ALBANY — Six local organizations will receive a combined $101,000 in awards from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) to support a series of projects that further efforts to promote music, culture, and the arts in the Capital Region, Congressman Paul Tonko, D-Amsterdam, announced Feb. 7.
Among grants awarded to organizations in New York’s 20th congressional district are: $10,000 to the Arts and Science Creating Community in Ballston Spa to support the creation and installation of a series of outdoor sculptures, and $20,000 to the Corporation of Yaddo in Saratoga Springs to support an artist residency program.
“The arts play a critical role in promoting the rich heritage and culture of our Capital Region, and I’m proud to be a passionate supporter of the arts in Congress,” Congressman Tonko said in a statement. “By supporting this diverse array of profound and impressive projects, these grants will further enhance our region’s status as a hub of the creative economy and a center of culture and community. I extend my congratulations to each of these wonderful organizations, and I’m excited to see the amazing programs, performances, and exhibitions we will witness in the coming year.”
Additional district awardees included the Empire State Youth Orchestra in Schenectady ($10,000), the New York Folklore Society in Schenectady ($21,000), and the Albany Symphony Orchestra ($30,000).
Each year, the National Endowment for the Arts distributes nearly $100 million in grants to arts organizations in all 50 U.S. states. The grants listed above are part of the NEA’s first round of awards for Fiscal Year 2024.
Cover of the Saratoga County Legislative Program, a 10-page document adopted by the Saratoga County Board of Supervisors this week.
BALLSTON SPA — The Saratoga County Board of Supervisors adopted its 2024 Saratoga County Legislative Program during its monthly Feb. 20 at the county complex in Ballston Spa.
The 10-page document summarizes requested legislative action by state and federal officials, as well as identifying what the Board considers important priorities and initiatives for consideration at state and federal levels.
Among the items under program’s General Government Services subhead is the county’s support of local municipal control to determine hours of retail sale of alcoholic beverages.
Currently, the state’s Alcohol Beverage and Control Laws provide counties with an opportunity to submit a request to the State Liquor Authority to restrict hours of sale of alcoholic beverages on a county-wide basis.
For more than a decade, officials in Saratoga Springs have attempted to initiate earlier bar closing times but with little success; As per current law, the county would need to advocate for earlier bar closing times across all county municipalities – which it has been reluctant to do.
The Saratoga County Board this week pledged its support for a change to the ABC law to allow for local municipalities to make requests directly to the State Liquor Authority on their own, and for the SLA to determine hours of retail sale of alcoholic beverages based on municipality – without requiring county-wide actions and restricting sales in a neighboring town, city, or village. The entry marks at least the second time in consecutive years the item has been adopted by the county Board of Supervisors.
Even as the county may be open to local governments setting parameters for the hours of sale of alcoholic beverages within their own respective municipalities, cities and towns seeking to make any potential changes continue to face an arduous task as the ABC law would need to be amended in order for cities and towns to restrict hours. Consideration of such a law change would be up to the state legislature and there does not appear to be any pending legislation currently addressing the matter.
•Saratoga County announced it was awarded $111,278 via a new fund created under the New York State Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) to support youth team sports programs for underserved youth under age 18. The county was provided the award to disburse between 7 different Youth Team Sport programs. To that point, the Board of Supervisors voted to approve the execution of the subcontracts: Mechanicville/Stillwater Little League – $15,000; MACSC Volleyball, Dodgeball League – $4,468; Mechanicville Stillwater United Soccer Club – $5,606; Schuylerville Youth Lacrosse $ 6,917; Department of Aging & Youth Services Administration 10% – $11,128. Agencies: Old Saratoga Athletic Association $31,999; Galway Baseball Softball League $18,160; Corinth Youth Hockey Association, Inc. $18,000.
•County officials announced the creation of a school-based opioid and substance use disorder advocacy and support program to address and reduce the impact of addiction and opioid use disorder in Saratoga County schools. The new program will pair school resource officers with certified peer recovery advocates to help students in recovery.
Tuesday, a resolution was approved for a two-year memorandum of understanding between the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office and the Saratoga County Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services for the use of $205,000 in regional abatement funds authorized from the New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports (OASAS). The Sheriff’s Office will use the funds to contract with the Healthy Capital District Initiative (HCDI) and with two Certified Peer Recovery Advocates to launch the school-based opioid and substance use support program.
•The Board approved $48,837 in one-time funding as part of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 to the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services to increase its capacity for provision of offsite services, one-on-one services, improvement of telehealth infrastructure, and other items. The top dollar amount appropriation increases are for: Minor IT Equipment – $6,515, Office Equipment – $6,500, and Department Supplies- $5,200.
DPW Commissioner Jason Golub discussing Saratoga Springs’ seasonal parking plan at Saratoga Music Hall on Feb. 15, 2024. DPW Deputy Commissioner Joe O’Neill looks on. Photo by Thomas Dimopoulos
SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Spa City is looking to implement a seasonal parking program that will affect more than 2,000 existing parking spaces in the downtown area located east and west of Broadway.
Public Works Commissioner Jason Golub and DPW Business Manager Mike Veitch provided an update on Feb. 15 of the city’s parking plan anticipated to go into effect May 1.
Specifically, the program – the name has been changed from “Tourism Parking” to “Seasonal Parking” – is looking to convert more than 1,300 on-street parking spaces into strictly Permit Parking, and 2-hour-free-and-Permit Parking spots. Broadway itself will remain as is.
An additional near-800 combined spots in the Walton, Putnam and Woodlawn city parking garages would be converted into 170 Permit parking spaces with the balance of spaces set as paid spots. The plan includes pay stations and mobile pay options, but no traditional parking meters.
Free permit parking will be reserved for city residents, business owners and their employees. Downtown businesses will be able to register their employees for the free permits regardless of where those business owners and their employees live.
Free permits will also be made available to city residents, who will be able to register for permits with proof of residency; the passes will be available to all residents and not just taxpayers. Guest passes will also be made available for those visiting residents.
“Paid parking is a way many small cities and towns have taken to generate revenue to maintain their garages and to support the needs of the city,” Department of Public Works Commissioner Jason Golub explained during the Feb. 15 presentation at Saratoga Music Hall. The gathering was attended by more than 50 people, most of whom are downtown business owners. The 25-minute presentation was followed by a 30-minute Q&A session.
“While I understand the need for the city to bring in a different revenue stream to help with garage maintenance, I do have serious reservations about the implementation,” said downtown business owner Heidi Owen West, adding that the length of the seasonal parking program may have a negative effect on local customers coming in from outside the city limits, as well as the potential lack of parking spot turnover that the resident parking permits may cause.
“Turnover is critical for businesses,” West said. “Businesses need this turnover, and my concern is that the inventory for visitor parking is too limited.”
“There will still be a significant amount of parking on the streets. Broadway will remain the same, and most of streets coming off Broadway will have the two-hour (free) option,” Golub said.
The city anticipates a projected first-season gross revenue of just over $2 million that would be offset by about $750,000 in costs, leaving a net income of just over $1.2 million. Some of the initial costs would be first-year implementation expenses, so the city’s net income could conceivably be higher in future years.
The city began researching the potential of a paid parking tourism or seasonal program about a year ago by studying existing programs in comparable cities with tourist-based economies.
Over the next 5 years, the city will need to spend more than $600,000 in capital improvements on its parking structures, Veitch explained. “This money would go toward that.”
“The reality is the garages today for our residents and our visitors are atrocious. And we don’t have the money to fix them,” Golub said. “We will be doing capital improvements over the course of the (next few) years based on revenue we are able to generate – and hopefully also address the homeless issue with some of these revenues as well, so they aren’t using the garages as shelters.”
There will be at least one public hearing – date to-be-determined – before the City Council votes on the matter. The council will also be required to vote separately on the dollar amount of the paid parking fees.
The plan is tentatively slated to go into effect from May 1 to Sept. 30. Commissioner Golub stressed that the plan is fluid and community input is encouraged in advance of implementation. The program will be evaluated after the first season and any adjustments deemed necessary will be made after the first year.
“This is an ongoing conversation. We want your input, and we want to get this right before we roll it out,” Golub said.
Radio tower being removed on Putnam Street earlier this month. Photo provided.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — Observant city dwellers may notice a change high above Putnam Street, where a long-standing radio tower has been removed, clearing a path to an uninterrupted skyline.
The tower stood 92-feet tall and was fixed to the roof of 63 Putnam St., a redbrick structure which sits opposite the Saratoga Springs Public Library and wraps around the drive of Gardner Lane.
“It was a two-way radio tower from the old days, when the trucks of the Farone beer distributing business used two-way radios,” said Tom Roohan, who purchased The Diamond Brady Plaza, located at 63 Putnam St., in 2022.
Given modern-day technology such as cellular phones, the tower had outlived its usefulness, and while some thought was given to re-purposing it as a flagpole, the idea didn’t gain much traction, Roohan said, adding that following its removal the tower was cut and recycled.
Matthew Coseo has been endorsed by the Saratoga County Republican Committee for Saratoga County Court Judge. Photo provided.
SARATOGA COUNTY —The Saratoga County Republican Committee this week made formal endorsements for two county-wide offices and a state Assembly contest, as well as announcing support for three incumbent candidates in the upcoming November 2024 election.
The committee endorsed Matthew Coseo for Saratoga County Court Judge.
Current Judge James Murphy announced late last year that he will not seek re-election. At that time, Adele M. Kurtz, Principal Law Clerk to Saratoga County Court Judge, announced her candidacy for the seat and that she intended to seek the Republican and Conservative nominations. Coseo is currently the Wilton Town Judge and Principal Law Clerk for Hon. Dianne N. Freestone, Justice of the Supreme Court in the 4th Judicial District.
“My years of service as a judge in Wilton and as a court attorney to judges across our region will provide for a natural transition into this next step of public service,” Coseo said in a statement.
The county Republican Committee also endorsed JoAnn Kupferman for Saratoga County Treasurer. Kupferman this week will become Acting Saratoga County Treasurer, replacing county treasurer Andrew Jarosh (R, C) – who ran unopposed in 2022 – who has resigned.
County GOP endorsements for re-election included: 112th District Assemblywoman Mary Beth Walsh – Walsh defeated Democrat challenger Andrew McAdoo in 2022; Assemblyman Matt Simpson – who ran unopposed in the 114th district, and Sen. James Tedisco – who in 2022 secured the 44th District election by defeating Democrat challenger Michelle Ostrelich. Minita Sanghvi, who currently serves as Saratoga Springs Finance Commissioner, is running as a Democrat for NYS Senate District 44.
The Saratoga County Republican Committee also endorsed Jeremy Messina for state Assembly in the 113th Assembly district to contest for a seat long held by Democrat Assemblywoman Carrie Woerner.
NYRA hosted a job fair at the 1863 Club at Saratoga Race Course on Feb. 21, 2024. Photo by Thomas Dimopoulos.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — Several hundred people queued up outside the 1863 Club on Feb. 21 in a line that spread across the grounds of Saratoga Race Course, where the New York Racing Association hosted a job fair to hire support for the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival.
The four-day event – which stages at Saratoga this year – will run June 6-9, just about 100 days from now.
“Many of the seasonal employees here at Saratoga make this a summer (employment) tradition, so we expect to see a number of those individuals who have spent many summers here,” said NYRA spokesman Patrick McKenna.
The four-day festival will take place in Saratoga June X to X. Tickets for the Belmont Stakes Race – on Saturday, June X, sold out in nearly one day. General admission tickets are currently still available for Thursday, Friday, and Sunday.
McKenna said the public response since announcing the shifting of Belmont to Saratoga – at least for this year – has been “tremendous,” as witnessed by the number of applicants showing up for the job fair, to the high demand for tickets for the four-day racing meet.
Tickets for the Belmont Stakes race June 8 sold out in nearly one day; tickets are atoll available for June 6,7 and 9.
The Oklahoma Training Track across Union Avenue opposite the race course grounds will open in its normal mid-April time slot. With Belmont in Saratoga, an accelerated number of trainers and horses are anticipated to arrive earlier than normal – particularly after the May 4 Kentucky Derby.
The regular summer meet in Saratoga will take place July 11 – Sept. 2.
Former race horse Forest Spirit in the care of Therapeutic Horses of Saratoga. Photo provided by Megan Koloskie.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — Forest Spirit was a race horse with some impressive showings at Saratoga, Belmont Park, and Finger Lakes before his career met an abrupt end. A vet noticed bowing in one of his ankles, and his owners decided to take him out of competition rather than risk a catastrophic injury. Now in the care of Therapeutic Horses of Saratoga, Forest Spirit needs surgery.
“Unfortunately, the day he got here he coliced,” said Megan Koloskie, Development Manager of Therapeutic Horses, “so we caught it before it got bad enough to where he needed surgery.” Forest Spirit was then okay for a while, but “the poor guy has undergone a lot of trials since then,” Koloskie said. Those trials included a wry nose, a condition that resulted in a tooth fragment that is affecting his sinuses. “He will remain here as a therapy horse, he won’t be able to be ridden,” Koloskie said. “Hopefully this surgery will give him the relief that he needs to be happy.”
To raise funds for that surgery, Therapeutic Horses of Saratoga is hosting an event as part of “Leap of Kindness Day” on February 29 at the Horseshoe Inn Bar and Grill. All proceeds from the ticket sales, raffles, and donations will go toward Spirit’s operation.
BALLSTON SPA — Saratoga County Department of Aging and Youth Services has sponsorships available for residents ages 15 to 17 years old who would like to become lifeguards. The sponsorships will provide eligible residents with the opportunity to take the American Red Cross Lifeguard Training this spring.
Applications are due March 1, 2024 and are available on the Saratoga County website at www.saratogacountyny.gov/youth.
Those interested must participate in a pre-requisite swim at the Saratoga Springs YMCA (290 West Ave. Saratoga Springs) at noon on March 9. This requirement will take approximately two hours. Participants will take part in swimming 300 to 500 yards continuously (depending on pool or waterfront certification), treading water hands-free, and retrieving a weight, both under time limits. Participants will be eligible to apply for sponsorship upon completion of these components.
Classes for the water skills portion of the Lifeguard Training will take place April 1-3.
Students will be certified in American Red Cross CPR, First Aid, AED and Water Rescue Skills. These classes will provide pool certification. Waterfront certification is available upon request and requires additional skills. The program is provided through funding from the New York State Office of Children and Family Services.
For more information, contact the Saratoga County Office of Aging and Youth Services at 518-884-4101 or visit www.saratogacountyny.gov/DAYS.
Senator Jim Tedisco, pictured at Saratoga Spa State Park, has been appointed to serve as Ranking Member of the NYS Senate Committee on Cultural Affairs, Tourism, Parks and Recreation. Photo: nysenate.gov
SARATOGA COUNTY — Senator Jim Tedisco (R,C-Ballston Lake), announced his appointment by Senate Minority Leader Rob Ortt to serve as Ranking Member of the NYS Senate Committee on Cultural Affairs, Tourism, Parks and Recreation.
Tourism is a major economic driver of the 44th Senate District, which includes all of Saratoga County, City of Schenectady, and Niskayuna.
This is an important leadership assignment for Senator Tedisco for the Capital Region, given the 44th Senate District includes Saratoga Spa State Park, Moreau Lake State Park, historic Proctors Theatre in Schenectady, Saratoga National Historical Park, Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Peebles Island State Park in Waterford, MiSci, Saratoga Auto Museum, and is home to Rivers Casino in Schenectady, Saratoga Casino Hotel and Saratoga Racecourse.
“Saratoga County, Schenectady and Niskayuna have many world-class tourist destinations, several incredible state and national parks, and wonderful recreational facilities that bring scores of visitors to the 44th Senate District each year and serve as major economic drivers and job creators for our area. I believe my job as the Ranking Member on the Senate’s Cultural Affairs, Tourism and Parks and Recreation Committee is to continue to be a strong voice for my constituents and fight for the best interests of all the locations in the 44th Senate District that make our area so special and such a draw for visitors,” Tedisco said, in a statement.
Tedisco said his new leadership role on the Senate Cultural Affairs, Tourism and Parks and Recreation Committee will provide a new platform to continue to champion his bi-partisan legislation to install security cameras at the entrances and exits of all state parks and recreational facilities.
A ceremony at the Saratoga Music Hall will take place Feb. 29 when the 153-year-old hall will be re-dedicated as the Skip Scirocco Music Hall. Photo by Thomas Dimopoulos.
SARATOGA SPRINGS —A ceremony at the Saratoga Music Hall will take place Feb. 29 when the 153-year-old hall will be re-dedicated as the Skip Scirocco Music Hall.
The hall will be named after Anthony “Skip” Scirocco, a lifelong Saratogian who served the city professionally – first as the animal control officer, then as elected Saratoga County Supervisor – from 1998 to 2005, and as a standing Commissioner of Public Works, starting in 2008. Scirocco died in April 2022 at the age of 74 following a brief battle with cancer.
Scirocco was born on Feb. 29, 1948, and Feb. 29 is why the date for dedication was selected, said current DPW Commissioner Jason Golub.
Saratoga Music Hall has been around since construction of City Hall was completed, at a cost of $110,000, in 1871. The building was first known as Town Hall – Saratoga Springs was not yet a city – and the third-floor hall was used as a courtroom in 1872 for the sensational murder trial of Edward Stokes. The trial, in connection with the shooting death of the New York City financier James “Diamond Jim” Fisk, attracted large crowds and newspapermen from across the Northeast. Stokes ultimately was convicted of manslaughter in the case.
Over the years the theater hosted conventions, minstrel shows, early movies, events associated with Saratoga Lake rowing competitions, and performances by actors such as Sarah Bernhardt, Raymond Hitchcock, and Irish tenor Chauncey Olcott. The theater also was the site of the founding meetings of the American Bar Association and the American Banking Association in the late 1800s.
The original Town Hall Theatre was home to the Town Hall Players, one of whose members was George Hyde Pierce, the father of actor David Hyde Pierce, who grew up in Saratoga Springs and is perhaps best known for his portrayal of Niles Crane on the television sitcom “Frasier.”
In 2016, fear grew that the 300-seat hall was in its last days as a community gathering space, with the venue targeted by the city – in accordance with a state mandate – for conversion into a courtroom. At a public hearing hosted by the city, dozens of people spoke in protest of the council’s suggestion to turn the hall into a courtroom space, and an online petition titled “Save the Music Hall!” garnered more than 370 signatures in the three weeks in advance of the hearing.
Saratoga Springs City Hall – which houses the music hall on its uppermost floor – sustained extensive damage following an August 2018 lightning strike, and the council subsequently determined a building-wide multi-million-dollar renovation and restoration project was appropriate.
“The emergency following the lightning strike along with the mandates from the courts and legislature were circumstances outside of our control, but this Council has worked collaboratively to keep this project moving,” then-DPW Commissioner Scirocco said at the time. “It’s the largest and possibly the most important project the city will undertake in our lifetime… and I think the public will be pleased with all the improvements in their City Hall.”
The newly restored Saratoga Music Hall opened to the public in late 2020.
