News & Opinion About Huletts Landing, N.Y.
The minutes for the January and February 2018 meetings of the Dresden Town Board, were recently approved and have been posted on the town’s website. There are many interesting facts in these notes – including salaries of town officials for 2018 and an update on the proposed power transmission project down state route 22.
The March minutes will not be approved until April and so on.
The Huletts Landing Post Office.
I’m happy to report that the U.S. Postal Service has renewed the lease for the Huletts Post Office for an additional 5 years, through 2023. So thank you to all those who purchase stamps and postage there. The Postal Service recognized the benefit it brings to the community and actually renewed the lease early.
As I document in my book, Huletts Landing on Lake George, the first application for a Post Office was made in 1874 and is the first historical document where the area is designated as Huletts Landing. While the actual Post Office building has occupied different locations since it first arrived, it is an added benefit to the community and its central location makes it convenient for everyone.
Please keep buying your stamps and postage in Huletts.
Two school board seats will be up for election in 2018. School board President, Frank Barber’s term expires, making a three-year term available. The seat formerly occupied by Jason Hoagland, who resigned before completing his term, will come up for election as a one-year term. Petitions of those seeking these seats must be returned to the district clerk by April 16th no later than 5:00 pm. To run, a person needs to be 18 years old by May 15th, must have resided in the school district for at least a year, and must submit a petition signed by 25 eligible voters.
I will be covering these contests and will be sending out questionnaires to all those who enter the race. Stay tuned.
Because any alien would want to stop at Lake George!
Many have seen the UFO after the Casino closes.
The Champlain Power Express is a project you will hear about over the next few months as the developers hope to run an underground electricity transmission line 333 miles from a substation in Canada to a substation in Queens New York, with the goal of supplying additional power to New York City.
The project has been years in the works, starting in 2009. The proposed route would take the line underground through Dresden along state Route 22. It would only carry electricity that would be generated almost exclusively in hydroelectric plants in Canada. It would not carry gas, fuel oil or other hazardous materials.
The proposed route would take the planned transmission line underground through Dresden to Whitehall near the South Bay bridge.
The project would bring additional tax revenue to the Town of Dresden, Washington county and the Whitehall school district because the transmission line becomes a taxable asset when it is placed in the ground. More details coming soon.
Local artist, Anne Diggory, has a wonderful show at the Blue Mountain gallery in New York City running until February 24th at 4:00 pm entitled: Out of place – shifts in media, location, and content. There will be a closing reception at 4:00 pm on February 24th.
If you live or work in New York – you should try to stop by. Below she talks about a painting she created in Huletts Landing, which contains nearly the same view as a work created by David Johnson in 1874.
I started the video below at the 4:20 mark and Ms. Diggory explains this painting until the 5:13 mark.
The minutes from two December meetings of the Dresden Town Board, were recently approved and have been posted on the town’s website.
The regular monthly meeting of December 11th, begins the minutes, and a special “year end” meeting, held on December 29th, closes out the minutes. There are many interesting topics in this months meetings notes: – including discussions on rattlesnakes, snow events and the need for a wildlife control officer.
The January minutes will not be approved until February and so on.
The minutes from the November 2017 Dresden Town Board meeting were recently approved and have been posted on the town’s website.
The December minutes will not be approved until January and so on.
Huletts Landing Volunteer Fire Company members responding to the truck rollover accident the morning of September 15th.
Well here it is – the end of 2017. While all the major media outlets are recapping the big events of the past year, I like to move into the new year by taking one last look back at what I consider the top “news” story of Huletts Landing from this past year. This year instead of one unique event, there were several stories – that all made the top 10 posts of the previous year – that highlight something special that I feel deserves spotlighting.
When I looked back at the most read posts on the Huletts Current this past year, I noticed a trend in some of the stories that highlighted something quite special.
Whether it was pictures of the Huletts Landing Volunteer Fire Company’s response to the September 15th Truck Rollover (#1), to a rescue on Black Mountain (#3), or the HLVFC’s Practicing an Ice Drill (#6), or pictures from the 2016 HLVFC Christmas Party (#7), or highlighting the third annual Firemen’s Appreciation Dinner (#8), or even learning from the Fire Chief about a big bang on Bluff Head this past summer (#10), the Huletts Landing Volunteer Fire Company played the biggest role in our community this past year in almost every major story. That’s unique and worth highlighting.
The many brave men and women who serve us in Huletts Landing are a blessing to our community. Here they hiked to the top of black mountain to assist a hiker who had fallen.
So for 2017, I’ve selected: the dedication and hard-work of the Huletts Landing Volunteer Fire Company in protecting us all, as the: Top News Story of Huletts Landing for 2017. Without the Huletts Landing Volunteer Fire Company and the dedication of its many volunteers, this year could have seen numerous disasters of fatalities in Huletts – but we didn’t – because of the many dedicated volunteers who serve us so faithfully.
There were many other instances, not included in the stories highlighted above, where their dedication protected us all. There was the day when phone and internet service went down that the HLVFC manned the firehouse with two way radio communication to the outside world, their weekly drills during the summer take valuable time away from their member’s vacations, and last but not least on every call they respond to – they put their lives on the line – whether it be from downed power lines, fire and/or explosions.
Many of us take for granted that when there is an emergency – they show up. However, there’s a lot of planning and hard work before the “showing up” part. There’s budgeting, training, keeping the equipment ready, drilling and more drilling, as well as communication between members and other departments in Washington County. I could go on and on. The “showing up” just doesn’t happen. It happens because of hard work and true dedication.
So for 2017, the Top News Story of Huletts Landing is: the dedication and hard-work of the the Huletts Landing Volunteer Fire Company in protecting us all. If you have a chance to say thank you to one of their members or to make a donation, please do so – because they deserve it! Many thanks for their service to us all.
Town Supervisor, George Gang (left), with Supervisor Elect, Paul Ferguson (center), and his wife, Jean Ferguson (right) at this year’s Dresden Christmas party.
The town of Dresden put on another great party this year. Door prizes included a prize for a girl and a prize for a boy, poinsettias, gift cards from the Historic Grounds Restaurant, coffee mugs, maple syrup, and small fruit cakes for the adults.
Town Councilman, John Barber, Jr., has played Santa for many years. Jack Eggleston, the Town Justice, has read “Twas the Night Before Christmas…” for many years also. Many thanks to Linda Barber and Sue Foster Ives for buying the refreshments and presents, setting up and getting everything ready.
This year was a blast!!! It was a very happy party with lots of comradely, Laurie Brunelle always put out the decorations. A few years ago some volunteers made the Gingerbread House. Miraculously, it has stayed together all this time.
Here are some pictures from the fun afternoon.
John and Julie Barber’s son, John, stands with some of the donated refreshments.
Bill and Rita Huntington’s grandson, Collin, played some holiday music on the keyboard.
Many people came and enjoyed the day.
Supervisor George Gang called the winners of the door prizes.
Santa Claus gave out gifts to some very happy children.
Town Justice, Jack Eggleston with Santa Claus (played by Town Councilman John Barber, Jr.) and Town Supervisor Elect, Paul Ferguson.
Many thanks to those who worked so hard and donated so much to make the holiday bright!
(Many thanks also to Sue Foster Ives for the photos.)
The Huletts firehouse was decorated beautifully for the annual holiday party.
Santa and the Christmas Spirit, once again, were present at the Huletts Landing firehouse this past Saturday evening as it was magically transformed into a marvelously decorated “Currier & Ives” holiday setting.
The 2017 Christmas party set a new all-time record for attendance and the friends and neighbors present were treated to a delightful evening of food, beverages, delicious desserts and entertaining music. The main entree offerings, which were catered by the Fair Haven Inn, were outstanding and plentiful.
Chief Jay Vander Plaat and his merry bunch of “North Pole” working elves were richly applauded for all their efforts in planning this splendid evening of activity that was enjoyed by all.
Many thanks to all of the supporting sponsors for their donations of attractive prizes, gift certificates and services that comprised the contents of some thirty “Baskets of Cheer” that were raffled off during the course of the evening. As a result, the funds raised through that effort fully covered the expenses of the event, with no additional cost to the Fire Company.
Chief Vander Plaat expressed the Company’s appreciation for the generous support that has always been received from the Huletts Landing community and extended best wishes to all for a very happy and healthy holiday season.
Here are several photos that capture the many happy scenes of “Christmas good cheer and Camaraderie” on display during this evening of friendship and entertainment.
Many thanks to Dave Richards for emailing in the photos.
On Saturday, December 2nd at 5:00 p.m., the Huletts Volunteer Fire Department will host the annual Christmas party in the Huletts Landing firehouse.