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Saturday,ÊS eptemberÊ19,Ê2015
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In SPORTS | pg. 26-27
Lady Panthers start unbeaten Defeat Johnsburg, tie Lady Griffs
www.SunCommunityNews.com
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In OPINION | pg. 6
Respect for Joe
Alexander looks at Biden appeal
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In POLITICS | pg. 8
Moore moves on
N. Hudson super wins primary
Split vote rescinds plan for Ticonderoga police station OGS decision played into reversing course of action By Christopher Pratt
christopher @denpubs.com
TICONDEROGA — In a stark reversal of course, Ticonderoga town board members last week signaled the group is not interested in moving the police headquarters to the grounds of the former State Armory on Champlain Avenue. On a split 3-2 vote, the board chose to rescind an Aug. 25 resolution to hold a nonbinding referendum on whether to proceed with the controversial project. A group of residents has organized against the project in recent months, citing concerns about issues such as traffic and safety. During the Sept. 10 meeting, board members Wayne Taylor, Fred Hunsdon and Chattie Van
Pt. Henry public hearing planned on dissolution By Keith Lobdell
keith@suncommunitynews.com
PORT HENRY — The second of three public meetings on the upcoming dissolution vote will take place Wednesday, Sept. 23, starting at 7 p.m. at the Knights of Columbus Hall in Port Henry. The first meeting, held Aug. 18, gave village board members a chance to present the time table for the process leading to the Oct. 27 referendum, where village residents will get to vote on whether or not the incorporated village government will remain. It also allowed members of the public to share their views, at times becoming heated. At the Sept. 23 meeting, representatives from the Laberge Group will be on hand to discuss their findings in reviewing the 2010 dissolution plan, which was prepared by a committee of village and town politicians and residents. Their aim is to update the plan and present up-to-date information to community members. At the time, trustee Matt Brassard showed a presentation from members of the Laberge Group, who were unable to attend the Aug. 18 meeting because they were at a public meeting on a different dissolution process downstate. There will also be the chance for public comment, which became a debate point when former village mayor Gary Cook challenged the trustees on their time limits during the August meeting. A final public meeting will take place one week before the vote, scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 21, also to be held at 7 p.m. at the Knights of Columbus Hall. The vote is scheduled to take place Tuesday, Oct. 27, from noon until 9 p.m. at the Port Henry Volunteer Fire Department.
Wert voted in favor of backing out of the plan to present the ballot question to voters in the Nov. 3 general election. Supervisor Bill Grinnell and board member Dave Iuliano opposed the item. Taylor, the board member who brought forth the resolution to reverse the previous action, said the OGS decision and input from residents played key parts in his changing course. Even if voters turned out and voiced support for the project in November, the town might face a long process in working with state lawmakers to work around restrictions on the property deed, Taylor said. “It’s a makeshift, stopgap, not a real well-thought out plan.” “I respectfully disagree,” Grinnell said. “I think there’s been a great deal of thought.” Grinnell said an engineer’s feasibility study showed renovating the maintenance facility would be a cost-effective option. >> Story Continued | pg. 3
Born to run
Area plans for big marathon crowd
Distance running event a boom for local economy By Christopher Pratt
christopher@suncommunitynews.com
SCHROON — If the history of the Adirondack Marathon Distance Festival serves as any guide, thousands of people will flock to the area next weekend, giving it a blast of economic activity totaling roughly $1 million. The festival, spread out over a weekend, includes a full marathon, half-marathon, 5k, 10k and a youth run. The anchor of the event, which has experienced significant growth since it started in 1997, is the 26.2 mile marathon race. That’s set to loop around Schroon Lake on Sunday, Sept. 27. Tammy Whitty-Brown, executive director of the Schroon Lake Area Chamber of Commerce, said the event “is definitely one of the biggest draws” to the lakefront community.
Overnight accommodations book up quickly and restaurants prepare for the large traffic increase that accompanies the marathon -- traditionally held the last weekend in September. That “really gives us that extra boost,” WhittyBrown said.
But the impact is felt beyond Schroon Lake. Communities including Pottersville and Chester consistently see a bump in activity when the festival rolls around each year. A study by a Kent State University professor of the 2013 Distance Festival found activity related to it delivered a roughly $1 million to the local economy. The study found 1,184, or about 92 percent, of 1,266 race participants were considered non-local residents. Other findings of the study showed approximately $475,000 was generated by the event, which represents the direct economic impact of both race participants and their guests, according to the study. It also showed the majority of the economic activity was spent in the main sectors of the economy, including hotels, restaurants, bars and entertainment. >> Story Continued | pg. 2