Author: Staff Report

The process of “one person, one vote”, which began a redistricting process more than a year ago, was formally completed last month with the release of polling place updates in the City of Glens Falls.  The process was designed to bring equal legislative representation in a non-political way based on one simple thing – population data.  The process not only allowed each ward to have a slice of the downtown business district, but also allowed each elected representative of the Common Council to remain within their respective wards.

“We are absolutely delighted to have this process fully complete” says Mayor Bill Collins.  “I said from the outset, I didn’t want anyone in the City of Glens Falls to be worried about gerrymandering.  Bob Curtis and the entire task force undertook the process with 100% transparency.  The boundaries are fair, and the task force never took politics into consideration.”

Warren County GIS Administrator Sara Frankenfeld, who was instrumental during this process and volunteered her assistance to the City’s Redistricting Task Force, has provided this link of the new ward boundaries for residents to confirm which ward they reside in: https://warrencountyny.maps.arcgis.com/apps/instant/lookup/index.html?appid=bedb1683f1074c0d9ee1691dc82ff169&find=. 

“In October 2021, the Mayor’s Office and the City of Glens Falls Common Council were made aware by local attorney, John Caffry, that the city wasn’t in compliance with the 1964 Supreme Court ruling ‘one person, one vote’ principle,” states Mayor Collins.  “In March 2022, Mayor Collins addressed this issue with the Common Council, and, in April 2022, the Common Council approved a resolution creating a new Redistricting Task Force.”

Former City Clerk Bob Curtis was appointed as chairman of the Redistricting Task Force.  Each member of the Common Council appointed a member to the Task Force and, as a result, a seven-member task force – which included Mary DeSantis, who was the vice chairwoman, as well Robin Barkenhagen, Nancy Kelley, Lee Braggs, Connie Bosse and Janet Dimanno – assumed the responsibility of reviewing the ward boundaries. Because only one criteria – population data – would be used for making changes to the ward boundaries, the Redistricting Task Force noted immediately that there were wide variations in population.  Knowing that there should be no more than a 10% difference of 2,966 per federal law from the biggest ward to the smallest ward, that the city’s population within the five wards was 14,830, it was realized that there was a 14.25% difference between Ward 1 and Ward 4.

The Redistricting Task Force developed a map that resulted in the Second, Third and Fourth Wards having a population of 2,982, with Ward 1 having a population of 2,936 and Ward 5 having a population of 2,948 residents.  This resulted in a 1.55% difference in population between the five wards in the City of Glens Falls – much lower than the required 5% per New York State law.

The work performed by the Redistricting Task Force, which resolved the balance in population within the five wards, was approved by City voters during last November’s election. It was recognized recently via resolution by the Warren County Board of Supervisors formalizing the redistricting changes which, in turn, have been filed with the New York Secretary of State.

For more information regarding this or any other issue, please reach out via email at communicationsdirector@cityofglensfalls.com or tdrawbridge@cityofglensfalls.com.  If your issue is urgent or if you’re looking to speak with Mayor Collins regarding a formal comment, please call (518) 920-4884.

 A “Snow Emergency” has been declared in the City of Glens Falls, beginning 8:00 PM Monday, March 13th, and ending 8:00 AM Wednesday, March 15th, acting Mayor Jim Clark has announced. Mayor Collins is out of town until later this week.

The National Weather Service is forecasting eight to 12 inches of snowfall between now and Wednesday morning, with higher accumulations just beyond the city limits. The wind will also be a factor, as wind gusts could exceed 30 to 35 miles per hour; this means blowing and drifting snow will also be an issue.

During a Snow Emergency in Glens Falls, on-street parking is banned to allow plow crews to clear away the snow, and to allow emergency vehicles to travel unimpeded.  Also, during a Snow Emergency, non-urgent vehicular traffic is discouraged.

If you must be out in a vehicle, safety experts recommend that you use extreme caution as the road conditions are unpredictable. They also recommend carrying emergency supplies in your car, including blankets, water, and food.  You should also make sure you dress in protective clothing and layers.

All residents within the City of Glens Falls should prepare for the possibility of power outages due to the combination of heavy, wet snow and strong, gusty winds. 

If you have a fire hydrant near your house or business, please assist the City of Glens Falls Fire Department by clearing the snow away from the hydrant.

Per Scott Sopczyk – Transportation Director of Greater Glens Falls Transit (GGFT) – the start of Regular Bus Service has been delayed from 6:30 AM to 8:00 AM. Streets within the City of Glens Falls are in pretty good shape, but roads outside the city limits may not be.

GGFT will continue to monitor the trends and re-access the start up time at 8:00 AM.

For more information regarding this or any other issue, please reach out via emailatcommunicationsdirector@cityofglensfalls.com or tdrawbridge@cityofglensfalls.com.

Because of the ongoing snowstorm, Warren County Municipal Center and all Warren County offices will be closed to the public Tuesday, March 14^th, 2023. County departments involved with public safety will continue to operate.
 

County facilities are expected to reopen for regular hours at 8:00 AM on Wednesday, March 15^th.
 

The Warren County Board of Supervisors American Rescue Plan Act Committee meeting scheduled for Tuesday at Warren County Municipal Center has also been postponed, and will now be held Friday, March 17^th at 8:30 AM.
 

Warren County Office of Emergency Services asks county residents to download the Ready Warren County, NY emergency notification smartphone application to keep up with any notifications regarding storm issues. It is available on both the Apple and Android app stores.

Make sure to enable push notifications to receive alerts!

William Borgos, M.D., chief medical officer at Hudson Headwaters Health Network, has been awarded the 2023 Community Health Care Association of New York State (CHCANYS) Dr. Jack Geiger Award. The award recipient is selected from nominees across the state who reflect the legacy of Dr. Geiger; a physician and civil rights activist who led the community health center model in the United States. During a statewide, virtual presentation, Tucker Slingerland, M.D. – chief executive officer of Hudson Headwaters – presented the award.

“Having grown up in Queensbury, Dr. Borgos has a unique connection with the community, and is committed to providing the best patient care,” said Dr. Slingerland. “His leadership, and the leadership of all chief medical officers throughout New York, was tested during the pandemic. Dr. Borgos not only continued to care for his large panel of patients but was available to address questions and concerns from government officials, school personnel and business leaders. He is a role model colleague, and I cannot think of a better leader to be recognized.”

Dr. Borgos has provided care to Hudson Headwaters patients since 2003. He became Hudson Headwaters’ chief medical officer just before the COVID-19 pandemic began and took on the role of leading the local emergency response, working closely with public health officials and medical directors across the Capital Region, Adirondacks, and North Country. He helped to secure federally-supplied monoclonal antibodies to treat the seriously ill, and guided Hudson Headwaters’ COVID-19 testing and vaccination efforts. During this time, he was an integral part of the leadership team – guiding the development of the Network’s team-based care initiatives, the introduction of telehealth options for patients, and overseeing the Network’s quality program.

“I feel lucky to have returned to my home region 20 years ago and to provide care to this community,” said Dr. Borgos. “Dr. Jack Geiger challenged us as clinicians to address what we now call social determinants of health. I’m proud to be a part of CHCANYS, as I recognize and appreciate that my community health center colleagues know the importance of looking at issues beyond a single patient and office visit.”

CHCANYS is New York’s Primary Care Association (PCA), representing a diverse membership of health centers, from the large metropolitan community health systems of New York City to the rural health centers of Upstate and Western New York. The organization supports community health centers through policy and advocacy work, focusing health center voices at the local, state and federal levels. More information about the Dr. Jack Geiger award and the nomination of Dr. Borgos can be found on CHCANYS’ website at www.chcanys.org/2023-dr-jack-geiger-awardee-and-nominations.

“Our clinicians are proud to recognize Dr. Borgos with this honor,” said Rose Duhan, president and chief executive officer of CHCANYS. “Dr. Borgos is a valued member of the North Country and the CHCANYS community, and we value his participation, wisdom, and leadership.”