Adirondack North Country Association
September/October 2011
Building Vibrant Rural Communities and Resilient Local Economies
ANCA news Did you know? NUMBERS FROM THE 2007 AG CENSUS
8,404
Farms in the 14-county Adirondack North Country (Note: The census definition of a farm is any place from which $1,000 or more of agricultural products were produced and sold, or normally would have been sold, during the census year.
1,330
Farms in St. Lawrence County
1,860,978 Acres of active farmland in the region
210,508 Average value of sales per farm in Clinton County
967,305,000 Total market value of agricultural products sold in ANCA region
Source: http://www.agcensus. usda.gov/Publications/2007/ Full_Report/Census_by_ State/New_York/index.asp
Fall foliage on Lake Flower. Photo courtesy of Tim Holmes
ANCA Annual Meeting 2011:
State of the Adirondack North Country A FOCUS ON ECONOMIC AND DEMOGRAPHIC CHANGES SINCE 2000
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ith help from Empire State Development, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and other regional development partners, ANCA’s 2011 annual meeting will feature data-driven presentations that will help us assess our strengths and our challenges and identify key economic drivers that influence employment and the future quality of our communities. With this comprehensive picture, we hope to better define internal and external factors that can create or hinder regional vitality. The second part of the program will be an opportunity for meeting attendees to give their views on regional development issues, needs and
opportunities. We see this as a public input opportunity for members of the four regional economic development councils which include portions of the ANCA region (North Country, Mohawk Valley, Capital Region, and Central New York) and a complement to the community forums that are being organized by each of the councils. This bridging opportunity encourages emphasis on rural development issues that each of the ESD regions likely have in common.
Register Now WHEN: 1-5 p.m., Monday, Oct. 3.The first part of the meeting features data-driven presentations from Empire State Development and the Federal Reserve Bank of N.Y. The second part of the afternoon will feature a public comment period on regional development issues. LOCATION: Lake Placid Conference Center COST: $15 LINK TO REGISTRATION: http://tinyurl.com/3lzznpv
This map, prepared by Empire State Development, shows tourism sector clusters in the seven-county North Country Economic Development Region.
INSIDE: Program News, 2-4
ANCA updates, 5, 7
ANCA Applauds, 6
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Business and Communities
Paul Smith’s grads form business to battle milfoil
a short period of time,” said Luc Aalmans, chair of the Brant Lake Milfoil Committee, speaking last summer. For the bigger efforts, AIM has six divers working at a time. New this summer are contracts for Saratoga Lake and increased efforts to eradicate invasives on Lake George, including Asian clams.
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ith aquatic invasive species being such a hot topic in recent years, a new start-up fills a unique need across the Adirondack North Country region.
Andrew Lewis and Tommy Thomson met as natural resource management majors at Paul Smith’s College, spending summers working on the Upper Saranac Lake milfoil control project. Learning removal techniques developed by Tim Ladue and Dan Kelting of the Adirondack Watershed Institute, the duo decided there was enough work around to make a living combating this relatively new problem. They formed Aquatic Invasive Management (AIM) in 2007, specializing in hand harvesting Eurasian milfoil removal. Lewis acknowledges that handpicking may seem like a tedious and fruitless endeavor, but he says it’s
What’s next
the most effective long-term management strategy, one that’s cost competitive with aquatic herbicides, cheaper than weevils, faster than suction harvesting and far more effective than mechanical harvesting. Once a clean sweep has been made, the rest is maintaining and controlling the return plants, he said.
AIM’s work As concern about milfoil is spreading as fast as the weed itself, business is picking up for AIM. This summer is shaping up to be their busiest yet, with contracts coming in for 10 lake projects, allowing the company
GOOD NEWS FOR EXPANDING WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS: Empire State Development and the Research Foundation of SUNY, on behalf of SUNY Plattsburgh, recently announced the launch of the Adirondack-Champlain Telemedicine Information Network (ACTION) in the North Country. This exciting project has enormous potential for increasing connectivity across the region. The foremost
to have multiple crews working simultaneously. Many of the lakes AIM is working on are in the maintenance phase. After a few years of intensive milfoil harvesting, AIM’s clients are finding it’s possible to control the plant with minimal efforts, Lewis said. For example, AIM has been working in Brant Lake since 2008, and the Brant Lake Association decided to hire AIM to take care of the heavier growth. Now, two divers can handle the entire lake in only two weeks of monitoring. “It’s amazing. They cover large areas in ways we’d never be able to do. They can cover so much area in
benefit is for health care facilities to be able to access and transmit medical information. In addition, the development of the network offers the opportunity and potential for growth of the regional broadband initiative. ANCA board member Howard Lowe came up with the concept and initial funds to build this fundamentally important project. The Development Authority won the bid to construct the $9.8 million fiber optic network through the Adirondack
Last year, AIM purchased a building in Ausable Forks, which serves as a place to work on vehicles, boats and equipment through the winter, as well as conduct research and plan for the next season. Having a dedicated space gave the company a leg up before beginning work in April. The next step is for Thomson and Lewis to find a way to employ people yearround. For now, they employ 14 experienced divers for six months out of the year, but would like to keep some employed for the full calendar year. “These are young people, who are driven and motivated and want to stay in the area,” said Lewis. “We’ve got ideas that would allow us to take on really big jobs. We could be business that’s based in the Adirondack Park and work in entire region.” More info: http://milfoilremoval.com/
Park. The three segments DANC will construct include a loop that connects Star Lake and Cranberry Lake to Potsdam. The Adirondack-Champlain Telemedicine Information Network includes two routes east through the Adirondack Park to serve 48 sites in St. Lawrence, Franklin, Essex, Clinton, Warren, Saratoga, Washington and Rensselaer counties. All three segments will be built at the same time over the next year.
Program News
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$1.2M grant allows Lake Placid rec path to move forward
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$1.2 million grant awarded to the Adirondack North Country Association will go toward completing a longanticipated recreational path from Lake Placid to Saranac Lake within New York State’s Department of Transportation’s rail corridor. The Federal Highway Administration grant is awarded to ANCA through the New York Department of Transportation for projects under the National Scenic Byways Program. ANCA worked with Essex County Office of Community Resources, Holmes & Associates, and the Town of North Elba to submit the grant application. The grant will be used for the first phase of the Olympic Byway Recreational Path project: An 8-to-10-foot-wide multi-use path to be built along existing rail tracks connecting the Village of Lake Placid with the hamlet of Ray Brook. Once com-
plete, it will allow access for outdoor enthusiasts - including hikers, bikers, runners, cross-country skiers and snowmobilers - throughout four seasons. “The Olympic Byway Lake Placid Recreation Path project represents the culmination of a vision for alternative, multi-modal transportation facilities in the Lake Placid-Saranac Lake area that has been proposed in a number of regional transportation plans. With permits in hand and considerable community support, the Town of North Elba is committed to managing this important project,” said North Elba Supervisor Robert Politi. This segment of the Olympic Scenic Byway Route 86 - connects Lake Placid and Saranac Lake, two of the largest communities within the Park, and lies within the Olympic region, a popular destination for visitors. In addition, the rec path
presents a safe alternative to biking on Route 86, which is heavily used by motorists throughout the year.
Funding source The grant is one of three Scenic Byways grants awarded to New York State, and among $16 million in all recently announced DOT funds awarded Statewide.
Nationally, the Federal Highway Administration received more than 1,800 applications, requesting more than 30 times the funds available. The National Scenic Byway Program is providing Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act funding through the NYS Department of Transportation’s Scenic Byway Program.
Policies and Issues ANCA remains committed to preserving the northernmost portion of the Remsen-Lake Placid Travel Corridor, a 119-mile route that is listed on the State and National Register of Historic Places, and is used for seasonal rail tours by the Adirondack Scenic Railway. ANCA Board President Steve Erman said “The Adirondack
North Country Association remains fully committed to the concept of a recreational trail linking Lake Placid and Saranac Lake alongside an active rail line.The true multi-modal use of this rail corridor will have significant economic benefits to the region. ANCA appreciates the ongoing commitment of the Town of North Elba to this proposal and to the State and federal governments for their funding support.”
Related Reading: ANCA Executive Director Kate Fish has this guest commentary in the Adirondack Daily Enterprise: http://www.adirondackdailyenterprise.com/page/content.detail/id/526285/Railroad-remains-important.html?nav=5041 A letter to the editor, also from Kate Fish: http://adirondackdailyenterprise.com/page/content.detail/id/526413/Rails-with-trailswould-be-better-here.html?nav=5005 Former North Elba Councilman Chuck Damp Advocates for Railside Trail: http://www.adirondackdailyenterprise.com/page/ content.detail/id/526418/Railside-trail-needs-to-be-finished.html?nav=5041
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Program News Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative renews contract
Newcomb’s annual picnic/Jamie Rogers photo
Energy Update With winter heating season looming, now is the perfect to receive a freehome energy assessment. Jamie Rogers, ANCA’s Energy Coordinator, and David Trudeau, who works in NYSERDA’s Empower Program, combined efforts in reaching out to around 150 Essex County seniors on August 18 at the annual Newcomb Picnic. Together, their efforts reach all income levels of residential homeowners. Empower offers free home energy assessments for qualified low-income New Yorkers, and for every one else, there is assistance for free or reduced priced assessments through the Home Performance with Energy Star program,as well as the residential arm of Green Jobs Green New York. Between those three options, there is something for everyone. Rogers and Trudeau are available to assist with applications and answer questions about the programs. For more information, call or email Jamie at 518-524-0240 and jrogers@adirondack.org.
Jefferson Co. School District installs wind, solar The LaFargeville Central School District, with support from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), is installing a wind turbine to produce clean energy at its K-12 school building. The $110,000 turbine is the capstone project of the district’s two-year clean-energy program. The Jefferson County district is in the process of installing a 120-foot-high, 9-kilowatt wind turbine for its K-12 building, thanks to a $31,000 incentive from NYSERDA. Of the remaining $79,000, 73 percent will be reimbursed via state aid. The remainder will be funded through local taxes. The turbine is expected to be up and running soon. The district, located in the Thousand Islands region of Northern New York State, recently installed a $96,000, 10-kilowatt photovoltaic system, with help from a $43,000 NYSERDA incentive. A link on this page will take visitors to a solar panel data collection website set up to monitor the progress: http://www.lafargevillecsd. org/district.cfm?subpage=40819 The combination of wind and solar power will provide nearly 4 percent of the school’s energy costs, both driving down the district’s yearly energy bill and reducing the state’s use of fossil fuels and its production of greenhouse gas emissions.
ANCA has entered into a new contract with USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service to provide services to livestock farmers in 12 counties. USDA’s Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative (GLCI) was founded to provide highquality technical assistance on privately owned grazing lands and to increase the awareness of the importance of grazing land resources. ANCA has been an administrator of the program since 1999 and works annually with more than 75 producers. For the next year, ANCA’s work with GCLI will involve developing 19 new grazing plans and conducting 55 follow up visits to farms throughout Franklin, St. Lawrence, Clinton, Essex, Warren, Washington and Saratoga counties. In Oneida, Herkimer, Lewis, Jefferson and Oswego counties, ANCA will develop a total of nine new grazing plans and conduct 18 follow up visits. In addition, staff will help organize five educational events across the region. For more information, call 518-891-6200 or send an email to agriculture@adirondack.org.
5 ANCA Updates Economic Development Councils begin work
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he 10 newly created Regional Economic Development Councils across the State have launched at full speed. The Regional Councils will help drive regional and local development across New York for years to come as each Council creates a broad vision linked to strategies that will begin to transform their regions. The initial plans are due in mid November. Please go to http://nyworks.ny.gov/content/ north-country to see dates for public input sessions as the components of the plans are drafted. The Regional Economic Development Council program will be based on three elements: • A broad, community-based planning process that facilitates public-private partnerships; • The alignment of public resources with regional plans
through a competitive process; • Performance monitoring to maintain accountability. A selection process will identify the top four regional plans from across the state which will receive $40 million each, while the other six will split the remaining $40 million. An additional $800 million in funding from state agencies will be available on an application basis for a variety of projects. ANCA Executive Director Kate Fish, chosen by the Governor as an appointed member of the North Country Regional Council, is also serving as a Vice Chair of the Planning Committee, and is co-chairing the Visioning Team. The Planning Committee will craft the final strategic plan which is charged with drafting the regional plan. Several ANCA Board members are also involved in the council’s nine subcommittees for the North Country region: Board President Steve Erman is on the Small Business Development Committee. Director
ANCA Executive Director Kate Fish talks to Gov. Andrew Cuomo at the launch meeting for the North Country Regional Economic Development Council. (Photo courtesy of the Governor’s Office)
Jim Ellis is on the Infrastructure Committee. Director Dan Mason is chair of an Energy Cluster Subteam, which will look at opportunities for expanding clean energy generation (wind, hydro, biomass and solar) and manufacturing clean energy components, such as solar panels and wind turbine parts. Other ANCA Directors are also involved in the three other
Councils that fall within ANCA’s 14-county region. Websites for other Councils in our region are: • Capital Region: http:// nyworks.ny.gov/content/ capital-region • Mohawk Valley: http:// nyworks.ny.gov/content/ mohawk-valley • Central New York: http:// nyworks.ny.gov/content/ central-new-york
Wireless Mapping Project identifies 1,500 potential sites The Wireless Clearinghouse Project has launched an interactive, web-based map that will help facilitate the expansion of wireless telecommunications in the Adirondack Park – a key to economic development in the region. Available at http://www.giswebhosting.com/wirelessclearinghouse, the map is an inventory of existing structures that are suitable for housing wireless antennae. It uses Google Earth to show more than 1,500 potential sites in all but a few of the towns in the park. Paid for through a New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Smart Growth grant to the Town of Saranac and administered by the Re-
base will serve a resource for private companies and Adirondack Park municipalities, as they look toward expanding wireless telecommunications across the region.
Game Changer
search Foundation of SUNY, with SUNY Plattsburgh handling project implementation, the Wireless Clearinghouse data-
The New York State Wireless Association has recognized the Wireless Clearinghouse as being “potentially a game-changing tool for site selectors to use in seeking existing transmission sites within the Adirondack Park.” Fountains Spatial, Schenectady, NY, was contracted by the Research Foundation of SUNY to provide research, database development and online mapping services. The project took advantage of the latest broadband mapping resources created by the New York State Office for Cyber Security.
6 ANCA Applauds Gore ski train to ride again:
The scenic train between Saratoga Springs and North Creek is building momentum, as railway owners plan to resurrect an Adirondack tradition this winter: A ski train to Gore Mountain, which is set to start December 30. Departing from Saratoga, skiers will arrive at Gore about 10 a.m. The train back to Saratoga Springs will leave at 4:30 p.m. Breakfast will be served on the way to the ski center, followed by cocktails and dinner on the return trip. Information will be available at www. sncrr.com. We applaud this great opportunity for recreation in the region.
Croghan Dam update: This sumAbove: Keene community volunteers came out to help clean shelves, floors and merchandise at McDonough’s Valley Hardware. Tropical Storm Irene hit the hamlets Keene and Keene Valley in Essex County especially hard, leaving millions of dollars of damage in its wake. Photos courtesy of Naj Wikoff
Irene Recovery Efforts As a culture inundated by media, we tend to be accustomed or immune to seeing photos of disaster, but that impact is very different when it happens to your town. In the aftermath of Tropical Storm Irene, many stories have emerged of communities picking up the pieces and beginning the arduous tasks of rebuilding. We want to recognize and commend all efforts, as well as a few highlights:
Volunteers: Gov. Cuomo himself came
to Keene, a shovel and rake in hand, along with The National Guard to help out during the Labor Day weekend. To help cover needs not met by insurance, FEMA or sweat equity, the Keene Community Trust, in Partnership with the Adirondack Community Trust, established a fund to raise gifts to help cover losses.
Financial assistance: North Country
Public Radio has a comprehensive page set up for resources and opportunities to contribute to the relief efforts: http://www.northcountrypublicradio. org/hurricaneirene.html. The Business Council of New York State has a web page with resources: www.bcnys.org/ whatsnew/2011/083111resources-hurricaneirene.htm.
Citizen Journalists: In the days imme-
diately following the storm, there was a gap in information about how badly communities in the North Country were affected, particularly places such as Keene, Keene Valley, Jay and AuSable
Forks. We applaud the efforts of citizen journalists who documented the damage and helped spread the word about the need for assistance in our region.
Moments such as this, written by Naj
Wikoff immediately following the storm: “A makeshift platoon of people were hard at work cleaning and salvaging what they could from McDonough’s Valley Hardware. Inside several with water vacs, shovels, brooms and brushes were cleaning the floors and the lower shelves throughout the store. In every aisle one or two were working while others carried all manner of merchandise out of the store that prided itself on having just about anything one needed. “One person after another just started showing up,” said Dave McDonough. “I was so surprised. They must have come by word of mouth.”
mer, as the Village of Croghan struggled to keep its historic dam and mill from being dismantled by the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, ANCA joined an effort to call for more time to look for ways to rehabilitate the structure. The efforts paid off, thanks to the efforts of all involved and the assistance of U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer. In early August, the Lewis County Development Corporation signed a contract with Gomez & Sullivan Engineers, P. C. to conduct the design study for the Croghan Dam. The study is being funded by a $99,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, along with roughly $50,000 in local commitments. In addition, Traditional Arts in Upstate New York (TAUNY) recently included the Croghan Island Mill on its Register of Very Special Places, signifying the mill’s importance and uniqueness to the history of the community and area.
Hop to it: Back in the day, New York
State was a leader in hops production, a crucial ingredient in certain types of beer. Saranac Brewery is helping to revive the centuries-old tradition, with a new beer recently brewed with locally sourced hops. Friends of the brewery joined in the harvest during a hops picking session at Wrobel Farms, outside of Utica in Bridgewater. Hopefully this will foster a stronger movement for more local beer….
Meet the Board Q&A with Board President Steve Erman How did you get involved with ANCA? “I moved to the region with my wife, Margot Gold, in early 1982 to join the staff of the Adirondack Park Agency as Economic Advisor. I had been a development consultant in Washington, D.C. and as the next step in my career, wanted to have substantive and ongoing involvement in regional economic development. I began attending monthly ANCA meetings as a representative of the APA right away. ANCA was a terrific network of business and political leaders, all intent on improving economic conditions and community welfare. It soon emerged as a staffed organization supporting a wide range of economic activities in a strong partnership with the State of New York. I was asked to join the ANCA board in the late 1980’s and it has been an honor to stay involved through today.” What would you like to see ANCA accomplish in the next 1-2 years? “The ANCA board and staff believe that the organization has great potential to help improve the economy of the 14 counties through close working partnerships with a range of other organizations. Once thing that I learned early on in consulting was that success in economic development has to involve organizational development, building an effective working network of organizations committed to common objectives. Over the next few years, my overall goal is to have our organization become a stronger player in regional economic improvement and to be able to show tangible progress in improving the economic welfare of our residents and communities. We will lead when needed, and we will support the efforts of others when that is most appropriate. What is important is making a positive impact on the region. ANCA’s strategic plan, posted on our website (www.adirondack. org) is a good roadmap for us as we go forward.” What do you love about living in the Adirondack North Country region? “I love the overall sense of community that we have here, something truly uncommon in such a large area representing nearly 40 percent of the State. If you are away and meet someone else from the North Country, there is a bond and the basis for a great conversation. It’s very special. I also savor the sense of independence and the ‘can do’ attitude that people have here. Finally, I love the variety of special places, natural, built and historic that we have here. This is a region that allows you to get away without going too far.” If you could change anything about living here, what would it be? “I would want to have people throughout our region have more economic security, to worry less about how they can support themselves and their families. There is too much disparity between communities up here that are doing well and those often remote rural places that are struggling to survive over the long term. This is a region with many beautiful places. I want the quality of people’s lives to match the quality of our natural environment.”
7 PRESIDENT Stephen M. Erman — Regional Development Consultant and former Economic Advisor, Adirondack Park Agency
VICE PRESIDENT John Bartow — Executive Director, Tug Hill Commission
TREASURER Dale G. Brown — Assistant Vice President and Manager, NBT Bank
SECRETARY Ross Whaley — Senior Advisor, Adirondack Landowners Association
CENTRAL REGION VICE PRESIDENT Richard R. Bird — Owner, Bird’s Marine and Adirondack Real Estate
NORTHERN REGION VICE PRESIDENT Paul M. Cantwell, Jr. – Attorney, Cantwell & Cantwell
SOUTHEASTERN REGION VICE PRESIDENT Ron Montesi — Queensbury Town Board Member WESTERN REGION VICE PRESIDENT Michele Ledoux — Executive Director, Lewis County Cornell Cooperative Extension Kelly Blazosky — President, Oneida County Tourism Jill Breit — Executive Director, Traditional Arts in Upstate New York Richard Burns — Manager, Community and Customer Management, National Grid Kelly Chezum — Vice President for External Relations, Clarkson University James T. Ellis — Former Principal, Tupper Lake High School Eugene T. Falvo — Vice President, Falvo Manufacturing Mike Farmer — Tourism/Publicity Director, Town of Webb Bruce Ferguson — Owner, Scott Hill Farm John C. Kiechle — Owner, Philadelphia Grass Company Howard Lowe — Assessment and Data Manager, Office of Sponsored Research and Programs, SUNY Plattsburgh Daniel Mason — Former Assistant Division Manager, Exxon Mobil Refineries Marti Mozdzier — Owner, Wilemar Associates Stephanie Ratcliffe — Executive Director, The Wild Center Alice Recore — President & CEO, Mountain Lake PBS Arnie Talgo — Tug Hill Commission member; former Senior Policy Analyst, New York Power Authority Patricia Tatich — Director, Warren County Planning Department Eric Virkler — Director, Lewis County Economic Development/Planning
About ANCA The Adirondack North Country Association (ANCA) has a long history of providing innovative, grassrootsbased leadership for the Adirondack North Country, and creating strong and effective partnerships that provide direct support to program constituents. Since incorporation in 1955, ANCA has developed and managed programs across all 14 counties in Northern New York State, successfully ‘investing’ millions of dollars, mostly from federal and New York State grants as well as private funding, to build capacity and to support community economic development across the region. ANCA’s portfolio of programs, as well as its strengths in fostering dialogue and effective partnerships, bring together the many components that are needed to build stronger, more self-reliant and localized economies throughout the Adirondack North Country.
Our Vision Vibrant rural communities and resilient local economies where people and businesses thrive in a cherished environment ANCA organizes its work around 3 key interrelated goals, each one supported by strategic objectives and a portfolio of programs and projects. • Resilient local economies: provide the foundation for business development that will create family-sustaining jobs in rural communities, increase economic diversity, and build opportunities for the entire region to thrive as a more efficient, self reliant and localized economy, linked to the global economy, and protective of the region’s extraordinary natural environment • Vibrant communities: foster connections between communities and people, enable visitors and residents to fully experience the region’s abundant cultural and natural assets, empower and support the region’s artisans, farmers, and other local producers, and to encourage investment in community infrastructure and assets • Distinct sense of place: recognize and highlight the exceptional assets that make this region unique including the inter-relationship between its urban and rural communities and its vast natural areas, create a strong regional brand, and build the case for investment in the region
Contact Us 67 Main Street, Suite 201, Saranac Lake NY 12983 Main line: 518.891.6200 ANCA’s newsletter is emailed on the first Thursday of the month. Deadline for content is one week prior to publication. Send notices, announcements and other items to Melissa Hart, mhart@adirondack.org.
A D I R O N D A C K N O R T H C O U N T R Y A S S O C I AT I O N
Adirondack North Country Association 67 Main Street, Suite 201 Saranac Lake NY 12983 Established in 1955 Roger W. Tubby Founder (1910–1991)
Stephen M. Erman President
John K. Bartow, Jr. Vice President
Ross S. Whaley Secretary
Dale G. Brown Treasurer
Richard R. Bird Central Region VP
Paul M. Cantwell, Jr. Northern Region VP
Michele E. Ledoux Western Region VP
Ron Montesi Southeastern Region VP
Kate Fish Executive Director
67 Main Street, Suite 201 Saranac Lake, NY 12983 518.891.6200
FAX
6203
anca@adirondack.org www.adirondack.org