SARATOGA SPRINGS — A pair of applications under consideration by the city’s Design Review Commission call for the demolition of two South Broadway motel properties and the subsequent development of multi-family developments to be constructed in the location place.    

The property at 120 South Broadway consists of a 64-room motel that was built in 1954. The site is currently comprised of three motel buildings and a separate building that serves as a spa with an outdoor pool. The proposed project seeks the demolition of the aging structures and the development of 64 townhouse units within four buildings, to be centered by a green area designated as park space.   

The second property sits approximately one-third of a mile north of the 120 South Broadway property, just north of Lincoln Avenue. It is located at 189 South Broadway, and currently houses a 32-room motel that was built in 1972. 

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Overall, this property consists of four parcels and a portion of McDonald Alley. It currently sites two motel buildings and two single-family homes. The two single-family homes to the west of the development will remain. The balance of land is proposed for re-development that will include 20 multifamily residential units in a single four-story building.   

Both the 120 South Broadway and 189 South Broadway parcels were purchased five years ago by developer Stephen Ethier, who had previously been involved in multiple Saratoga Springs projects, including work at 287-289 and 166-168 Jefferson St., and 316-318 Ballston Avenue, among others.

Applications for both projects are under consideration by the city’s Design Review Commission for an Architectural Review to determine the historic and architectural significance of the existing motel structures and possible review of demolition.

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WASHINGTON, DC — Nearly 20 schools across the Capital Region will be receiving just over $6 million to help expand and improve internet access for students and teachers, and applications for second round of funding has just opened, Congressman Paul Tonko announced this week. 

The funding is being administered by the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC’s) Emergency Connectivity Fund Program, established under the American Rescue Plan to help schools and libraries update services for remote learning during the pandemic. Tonko, D-Amsterdam, voted in support of the plan, and represents the 20th Congressional District, which includes all of Albany and Schenectady Counties and parts of Montgomery, Rensselaer and Saratoga Counties.

This first round of funding will deliver more than $1.2 billion to schools and libraries that serve more than 3.6 million students. 

“Throughout this COVID-19 crisis we have heard about the hardships millions of Americans are facing without access to broadband,” Congressman Tonko said, in a statement. “We have heard from students unable to connect to their classes and submit assignments, and from educators who have to drive to parking lots with public Wi-Fi and teach from their cars. For years I have pushed to expand and improve internet access to deliver this critical resource to underserved and unserved communities, and I was successful in my fight to include additional support for broadband as part of our American Rescue Plan legislation. I am delighted that this needed funding is being delivered to our Capital Region and beyond.”

The largest area recipient of the first round of funding is the Albany Central School District, which will receive just over $1.3 million. 

Applications for a second round of funding opened Sept. 28 and will close on Oct. 13. This will provide funding for eligible equipment and services received or delivered between July 1, 2021 and June 30, 2022. The funding is available for the purchase of laptops and tablets, Wi-Fi hotspots, modems, routers, and broadband connections for off-campus use by students, school staff, and library patrons in need, and is available to support off-campus learning, such as homework and virtual learning as schools continue to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

SARATOGA – Management of the Saratoga Surrender Site has been transferred to the National Park Service (NPS) as part of the Saratoga National Historical Park, the Open Space Institute announced last week. 

The property includes the site where the British Army surrendered during the 1777 Battle of Saratoga, an event that is considered the turning point in the American Revolutionary War, and is located in the town of Saratoga, a half-mile south of Schuylerville on U.S. Route 4. The site is open to visitors from dawn to dusk throughout the year.

OSI maintains ownership of the nearly 19-acre Saratoga Surrender Site. The agreement grants the NPS management control of the property, which will continue to be accessible for public use, education, and enjoyment. 

The Open Space Institute protects scenic, natural, and historic landscapes to provide public enjoyment, conserve habitat and working lands, and sustain communities. Founded in 1974 to protect significant landscapes in New York State, OSI has been a partner in the protection of nearly 2.3 million acres in North America.

With more people gathering this fall and reports of overburdened hospitals from COVID-19’s delta variant, the American Diabetes Association, the American Heart Association and the American Lung Association are urging individuals over six months old to get their annual flu shot, and for anyone who is eligible, to get the COVID-19 vaccine. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the flu vaccine and the COVID-19 vaccines can be given in the same visit.

COVID-19 precautions kept the last flu (influenza) season mild, but leading health experts warn that the 2021-2022 flu season may begin early and could be severe. While the COVID-19 pandemic continues, preventing influenza—which, with pneumonia, is regularly in the top 10 causes of death in the U.S.—is even more important to protect the health of people who are particularly vulnerable and to reduce the burden on U.S. hospitals, according to a news release issued by the American Heart Association this week. 

Free, downloadable information on flu, COVID-19 and chronic health conditions are also available through the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Saratoga Alliance to End Homelessness, a coalition of dozens of this region’s non-profit human service agencies, is sponsoring a live presentation by author Linda Gibbs at 3:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 8 at Caffe Lena. 

Gibbs’ recently published book, “How Ten Global Cities Take on Homelessness, Innovations that Work,” is informative, authoritative and comprehensive.  She served as New York City’s Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services under Mayor Michael Bloomberg from 2005 to 2013 and is currently a consultant with the non-profit Bloomberg Associates.   

To attend and/or participate in the event, make a reservation at www.caffelena.org. The event will also be livestreamed via the Caffe’s digital channel. 

Copies of Gibbs’s book will be available for sale at the Caffe or may be ordered through Northshire Bookstore Saratoga. 

The Saratoga County Alliance to End Homelessness (a subset of the Saratoga-North Country Continuum of Care) is an inclusive collaborative effort committed to ending homelessness in Saratoga County by increasing the level and coordination of housing and support services so that the cycle of homelessness is not perpetuated.

ALBANY — Capital Region NY Wild Ones has formed a local chapter of the Wild Ones: Native Plants, Natural Landscapes organization. The focus of the organization is to promote using native plants in landscapes to preserve biodiversity in the Capital District area, with emphasis on the preservation, restoration, and establishment of native plant communities. 

Counties included in the new chapter include Albany, Columbia, Greene, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Schenectady, and Schoharie. 

Wild Ones is an all-volunteer, non-profit organization, and is inviting all interested people to become members. Business meetings will be held quarterly, with events to be held monthly. 

The first Wild Ones presentation event will be held 2 p.m. on Oct. 17. Master Gardener Martie Teumim will give a presentation through Zoom on ‘Gathering Native Plant Seeds from Your Own Backyard.’ The talk is free. Register at mteumim@gmail.com to receive the Zoom link. 

For more information contact Carol Quantock at 518-664-3901 or email quantumwoman@gmail.com. For more information on Wild Ones, visit www.wildones.org/about 

ALBANY — Dunkin’ celebrated National Coffee Day (Sept. 29) by donating 300 pounds of coffee and delivering more than $1,000 in gift cards to the Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York. 

“We are excited to celebrate National Coffee Day by contributing to the tremendous efforts of the Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York and supporting their dedicated staff and volunteers,” said Dunkin’ Field Marketing Manager Eric Stensland. “The Food Bank is a vital community organization and we are proud to assist them by donating gift cards and Dunkin’s signature coffee.”

The coffee donation from Dunkin’ will be used to help the Regional Food Bank continue to support local member agencies and the hungry people they serve. Capital Region Dunkin’ franchisees also delivered $1,250 in gift cards to support the dedicated staff and volunteers who help keep the Food Bank running. 

“Dunkin’ is a valued partner in the fight against hunger through donations of product, funds, and volunteer support,” said Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York Chief Operating Officer Nick Pisani. “A warm cup of coffee is a morning staple, and we are proud to provide this donation to our member food pantries, soup kitchens, and shelters.” 

The Regional Food Bank works to alleviate hunger and prevent food waste by accepting large donations of food from the food industry and distributing those donations to charitable agencies that feed hungry people like food pantries, soup kitchens, and shelters. The food provided by the Regional Food Bank helps to feed over 350,000 people each month. 

To learn more about Dunkin’, visit www.DunkinDonuts.com or subscribe to the Dunkin’ blog to receive notifications at www.news.dunkindonuts.com/blog. 

With election day just around the corner, campaign season is in full swing, and candidates are busy working on their platforms.

On Tuesday, Oct. 12 and Thursday, Oct. 21, Saratoga TODAY will be hosting live debates at the Saratoga Springs City Center. The debates will feature candidates vying for all five Saratoga Springs City Council seats as well as the two chairs representing the city at the Saratoga County Board of Supervisors. 

As of the Sept. 15 deadline both Republicans and Independents had responded that they would be in attendance. Discussions on Covid protocols delayed a commitment from the Democrats. However, on Tuesday September 28, all Democrats agreed to attend the debates. Attendance will be limited to invited guests only. Both debates be available in real-time on Facebook Live.

Readers can send in questions for possible inclusion to: cbeatty@saratogapublishing.com

SARATOGA TODAY’S DEBATE SCHEDULE:

Tuesday, October 12

Public Works: 6:00 – 6:30 p.m.
Accounts: 6:30 – 7:00 p.m.
Supervisor: 7:00 – 7:30 p.m.

Thursday, October 21

Finance: 6:00 – 6:30 p.m.
Public Safety: 6:30 – 7:00 p.m.
Mayor: 7:00 – 7:30 p.m.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Election Day is Nov. 2. There are 17 candidates on the ballot running for five City Council seats, and six candidates seeking either of the two supervisor seats to represent Saratoga Springs at the County Board of Supervisors. 

Under the city’s Commission form of Governing, each of the five council officeholders carry equal weight when it comes to city matters – that is, each of the five votes counts as one. 

In the upcoming council election, four of the five seats will be filled with new members to that seat.  Only DPW Commissioner Anthony “Skip” Scirocco is seeking re-election for the seat he currently holds. Current Public Safety Commissioner Robin Dalton, and former Public Safety Commissioner Ron Kim, are each seeking election as mayor. 

Two seats are up for vote as City Supervisor. Incumbents Tara Gaston and Matthew Veitch are seeking re-election. Four additional candidates are also vying for the two seats which are voted on individually.   

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Saratoga Springs list of candidates:

Mayor: Robin Dalton (SST); Ronald Kim (D, RS), Maxwell Rosenbaum (WF); Heidi Owen West (R,C).

Commissioner of Public Safety:  David Labate (WF); Tracey Labelle (R,C); James Montagnino (D, RS).

Commissioner of Public Works: Donald Reeder (WF); Anthony “Skip” Scirocco (R, C); Domenique Yermolayev (D, FN). 

Commissioner of Accounts: Samantha Guerra (R,C,WF); Dillon Moran (D, RS), Angela Rella (AC).

Commissioner of Finance: Sierra Hunt (WF); Adam Israel (SST); Joanne Kiernan (R,C); Minita Sanghvi (D, RS). 

Supervisor (two seats): Bruce Altimar (WF); Tara Gaston (D); Gabriel O’Brien (WF); John Safford (R,C); Matthew Veitch (R,C); Shaun Wiggins (RS). 

Parties: D (Democratic); R (Republican); C (Conservative); WF (Working Families); FN (Functional); SST (Saratoga Stronger Together); RS (Resilient Saratoga); AC (Accountability); 

Ballot Proposals:     

In addition to the five council seats and two supervisor seats, city voters may cast a Yes or No vote on five statewide ballot proposals. The five are: 

1. Amending the Apportionment and Redistricting Process; 

2. Right to Clean Air, Clean Water, and a Healthful Environment; 

3. Eliminating Ten-Day-Advance Voter Registration Requirement; 

4. Authorizing No-Excuse Absentee Ballot Voting; 

5. Increasing the Jurisdiction of the New York City Civil Court. 

Ballot Proposal 1: Amending the Apportionment and Redistricting Process

This proposed constitutional amendment would:

• Freeze the number of state senators at 63

• Amend the process for the counting of the state’s population

• Delete certain provisions that violate the United States Constitution, repeal and amend certain requirements for the appointment of the co-executive directors of the redistricting commission and amend the manner of drawing district lines for congressional and state legislative offices. 

The purpose of the proposal is to amend and repeal portions of the state constitutional amendment adopted by voters in 2014 that relate to the way district lines for congressional and state legislative offices are determined.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — A first wave of vaccine mandates for health care workers landed in New York this week. Saratoga Hospital reported a higher percent of vaccinated employees than most other hospitals across the state, yet still stands to lose dozens of employees. 

“We have about 3,100 staff members across our institution. We had about 150 staff who did not want to get vaccinated, for various reasons, and about half of that number received medical or religious exemption,” said Saratoga Hospital President and CEO Angelo Calbone. “We also have a number of employees who are on medical leave – nothing related to COVID or the vaccine. At the end of this process, it looks like we’re going to lose about 60 staff members who departed the organization due to the
vaccine mandate.” 

Some of those 60 employees have chosen to leave the organization, while others who have not met the vaccine requirement are being placed on unpaid leave for a 90-day period, after which their status will be re-evaluated. 

Statewide, there are just over 519,000 total staff in hospitals, and 347,217 direct care/patient-facing staff. Health care workers at hospitals and nursing homes were required to be vaccinated against COVID-19 with a first dose received by this past Monday, Sept. 27. 

As of this week, 92.3% of all staff and 93.3% of direct care staff have received at least one dose, with an average of 87% of hospital workers having completed the vaccine series, according to the state Department of Health. The latter numbers are up from 77% of hospital workers being fully vaccinated on Aug. 24, shortly after then-Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced the Sept. 27 mandate.

Of the 10 state-defined regions, the Capital Region shows the highest percentage of hospital workers fully vaccinated – at an average of 94% – with Saratoga and Albany county workers topping the list, each at 95%. Schenectady County hospital workers reported a 94% completion rate, and Warren County hospital workers at 92%. By comparison, several different hospitals across the state reported staff figures in the 70-79% range.     

A Shortage of Workers 

Facilities across the country have been warning about a shortage of health care workers.

“Health care by nature, in my opinion, really draws a wonderful group of people. Our staff have been doing amazing work and taking care of our community, but they’re getting tired,” Calbone said.

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“We’re in the midst of the worse staffing crisis I’ve experienced in my nearly 40-year career. I’ve never seen anything like it. We have staffing shortages across every category, and it is putting great pressure on the health care industry. You can talk to any hospital in the region, and they will tell you the same thing. At the same time, we’re seeing an unprecedented volume of patients. They’re doing great work, but I am worried about them, they’re getting tired,” Calbone said, adding that the hospital actively contacted past employees who might be interested in returning, asked volunteers to step back in, and re-allocated management staff with clinical skills back into clinical roles. “We’re trying just about anything that makes sense and can help out our staff. And we’re looking for anything the state can do to help out.” 

Addressing possible staffing shortages across the state, Gov. Kathy Hochul this week announced a plan that includes potentially signing an executive order to declare a state of emergency that allows qualified health care professionals licensed in other states or countries, recent graduates, retired and formerly practicing health care professionals to practice in New York State. Another possible option is the deployment of medically trained National Guard members, as well as exploring ways to expedite visa requests for medical professionals.

Vaccine Mandates and Legal Challenges

A handful of lawsuits have been filed in N.Y. challenging the mandate. Some are based on First Amendment rights to practice religion, others seeking potential exemptions for things such as natural immunity, said Leslie Silva, partner at Tully Rinckey attorney law firm in Albany.

From the employer’s perspective, Silva said, “if there is no valid exemption, you haven’t been vaccinated and it is a requirement of your job – especially as a health care worker – your employer can fire you and that’s it. No compensation. As far as unpaid leave, you’re not collecting anything there either. What you’re getting is a promise that your job will be there.” Saratoga Hospital has chosen the latter route. 

In addition to the active mandate calling on healthcare workers in hospitals and nursing homes to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, healthcare employees who work in adult care, home care, and hospice facilities have until Oct. 7 to receive their first shot.

Calbone said what has been most surprising since the start of the pandemic is an unwillingness by some people to accept the reality of COVID-19. 

“Accepting the seriousness of the reality of this disease, related to masking, and then as the vaccine has rolled out, the resistance to the vaccine. Quite honestly a year ago we all assumed when the vaccine was available people would celebrate and universally step forward to get the vaccine,” he said. “I’ve been disappointed and surprised, but it’s the reality we’re in and we’re working hard to take care of people as they need to be taken care of.”