Author: Saratoga TODAY

SARATOGA COUNTY — Eleven area organizations, representing a wide range of artists and forms of creative expression, have been awarded a total of $713,000 in NYSCA funding that can be used for a variety of operational and programming expenses, Assemblywoman Carrie Woerner (D-Round Lake) announced Dec. 14.  

The NYS Council on the Arts (NYSCA) 2024 Grant award recipients are Caffé Lena, the Children’s Museum at Saratoga, the Crandall Public Library, the Historical Society of Saratoga Springs, the Lake George Opera Festival Association, Inc., Salem Art Works, Inc., Salem Stages, Saratoga Arts, Inc., the Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation, Skidmore College and the Corporation of Yaddo.

“Art opens our minds to new perspectives and helps us understand the world around us. As a member of the Assembly Arts, Parks and Tourism Committee, I relish my role in helping to support something so vital to our culture and society as the arts,” Woerner said in a statement. “Working to ensure the State continues to fund the Council on the Arts and by extension, supports arts organizations in my district, remains a high priority.” 

Friday, December 29, 2023 – Monday, January 1, 2024

Joan Osborne, Robert Randolph, and The Gibson Brothers to Perform; Fireworks Display, First Day 5K. 

SARATOGA SPRINGS —The Saratoga New Year’s Fest is back for its second year with a full holiday weekend of entertainment and celebration. The multi-venue, weekend-long festival takes place Friday, Dec. 29 through Monday, Jan. 1. 

Headlining this year’s lineup are Joan Osborne, Robert Randolph, and The Gibson Brothers.

Also slated to perform are Dogs in a Pile, Organ Fairchild, Tracy Bonham, Toubab Krewe, Ward Hayden & the Outliers, GA-20, DJ Logic, and The Swing Docs, among others. 

This year’s festival will also include a free family, family-friendly concert at 5 p.m. and spectacular fireworks display at 6 p.m. on New Year’s Eve at Ellsworth Jones Place outside of the Saratoga Springs City Center, and the Saratoga First Day 5K on New Year’s Day. 

Ticket information, registration and a full list of events is available online at: www.saratoga.org/tourism/saratoga-new-years-fest. 

SARATOGA SPRINGS —Saratoga Springs approved $61.29 million budget in 2024 points to a 7.5% increase from the previous year’s spending plan.  

“This budget pays for our 24/7 low barrier homeless shelter operated by RISE – a historic first for our city, as well as monies set aside for sidewalks and complete streets,” returning Finance Commissioner Minita Sanghvi said. “We are a growing city – our public services must keep pace with that growth.” 

The 2023 proposed budget includes $36 million for Public Safety, approximately a $2 million increase from the 2023 Adopted Budget and a $6 million total increase from 2022 Public Safety budget numbers. 

Additionally, a $2.2 million ladder truck was added to the Capital Budget to ensure the Public Safety department could place the order as there have been significant delays in the build time for such trucks, Sanghvi said. Public Safety made up 59% of the 2024 Proposed Budget. 

The Department of Public Works makes up 20% of the 2024 Proposed Budget with almost $12 million followed by Mayor and Finance department at 7% each and then Recreation and Accounts at 5% and 3%, respectively.

The Council also approved the use of $3.07 million in fund balance as well as a tax increase of 2.99% to provide the revenues budgeted. 

The proposed tax rate for the inside district will be $6.82 per thousand of taxable assessed value, and for the outside district the rate is $6.75 per thousand of taxable assessed value. 

This works out to an additional $3.32 per month for a home in the inside district assessed at $200,000, and $6.63 per month for a home assessed at $400,000. For property owners in the outside district, the rate increase will be $3.25 per month for a home assessed at $200,000, and $6.50 for a home assessed at $400,000. 

The Council also approved the 2024 Proposed Capital Budget of $6.6 million. Two capital projects will be funded using 2022 Excess Fund Balance: renovations to the ice rink, and upgrades to the Hathorn Spring. 

All of the water and sewer projects reviewed by the Capital Program Committee will be funded as requested by the Department of Public Works. This includes over $1 million for maintenance of the city’s Water Treatment Plant.

WILTON — Saratoga County officials announced the opening of the Graphite Range Community Forest (GRCF), the newest addition to Saratoga County’s more than 300 miles of trails.

The community-managed forest is owned by the County and maintained by local land trust Saratoga PLAN (Preserving Land and Nature). Stretching across 200+ acres and containing over five miles of multi-use trails, this forest will be a recreational hub for the surrounding communities offering a space for environmental education and economic benefits for the region – all while helping to permanently protect the ecological value and resilience of the southern foothills of the Adirondacks, an area vital for regional natural resource connectivity. 

Nestled amid the picturesque landscapes of the Palmertown Range and within the Towns of Wilton and Greenfield, GRCF is designed to cater to outdoor enthusiasts, offering various activities such as hiking, mountain biking, trail running, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, birdwatching, nature photography, and more. This accessible trail system is located just a few miles from downtown Saratoga Springs.

GRCF stands on land sold by Ethan and Anne Winter to Saratoga County through what’s known as a “bargain sale.” This unique method combines the sale of land at a decreased price with a charitable donation (the value between the fair market price and sale price). The project was then funded using a mix of grants and private donations, including a $120,000 grant from the Saratoga County Farmland and Open Space Program, a $391,000 grant from the U.S. Forestry Service, and over $215,000 from private donors. Alongside this, OSI, Saratoga PLAN, and the GRCF Advisory Committee provided considerable support. The project’s cost of nearly $1 million was significantly offset by these grants and private donations. 

 For more information about Saratoga County trails, visit www.SaratogaCountyNY.gov/trails