QUEENSBURY — Southern Adirondack Independent Living Center (SAIL) has announced it has received the New York State Justice Center Champion Award.
The recognition celebrates individuals and groups who work to enhance the lives of individuals with special needs in the state of New York, a press release states.
SAIL’s Technology Related Assistance for Individuals with Disabilities (TRAID) department offers essential medical equipment on a loan basis, including wheelchairs, walkers, crutches, and more. It also provides assistive technology, such as adaptive tools, laptops, specialized equipment for students, and pocket translators, as well as recreational equipment including all-terrain wheelchairs, golf clubs and skis for wheelchairs, according to the release.
SAIL processed over 2,400 loan requests through the TRAID program in 2022, the release states, and actively participates in conferences and events with the Justice Center.
“This year, the Justice Center celebrated its 10-year anniversary—an achievement that could not have been reached without the support, diligence, and commitment of New York’s direct support workers,” said Denise M. Miranda, executive director of the Justice Center, in the release.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — Locally-based recruitment firm Ramsey Miller is celebrating one year of business in the Capital Region and beyond.
The company was launched by Tim Staples and Adam VanDervoort in Oct. 2022. One year in, Ramsey Miller has worked to fill roles in the Capital Region and more, and has continued its growth.
VanDervoort said the company recently hired four associate recruiters, and in addition to local jobs, have been working in locations such as Cincinnati, Denver, and Philadelphia. He noted that one of the company’s new recruits is also based in Nashville.
“Now we have a team of, essentially, six of us working roles,” said VanDervoort. “It’s been going good.”
VanDervoort has experience in the real estate industry, while Staples had previously worked in the recruitment industry in New York City. VanDervoort said the two decided to launch their own company after Staples relocated to the Capital Region.
“My attraction to it was the business side,” VanDervoort said. “I have a passion for entrepreneurship, and starting businesses. That was my draw, starting something from the ground up. But as I looked in the area, there’s not much going on as far as recruitment.”
Ramsey Miller primarily works with companies in fields such as commercial and civil construction, and financial services, VanDervoort said. He noted a majority of work done by the company is to help those who are already employed to find another opportunity.
“Because someone’s argument usually is, ‘Why doesn’t the company just post these job openings?’ Good people at good companies who are good workers, they’re employed,” said VanDervoort. “They’re not sitting at home looking at Indeed at these other opportunities. When we reach out, these are working people who are, frankly, quite happy at their positions, they just never really thought to explore other options or see what’s out there.”
While some companies hire their own internal recruiters, VanDervoort noted Ramsey Miller can work with them as well. He said the company only receives payment if one of their recommendations is hired.
“They’re getting a recruitment effort for free, and they only have to pay if someone gets hired, versus internal recruitment, paying somebody a salary to do what we’re doing,” said VanDervoort. “And a lot of companies have their own internal recruiters, and we still work with them, because the amount of people to go through, it’s so many options.”
He said the company utilizes a mix of artificial intelligence to help compete with larger firms, running software to detect prospective employees who could be a strong fit for a given job. From there, the Ramsey Miller team can manually examine several hundred candidates to recommend the best options for the company.
VanDervoort said business began to “snowball” for the company after its first several months, and also made note of what he described as a current disconnect between candidates and companies when it comes to remote, hybrid, or in-office work.
“A lot of our first questions that get asked to us when we’re speaking to candidates is, ‘Do I have to go in?’” VanDervoort said. “… And it also seems like people are willing to sacrifice salary if they can be remote, or companies willing to pay a little bit more if someone’s willing to come in. So there’s, I call it a disconnect at this point, of what works as far as hybrid, remote, or in-office workplaces right now.”
The company plans to continue its growth in the future, with VanDervoort saying Ramsey Miller will likely look to add more recruiters, open new roles, and expand into other industries moving forward.
“I would say our plans, definitely, are to grow,” said VanDervoort. “… Starting to tailor into more broad industries, I would say, so we can better serve not only people here, but nationally.”
Rick Fenton (left) and Tom Denny (right) have been appointed as the City of Saratoga Springs’ first volunteer tree stewards.Photo provided.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — The City of Saratoga Springs and Sustainable Saratoga have announced a partnership to provide early pruning and other maintenance for young trees in the City.
The Saratoga Springs City Council has authorized two members of Sustainable Saratoga’s Urban Forestry Project, Rick Fenton and Tom Denny, to serve as the city’s first tree stewards. They will work with city arborist Steve Lashomb to perform structural pruning on city-owned trees on streets and in parks, a press release states.
“This new initiative builds on our longstanding partnership with Sustainable Saratoga and their Tree Toga plantings,” said Department of Public Works commissioner Jason Golub in the release.
“This partnership is an investment in our future,” stated Mayor Ron Kim in the release. “Tree canopies provide shade, absorb stormwater runoff, and absorb and store greenhouse gasses. By enhancing the city’s ability to cultivate and maintain the health of our young trees, we are supporting the health of the urban forest that will cool and inspire many generations of residents and visitors to our city.”
The New York Department of Environmental Conservation states that proper pruning can prevent structural defects in young trees, the release states. Structural pruning aims to create a strong trunk giving the tree strength and eliminate low branches before they grow large.
Fenton, a retired DEC Forester, notes in the release that “early pruning is low risk, low cost, and is routinely done by trained volunteers in other cities across the country.”
The City’s new Tree Steward program is modeled after one at Syracuse-Onondaga County CommuniTree, the release states.
“Using volunteers to prune young trees has been a goal since the 2013 Urban Forest Master Plan,” said city arborist Steve Lashomb in the release. “The Tree Stewards will provide great support to the work of my tree crew, and I hope Sustainable Saratoga will be able to expand the program with additional trained volunteers in future years.”
SARATOGA SPRINGS — Saratoga Arms Hotel has been ranked the #11 hotel in the Mid-Atlantic in the 2023 Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards, the hotel announced in a press release.
Saratoga Arms is the only hotel in the Capital District to be recognized in the 2023 awards, the release states. The only other hotel in New York State to make the list was the Grand Adirondack Hotel in Lake Placid, ranking 10th.
Over 520,000 readers of Condé Nast Traveler responded to the Readers’ Choice Awards, the release states. The full list of winners can be found at cntraveler.com.
Saratoga Arms Hotel, run by mother and daughter owners Kathleen and Amy Smith, is celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2023.
A rendering of the proposed redevelopment at Wilton Mall.Image provided by Macerich.
WILTON — Discussion on the proposed redevelopment of the Wilton Mall continued during a public hearing at the Town Board Meeting on Oct. 5.
The plans propose the development of apartment units and townhomes at the site of the mall’s former Bon Ton location. While speaking at the hearing, Wilton Mall GM Mike Shaffer said similar plans have been enacted in malls nationwide, converting the properties into what he described as “mixed-use destinations.”
He stated the project’s goal is to increase property values, reduce vacancies in the mall, and add an increase in sales tax revenue to the town and county.
Shaffer said that the proposal has begun to garner interest from several companies, including a fitness company and a new theater operator. He also cited a study from Camoin Associates stating that the project would generate over $360,000 in net sales tax revenue, and over $800,000 annually to the Saratoga Springs City School District.
Jon Locke, owner of Salty Buns Restaurant in the Wilton Mall, spoke strongly in support of the proposal, saying part of the reason the restaurant moved into the mall this summer was their belief in the plans.
“This endeavor will bring vitality into our town, offering decent living spaces and crafting a vibrant community complete with essential amenities at our fingertips,” Locke said. “What truly sets this project apart is its capacity to offer employment prospects on numerous fronts, from skilled labor that will be necessary during the construction to the countless positions needed to support the residents and businesses within this new complex.”
Duane Hendershot, store director of Healthy Living Market inside the mall, said he is “really excited” about the proposal. As part of the plan, funding would also be provided to Saratoga PLAN for a conservation easement on the Vincek Farm.
Laura Vincek of the Vincek Farm said at the hearing that the easement would benefit not just to town residents, but “will benefit the planet for as long as the planet exists.” She said the Vincek Farm has been a continuously-working farm since the 18th century, prior to the Revolutionary War.
“The Vincek Farm is a historic landmark, and a national treasure that should be protected eternally for the generations to come,” said Laura Vincek. “People have said to me, ‘Well, you could just remove the development rights.’ Well if I could do that, someone else can put them back.”
Josh Vincek also spoke at the hearing, and said they hope to add more events and activities at the farm for members of the community. He said the farm often hosts groups and assists with local nonprofits.
Tori Roberts of Saratoga PLAN read a letter from the group at the hearing, saying that while Saratoga PLAN takes no position on the mall project, they are “supportive of the concept of using previously-developed land for sustainable redevelopment strategies” from an environmental and conservation perspective.
“Concentrating development in these areas offers the potential to reduce urban sprawl, and preserve open space for the entire community,” the letter read in part.
However, some residents raised concerns about the proposal. Scott Kingsley said he does not believe a PUDD is appropriate for the area, and noted he is against urbanization in Wilton, saying, “If you want to look like Saratoga Springs, the problems of Saratoga Springs will follow.”
“The problem is, when you open the door, the door never closes,” said Kingsley. “What happens when the rest of the mall continues to struggle? … We know what’s going to happen. And I do feel sorry for the property owners there. But they’re going to want more residential when other parts of the mall fail.”
Chad Jerome said he does not believe the residential properties will have the stated effect.
“You’re putting residential property next to a mall with the idea that, hopefully, residents of that are going to somehow make the mall successful that’s been in decline,” Jerome said. “… It’d be unfortunate if the Wilton Mall were to go away. Businesses come and go, unfortunately. The town board isn’t here to save every business that may or may not work. That’s not saying that we want the mall to go. But if the business isn’t there for it, then the business isn’t there for it.”
Some residents also raised concerns about a potential increase in traffic, although Shaffer cited a traffic study that he said was conducted in 2022 that did not anticipate any significant impacts.
After the hearing, Town Board member John McEachron stated that while he is in favor of the project, “There has to be something in it for the Town of Wilton.”
“We’re changing zoning,” McEachron said at the meeting. “We’re changing zoning to a 110-acre PUDD that can never get brought back, can never change back. So what do we get out of it? There’s got to be a public benefit.”
Following the hearing, Shaffer told a group of reporters he was pleased with the turnout of supporters, and is looking forward to continuing the process.
“Very pleased for the supporters that turned out for us tonight, and the amount of knowledge that they had on the project,” Shaffer said. “Just very pleased with that turnout. And we’ll see where it goes from here.”
The plans will be brought to the Wilton Planning Board on Oct. 18, and are expected to return to the Town Board at its Nov. 2 meeting, Shaffer said.
BALLSTON SPA — Sterling Real Estate Group has announced the expansion of its team with the addition of three agents, Rick Gargiulo, Dave Ryan and Joanna Rockwood.
The Sterling Real Estate Group specializes in new construction, resale, condos, investment properties, land development and more, a press release states. The brokerage has over 20 years of experience as the local real estate experts.
Photo provided by Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — A career fair will be held Friday, Oct. 20 by the Naval Support Facility and the Veterans Business Council of the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce, along with Albany Stratton VA Medical Center and the Fleet and Family Support Center.
The career fair will run from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Field House of the Naval Support Facility at 19 JF King Dr. in Saratoga Springs. All active-duty service members, military spouses, veterans, and children and spouses of veterans are invited to attend. The event is free to attend.
All job seekers who are looking for career opportunities, need assistance with resume writing, or help with interview skills are encouraged to attend. Job seekers are encouraged to bring copies of their resume for prospective employers, the release states.
Participating employers include the 109th Airlift Wing, Ballston Spa National Bank, DA Collins Companies, Espey Manufacturing, GLOBAL-FOUNDRIES, Military One Source, New York State Troopers, Owens Corning, Saratoga Bridges, Watervliet Arsenal, and more.
For further information, please contact The Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce at 518-584-3255 or visit www.saratoga.org.
ALBANY — Berkshire Bank has announced the hiring of Milly Deane as SVP, commercial relationship manager, CRE (Commercial Real Estate) serving the Capital Region of New York state.
At Berkshire, Milly will be responsible for originating new commercial real estate loans and lines, managing a sizable portfolio, and representing Berkshire in the community, the release states.
WILTON — The Town of Wilton is offering a free fall leaf pickup program for town residents. One pick up only. Visit townofwilton.com for more information, or call Nancy at 518-587-1939, ext. 239.
BALLSTON SPA — The Saratoga County Board of Supervisors has announced the County has named Discover Saratoga as the county’s official tourism promotion agency.
A resolution passed by the Saratoga County Board of Supervisors at its Sept. meeting allows Discover Saratoga to register as the county’s Tourism Promotion Agency and apply for a 2024 ‘I Love New York’ grant, states a press release from the County.
“Saratoga County is recognized as a leading tourism destination, and we believe this new partnership will increase our visitors who want to experience the many different attractions that draw people from around the world,” said Board of Supervisors chairman Theodore Kusnierz, Jr., in the release. “We are excited to work with Discover Saratoga to promote our growing vacation, leisure, and convention activities across the County, which are an important segment of our economy.”
Discover Saratoga (Saratoga Convention and Tourism Bureau) will assist in the promotion of the county initiative, ‘Saratoga: America’s Turning Point,’ which is said to highlight the 250th anniversary of the Battle of Saratoga and the Revolutionary War, the release states.
Discover Saratoga will assume TPA duties for the County beginning Jan. 1 of next year. This year, the county had allocated $300,000 for TPA services to the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce, the release states.
“The hospitality sector is a vital engine for expanding economic opportunity across Saratoga County, and that’s why the Chamber originally suggested that leisure and group tourism promotion be consolidated into Discover Saratoga,” said Chamber president Todd Shimkus in the release. “Having Discover Saratoga dedicate all their efforts to this mission is the most effective and efficient way to do this and is a win for everyone. This change means that the Chamber will be able to focus our time, talent, and treasure in other vital areas.”
“We’re absolutely delighted and honored to be designated as the official Tourism Promotion Agency (TPA) for Saratoga County,” said Discover Saratoga president Darryl Leggieri in the release. “We are excited to embark on this journey to showcase the unparalleled beauty, culture, and experiences that our county has to offer. Together with our valued tourism partners, we’re ready to not only celebrate, but also elevate Saratoga County’s status as a year-round tourist destination. Our shared mission is to create unforgettable experiences and forge lasting memories for both our visitors and locals alike, with the goal of fostering a profound connection with our respected County.”
