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Author: Saratoga TODAY

Notes from the Chamber of Commerce: Let’s Make Building Workforce Housing a Priority

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Business.

Not everything that happened during the pandemic was bad. In fact, the City of Saratoga Spring made significant progress building workforce housing. This started in 2020 with the opening of Intrada Saratoga.

Near the intersection of West Ave and Washington Street, Intrada Saratoga is an affordable housing project providing housing to families on a fixed income. There are 158 housing units, a gym, and community room. They host movie nights, ping-pong tournaments, and morning trail walks. It is near a bus line, 5 minutes from downtown, and has attracted individuals, families, young adults as well as seniors looking for an affordable place to live in Saratoga.

In 2021, the City added the Promenade Apartments to its list of successful workforce housing projects. This project was spearheaded by the Saratoga Springs Housing Authority. The Promenade includes a mid-rise building with 63 rental units and 22 town house apartments. The amenities offered to residents include a fitness room, a community room, laundry facilities and playground equipment. This development is downtown, on South Federal Street, behind the Stonequist apartments.

That’s a total of 243 new units of workforce housing. It’s a success story. A time to celebrate. To make this happen, our government, nonprofit and private sectors worked together. Now we need to do more of this. It’s an economic imperative, especially given what is likely to be a prolonged labor shortage. It’s also about fairness, equity, inclusion and doing the right thing.

So how can we do more of this?

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First, they worked because the properties worked. They were in good locations. Close to the downtown and on bus routes. Near large employers and employment centers. The neighbors didn’t oppose these projects. There were no lawsuits filed against the developer or the city by those who lived next door.

Second, they worked because the City collaborated and made it a priority to get the approvals needed locally for each to proceed in a timely manner. The reality is that the state provides grants to incentivize these types of projects. But if you don’t get the application in on time, you lose. 

Third, they worked because the developers knew what they were doing. They hired good teams for the design, approval process and construction. They had a track record to show the state that they could deliver on these promises. 

We have more properties in the city where additional workforce housing has been proposed or talked about. Like Intrada and the Promenade, these locations are also on bus routes and near employment centers. If flexibility is needed, we should do this. If there is a deadline, we should be sensitive to this schedule. Getting more workforce housing built on specific sites that make sense should be a priority. Let’s continue to collaborate to get these projects built. 

We might also want to take a look at how the room sharing industry may have disrupted our more traditional rental market. We know there are more than 800 properties in the city that are now regularly “rented” via online portals like AirBnB and Home Away. This number has risen every year. How many of these units were once rented to individuals and families that wanted to live here full-time? What, if anything, can or should we do about this? 

For the Saratoga County Chamber, getting more workforce housing built in the city and surrounding communities is a priority. It’s how we will be able to enjoy a healthy economy and a diverse, vibrant sustainable community. During our darkest days these past two years, we’ve seen how this can be done. Let’s do more. Let’s build back better.

The Gristmill in Galway

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in History.

The Town of Galway had more than a half dozen churches in the early 1800s, but very little industry. It was first settled by immigrants from Scotland in 1774. A lack of large rivers or a railroad connection stifled the growth of the town, although by 1855 it had six sawmills, two grist mills, two broom handle factories, and eight blacksmiths within the village of Galway. 

The Parkis Mill complex of central Galway was not the largest grist mill in Saratoga county, but a description of its history and operations is illustrative of many others of its kind. The Parkhurst family moved from England to Massachusetts in the mid-1600s, and one of them moved to the town of Ballston just a short time after the first settlement had been established there by town founder Eliphalet Ball in 1772. Solomon Parkhurst changed his name to Parkis and went on to have 12 children. 

One of Solomon’s children was Levi, who married Jane Baker in 1852 and purchased a grist mill in Galway six years later. It was the first grist mill in town, built by Daniel Campbell, Schenectady merchant, and original landowner of large tracts of land in the Galway area. When Hiram Foster owned the mill, it was listed in the 1855 census as having “three run of stones, one employee, and works up about 6,000 bushels of rye and corn; but at what amount of profit it is difficult to determine.” The property included the grist mill, a mill pond, house, and distillery. 

The mill derived its power from the Glowegee Creek. A wooden chute made of wooden boards clamped together by iron bands brought water from the dam to the overshot wheel. When the wheel was activated, it would turn the upper grindstone while the lower stone remained in place. Grooves in the stones directed the grain to the edges as the upper stone slowly rotated. The gap between the stones was important – the upper stone would be carefully adjusted based on whether the grain was dry, medium dry, or damp. 

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Corn was ground up into a fine consistency and used in making corn meal and Johnny Cake. Wheat was ground into flour, while rye and oats were processed for feeding livestock. The mill’s specialty was buckwheat ground into flour, primarily used for making pancakes. 

In 1870 the Parkis Mill was listed as a two horsepower, two stone grist mill with a capital investment of $1,500. The total output in that year was 500 bushels of corn, 150 bushels of oats, 300 bushels of buckwheat, 10,000 pounds of meal, 12,000 pounds of feed, and 7,500 pounds of flour with a total value of $1,670. 

Levi’s son Edward took over the daily management of the mill in 1882 at a time when there were four other grist mills in Galway. Tragedy struck six years later when the mill and all its contents burned to the ground when bundles of wool stored too close to a heating stove caught fire. It was a tough winter for the Parkis family since the mill burned in the late fall and could not be rebuilt until the spring. Once a new three-story building was completed, Edward expanded the business and began offering farm equipment, fertilizer, and supplies. 

After Levi Parkis died in 1903, Edward’s son Henry returned from college in New York City with his new wife and moved into the apartment above the mill. The two began experimenting with prepared pancake flour that would require only the addition of water to prepare. In 1920 the first batch of Jolly Farmer was put on the market in half pound and five-pound bags. Unfortunately, Edward did not live to see this event, as he died a few years earlier from a dynamite explosion when trying to destroy a large boulder near his home. 

The grist mill continued to operate under Henry’s management. Wagons and sleighs were used to carry his manufactured flour to Gloversville, Johnstown, and villages in Saratoga County. His buckwheat pancake mix was popular throughout the county and the Adirondacks. After the mill shut down for good in the 1930s it was converted into a house and survived for another half century before being taken down in 1980.   

Timothy Starr has lived in the Capital Region since the age of 6 and published 18 local history books, many detailing the inventions and industry of Saratoga County. He can be reached at tstarr71@gmail.com.

Saints Volleyball Spike Out Cancer

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Sports.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Saratoga Central Catholic Girls Volleyball Program hosted their 13th annual Saints Spike Out Cancer fundraiser and Pink Day game on Friday, Oct. 15. They raised $1,560, and all proceeds from the day and both the JV and Varsity match were donated to the Mollie Wilmot Radiation Oncology Center of Saratoga Hospital. 

The Varsity Girls defeated Cambridge 3-0 (25-12, 25-7, 25-9) to complete a successful day of fundraising. 

Liz Best had 7 service points. Ella Constantino had 8 service points, 6 aces, and 3 assists. Allison Motler had 15 service points, 5 aces, 7 assists, and 3 kills. Elizabeth Whelan had 7 service points, 2 aces, and 2 kills. Kara Wengert had 15 digs. Charleigh Wagner had 7 service points, 2 aces, and 2 kills. Jacqueline Fornabia had 6 service points, 4 kills, and 1 block. 

Highlights for Cambridge include Gabby Fazioli with 1 kill and 6 digs. 

Undefeated Schuylerville Black Horses 7-0

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Sports.

SCHUYLERVILLE— Schuylerville most recently faced off against Cobleskill on Friday, Oct. 15. In a game that was called in the second quarter due to weather, the Black Horses pulled off a 16-0 win to claim the Class C North Division Title. 

Schuylerville scored off L. Cumm’s 11 yd. TD run and L. Sherman’s 1 yd. TD, with J. McGarrahan and Sherman adding to the score with a two-point conversion run each. 

Schuylerville, 5-0 in the league and 7-0 overall, is ranked No. 3 in the state in Class C. 

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O. Sherman, the leading passer so far this season, is 23 for 42 for 296 yds. and 1 TD. Sherman also leads with 350 total yds.

Lead rusher is L. Sherman with 59 carries for 215 yds. and a long of 18 with 3 TDs. 

Taking the lead in receiving is O. Bolduc with 7 receptions for 190 yds. with a long of 29. 

Leading scorer is L. Cumm with 4 TDs so far this season. 

The Black Horses are on the road this Saturday (10/23 @ 2:30 p.m.) at Susquehanna Valley. 

William “Billy” E. Benton, III

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Obituaries.

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SARATOGA SPRINGS — On Tuesday, October 12, 2021, at the young age of 54, William “Billy” E. Benton, III, died tragically while doing what he loved.

He will be remembered as a loving husband, great father, son, brother, uncle, and friend. He will be missed by many. His caring heart, his bear paw shake, teddy bear hugs, creative nicknames and kisses will be cherished in our hearts forever.

Throughout his life, Billy’s smile and presence could bring light to any room. Whether Billy was a lifelong friend or someone you just met, you could tell right away what an incredible man he truly was.

Billy was a native of Saratoga Springs, graduate of Saratoga Springs High School and earned his certificate in HVAC from BOCES. Billy started his career with Freeman and Shea with Bill Wardell who was his mentor and like a father to him. He was then offered an opportunity from one of his best friends, Sonny Bonacio, to start B&B Plumbing and Heating. Throughout the last 23 years of B&B, Billy has made it the well-known and successful company that it is today, “Big Enough to Serve, Small Enough to Care.”

He is survived by his loving wife “Jodeci,” Jody Seitz-Benton, his three beautiful and cherished daughters, “Kayra” Kayla Jade (Scott), “Rou” Larissa Ashley and “Sav,” Savannah Elizabeth (Joey), his porch buddy kitty Kiwi and grand-dog Rico. Billy is also survived by his mother Diane Benton, sister Janice Design (Sammy and their two children Alex and Cody), his stepmother Marianne Benton, half-sisters Cristal Benton and Tiffany (Jay and their four children). He is pre-deceased by his father William Edward Benton, II.

Relatives and friends gathered to remember him on Monday, October 18, 2021 at William J. Burke & Sons Funeral Home in Saratoga Springs. 

A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on Tuesday, October 19, 2021 at St. Clement’s Church in Saratoga Springs. Burial followed in St. Peter’s Cemetery. 

The family respectfully asks in lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the foundation being formed in William E. Benton’s name which will support a scholarship to the HVAC program at BOCES as well as other causes that were important to Billy. For more information, please contact B & B Plumbing & Heating 518-584-4440.

Online remembrances may be made at www.burkefuneralhome.com 

AHA Survey: Despite Risks, 60% Of Americans Say They May Delay or Skip The Flu Shot This Year

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in News.

DALLAS — Three in five Americans say they may delay or skip the flu shot this year, despite warnings from health experts the influenza season could start early and be severe, according to a new survey released this week by the American Heart Association.

While 82% surveyed said they are thinking more about their health due to COVID-19, only 26% said COVID-19 is making them more likely to get the jab this year. Of those surveyed who got the flu shot for the 2020-21 flu season, almost all (98%) said they plan to get vaccinated again this year.

With COVID-19 still stressing many community hospitals, Lloyd-Jones, an epidemiologist and chair of the department of preventive medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago, emphasized that getting the flu vaccination will help prevent a “twin-demic” in addition to reducing the chances of patients facing a “one-two punch” of severe flu and severe COVID-19 together or back-to-back.

Even without COVID-19 on the scene, influenza and its counterpart pneumonia regularly rank among the top 10 causes of death in the U.S. and can be especially risky for certain populations. During the 2018-19 flu season, more than 9 in 10 (93%) of adults hospitalized with influenza reported at least one underlying medical condition like cardiovascular disease, diabetes or obesity. Heart disease is one of the most common chronic (long-term) conditions among adults hospitalized with the flu—accounting for about half of all flu hospitalizations.

The American Heart Association Survey was conducted by Wakefield Research among 1,000 nationally representative U.S. adults ages 18+, between Aug. 30 and Sept. 7, 2021, using an email invitation and an online survey. 

Skidmore To Build New Hockey Locker Facility at Weibel Ice Rink, Will Provide City Over $600K

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in News.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Skidmore College was authorized to build a new hockey locker facility at the Weibel Ice Rink and provide over $600,000 to the City for license fees and improvements to the rink complex, Commissioner of Public Works Anthony “Skip” Scirocco announced last week. The license agreement was approved by the City Council Oct. 5.

Under the agreement, Skidmore is granted a license for 3,124 feet of land adjacent to the Weibel Rink, for 10 years, to construct new locker room facilities. The college is authorized to construct the new locker room facility at their own expense and will maintain the area and cover the cost of all utilities during the term of the license agreement. Skidmore can opt to renew the license agreement for an additional 10 years, and at the expiration of the agreement, the space will be turned back over to the city.

The city will receive $300,000 (net present value) divided into yearly installments for 10 years, along with an additional $310,000 invested over the first three years of the agreement specifically for improvements to the ice rink facilities. The planned improvements will include, among other things, the installation of a new traffic light at the rink entrance, and upgrades for both the Weibel and Vernon rink lobbies.

“This is a great opportunity for the City and Skidmore to work together and improve the City’s recreation facilities,” said Scirocco, in a statement. “We’ve been working toward this for a while and knowing that the Skidmore College hockey teams will continue to use our city rink as their home ice solidifies how Skidmore and the City of Saratoga Springs are dedicated to working together for the good of both our community and their students.”

Nov. 2: Ballot Proposal 3

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in News.

There will be Five Statewide Proposals on Election Ballots in 2021. This is Ballot Proposal 3:

Eliminating Ten-Day-Advance Voter Registration Requirement

The proposed amendment would delete the current requirement in Article II, § 5 that a citizen be registered to vote at least ten days before an election and would allow the Legislature to enact laws permitting a citizen to register to vote less than ten days before the election. Shall the proposed amendment be approved?

Explanation: Section 5 of Article II of the New York Constitution now requires that a citizen be registered to vote at least 10 days before an election. The proposed amendment would delete that requirement. If this amendment is adopted, the Legislature will be authorized to enact laws permitting a citizen to register to vote less than ten days before the election.

John Safford: An Introduction

Written by Saratoga TODAY on . Posted in Letters to the Editor.

I was 15 when John Kennedy said, “ask not what your country can do for you but ask what you can do for your country.” I was 18 when he died. I knew nothing about politics in HS and College except that a Catholic had been elected President. His words were what I thought it meant to be a good citizen and I very much wanted to serve my country. Vietnam changed all that.

Through the ROTC program at Canisius College, I signed up for the infantry and after graduating and attending Infantry Officer training at Fort Benning, GA, I was assigned to a then top-secret intelligence course at Fort Devens, MA, followed by a special TS+C course at Fort Holabird, MD. My job was to become the commander of a first line of defense field operation detecting and identifying nuclear detonations anywhere in the world but, for my command, specifically in Russia and China. This, together with the death of a number of my fellow officers and friends in Vietnam and the popular firestorm in the USA denigrating them and all of us who were serving, was my introduction to real politics.

I grew up (age 15 to 25) in the 1960’s. By the time I left active service in 1970 I had absolutely no interest in anything to do with government or service or even country. I was in bad shape for about six months until I decided to learn about this new thing called a computer and I trained to program them at a school in Syracuse, NY. I have done okay since then, but the purpose of this introduction is to try to explain to you and myself why I decided to run for elected office at the age of 69, how I found out that I was a conservative and why I haven’t given up trying to win an election. In a nutshell, I believed what John Kennedy said and I still do. 

As a veteran, I want to honor and encourage every soldier who has or will serve. As a businessman and conservative, I want to provide the basis and incentive for every citizen to grow both personally and economically. As a considerate Christian, I want to be involved in caring for anyone in need of food or shelter.

All of these goals can be realized as your next Supervisor for Saratoga Springs. 

– John Safford