The Queensbury Town Board invites the community to a public informational meeting on Monday, April 17th, 2023, to discuss possible approaches to expanding municipal water service in the Jenkinsville area and nearby parts of Eastern Queensbury. The Town Board engaged engineering firm C.T. Male Associates to identify ways to provide municipal water in Jenkinsville after contaminants were found at low levels in some residential wells in the area. C.T. Male engineers identified two possible approaches; both of which involved installing municipal water mains in nearby areas, also unserved by town water, in order to reach the Jenkinsville neighborhood.
The alternatives and their projected costs will be presented and discussed at the informational meeting, which begins at 7:00 PM at the Queensbury Town Hall. Those who can’t attend the meeting in person are invited to join the meeting on Zoom, or to watch the broadcast of the meeting on the town web site, or on Look TV. To answer residents’ questions, the Town Board will be joined by representatives of C.T. Male, and the Town Water Department.
No decision on expanding municipal water service will be made at the meeting. The Town Board is exploring the alternatives and costs, and are soliciting public comments and suggestions. The Board’s goal is to provide municipal water service that is affordable, beneficial, and attractive to the majority of town residents in the area.
The Town Board hosted an initial community discussion on municipal water alternatives in the Jenkinsville area last August – the Town Board and C.T. Male took residents’ comments and suggestions from that meeting, and developed the updated proposals which will be presented on April 17th.
To Join the Meeting by Zoom:
When: Apr 17, 2023 07:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Topic: Zoom – Queensbury Town Board Meeting, Monday, April 17, 2023,
Amy Collins is the Director of Tourism and Business Development, and Interim Recreation Superintendent for the City of Glens Falls. This Glens Falls native feels very fortunate to live and work now in her hometown!
Amy graduated from St. Lawrence University, and initially moved to Washington, D.C. When she returned to New York, she first lived in New Paltz, where she worked for Governor Pataki and was on the Consumer Protection Board for 12 years. The Collins family – husband Jeffrey Collins, and two children, 22-year-old Maggie and 19-year-old Ian – returned to Glens Falls to provide a quality of life for their children, and to be near grandparents and extended family. “We knew the value of growing up in the area as both of us enjoyed being raised in Glens Falls and wanted the same for our children,” Amy said.
The business of tourism and recreation are intertwined. Amy has been the City of Glens Falls Director of Tourism and Business development since 2011. When Mayor Bill Collins (no relation) took office, he asked her to assist with the recreation department. Recreation tourism is a huge industry in the city; Glens Falls has become a destination for all kinds of sports and recreation! The Cool Insuring Arena just hosted the NYSPHSAA Basketball Championship, which brought an estimated 20-million tourist dollars over the three day event. “Youth sports bring families to stay in our hotels with the teams, and the families eat at restaurants. That’s all part of tourism. And, these local venues are for residents and tourists alike. Tourism helps improve the quality of life for the local residents. It’s important to invest in recreation tourism,” Mayor Collins said.
Currently, the City of Glens Falls Recreation Department is part of a coalition with Mayor Collins, the City’s Recreation Commission, and the City Council’s Recreation Committee to reconstruct the athletic court complexes throughout the city. The athletic court complexes are located at the Montcalm Street Park, Murray Street Park, and the Sagamore Street Park. The East Field Court Complex began its reconstruction in the fall, and will be completed this spring. The funding for these park projects is through The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA); ARPA funding provides a unique opportunity for state and local governments to make strategic investments in long-lived assets, rebuild reserves to enhance financial stability, and cover temporary operating shortfall until economic and operating conditions normalize.
Amy has supported Glens Falls parks throughout her life – she served on the Candall Park Beautification Committee for 15 years prior to taking on the responsibilities of the Recreation Department. One example of the city’s hard work is the Crandall Park Court Complex: this complex holds several pickleball courts, tennis courts, and basketball courts, and also has a seating area where people can socialize while waiting for a court or taking a break from playing. To complete this project, the city was helped by private citizens… This private/public partnership had set the tone for a strong continued effort to improve parks and recreation areas. There have also been other additions to Crandall Park – a splash pad was recently added at the playground area, as well as an 18-hole disc golf course.
The City of Glens Falls has a wide array of special events that support both recreation and tourism: “Much of the business of tourism is about fun and relaxation, but it still is business. We now have more hotel options and more restaurant options than we had even five or six years ago… The streetscape has changed and improved. We want a strong retail presence, arts presence and hospitality presence, we have a lot of local talent and we want to showcase that… I’m the middle of five children and I am always referring to ‘the group hug’, making everyone in the city feel included is important. For the city to continue being successful, we need to coordinate and collaborate. We are better together,” Amy said.
Amy Collins is certainly busy, but she has wonderful support staff and colleagues that make her job easier – her assistant in the Recreation Department is Yvonne Catallo, who has been with the department for five years. “She has provided a wonderful service to the community, and her personal touches and attention to detail have been invaluable.” Amy said.
The Glens Falls Recreation Department is currently hiring staff for summer camp counselors, and hiring lifeguards for the swim areas at Haviland Cove and the East Field Pool. If you are interested in a seasonal position with the recreation department, please call (518) 615-0446; or for more information about the recreation department or tourism, visit cityofglensfalls.com.
Saratoga Biochar Solutions LLC, in accordance with The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC), will be holding public information meetings on Tuesday March 28th, 2023, and Wednesday March 29th, 2023. These public information meetings are for residents and business owners who live and work in the cities of Glens Falls, Hudson Falls, and Fort Edward, and will be held at 214 Main Street in Hudson Falls. On Tuesday, March 28th, the meeting will be from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM, and on Wednesday, March 29th, the meeting will be from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM. There is also the options of participating in these meetings remotely, via Zoom and by phone.
The purpose of these meetings is to inform the public about the project overview, scope of work, community impacts, background, project schedule, and proposed mitigation measures, with a question-answer period. The proposed project is to construct and operate a carbon fertilizer manufacturing facility on 5.89 acres of land within the Town of Moreau Industrial Park.
“The public information meetings being held on March 28th and 29th in Hudson Falls are for residents and business owners that live and work within the City of Glens Falls, Hudson Falls and Fort Edward, within two miles of our proposed project site, and within what the NYSDEC defines as ‘disadvantaged’ and/or ‘environmental justice’ zones. NYSDEC requires that we provide a project overview that outlines potential impacts and impact mitigation measures with this targeted audience, and to solicit their comments/questions. We have two primary goals for these meetings. First, share up-to-date project information and address questions or concerns from the community. Secondly, achieve permit ‘application completeness’ so that the DEC can proceed with their 30-day public comment period, and ultimately render a decision on our permit applications,” CEO Ray Apy said.
Saratoga Biochar LLC has received ample and vocal pushback from members of the Moreau community regarding the potential environmental impact of the project. Although the Town of Moreau approved the plan, the community group “Not Moreau” has been vocal regarding supposed risks of increased noise pollution, added truck traffic, and the potential environmental impact of the facility. The community of Moreau has been affected by industrial waste in the past -some area manufacturers used property in Moreau to dump industrial waste from 1958 to 1968, which resulted in contaminated soil, surface water, and groundwater. The groundwater at that site still exceeds federal cleanup levels for several chemicals, but there are no exposure pathways that could result in unacceptable risks to the public. According to the EPA, approximately 215-million gallons of contaminated water is treated per year. This treatment is expected to continue for more than 200 years.
This contamination occurred prior to the establishment of the NYSDEC in 1970. The mission of the NYSDEC is to conserve, improve and protect New York’s natural resources and environment, and to prevent, abate, and control water, land, and air pollution; in order to enhance the health, safety, and welfare of the people of the state, and their overall economic and social wellbeing.
The waste management issue is evolving in the State of New York. The NYSDEC has recently announced draft regulations regarding New York State’s waste management and climate goals – on Thursday, March 16th, NYSDEC released the draft solid waste management plan. This plan includes recommendations to prevent landfilling to help meet New York’s climate goals: “Solid waste is the fourth-largest contributor to climate-altering greenhouse gasses, and New York’s efforts to reduce landfill waste is critical to help meet the State’s ambitious climate goals,” Commissioner Basil Seggos said.
Saratoga Biochar Solutions LLC was established to build, own, and operate a carbon fertilizer manufacturing facility. This facility would help to keep solid waste out of landfills. Saratoga Biochar Solutions aligns with the NYSDEC recommendations and goals, as New York State plans to reduce the climate impact of solid waste and provides direction for New York’s waste reduction, reuse, recycling, collection, transportation, and disposal investments, policies, and practices over the next decade. The release of the draft plan is a milestone in the history of the State’s ongoing efforts to ensure New York is at the forefront of rethinking waste.
April is just around the corner, and Glens Falls is starting the month off right! On Saturday, April 1st, 2023, the Cool Insuring Arena is hosting the Glens Falls Brewfest. Come enjoy regional brews, food, and live music with the band Dirt Cheap from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM! This event is special because 100% of the proceeds will go to two local non-profits – The Adirondack Theater Festival, and the Feeder Canal Alliance.
This event began 11 years ago with three beer loving guys: Chris Reed, Bill Mason, and John Cordes got together and gave Glens Falls the first ever Brewfest. Their love of handcrafted brews and community inspired them to create an event that showcased all the different styles of beer, and would also have a positive impact on the community.
Due to the hard work of the sponsors and attendees, this event has brought in over $200,000 to the community in years past. For this event, tickets are available online for $50, and in person for $60. There are designated driver tickets that are available in advance and at the door for $15.
There are also offers if you would like to extend your weekend fun! For Friday night festivities, there is a “Taps & Apps” event; this is an evening of great food by Chef Matthew Bolton and the SUNY Culinary Arts School, which is paired with beer from guest brewer Battle Hill Brewing Co. There are special tickets available for those who would like to attend both events – the special combo package at $99 includes a ticket to both “Taps & Apps” on Friday night, and the full Brewfest on Saturday. There are only 70 tickets available for the “Taps & Apps” event which will take place from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM at Seasoned, which is located at 14 Hudson Ave in Glens Falls.
If you are interested in participating as a sponsor for Glens Falls Brewfest, there are levels of sponsorship: Keg Sponsor $2,500, Growler Sponsor $1,000, Stein Sponsor $750, Tasting Sponsor $150, Vendor Booth $150. To become a sponsor or a vendor, please email glensfallsbrewfest@gmail.com for more information.
SPONSORS 2023:
KEG SPONSOR: The Queensbury Hotel
Growler Sponsor: Cooper’s Cave Games
Stein Sponsor: Julie Snyder Real Estate
Mug Sponsors: Miller Industrial Manufacturing, Glens Falls National Bank, Glens Falls Music Academy, Hilltop Construction Co., Morgan & Company Restaurant, Thermal Associates LLC
Pint Sponsors: New York Cement Company LLC, Malinda Nelson Realtor
Who’s ready for Spring? The Car Shoppe – located at 1110 US-9 in Queensbury – will be hosting their First Annual Spring Fling Festival on Saturday, May 20th (with a rain date of May 21st), from 12:00 PM to 5:00 PM. The proceeds from this event will go to the Adirondack Vets House Incorporated, which is a longer term facility for homeless Veterans located at 26 Pine Street, Glens Falls. Statistics show that Veterans make up as much as 40% of the homeless population in the United States… The Adirondack Vets House can accommodate up to nine residents, whose stay can range from one month to years. This is a working program ,which means that most of the Veterans find gainful employment to aid in their goal of finding permanent housing.
100% of the money raised will go to the Adirondack Vets House! To create this day of fun that benefits such a worthy cause, general admission will be free to the public! Attractions will include pony rides, farm animals, a bounce-house, vendors, live music, raffles, and carnival games! The goal of this event is to maximize attendance, support local businesses, and raise critical funds for the Adirondack Vets Home Inc.
For more information about the event, contact Kiera Zmitrovitch by phone at (518) 742-0301, or by email at Kiera@518EXfinance.com. There is also a Facebook event page at https://fb.me/e/40iW9Is5K. For more information regarding the Adirondack Vets House, visit adirondackvetshouse.com.
Amtrak’s Adirondack line, which was halted north of Albany during the pandemic, will return to service on April 3, 2023. This line runs between New York City and Montreal. This service travels along one of the most scenic train lines. “From Plattsburgh to Poughkeepsie and into Penn Station, the Adirondack Line runs through some of the most beautiful parts of Upstate New York,” said Senator Chuck Schumer in a press release.
In 2019, the Amtrak Adirondack line served 117,490 customers, which was a 5.1% increase from the previous year; and in 2022, 526 new hires were added. Amtrak is now actively hiring and training both onboard and mechanical employees in New York City and Albany. To help attract talent, Amtrak is offering a $25,000 sign-on bonus for all mechanical roles. All of the current and new employees have to be qualified under Federal Railroad Administration requirements. To make sure that return to service is both safe and efficient, Amtrak has been working with Canadian Pacific and Canadian National.
U.S. Senators Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, along with Congresswoman Elise Stefanik, have been working with Amtrak to re-establish this service. State Senator Dan Stec of Queensbury said in a statement: “The Adirondack Line is a crucial resource for the North Country. It’s a transportation service for our residents and with its ability to connect visitors from Canada… a major economic driver. Its closure had a major impact on our ability to move forward from the pandemic and get our economy back on track.”
This line will help to increase tourism and fulfill the transportation needs of many in the area, including students who attend SUNY Plattsburgh and Clinton Community College. It is also another important step in normalizing cross-border travel since the pandemic.
Stations served by the Amtrak Adirondack Line:
New York, NY- Moynihan Train Hall (NYP)
Yonker, NY (YNY)
Croton-Harmon, NY (CRT)
Poughkeepsie, NY (POU)
Rhinecliff, NY ( RHI)
Hudson, NY (HUD)
Albany-Rensselaer, NY (ALB)
Schenectady, NY (SDY)
Saratoga Springs, NY (SAR)
Fort Edward, NY (FED)
Whitehall, NY (WHL)
Ticonderoga, NY (FTC)
Port Henry, NY (POH)
West Port, NY (WSP)
Port Kent, NY (PRK)
Plattsburgh, NY (PLB)
Rouses Point, NY (RSP)
St-Lambert, QC (SLQ)
Montreal, QC -Gare Centrale/ Central Station (MTR)
Karen Miller is President and CEO of Performance Industrial, which has been in business in South Glens Falls since 1986. The original brand – Americlean – was founded by Mark Miller, who saw a need for cleaning and painting services in his own community. As the business grew, he sought training and certifications for his team to ensure their ability to provide excellent service… By the early ’90s, his business was fully established with an array of services; from sandblasting and painting to kitchen exhaust cleaning.
In 2014, the Americlean team sat down to assess their successes, current specialties and future goals… They found that seamless, professional performance was something that customers valued in the services that were provided. Taking this information to heart, Americlean decided it was time for a rebranding… And so, they became Performance Industrial.
In an effort to maintain the high standards of Performance Industrial, Mark brought his hardworking son Bill and daughter-in-law Karen into the fold. Bill and Karen purchased the business from Mark on December 31st of 2019, and through their leadership, Performance Industrial continues to grow today. They currently employ 55 people, and though they are currently fully staffed, Bill and Karen are always investing in and growing the company.
Sean Willcoxson joined the company seven months ago as Operations Manager, after spending 26 years of his career with Mazzone Hospitality: “I was the Vice President of catering for Mazzone… I was ‘born and raised’ in the catering division. Now with young kids, I needed to find new opportunities… I knew Bill Miller through the organization Folds of Honor” Sean said.
Folds of Honor is an organization that ensures families who have sacrificed so much for our country receive the education and opportunities they deserve… Created to raise money for the families of fallen or permanently wounded servicemen, “Just this year we added a category for first responders, and what we do is raise money for scholarships for their kids or spouses… Anything that goes towards education” Sean said. He has been involved with Folds of Honor for over four years.
Bill Miller has also been a supporter of Folds of Honor, and through their common interest in public service, Bill and Sean became friends. Through their friendship, Sean joined Bill and Karen at Performance Industrial in September of 2022: “I had to learn a lot and learn the business. Obviously, our company does a lot of cleaning… Kitchen exhausts, industrial cleaning, sand-blasting, epoxy floors, painting; we do it all safely. How it works is that we start on an epoxy job or a kitchen exhaust job or HVAC ductwork cleaning, and then the relationship builds and the scope of the work increases… Our biggest focus is that we have a permanent placement of 35 employees at a manufacturing facility. That’s a third of our business.”
“The kitchen exhaust, industrial cleaning, HVAC duct category is a third of the business, and epoxy flooring is another third. Epoxy flooring is a coating that is a seamless and waterproof floor. It’s easier to clean, you can add a texture so that it is slip resistant, and it’s chemical resistant. The added benefit is the ease of use. There are no grout lines. It’s used a lot in fire houses, college dorm bathrooms, manufacturing plants, and farms” Sean said
“Our newest focus is that we purchased a ceiling tile cleaning system. It basically simplifies how you clean ceiling tiles. The first thing that we start with is education. There are two types of ceiling tiles – acoustical tiles, and vinyl tiles. The acoustical ceiling tiles feel like a hard foam; they are not wipeable. Over time, the ceiling tile gets stained… We have a process that brings the tile back to life without replacing it. If it’s just dirty we can bring it back to almost new at a fraction of the cost of replacing it… Now, vinyl ceiling tiles are what you find in restaurants and industrial kitchens. They have a fire rating. With that tile, we spray and wipe the grease off. You can spray multiple times, (and) the grease is captured.”
Sean understands the need for this product in the marketplace: “If the ceiling tiles are dirty, it’s a (bad) first impression… They need to look fresh. Our team will go in with ladders and clean the tiles while they are still in the ceiling” he said.
Due to his experience in the hospitality industry, Sean sees the importance of the service that Performance Industrial is able to provide: “The culture in a work environment is important. Employees should feel good about the area that they are working in and the product that they are creating… Our specialty is cleaning, and the focus of the employees in a kitchen is making great food.”
Performance Industrial has stayed in business for 37 years by providing services that are valued by their customers. Their focus is on kitchen exhaust, epoxy flooring and permanent placement of employees. They currently have two office locations – one in South Glens Falls, and another in Albany. For more information, visit Performanceindustrial.com
South Street – which is locally known as “the street of dreams” – is primed for the next investment of the Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI) that was awarded to Glens Falls in 2017… The City of Glens Falls could seek bids for construction of the 6,000 square-foot proposed market center as early as this spring!
The South Street area of Glens Falls was identified as an area in need of revitalization due to the high vacancy rates and dilapidated condition of the buildings. Through the DRI, the City of Glens Falls has worked to identify projects that have public benefit, stakeholder support, and are ready to be implemented. These DRI projects are implemented to catalyze investment in the area.
The empty lot where the mixed event space will be built is across the street from another new business that’s establishing itself… Glens Falls Bagels owner Kerry Smith wasn’t concerned about the empty storefronts that surround his business when he opened – when he chose the location, he was aware that the city would be investing in South Street.
58-66 South Street
Smith opened Glens Falls Bagels in mid-November, but has already signed a new lease. The property at 58 through 66 South Street was recently purchased by business partners Gregg Singer and Larissa Ovit. Singer and Ovit are excited to be investing in South Street, and have been called “trendsetters”. Their investment is across the street from the mixed use event space, which is expected to bring people to the farmers’ market, community events, and concerts. Singer and Ovit plan to open a bar called the “Golden Monkey Lounge” and renovate the second level into four one-bedroom apartments.
In Glens Falls, Jacob Laing purchased 21 Ridge Street last July with the idea of creating an Airbnb in mind. This location has a dining space for roughly 50 people, and two apartments above. This spot has been the home to popular local eateries including Fiddleheads and more recently Birch Bark Eatery, which closed in February… Laing plans on offering the two upstairs apartments and the eatery as one Airbnb location.
The idea behind Airbnb was developed in San Francisco by roommates Brian Chesky and Joe Gebbia in 2007 – this concept of short-term living quarters with breakfast became an alternative for travelers who were unable to book a hotel due to a saturated market. The concept took off, and has since become a household name.
Laing’s vision is to use this location as an Airbnb rental location with an added twist: guests would have access to the apartments above and the dining space, as a gathering spot for families hosting special events… He sees a need for guests to have a private event space available and included in their booking. Being able to combine the lodging and the event aspect of booking will make planning easier and more seamless for guests traveling to the area.
The location as a restaurant does have its challenges… The large front window – which is usually sought after by restaurateurs – is blocked off by an interior wall, which stops passersby from peering in and seeing the potential dining experience… Using the location as a private event space instead mitigates that challenge.
Laing hopes to have renovations completed by March, and would like to keep the property affordable for his future guests.
On Thursday, February 23rd, the Adirondack Regional Chamber of Commerce hosted the “Lunch With Legislators” event at the Queensbury Hotel. Trisha Rogers – President and CEO of the ARCC – was the MC for the event, and she added levity to the event and kept the pace of the event moving. The legislators in attendance were Congresswoman Elise Stefanik from District 21, New York State Senator Dan Stec from District 45, New York State Senator Jake Ashby from District 43, Assemblywoman Carrie Woerner from District 113 and Assemblyman Matt Simpson from District 114. The questions were provided by the attendees of the event, and the question-and-answer period lasted just under an hour and twenty minutes.
The legislators who attended this event agreed on the severity of the problems facing the people of New York, and that there are solutions that can be implemented… Each legislator had their own opinion of the struggles facing the region but it was clear that each had empathy and respect for the community, and genuinely wanted to help and support their constituents.
The first question touched on businesses, manufacturers and the healthcare sector struggling to attract labor; this opened up the conversation to workforce training and childcare, and the concern that extended pandemic unemployment assistance had incentivized people staying out of the workforce as opposed to rejoining the workforce. On a positive side of the issue, Assemblywoman Woerner pointed out a highlight that people are starting businesses and “making jobs instead of taking jobs.”
The shortages in the workforce led to a discussion on the decreasing population of the state – State Senator Dan Stec said, “There are just fewer people here. We have had 300,000 New Yorkers decide that they don’t want to be New Yorkers anymore. I think a lot of them are going for quality of life.”
Assemblyman Simpson added that it may be a question of changing priorities: “To some people, what is most important is how much they are taking home, versus their benefits. Most of the younger generation is more concerned about what they are bringing home at the end of the week. I think there needs to be an opportunity to retain people who may want more money in their check at the end of the week as opposed to their benefits.”
Another problem that the panel agreed on was the burden of the increase in unemployment insurance taxation rates for businesses; both Assemblywoman Woerner and State Senator Ashby had a sense that people believed that this is a dead issue with no way to address it: “Most of you in this room didn’t lay off a single human being during the pandemic. You figured out how to keep things going and how to keep people employed. And to have to pay a higher unemployment rate cost now feels like you are being punished for doing the right thing“ Woerner said.
Senator Stec pointed out that this could be a factor in people leaving the state: “…(we all) should be angry. This is not how it is in other states. It should be addressed in the budget” he said. Assemblyman Simpson agreed, pointing out that this increase has only added to the problems of inflation and high cost of living in the state… The members of the panel agreed that it was the burden of the state to pay the debt, and that it should not be passed on to employers.
Other topics that were discussed included increasing accessibility to broadband – each of the panel sympathized with the problem, having faced it themselves when driving through their districts and regions of the state. Congresswoman Stefanik pointed out that the federal map shows that when an area is covered with satellite coverage, that area is considered covered: “We all know that is not the case. That is poor, poor service. I know all of the pockets where the service drops. If you look at the cost for building out broadband in New York, you will see that it is the costliest state in the nation” she said. Congresswoman Stefanik pointed out that the fiber fee was eliminated, and that has reduced the potential cost of expanding broadband networks.
One of the more poignant moments in the panel discussion came when Assemblywoman Carrie Woener described the effect that underfunding medicaid is having on the entire healthcare system: “Our entire healthcare system is going to collapse if we don’t address this crisis. When a facility has to cut costs, a facility has to shut down beds. That means when a patient is ready to be discharged from the hospital and they need a stay in a nursing facility, there are no beds in the nursing facilities… So, the hospital keeps them there until a bed opens up. They have to be rounded, so there is medical care, they have to be fed, their rooms have to be cleaned, and you know who doesn’t pay for this care? Insurance companies. So, if you can be medically discharged from the hospital and you are not discharged, the insurance companies pay nothing. That means that the hospital is getting no revenue. Then on the other end, a patient enters the ER and are triaged in the ER. They are ready to be admitted to the hospital… (But) now, there are people… taking up those beds because there is no space in the nursing homes! So then the patients are in the waiting room or they are in a bed in a hallway… So we have the hospital system financially impacted by this, and we have patient care impacted. The nursing homes that are without support could cause the whole system to collapse” she concluded.
The afternoon came to a close with the last question, regarding advocacy for non-profit organizations. Each of the members of the panel encouraged non-profits to use their voice and reach out to advocate for their cause; there was a call to think outside of the box to keep a cause in the front of people’s minds, and a reminder to donate locally.
The ARCC should be congratulated for putting together a well-run event. This event showcased each of the panelist’s ideas and perspectives, shedding light on the legislators’ knowledge of the challenges that are facing our communities… There was an affirmation that these legislators did not share all of the same opinions and positions on issues, but were able to work together regardless on issues that were priorities to their constituents.
