News & Opinion About Huletts Landing, N.Y.
Nativity of Christ – medieval illustration from the Hortus deliciarum of Herrad of Landsberg (12th century) (Click image to see full-scale.)
I wanted to take this opportunity to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a happy and healthy holiday season.
The long serving Postmaster of the Huletts Post Office, Pam Stragnell, has recently announced her retirement. I know I speak for the entire Huletts Landing community in wishing her much success and happiness. In an effort to learn more about her plans and what the future holds for the Huletts Post Office, I asked her a few questions.
Can you give the readers of the Huletts Current a brief synopsis of the changes going on today in the United States Postal Service.
The Postal Service wants to keep its small offices open. With the increased use of email instead of First Class Mail, revenue has fallen. The Postal Service decided to save money in small offices by having them be remotely managed instead of having a manager or “Postmaster” in each one. All small offices across the nation are losing their Postmasters. We are being replaced by hourly employees who will not have the benefits we had. I had three choices: transfer to a larger office somewhere else where there was an opening, retire early (I am only 60), or I will be layed off at close of business January 9, 2015. With the health challenges I face living with Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma, my husband and I decided I should retire rather than return to commuting over the Huletts mountain every day.
Can you explain what changes will take place in the Huletts Post Office?
The Huletts Landing Post Office will convert to a Remotely Managed Office on Saturday, January 10. The Whitehall Post Office will be the administering office and Huletts will be staffed by a Postal Support Employee which we hope will be Jennifer Hallock. The staffing decision has not yet been made. The reduced hours will take affect and have been announced as Monday through Friday 9:00 am to 1:00 pm. That is the time someone will be there staffing the window. The building will be open from 8:00 am through 4:30 pm every day. The automatic door and timer lights have already been installed. Saturday operations will not be affected – they will remain open from 8:00 am to 11:45 with the building open from 8:00 am to 12:00 noon. Everyone should use their keys to access their mail boxes. Also recently installed are Parcel Lockers. They will be used to deliver packages to people who can’t be there between 9:00 am and 1:00 pm. The package gets delivered to one of the lockers, the locker key is put in your PO box, you use your key to open your PO box, get the parcel locker key and use it to get your package. The parcel locker key is then locked in place until the postal worker unlocks it the next day.
You will be retiring but not leaving Huletts. Can you fill us in on your plans?
My husband and I are not leaving Huletts Landing, I’m just going to be home more often. I will miss seeing everyone at the Post Office but I’ll see everyone on the road or somewhere around town.
I’d like to take this opportunity to say “thank you” to all of my Huletts Friends for my surprise retirement gift at the Fire Company Christmas party. I am deeply touched by everyone’s generosity and support. My husband and I look forward to our long weekend in Maine at one of our favorite places in warmer weather. Thank you so much for thinking of me.
Any finals thoughts?
Don’t forget to keep supporting your local Post Office. The USPS will re-evaluate the small offices each year to make sure they are open the correct number of hours. Please keep sending in your Stamps by Mail orders. I will miss you all.
Santa Klaus stopped by the Dresden Christmas party this past Saturday to give out gifts to the children. (Those in attendance were amazed that he looked so much like Deputy Town Supervisor, John Barber.)
Here are some photos from Dresden’s Christmas party held at the town hall this past Saturday. There was a large crowd of children, who were very happy to all leave with a gift. There were many people who worked to make the event such an enjoyable time for those in attendance. From those who donated gifts, to those who prepared the food, as well as those who decorated the town hall.
Town Supervisor, George Gang, tried to convince Santa that he had been good all year.
Former Town Supervisor, Sue Foster-Ives, along with husband Mark, worked tirelessly to make the event a success.
Santa was kind enough to leave some delicious food for his young friends.
A child’s smile says it all. Thanks to everyone who made this event such a huge success.
It is with much sadness that I report that Frances Hebert, passed away on Thursday, December 18th at the age of 101. Frances was the oldest child of Royden Barber, who was instrumental in selling the first Hulett hotel to William H. Wyatt. Royden Barber had three children; Frances, Agnes Peterson, and Stanley Barber, who I interviewed in 2012. Frances was a delightful person who passed along many recollections of life in Dresden to me during the early part of the 1900’s.
Her father’s sister, Cora Barber, was married to Henry Buckell making Frances the niece of Henry and Cora Buckell, who owned the first Hulett hotel. She was an invaluable link to the history of the town of Dresden, experiencing first hand, life in Dresden and Huletts Landing during the first part of the last century.
For many years, she helped her father deliver milk, vegetables and meat to the families in Huletts Landing on horse drawn sleds. She also helped mow the fields, including Bluff Head. She loved horses and was even riding one when I last saw her at age 99!
Frances was always very kind to me, sharing not only her knowledge of local events but most importantly, sharing her experiences about what life was like in Huletts from the early 1900’s.
In another unique fact, she was also featured on the billboard advertising the Whitehall Health Center for many years, as you entered Whitehall.
She will be dearly missed. Our condolences to the Hebert, Peterson, Barber and Foster families.
Update:
Here is her obituary in the Post Star.
“May God support us all the day long, till the shades lengthen and the evening comes, and the busy world is hushed, and the fever of life is over, and our work is done. Then in His mercy may He give us a safe lodging, and a holy rest and peace at the last.”
Veterans in San Diego received a gift with local significance.
During this season of giving, I wanted to post this heartwarming story.
As everyone knows, Whitehall is the birthplace of the U.S. Navy. While Peter Ballantyne was in Whitehall this past summer, he picked up some tee-shirts commemorating this fact, to distribute to some veterans he works with at the Paralyzed Veterans of America, at his winter home in San Diego, California. These vets are in the spinal cord injury unit, and needless to say, appreciated Peter’s thoughtfulness.
So on the day after Navy beat Army in the traditional Army/Navy football game, I wanted to post these pictures and thank Peter for demonstrating what this season is really about.
The veterans also learned about the history of the U.S. Navy in Whitehall.
As the wintry weather arrives, and we spend time with family and friends, let us be thankful for the many blessings bestowed on us.
“To be grateful is to recognize the Love of God in everything God has given us and God has given us everything. Every breath we draw is a gift of His love, every moment of existence is a grace, for it brings with it immense graces from God.”
Thomas Merton, Thoughts in Solitude
Well, here it is another November 9th which is the day I celebrate the “birthday” of the Huletts Current. It’s been exactly six years since my first post in 2008.
I’ve been told that the site is some people’s first stop on the Internet every morning. While I’m sorry there’s not always breaking news, I try to mix it up with news, interviews, history and fun. I’m always looking for info to share with everyone.
So thank you to those who read the Huletts Current and those who share pictures and tidbits with the rest of the community here. If it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t be engaging in this and I’d certainly run out of things to say.
As is my custom, here are the most read posts from the past year.
1.) Huletts Landing Post Office to Remain Open
2.) HLVFD’s Dual Event: “Santa’s Visit” and “Fire House Re-dedication”
3.) Dresden Has a Website: www.TownOfDresdenNY.com
4.) Catholic Bishop Visits Huletts Landing
5.) Mutual Aid Ice Drill a Success
6.) Bald Eagle Sighting: Lake Champlain South Bay Bridge
7.) Interview with Annelies Cook, U.S. Biathlon Team
8.) Foster Brook Summer Flood Revisited: Where Did the Water Come From?
9.) Interview with Pat Rushia: Candidate for School Board
10.) Catholic Chapel of the Assumption Interior Renovation in Progress
So thanks again for reading, and thanks for sharing your news and pictures here. Now it’s on to year seven.
But when Simon Peter saw that, he fell down at Jesus’ feet, saying, “Go away from me Lord, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!”
“On the personal level, which is where it all starts, Peter is a grand and honest statement about how we all come to God. The pattern is a great surprise, and for many a great shock and even a disappointment. We clearly come to God not by doing it right but ironically by doing it wrong.”
Richard Rohr, Soul Brothers
Please join the Lake George Association for a screening of the Mountain Lakes PBS documentary Lake Defenders at the Charles R. Wood Theatre on Tuesday October 7, 2014 at 7 pm.
Lake Defenders highlights the programs and partners working around the Lake in the battle against aquatic invasive species. LGA Executive Director Walt Lender will be present to speak about the LGA’s work in protecting Lake George from invasive species and to answer any questions. State Senator Betty Little and Mountain Lakes PBS President and CEO Alice Recore will also speak at the event.
There is a suggested donation of $5 for the event and all proceeds will go to benefit the Lake George Association.
For those who would like to watch this documentary online, it is posted below.
Boaters enjoy Lake George.
The Lake George Association is partnering with the Lake George Park Commission (LGPC) for a 2015 Recreation Study of the Lake. This project will be an update to the 2005 Recreation Study that was completed now a decade ago, and will provide a better understanding of the current conditions on the Lake in order to more effectively manage the lake, promote public access, and reduce congestion, overcrowding and safety hazards.
“The Commission looks forward to undertaking a comprehensive review of recreation uses on Lake George in 2015. By better understanding public use patterns, the Commission can be more fully prepared to serve the public with boating safety operations and long-term lake protection initiatives. We thank the Lake George Association for their generous financial contribution towards this important project,” said Bruce Young, Chairman of the Lake George Park Commission.
At the July meeting of the LGA’s Board of Directors, members approved a motion to fund half of the cost of the study, up to $25,000. “The Lake George Association’s Recreation Committee has met with LGPC staff and commissioners over the years to stay abreast of recreation-related issues on the Lake and feel that this is a very important study,” said Mike Dier, LGA’s Vice President of the Board of Directors and a long-standing member of the Water Recreation Committee. “We have a long history of working with partners on recreational issues on the lake. In 2008 we worked with the Lake George Power Squadron to update the navigational charts of the lake using our geographic information systems (GIS) database and we have offered numerous boater safety courses at our office over the years as well as printing an educational boater safety brochure,” said Dier.
A request for qualifications has been released by the LGPC and proposals are due at the beginning of next week by September 15. Planning work for this project is intended to be undertaken this upcoming winter with field work and data collection for this project anticipated for next summer. The final report would be complete by the end of 2015.
Just like in 2005, the updated 2015 Recreation Study will provide an overview of the type, intensity, distribution and timing of boating on Lake George based on the 2014 field season. Surveys of various user groups such as boaters, beach users, business owners, tourists, etc, will also be conducted to gather information regarding perceptions of use and enjoyment of the lake. Analysis and summary of LGPC data including Marine Patrol contacts and enforcement, dock permit trends, and marina permit trends will also be included in the report. And ideally the final report will be able to show new data trends and changes from findings in 2005 Recreation Study.
The 2005 study found 460,372 total boat use days from April-Sept with 44,177 motorboat launches and 75,835 public beach users estimated for 2005. The average horsepower on the lake was 194 while the average horsepower of performance boats was 500. During peak use, there were 261 PWCs, 303 canoes/kayaks, 317 sailboats, and 1,553 motorboats, for a grand total of 2,434 boats out on the Lake at one time at peak use. However, over the course of an entire weekend day during the summer – there were 4,700 motorboats on the Lake, and 2,500 motorboats on a weekday. It will be interesting to see how these numbers compare now ten years later.
In addition to the data collected through observation, survey data found that over ninety percent of respondents were satisfied or very satisfied with their Lake George recreational experience. High water quality contributed most to that satisfaction and water quality was very important to the majority of users. The main issues of concern identified during the surveys were invasive species, followed by noise from PWCs and unsafe operation of boats. “It will be very interesting to see how the new results compare to these findings from 2005, said Walt Lender, the LGA’s Executive Director. With the increased attention to invasive species recently, I for one am curious to see if this concern is more prominent in the updated study. It will also be very interesting to learn how lake users perceive the water quality of the lake as well. It’s one thing for those of us who think about it day in and day out, but it will be very useful to get a good idea of how a large group of lake users view the quality of the water.”
Margot Kapusinski has started a virtual fund drive to help hungry children in New Jersey.
My niece, Margot Kapusinski, has started a virtual food drive with the goal of $1,000 by December 31st. She is almost half way to her goal. Here is the link to her fundraising page.
In addition, she has partnered with the Community Food Bank of NJ and will be trick or treating on Halloween for nonperishable food items.
The Lake George Land Conservancy (LGLC) welcomes three new members to its Board of Directors: Ed Becker, DVM, Elizabeth Guest, and Elizabeth Meigher.
Ed Becker
Ed Becker, DVM, is a recently retired veterinarian who built and founded The Animal Hospital P.C. in Slingerlands, NY. Dr. Becker’s interest in wildlife rehabilitation began as a young veterinarian, treating wildlife when very few veterinarians were involved. For over 25 years Dr. Becker was the consulting veterinarian to the Endangered Species Unit of the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation. He was directly involved with Pete Nye and the bald eagle reintroduction program, as well as with Barb Loucks and the peregrine falcon program.
Dr. Becker was appointed to the Guilderland NY Conservation council in 1983 and then to the Planning Board in 1986. He served on the planning board for 19 consecutive years as vice chairman when the area was under intense developmental pressure. Dr. Becker also served on the Presidents Council at Cornell University, and was on the board of directors of the Capital District Animal Emergency Clinic for many years. He has a home on Sabbath Day Point and winters in Cape Haze, Florida.
Elizabeth Guest
Elizabeth Guest has been a lifetime summer resident of Silver Bay, a fact which greatly influenced and guided her path in life. In 2000, the Ms. Guest family gifted a conservation easement on their 59 acres to LGLC, a gift that resulted in their induction as a founding member into LGLC’s Apperson Society.
Ms. Guest graduated from Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, NY with a BA in business and math. A career at Sotheby’s auction house in New York City culminated in her position as an Impressionist and Modern paintings and sculpture expert and appraiser for the company. A natural career transition led to the field of interior design. Ms. Guest founded Elizabeth Guest Interiors LLC in 1996, with a primary focus on high-end residential design.
Ms. Guest has raised her three sons and a niece in Silver Bay every summer, continuing the tradition into the next generation of a deep and lasting love for this magnificent lake and its surrounding landscapes.
Elizabeth Meigher
Elizabeth Meigher was born in New York City and graduated from Dartmouth College in 1999 with a BA in English. After college she headed to Morgan Stanley, where she worked as a Sales Analyst for three years. In 2003 she followed her English major routes to Quest Media, where she began working for Quest, a lifestyle magazine that covers real estate, culture, history, nostalgia, entertainment, philanthropy, business and fashion. In 2005, Ms. Meigher founded Q Magazine, a quarterly publication focused on style and nostalgia.
Ms. Meigher took her first trip to Lake George when she was eight years old and has spent every summer since at her family home on Crown Island. She loves to swim, hike and sail and play with her English springer spaniel, “Tug.”
The Lake George Land Conservancy (LGLC) has had a banner year so far, and anticipates more to come before its end. In the past nine months, LGLC has protected 462 acres of Lake George watershed lands through partnerships, purchases, donations and conservation easements, and is working on plans to protect over 750 acres in the near future.
Land conservation projects have been completed in five towns around Lake George, including Bolton, Hague, Putnam, Fort Ann, and the Town of Lake George. The projects protect in-tact forests, wetlands, rocky slopes and ridges, and streams, as well as important wildlife habitat.
In addition to its direct conservation work, LGLC also achieved land trust accreditation in August from the Land Trust Accreditation Commission, an independent program of the Land Trust Alliance. This distinction signifies LGLC’s commitment to meeting national standards for excellence, as a transparent, efficient, and trustworthy organization.
All of this also comes as the organization prepares for a change in leadership. Executive Director Nancy Williams will retire this fall, and LGLC’s Board of Directors hope to have a new executive director in place by January of 2015.
“My retirement is bittersweet,” said Williams. “My spirit will always be here at Lake George, and in the memories of some of our greatest projects: working with an unlikely partner to protect the Padanarum lands; discovering the resident bobcat at the Last Great Shoreline and using that (and unfortunate leg traps set for the area’s beavers) as inspiration for the development of Lake George’s first managed wildlife refuge; and the summer that I worked alongside our stewards to create the Friendship Garden at Peggy’s Point. Most of all I will miss the people who made these projects possible.”
“When I began my service as board president,” reflected LGLC Board President John Macionis, “the first major task on my plate was to conduct a search to find a new executive director. That search brought Nancy to the Lake George Land Conservancy. During my tenure, if there was one thing I think I did right it was hiring Nancy. Even if that were the only thing I did right, it would still have made all the difference. Nancy has been an extraordinary leader. She combines extensive land acquisition experience with engineering knowledge, fund-raising skills, and great personal warmth in a way that has won the respect and admiration of the lake community. Replacing her will be quite a challenge!”
Completed Projects in 2014:
Putnam – Last Great Shoreline
More than 30 people took part in a celebration at the Hague Community Center on June 13th, marking the end to a five-year fund-raising campaign and giving thanks to the 400+ people who contributed to the protection of the Last Great Shoreline in Putnam. The 351-acre property, which includes Jumping Rock and is located directly across the lake from Hague, was purchased in 2009 for $4 million. The final mortgage payment was made February 27, 2014.
“This land is the heart of the Lake George Wildlife Refuge,” said Williams. “Its protection would not have been possible without the support of the Rowan family, who provided a loan for the purchase, and the many individuals who contributed over the past five years. In addition to the lands providing important water quality protection with its ponds and wetland system, the Refuge has amazing potential for economic development in the area through geo-tourism, as an educational resource, and for the protection and enhancement of wildlife habitat.”
An essential linkage between the Last Great Shoreline property and LGLC’s Gull Bay Preserve to its south was achieved through a purchase of 3 acres in April. A through-trail has since been created and the whole trail system of nearly 6 miles is now open to the public. The trail system also includes access from the water, thanks to a new dock that was installed in July.
The LA Group, a landscape architecture and planning firm out of Saratoga Springs, partnered with LGLC this summer to assist in the development of a master plan for the wildlife refuge, providing guidance on land conservation goals, educational tools, and public access. The LA Group is contributing their expertise at no cost.
Fort Ann – Donation
David Van Hart of Pilot Knob donated 63 acres in Fort Ann to LGLC in June of 2014. Located off of Ridge Road (Route 9L) just south of Pilot Knob Road, the property serves as a southern anchor for the greater Pilot Knob ridge area, which is of conservation interest to LGLC as Lake George watershed lands and its visible slopes and ridges.
The forested property includes streams, wetlands, and ledges that are visible from Lake George and provide clear views of Dunham Bay Marsh and French Mountain. Though not currently open to the public, LGLC hopes to connect this land to its popular Schumann Preserve at Pilot Knob less than 1.5 miles to the north.
Hague – Purchase
LGLC recently completed an amazingly successful fund-raising campaign for the purchase of 120 acres in the Sabbath Day Point-Silver Bay area from the Terzian family. In just three months, nearly $90,000 has been raised by neighbors and others who wished to see this land protected and available for public use. LGLC will purchase the land for $75,000 and use the additional funds to cover legal fees and stewardship projects.
The property is adjacent to uplands owned by New York State and the Silver Bay YMCA. Its purchase by LGLC ensures the protection of a Lake George tributary, and will provide public access to beautiful forests and ridges. In partnership with Silver Bay, LGLC hopes to create a marked trail system from Route 9N to connect with Silver Bay’s existing trails and scenic lookouts.
Lake George – Donation
The owner of a 175-acre Lake George property known as Matty’s Mountain has agreed to donate the land to LGLC, completing the protection of the headwaters of West Brook in the south end of Lake George. The property is bordered by LGLC’s Berry Pond Preserve on three sides, making it an ideal addition to the preserve, and already includes trails used by the local snowmobile club.
LGLC purchased the adjacent 1,400-acre Berry Pond Preserve in 2008 for $2.654 million with the understanding that, as a land of interest to New York State, it would be sold and added to the Lake George Wild Forest. A contract with the State has been completed and its sale for $1.724 million is now anticipated by the end of 2014. LGLC also anticipates selling the Matty’s Mountain piece to New York State in the future to be added to the Berry Pond lands.
Bolton – Easement Donation
A brilliant partnership between a landowner, a town and a land trust has resulted in the protection of an 84-acre property within the Edgecomb Pond watershed, the drinking water source for the Town of Bolton. LGLC Advisory Board Member Rebecca Smith purchased the forested property with the intention to donate a conservation easement to LGLC and then sell the protected land to the Town at a greatly reduced price. Closing on the transaction is set for September 16, 2014.
Since nearly all of the land’s water runs directly into Edgecomb Pond, its protection means the safeguarding of the Town’s drinking water. The property also adjoins New York State’s Cat and Thomas Mountains Preserve, and will provide additional public recreational resources and protected wildlife habitat.