News & Opinion About Huletts Landing, N.Y.
We have received an update from the Lake George Association that the DEC has issued a draft permit to remove the delta from the mouth of Foster Brook. That is the good news. Presently though, the LGA only has partial funding to undertake this project. This means that it will be a little while longer before the project can proceed.
Read the Lake George Association’s update.
The Golf Course Needs You
We received the following flyer from Mr. Quick and wanted to encourage everyone to join for this ’09 season.
There’s no better value than Huletts Golf.
Shut off that TV and get out there and play!
| Yes | No | ||
| Budget – No Tax Increase or Decrease | 215 | 39 | |
| Prop # 1 – $184,000 for Two School Buses | 197 | 39 | |
| Prop # 2 – $500,000 Surplus to Reserve / No Tax Decrease | 188 | 47 | |
| Prop # 3 – $15,000 for the Whitehall Library | 197 | 41 |
Budget and all 3 Propositions Pass
No Tax Decrease Next Year
Just wanted to let everyone know:
The Casino will have an informal “open house” on Thursday, May 21st and will formally open on Friday May 22nd.
The Huletts Landing Property Owners Civic Association meeting will be on Sunday, May 24th at 10 a.m.
What do they say? “Be there or be square!”
The School Budget vote and election will be held on Tuesday, May 19th between 12:00 noon and 9:00 p.m. in the large group instruction room in the high-school on Buckley Road.
One of the things to be considered is Proposition # 2. What is this?
Here is the wording of the legal notice which the district ran in the paper.
Proposition # 2
“Resolved that the Board of Education of the Whitehall Central School District is authorized and directed to increase the ultimate amount of the capital reserve fund known as the “Future Renovations to the Elementary and Jr./Sr. High School Buildings Capital Reserve Fund”, which Capital Reserve Fund was approved by the voters on May 20, 2003, from the original sum of $1,500,000 to be increased (to the) sum of $3,500,000. A sum not to exceed $500,000 shall be transferred from the current general fund into this Capital Reserve Fund as part of the increased ultimate amount authorized by the proposition. The original term of such Fund shall remain at ten (10) years from May 20, 2003.”
What is this really all about? It’s about our tax dollars being frivolously wasted.
In 2005, the school spent over $ 2 million dollars from a reserve account to build an addition on the school and tennis courts. Now the district is building up the account again by overcharging the taxpayers on the yearly budget, putting the excess into reserve accounts and planning future construction projects. All the while, enrollment is dropping!
This year $500,000 is proposed to be put away and the reserve account is proposed to grow to $3.5 million. This would seem to indicate that the district is planning on putting $500,000 away for 4 years before they spend it.
When they go to spend it, they will claim it will have no effect on taxes. When in fact, the district has already taken it out of our pockets.
The problem Whitehall is having is that the town is dying because of the school district’s taxing policy. Dresden has actually cut taxes two years in a row, and increased spending at the same time because Dresden has grown its tax base. The school district could do the same; put money in reserve, cut taxes and improve the tax base of the town.
Whitehall is doing exactly the opposite. I keep a list of businesses that have left Whitehall over the last 10 years and every year it continues to grow. Dunkin Donuts left last year.
Sadly the good news is, you can’t miss the problem any more. Recent local headlines about Whitehall all show a town in significant decline; water problems unresolved, a former police chief who couldn’t pass the civil service exam, a low-income subsidized housing center which can’t attract enough residents, the municipal offices being located in a state facility which doesn’t want them there. Do I have to list more?
Dresden on the other hand, and especially Huletts, is growing and thriving because of low spending and wise stewardship. Every year positive change is happening in Huletts.
While the Huletts Current recommends a “NO” vote on Proposition 2 this Tuesday, Whitehall will most likely continue to go down the declining path it has chosen. The real news is that enrollment will plummet in the years ahead and the district will have put itself and the town of Whitehall out of business. They might build a fancy new school with our tax dollars, but at this pace it will be empty because there won’t be any children or businesses left in Whitehall.
The Lake George Park Commission is scheduled to say something at their May meeting this week, regarding their proposed stream rules.
I took this video a few weeks ago which demonstrates the loophole which I have been talking about.
The proposed regulations don’t accomplish what they set out to accomplish in so far as they exempt State, County and Town highway crews from cutting drainage ditches allowing salt and road runoff to flow directly into streams along their highway right of ways. The rules will effectively take 5000 acres of private property off the tax rolls but will do nothing to stop this.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1xFbJ7iQe8
The NCAA basketball tournament is over for this year but I finally got a chance to sit down with my friend Mike Lonergan and talk about what life is like for the Vermont basketball coach. As we head into our “summer season”, his year is winding down and we finally had a chance to get caught up.
If you see Mike on the beach this summer, he’ll talk basketball all day long.
We go back to our days at Catholic University when we were both students. You would go on to become the head coach there and actually won the NCAA Div III championship in 2001. Could you tell our readers a little bit about that experience?
“Coaching at my alma mater was a great experience and it was very rewarding. We built the most successful Division III men’s basketball program in the country and did it with true student athletes. The last 3 seasons I coached at Catholic University my wife was the women’s basketball coach which was kind of cool. We were actually able to help each other recruit. We didn’t just talk about the CUA Basketball Family we actually lived it!”
After that you moved on to the University of Maryland as an assistant coach, do you have any good stories about your days at Maryland that you could share?
“I was a lifelong Maryland fan and a Gary Williams fan. I had a great time during my 1 season coaching at Maryland but it was a little difficult being an assistant coach again after being a head coach the previous 12 seasons. It was a great experience working for Gary but I can’t tell you any stories about Gary. You wouldn’t believe them anyways! He is a great coach and quite a character.”
You are now the head coach at the University of Vermont and have had good success there. What is the life of a NCAA coach like? Do you spend most of the year recruiting? Is there alot of travel?
“We have been fortunate to have had a lot of success here at UVM. It is truly a special place. I can’t think of a better place for my wife, Maggie, and I to raise our 4 children. Coaching is not an easy life. I spend a lot of time on the road and it makes my wife’s life tougher but the rewards far outweigh the sacrifices my family has made. I actually recruit less at UVM than I did at Catholic University because of the NCAA rules. There are certain times of the year that are “dead” periods when we are not allowed off campus to recruit. At DIII you could recruit 365 days/year! The best time of the year for DI basketball coaches is August. We are not allowed to recruit and our students are home most of that month. I love August because my family can go for a nice vacation at our favorite place – Hulett’s Landing! People always tell me I don’t know how to relax but I finally found a place where even I can relax and enjoy, and that’s Hulett’s Landing!”
You probably get this a lot, but what exactly is a Catamount?
“A Catamount is a type of Mountain wild cat. It is supposedly extinct but there have been some reported sightings in the last few years. I actually like that our mascot is a Catamount because it is not a common nickname.”
Mike – I know a lot of your friends in Huletts were disappointed when Vermont lost the America East tournament this year. Could you give us your thoughts?
“We had a very good year (24-9, America East regular season co champions) but didn’t make the NCAA Tournament. Hopefully next season will be even better. I hope some of the people from Huletts can come up to Burlington next winter and see us play. It is a great atmosphere at Patrick Gym. We have one of the best players in the country in 2 time America East Player of the Year Marqus Blakely. He is fun to watch!”
Mike thanks for taking the time to tell our readers about Vermont basketball and how great Huletts Landing is!
Smiles all around.
While this article from the Post Star is almost completely about the public beach in Jackson having its hours cut this summer, the article touches upon the schedule for the Washington County Beach in Huletts at the end.
“The Huletts beach will be open 84 days from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Its season also starts on Memorial Day weekend. The beach will be open regularly starting June 28 until Sept. 7.”
While the supervisors had previously cut the spending for both the Jackson and Dresden beaches late last year, the Dresden Town Board came up with a plan to keep the Huletts beach open and operating as it has in the past.
This is the difference that good leadership makes.
This year there are two vacancies on the Board of Education and only two candidates running for these two seats. The Huletts Current submitted the following questions to each candidate running for the school board. I explained to each candidate that I would run their answers as the they submitted them on the Huletts Current.
Could you please tell us about yourself and why you are running for the school board?
The Town of Dresden pays a high percentage of the taxes to finance the school budget (around 50%) while having only approximately 10% of the students in the school district. What specific steps will you advocate that will decrease school taxes?
Residents of Huletts Landing feel their concerns regarding rising taxes are not being heard. Would you be willing to attend a meeting in the summer at Huletts Landing to listen to the concerns of seasonal residents there who pay a proportionally large share of the school budget?
Are you in favor of academic, behavioral and/or attendance probation that will deny students the ability to participate in interscholastic or after-school activities who are failing, exhibit behavioral problems and/or who refuse to attend school regularly?
For the past several years, the Whitehall School District has run budget surpluses that are placed in special reserve accounts after approval by the voters to be spent later with voter approval. Will you vote to return any of these budget surpluses to the taxpayers in the form of reduced taxes if elected? Does this indicate a problem with the budgeting process to be consistently over-budget every year?
Today we present how, Mr. Adam Mickel, candidate for the school board, replied to our questions.
Adam Mickel, pictured on the left, is a candidate in this years election for the school board.
Dear Mr. Kapusinski:
I appreciate your interest in the Whitehall Board of Education Elections this year.
I have attached a statement in lieu of your specific questions. I did this as I do not feel comfortable answering questions of policies that I have yet to be acquainted with. I also did not have an adequate time for verify the percentage and facts you relied on, which I am sure you can appreciate as a journalist and a lawyer. What I have provided you with is a brief overview of my background and experience. I also touched, in general, the topics that you originally asked.
I will leave it up to you if you print my response or not.
Thank you for the opportunity to address your readership.
Adam J. Mickel MS Ed.
(Editor’s Note: I replied to Mr. Mickel that while I would take credit for being a blogger, I am not an attorney.)
My name is Adam Mickel and I am candidate for the Whitehall Central School District Board of Education this May 2009. I was born and raised in Whitehall and have strong family ties to the area. I graduated Whitehall Jr.-Sr. High School in 1994. I went on to Adirondack Community College where I earned my Associates of Science in Criminal Justice. I then furthered my education and attended the College of St. Joseph in Rutland and earned a Bachelors of Arts in Education/Liberal Studies. I finished off my student career at SUNY Plattsburgh earning a Masters of Science in Education. I then taught for four years at the elementary level, and later finished the course work to gain my secondary licensure, and taught social studies in middle and high school for an additional three years. During the summer I also taught Adult Basic Education at Great Meadow Correctional Facility for six consecutive summers. I recently left the education field and became a Vermont Correctional Officer and have had been employed at the Southern State Correctional Facility since March of 2008. On a personal note, my wife, Julie Gosselin-Mickel, and I purchased our first home together in the village. We reside there with our daughters Alexandria Mickel and Elizabeth Gosselin.
With my varied background I feel as though I can accurately understand all facets of the educational system: as a former educator, a parent, a community member, and as a taxpayer. First and foremost is that education is Paramount. Taxes are always a concern to all families, especially in these hard economic times, but we need to balance this with our children’s’ and community’s needs. I feel as those my perspective, and multiple hats I have worn if you will, places me in a position to be an effective board member.
I have attended many different board of education meetings during the course of my career. I would like to see attendance at the board meetings increase. Public participation is a fundamental part of any political entity, and I believe that participation and attendance show a strong support and interest in the school and community. I believe this so strongly that I, as a Participation in Government Teacher, used to require my students to attend school board, as well as town and village board, meetings. It is during this venue that such things as interscholastic eligibility policies and budget discussions can be observed and audience input sought.
I look forward to serving my community and getting back into the educational system in a new capacity. I look forward to working with my fellow board members and the school district.
I came across an interesting book entitled; Turn-of-the-Century Scrapbook of Jonathan Streeter Gates Bolton, NY August 2, 1847 – December 11, 1921. It is a compilation of newspaper clippings from that period. One short article dealt with Huletts Landing and it is fascinating.
It is simply dated August 1911. It does not say what newspaper it was clipped from. The grandmother referred to in the article is the wife of Harvey Hulett, Olivia Pratt. Olivia Pratt was born in 1798 and died Jan 20, 1872.
The Russel Hulett that the article quotes is actually Harvey Russell Hulett who was the grandson of Harvey and Olivia (Pratt) Hulett and the son of Harvey Hulett Jr. (Both his grandfather and his father would have been named Harvey Hulett) They must have called him Russell because he would have been the third male, all living at the same time, named Harvey Hulett! Now how’s that for some confusion.
The article sheds some light into what living in Huletts Landing was like in 1861. I’ve copied it as written (it does say “shoes” in the 4th line) and the wording and punctuation is as it was written in 1911.
Aug. 1911
Fifty Years Ago – And Now
Mr. Russel Hulett of Ticonderoga in a recent conversation recalled his grandmother’s prophecy. Made fifty years ago (1861), when Huletts Landing was a little farm on the cove-level between the lake and its eastern hills, and when occasionally, city-tired folks searching the lovely wooded shoes of Lake George for a place of rest would stop at the farm house, and, for what would today be a small sum, enjoyed for a time its generous, if unpretentious hospitality.
This prophecy was that in a few more years there will stand “on this very spot,” a large hotel and great numbers of people would come to it in the hot weather. Her children smiled. Her grand-children declared – “Grandmother thinks that ere or two swallows are going to make a summer – by-and-by!,” and laughed. But the old lady, nodding her wise head, said – “I won’t live to see it but you will”.
And they did. Where the ancient farm-house then nestled under the maple tree now stands the Hulett House; where the apple orchard straggled, and the corn rows stretched in pennoned over a grassy, tree-dotted plain; where grandmother Hulett used to sit knitting in the chimney-corner, tables are now laid in July and August for two hundred and more guests; where the clear waters of the lake, washing over the stones and lapping the sandy scimiter-shaped shore, once lulied the dear old woman to sleep under the mossy eaves now rocks a fleet of boats, and a fine pavillion tempts the votaries of Terpischore to “trip the light fantastic.”
Work continues on the house being constructed on the former recreation-room site. Here are some pictures that illustrate the positive change that has taken place on the site in the last year.
Spring 2008 – Old Building
Spring 2009 – New Construction
“Today new houses continue to replace the last vestiges of the old Huletts Landing while keeping the original charm and beauty intact.”
At the last meeting of the Huletts Volunteer Fire Department, William Borden was named Chief of the Fire Department and Carl Sobeck was appointed Assistant Chief.
The Huletts Volunteer Fire Department prides itself in providing the community with a variety of emergency services in time of need. Because of your donations, and the generous service of many volunteers, they are able respond to our needs with a fleet of well-equipped fire trucks and support vehicles. Many thanks go out to our fire department and the volunteers who serve Huletts Landing so faithfully.
To celebrate the 300th post on the Huletts Current, here is a “futuristic” painting of the Huletts Hotel. It was an artist’s conception from the 1950’s of how the Hotel would look in the future if it had been renovated. The rest is history.
If you haven’t been in Huletts all winter, we invite you to stop by the Casino this summer because there are some positive changes in store for 2009.
Significant work has been done on the building.
The bathrooms have been completely remodeled and a new roof and windows have been added. The front room has been updated and the last two sides of the building will be painted in June.
The hours will be more “community friendly”.
The hours will be more consistent and the Casino will close earlier in the evening. These are the tentative hours for the 2009 season:
Tuesday – Thursday: 5pm-11pm
Friday & Saturday: 5pm-2am
Sunday: 5-9pm
There will be a new Wine and Cheese Social Hour every Saturday evening at 7 pm. So join your friends for a glass of wine and complimentary cheese and crackers.
The building is under new management.
Leann Ingalls, who has run successful area restaurants and who has catered dinners in the Casino, has taken over the operation from Justin and Heather. Leann has been working in the Casino since January and you will really like what she has done. She will be offering private chef services so whether it’s family visiting, or a large gathering, she can prepare any event. Just call ahead to discuss menu and prices. We’ll be doing an interview with Leann in the weeks ahead so that you can learn about her connection to Huletts, and about her.
There will be cool things happening there.
A number of interesting events are in the works for this summer. This will include family events, interesting speakers, social activities and more. So you’ll want to stop by and enjoy. We’ll see you at the Casino this summer.
The Casino at Huletts Landing
Opening Soon for 2009
499-0361