BALLSTON SPA — Saratoga County Animal Shelter will hold a Bark-To-Purr Adoption Day Event 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 14. Those looking to add a furry member to their family are encouraged to attend this special occasion. No appointments are necessary.
The Saratoga County Animal Shelter currently houses 40 dogs, each with their own unique personality and charm, ready to bring immeasurable happiness to their future families. In addition, there are a diverse range of more than 30 cats, all longing for a loving environment to call their own.
To ensure a smooth adoption process, potential adopters should fill out the application ahead of time at the Saratoga County Animal Shelter’s website (saratogacountyanimalshelter.com/adopter-profile/). This will help shelter staff and volunteers understand potential adopters’ preferences and match them with the perfect companion.
The Bark-To-Purr Adoption Day Event is a family-friendly event where attendees can spend quality time with the shelter’s furry friends, interact with dedicated staff, and participate in educational activities. Do not bring pets to the event. To streamline the adoption process during this event, the shelter will accept cash or check payments only.
For more information visit saratogacountyanimalshelter.com.
WILTON — For photographers who enjoy taking pictures of nature or of people enjoying nature, entries for a photography show that will be highlighting the beauty and the mission of Wilton Wildlife Preserve & Park are being sought.
The entry deadline is Nov. 1, and up to four entries will be accepted per person.
There will be prizes awarded for the following categories: Best in Show, Best Nature in Winter, Best featuring Conservation, Best featuring Education, Best featuring Recreation, Best Nature in Autumn, Best Animal Shot, Best Karner blue butterfly, and Best under-13.
Entries should be submitted via email to info@wiltonpreserve.org with the following information: attached photograph files saved as jpeg, name, address, phone number, email, title of each submission, age if under 13. All work should be original and have been taken at the Wilton Wildlife Preserve & Park. This year the selected photographs will be displayed virtually, through a virtual Photography Gallery.
For more information, contact Wilton Wildlife’s office at 518-450-0321 or via email at info@wiltonpreserve.org.
WILTON — Wild About Blue will be taking place on Sunday, Oct. 15, beginning at 4 p.m. at the Wishing Well restaurant in Wilton. The event is Wilton Wildlife’s main fundraiser of the year and will be celebrating all of the successes of the organization in Environmental Education, Outdoor Recreation, and Conservation.
The event helps support the many successful undertakings at Wilton Wildlife, including the year-round presentation of hundreds of educational programs for all ages and interests, the maintenance of over 25 miles of year-round recreational trails, and the support of conservation projects undertaken by its partners. Wild About Blue is critical for raising the funds that the organization needs to continue its year-round, mission-driven work that has helped to create a lasting preserve for nature and a park enjoyed by outdoor enthusiasts.
Tickets for Wild About Blue are available for $100 per person and can be purchased online at www.wiltonpreserve.org or by calling the Wilton Wildlife office at 518-450-0321.
People unable to attend can still support the event by participating in the online auction. The auction will open on Sunday, Oct. 8 and will close at 9 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 15. The link to the auction is https://www.32auctions.com/WildAboutBlue2023
Wilton Wildlife Preserve & Park was founded in 1996. For up-to-date trail conditions or program information, visit the Preserve & Park’s website at www.wiltonpreserve.org.
SARATOGA SPRINGS —The First Baptist Church of Saratoga Springs is hosting a free organ concert by Farrell Goehring this Saturday, Oct. 15. The fundraiser aims to raise money to help the church purchase a new organ.
The concert will begin at 2 p.m. Goehring’s performance will feature the music of Bach, Debussy, Elgar, Wagner, and more. The concert is free to attend, although donations to the church’s organ fund are encouraged.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — The new Saratoga Senior Center hosts its Fall Open House, from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 21.
The event, free and open to the public of all ages, includes a Q&A and book signing with professional golfer and CBS broadcaster Dottie Pepper, a “Scams against Seniors” presented by Herzog Law Firm, and live music.
The gathering also includes Dairy Haus ice cream sandwiches, membership specials of $10 for the remaining of the year, sampling of classes, and a lite fare by Home of the Good Sheperd.
The new Saratoga Senior Center is located at 290 West Ave., Saratoga Springs.
SARATOGA SPRINGS —A ceremony honoring the Veteran of the Year for 2023 will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct 14, at the Saratoga-Wilton Elks Lodge #161 at 1 Elks Lane, Saratoga Springs. The event is free and open to the public. Face masks are optional.
The annual award is co-sponsored by the Friends of the New York State Military Museum and the Capital District of New York Chapter of the Association of the U.S. Army.
Veterans of the Year 2023 are COL(Ret) Christine T. Rem, an Iraq Veteran, and David Terry Fox, Sergeant, USMC, a Vietnam Veteran.
COL Christine T. Rem, US Army Nurse Corps, Retired, served for 30 years in the Active Army and US Army Reserves. Commissioned 1LT, US Army Nurse Corps on 19 February 1982, she served the majority of her time in the US Army Reserve Hospitals in the Albany area. She served two one-year Active Duty Tours in the Wurzburg Army Hospital, Wurzburg, Germany, and from 2007-2008 deployed to Iraq for Operation Iraqi Freedom and was awarded the Bronze Star Medal. While serving, she also received her Doctor of Nursing Science degree from Sage College. She retired in March 2012. Besides the Bronze Star Medal, her other awards include the Legion of Merit, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal (4 Awards), Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War On Terror Service Medal. She currently resides in Clifton Park, NY and has 3 sons and 5 grandchildren.
A Lansingburgh HS graduate, David Terry Fox enlisted in the US Marine Corps in 1967 and served two tours in Vietnam as helicopter crew chief and door gunner aboard H-34 and H-46 helicopters. During those two tours, Fox’s aircraft transported Marines and Army soldiers to and from various remote jungle sites including artillery fire bases, did resupply missions, reconned, rescued downed pilots and evacuated wounded. These missions included Khe Sanh, Demilitarized Zone, Laos, Cambodia and the Ashau Valley. He logged more than 23,800 flight hours in more than 2,200 sorties earning 53 Marine Strike Flight Awards for Aerial Combat. Fox was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for his brave efforts during the rescue of an embattled Marine Recon Team off a 4,000-foot cliff while under heavy enemy fire. He was honorably discharged from the USMC as a Sergeant. He and his partner Diane reside in Voorheesville, NY. They have 5 children and 10 grandchildren.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office, Saratoga County Department of Health, Saratoga County Department of Mental Health & Addiction Services and Saratoga Springs Police Department will hold a free Narcan distribution event at Saratoga Springs Public Library.
Participants will be trained in how to recognize an opioid overdose and administer nasal Narcan. Training will take approximately ten minutes.
The event will take place 4-7 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 17. The Saratoga Springs Public Library is located at 49 Henry St. Saratoga Springs.
SARATOGA SPRINGS —On Oct. 3, Public Safety Commissioner Jim Montagnino brought forward a resolution for council consideration regarding the May 2 council adoption of a measure that acknowledges the city of Saratoga Springs “has supported and allowed racism and hate” during its history.
That initial resolution was approved by a 4-1 council vote, with Montagnino casting the lone vote against. In his asking for the resolution to be rescinded, Montagnino contended that such “unnecessary admissions of liability” may invite future litigation against the city.
The Oct. 3 resolution to rescind failed to receive a second motion to bring it to the council table for either discussion or vote, and the matter was concluded.
Saratoga Springs Comprehensive Budget Presentation, October 2023.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — The city’s first presentation of the 2024 budget calls for a $60.5 million spending plan – a 6.2% increase over this year’s plan, and the inclusion of a 2.99% tax increase.
Finance Commissioner Minita Sanghvi revealed the $60.5 million 2024 Comprehensive Budget during a 40-minute presentation on Oct. 3, and set a tentative budget public workshop schedule through the month of October for all departments.
By rule, a budget needs to be approved by a majority of the five-member council by Nov. 30, or the $60.5 million plan presented Oct. 3 goes into effect for 2024.
Among the main issues impacting city finances, Sanghvi pointed to inflation – higher prices of everything from construction materials to health care costs; decisions made by previous administrations to not raise property taxes or conduct reassessments for more than a decade, and the number of new hires made by the current administration.
“We’ve not collected delinquent taxes for a decade,” Sanghvi said. “Ten years ago, the city’s real property tax revenue was $15.99 million, and the adopted budget was $40.44 million. In 2024, property tax revenue will be $17.6 million, and the comprehensive budget is $60.5 million.”
A proposed 2.99% tax increase will have the following impact on taxpayers: $3.32 per month higher for a home valued at $200,000 in the inner district, and $3.25 higher for the same house in the outer district. That monthly impact grows with the value of the home; for example, a home valued at $400,000 inner district would cost homeowners $6.64 more per month, etc.
In a Budget Call letter sent to commissioners on June 20, Commissioner Sanghvi recommended the total preliminary “requested” budget made by each department be similar to the “adopted” budget amount approved this year, or about $57 million. This year’s requests ultimately arrived with a $70 million tag. That amount was whittled down to the $60.5 million plan presented Oct. 3.
Personnel and benefits costs overall account for more than 80% of the spending plan. The city’s 2024 Comprehensive Budget includes no new hires.
Sales tax revenue is estimated at $19.5 million for the calendar year 2024, an increase of more than $2 million compared to this year’s plan.
The city has made 30 new hires over the past two years. “No more hiring until we find new revenues,” Sanghvi said. “There is a lot our administration has been working on these past two years and that’s where we needed to hire people – but we also have to figure out what we need to do to continue our growth in services along with new revenues.”
Those new revenue streams could potentially flow from collecting occupancy tax on short term rentals, cannabis sales tax, parking, reassessment, and community preservation funds. Additionally, the city council is working on collecting delinquent taxes amounting to more than $3 million, Sanghvi said.
Tentative schedule – departments have until October 6 to inform the Finance Department that they would like to reschedule the date of their meeting – are slated as follows:
Department of Public Safety 11:30 a.m., Wednesday, Oct. 11); Department of Public Works, Recreation Department (11 a.m., Friday, Oct. 13); Accounts Department, Finance Department (9 a.m., Friday, Oct. 20); Mayor’s Department, Civil Service (11 a.m., Monday, Oct. 23); Summary of Amended Budget Workshop (5 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 25).
Public workshops for all departments regarding the 2024 budget will take place at City Hall through the month of October. Each will also include a brief public comment period. For an updated listing of times and dates, visit the city website at: Saratoga-springs.org.
