COMMUNITY NEWS & NOTICES
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SARATOGA COUNTY DECLARES STATE OF EMERGENCY
REGARDING POSSIBLE RAPID INFLUX OF IMMIGRANTS FROM NYC
CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS
CLICK HERE FOR STATE OF EMERGENCY EXTENSION DETAILS

SARATOGA COUNTY
ANNUAL SENIOR LUNCHEON WAS A GREAT SUCCESS!
Over 800 Seniors were in attendance, including Willy Wonka!

SUPERVISOR KUSNIERZ AND SOME OF OUR MOREAU SENIORS!

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CHAIRMAN KUSNIERZ PRESENTS PROCLAMATION AND HONORS
SARATOGA COUNTY VETERANS CEREMONY
THE FAMILY OF ALLAN P. ATWELL (U.S. ARMY- WWII)
FROM THE TOWN OF CLIFTON PARK
MAY 2023


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CAREER JAM!
WHEN:  OCTOBER 4TH AND 5TH
WHERE:  CAREER TEC SMART IN MALTA
CLICK HERE FOR INFORMATION FOR PARTICIPANTS
CLICK HERE FOR INFORMATION FOR EMPLOYERS

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SARATOGA COUNTY CAREER CENTER ANNOUNCES MAY VIRTUAL WORKSHOPS

Free Career Workshops Provided by the Greater Capital Region Career Centers

BALLSTON SPA, NY -- The Saratoga County Career Center in conjunction with the Greater Capital Region Career Centers will hold the following free virtual career workshops in May:

May 3 at 10AM: Resume Development. This workshop presents the basics of a powerful and effective cover letter including formatting, tailoring to the job, and getting through the online application process to land an interview. Please have a rough draft of your resume with you. Facilitated by Rensselaer & Columbia-Greene.

May 4 at 11AM: Transferable Skills. Transferable skills are qualities you have already acquired that can be used in a different job. Learn how to make employers see the connection between your qualities and the skillset needed to do the job and market yourself as the solution to an employer's problem. Facilitated by Warren and Albany.

May 9 at 10:30AM: Interview Preparation. Learn how to articulate your strengths, what questions to expect, how to address difficult topics, and ace the interviewing process. Facilitated by Schenectady.

May 10 at 10AM: Goal Setting. This workshop explores how goal setting works, why goals are important, and provides helpful resources to get you started to reach your dreams.  Facilitated by Washington and Albany.

May 18 at 11AM: Completing Job Applications. Statistics show approximately 50% of mid-sized companies and almost all large corporations use an applicant tracking system to screen candidates for job opportunities. Learn how to prepare your online application to get the most visibility from hiring managers. Facilitated by Warren and Washington.

May 23 at 11AM: Overcoming Barriers. Join an informal discussion about how to overcome potential stumbling blocks to finding a job. Whether you’re facing transportation needs, childcare needs, prior justice system involvement, inexperience, health concerns or more, this workshop will provide you with resources and strategies to help you meet your goals. Facilitated by Saratoga and Fulton-Montgomery-Schoharie.

May 25 at 1:30PM: Social Media. Your social media presence can make or break your ability to find a job. Learn how to use social media to your advantage in searching for a job and marketing yourself to land the job or career you’ve always wanted. Facilitated by Schenectady.

Registration is required for all workshops. Visit https://thejoblink.org/calendar/ to register or call the Saratoga County Career Center at (518) 884-4170 for more information.  The workshops are offered as part of the Saratoga County Career Center’s WorkPays! workforce education campaign.

The Saratoga County Department of Workforce Development provides comprehensive training and employment services to residents through its Career Center and works with local businesses to attract and retain the local workforce.

The Greater Capital Region Career Centers is a group of local county and city-based Career Centers and partners that coordinate services to address the workforce needs of the Greater Capital Region by providing a variety of career and workforce resources, training opportunities, and more.  Members include Capital Region Workforce New York; Columbia-Green Workforce NY; City of Albany Career Center; L.E.A.P; Rensselaer County Career Center; Saratoga County Career Center; Schenectady County Connects; Warren County Career Center; Workforce Solutions System of Fulton, Montgomery, Schoharie Counties. 

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 2023 SPRING BRANCH & LIMB ROADSIDE PICK-UP
APRIL 24TH - MAY 19TH
PRE-REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED!
FOR ADDITIONAL DETAILS & SPECIFICATIONS CLICK HERE

TO REGISTER:  CALL THE HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT AT  518-792-5675 
MONDAY - THURSDAY
6 a.m. - 4 p.m.

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     The New York State Department of Transportation is advising motorists to watch for two of three lanes to be closed on the northbound Adirondack Northway (Interstate 87) between Exits 22 and 23 from Wednesday at 7 a.m. until Friday at 5 p.m. for work on a continuing project to replace the bridges carrying the interstate over U.S. Route 9 in the Town of Lake George, Warren County. Motorists on Route 9 underneath the Northway should also watch for brief intermittent closures for equipment and steel staging. 

      Motorists are urged to slow down and drive responsibly in work zones. Fines are doubled for speeding in a work zone. Convictions of two or more speeding violations in a work zone could result in the suspension of an individual’s driver license. 

      Motorists are reminded to Move Over a lane, if safely possible, or slow down significantly whenever encountering roadside vehicles displaying red, white, blue, amber or green lights, including maintenance and construction vehicles in work zones.  

      For up-to-date travel information, call 511, visit www.511NY.org or download the free 511NY mobile app. 

      Follow New York State DOT on Twitter: @NYSDOT. Find us on Facebook at facebook.com/NYSDOT. For tweets from New York State DOT Region 1 (covering the Capital Region), follow @NYSDOTAlbany. 

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Saratoga County deputies get 20-year retirement plan, raises

Click HERE to read the Saratogian's article - February 23, 2023

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The Folklife Center
30th Anniversary Festival
Tuesday, July 25, 2023
Live Music, Storytelling, Dance & Folk Art & Food Demonstrations 
Crandall Public Library - City Park, Glens Falls, NY
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Saratoga County Unveils Comprehensive, Near Real-Time Substance Use Surveillance Dashboard

First Upstate County to Offer Near Real-Time Dashboard to Aid County’s Opioid Education, Prevention, Treatment and Response Efforts

Ballston Spa, NY – Saratoga County officials today unveiled a comprehensive, near real-time substance use surveillance dashboard that will help the county in its education, prevention, treatment, and response efforts in combatting the opioid epidemic.

Saratoga County Board of Supervisors Chairman Theodore T. Kusnierz, Jr. said, “While Saratoga County has made great progress in our fight against the scourge of opioids in our county, substance use is still a problem in our communities. With this dashboard our professionals in public health, mental health, and law enforcement and our community partners will have the data they need to provide comprehensive prevention, education, treatment, and response services to our residents.”

Saratoga County Department of Health epidemiologists leverage data from six primary sources that originate across multiple disciplines (law enforcement, health care, mental health, and public health) to provide a comprehensive picture of the burden of substance use in the county.  Further, the standardized approach allows for the timely identification of concerning patterns, such as a spike in a limited geographic area over a defined period of time. 

Current data sources include:

·         High Intensity Drug Trafficking Overdose Detection and Mapping Application Program (ODMAP) - (data include reporting from SCSO, NYSP, and Saratoga Springs Police Dept)

·         New York State Electronic Syndromic Surveillance System (Emergency Departments)

·         Emergency Medical Services (call data)

·         Saratoga County Coroner’s Office (toxicology reports)

·         OASAS Treatment Admission rates

·         NYSDOH Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement

Supervisor Phil Barrett (Clifton Park), Chair of the Saratoga County Board of Supervisors Health and Human Services Committee said, “The opioid epidemic has devastated communities throughout the U.S. and like national and state trends, heroin and fentanyl continue to be key drivers of overdose deaths in Saratoga County. This dashboard will provide critical information for the County to implement effective strategies and initiatives to mitigate the effects of the opioid epidemic in our communities and the Health and Human Services Committee remains focused on supporting our county departments in these efforts.”

Multiple departments across the County will benefit from this data including Department of Health, Mental Health and Addiction Services, and the Sheriff’s Office. The data will be especially helpful in identify high burden areas and to track overdose ‘hot spots’ to quickly focus on peer outreach, naloxone placement/distribution, and trainings throughout the county. This data will also be used to monitor trends over time and evaluate the impact of prevention and treatment programs such as: Jail MAT Program, Second Chance Program, and Naloxone distribution and administration in the County.

Saratoga County is also providing this public dashboard to assist healthcare organizations, first responders, community organizations, municipalities, and schools in their education, prevention, treatment and response efforts. Further, the dashboard provides residents with resources for mental health and substance use prevention and treatment.

Healthcare, Mental Health organizations, First Responders, Law Enforcement can use the dashboard to track frequency of overdoses and trends to help identify treatment and resource gaps and to identify where education and training and intervention efforts are needed.

Community Organizations, such as the Prevention Council can use this data in their prevention classroom lessons and to help schools in their outreach to parents and staff. Community and Faith-based organizations may also use this data when seeking funding opportunities.

This data can help municipalities at all levels with rapid response efforts in the event there is a spike identified in a locality.

Schools, colleges, and universities can utilize data from the dashboard to curate messaging for students and staff around substance use disorders.

County residents can find resources for both mental health and substance use prevention and treatment & for awareness on the dashboard.

To view the Surveillance Use Dashboard go to Savealifeto.day or visit our county website at www.saratogacountyny.gov and click on the Department of Health webpage.

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INFORMATION FROM SARATOGA COUNTY

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For information regarding the Champlain Hudson Power Express click the button below:

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SARATOGA COUNTY SEEKS VOLUNTEERS TO DRIVE SENIORS TO & FROM MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS

BALLSTON SPA, NY -- The Saratoga County Department of Aging and Youth Services is seeking volunteers to drive seniors to and from medical appointments.  The county provides the vehicle, gas, schedule, and directions to volunteers.
Volunteer opportunities for drivers are immediately available.

This important program is part of the Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP),
which helps to recruit volunteers age 55 or older for many opportunities throughout Saratoga County.

Volunteering as a driver for the Saratoga County Department of Aging and Youth Services
is a great opportunity for retired individuals who want to give back to their community.

To become a volunteer, individuals must submit paperwork, including references, to the Saratoga County Department of Aging and Youth Services. Volunteers must have a valid driver license. Training and orientation are provided to all volunteers.

Those interested in becoming a volunteer may call the Department of Aging and Youth Services at 518-884-4100 for details.

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SARATOGA COUNTY UNVEILS REAL-TIME STORM DAMAGE REPORTING TOOL

BALLSTON SPA, NY – The Saratoga County Office of Emergency Management today unveiled a new storm reporting tool for residents. Information collected through the Storm Damage Reporting Tool will help inform effective and timely planning and response to storm conditions and damage.

Residents can easily submit real-time information about severe weather-related events and storm-related damage to infrastructure in Saratoga County at www.saratogacountyny.gov/StormReporter. 

Residents simply choose whether they are reporting storm damage or severe weather and fill in the location, date, and time of the observation. Users also have the option of uploading a photo as well as including additional comments and their contact information.

This is not a replacement for 911. In emergencies, residents are always instructed to dial 911.

Carl Zeilman, Director of the Saratoga County Office of Emergency Management said, "We are proud to bring this Storm Reporting tool to Saratoga County residents.  The information collected from the tool will allow emergency management staff to better support efforts by public works, utilities, and hazard mitigation professionals following severe-weather events."

Information collected may be shared with first responders, town officials, the Saratoga County Office of Emergency Management, and the Saratoga County Department of Public Works if applicable.

For more information about the Saratoga County Office of Emergency Management, please visit www.saratogacountyny.gov.  

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SARATOGA COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
GIVES $25k TO
VETERANS & COMMUNITY HOUSING COALITION
For more information, click HERE!

Saratoga County Chairman of the Board of Supervisors, Todd Kusnierz, Supervisor Phil Barrett, and County Administrator Steve Bulger recently visited the Guardian House in Ballston Spa to present a check to the Veterans & Community Housing Coalition. The organization received a $25,000 grant from the Saratoga County Non-Profit COVID Relief Fund. The funding will help them construct Foreverly House, a duplex that will house single-mother veterans and their children. The Saratoga County COVID Non-Profit Grant Fund has provided a total of $2 million in grants to more than 170 local non-profits. (Photo Provided) - The Saratogian

ARPA Covid-19 Non-Profit Relief Checks presented by
Board of Supervisors Chairman and Town Supervisor
Theodore T. Kusnierz, Jr.

 $50,000 presented to the New York State Military Museum and Veterans Research Center
in Saratoga Springs!

Saratoga County Board of Supervisors Chairman, Theodore T. Kusnierz, Jr.; Saratoga County Board of Supervisors members; Roy McDonald, President of the Friends of the New York State Military Museum; Trustees of the Friends of the New York State Military Museum

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CHAIRMAN KUSNIERZ PRESENTS
ARPA COVID-19 RELIEF CHECKS TO
LOCAL NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS!

CLICK HERE FOR PICTURES OF LOCAL RECIPIENTS!


CLICK HERE TO READ MORE AND
CLICK HERE TO SEE A FULL LIST OF RECIPIENTS

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SARATOGA COUNTY HONOR DECEASED VETERANS CEREMONY

RECOGNIZES PROVIDENCE VET
Howard Richard "Dick" Neahr

BALLSTON SPA, NY – The Saratoga County Board of Supervisors and the Saratoga County Veterans Service Agency held its monthly Honor Deceased Veterans Program on Tuesday, October 18, 2022, at the County Building in Ballston Spa with a ceremony honoring Howard Richard “Dick” Neahr of Providence.

Howard “Dick” Neahr entered the US Army on April 8, 1943 in Albany, NY. Dick was stationed in Camp Croft for boot camp, then went to Ft. Meade, from where he was shipped to Liverpool England and Northern Ireland for training before D Day. After the D-Day invasion he spent time in Luxemburg and across France as the defense lines moved. Dick was shot in his leg during the Battle of the Bulge in January 1945 and spent eight weeks in the hospital before being sent back to France to rejoin his unit.  Dick served with the 409th Infantry Regiment 103rd Division in the Ardennes, Central Europe, Normandy, Northern France and Rhineland while overseas. He discharged on September 29, 1945 at the rank of Private First Class. For his service he was awarded the Purple Heart, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, the Good Conduct Medal, Combat Infantryman Badge, and WWII Victory Medal.

Dick was born on July 8, 1924 to Howard and Anna Neahr in Hagedorn Mills and attended Galway School. Dick married his high school sweetheart, Sylvia Thorton, on March 28, 1942. Together they had seven children. Through his life, he worked on his family’s farm delivering milk, plowing, and milling trees. He also worked at the NYS Thruway Authority for 21 years, retiring in 1986. Dick loved to hunt and enjoyed the outdoors. He especially enjoyed spending time with his family. Mr. Neahr passed away on November 2, 2019

Established in 1999 by the Saratoga County Board of Supervisors, the Honor Deceased Veterans Program provides a way for county leadership and residents to show gratitude for the service of veterans past and present. The program honors a range of veterans with tremendous stories of service, sacrifice, and historical significance. Honorees include those who gave the ultimate sacrifice in the name of defending our great country and veterans whose stories continued past their military service.

The ceremony is dedicated to a different Saratoga County veteran each month.  Board members rotate throughout the year in selecting a veteran to memorialize, providing for veterans from all over the county to be honored. To date, more than 300 Saratoga County Veterans have been honored.

The public is encouraged to show their support of our veterans at the Honor Deceased Veterans Ceremony each month.

For more information about the Honor Deceased Veterans Ceremony, please contact Saratoga County Veterans Service Agency at (518) 884-4115.

 
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SARATOGA COUNTY VETERANS CEREMONY HONORS
SEAMAN FIRST CLASS ROBERT C. SHAW
1/4/1924 - 1/19/2022

Janie Cornell, Janet Shaw & Chairman Kusnierz

Front row:   Friends and Family of Robert C. Shaw 
Top row from left:  Senator Daphne Jordan, Chaplain Paul O'Keefe, Bd. of Supervisors Chairman and Town of Moreau Supervisor Theodore T. Kusnierz, Jr.,  County Clerk Craig Hayner, District Attorney Karen Heggen and Veterans Services Agency Director Frank McClement.  

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SARATOGA COUNTY RANKS IN TOP TWO PERCENT IN NATIONAL SURVEY OF 500 HEALTHIEST COMMUNITIES IN AMERICA

Saratoga County Leads the State in Overall Score, Placing 60^th On the US News & World Report’s Healthiest Communities 2022 Rankings

Ballston Spa, NY – Saratoga County ranked in the top two-percent nationally in the 2022 US News and World Report’s Community Health Rankings, which analyzes the top 500 healthiest communities across the United States in 10 categories that drive community health. Saratoga County placed 60^th with a score of 79 (out of 100) on the overall rankings, beating the state median score of 57 and the US median score of 47.  The report analyzes communities’ population health, equity, education, economy, housing, food and nutrition, environment, public safety, community vitality, and infrastructure.

Saratoga County Board of Supervisors Chairman and Town of Moreau Supervisor, Theodore T. Kusnierz, Jr. said, “The 2022 Healthiest Communities Report establishing Saratoga County as the healthiest county in New York State underscores what we in local government, our economic development partners, and local business leaders have known for a long time- Saratoga County is a great place to live, work and raise a family.  We’ve set the conditions for a robust economy and a healthful quality of life across Saratoga County through thoughtful planning, conservative budgeting practices, and limiting bureaucratic red-tape that leads to over-regulation. The proof is in our results- a safe and welcoming community for all in a county that also boasts the lowest property and sales taxes in New York State.”

Overview of Saratoga County’s Scores by Category (score is out of 100):

• Education: 80
• Public Safety: 78
• Economy: 77
• Population Health: 77
• Infrastructure: 76
• Food & Nutrition: 72
• Equity: 71
• Environment: 67
• Housing: 64
• Community Vitality: 53

Education:

Saratoga County beats the national average in strength of its community education system with a higher high school graduation rate (90.8% compared to 89.3%, nationally) and 53.6% of residents with an advanced degree (30.6% nationally).

Public Safety:

Saratoga County’s per capita spending on health and emergency services outpaces the nation with the county at $441 and the national median at $358 and the violent crime rate in Saratoga County is half that of the national average at 102.6 compared with 204.5 per 100,000.

Economy:

Saratoga County’s poverty rate of 5.9% is well below the national average of 13.6%; its median household income is $84,971 (compared to $58,759 nationally); and its business growth rate stands at 8.2% compared to the national rate of 7.7%.

“This recognition is both an honor and testament to what our businesses across industry sectors rely upon,” said Dennis Brobston, president of Saratoga Economic Development Corp. (SEDC). “This data proves to our target industries that if you need to be in the Northeast United States, you’ll join a dynamic and diverse, thriving economic eco-system that is also a wonderful place to call home.”

“Saratoga County, NY continues to grow upon our Global Hub of talent, innovation, and opportunity.  The combined efforts of county leadership, partner organizations and continued development investment positions us to support existing industry and encourage continuous investment; while also attracting targeted, complementary businesses,” Brobston continued. “For all the reasons outlined, we are incredibly proud of the work that has been put forth to not only create, but maintain this standard of quality of living that has been designed and nurtured to what we all know and enjoy in our everyday lives.”

"We are pleased that U.S. News & World Report has ranked Saratoga County, home of our GlobalFoundries headquarters in Malta, New York, as one of the 2022 Healthiest Communities nationwide and the highest ranked County in the State, based on their measure of health-related outcomes of society," said Peter Benyon, GlobalFoundries General Manager Fab 8. "Many positive factors including education, population health, local economy, the environment, public safety and more are what our employees enjoy here and help us to retain and attract new workforce talent to this area. Come join us in one of the healthiest communities in the nation!"

“When I moved to Saratoga Springs from New York City six years ago, I had no idea of the depth and breadth of cultural offerings that the city boasted. But now, as the head of Saratoga Performing Arts Center, which brings an estimated 100 million dollars into our local economy, I appreciate first-hand how special Saratoga is. And it is no surprise that it is the highest ranked county in NY State for its unparalleled quality of life,” said Elizabeth Sobol, President & CEO of Saratoga Performing Arts Center. “One sign of a healthy community is the presence of the arts. Saratoga has long been a place of inspiration where people can connect with each other and become immersed in incomparable arts and cultural experiences. A vibrant cultural landscape serves as a beacon for investment, a beacon for relocation, and a beacon for tourism. We are proud to live and work in a community that respects and elevates the arts.”

According to the US News Healthiest Communities Rankings 2022 report, the “rankings measure crucial health-related components of society with the aim of empowering citizens, health care leaders and officials to make decisions about policies and practices that can improve health outcomes for all. Guided by a pioneering framework developed by a committee appointed to advise the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the project scores nearly 3,000 counties on 89 indicators across 10 categories that drive overall community health. Population health and equity are the most heavily weighted categories, based on the assessments of more than a dozen leading experts on what matters most to a community’s health.”

 To view the full report, please visit the US News & World Report Community Health Rankings 2022.

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SARATOGA COUNTY HONOR DECEASED VETERANS CEREMONY RECOGNIZES MECHANICVILLE VET

BALLSTON SPA, NY – The Saratoga County Board of Supervisors and the Saratoga County Veterans Service Agency held its monthly Honor Deceased Veterans Program on Tuesday, August 16, 2022, at the County Building in Ballston Spa with a ceremony honoring Christopher R. Sgambati of Mechanicville.

Chris was drafted into the US Navy in August of 1943. For most of Chris’ time overseas, he was a Fire Controlman aboard the USS LST 614 in the Pacific Theater. He participated in several battles that took place on the islands in the South Pacific and was an eyewitness to one of the most well-known photos taken of the war – that of General Douglas MacArthur as he waded ashore in the Philippines (“I Shall Return!”). Chris was present onboard the LST 614, which is in the photo just behind General MacArthur.  He was awarded the American Theater Medal, the Asiatic Pacific Theater Medal with three Campaign stars, the Philippine Liberation Ribbon with two Campaign stars, and the WWII Victory medal. He was honorably discharged from the US Navy in April 1946.

Chris was born on May 31, 1925 in Mechanicville, NY to the late Stefano and Emilia Sgambati. He attended Mechanicville High School, where he met his wife, Lucy. They were married in 1948 and together they had 3 children, Christina, Patrick, and David.

Chris was a lifetime member of the American Legion, The VFW, and he was the founding member of the Italian American Veterans Post #21 where he continued to serve Post Commander until his passing in 2019.

Chris also participated in many City and County services honoring veterans including, the Saratoga County Honor a Deceased Veteran Ceremonies, where he led all those present in singing Amazing Grace and God Bless America.

Chris was inducted into the 43^rd NYS Senate Districts Veterans Hall of Fame in 2015.

Chris was especially proud of his election to the Saratoga County Board of Supervisors where he represented the City of Mechanicville for 30 years.

Chris was also very active in his hometown community of Mechanicville. He was a member of the Board of Commissioners of the Mechanicville Housing Authority for over 30 years, with 10 years as Chair. He was a volunteer timekeeper for the Mechanicville High School boys’ basketball team for 65 years. Chris was inducted as a Community Contributor to the Mechanicville High School Athletic Hall of Fame. He was a member of the Church of Assumption Choir.

Chris also worked for the Boston and Maine Railroad Company for 15 years, followed by employment with Prudential Insurance Company as an agent, retiring after 29 years of service. Chris passed away on November 16, 2019.

Established in 1999 by the Saratoga County Board of Supervisors, the Honor Deceased Veterans Program provides a way for county leadership and residents to show gratitude for the service of veterans past and present. The program honors a range of veterans with tremendous stories of service, sacrifice, and historical significance. Honorees include those who gave the ultimate sacrifice in the name of defending our great country and veterans whose stories continued past their military service.

The ceremony is dedicated to a different Saratoga County veteran each month.  Board members rotate throughout the year in selecting a veteran to memorialize, providing for veterans from all over the county to be honored. To date, more than 300 Saratoga County Veterans have been honored.

The public is encouraged to show their support of our veterans at the Honor Deceased Veterans Ceremony each month.

For more information about the Honor Deceased Veterans Ceremony, please contact
Saratoga County Veterans Service Agency at (518) 884-4115.

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