News & Opinion About Huletts Landing, N.Y.
| 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!”
A rare photograph of President Theodore Roosevelt speaking in front of the remains of Captain John Paul Jones as his body is re-interred on U.S. soil in 1913.
John Paul Jones (July 6, 1747 – July 18, 1792) was America’s first well-known naval commander in the Revolutionary War. He is regarded as the first leader of America’s navy and is known to have uttered the legendary reply about surrendering to a British captain: “I have not yet begun to fight!”
The historical circumstances regarding his burial and the finding of his body over 100 years later are equally as fascinating.
In May 1790, Jones arrived in Paris, where he remained in retirement during the rest of his life. He died of a severe brain tumor and was found lying face-down on his bed in his third-floor Paris apartment, on July 18, 1792. He was buried in Paris at the Saint Louis Cemetery, which belonged to the French royal family. Four years later, France’s revolutionary government sold the property and the cemetery was forgotten. The area was later used as a garden, a place to dispose of dead animals, and a place where gamblers bet on animal fights.
In 1905, Jones’s remains were identified by the US Ambassador to France who had searched for years to track down the body using old copies of Jones’s burial record. Jones’s body was ceremonially removed from his interment in Paris and brought to the United States aboard the USS Brooklyn, escorted by three other cruisers. On approaching the American coastline, seven U.S. Navy battleships joined the procession escorting Jones’s body back to America.
On April 24, 1906, Jones’s coffin was installed in Bancroft Hall at the United States Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland, following a ceremony presided over by President Theodore Roosevelt. On January 26, 1913, the Captain’s remains were finally re-interred in a magnificent bronze and marble sarcophagus at the Naval Academy Chapel in Annapolis.
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
“If you aren’t fired with enthusiasm, you will be fired with enthusiasm.”
Vince Lombardi
Whitehall School Budget Set For Vote
The Whitehall Times has a good piece on the school budget up for vote next week. I’ll have more analysis over the weekend.
Mammals, Mammals, Everywhere
The Adirondack Almanack has a really interesting piece on the number of mammals in the Adirondacks. It has some great statistics about the moose and bear populations.
NY Post Picks Lake George
Lake George is ranked # 2 in a NY Post survey of inexpensive destinations close to NY City. Then again, you know that!
Here is a short video with some interesting facts and some history about the electric boat.
The recent extradition of alleged suspected war crimes criminal, John Demjanjuk, for being the infamous Ivan the Terrible made me think about this.
Many people may remember that back sometime in the 1970’s, a person moved to Dresden (who has long since left the Town) who I believe was suspected of being a war crimes criminal from World War II. I have the person’s last name but have run into numerous dead ends trying to do a story about this.
Recently the Simon Wiesenthal Center has increased its reward for information related to tracking down former Nazi war criminals. If anyone remembers anything about this, I would appreciate anything that you remember.
What I remember myself (I was only a child) is that this individual lived in Dresden and was hounded repeatedly by media organizations and then moved out of the Town. My guess is that it was in the 1970’s. If you know anything about this, I’d appreciate hearing from you.
Made in the Adirondacks: Coming Soon
Denton Publications has a story about an idea to create a logo that can be applied to things made in the Adirondacks.
Rachel Ray Returns to Lake George
She remembers where she came from. Here is a story from the Post Star about Rachel Ray returning home to Lake George for a fundraiser.
Washington County Puts Parcels Up For Sale
Washington County is really making an effort to cut back and raise revenue apart from hitting up the taxpayers. Read the Post Star article here.
Hudson River Dedging to Start this Week
The spot that they’re digging up is very close to the Washington County Building. Channel 13 reports here.
Today, we’re going to interview Leann Ingalls who is managing and running the Casino this year. Leann has many connections to Huletts and has been working all winter on improving the Casino for this summer.
Leann, first could you tell the readers of the Huletts Current a little bit about yourself?
“Well most people know me from my place, Division Street Cafe, in Whitehall which I ran for almost 10 years. I always tried to give people a great meal at a good price with a nice atmosphere. I’ve catered dinners at the Casino before and I know so many people from Huletts. I’ve met many people at Church, and the people from Huletts have always been great.”
You’re planning on having the Casino open for Memorial Day. Could you tell our readers some of the positive changes in store for this summer?
“We’ve been working very hard! There’s a new roof, new bathrooms, fresh paint, alot of cleaning. We’ve even got new pictures with some historical flare in the front room. There’s also a new floor and new lighting in the front room. We’ve also worked a lot on sound control, adding new windows and new back doors. The remainder of the outside will be painted in June. I’m hoping to make it a better Casino this summer, while still keeping the down-home feel to everything. Many Huletts people are planning to do events that haven’t happened for a few years – we’re excited about that. If this year goes well, we’ll be making even more improvements next year. Everyone who has seen what we’ve been doing the last few months, has been really happy.”
You have many connections to Huletts. Could you tell us some of the ways you know people in the community?
“I didn’t grow up in the area but my father was from Whitehall and joined the Navy. I came here about 10 years ago to visit – and stayed! My son, Johnny, (who keeps me young because he’s out doing what 5 year-olds do) and I are looking forward to a great summer on the lake, and hopefully many more in the years to come! I really feel the folks will appreciate the work we’ve put into the Casino this winter. Everyone deserves a nice place on the “Landing” to go to!”
You’re planning some great events and some special speakers for this summer. Could you tell everyone when your schedule will be out and what are some of the things they can expect?
“Probably the biggest news, is we’ll have an earlier schedule. No closing at 4 a.m. anymore! I also want to try a new Saturday wine and cheese social hour at 7 p.m. I think those are things that people will really like. We’ll have the usual events like A Day to Remember, Skip Linhart day, the Black Mountain Hike & Breakfast, and the Labor Day Talent Show, but we’re also bringing back the Hoe-Down Pig Roast, and we’ll have some music and bands, too.”
“This year Martin the Magician will be coming back also. I’m also working on some new events and lectures but we’re keeping them a secret for now! If there’s an event someone would like to have, I’d like to hear from them. I’ll be releasing our schedule sometime in mid-June, so we’ll get it to you to post on the Huletts Current.”
Leann thank you for sitting down with us and telling us about your plans. I can tell you that everyone is looking forward to the new and improved Casino being a great success this year.
“Its been my pleasure.”
How do Whitehall, Lake Champlain, and the U.S. Naval Academy all come together in a post?
Well, Whitehall is the birthplace of the U.S. Navy and I recently visited the U.S. Naval Academy. In their new visitor’s center they have an exhibit dedicated to Alan Shepard Jr., the first American in Space, and a 1945 graduate of the Naval Academy, who was picked up by the USS Lake Champlain on May 5, 1961 when he splashed down. How’s that for six degrees of separation from Huletts? If you ever visit Annapolis, Md. it’s certainly worth the trip.
Here are a few shots that I thought everyone might like.
Washington County Gets Serious About Saving Money
This is good to see. Washington County sees that they have to cut back. Read the Wash Blog.
The Adirondack Museum Opens on May 22
The Adirondack Almanack tells you all you need to know about the museum’s great new exhibits and 2009 schedule.
Saratoga’s 2009 Schedule
While we’re on the subject of fun things to do in 2009, here is Saratoga’s racing schedule for 2009.
“When I was a child, my mother said to me, ‘If you become a soldier, you’ll be a general. If you become a monk you’ll end up as the pope.’ Instead I became a painter and wound up as Picasso.”
— Pablo Picasso