. But Finance Committee Chairman Tom Scozzafava wanted to apply an additional $500,000 of fund balance – a move that would have dropped the hike to about 5 percent. And County Chairman Randy Douglas – who has sat on the fence about the controversial poli-
cy issue – thought it wasn’t a bad idea. “It was a hard decision to make, but I felt cutting it down from 8.6 to around 4.5 was something I thought was in the best interest of the taxpayers,” he said. But 11 of the 16 supervisors present sided with County Manager Dan Palmer, who has repeatedly argued that draining the fund balance any further could have devastating results in 2012. Elizabethtown Supervisor Noel Merrihew
See BUDGET, page 2
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