Friends and neighbors mingled on Glen Street in downtown Glens Falls, which was closed to vehicle traffic Wednesday night for the second week of “Take a Bite”! This Glens Falls Collaborative event happens every Wednesday night from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM throughout the summer, from July 5th to August 9th. During this event, restaurants offer small plates from $1.00 to $5.00, shops stay open late, and live music fills the air.
Event-goers walked the streets with food and drink in hand, as open containers were allowed for the first time this year – on June 27th, 2023, the Glens Falls Common Council approved the resolution to temporarily suspend the open container law inside the rectangle of streets created by Ridge, Maple, Bay and Glen Street.
The Common Council first suspended the open container law during “Wing Fest” in April, which worked well for both businesses and attendees. The suspension of the open container law is expected to draw more people to these events, and will make the events more profitable for businesses, and more enjoyable for event-goers.
Downtown shops stayed open late, offering discounts and promotions… People lined up for offerings from more than twenty restaurants! Ridge Street was crowded with event-goers as Farmacy Restobar offered Brisket or Vegan Chorizo Tacos. On Glen Street, the lines formed and grew in front of restaurants and at pop-up stands as the evening went on.
Neighbors sat together at picnic tables set up in the middle of Glen Street… They talked, ate and beckoned to friends to come and join them!
“Take a Bite” is presented by The Glens Falls Collaborative, which is a membership organization whose mission is to promote Glens Falls. Glens Falls Collaborative was created in 2012 to increase business flow in the Glens Falls Downtown.
Along Main Street in Queensbury, people drove by honking their horns in support as the UPS Teamsters were out practice-picketing. Wearing their brown UPS uniforms and carrying brown and yellow, “Just Practicing for a Just Contract” signs, workers looped along the sidewalk near the entrance to the Northway. Jason Hughes – a driver for UPS – was amongst the practice picketers: “The company and the Teamsters are at a standstill with negotiations. Right now, we are fighting for the part-timers that the company doesn’t want to pay a living wage… We are just out here showing them that we are going to do what it takes to win a strong contract. The contract expires at midnight on July 31st, so if they don’t have a deal by July 31st at midnight, we will be out here permanently, and that will be a full blown strike. Right now, we are out here from 8:15AM to 8:45 AM, before our start time,” Hughes said.
The credible strike threat is one of the most powerful tools of the Teamsters Union. UPS is the single largest employer in the Teamsters Union, with the largest private collective bargaining agreement in North America… The Teamsters and UPS have agreed to eliminate the two-tier wage system for part-time and full-time employees, establish Martin Luther King Jr. day as a full holiday, and end forced overtime on drivers’ days off. UPS Teamsters include more than 340,000 full-time and part-time workers that deliver millions of packages a day.
The value of the goods that are delivered annually is estimated at 6% of the U.S. economy. In the latest round of negotiations, each side accused the other of walking away from the table… The Teamsters have stated that UPS members will not work beyond the expiration of the current contract. In June, rank-and-file UPS Teamsters authorized a strike, with 97% of the members voting in favor.
Kristopher Brunelle is a Navy Veteran turned local entrepreneur. In October of 2022, Kristopher started his own company, White Glove Janitorial Service… His motivation for opening his own business was that he knew that he could do better himself, and teach others to do better for themselves as well.
Kristopher Brunelle and his team serve medium to large offices, medical practices, car dealerships, and day care centers. White Glove Janitorial provides office cleaning, carpet cleaning, interior window washing, restroom cleaning, sanitation and re-stocking, floor stripping, waxing and buffing and specialized disinfection services. Kristopher and his employees use proven techniques, proper tools and equipment, in-depth training, and an intensive focus on team mentality and quality control to ensure that the client is pleased with their clean work environment.
Kristopher Bruenelle, as the owner of White Glove Janitorial, draws his professional expectations from his time in the military – Kristopher enlisted in the Navy for job security during the uncertain economic times of 2008 and the “Great Recession”. His goal when entering the military was to have a stable job, where he could learn skills that he would carry with him past his military career. Kristopher has been able to utilize the training that he gained in the military, and apply it to both his business and to building his team.
Kristopher is now separated from the Navy, which means that he has been released from active duty. During his time in service, he was a E-5 builder in the Construction Battalion, known as the Seabees – which is coined from the abbreviation “CB.” During his tour of duty, Kristopher spent a lot of time cleaning, and he found the activity to be cathartic for him… Having both his equipment and spaces in a ready state was comforting in a world of chaos. When he joined the Seabees, Kris found out that he was joining a battalion that “built where others couldn’t.”
This concept of pushing forward, and succeeding where other people couldn’t, has helped Kristopher build his own business. The military taught him the importance of getting a job done, even if it seems impossible.
Through the military, Kristopher gained the tools he has used to be a good leader and, eventually, a good employer. During his time in the Navy, he learned a lot about people and about working together. On his tour, he spent time in Spain, Croatia, Afghanistan, Japan and Africa.
He had the opportunity to lead increasingly larger groups of people, and discovered that each individual team member brought specific strengths to the team, while their weaknesses could be shored up from the strengths of other team members… Kristopher carries with him the experiences that he gained overseas, which remind him to try and see the world from someone else’s perspective.
As Kristopher grows his business, he often revisits the lessons that he learned in the military. As a unit, it was necessary for each individual to work as a team: “There wasn’t the option to fire someone if they weren’t doing a good job. So, I learned to find a way to motivate that person so that the unit could get the best results. As an employer, I find myself using those same tools,” Kristopher said.
“I want to motivate the people who work for me to learn and grow. From my time in the Navy, I have gained the skills necessary to assess people and offer positions that they may have been previously overlooked. Everybody brings strengths and attributes, and as an employer I try to find what a person can bring to the table.”
As an entrepreneur and a father, it has also been important to Kristopher to teach his little girl Lindsey life lessons… Kristopher and his wife Kealy are raising Lindsey to be an independent thinker when it comes to business. Lindsey gets to see her mom go off to work as a teacher every day, and that sets structure in her young life. When she is home with her dad, he is often working out of his home office, and she gets to see that you don’t have to work a “Nine-to-Five” job to succeed – it’s ok to follow your own path.
“I want to motivate the people who work for me to learn and grow. From my time in the Navy, I have gained the skills necessary to assess people and offer positions that they may have been previously overlooked. Everybody brings strengths and attributes, and as an employer I try to find what a person can bring to the table,” Kristopher said.
As Kristopher sets goals for his business and watches his daughter grow, he is thankful for the community that came from his military career, as well as the Veterans Business Network, The Adirondack Chamber of Commerce, and military friends and mentors Juan and Amy Gonzales, who give so much help and support to Veterans.
Tourism creates jobs, strengthens local economies and contributes to local infrastructure and development. It can help to preserve cultural assets, traditions and the natural environment… In April of 2023, Warren County Board of Supervisors hired Heather Bagshaw to serve as Warren County’s new Director of Tourism. Bagshaw replaced the previous Tourism Director Alfred Snow, who held the position for a brief two-month period – Snow stepped down from the position in November of 2022. As Heather settles into her new position, she would like to broaden the experience of tourists who come to the area. “I would like to see people extend their stays and experience the culture and activities that we have here,” Bagshaw said.
The County Director of Tourism is responsible for planning, developing and implementing programs to promote Warren County and its facilities and businesses as a premier destination for leisure travel, group tours and special events through marketing and advertising campaigns.
Glens Falls has many of the qualities that Bagshaw is looking for to optimize tourism in the area. The location of Glens Falls – halfway between Saratoga Springs and the Adirondack Mountains – has a geographical advantage that the city can exploit to increase the contribution of tourism to the economy: Saratoga Springs has its world-class race track and rich racing tradition that draws hundreds of thousands of turf enthusiasts to the area during racing season, Lake George has its famous lake and recreational facilities, and the Adirondack Preserve attracts visitors seeking to experience the unmatched natural splendors.
The question then becomes: What is “World Class” in Glens Falls?.. Answer? The Hyde Museum. The Hyde Collection is beautifully housed in a majestic trio of adjacent family mansions on Warren Street. The Collection includes an important Rembrandt: “Christ With Arms Folded” and hundreds of other works of art by American and European artists.
Charlotte and Louis Hyde acquired a vast personal collection of art, including pieces by Van Gogh, Picasso and Renoir… Some of the pieces are displayed in a modern “Art Gallery” fashion, but many of the family’s most beloved works are shown as they have always been – on the walls of bedrooms, hallways, and public rooms throughout the house.
The Hyde Museum showcases the rich history of Glens Falls, and displays priceless pieces of art… The house is listed on the national register of historic places, and the house itself is reminiscent of days gone by and lifestyles that are now just a memory. The Hyde house, which was built in 1912 by Henry Ford Bigalow, has characteristics of Renaissance Revival architecture… The fanciful interior conveys both Louis and Charlotte’s love of entertaining, art, culture, and whimsy.
The museum has expanded, and truly opened itself up to the community… The permanent collection features approximately 3,000 works, and the museum features community events and social engagements.
Heather Bagshaw, as the new Tourism Director, will have the opportunity to explore Glens Falls and the surrounding areas to find out how to best utilize beautiful and historic venues like the Hyde Museum: “During my career, I have worked hard to move visitors to different locations around the county. Finding events that compliment each other and inspire visitors to extend their stay from three days to a week,” Heather said. The location of Glens Falls and the historic significance of the architecture enhance a community that supports art, entertainment and tourism.
The summer calendar for the Museum includes:
• Celebrating 60 Years: The Collector Charlotte Pruyn Hyde
• Recent Acquisitions
• Songs of the Horizon: David Smith, Music and Dance
Molly Congdon-Hunsdon holds a unique position – she is the second-generation Executive Director of the Glens Falls Area Youth Center. Her father, Matt Congdon, had been the Executive Director for over three decades… Following his passing on June 13th, 2019, Molly took over the position of Executive Director so that she could have a meaningful impact on the lives of the kids… Molly and the incredible staff carry on the “Legacy of Love.”
Matt didn’t have an easy childhood himself: “He was poor,” Molly said. “He knew what it meant to be hungry. His last name didn’t carry any clout within the school system. He didn’t have the best clothes or the coolest shoes… He wanted for everything. But he never used any of these obstacles as an excuse. Instead, he channeled his struggles into something positive.”
“From a young age he had two main goals in life: To make an impact on the lives of children who needed it most, and to always have a full fridge… Both goals were achieved.”
Matt graduated from Springfield College in 1982, and worked at a local gym as a trainer. When the Executive Director of the Youth Center went on maternity leave, Matt filled the position, and later on the kids petitioned for him to stay… “This changed the course of the Youth Center forever,” Molly said. “He advocated and fought for our kids with all his might.”
The first few locations of the Youth Center were anything but ideal. “The children in this community deserved better, much better,” Molly said. “Then, my dad did the impossible… He raised one million dollars in eight months to make our current building a reality. In April 2000, the doors opened and crowds of kids, wide-eyed and smiling, walked inside… That day is one that will never be forgotten.”
Despite being 55 years old, the mission of the Youth Center has remained the same: “We are a non-profit organization that serves disadvantaged youth (5th to 12th-graders) who reside in Saratoga, Warren and Washington Counties, through a wide variety of educational, recreational and life-skills programs (including after school snacks and dinner each day), completely free of charge,” Molly said. “We first opened our doors back in 1968, and since that time we have successfully served over 100,000 underprivileged children, dished out over 750,000 meals, and tutored over 31,000 students. We are a small organization with big numbers.”
“The children that we serve are at-risk youths from diverse cultures, races, ethnicities, belief systems and personalities,” she continued. “The majority of kids that come to the youth center come from low-income households – 90% of them live below the poverty line. These kids need a place where they feel safe and belong… At the GFAYC they are welcomed, cared for and most importantly loved. Every day, the kids have an opportunity to eat, exercise, and do homework. GFAYC believes that young people are a vital component to the future of our community… Their success is our success.”
Carrying on her father’s legacy, Molly holds a strong lifelong connection with the youth center: “The Youth Center has been a part of my life since I was born. Matt Congdon, our former executive director, was my dad,” Molly said.
Her father was her mentor and inspires the work that she continues today: “He was the Executive Director for 36 years,” she said. “I grew up in the youth center. I would play pickup basketball and this place molded me into the person that I am today.”
Molly became a staff member at the age of seventeen, and has been working at the youth center ever since for the last 16 years: “The coolest experience for me is to see the kids grow from 5th to 12th-graders, and watch those kids make the full journey into young men and women… It’s such a privilege to be a part of that,” she said.
Matt passed away after years of battling health issues on June 13th, 2019. “Matt’s strength, spirit and selflessness will never be forgotten,” Molly said. “He worked his entire adult life to enhance the existence of young people in this area because he felt that every single one of their lives was precious and meaningful – and they are!”
Carly LaMay joined the youth center staff as the Assistant Director back in August 2020. The team is filled out by Nate Mattison, who is the Program Coordinator, and Anthony Rivera, the Program Supervisor. Anthony is a former youth center member who wanted to make an impact on the next generation.. “We are a small but mighty staff of four,” Molly said.
Carly is in her third year as the Assistant Director at the Glens Falls Area Youth Center: “I started in 2020 in the middle of the pandemic,” Carly said. “It’s been great to see how we have been able to navigate the pandemic, and now we are in a really great spot where we can do a lot of great things with the kids.”
Throughout the year, the kids travel to the Youth Center in a variety of ways: “We serve Saratoga, Warren and Washington counties. A lot of our kids are transient and they move around a lot, but they still want to come here,” Carly said. “Our Glens Falls students will usually walk and bike. Kids from the outlier areas are most often dropped off. When the kids first arrive at the youth center they have to sign in, and one of our biggest rules is ‘no school, no Youth Center.’ They have to go to school.”
Activities at the youth center encourage inclusivity and participation: “We have a full-sized gym, workout equipment… A ping pong table, a pool table, air hockey and games, and there are areas to do homework,” Carly said. “We have after-school snacks, and that is something that everyone tends to do first… A lot of kids break off to do something they really enjoy. But we always have an event or a tournament going on that brings the kids back together.”
The food program – started by Matt – has provided 750,000 meals to these kids over the course of the last 40 years… This program now requires a commercial refrigerator and freezer. Originally, the youth center would close from 5:00 PM to 6:00 PM so that the kids could go home and have dinner with their families… However, Matt started to see the kids hanging around outside during that hour. He realized that some of them didn’t have a place to go and eat, so he started providing dinner: “We call it family dinner, because that is what we are… A family,” Molly said.
Both Carly and Molly have noticed that due to the pandemic, the kids communicate with their peers differently, because for much of the pandemic so much of the communication was virtual: “We spend a lot of time teaching the kids how to interact in person. Working on social and emotional skills is a lot of what we do,” Carly said. “Having the kids do things together teaches them to be good sports, which is very important.”
Molly and Carly use the kids’ interests to facilitate their education: “Recreation is what draws the kids in, and then once once they are here, they are able to experience everything else that we have to offer,” Molly said. “We have Chromebooks, headsets, and kids are learning in a fun and engaging way… Our version of education is active. The kids have been in school all day, and we want them to be active and learn.”
Learning takes place all year round at the Youth Center. The Youth Center has a Summer Reading Program where they are taught reading, writing, and STEAM… This program helps to ease the transition into middle school, while reducing summer learning loss. They will even help with locker combinations, which can be challenging for the kids: “That program is just for the fifth graders,” Molly said. “So that gives us an opportunity to really work with the kids who are transitioning to middle school.”
A retired math teacher comes in to help all grade levels with the subject that so many kids dread: “Bob Cote comes in once or twice a week to help all grade levels to prepare for quizzes,” Carly said. “He helps with math and will talk to teachers on behalf of the kids. He helps kids that are struggling or just need a little extra help.”
The Youth Center is launching a new program that focuses on media literacy to prepare the kids for the workforce… They now have a TikTok! The videos are all produced by kids, and focus on subjects like marketing, PR, how to stay on brand, and what’s trending on social media. The kids come up with all the ideas… This program helps to create a dialog about social media and its uses in the workplace: “We see the downside of social media, how these kids have constant access to each other,” Carly said. “It’s nice to highlight the benefits of social media, and how it can be used in a safe and constructive way.”
The Glens Falls Area Youth Center is mainly supported through grant writing done by Molly and Carly, but they also have fundraisers… On June 23rd at the Holiday Inn at Lake George, the GFAYC held their first fundraiser since before the pandemic! The “Back to the 80’s” theme is something that everyone was looking forward to. This event also marked 55 years of operation for the organization, and will be in honor of Matt Congdon.
The Glens Falls Area Youth Center is open from 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM, Monday through Friday. For more information, please visit gfyouthcenter.org.
Sherman! Crandall! Hyde! Pruyn! Lapham! Ordway! And the list goes on… The history of Glens Falls is abound with the names of the great families who helped build the city with their energy, ambition, entrepreneurship, and charitable work. This tradition survives to this day as Glens Falls attracts new generations of entrepreneurs to work and build their lives in this area. The city’s history is rich with powerful families who built their businesses and raised their families and sacrificed for this town. Their work is found in the fabric of the city. It has inspired street names and shaped the city’s culture and history. Often referred to as the “Gateway to the Adirondacks”, Glens Falls’ location has attracted entrepreneurs, inspired industry, and created great wealth and influence.
LOCATION! LOCATION! LOCATION!
The location of Glens Falls has its part to play in why the entrepreneurs came to stay. A seemingly unlimited supply of timber in the Adirondack forest was just waiting to be harvested and shipped to market down the mighty Hudson River. These men transformed natural resources into a thriving economy of marketable goods and services.
One of these men – William McEchron (8/3/1831 – 9/2/1906) – came to Glens Falls in 1863… Previously, he had worked as a tow boy on the Champlain Canal, and he had been a lumberjack in the Adirondack Forest. In Glens Falls, he partnered with an established businessman James Morgan, and operated limestone quarries in South Glens Falls. For a short time, the company was called Morgan & McEchron… However, after Morgan’s untimely death, William McEchron became the head of what became known as Morgan Lumber Company. William McEchron spent the remainder of his life living in Glens Falls, surrounded by his family and dedicating himself to supporting his family and public service. Throughout his life, he lived in different areas of the village – when McEchron was getting established in Glens Falls, he lived in a brick house on Elm Street, and he later moved his family to the area of Ridge Street and Maple Street.
THE FIRES AND THE FATES
McEchron’s dedication to philanthropy was partially based on his experiences in Glens Falls – one of his greatest accomplishments was creating a reliable water supply for the village.
While the McEchrons lived on Elm Street, the new Glens Falls Hotel was built next door… The McEchron children would play on the grounds of the hotel, which were filled with large gardens and trees.
Wait Carpenter, who owned the hotel, was ambitious and wanted to improve the kitchen… He bought large coal stoves that would get very hot. In late May of 1864, Williams’ wife Sarah was sitting near the window of their house while the children played in the yard, when she saw billows of smoke pouring from the kitchen windows of the hotel… Fire trucks quickly arrived, carrying volunteers from the fire department. The flames were stoked along by a spring breeze, and spread quickly in every direction… The buildings on both sides of Glen Street were quickly engulfed in flames, and were soon beyond any help the fire department could provide.
Despite help from neighboring villages, the situation was soon hopeless due to the lack of water supply. This fire became a disaster that would wipe out the center of the village.
McEchron became village president in 1872, and although he only held the position for one year, he managed to establish an adequate and modern water supply for the village… Fire, which destroyed much of Glens Falls on three occasions during McEchron’s lifetime, had impacted McEchron both personally and professionally – a decade after he came to Glens Falls, his business partner James Morgan died; burned to death in his own stables… The mysterious circumstances surrounding the death of James Morgan have never been clear. On the night of his death, Morgan had been alerted to a disturbance in his stables, and went out with a lantern to investigate the problem… The stables burned to the ground, and Morgan’s remains were found the next day.
William McEchron’s legacy of entrepreneurship lives on in the city… Wayne Wright, the City historian, is impressed with how much McEchron did for Glens Falls: “McEchron gave his money without a lot of people knowing about it… He wanted to be in the background. The Glens Falls Home, he paid for that. The YMCA, he contributed more money between himself and his family than anybody else. Christ Church was built because of him… He started from humble beginnings, and ended up a very wealthy man. The same happened with Sherman and Crandall, and the list goes on… McEchron was exceptionally wealthy and exceptionally generous,” he said.
MORGAN & CO.
Today, the generosity of William McEchron is carried on through his contributions to the town and the home that he built for his family… The family home that he built was inspired by the useful modern conveniences in the house he had previously built for his daughter and her husband. The house stayed in the McEchron family until 1921. At that point, the surviving daughters of William and Sarah McEchron transferred the deed to the City of Glens Falls… That home is currently the restaurant Morgan & Co; a sly nod to the interwoven fates of the McEchron and Morgan families. Morgan & Co carries on the entrepreneurial spirit with their creative menu and superb service: “We call it ‘comfort food’ with a Mediterranean-Bohemian flair,” the owners explained through their website.
At Morgan & Co, you have the opportunity to see the inside of the McEchron family home, dine in the rooms where they lived, and feel the history around you… This restaurant was opened by Glens Falls native Rebecca Newell-Butters, and her husband Steve Butters. The house and gardens are now used for the restaurant and special events, and the wrap-around porch and gardens provide unparalleled ambiance for the spectacular chef-prepared cuisine.
For more information about Morgan & Co. and the McEchron House, please visit MorganRestaurant.com
On Tuesday, July 11th, 2023, The Lake George Battlefield Park Visitor Center at 75 Fort George Road unveiled a new diorama, depicting General Abercrombie’s historic 1758 flotilla of 15,000 troops leaving from the head of Lake George towards their defeat by the French at Ticonderoga.
The Lake George Battlefield Park Alliance (LGBA) was established in 2001 as a volunteer-driven organization focused on the Lake George Region’s critical role in the French and Indian War and the American Revolution. The Alliance manages the Battlefield Park’s Visitor Center, and sponsors events throughout the year that educate the public: “My vision of Lake George is a mini Gettysburg…We are in a very special time of the history (pun intended) of our community,” said John DiNuzzo, President of the LGBA.
Last September, a call from “The Adirondack Experience – The Museum on Blue Mountain Lake” initiated the diorama being exhibited. The diorama depicts an event that happened along the shore of the south basin of Lake George, right outside the visitor center windows: “The largest flotilla in North American history left from these shores in this town in 1758… Unfortunately for Abercrombie, the 4,000 or so French successfully resisted that attack. It wasn’t until the following year that the British were able to take Ticonderoga, and take Crown Point,” DiNuzzo said.
Marisa Muratori was on hand from the Lake George Town Board: “It’s a battle that has been spoken of for generations… I’ve known about it since I was a kid. They say that there were so many Bateaux on the lake at the south basin that were going to Ticonderoga, that you couldn’t see the water… It must have been an extraordinary moment, and I think this is beautifully depicted,” she said.
“Hometown USA” was just named the “Safest City in the U.S.” by Rocket Mortgage for the second year in a row! Rocket Mortgage ranked the fifteen safest cities in the United States, and Glens Falls came out on top for the second year running. To determine their findings, Rocket Mortgage used violent crime, property crime, and population data from the FBI’s 2019 crime report… The median home values were taken fromhttps://www.neighborhoodscout.com, which features real estate analytics, and the median household income was gathered from the U.S. Census Bureau statistics.
Violent crime rate is composed of four offenses – murder and non-negligent manslaughter, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault. These are crimes that involve force or the threat of force… With a population of 124,339, the Glens Falls violent crime rate is listed as one.
Property crime rate includes burglary, larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft, and arson. The object of this type of crime is the taking of money and property without threat of force against victims… The property crime rate for Glens Falls was listed as seven.
The median household income was listed as $50,071… This number is reached by dividing income distribution into two equal parts – one half falls below the income level, and the other half is above. The median home price for Glens Falls was listed as $211,692… Roughly half of the homes in Glens Falls have sold for more than that price, and roughly half of the homes have sold for less than that price.
Midland, Michigan was listed as the second-safest city in America, with a population of 82,943. Midland – according to this ranking – has a violent crime rate of three, property crime rate of seven, median household income of $62,625, and median home price of $207,130.
Glens Falls was joined by Kingston, New York – the only other New York city to be included on the list, coming in at #9. Located in Ulster County, Kingston is listed as having a population of 177,151, a violent crime rate of two, a property crime rate of 1,090.6, a median income of $51,299, and a median home price of $292,631.
Buying and selling homes are major milestones in people’s lives… These are times of upheaval and change, which a range of emotion which can include stress. There are times in these major transactions when each party needs a mediator to help find the correct answer and move the transaction forward. There are times when the public needs to know their rights to use and transfer property… The Southern Adirondack REALTORS® Inc. (SAR) is an organization that provides support and services to REALTORS® in Warren, Washington, and Saratoga Counties. Located at 298 Bay Road in Queensbury, this organization promotes those rights, and supports the concept of conducting business in a competent and ethical manner. They strive to improve the quality of life for area residents by providing a variety of services; including providing a voice for REALTORS®, upholding professional standards, and acting as a third party to help mediate disputes with REALTOR® members.
Sarah Wisdorf is currently the interim Association Executive/CEO. Sarah has both senior management experience and leadership skills – she holds both a bachelor and master’s degree in business administration, and has decades of experience in the real estate industry. In her role as interim CEO, Sarah oversees the daily operations of SAR, and is responsible for the growth and development of the real estate industry in the Southern Adirondack region: “In my role I help to maintain relationships. As an organization, we strongly support property rights, and work to reduce barriers to home ownership,” Sarah said.
One of the key aspects of SAR is the high ethical standards that the organization sets for the members… This code of ethics separates SAR from other real estate licenses. It is a commitment to honor, integrity, and professionalism… This code of ethics is prescribed by The National Association of REALTOR®, which is the umbrella for SAR.
SAR has a responsibility to help members and clients in a disputed situation, and will provide an ombudsman and professional standards hearings if there is ever a dispute or a question of unethical practices that needs an unbiased third party… These services are optional, but often result in a more timely outcome and avoid litigation. Offering this free service helps to avoid expensive and time-consuming litigation.
Sarah is aware of the impact of societal changes on the real estate market… Americans move an average of 11.7 times over the course of a lifetime. These moves occur for a variety of reasons, including changing jobs, upsizing or downsizing, or just trying out a new neighborhood. Unfortunately, low inventory is increasing prices and sending ripples through the real estate market… Prospective buyers are holding off on purchasing their first homes, and retirees who in the past have downsized are staying in their homes longer because of the elevated costs of real estate. SAR studies and monitors these factors to help support their members, clients and community: “SAR is committed to being a partner in helping to solve the challenges in the housing market. Advocating for increased inventory at all price-points, working to find ways to lessen the barriers to entering the housing market, and looking at new, creative, and sustainable building options.” Sarah said.
City of Glens Falls Human Resources Director: Judy Villa-White
“I am the Human Resources Director for the city, and have been in this position since 2013, so this is my tenth year” said longtime Glens Falls resident Judy Villa-White, as she settled in behind her desk.
Prior to her work at City Hall, Judy was an elected official for the city. She spent almost eight years on the Common Council: “It’s been a nice transition coming from the legislative side to working on behalf of the city employees. Prior to that, my life was in retail and management… I was with The Gap for over 20 years, and ended that career with a district manager’s title,” she said; at that time, Judy and her husband Steve were raising three young kids.
“I truly love what I do, and I am happy to keep doing it. As Human Resources Director, I am a department of one… So, I wear many hats. My main role is to support the city employees,” she said. The City of Glens Falls has about 200 employees, with an additional 50 employees that fill seasonal positions.
Judy describes the role she fills at City Hall: “I do all of the posting of positions, I sit in on all interviews, then I do the extending of the job offers, I do all of the onboarding… I also handle all of the workers’ comp issues that come in with any employee. Sometimes accidents happen, there are a lot of things that could cause an accident to happen on the job… We do work with the County for safety training to educate employees on the safest ways to do things. In addition, I handle disability, and FMLA,” she said.
Judy also has a different side to her job – filling the role of the lead negotiator when the contracts are up with the three collective bargaining unions: The Police, Fire Department, and Civil Service Employee Association (CSCA). In that role, she represents the city as opposed to representing the employees.
One of the challenges of Judy’s job is filling positions that have been vacated due to retirement. The City of Glens Falls is experiencing what Judy describes as a “Tsunami of retirements”: “These are big shoes to fill. These are people who have a lot of institutional knowledge… The Fire Chief retired after thirty years, that is a lot of institutional knowledge that has left us,” she said.
Hiring for a municipality has its specific challenges: “Under the Civil Service laws, jobs have very specific minimum qualifications… There are civil service exams, and if the exam isn’t being offered, the position is filled in a provisional role, with the expectation that the individual will take the exam when it is offered… This is very different from the private sector. Municipal jobs are good jobs, especially if people are thinking about the long term… These are jobs with a pension, a monthly pension check at the end of your career,” She said.
Over her tenure as the Human Resources Director, Judy has seen generational shifts occur in the workforce: “The intergenerational work philosophies shift and change… How we look at a job and the perceptions of different generations shift over time. It’s about retaining help, and currently the workforce is focused on quality of life aspects of work, which may include working remotely. It’s not necessarily about the money. I’m thankful that the Mayor is open to the idea of looking for new ways to retain employees,” she said.
Judy believes that part of her role is to be in the office, approachable, and available to employees: “I don’t want to lose touch with the employees. The questions and concerns that they have are important… I like to be available if someone wants to pop-in or make an appointment,” she said.
Judy enjoys her work at City Hall, and loves the community of Glens Falls: “I love the city. I grew up in Glens Falls and lived in Syracuse for a bit, but when we were talking about raising a family, my husband and I both knew that we wanted to raise our family here… It’s a great place to live, and we’re excited to see the renaissance that is happening in the city and where it will go from here,” she said.
