Glens Falls Business Journal

Business Report: Be Prepared To Meet State Guidelines

July 16, 2020July 16, 2020

April P. Weygand, president, April Fresh Cleaning.

By April P. Weygand
Are you welcoming people into your business for the first time in a while and need some help navigating New York state rules on how to do that?
New York state is tough, and they want us to be prepared. There are some common-sense rules: wash hands, use hand sanitizer, wear masks, use tissues, and clean and disinfect surfaces.
The words cleaning, sanitizing, disinfecting, electrostatic spraying, and fogging are being thrown around a lot lately. However, they are not the same and should not be used interchangeably. “Cleaning” is the act of removing soils and germs from a surface. It doesn’t usually kill anything, but it does remove them by washing them away.
“Sanitizing” means reducing the number of bacteria by 99.9 percent to a level considered safe by public health organizations. Many over-the counter products sanitize in less than 30 seconds. It’s important to note here that Sanitizing kills bacteria, but it does not kill viruses. That’s where Disinfection is necessary.

SUNY Empire State Has Its First Fully Online Degree Program In Security Studies

July 16, 2020July 16, 2020

SUNY Empire State College is implementing its first fully online, accredited bachelor of science degree program in security studies to help meet the growing need for modern security experts in high-demand positions in homeland security, emergency management, disaster relief, and law enforcement in the U.S. and around the world.
Officials said the program can be completed entirely online, providing students with flexibility and convenience to earn their degree around the demands of their busy lives, as well as face to face at SUNY Empire campuses and learning hubs across the state.
The program was approved by the state Education Department earlier this month.
SUNY Empire’s program will prepare students for careers in security policy, emergency management, and criminal justice in the private and public sectors, examining complex global security issues through the perspectives of the social sciences, legal studies, and international relations. It will examine issues of homeland security, terrorism, privacy, and law enforcement policy and practice to prepare well-rounded leaders in these fields.

Jefferson Project Makes Lake George Science Data Available Through Digital Dashboard

July 16, 2020July 16, 2020

The Jefferson Project at Lake George is making real-time water quality and weather data from its unprecedented scientific monitoring and research program available directly to the public through a new digital Data Dashboard at jeffersonproject.live.
Founded in 2013, the Jefferson Project is the environmental research collaboration between IBM Research, RPI and the FUND for Lake George that is committed to preserving and protecting the lake’s legendary water quality through cutting-edge science and highly advanced technologies.
The new dashboard, the only publicly available display of IBM’s targeted weather forecasting technology, Deep Thunder, allows people to view hour-by-hour, highly localized forecasts for their current location on Lake George, or by searching for a specific address or clicking a point on the dashboard’s map, officials said.

Lake George Website Is Focused On Hiring

July 16, 2020July 16, 2020

Lake George attracts thousands of visitors to its lakeside villages and towns each year and is currently the backdrop of a summertime Food Network reality series.
Combine that with the region’s commitment to providing a safe, clean and healthy environment, local officials are saying that the summer season in Lake George is booming and businesses are hiring.
Even during the virus pandemic.
A collaboration of local businesses, community and government leaders has launched LakeGeorgeIsHiring.com to present the many attractive job opportunities. The site features open positions for all levels of experience, including cooks, housekeepers, front desk staff, bussers, food runners, waitstaff, bartenders, maintenance, security, marketing, delivery drivers and more.
“Word is spreading quickly, said Gina Mintzer, executive director of the Lake George Regional Chamber of Commerce. “Lake George is a fun, safe and healthy place to work and vacation, and we take protecting the health of our employees, visitors, and community seriously. This is a great time to come to Lake George, earn some money and enjoy every minute of the experience.’’

Leadership Adirondack Awards 3 Scholarships

July 16, 2020July 16, 2020

The Leadership Adirondack (LADK) class of the Adirondack Regional Chamber of Commerce (ARCC) has awarded scholarships to three students.
Each year, the class chooses a community project, which in past years consisted of raising money for a local nonprofit organization. This year the class of 2019-20 chose to partner with WSWHE BOCES and the Employment Training for Adults Program (ETA) to provide a scholarship to help increase the number of skilled trade workers needed in the region.
The scholarship is intended to help individuals 18 years or older to start or extend their careers within the BOCES Skilled Trades curriculum and will provide financial assistance to eligible students in the ARCC’s service area who wish to enroll in one of the skilled trades programs.
“These scholarships were 100 percent funded by our local business community. Many thanks to all those who donated to support individuals who want to live, learn and work in our region, said Michael Bittel, ARCC president and CEO.
Before completing the Leadership Adirondack program in February, the class designated a scholarship committee to review applications and determine recipients. Scholarships are awarded quarterly. The scholarship committee determines whether to award the whole amount to one recipient, or to split it among a few.

Business Report: COVID-19 Changes

July 16, 2020July 16, 2020

Michael Cruz is president of Lighthouse Advisors LLC in Queensbury.

By Michael Cruz
Your employees are working under new circumstances and new expectations. In fact, we all are, you included.
After years of working to ensure good culture, we now see each other less often. How are you ensuring that remote working and less meetings do not negatively affect your company culture? Locally, we have been able to pass through the crisis mode.
Yet, every time we watch the news, we are treated to doom scenarios. And as employees and coworkers hear those stories, it creates anxiety. We’re bombarded with messages like “new normal,” “social distancing” and, of course, “lockdown.”
In the face of that, it is hard to do back to (old?) normal.
Therefore, some of the changes are for a while. You can focus on that in your business. What makes sense for one business will not make sense for another. You will find ways to make your teams physically safe. Yet, what all businesses face is the need to keep everyone engaged. As leaders, we need to focus on keeping our people psychologically safe. There is a lot to react to right now.

Business Briefs: July 2020

July 16, 2020July 16, 2020

After being closed for several months due to the COVID-19 pandemic, The Hyde Collection in Glens Falls will be open to visitors with appointments beginning on Aug. 1.
Hour-long appointments can be made on hydecollection.org, with 26 time slots available per day, Thursday-Sunday, museum officials said.
The Hyde will be reserved for seniors and high-risk individuals from 10 a.m. to noon, then will close for an hour for cleaning, and open back up from 1-5 p.m. for the general public.
Guests will be asked to arrive at The Hyde five minutes before their scheduled time, and will wait outside the museum until the lobby is clear of visitors.
Before arrival, visitors will be asked to access The Hyde’s “Guide By Cell” self tour. (text the word “Hyde” to 565-12 and follow the prompt. Message and data rates may apply per your provider).

Restaurants Open Outdoor Patio Sections For Dining, But Wonder About Limited Business

June 19, 2020June 19, 2020

Glens Falls and other cities in the area are seeing more activity as COVID-19 rules relax.
Courtesy Advokate LLC

By Christine Graf
After months of being allowed to serve takeout only, local restaurants were permitted to open for outside dining in June.
John Carr, owner of Lake George’s Adirondack Brewery, is concerned about the long-term impact the extended closure will have on local restaurants.
“It’s been very frustrating for us,” he said. “I think we could have followed other states like Vermont and Connecticut and opened sooner. In places where the restaurant industry relies on tourism, we have a very fragile and very short season.”
Jane Schmidt, owner of Bank Café in Lake George, typically hires 10 international students for the summer. She currently has just two employees and has been unable to fill open positions. High unemployment payouts are discouraging people from returning to work.

West Mountain Set To Open July 4; Social Distancing, Health Safety Rules Are In Place

June 19, 2020June 19, 2020

A child last year goes through the High Ropes Adventure Park that premiered in 2019 and features six courses for climber ages 7 and up.
Courtesy West Mountain

By Christine Graf
In accordance with the state’s four-phase reopening plan, West Mountain in Queensbury will open for its summer season on July 4.
“The good news for us is that our activities are outdoor activities that have social distancing baked into them to begin with,” said West Mountain co-owner and on-site operator Spencer Montgomery. “We think there is just an enormous pent up demand to get outdoors.”
The mountain offers numerous outdoor activities including a high ropes course, mountain biking, hiking, scenic chairlift rides, and mountaintop picnicking.
When the mountain opens for business, all employees will follow social distancing and sanitary guidelines issued by the state as well as the CDC.
“The exact guidance is changing daily, so I don’t know exactly what the end game will be,” said Montgomery. “I’m expecting that as we move forward in the summer that the guidance will be continually updated. I just know we will be able to open and that we will conform to anything that is required. We’ve just been in a wait-and-see pattern and letting people know that we will be open on July 4. We will do whatever we have to do to be open.”
Although the mountain will be open for outdoor recreation, weddings will not be able to take place there until pandemic gathering restrictions had been lifted. Weddings are a new addition to West Mountain for the 2020 season, he said.

Lake George Unconventional Start To Summer Season Has Some People Optimistic

June 19, 2020June 19, 2020

Officials say Memorial Day weekend proved to be a good draw for crowds in Lake George.

By Susan E. Campbell
The long Memorial Day weekend at the end of May marks the beginning of summer each year and with it, traditionally, comes an influx of consumers on which many Lake George businesses depend.
But this year has been overshadowed by coronavirus pandemic. Village Mayor Robert Blais was concerned about whether the community, one of upstate’s most popular tourist areas, would draw its usual surge of visitors.
“I wondered if people would take the time and expense to come here and rent a room and then find enough to do,” he said.
The weekend proved to draw good-sized crowds and hotels were busy. The mayor attributed the success of the weekend to Lake George itself.
“The water is consoling and mesmerizing,” Blais said. “Never before have we learned how important it is to have that lake. What saved us was the state opening up Million Dollar Beach.”
“People came from other parts of the state as if it was going to be different here, but we had to explain that we were still in Phase I” of the state’s reopening, said Gina Mintzer, executive director of Lake George Regional Chamber of Commerce.