SL YOUTH CENTER FACING FINANCIAL ‘CRISIS’

The Saranac Lake Youth Center is facing a financial crisis and could be forced to shut down sometime this year if it can’t secure more operating funds.

That’s what Debbie Erenstone, board treasurer and former director of the youth center, told the Saranac Lake Village Board last night.

“We have made some tremendous improvements to our programming and organization this year,” Erenstone said.  “Yet we’re also facing some real critical financial troubles.”

Incorporated 25 years ago, the youth center serves kids ages 13 to 19, primarily from the Saranac Lake Central School District.

This past fall, it moved to a new location next to the Saranac Lake Adult Center.  Erenstone said the new site is “healthy, clean and safe.”  “It’s been a real positive move for us,” she said.  “We’ve found a great partnership with the adult center.”

She said it’s also farther away from the downtown, where some businesses had raised concerns about teenagers loitering on the streets.

Programming being offered through the youth center includes cross-country skiing, hiking and kayaking trips, guest speakers, workshops, youth leadership opportunities and community service activities.

To ensure the sustainability of the operation, Erenstone asked the village to increase its annual contribution from $3000 to $10,000.  She said they’re also looking for funding from a variety of other sources and would consider in-kind services.

“Even though we’ve had these great improvements, we are in a dire financial crisis,” Erenstone said.  “If we don’t have an increase in operations funding, we’re going to be forced to close in this calendar year.”

Erenstone said the youth center’s director has worked as a volunteer the past two months because they don’t have the funds to pay her salary.

“We’ve reduced our costs as much as we can,” she said.  “Our objective is to sustain positive youth services in the community.  We want to make sure its there.”

Board members didn’t indicate whether they’d be willing to grant the program a $7000 increase.  But a decision will likely be made in the coming weeks as the mayor and trustees work on the new village budget.

Village Manager Marty Murphy said he recommended keeping funding at last year’s levels for all groups that receive village monies.

The Saranac Lake Area Youth Program also made a pitch last night for a $2500 funding increase from the village.

In other news last night, the board received the resignation of village treasurer Cindy Moody-Jost, whose stepping down after five years to take a business manager position with BOCES.  She said she’s enjoyed her time with the village.   “It’s been a learning experience,” she said.  Her last day with the village is April 15.

Monday’s meeting was also the last for Trustee Dan Olson after 10 years on the board.  He thanked the village employees for their hard work.  “I think this village is very lucky to have the amount of dedicated employees that we do have,” he said.  “They made my job as trustee a little easier.”

Trustee John McEneany thanked Olson for taking him under his wing when he joined the board six years ago.  “Dan’s always conscientious for the taxpayers and has served them well,” he said.

Mayor Tom Michael also extended his appreciation to Olson for his service to the community.  “I’d like to salute you for the ten years you put on this board,” he said.  “It’s dedication you don’t see from a lot of people.”

-Chris Knight

‘SMART GROWTH’ FUNDS AWARDED TO TUPPER LAKE

Tupper Lake is among 18 communities across the Adirondacks awarded “smart growth” grants from the Department of Environmental Conservation.

The awards were announced Monday by Governor David Paterson and DEC Commissioner Pete Grannis.

The Town of Tupper Lake will receive $100,000 to produce a “Community Development Priorities” plan, which includes developing a ‘visual identity’ for the town and village, along with designs for streetscape and waterfront projects.

Town Administrator Sandra Strader said they received a letter Monday notifying them that the funding had been awarded.  “I think it’s wonderful,” she said. 

The planning work is part of an effort to update a revitalization strategy for Tupper Lake that dates to the year 2000.

The environmental group the Adirondack Council provided funding to help prepare Tupper Lake’s Smart Growth grant application.

While the news might not be good enough to overshadow last week’s announcement that the Jarden Plastics plant in Tupper Lake is shutting down, eliminating nearly 70 jobs, Strader said “everything will help.”

A total of $1 million was awarded to 18 projects on Monday - ranging from $42,600 for a movie theater in Indian Lake to $106,000 toward a better wireless communication network across the Adirondack Park.

Essex County was awarded $100,000 to create an “Essex County Destination Master Plan” that will focus on communities beyond Lake Placid.

The Town of Wilmington will see $50,000 to conduct feasibility studies for a community center, municipal offices, historical society building and a fly fishing museum.

Governor David Paterson, in a news release, called the Adirondack Park “a model for how to merge environmental sensitivity with the pressing needs of development and expansion.” “By providing local planning assistance, we hope to meet the challenge of developing sustainable communities while protecting natural resources,” he said.

One of the communities that applied for but didn’t receive funding is Saranac Lake, which had sought $95,000 for the writing of a joint Village of Saranac Lake-Town of Harrietstown Land Use Code.

Village Community Development Director Jeremy Evans said they were disappointed. “To do what we wanted to do is not an easy or inexpensive task,” he said.  “We thought the smart growth grant was perfect for what we want to do.  Now we’ll have to just come up with a plan B.”

Evans said he wasn’t sure why the town and village application was unsuccessful.  “I don’t have any theories yet,” he said. “There were an awful lot of applications.”

The village is seeking funds from the state’s Local Waterfront Revitalization Program that could be used on the project, Evans said.  If not, he said, they could ask for the money directly from the town and village.

“That’s always the last option,” he said. “For the town and village to come up with that money is difficult.”

-Chris Knight

AMC MOURNS THE PASSING OF DR. DAVID THOMASHOW

Officials and employees at Adirondack Medical Center are mourning the sudden loss of a key member of the hospital’s medical staff.

Dr. David F. Thomashow died unexpectedly on Sunday.  He was 63.

Hospital officials described Dr. Thomashow as a key figure in the establishment of the Renal Dialysis Treatment Center at AMC.  He was serving as the medical director of the program. 

Under the leadership and direction of Dr. Thomashow, AMC established its Renal Dialysis Treatment Center with three treatment stations in 1997. The center has since grown to include a total of seven treatment stations.

“The entire AMC family is shocked and saddened by the death of Dr. Thomashow,” said Chandler Ralph, President and CEO. “He was fiercely devoted to his patients, and our deepest sympathies go out to his family and friends.”

Dr. William Viscardo, Vice President of Medical Affairs for AMC, said Thomashow was highly respected by his peers and colleagues.   “He basically created dialysis in the Tri-Lakes,” he said.  “When he came here, there was no dialysis here, people had to drive to Plattsburgh.  He single-handedly built the program.   We’re going to miss him.  He was a big part of the medical community and the community.”

Despite the loss of Dr. Thomashow, the hospital says there will be no interruption in services for those who depend on treatment through the renal dialysis center. 

Thomashow graduated from the Albert Einstein School of Medicine in 1970, and joined the AMC medical staff in 1994. He was board certified in Internal Medicine and Nephrology – the diagnosis and treatment of kidney disease.

Dr. Thomashow had also served residents at St. Joseph’s Rehabilitation Center since 1996.

“Dave was a superb doctor, and despite having an extremely busy life he was devoted to St. Joseph’s patients and doing the best for them,” said Dr. Jane Maxwell, a close colleague.

St. Joseph’s CEO Bob Ross called Dr. Thomashow “a selfless advocate for patients undergoing addiction treatment and pursuing recovery.”  

AMC says it will keep the public and Dr. Thomashow’s patients apprised of any developments or issues regarding their care.  Questions can be directed to Cheryl Breen Randall at 897-2348.

The Saranac Lake Village Board, at the recommendation of Trustee John McEneany, agreed to support a resolution last night recognizing Dr. Thomashow for his contributions and service to the community.  The board also extended its condolences to his family, friends and colleagues. 

“He was a key physician and has helped many village residents and the community of Saranac Lake,” McEneany said.  “He’ll be sorely missed.”

-Chris Knight

AMC TO LEAVE WILMINGTON HEALTH CENTER MAY 15

In order to facilitate a new partnership between the Town of Wilmington and Elizabethtown Community Hospital, Adirondack Medical Center says it’s in the final stages of transitioning its services out of the Wilmington Health Center.

Residents who have been served by the Wilmington Health Center have been sent a second letter indicating the change of service. An initial mailing was sent by AMC last November alerting residents of the decision made at that time by the Wilmington Town Board to partner with Elizabethtown Community Hospital.

Hospital officials say the latest letter contains a simple form indicating where individuals previously served by the clinic would like their medical records transferred.  They will have the choice of transferring their medical records to Mountain Health Center in Keene, Lake Placid Health Center or the Tupper Lake Health Center. Those wishing to have their records sent elsewhere can call the Wilmington Health Center at 946-7080 on Tuesdays or Thursdays to make arrangements accordingly. 

AMC now anticipates that May 15 will be its final day of service in Wilmington.  The date is earlier than previously planned, and is partly the result of the primary care provider for the community, Dr. Christopher Hyson, having taken a medical leave of absence until further notice.  Upon his return, Dr. Hyson will continue to serve his patients at the Mountain Health Center in Keene.

“While it has been our distinct privilege to serve the residents of Wilmington for the past eight years, we respect the decision of the Wilmington Town Board,” said Chandler Ralph, President & CEO.” “We wish the community the best on its new partnership with Elizabethtown Community Hospital.  Should there be an opportunity for AMC to serve you in the future, it would be our honor.”

-Chris Knight

HACKETT’S ACQUIRES TWO AREA RADIO SHACK STORES

Seaway Valley Capital Corporation, the company that owns Hackett's Hardware and former WiseBuys stores, has finalized the acquisition of two RadioShack franchise stores in Tupper Lake and Pulaski.

The two stores are both former WiseBuys' franchises.

Seaway Valley acquired both WiseBuys Stores, Inc. and Patrick Hackett Hardware Company in 2007 and is merging the operations of the two retailers under the “Hackett's” brand.

“We are pleased that RadioShack has approved these store transfers, thus establishing its relationship with Hackett's,” said Hackett's CEO, Norm Garrelts.  “RadioShack stores within the operations have historically been a profitable asset for the company.”

Hackett's operates nine locations including Canton, Gouverneur, Hamilton, Massena, Ogdensburg, Potsdam, Pulaski, Tupper Lake, and Watertown - all in New York.  Hackett's is also seeking additional locations in New York, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania.

-Chris Knight

POLICE REPORT

Lake Placid Police charged 27 year-old Ekaterina D. Francis of Lake Placid with attempted assault at 2:20 p.m. Monday.  Police say Francis was arrested after they responded to a domestic dispute.  She was arraigned and released to appear in village court at a later date.

State Police in Tupper Lake charged 22 year-old Joseph J. Beyers of Moira with unlawful possession of marijuana at 1:10 a.m. today.  He was allegedly found in possession of a small amount of marijuana after a traffic stop on State Route 30 in the Town of Harrietstown.  Police say Beyers was given an appearance ticket for Town of Harrietstown Court.

State Police in Tupper Lake arrested 28 year-old Jesse A. Marsh of Tupper Lake yesterday afternoon.  He was charged with second-degree criminal contempt for allegedly violating an order of protection by calling a person he was not supposed to have any contact with.  Marsh was arraigned, he paid $250 bail and was released to appear in Town of Tupper Lake Court at a later date.