Author: Saratoga TODAY

BALLSTON SPA — Saratoga County Clerk Craig A. Hayner on Oct. 23 was sworn in as the new president of the New York State Association of County Clerks (NYSACC).

The installation of the organization’s new slate of officers took place during its annual fall conference, held in Clifton Park. Hayner will serve in the position for the next year. 

As NYSACC president, Hayner said he will focus the organization’s efforts on expanding and further developing relationships with key entities in government, the private sector and non-profits statewide. He also will look to capitalize on the strengths of NYSACC members. 

Hayner was first elected as Saratoga County Clerk in November of 2013. Prior to that, he served as a councilman on the Halfmoon Town Board for 6 years and worked in various roles in the private sector for more than 25 years. 

The NYS Association of County Clerks was founded in 1921 and unites clerks from across the state, providing them a unifying voice on state legislation and regulations, the strength of their collective knowledge, and a forum for sharing best practices.  

Members are nominated and voted upon for officer positions during the annual summer conference. NYSACC officers take their oaths and begin serving in their new roles annually during an installation ceremony at the organization’s fall legislative conference.  

SARATOGA SPRINGS ­— Mayor Kim, with City Council approval, accepted a $37,500 grant from the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) for a Government Operations Climate Action Plan (CAP) during the Nov. 8 City Council meeting.

The CAP will establish initiatives and policies that enable the city to meet its climate goals, identify priority strategies and actions for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, assess the vulnerability of the city’s infrastructure and natural environment to projected climate change, and create several shovel-ready projects able to compete for private, federal, and additional state funding. 

The city has reviewed proposals responsive to an RFP for consulting services and expects to announce an award of bid at the Nov. 21 City Council meeting.

The consultant, with assistance from a project team comprised of members of the Climate Smart Task Force and City staff, will draft the CAP for review by stakeholders, local officials, advisory agencies, and citizens. After comments and recommendations are taken into consideration by the consultant and project team, the CAP will be brought to City Council for approval. The process of developing the Climate Action Plan is anticipated to take 12-18 months. 

SARATOGA COUNTY —Assemblywoman Carrie Woerner, D-Round Lake, announced three bills to support libraries statewide have been signed into law. 

The pieces of legislation expand access to digital resources at school libraries, protect conservation grants for invaluable library materials and cut red tape surrounding local library funding.

“Libraries are cornerstones of our local communities,” Woerner said, in a statement.  “The services libraries provide to our communities are innumerable, from study spaces to computer technology and internet access, as well as job training and senior activities. As chair of the Committee on Libraries and Education Technology, I have remained steadfast in my commitment to support New York’s library system. I thank the governor for signing these bills into law and look forward to seeing the positive impacts of these investments in our communities.”

Woerner sponsored legislation to update the definition of school library materials to include digital resources, helping modernize our schools by making digital materials eligible for state aid (Ch. 571 of 2023). The other measure she sponsored will ensure research libraries have the resources to preserve and conserve their materials (Ch. 578 of 2023). Additionally, Woerner co-sponsored and passed a law to reduce the time local governments need to spend on collecting signatures to call for votes on library funding increases (Ch. 587 of 2023). 

SARATOGA COUNTY —Saratoga Flag Company is actively promoting The Make American Flags in America Act throughout New York State and across the nation.

The company has provided American Legion Adirondack Post 70 Adjutant Keith Koster with an American-made, Betsy Ross, 13-Star USA Flag to take on a multi-state hiking journey where Koster is promoting awareness of the American Legion’s “Be the One” Peer Support Program, to end Veteran suicide. Each summit will be highlighted with a photo posted on social media of “Old Glory” tagged with the hashtag:  #MakeAmericanFlags inAmericaAct on each social media post.

Koster has been featured in the centennial edition of The American Legion magazine, for hiking all 46 of the Adirondack Peaks and displaying an American Legion flag at each summit to celebrate the 100th anniversary of The American Legion.

Saratoga Flag Company is promoting a Flag Advocacy Challenge: Take a photo of yourself with an American-made U.S.A. Flag, in your favorite locations to promote The Make American Flags in America Act, and post the photos to your social media accounts with the hashtag  #MakeAmericanFlags inAmericaAct. 

The Make American Flags in America Act of 2023, (H.R. 4137), was introduced in June by Congresswoman Elise Stefanik. The Bill states that any American Flags displayed on taxpayer-funded Federal property must be Made in the U.S.A. Any American Flags purchased by the Federal Government must be Made in the U.S.A.

The Make American Flags in America Act is proudly endorsed by The National Independent Flag Dealers Association (www.nifda.net/flag-bill-hr4137) and The Flag Manufacturers Association of America (www.fmaa-usa.com ).