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Saturday,ÊJ anuaryÊ9,Ê2016
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www.SunCommunityNews.com
In FEATURES| pg. 2
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Little ADK Explorers opens
In OUTDOORS | pg. 14
How long will winter stay?
New daycare takes Montessori approach
Will ski season ever begin and continue?
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In ARTS | pg. 9
Winter Trails day on tap
Try a variety of winter sports for free!
Frivolity, philanthropy predominate in polar plunge By Christina Scanlon & Thom Randall christina@suncommunitynews.com
LAKE GEORGE — High temperatures and high spirits prevailed as about 1,200 people charged into the waters of Lake George in the annual New Years Day Polar Plunge. Shepard Park Beach was filled to capacity several times over with people in a festive, partying mood — participating the popular area event that has endured for decades. Thirty-five years ago, the event consisted of a crowd watching members of the Coney Island Polar Bears Club swim in the ice-covered lake. But in the last two decades, individuals, families, fraternities and charitable groups all participate, with people dashing into the lake to demonstrate their bravery, boost their vitality, or simply have some visceral fun.
The latter was evident mid-afternoon Jan. 1 as hundreds of those waiting for the plunge countdowns danced on the beach to classic rock music provided by local deejay Chas Giknis. He announced between songs that the water temperature was 46 degrees, although light snow was falling. Gyrating on the beach in their swimsuits to the tune of Foreigner’s rock song “Hot Blooded,” were three friends — Louise LaPoint and Gusti Newquist of Troy and Dorothy Hoffman of Albany. “We’re virgins at this Polar Plunge stuff,” LaPoint said, flailing a furry boa as she and her “sisterhood” companions danced to the music. “I saw this on television years ago, and I thought, ‘Those people are crazy.” This year, Hoffman convinced LaPoint and Newquist to experience the craziness first>> Story Continued | pg. 11
Councilman Smith resigns, Seaman retains her seat
thom@suncommunitynews.com
THURMAN — While many town of Thurman residents anticipated that a town board seat would be open as of Jan. 1 due to a tie vote between two candidates in November, incumbent board member Gail Seaman is continuing to serve in her post — at least temporarily. That’s not all that two local citizens learned at the town’s reorganizational meeting Monday, Jan. 4. They also saw an empty chair — the board seat of
Daniel Smith, who resigned about a week earlier. His resignation letter to the town cited “personal and job-related conflicts” as prompting his departure. The board in its new configuration of four members — including Seaman — decided to advertise for letters of interest from local citizens who wish to fill the open board seat of Daniel Smith. The board will be entertaining such inquiries until Jan. 31. Seaman’s continued tenure on the board was not without challenge — Board member
Mike Eddy, a critic of the present town administration, objected to Seaman continuing in her post. But citing state Public Officers Law Section 5, Town Supervisor Evelyn Wood said the tie vote in November between Seaman and challenger Joan Harris represented a “failure to elect” which means Seaman can continue to serve until the board makes an appointment to the position, or an election is held in November. Wood said that Seaman’s continuation was the appropriate legal action for the
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board, based on advice from the town attorney and declarations by a lawyer with the New York State Association of Towns — and the state Attorney General. She also said that board members were not in favor of holding a special election to be held earlier, because it would involve a substantial cost to the town taxpayers. She said that Seaman’s seat, along with the seat held for two years by Smith, would be up for election this coming November. The board took a vote to affirm Seaman retaining the
seat — a formal endorsement of her continuation — and Eddy voted against this resolution, as he did on most of the resolutions enacted during the reorganizational meeting. Eddy objected to Seaman voting on her own appointment, noting it was against provisions of the new Ethics policy — which he voted against. But Wood said the Seaman’s continuation was an outcome of state law, and the board vote was merely an affirmation. Retired psychologist John Youngblood, top vote-getter
in November’s four-way race for two town board seats, was sworn in during the meeting, as was new Thurman Town Clerk Jeanie Sprague, in addition to Seaman. >> Story Continued | pg. 15