Glens Falls Business Journal

Carpenters Local Union 291 Works To Ensure Those In The Trade Are Well Trained

June 17, 2024

New York State Assemblywoman Carrie Warner visits a group of high school students interested in learning about a career in the carpentry trade.

By Susan Elise Campbell

Carpenters Local Union 291 is not rapidly growing but has the potential to, according to its president, James Margiotta. Skilled union carpenters can make a six-figure income with benefits, and no vocational school education or even a high school diploma is required, he said.

“Membership has been at the status quo the better part of the past 20 years,” said Margiotta, who has been a member of Local 291 for 25 years and in several of its elected positions for 11 years.

There are 1,600 members currently in 14 counties encompassing the Capital Region and North Country of New York. There are surges in membership at times but Margiotta said the union is “staying afloat because of a two-fold issue.”

“One reason growth isn’t as good as it could be is the ability to find skilled people that could command the wages that we negotiate for members,” he said.

“There has also been an issue of finding younger people interested in starting this kind of career in the carpentry trade,” said Margiotta.

U.S. Supreme Court Ruling Should Ease The Burden Of Impact Fees On Developers

June 17, 2024

By Paul Post

Area builders applaud a recent federal court ruling that could save them large sums by prohibiting some types of development fees local municipalities charge them.

Towns, cities and counties quite often impose such fees for new construction projects and use the money for things such as road, infrastructure and recreation facility upgrades.

But the U.S. Supreme Court, on April 12, sided with a rural California resident whose local government required him to pay a $23,420 “traffic impact fee” in order to obtain a building permit for a small pre-fab home he wanted to put at the rear of his property for his grandson.

“How’s that going to impact traffic? It wasn’t going to impact anybody,” said attorney David Robinson, of the California law firm Holland & Knight, whose clients include numerous builders and developers.

“This decision will have a major impact because it will result in a lot of changes in the way government operates,” he said. “For so very long the fox has been running the henhouse. If a developer wants to build something on one side of town, they’ve been charged a massive fee to build a public amenity on other side of town that has nothing to do with project in question. The bottom line is, that’s going to be really hard for the government to do now.”

Moving forward, impact fees must be able to stand up to two basic considerations. One is a proximate test. The impact local government is seeking compensation for has to be in some way logically or proximately related to the development.

Second, is the fee in reasonable proportion to the impact? For example, government couldn’t require a $100,000 fee for a $10,000 impact.

“This is going to be a serious check on what governments can do,” Robinson said. “It’s not going to be business as usual any more. It’s new, it’s very powerful. It will save developers money. But it’s also going to create a lot of litigation. There’s no question about that. You’re going to see a whole lot of experts on both sides, arguing whether an impact is directly related or proximate and whether the fee charged is reasonable. There will be a lot of debate about how this new rule is applied in any given situation.”

John Munter, president of Greenfield-based Munter Enterprises Inc., said, “Municipalities in some cases make a ridiculous request like, we want you to put in a mile of sidewalk where there isn’t any. They can come up with very expensive mitigation that doesn’t fit into the economics of a project. If you have a $1.5 million project, but have to spend $300,000 to do it, obviously it doesn’t make any sense. In those cases a law like this would certainly help.”

Darrah Land Surveying Provides Important Information To Homeowners And Developers

June 17, 2024

Kristin Darrah, owner of Darrah Land Surveying, became interested in the profession while attending Paul Smith’s College in the Adirondacks.

By Christine Graf

It was while attending Paul Smith’s College in the Adirondacks that Darrah Land Surveying’s Kristin Darrah developed an interest in becoming a land surveyor. After meeting some neighbors who worked in the field, she changed her major from environmental studies to surveying technology.

“I had never even heard of land surveying,” said Darrah. “I observed them working on one of their projects– hand drafting a topographic map. I thought it was really interesting.”

The field of land surveying has a rich history, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Abraham Lincoln all having worked as land surveyors. The famous duo of Meriwether Lewis and William Clark created close to 140 maps while surveying the Louisiana Purchase and the Pacific Northwest.

Land surveying draws heavily on mathematical principles, the fundamentals of geometry being of particular importance, used to calculate angles, distances, and elevations.

Well Trained Physician Assistants Are Integral To Goal Of Providing Quality Medical Care

June 17, 2024

Antoinetta Backus, physician recruitment and retention manager at Glens Falls Hospital, is responsible for ensuring that nurses and staff physicians have qualified PAs with whom to work.

by Christine Graf

During the past decade, the number of board-certified physician assistants (PAs) has increased more than 75 percent, with more than 168,000 currently practicing in the field. Each year, PAs are responsible for more than 500 million patient interactions, collaborating with physicians and surgeons to diagnose and treat patients.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that the PA profession will increase 28 percent from 2021 to 2031. Currently, the demand for PAs is so high that 75 percent of graduates receive multiple job offers upon graduation.

In the late 1960s, Duke University established the country’s first physician assistant program. There are now 245 accredited programs in the United States, one of them at Albany Medical College where 42 PAs graduate each year from the 28-month program. Established in 1972, Albany Med’s PA program began as a collaboration with Hudson Valley Community College.

The Workplace Health And Wellness Council Addresses Issues That Hinder Productivity

June 17, 2024

At the May meeting of the ARCC’s Workplace Health and Wellness Council these professionals in a variety of fields presented Wellness From Head to Toe to an attentive audience.

By Jill Nagy

The Workplace Health and Wellness Council of the Adirondack Regional Chamber of Commerce tries to spread a culture of wellness in the business community. An all-volunteer committee plans monthly meetings with guest speakers on timely topics.

The May meeting, Wellness from Head to Toe, focused on mental health as well as physical wellness.

“It was a really beautiful panel,” said Ava Kanninen, the council liaison and the chamber’s membership chair. “It was beautiful to see these women calling back to the other speakers’ messages,” she added.

All three speakers that month were women. Erin Kivitski, a psychologist and wellness coordinator, moderated the program. Speakers were Susan McManus, a mental health and addiction specialist; Cathy Reichen, a physical therapist who manages the return to work program at Glens Falls Hospital; and Lyndsey Brainard, who discussed the importance of access to nourishing food.

The June meeting will observe Pride Month with a look at LBGTQ health issues, led by Pam Cardinale of Lower Adirondack Pride. July’s meeting will focus on gun safety. In August, the council will work with the Glens Falls Collaborative on a celebration of city parks. Earlier meetings this year examined autism awareness, colorectal cancer, and breast cancer awareness.

Constance ‘Conni’ Tucker Derives Great Satisfaction From Serving Her Community

June 17, 2024June 17, 2024

“Conni” Tucker has been serving as a member of the Bay Ridge Rescue Squad in Queensbury since 1979.

By Christine Graf

For the past 45 years, Constance “Conni” Tucker has been volunteering her time, serving the community as a member of the Bay Ridge Rescue Squad. Tucker joined the squad in 1979, receiving her EMS certification while attending nursing school. Working her way up the ladder, she was certified as a paramedic in the 1990s.

The daughter of a City of Glens Falls firefighter, Tucker describes herself as a “nurturer by trade.”

“When I was a kid, I brought home stray dogs, stray cats, stray people—anyone who needed help. That’s how I ended up in health care.”

After working as a board certified emergency room nurse for 25 years, Tucker left nursing, embarking on a career in real estate. A licensed real estate agent, she works for Howard Hanna Real Estate Services in Queensbury.

“I was suffering from significant burnout after being in the ER for so long, and I found that real estate was a different way of taking care of people,” she said.

Through it all, Tucker has remained a fixture at Bay Ridge, one of three ambulance squads that serve the Town of Queensbury. In 2023, two of the squads—Bay Ridge and North Queensbury—joined forces, now operating as one agency with a combined board of directors.

“It’s always been my hope that the three rescue squads in the Town of Queensbury would become one rescue squad. It’s a goal I have had a hand in working towards for over 20 years. By combining the agencies, you are able to give better care to the residents. That’s always been the goal,” said Tucker.

Plan For The Redevelopment Of The Albany-Saratoga Speedway Presented To Malta Board

June 17, 2024

Plans are underway to build a mixed-use development on the roughly 50-acre plot that is currently the home of the Albany-Saratoga Speedway in Malta.

Five Corners Development, a local residential developer based in Saratoga Springs, joined its national partner,The NRP Group, recently to present a multi-phase concept plan for the redevelopment of the Albany-Saratoga Speedway to the Malta Town Board. Once approved, the planned development will transform the roughly 50-acre property into a vibrant retail and residential neighborhood along the busy Route 9 corridor through northern Malta, adding hundreds of units of housing and compelling retail concepts along the gateway of a growing community.

The partners have recently placed the property under contract after learning of the landowner’s desire to sell the site as raw land through a local brokerage company. Currently, there is no closing date set and the racetrack is anticipated to continue running at least through its 60th anniversary racing season in 2025.

The initial development process began with a presentation to Malta’s Town Board. Planning reviews are expected to commence over the coming months.

Talent Triage

June 17, 2024

Recruiting in the healthcare industry has continuously been a struggle, which was only magnified by the pandemic. Hospital staff are on the front lines battling the demands for services with the lack of a skilled workforce. There have been unprecedented levels of turnover within the field. Healthcare professionals are feeling burnout often retiring or...

The Park Theater Foundation Is Presenting A Series Of Free Local Musical Performances

June 17, 2024

Rob Flax’s Boom Chick Trio is just one of the many talented acts that will perform at the Park Theater Foundation’s summer concert series.

The Park Theater Foundation is presenting a series of six 90-minute live musical performances featuring local, national and international artists. This is a free concert series that will serve to enhance the accessibility of the arts within the local community.

The Summer Series Concerts include:

Friday, 06/28 – Wild Adriatic (Rooted in the rowdy spirit of rock & roll, Wild Adriatic has built an international audience on a combination of groove, grit, and guitar-heavy swagger. “Flawlessly tight with infectious melodies and tons of soul.” – Relix)

Friday, 07/05 – Rob Flax’s Boom Chick Trio (Equal parts hot swing, snarky songwriting, and lyrical storytelling, Rob Flax’s Boom Chick Trio combines virtuoso violin, guitar, bass and three part harmony vocals for an energetic performance. “Eclectic jazzy trio with fun original songs and bounding energy.” – Music on Centre)

Friday, 07/12 – Stella Ruze (An award-winning folk rock band from Philadelphia, Stella Ruze blends four-part vocal harmonies with infectious rhythms and horn arrangements to create a new, genre-bending sound.

The Popular Adirondack Wine & Food Festival Returns To Lake George For Its Eighth Year

June 17, 2024

Attendees at last year’s Adirondack Wine & Food Festival were treated to a wide variety of New York state wines and delicious food from local vendors.

The Adirondack Wine & Food Festival returns to Lake George on Saturday, June 29 & Sunday, June 30. Recently voted a top three annual event by LakeGeorge.com, the festival will feature 140 of New York’s best wineries, distilleries, breweries, cideries, artisan food producers, food trucks, crafters, and more at the Charles R. Wood Festival Commons in Lake George Village.

The family-friendly event is one of the most celebrated wine and food events in the Northeast, drawing visitors from 36 states. Now in its eighth year, the festival anticipates approximately 7,000 attendees this year. People visit the region specifically to attend the festival; 88 percent to be exact, according to post-event attendee surveys. The 2024 festival is expected to generate more than 12,000 overnight stays and produce an economic impact of just under $5 million for the region.

“We are thrilled to celebrate the 8th annual Wine and Food Festival here in Lake George,” said Gina Mintzer, executive director of the Lake George Regional Chamber of Commerce & CVB. “This event has become a cornerstone of our summer season, drawing visitors from near and far to experience the incredible culinary and craft beverage offerings of our region and beyond. The festival not only showcases the rich flavors of the Adirondacks but also significantly boosts tourism and visitation, providing a vital economic impact as we kick off the summer.”