The Hudson Falls CSD Board of Education has approved a measure for the May 16th ballot that would complete energy efficiency improvements across all six school buildings in the district… With no impact to taxpayers!
An Energy Performance Contract (EPC) allows schools to make energy-efficient improvements without the need for increased taxes. The Hudson Falls BOE voted during its March 14th meeting to include the $3.1-million “debt-neutral” proposition on the May 16th budget vote. The Energy Performance Contract will not require any tax levy increase from taxpayers – New York State building aid and energy savings for the project will provide positive revenue for the district, amounting to roughly $92,000 per year.
Additionally, The Board is asking the voters to approve a Proposition on the May 16th budget vote that would allow for even greater savings… Should the voters approve the proposition, the project would have an additional 10% funded by the State Education Department.
“Hudson Falls is not the first district in New York state to pursue an EPC,” Superintendent Dan Ward said. “The one thing that is different for Hudson Falls’ EPC is that a good portion of the work in ours allows us to complete work that had to be cut out of our capital project due to cost escalations.”
“While we are in the midst of our capital project work is a perfect time to take advantage of the opportunity to make energy upgrades which will show tremendous savings over time,” Supt. Ward added.
The work that would occur in Hudson Falls schools includes: the high school boilers and mechanical room redesign and renovation, temperature control improvements, middle school ventilation improvements in larger spaces, districtwide walk-in freezer control upgrades, districtwide wireless plug-load control upgrades, LED lighting upgrades, high school lighting controls, district-wide exterior LED lighting upgrades, building weatherization improvements, and pipe & valve insulation.
The John W. Danforth Company did a comprehensive analysis of the District’s utility costs and conducted a thorough facilities energy audit over the winter of 2022 to help shape the scope of work being proposed.
The improvements are estimated to reduce the District’s energy consumption between 28 and 32 percent… The EPC project will initially cost the District $3.1-million, but the project is self-funded through energy savings and NYS aid, which will pay for the project improvements over an 18-year timeframe.
The Queensbury varsity girls lacrosse team defeated host South Glens Falls 12-4 to remain unbeaten this spring… In the process, the Spartans seized the program’s 100th road victory, and increased their consecutive winning streaks to 21 away games and 107 Foothills Council contests.
For the Spartans, Meredith Montgomery scored a game-high four goals, Kaitlyn Barton totaled three goals and an assist, and Kendal Kelsey added two goals and an assist.
Score by halves: Queensbury 7-5=12, South Glens Falls 1-3=4.
Donna Nichols is the Executive Director of the Moreau Community Center, which is located at 144 Main Street in South Glens Falls, and housed in a building that had previously been a church. The mission of the Moreau Community Center is to meet the intergenerational needs of the community in a compassionate and inclusive environment. The community center has food services available, educational support, and the opportunity for social engagement for both families and individuals. The Moreau Community Center prides itself on being a place that is inclusive, welcoming, and respectful of the inherent dignity of all people.
Founded in 1977, the community center provides numerous valuable programs… To support these programs, they have recently updated the kitchen facility. This upgrade helps to support programs including their “Bulldog Zone Teen Center”, which runs on Tuesdays from 2:15 PM to 6:00 PM. The upgrade to the kitchen facility helps the center feed over 100 kids that come to attend the teen center.
Donna Nichols has been pleased with the attendance each week for the teen center: “This last Tuesday, we had 105 kids come to the teen center. And they love it! We provide arts and crafts, sports, foosball… And we spend time with the kids and work on their communication skills. These kids really need this program,” she said.
Donna has noticed the change in the kids having access to fresh cooked food that they serve since they upgraded the kitchen: “We used to order pizza for the kids and they would mill around and grab a piece here and there, but now that we are working together with the kids and they are cooking for each other, it makes a big difference. They line up at meal time and are excited for what they are going to eat,” she said.
The Upgraded Kitchen Facility
Moreau Community Center uses every available inch of their facility – when The Teen Center was founded in September of 2021, they renovated an under-utilized area in the community center and created “The Bulldog Zone” which has beanbag chairs, games, and the kids’ artwork hanging on the walls. “They come into this space and decompress,” Donna said. “Sometimes this is the quietest area because they will sit here on their phones… They are still interacting with each other, but it is through technology.”
To run the Teen Center it takes a dedicated staff and volunteers: “Between the staff and volunteers, there are usually about eight adults running the program for the kids. This supervision and structure helps the kids… That is often something that they may be lacking at home.”
Because of the popularity of the program, the Moreau Community Center is looking for a way to expand: “We have about 100 kids every Tuesday from about 2:15 to 6:00… There are some kids that would like to stay longer if they could. So, we need to expand the infrastructure and grow the program… The kids love being here. The whole building is full of music, and it is loud and exhausting, and we love it!”
The community center works to provide services for all members of the community, and has recently been able to expand those services due to a grant that they received from Spectrum – specifically, the Spectrum Community Center Assist Program, a philanthropic program that aims to improve conditions in community centers and create job skills programs.
The Moreau Community Center has been able to increase the services that they provide due to a grant that they received through this grant program: “We applied for and received a grant that provides $50,000 a year for five years for us to provide skills for life and work… This grant has enabled me to hire an employment coordinator. The coordinator helps individuals with their resumes, customer service training, and other services that someone may need to enter the workforce,” Donna said. The mission of this program is to provide professional, reliable and impactful life skills and career search training, and connect individuals with potential employers. Moreau Community Center, through this grant from Spectrum, provides access to a free laptop for job searches, life-resource services, assistance with forms and documentation, and access to job board postings.
Amongst the other services that the Moreau Community Center provides is an emergency-use food pantry, which feeds over 90 people a month – people who are in need of the food pantry come in and fill out an application and choice form… The choice form is provided so that the individuals can choose what they need. Then, the program provides 3 or 4 days of food and personal care products to the individual a month!
The Moreau Community Center Food Pantry
The Community Center also provides food for school-aged children through the backpack program – every Friday, food comes up from the regional food bank in Latham, and staff and volunteers help load the bags with food, which are distributed to four area elementary schools. The Community Center reaches out to disabled adults who are invited to come from CWI Community Work & Independence Inc. and volunteer. This program provides food for the weekend for 120 kids who have food insecurity at home.
With all the good work that they do at the community center, they also mix in some fun – in the attic of the community center, there is a thrift store called “Boutique”. People donate their gently-used items, and this is an area that the kids love to spend time at during teen center – they can go up to the thrift store and buy a shirt for a dollar. They have all kinds of donated clothing and accessories that the kids especially love.
There is a space next to the thrift store “Boutique” where ECS Psychological Services has a satellite office; there is a staff member on site one afternoon and evening each week, to provide counseling and therapy services. Donna emphasized that there is a need for accessible counseling in the area.
The “Boutique” Thrift Store
“We use every inch of this building, this is what we have and we make it work for us,” Donna said.
The upcoming Annual High School Juried Show 2023 will showcase the artistic talents of young artists from Warren, Washington, Saratoga, Hamilton, and Essex counties. The art will be comprised of a variety of styles and mediums including drawing, painting, digital illustration, photography, mixed media, jewelry, sculptures, and ceramics, and local art professionals will make up the jury and review all submissions. This exhibition will be on display from May 6th to June 4th, and is sponsored by Sarah Parker Ward, Chris Ward, SUNY Adirondack, and Salem Art Works.
The Juried Art Show is a competitive event designed for artists who would like to see how their work stands up against others’. Participation in juried art shows can also improve their resume, and satisfy their desire to win approval for their work… There is a strong competitive aspect to juried art shows, because not all artists are chosen. Juried art show allow the artist to think critically and tactfully about their art, and provide an opportunity of reflection for the artist as they compare their own work to that of their peers. Artists who are not chosen for a juried show can still learn from the experience – it allows the artist to look critically at their work, and discover how it could be improved.
A juried show is based on the jury’s opinion, and a piece may not be selected due to need for balance in the show. There are some categories that are more competitive than others – more traditional mediums will have more submissions than other categories. Juries often provide written feedback about their impressions of the entries, and what they look for in an entry… This information, although often broad, can help the artist evolve and improve upon their entry.
The Hyde Collection’s Annual Juried Art Show will display 100 pieces narrowed down from 500 submissions. Along with the Juried Art Show, visitors to the Hyde will have the opportunity to see other exhibits as well – The Hyde will be featuring “Celebrating 60 Years: The Collector Charlotte Pruyne Hyde”, a showcase of works acquired by museum founder Charlotte Pruyne Hyde, and The Hyde will also have recent acquisitions on display.
In the season opener for both teams, Queensbury edged visiting Corinth 43-42 in Unified Basketball action on Thursday afternoon. The Tomahawks, led by Matthew Baird’s game-high 21 points and Talulah LaBrake’s 12, rallied from a 10-point deficit, but the Spartans’ defense came up with a critical steal in the final minute to preserve the victory.
Breanna Chandler paced the winners with 20 points. Chris Boulton poured in eight and Trevor Condon added six.
Olivia M. Slater, 19, was arrested for 3rd Deg. Assault
David A. Stranahan, 64, was arrested for 3rd Deg. Aggravated Unlicensed Operation
Richard M. Capone, 19, was arrested for 3rd Deg. Criminal Mischief, 4th Deg. Criminal Mischief, Criminal Obstruction of Breathing/Blood Circulation
Renee A. Murphy, 39, was arrested for 2nd Deg. Aggravated Unlicensed Operation
Lyndsea K. Sullivan, 38, was arrested for Operating Motor Vehicle While Impaired by Drugs; 1st Offense
Jessica L. Prosser, 23, was arrested for 2nd Deg. Bail Jumping
Elijah I. Schumacher, 19, was arrested for Petit Larceny
Zachary E. King, 34, was arrested for 2nd Deg. Bail Jumping, 3rd Deg. Bail Jumping
Joseph E. Nunez, 48, was arrested for Petit Larceny
Tanya J. Brand, 52, was arrested for 3rd Deg. Assault
WARREN COUNTY SHERIFF
On April 22nd at approximately 5:47pm, the Warren County Sheriff’s Office received reports of a Property Damage Auto Accident involving a single vehicle on State Route 9 in the Town of Queensbury. Sharon M. Sauer, 72, of Lake George, operating a 2018 Hyundai sedan, was traveling North on State Route 9 in the area of the Lake George Outlets, when she veered left, crossing the Southbound lane, drove into a shallow ditch, and crashed into a light post before coming to a stop. It appeared that Sauer suffered an unknown medical emergency which is a possible factor in the crash. Sauer was transported to Glens Falls Hospital by West Glens Falls EMS. At this time, speed, alcohol and drugs do not appear to be factors in this crash.
On April 23rd, a 52-year-old Greenwich woman was arrested for Driving While Intoxicated following a traffic stop. At around midnight, the Sheriff’s Office responded to Quaker Rd in the Town of Queensbury for a report of a vehicle failing to maintain its lane and operating in the opposite lane of travel. A Warren County Sheriff’s Patrol Officer spotted the vehicle, and it was stopped after it was observed committing several traffic violations. After an investigation, the operator, Tammy A. Fuda, was found to be intoxicated and subsequently arrested. At Sheriff’s Office headquarters, Fuda submitted to an evidentiary breath test which yielded a .17% BAC. She was issued numerous traffic tickets and is set to appear in Queensbury Town Court at a later date to answer the charges.
May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Individuals with mental health conditions are protected in the workplace in several different ways, but we will see employers having difficulty in this context. Whether it’s because of stigmas associated with mental health conditions, or a lack of awareness as to how to handle situations where an employee needs support during a difficult time, this is one of the most common areas where we see things falling apart at work.
Many if not most mental health conditions are “disabilities” within the meaning of the anti-discrimination laws including the federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the New York State Human Rights Law (NYHRL). This means that qualified employees are entitled to reasonable accommodations and to be free from discrimination, harassment and retaliation for making a complaint of violations of the law. Under the NYHRL, victims of domestic violence are also entitled to time off to receive counseling. Mental health conditions can also fall under the definition of a “serious health condition” within the meaning of the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). The FMLA is the federal law that gives eligible employees of larger private employers and public employers up to twelve weeks of job protected leave.
WHAT IF YOU NEED SUPPORT?
Sometimes employees need time off to treat a mental health condition. Other times, employees need an accommodation because, for example, a medication may incapacitate them at certain times of the day. In either of these situations, the law typically puts the initial burden on the employee to give the employer enough information to put it on notice that leave or an accommodation is needed. If you are eligible for FMLA leave, the employer will typically provide you with a medical certification for your doctor to complete. If you are more in the reasonable accommodation context (and sometimes a scenario falls under more than one statute), your employer is required to engage in an interactive process with you to figure out a suitable accommodation. You may not always be entitled to exactly what you’re asking for, but the law wants the employer and employee to work together to find a solution.
WHEN DO THINGS GO SOUTH?
Sometimes the nature of the mental health condition carries stigmas that result in discrimination in the workplace. Maybe you don’t need an accommodation or leave at all, but your employer becomes aware that you went to rehab or that you are a veteran with PTSD. Sometimes we see employers start to treat employees differently – they suddenly consider them to be a danger, or they start micromanaging them.
Other times employers simply don’t realize the disability laws are implicated, and they don’t treat a mental health condition the same way they might treat a physical condition that requires an accommodation. Sometimes, at the end of FMLA leave, an employer might perceive their legal obligations to be met, and they fire an employee who needs a little more time off. At that point, the disability laws may have protected an additional period of leave, and sometimes employers get themselves in trouble in that context.
It can be very difficult to raise a mental health struggle to your boss. And, unfortunately, sometimes this disclosure does result in a breakdown of the employment relationship. But employees do have rights and it is important for employers to be aware of these rights, to avoid applying stigmas, and to treat with sensitivity a situation that is often temporary – at least in its impact on the workplace – and can be handled with compassion and moved past.
Every situation is unique, including whether a condition falls within the applicable laws or whether an accommodation is feasible. This article should not be relied on as legal advice or in taking action at work. If you need support, consult your handbook on appropriate procedures and consider speaking to HR or an attorney about your options.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Giovanna A. D’Orazio has experience litigating, among other things, commercial, general civil, employment, land use and personal injury matters in New York State and federal courts. Giovanna also has experience litigating Article 78 proceedings in New York State court.
