On March 1, the Bag Waste Reduction Law will go into effect across New York State. The law is meant to encourage shoppers to use reusable bags and cut down on waste. However, some see it as a downside.

The new law bans plastic bags that would be provided to customers at any state retailer that collects sales tax. Instead, stores will provide paper bags at an extra cost of 5 cents, which is collected as a state tax. Stores will also begin to sell reusable cloth bags for customers to purchase.

Not every plastic bag is banned under this new law. Exempt bags include those used to wrap food products and plants, bags for collecting bulk items, garment bags, trash bags and most importantly for us, bags for delivering newspapers. Shoppers are also encouraged to keep using the current plastic bags that they already own.

Local businesses are already preparing for the change. Healthy Living Market and Café in Wilton has already instituted a plastic bag ban at their store and recently began charging 5 cents for paper bags earlier this week. However, their paper bag decision was made long before the law was passed, and the 5 cents they charge goes to a local food pantry.

“We’re really trying to be a step above the game,” said Duane Hendershot, General Manager at Healthy Living. “We don’t care about the nickels and dimes, we care about the environment and getting people to reuse their bags.” Healthy Living Market and Café also offers a 10-cent discount for anyone shopping with a reusable bag.

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In a recent Facebook post, Stewart’s Shops also announced that they would no longer have plastic bags, and encouraged members of the community to share their memories of the bags. Many commenters said they particularly liked Stewart’s plastic bags because they were thicker than other bags, and used them for carrying winter boots, cleaning cat litter, and using as garbage bags in small garbage pails.

While Stewart’s encouraged its customers to keep reusing their plastic bags, some expressed sadness and frustration about not being able to get new ones anymore. Others in the community think that the new law is a positive sign for the future of the environment. “A lot of people want their hands held and want things to be the same as when they were kids, but things change,” said local resident Daniel Abrams. “Maybe this makes life more inconvenient, but you just have to get another kind of bag. It may be annoying, but a law is a law.”

It is still unclear in the scientific community whether plastic bag bans are actually beneficial to the environment, or have unintended and harmful consequences. According to the Environmental Literacy Council, plastic bags take up less space in landfills than paper bags, creating less waste by volume. They are also reusable, unlike paper bags. However, plastic bags are not biodegradable and can be extremely harmful to marine life, clog sewer pipes and are some of the most common stray trash found on the planet.

Another study that examined a plastic bag ban in the state of California showed that after the ban was implemented, the sale of garbage bags skyrocketed. Garbage bags can be even more harmful than regular plastic bags, as they are made of thicker material and use more plastic. According to the study’s author, economist Rebecca Taylor, “…about 30% of percent of the plastic that was eliminated by the ban comes back in the form of thicker garbage bags.” Even reusable cloth bags are not without their harm, due to water use and other production factors.

No matter what bag consumers use, it may feel like a Catch-22. The best option for New Yorkers is to keep reusing whatever bags that they already have. Whether it’s plastic bags, cloth bags, tote bags, purses or backpacks, reusing what you already own is a better choice than buying something new. For more information on the NYS Plastic Bag Ban Law and other exempt plastic bags, visit www.dec.ny.gov/chemical/50034.html.

For Purposes of Clarification

In Saratoga Today’s Feb. 7 edition, the front-page article “So Long, Plastic!” omitted that at this time Saratoga County and the City of Saratoga Springs will not opt-in to the 5 cent paper bag tax under the Bag Waste Reduction Law.

MALTA – The Board of Directors of the Saratoga County Prosperity Partnership has unanimously approved the appointment of Shelby Schneider as President and CEO.  Schneider had served as the interim President and CEO during the past month.

“Shelby has nearly two decades of experience working in economic development and is well respected among community and business leaders both in Saratoga County and throughout the state,” Saratoga Partnership Board Chairman Kevin Hedley said, in a statement.

Schneider has more than 17 years of experience in economic, workforce and community development in Saratoga County. Since 2016, she has served as Director of Business Retention and Expansion, and as Vice President of the Saratoga Partnership.  She had previously spent 13 years at the Saratoga Economic Development Corporation, where she was a member of the economic development team that brought GLOBALFOUNDRIES to Saratoga County. In addition, she led one of the most successful Empire Zones in New York State, helping businesses throughout Saratoga County to access millions of dollars in state tax benefits to support expansion and growth.

“The Prosperity Partnership plays a vital role in the economic development strategy of the County and Shelby, a long-time fixture in the region’s economic development scene, is the right person to lead the organization into this new chapter,” Saratoga County Board of Supervisors Chairman Preston Allen said, in a statement.

The Prosperity Partnership is a Saratoga County-based economic development organization. According to a company statement, it has achieved success in siting the Key Capture Energy project, the state’s largest battery energy storage facility in Stillwater, New York; the transformation of the Proctors-Universal Preservation Hall, in Saratoga Springs, into a year-round, world-class arts and cultural venue in downtown Saratoga; Land Remediation Inc.’s new $1.8 million corporate headquarters in Waterford; the opening of Esperanto’s 2,700-square-foot Oboy commercial baker in Ballston Spa; and the $60 million adaptive reuse project that will transform the long-vacant 230,000-square-foot industrial building in the Village of Victory, into 186 workforce housing units and along with the availability of commercial space.

 Under Schneider’s leadership, the Saratoga Partnership team will continue Next Wave Communities Initiative which assists communities within Saratoga County in developing economic development plans tailored to their particular strengths, needs, and aspirations. The Saratoga Partnership has been working with the Towns of Moreau, Malta, Galway, and the Village of Ballston Spa by leading a series of activities including interviews with key government, business, and community stakeholders.

“I thank the Saratoga Partnership board for its confidence and support and am honored to have the opportunity to lead the organization. With a strong and growing economy in Saratoga County, I am excited to lend my experience to leverage new public and private investment and create jobs and opportunities in our communities. I look forward to working closely with the board and am committed to fully engaging all of our stakeholders including elected officials, and businesses and community leaders,” Schneider said.

“As an organization, we are well positioned to help Saratoga County’s communities plan for future success, by partnering with employers, developing our workforce, and serving as an advocate for initiatives that will drive a vibrant and prosperous future.”

NEW YORK — The New York State Association of Agricultural Fairs (NYSAAF) represents 52 Agriculture Fairs throughout New York State. The association’s objectives are to promote and encourage agriculture, horticulture, and the domestic arts through annual fairs, including material and educational development of agriculture and industry. 

NYSAAF fosters a spirit of cooperation among members and a place for the exchanging of ideas on management and problems of general interest, resulting in the continuing improvement of fairs and expositions throughout the state and providing a memorable experience for all fairgoers.

On Tuesday, January 21, it was announced that the New York State Fair would extend its dates to include five additional days. 

There are concerns about local County Fairs dates overlapping, as well as the limitations this may create for those respective agricultural showcases and entertainment packages. At this point, we do not know the impact that this will have on county fairs throughout the state during this transition. Next steps will be determined as we await further information from the New York State Department of Agriculture and the Governor’s Office.

SCHUYLERVILLE/ QUEENSBURY — Come hear from Jan King, owner of King Brothers Dairy, and John Bolster of Reduced-Fat Design, as they share insights into the re-birth of a family-owned business. Learn how this client/designer partnership used customer insight to craft a brand promise to provide farm-fresh quality dairy to the community through home delivery, restaurants, grocery stores and farm-based retail in Schuylerville. The event will take place on Thursday, Jan. 30 from 7:30 a.m. to 8:45 a.m. at SUNY Adirondack’s Queensbury campus. Tickets are $15, free for students and faculty, and can be purchased online. For more information, please contact the Office of Business by calling 518-681-5613 or emailing businesscentral@sunyacc.edu.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Dr. Lee Ruotsi recently joined Saratoga Hospital as medical director of the hospital’s new wound healing program.

Ruotsi has more than 30 years of experience, most recently as medical director of Catholic Health Centers for Advanced Wound Healing in Western New York. He also served as a wound care and hyperbaric medicine consultant for Roswell Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo, taught in several residency programs and was program director of the Wound Care Fellowship at Catholic Health System of Buffalo.

Wound healing specialists treat chronic and problematic wounds. These typically affect patients who have diabetes, poor circulation, nerve damage or other conditions, or those who have undergone radiation treatments. Elderly patients also are more likely to need wound care.

“We start by identifying both the cause of the wound and the barriers to healing,” Dr. Ruotsi said. “In addition, we focus on conditions in the wound itself, applying evidence-based care to get the wound into an optimal state of readiness to heal.”

The new wound-healing program is the latest example of Saratoga Hospital’s commitment to add programs and services to keep pace with a changing community.

“We are seeing a growing need for wound healing in the Saratoga region and expect that to continue to increase as the population ages,” said Dr. Richard Falivena, vice president and chief medical and physician integration officer at Saratoga Hospital.

“Dr. Ruotsi is the ideal choice to help us meet this need,” Falivena added. “He has extensive experience in growing and overseeing high-quality wound care programs. Equally important is the way he delivers that care, with an emphasis on dignity, respect and the human touch.”

Ruotsi is board certified in wound care by the American Board of Wound Medicine and Surgery and in undersea and hyperbaric medicine by the American Board of Preventive Medicine. He also is certified as a wound specialist by the American Board of Wound Management.

In addition, Ruotsi serves on the board of directors of the American Board of Wound Medicine and Surgery and the National Pressure Injury Advisory Panel. He is a member of the Wound Healing Society and the Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society. He also lectures nationally and internationally on topics related to wound care and hyperbaric medicine.

Ruotsi is in practice with Saratoga Hospital Medical Group – Wound Healing. He sees patients at Saratoga Medical Park at Malta. For an appointment, call 518-886-7568.

SARATOGA COUNTY — What will you do with the extra day we all get this Leap Year, on Saturday, February 29? The Saratoga County’s Chamber’s idea — take part in Leap of Kindness Day and do something kind for someone else.

To help you participate, The Saratoga County’s Chamber reached out to local nonprofits in Saratoga County and asked them for some ideas. While you can wait to deliver any items you might donate, you are encouraged to start collection activities within your workplace or organization as soon as possible to maximize your participation and community impact.

The Chamber is also inviting their members and other local organizations to share their own creative ideas for participating in Leap of Kindness Day this year.

Leap of Kindness Day now happens every four years. The idea is to get as many people in our community as possible to use the extra day we all get in a Leap Year to do something kind for someone else. Our first Leap of Kindness Day was in 2016.

Locally across Saratoga County, hundreds of people take part in this celebration of kindness. Some cooked breakfast or delivered lunch for first responders. Others delivered flowers or socks to residents in local retirement homes. Local employers collected clothes, food and money for a wide range of local charities. Others acted individually sending a thank you card to someone who meant a lot to them.

Beyond Saratoga County, there were more than 50 chambers in 30 states that joined the Leap of Kindness Day celebration.

And now as we inch closer to Leap of Kindness Day 2020, our goal is to see that even more individuals and employers come together to do something kind for someone else using the extra day they will get on February 29.

Below are what some local nonprofits are requesting:

Habitat for Humanity
We are asking for the community to purchase a 2x4x8 or 2x6x8 and write a message about home ownership and/or affordable housing on it. Please drop it off at the ReStore, at 1373 Rt 9,  Moreau NY 12828. Contact Adam Feldman for details at 518-793-7484.

Mechanicville Area Community Center 
We could use any items, but what we are and will continue to be short on is cleaning products (laundry items, sponges, cleaning sprays, dish soap), personal care items (toothpaste, mouth wash, hand soap, full size shampoo / conditioner, deodorant) and pet supplies (dog and cat food, kitty litter, treats). Contact Megan Quillinan for details at 518-664-8322.

Franklin Community Center
A major need we have this time of year is individually packaged snack items to provide snacks to our 150+ Project Lift participants, as well as hygiene items like shampoo, conditioner, shaving cream, soap, toothpaste, toilet paper, paper towels and tooth brushes. These items are even more helpful than food items because they are things that SNAP benefits do not cover. Contact Kari Cushing at 518-587-9826.

CAPTAIN Community Human Services 
We have four offices that could use painting at our Glenville location. Painting help or donated paint would be appreciated Contact Ava Martin if you can help at 518-399-4624.

Shelters of Saratoga
Canned goods drive for our outreach program. Contact Rosemary Royce at 518-581-1097.

The Wesley Community 
Flowers, stuffed animals, etc. for residents. Contact Greg Dixon at 518-691-1419.

The Salvation Army
Collecting sock and underwear donations for all ages. Contact Bree Barker at 518-584-1640.

Backstretch Employee Service Team
Donation of jeans for backstretch workers at the Saratoga Race Course. Contact Nancy Underwood at 518-587-3720.

Below is a list of “acts of kindness” our member organizations are planning to do to join our Leap of Kindness Day celebration.

The Rotary Club of Saratoga Springs
Participate through the Rotary Home & Lifestyle Show by making donations of items at the show: Saturday, Feb. 29 will be socks and underwear, and Sunday, Mar. 1 will be pet items such as unused dog and cat beds, food, treats, toys and other pet paraphernalia. Bring your donations to the show and place them in the receptacle near our entry table.

First New York Federal Credit Union 
Collecting donations for Blue Star Mothers of America at all of their credit union branches.

The Chamber’s Veterans Business Council
Collecting donations for STRIDE, a veteran organization assisting disabled veterans.

The Clifton Park Halfmoon Public Library
Working with CAPTAIN to collect funds to support their outreach programs, including their Street Outreach Project and Youth Shelter. Patrons can donate funds and they will receive a “frog” where they can write their name. It will be hung up on their window to create a visual frog pond.

The Saratoga County Chamber’s Board of Directors
Bringing fruit and vegetable platters to the overnight staffs at the Ellis Medicine Urgent Care Center in Clifton Park, and the Albany Med/Saratoga Hospital Urgent Care Center in Malta.

Please email or call the Saratoga County Chamber at 518-584-3255 to let us know how people can help your nonprofit organization as part of Leap of Kindness Day 2020. Please also share what you are doing with the chamber on Facebook. Every effort will be made to thank and publicly acknowledge all of the acts of kindness taking place in Saratoga County and beyond.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Here’s a one question quiz that I hope everyone in Saratoga Springs will take.

Saratoga Springs plays host to 64 permitted special events every year. These range from Chowderfest, to the Victorian Streetwalk, Flag Day Parade, Beekman Street Art Fair etc., etc.

These events are attended by residents and often times attract visitors too.

They are fun, festive, and add to our quality of life. Often times, they generate business for our hotels, B&B’s, bars, restaurants, stores and shops.

Now while I can’t speak for all of these events, the Saratoga County Chamber plays a leading role in managing Saratoga’s All American Celebration which includes a spectacular fireworks show on July 4, in Congress Park.

And we took the lead in securing the permits from the City and managing this year’s First Night fireworks after they were originally cancelled. 

So here’s the question: Who pays for the fireworks?

A. Government
B. Sponsors
C. Event organizers
D. All of the Above

I’m willing to bet most people think it is the government. But that’s not the whole story. Don’t get me wrong. We could not host these events without the support of the City.  The Accounts Office facilitates the permit process.The Police, Fire, and DPW Departments all review these permit applications. This takes time and we know time is money. They provide fencing, signs, trash receptacles, etc. The City pays the $5,000 per event cost for the insurance event organizers need to shut down a road. The Finance and Accounts departments are considering purchasing variable messaging boards and security gates that will be made available to event organizers. This is all helpful. But event organizers pay a fee for Police, Fire, EMS, and DPW. These fees are based on the number of officers, firefighters, ambulances, DPW trucks, and personnel that are assigned to work at these events. 

For instance, the Chamber was charged $3,387.50 for police, fire, and traffic department personnel for the July 4th celebration. We were also charged $2,495 for the First Night fireworks

So it must be the sponsors that pay for the fireworks and these costs, right? That’s not the whole story either. 

In 2019, we raised $14,140 for the July 4th celebration but had total expenses of $17,512.50. This means we lost $3,372.50.

A reduction in sponsorship dollars contributed to the decision by Saratoga Arts to initially cancel this year’s First Night fireworks. The decline in sponsorships is partly due to how many more events there are now. Every day businesses get requests for donations to support events and a range of worthy causes. 

We are fortunate in Saratoga Springs to have more than our fair share of businesses that sponsor everything. Many give to some. 

Some businesses, however, incorrectly believe that others will pick up the tab. So they don’t contribute at all. Event organizers don’t fund these events either. 

The staff time we invest to host events, like the July 4th Festival and the First Night fireworks this year, is for the benefit of the community. We are not being reimbursed.

So if events are not funded by the government, sponsors, or event organizers, it must be all of the above, right? Yes. Yes. Yes!

We need more sponsors and more sponsorship money if we want these events to survive. We need more people — individuals and families — who love attending these events to make a contribution. And, we need the various departments that now charge us a fee to work with us to reduce costs too. We need EVERYONE to contribute or I fear these events we say we enjoy will just go away.

To kick start this effort, we setup a text-to-donate program for those who want to have fireworks in Saratoga Springs on July 4 and First Night in 2020. If you enjoy these firework celebrations or your business wants them to continue, please make a donation today. Text “SARATOGAFIREWORKS” to 44-321.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Former Saratoga County Public Defender Oscar Schreiber recently opened his own law practice in Saratoga Springs. This comes after 31 years with the public defender’s office, and a brief retirement. 

“Retirement is not for me. I still have a lot to do,” said Schreiber. “I’m young enough, I have the experience and knowledge, and I still want to contribute.” 

Schreiber received his law degree from Gonzaga University, and started out at a personal injury firm in NYC. He later moved to the area and began working for the county in 1989, becoming chief public defender in 2013. Schreiber said that he decided to leave in August 2019 to search out a new challenge. “The lawyers at the Saratoga County Pubic Defender’s Office are some of the best lawyers that I have worked with in my 37 years of practicing law, and I wish them the best,” said Schreiber. 

In his new firm, Schreiber would like to focus on personal injury, rehabilitation, and counseling for addiction issues as an alternative to incarceration. He would also like to help any veterans that come into trouble due to their addiction. “Many veterans I’ve represented have returned from overseas with PTSD or addiction,” said Schreiber. “I will be advocating for veterans, substance abuse issues, and mental health treatment. Once we address the mental health issues and the addiction issues, I think criminality will be greatly reduced.” Schreiber also emphasized the importance of bail reform in the criminal justice system.

Schreiber will have a full time investigator and paralegal on his team, but will keep his practice individualized for now. “My goal in this private practice is to give the client my individual and undivided attention,” he said. “I want my clients to feel like they’ve been treated fairly by the criminal justice system, and my personal injury clients to feel like they’ve been treated fairly by the insurance company; if not, that’s what they look to my aid for.”

Schreiber’s practice is located at 100 West Ave. in Saratoga Springs. “I look forward to this practice; I’m going to miss the county, the administrators, and the people, but I think this is a great challenge for me,” stated Schreiber. For more information, call Schreiber’s office at 518-450-4007.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Adirondack Trust Company has a way to help customers save money in the New Year: by using their Beyond Savings app. Launched in July 2019, the app continues to provide deals, or “perks” to customers shopping locally. 

“There’s lots of rewards programs and apps that people can use to get discounts, but we wanted one that was just with local merchants on it,” said Rob Ward, Marketing Manager at the Adirondack Trust. “And also, from a digital perspective, everybody uses their phone for just about everything these days.”

The app works by tracking its user’s location and notifying them when they’re near a business that offers a perk. Some of the perks can include a discount, or various free items with purchases. 

“It’s fun in a way that the app is actually interacting with you as you’re moving through the community, and then you’re looking to see what perk alerts come up and the value of the perk or discount that the merchant may be offering,” said Ward. “You may decide to go in and take advantage of it, or you may keep it in mind for future reference.”

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The location tracking, or geofencing technology, is what makes this app so distinguishable from others. “The geo-fencing was a critical component of selecting this app for us,” said Ward. “We wanted it to be instantaneous; you know, sometimes people plan to go use a discount, and other times, some things are spontaneous.”

Merchants who want to offer perks on the app can sign up through a form on the Adirondack Trust website, though they must sign up for at least one year and have a business account with the bank. Once approved, businesses can begin to offer perks through the app. “They have full control over what offers that they have,” said Celia Vincek, Digital Marketing Assistant at the Adirondack Trust.

The app currently has around 75 participating vendors, ranging from Glens Falls to Clifton Park. Ward stated that the bank will begin more outreach for the app in March of this year, in preparation for the Spring and Summer season. “The more value that we can add to the app in the form of perks, we feel the more valuable that it’ll be to individuals that use the app and frequent it,” he said. The app is available for free in the App Store and the Google Play Store.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Dr. Sean Boyle, a general surgeon who is fellowship-trained in surgical critical care, has joined Saratoga Hospital Medical Group – General Surgery.

Boyle was raised in the Capital Region and earned his medical degree from Albany Medical College. In 2017, with the affiliation of Albany Med and Saratoga Hospital, he became the first chief resident from the college to complete a surgical rotation at Saratoga Hospital.

In addition to providing surgical training, the rotation introduced Boyle to the advantages of practicing in Saratoga. The experience also offers opportunities for the supervising surgeons. While training future surgeons, Saratoga physicians get an advance look at promising potential colleagues like Boyle.

Two Saratoga Hospital Medical Group general surgeons—Drs. Anthony Cutry and Randall Kimball—have joined the faculty of Albany Medical College and are supervising second-year and chief residents during their rotations at Saratoga Hospital. Boyle will eventually take on this role, as well.

Boyle was in his fifth year during his training at Saratoga Hospital. He followed that with a yearlong fellowship at Albany Med.

Sean Boyle is board certified in surgery and surgical critical care. As a member of Saratoga Hospital Medical Group – General Surgery, he performs procedures at Saratoga Hospital and at Saratoga Surgery Center on the hospital’s Wilton campus. He sees patients at 1 West Ave., Saratoga Springs. To make an appointment, call 518-693-4418. For more information, go to www.saratogahospital.org.