The minutes for the regular June meeting of the Dresden Town Board were approved at the July meeting and have been posted on the town’s website.
Lake George Association Members Approve Merger with The FUND for Lake George
In a historic and inspiring show of support for the future of Lake George protection, the members of the Lake George Association have overwhelmingly approved the merger of the LGA with The FUND for Lake George to create a new, preeminent Lake protection organization.
Ninety-eight percent of LGA voters (745 of 760) said yes to the historic union in results announced tonight at a special virtual membership meeting. The approved merger plan will now go to the Office of the New York State Attorney General for final review and approval. The newly created organization will retain the LGA name. The LGA is the longest-serving lake protection organization in the country, having been founded in 1885.
“The future of Lake George protection is brighter than ever,” said Pete Menzies, current president of the LGA board of directors, which previously voted unanimously to proceed with the merger. “We are thrilled and thankful to the LGA membership for their tremendous vote of confidence in what these two outstanding organizations will be able to accomplish together. As they always do, LGA members have stepped up to protect Lake George.”
Jeff Killeen, current chairman of The FUND for Lake George and the chairman-elect of the new organization, said, “We are incredibly grateful for the opportunity and responsibility that has been granted to us. With so many water quality threats looming, Lake George has never needed us more — and I can say without hesitation that our combined staff, board of directors, members and many community partners are up for the challenge. The new LGA will bring our Lake’s already-unrivaled level of protection to new and essential heights.”
The new LGA will be focused on action, working collaboratively with public – and private-sector partners to achieve breakthrough performance in water quality protection programs that are guided by world-class science and supported by community education, awareness and advocacy.
Protection programs will focus on the Lake’s most pressing threats: harmful algal blooms; nutrient loading from wastewater and stormwater runoff; invasive species, both aquatic and the new terrestrial threat, hemlock wooly adelgid; and road salt contamination — all of which are compounded by the effects of a changing climate. Mounting pressure on the Lake’s water quality was a driving factor in bringing the two organizations together.
The new LGA will be led by Eric Siy, currently executive director of The FUND for Lake George, who will become president of the new LGA, and Walt Lender, currently executive director of the Lake George Association, who will serve as senior vice president.
“The incredible team that will make up the new LGA has been working closely together in preparation for the formal merger,” said Mr. Siy. “Their expertise and dedication — combined with the power of our many partners and the world class science and technologies of the Jefferson Project — create a truly one-of-a-kind commitment to protecting a one-of-a-kind natural treasure.”
“The threats to the Lake’s water quality are unrelenting, and the new LGA will be relentless in combatting them,” said Mr. Lender. “From our citizen scientists to world-leading research, from public education and advocacy to results-driven protection programs, we will employ state-of-the-art practices to keep Lake George clean and clear for generations to come.”
The following officers and directors have been elected to the new LGA board from among members of the existing LGA and FUND boards:
Jeffrey M. Killeen, chairman; Peter Menzies, vice chairman; William Creighton, treasurer; Roy Davis, secretary; Dr. Mary Caravella, member of executive committee; Keith Ferguson, member of executive committee; Thomas West, member of executive committee; I. Robert Wolgin, member of executive committee; Bob Bailey; Lucinda Bhavsar; James Casaccio; Geoff Cook; Charles Crew, William Dutcher; Dr. Linda Schadler Feist; George R. Hearst III; Victor Hershaft; Blair
Keller; Dr. John E. Kelly III; Ginger Henry Kuenzel; George Morris, Dennis O’Connor; and Ken Parlin.
DEC Statewide Forest Ranger Highlights
Town of Bolton
Warren County
Wilderness Rescue: On Oct. 31 at 1:28 p.m., Warren County 911 transferred a call to DEC’s Ray Brook Dispatch requesting Forest Ranger assistance with an ill hiker on the trail in North West Bay on Lake George. The caller advised that a 27-year-old woman from Katonah was conscious, but not responsive. Forest Ranger Donegan responded, along with members of the Bolton Fire Department and EMS squad using their fire boat from Green Island. The hiker was located at 2:15 p.m., and carried onto the fire boat by Forest Rangers, members of the Lake George Park Commission, and Bolton Fire and EMS. On the boat, the subject was transported to the landing zone to be airlifted to a local hospital by New York State Police Aviation. The incident concluded at 4:15 p.m.
DEC Statewide Forest Ranger Highlights
Town of Bolton
Warren County
Wilderness Rescue: On Oct. 23 at 11:30 a.m., DEC’s Ray Brook Dispatch received a request for assistance for a 40-year-old woman from Schenectady who became disoriented while hiking Cat Mountain. Coordinates provided by Warren County 911 placed her in the area of Edgecomb Pond. Forest Ranger Lt. Ganswindt responded to assist, arrived on scene at 12 p.m., and headed in on the trail. Using the coordinates provided, Lt. Ganswindt located the hiker at 12:40 p.m., and escorted her back to the trailhead. The incident concluded at 1:10 p.m.
Their Smiles Say it All
As regular readers of the Huletts Current know, I love posting “fish” pictures, even though I am not a fisherman. This picture really made me smile because the children’s joy really shines through.
I know many are experiencing real worry and suffering with the COVID-19 national pandemic, but choose to be optimistic. Live your best life, RIGHT NOW, seize the moment, enjoy the day.
Do not fueled by fear. Be strong right now; be happy right now; go out and enjoy the summer. Be safe but don’t sit in a socially distant box and complain about all things that are not right, or might not be right. Go out and talk to a neighbor, make a visitor feel welcome. Do something positive. Send me a (fish) picture.
I received an email yesterday from a family who spent a week in Huletts, and when they returned home their small son wouldn’t go to sleep because he wanted to go back to his “Lake George bed.”
Be thankful for the blessings of your time on Lake George this summer, carry an optimistic spirit. Be people of hope in these times.
So many thanks to the children in the picture above, with their smiles and their big fish – they have chosen to enjoy the blessings of summer and their time on Lake George. For that we should all be grateful.
NYS Coronavirus Update
“New York on PAUSE” will be extended until May 15th. Non-essential workers must continue to stay home and social distancing rules remain in place. Governor Cuomo says that New York will re-evaluate after this additional closure period.
Assemblyman Dan Stec (R,C,I-Queensbury), who is running for State Senate in the 45th District, today issued the following statement concerning Governor Cuomo’s plan to continue “New York State on Pause” through May 15:
“While I understand the need to be cautious during these uncertain times, the Governor’s decision is both a bit premature and fails to recognize the need for some regional-based strategies.
The state was already on pause until April 29. There was no need, with two weeks remaining in that time frame, to extend this pause until mid-May. As we’ve all seen, most recently, with the threat of seizing ventilators that became unnecessary within a few days, the situation with the coronavirus pandemic changes from day-to-day and week-to-week, so this decision could have waited until more information comes in.
But more importantly, and I expressed this today to the Governor’s office, our upstate economy simply cannot continue to be tethered to the situations in New York City and downstate suburbs. I fully understand keeping a pause on operations in that part of the state, but our region has not been hit anywhere near as hard and plans going forward need to reflect that the situation on the ground isn’t the same everywhere.
Our region’s economy was already lagging before this crisis hit and is now more vulnerable than ever. The 45th Senate District has been fortunate enough to avoid bearing the brunt of COVID-19 cases, and as long as the risk of exposure remains low in this and other areas upstate, we need to start reopening our economy.
I’ve heard the message loud and clear from small business owners in this district that a pause until May 15 could sink their business for good. We need to avoid these situations and taking a regional-based approach to this pause is just common sense.”
Good Friday 2020
Crucifix on the side of the exterior of the Chapel on the Paulist Father’s Harbor Islands opposite the south end of Huletts Landing.
Today we observe Good Friday, the day of the death of Jesus. Many Christian Churches have different ways of observation, to prepare us for the coming resurrection of the Lord on Easter Sunday.
“Row out into the deep. When the storms come, try to remember that He who calms the storm is always in the boat with you.”
Holy Thursday 2020
“Kiss of Judas” attributed to Lippo Memmi circa 1340
Collegiata of San Gimignano, Italy
The kiss of Judas (known in art) as the Betrayal of Christ, is how Judas Iscariot identified Jesus to the multitude with swords and clubs who had come from the chief priests and elders of the people to arrest him, according to the Synoptic Gospels. It happens in the Garden of Gethsemane after the Last Supper and leads directly to the arrest of Jesus.
November Dresden Town Board Meeting Minutes
The minutes for the November 2019 meeting of the Dresden Town Board were recently approved and have been posted on the town’s website.
Mrs. Aiken Profiled in ‘The Evangelist’
The Evangelist, the newspaper for the Roman Catholic diocese of Albany, recently ran an article about Mrs. Cathy Aiken and her work at the Chapel of the Assumption in Huletts. Many thanks to Mrs. Aiken for all she does for so many.
Saturday Quote
“Like the grass of morning, moist with glistening dew, all the old virtues are waiting to spring up afresh.”
A.G. Sertillanges
An Artful Landing
A number of art enthusiasts came to Huletts Landing by boat to find the location that a famous painting was created from.
An art history cruise visited Huletts Landing Monday June 24th, arranged by the Albany Institute of History and Art under the direction of artist Anne Diggory, whose exhibition is at the museum until August 18th.
The group came on shore to view the perspective that David Johnson depicted in two paintings in 1870 and 1874. The 1870 version is in the collection of the museum.
Posing with a reproduction of the painting are Tammis Groft, Executive Director of the Albany Institute of History and Art; Anne Diggory, tour director; and Doug McCombs, the museum’s Chief Curator.
The 1870 version of the painting by David Johnson.