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April 3, 2010
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ROOST hires sales director for new conference center.
In some cases anti-drinking ads can backfire.
Why some days at the store are worth more than others.
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Ethics committee taking form Appointees chosen to revise Essex County hiring practices By Matt Bosley matt@denpubs.com ELIZABETHTOWN — Plans to create a Board of Ethics in Essex County are beginning to take shape as Board of Supervisors chair Randy Douglas announced his choices for committee appointments March 29. Douglas, along with Vice-chair Roby Politi, chose two members of the public — Robert Lilly and Michael Orticelle — to sit on the newly formed committee along with county Attorney Dan Manning and county Personnel Department Manager Monica Feeley. Together, the four will be given the task of revising the County’s Code of Ethics and its Policy Manual, which sets standards for hiring, promoting, disciplining, and firing county personnel. Douglas said his goal for the committee was to “make what we have on file now a little better so the public can rest assured that we’re doing the right things in terms of transparency in government.” Lilly, a Newcomb resident, served as head of the county’s Information Systems department from 1998 until his retirement in 2003. He has also served on an advisory committee for the county occupancy tax and several other municipal and nonprofit boards in the region. Lilly said he was honored to be approached by Douglas and Moriah Supervisor Tom Scozzafava at an New York Association of Towns meeting in February. While he has plenty of experience with meetings and government, he said this will be the furthest he’s delved into ethical policy. “I spent 28 years in the air force,” Lilly said, “and we had ethical rules and regulations there as well.” Orticelle, a Saranac Lake resident, is a Criminal Justice professor at North Country Community College, and has served as a member of the North Elba-Lake Placid Joint Review Board. “I think transparency and accountability are very important to public service,” said Orticelle, which is why, when he heard of an Ethics committee being formed, he volunteered to take part. Orticelle holds a Master ’s degree in Public Administration, is a licensed realtor, and is a retired police officer with 41 years of experience. “Between studying it and living it, I feel I can contribute very strongly to any discussion [about ethics],” he said. Douglas told the Essex County Ways and Means committee that Lilly and Orticelle were chosen with political neutrality in mind. “Aside from Dan [Manning], I don’t know the political affiliation of any of them,” he said. Manning, who is likely to chair the committee, said he has pulled examples of Codes of Ethics from various municipalities throughout New York State, which the committee should be able to use as a template. Minerva Supervisor Sue Montgomery Corey recommended using a code recently developed by New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli. Douglas confirmed that would be one of many from which the committee draws ideas. The committee will likely begin meeting later this month, Douglas said, after Manning returns from an out-of-town conference. At that point, it will be up to committee members to decide whether to hold their meetings in a public forum. “I have no problem with it being open to the public,” said Douglas. “Once they finalize their determinations, we’ll definitely make those public.”
Rosalie Santerre, a member of the Paul Smith's College woodsmen's team, competes during a recent event on campus. Photo by Pat Hendrick.
Lumberjack lessons at Adk Woodsmen’s School PAUL SMITHS — When most young people talk about target practice at summer camp, They’re usually referring to archery. Not at Paul Smith’s College, where campers throw axes instead. The new Adirondack Woodsmen’s School, hosted by Paul Smith’s College, takes typical summertime fare such as campfires and sleeping under the stars and mixes them with a thorough grounding in lumberjack sports. The camp, sponsored by outdoor power equipment manufacturer Stihl Inc. and work clothing maker Carhartt, is aimed at high school and college students looking to train with some of the best woodsmen in the business and learn about the rugged traditions at the heart of the sport. “This summer school takes lumberjack sports off TV and puts the axe in your hand,” said Brett McLeod, director of the Adirondack Woodsmen’s
School and head coach of the Paul Smith’s College woodsmen’s team. “If you’re interested in the sport, you’ll get hands-on experience from your first day, and if you’re already a collegiate competitor, you’ll sharpen your skills with some of the best in the business.” Participants can actually earn four college credits in two weeks, as they learn skills such as log rolling, speed chopping, crosscut sawing, canoe building and axe sharpening. They’ll train at a student-built cabin on Paul Smith’s lakeside campus. Paul Smith’s is a perennial contender among the nation’s best collegiate woodsmen’s teams. It has fielded a team since 1948 and holds the record for most consecutive victories in the annual Spring Meet, the biggest college event in the sport. This year, the college will host the northeast regional competition of the Stihl Timbersports Collegiate Series in
April, which will be broadcast at a later date on ESPNU. Campers will have the opportunity to learn from instructors from the Paul Smith’s woodsmen’s team and the Stihl Timbersports professional ranks. In the meantime, they will experience authentic camp life, learning the history of Adirondack woodsmen, orienteering, and even how to skid logs using a team of draft horses. When they’re not sleeping in residence halls, they’ll hit the hay under the stars. Camp will be held in two sessions. The first, from July 11-17, is aimed at beginners and intermediates; the next session, from July 18-24, is for more advanced lumberjacks and –jills. A single session costs $1,095, while two weeks cost $1,995. For more information, including how to register, visit www.paulsmiths.edu/woodsmenschool or call 1800-421-2605.
New support organization takes flight By Matt Bosley matt@denpubs.com TUPPER LAKE — A newly formed group of young Adirondack enthusiasts are hoping to bring together a new generation of supporters for the educational and environmental work of The Wild Center. Wings, a group of 21-to-45-year-olds living both in and outside the Adirondacks, are planning a series of gatherings where they can network,
raise funds for programs at The Wild Center, and raise awareness of the area’s natural history. Ed Forbes and David Bickford, co-chairs of the steering committee for Wings, were among a handful of philanthropic young professionals who assembled last fall to discuss ways they might support the museum’s educational mission. “I just love The Wild Center and was looking for a way to contribute,” said Bickford, who lives and works in New York City. His family, going
back five generations, have been visiting Upper Saranac Lake since the 1940s. The group decided to model their initiative after the Junior Council, a network of 20- and 30somethings who organize black-tie events to raise funds for the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. The idea caught on with many Tri-Lakes area residents as well, and the steering committee soon grew to a total of nine. Staff at The Wild Center
See WINGS, page 2