Tai’s Legacy Toy Drive underway

Tai’s Legacy Toy Drive began on November 1st and will end on December 15.

The toys will be distributed on Tai’s birthday, December 22, to The University of Vermont Medical Center (UVM Children's Hospital).

Tai McLear passed away on July 1st 2023. Tai was a lifetime resident of New York until he moved to Raleigh, NC in 2013 along with his grandparents Francine and Kevin McLear. When Tai lived in New York he spent most of his holidays and birthdays at University of Vermont Children’s Hospital. Tai always enjoyed spreading happiness and joy to others, so with that being said his family and friends are doing a toy drive in his name to keep his legacy going. The mission of “Tai’s Legacy Toy Drive” is to deliver joy and toys to the children spending their holidays in the hospital.

Drop off locations here will be Spruce and Hemlock and Aubuchon Hardware.

Veterans’ Day observance here Monday

Tupper Lake will again observe Veterans’ Day on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month (Monday) at the Veterans’ Park on Park Street.

Guest speaker will be a regular guest at the annual ceremony here: Terry Tubridy, commander of the Marine Corp League Adirondack Leathernecks.

There will be a reception as usual at the VFW Post here following the ceremony and at 1p.m. local veterans will join post officials for a small celebration at Mercy Living Center’s activity room to honor residents there who are veterans.

Town planning to bid on Cranberry Pond parcel at county auction

by Dan McClelland

The Town of Tupper Lake is expected be one of the bidders on the Cranberry Pond parcel at the November 7 county auction- one of four parcels owned by Preserve Associates LLC and Big Tupper LLC associated with the failed development of the Adirondack Club and Resort project on Mt. Morris.

In a special board meeting Thursday afternoon after the board’s first budget workshop session, the town leaders approved a resolution to permit Councilman Tim Larkin to bid on behalf of the town for the 50-acre parcel which is mostly made up of Cranberry Pond and which aligns the top side of the town-owned golf course, between its border and the pond.

The county taxes owed on that property are $9,739 and after county-charged interest and penalties are added, the minimum bid that will be accepted would be $15,621.

The board entered executive briefly to agree on a maximum bid the town would make. That number was not revealed so not to compromise Mr. Larkin in the bidding.

The main event at the auction at the county court house at 10a.m. that morning will be for the now closed ski center parcel, where back taxes, plus penalties and interest of $468,873 is owed the county by its owner, Big Tupper LLC- one of the limited liability corporations created by Philadelphia Real Estate Attorney Michael Foxman, when he and his partners began acquiring the Mt. Morris parcels for his proposed development in the early 2000s.

The taxes owed will be the minimum bid on that several hundred acre parcel where the ski center buildings and towers sit.

In the town board discussion Thursday, it was revealed that there are no allowable building lots on the Cranberry Pond tract, given the proximity of the strip to the marsh and wetlands of the pond.

In the conversation that afternoon, it was noted there were apparently several other parties interested in the pond property, who stopped by the town assessor’s office to inquire about the auction. When they were informed there were no building lots on it, they indicated they were no longer interested in bidding at the auction next month.

The dirt road on the parcel off the Big Tupper access road is owned by three different parties- the former Oval Wood Dish Corp. liquidating trust, the town as part of its golf course parcel and the owners of the Cranberry Pond parcel going to auction by the county, according to Councilman John Gillis.

He said the village also has a permanent easement in the vicinity of the road to access the transmission line there. The town has rights to Cranberry Pond in the summer months only, he said, in order to draw water through its pump house to water fairways, tees and greens on the town-owned course.

The motion to permit Councilman Larkin to try to buy the parcel for the town passed unanimously.

Gun violence threat proves to be “not credible”

by Dan McClelland

A threat of violence by a Tupper Lake student late Tuesday, after investigation by state police, turned out to be “not credible.”

A local minor, posting on Snapchat threatened “to shoot up the whole school.”

It prompted a follower of his post soon after to encourage “everyone in Tupper to stay safe. I don’t know how serious he is about it, but either way this is not cool at all. I’ve heard he has weapons, so everyone in Tupper Lake stay safe!”

Superintendent of Schools Jaycee Welsh was on Facebook at 5:40a.m. Wednesday morning to brief staff and parents on the incident. “We know the messages that were circulating last night were alarming and we appreciate everyone’s patience as law enforcement investigated. After just speaking with the state police, the investigation has concluded and the threat has been deemed not credible.

“The safety of our student is our top priority. We would also like to thank our community for following the practice of ‘see something, hear something, say something’.”

“I hope everyone has a good Wednesday.”

A state police spokewoman, Trooper Brandi Ashley reported last week that the initial 911 call about the threat came in at 7:16p.m. Tuesday. Troopers conducted a series of interviews as part of their investigation that evening, eventually determining it wasn’t a credible threat.

A 15 year old male from Tupper Lake, accused of making the threat, was arrested and charged with one count of making a threat of mass harm and one count of making a punished written statement. Both are misdemeanors.

The police spokeswoman also reported the teenager was released on an appearance ticket, requiring him to appear in family court at a later date.

It was determined by state police and school leaders that it was safe for classes to be held as usual Wednesday.

Emergency Preparedness course tonight

Local residents are reminded of tonight’s emergency preparedness course at the Emergency Services Building on Santa Clara Ave., beginning at 7p.m.

Tupper Lake’s Emergency Services Department, the state’s Homeland Security and Emergency Services unit and the National Guard have all teamed to present and teach the course on how folks should prepare for natural disasters.

Pre-registration for the two-hour course is necessary and those interested in attending should visit www.prepare.ny.gov. And by scanning the QR code there.

An error in our headline about the event in our last issue listed the date as October 12, when it should have been Oct. 16- tonight.

Big Tupper parcel, three others to be auctioned off November 7

A date and time has been set by county officials to sell the Big Tupper parcel and three other smaller parcels on and around Mt. Morris that were associated with the failed development of the Adirondack Club and Resort.

The four parcels will be offered for sale by auction on November 7 at 10a.m. at the kitchen/conference room of the county court house on Main Street, Malone.

The auction company is Absolute Auctions and Realty and its web site is AAR auctions.com.

The company was in Tupper Lake Monday photographing the four parcels. Information about parcels will likely be posted soon.

The county board of legislators decided this fall the four properties would be the subject of a separate auction and wouldn’t be included in the county’s annual auction of properties taken for back taxes.

This auction is also different as the county is setting minimum bids on each of the four, which represent the back taxes, plus interest and penalties that have accrued since the parcels went delinquent a number of years ago. Typically at its tax auctions, minimum bids are not set, and sometimes properties are sold for far less than what taxes are owed on them.

Treasurer Fran Perry said yesterday the minimum bid requirement this time is different than usual. “The minimum bid requested on each is the recoupment of the monies” owed to the county on each.

The largest parcel is the one on the top of Mt. Morris where Big Tupper Ski Center operated for nearly a half century- and where thousands came each winter to enjoy the great family-style skiing there.

There are three limited liability corporations that own the four parcels- and all were created by Philadelphia real estate attorney Michael Foxman and his partners.

Delinquent taxes date back to 2013.

The Big Tupper tract is owned by Big Tupper LLC and the back taxes owed amount to $290,560.80. Added to that are penalties of $12,897 and interest of $156,222 and a statutory fee of $9,193- producing a minimum bid amount of $468,873.

Big Tupper LLC also owns a small strip of shoreline on Tupper Lake that the developers had considered using as a place to draw water from the lake for the 600 plus unit proposed resort. Back taxes on the narrow lot are $9,879 and with interest, penalties and statutory fee the total grew to $15,912- which is the minimum bid for that parcel that first Thursday next month.

A third parcel on and around Cranberry Pond, which abuts the top edge of the Tupper Lake Golf Course around hole No. 7 where seasonal homes could be built is owned by Preserve Associates LLC.

Back taxes on it amount to $9,739. With penalties, interest and the fee, the total owed the county is $15,621 and that is its minimum bid.

The fourth parcel to be auctioned off that day is the site of Greg Smith’s former McDonald’s Boat Livery on Tupper Lake at Moody. Mr. Foxman and his partners razed the old house and marina building there over a decade ago and were planning to use it as the marina and boat livery, as well as a members’ clubhouse, for the new resort.

In recent years a wide dock there has been used by some of the local contractors to land their barges to carry equipment and materials to water only access properties where they were building seasonal houses on the back side of the lake.

The back taxes owed on the shoreline parcel is $91,519. Add $4,040 in penalties, $50,505 in interest and a statutory fee of $2,921 and the total owed becomes $148,987- which is the county’s minimum bid set.

There are some special twists with this unique type of county auction.

Treasurer Perry explained that the auction company is requiring a $100,000 “guarantee funds” sum that bidders must deposit at the time they register to bid on the Big Tupper parcel the November 7 sale. The requirement is only for the largest parcel where Big Tupper sat, she noted.

As usual, the county will require the winning bidder to pay 20% of the successful bid price on each parcel within 24 hours of the sale. The bid would be rejected, however, and the second highest bidder will be awarded it if the 20% of the bid price wasn’t paid.

Ms. Perry said the 24 hour time allowance is the normal practice, “because we don’t expect people to walk into our auctions” with 20% of what they intend to bid in their pockets.

She said she expects that however the 20% figures into the winning bid amount, the $100,000 advance deposit could be applied to the 20 percent amount.

The balance of the bid price must be paid within several weeks of the auction, she also noted.

For several years Supervisor Ricky Dattola and the members of the Tupper Lake Business Group which he formed at the bottom of the pandemic that March and the new economic development committee the town board formed when Mr. Dattola was first elected supervisor, and County Legislator Nedd Sparks have met regularly with the country treasurer and County Manager Donna Kissane to explore ways for the Town of Tupper Lake to be sold the mountain parcels for back taxes before any auction.

Mr. Sparks had won the support of his fellow legislators to give title of those lands back to the town to develop a four season recreation park there, with an eye to someday reopening the mountain to alpine skiing by a private developer who would be leased the land by the town.

The town board several years ago voted unanimously to buy the properties for back taxes from the county, if the opportunity ever arose.

A monkey wrench in that plan happened this spring when, according to Treasurer Perry, the New York State legislature changed its laws with respect to municipalities selling properties at public auction for back taxes owed. “The law, signed by Governor Hochul, requires, us now to get fair market value for property sold.” The law was passed by the state this past April.

The county process leading up to this proposed auction has been long and often delayed.

The county finally foreclosed on the four parcels in a special proceeding this spring, according to Ms. Perry.

County Court Judge Craig Carriero had ruled that a foreclosure could move forward, 30 days after all stakeholders and debtors were served notice of his order.

The notice was apparently served on July 16 and a notice of appeals was entered on August 13 by the biggest debtors- the consortium of legal firms who had represented Michael Foxman and Tom Lawson and other partners in the 12-year fight to win permits for their projects from the Adirondack Park Agency.

The proposed Adirondack Club and Resort project involved a complete modernization and redevelopment of the ski center, which closed here in 1999, the construction of a major motel adjacent to it and over 600 condominiums, townhouses and private single-family residences on 5,800 acres of Oval Wood Dish Liquidating Trust lands on the mountain surrounding the ski center, and to the east wrapping around Simond Pond.

Once in town hands plans by the local business group and the town’s economic development committee included opening up the ski mountain for back country skiing, the development of more nordic trails to supplement the town’s successful system in and around the golf course, hiking, mountain biking, picnicking, etc.

The county treasurer said in an earlier interview this issue has been on her plate for a long time and she is “looking forward to getting it settled.”

She said she took office as county treasurer in 2018 and the next year she “defaulted” the owners of those properties “because they were not making their contractual payment” as part of a tax repayment plan the property owners and her office had agreed upon.

She said the foreclosure process was started by her office and the county board “and then COVID hit.”

During the pandemic counties and other municipalities were prevented by the state from commencing or proceeding with foreclosure actions for unpaid taxes.

She said after COVID, “because we viewed this as a difficult situation, we started the process all over again because so much time had passed. We didn’t know if additional judgements had been filed in the interim.”

“So we started our search (for those judgements) over again and our in-house attorney,” who was Dick Edwards, “and because of the difficult situation we were in with this case, felt we needed special counsel that could litigate for us.”

That’s when the county board hired the firm of Phillips Lytel, a firm which specializes in litigation in these often unusual back tax cases. Ms. Perry and her staff are working with the firm’s Rochester office, although it has a number of offices across the country.

One of the reasons the process has taken so long was that the attorneys for Mr. Foxman and his partners had petitioned the county repeatedly for relief and assistance in recouping the alleged millions of dollars in legal fees owned by their clients, the developers. That was put aside earlier this year, however, when Judge Carriero ruled the foreclosure sale to go forward.

If the bid prices on the four parcels exceed the monies owed the county, the balances will go to the limited liability companies. In that event creditors may bring suit against those companies to try to collect what they believe is owed to them.

Turkey Trot is back and registration is already open

Turkey Trot is back and organizers are meeting to prepare for this year's event. Say the new organizers, before you eat your turkey this Thanksgiving come support Tupper youth programs by running or waddling your way through the race.

Registration opened yesterday for the 11th annual Trot and those interested should visit the Tupper Lake Recreation Department at the town hall or its web site.

The Tupper Lake Kiwanis Club, which has been associated with the event for years is partnering with the town recreation department to sponsor the event which each year honors the late Erin Farkas Dewyea.

For years the event was organized by Erin’s parents and siblings in memory of the beloved elementary teacher here who was active in the community. Last year Mike and Cathy Farkas announced they were looking for another organization to run the holiday event and the town board stepped in with its town recreation department to add it to its ongoing events list.

In keeping with Erin’s spirit and love of youth, the event now will benefit Tupper Lake youth and youth programs.

For years the Turkey Trot benefitted a local scholarship and numerous other educational awards like a local teacher who most typified Erin’s enthusiasm for learning and love of kids.

The event this year will again be on Thanksgiving morning. Check-in will start at 8a.m. and the event begins at 9a.m. at the Tupper Lake Christian Center on Main St.

The event is a 5K walk or a 10K run. There will again be cash prizes in each.

As in the past too there will be raffles the day of the event and donations of prizes are needed and can be dropped off at the town hall.

Local seniors needed to be foster grandparents

If you are an able senior citizen, with time on your hands and a love for the community the Foster Grandparent program could use you.

“We are in need of more foster grandparents,” Melissa Howard, who the volunteer coordinator who works with Vivian Smith, who directs the multi county program for the RSVP agency.

She said with recent retirements they are down to about 20 people across the five counties.

Since Covid, we have had many volunteers leave, she noted.

The main worksite in Tupper Lake is at the LP Quinn elementary school, and so some were worried about coming back to school.

The foster grandparents at L.P. Quinn are placed with a teacher and they help that teacher in the classroom for the full school year. “They are another set of hands in the classroom!” Helping kids with numerous things they need help with.

Many work in the primary grades, but there are also seniors who help in fourth and fifth grades.

“They also help with reading and writing and they do centers with the younger kids. She explained that the centers are centers of learning within the classroom where different subjects are taught.” So a foster grandparent may work with some kids on multiplication tasks, for example.

There are many incentives to wanting to be a foster grandparent, according to Mrs. Howard. “It is a good reason to get up every morning and staying active. And to do something very helpful and very wonderful for the children of our community. it gives many people purpose in their lives.

Melissa has been involved with the program since June of 1999 and Vivian Smith joined the program several months earlier. Since then they have worked with dozens and dozens of wonderful local volunteers. Christine Snyder their office manager has been associated with the agency for the past seven years.

The other incentive of being a foster grandparent is financial. For their efforts, they receive a non-taxable stipend. The overall program is funded by AmeriCorps seniors and volunteers receive four dollars an hour for their service. The overall program is hosted by Catholic charities of the diocese of Ogdensburg.

The agency is also funded in part by the state office of aging. The village of Tupper Lake also donates annually to the senior program.

Years ago, the foster grandparent program here was run out of Sunmount DDSO, under people like Joe Lalonde. At that time many of the local foster grandparents worked with the younger residents at the state-run facility here.

In recent years, the worksite has been the elementary school. She noted there is one person working at the high school who is involved with mentoring students there.

Mrs. Howard said the non-taxable stipend doesn’t count against any other pension, benefits, or income seniors might have. There is also no effect on if they are receiving some type of rental subsidy.

In addition to the small stipend, they receive credit for personal time, vacation time and sick time. There are so many days allotted every year based on how long a person has been involved with the program.

For example, a person receives two weeks vacation providing they have given six months of service to the program.

The program used to call for a minimum of 15 hours of work per week, she said.

Since Covid, it is now minimum of five hours a week, but the more the foster grandparent volunteers in the school the more money they get in their pay checks. Foster grandparents can work up to 40 hours per week if they choose.

For some people with limited incomes, what they receive as foster grandparents really helps make ends meet, the coordinator noted.

It is very easy to become a foster grandparent. “You just stop by our office” in our office behind Gillis real estate (entrance on Cliff Ave) or call us at (518) 359-7688. And we will send you an application.

She explained there is a vetting process and successful candidates have to pass a background check. They also have to have their fingerprints done. There is no cost, however for any of the application process.

“There is no cost to apply to become a foster grandparent,”she stressed.

Another requirement to join their agency is that the applicant must have a form filled out by their doctor that they are able to work.

One long time foster grandparent was the late Larry Wood worked for years in the high school guidance office sort of counseling kids but what they might do as adults for careers. Larry was a longtime business leader in this community and operated a laundromat on Park Street.

Mrs. Howard said that Stanley Bailey was another very good foster grandparent who worked with them for years. Stanley retired last year and he like Larry join the program at about its start in 1999.

Other longtime volunteers like Pat Lamere, started at the Sunmount site and worked at the school years later, retiring earlier this year. Mae Lamare also retired this year. Mrs. Lamare was also involved for many years.

“We also cannot forget, Joan Crary who joined our program in 2001. Joan retired last year after giving us many years of great help.

“These are just some of our great OGs,” an acronym the office girls use lovingly use for ‘original gangsters.’

There is room for a number of new hires. The current budget allows for 52 foster grandparents in the regional program. There are currently foster grandparents working in both Plattsburgh and Malone as part of the local program.

Mrs. Howard goes every year to the regional Seniorrama for recruitment purposes, and to explain the benefits of their program.

They have recently hired two more foster grandparents and would like to hire at least a half a dozen more. “ Across region I would like to hire 20 more people and five or six Tupper Lake.”

Mrs. Howard noted that there are more foster grandparents here in Tupper Lake because the office is located here and because the staff is here.

She admits she has some connections through family that help her recruit and find good people in both Plattsburgh and Malone and other places in the region.

“So come and see us and pick up an application and we would love to discuss our program with anyone here who is interested!”

Snowmobile club’s Vintage Snowmobile Show set for Sept. 21

by Dan McClelland

The Tupper Lake Snowmobile Club will be whetting appetites of local and regional sledders on Saturday, September 21 when it presents its sixth annual Vintage Snowmobile Show.

That day, beginning at 8a.m., the grounds of the Tupper Lake Municipal Park, adjacent to the Rotary Pavilion will be dotted with antique snowmobiles and unique winter rides- some dating back to the late 1950s.

In recent years the show has attracted entries from all over the Northeast and Canada- and some of the exhibitors of the unique early snow rides have interesting stories to tell.

The show is again directed by the leaders of the local snowmobile club, Reese and Kelly Fleury and organizing help is expected to again come from club members, as it has in the past.

The sled registration is a very affordable $5 per sled with a maximum per exhibitor of only $15.

There will again be trophies in the various classes, and the award ceremony will be about 2p.m., after which the show will close.

Judges this year are some folks who are very knowledgeable about old and rare snowmobiles- Co-organizer Reese Fleury, a friend of Reese’s from Bolton Landing, Matt Braman and possibly a judge from past shows, Mark Fidler.

The show is free to all spectators and the snowmobile club encourages everyone to come out and inspect some of these very rare vintage sleds. For some it will be a trip back to when snowmobiling was brand new in the late 1950s and 1960s.

Another highlight of the day is a full line-up of raffles- including the annual alcohol basket of cheer, 50-50 and lottery raffles and new this year, various raffles involving a host of handy Milwaukee tools.

The Vintage Snowmobile Show is something of a season kick-off for the local snowmobile club, whose volunteers tackle an amazing amount of grooming of local trails over the winter months. The proceeds from the show goes to help underwrite the fuel and supplies for that work to make local trails the best they can be.

Triad cancelled due to heavy rain, slippery trails

by Dan McClelland

The Tupper Lake Triad, the annual fall event where climbers are invited to tackle all three local mountains- Coney, Goodman and Mt. Arab- was cancelled late last week, with the forecast of heavy rains on event day Saturday.

The event is sponsored each year but Tupper Lake’s ROOST office and by the Tupper Lake Rotary Club.

ROOST Staffer Sue Fitzpatrick said Monday that before the 8a.m. start that morning she visited the start area south of the village to advise any late-comers of the cancellation. It turned out to be the right decision because about 9a.m. it poured, making for very slippery trail conditions. She said about 14 climbers tried the three anyway, and several met heavy rains on Mt. Arab half way up where they got soaked and headed back down.

Sue and ROOST’s marketing manager, Michelle Clement, worked various social media late last week to advise those who had expressed an interest in the event about the cancellation.

The triad continues to grow in popularity each year, and despite this year’s set back because of the weather, many want to come to try it next year, when the event promises to be bigger and better.

Tupper Lake Triad Challenge Race this Saturday

The Tupper Lake Triad Challenge will take place on Saturday, September 7, beginning at 8a.m. Now in its sixth year, the event is organized by the Tupper Lake Rotary Club; proceeds benefit the community through the club’s various projects and activities.

The triad challenge is a one-day, cumulatively timed race. Participants work to conquer Coney Mountain, Mount Arab and Goodman Mountain, all located in the Tupper Lake area.

According to Rotary Member and Event Organizer Sue Fitzpatrick, the three lower-elevation hikes that comprise the Triad Challenge appeal to all experience levels, including well-seasoned hikers, casual outdoor enthusiasts and families. “We’re excited to bring back the Tupper Lake Triad Challenge Race and offer an opportunity for everyone to enjoy our beautiful trails and vibrant community,” she said. “It’s a chance for adventure and fun, all while supporting Rotary’s important projects in Tupper Lake.”

Participants will tackle the mountains one after another; their round-trip hike times recorded by event officials. Those with the lowest total time will be celebrated at the post-race event taking place at P-2s Irish Pub. “Perhaps the most fun aspect of the hike is the immediate relationships that are formed among the hikers,” commented Fitzpatrick. “They often have fun conversations with each other, they encourage each other along the hiking trails, and then celebrate together at the end.”

Race Day Schedule: 8 a.m. – Check-in at the trailhead of Coney Mountain; 9a.m. – Race begins; 4 p.m. – Post-race celebration at P-2's Irish Pub.

Race registration includes a t-shirt, lunch voucher, and a post-event drink at P-2's Irish Pub in a commemorative glass. The post-race celebration features live music and awards for the top three finishers, along with the youngest and oldest finishers. Participants who complete the challenge will receive a special Tupper Lake Triad patch.

There are entrant fees for both individuals and groups. A military discount is available to honor those who serve.

For fees and other information about this growing event visit www.TupperLakeTriad.com to register. Those wishing to take part should contact Sue Fitzpatrick at 518-359-3328 or info@tupperlake.com for additional information.

There are also sponsorships available to businesses and individuals, it was noted this week. Sponsorship levels are $25, $50 and $100 and for each one there are various advertising benefits available. More information about those can also be found at the web site above.

Auction of Big Tupper properties could be as early as this fall

by Dan McClelland

Franklin County officials are planning to sell four properties associated with the former Big Tupper Ski Center on Mt. Morris at public auction as early as this fall.

The story of the pending auction date broke last week in the latest online issue of the Adirondack Explorer, a regional publication, in a story by its editor, James Odato. The story was also printed in its entirety in an issue of the Albany Times Union last week.

The parcels that will be sold by the county’s auction contractor, NYS Auctions at Malone’s Moe’s Restaurant and community room, where recent county auctions have been staged in recent years, are parcels on Mt. Morris and the Tupper Lake shorefront that are owned by Preserve Associates LLC and Big Tupper LLC. They are the main companies associated with the failed development of the Adirondack Club and Resort.

The four parcels are believed to include the former Big Tupper Ski Center lands on the mountain, the proposed Adirondack Club and Resort marina and clubhouse on Tupper Lake, lands around Cranberry Pond and a shorefront right of way at the base of the Country Club/Big Tupper town road.

County Treasurer Fran Perry, whose office will oversee any forthcoming county auction that will include those parcels, told the Free Press Monday they are hoping for a late October or November auction date. So far, however, they have not been given an open date from the auction company.

For several years Supervisor Ricky Dattola and the members of the Tupper Lake Business Group which he formed at the bottom of the pandemic that March and the new economic development committee the town board formed when Mr. Dattola was first elected supervisor, and County Legislator Nedd Sparks have met regularly with the country treasurer and County Manager Donna Kissane to explore ways for the Town of Tupper Lake to be sold the mountain parcels for back taxes before any auction.

Mr. Sparks had won the support of his fellow legislators to give title of those lands back to the town to develop a four season recreation park there, with an eye to someday reopening the mountain to alpine skiing by a private developer who would be leased the land by the town.

The town board several years ago voted unanimously to buy the properties for back taxes from the county, if the opportunity ever arose.

The back taxes, including interest and penalties, on the mountain parcel itself where Big Tupper stands, are in the amount of about $450,000. As part of any forthcoming land swap between the county and town, the penalties and interest in the amount of about $150,000 may have been negotiated away.

A monkey wrench in that plan happened this spring when, according to Treasurer Perry, the New York State legislature changed its laws with respect to municipalities selling properties at public auction for back taxes owed. “The law, signed by Governor Hochul, requires, us now to get fair market value for property sold.” The law was passed by the state this past April.

The county process leading up to this proposed auction has been long and often delayed.

The county finally foreclosed on the four parcels in a special proceeding this spring, according to Ms. Perry.

County Court Judge Craig Carriero had ruled that a foreclosure could move forward, 30 days after all stakeholders and debtors were served notice of his order.

The notice was apparently served on July 16 and a notice of appeals was entered on August 13 by the biggest debtors- the consortium of legal firms who had represented Michael Foxman and Tom Lawson and other partners in the 12-year fight to win permits for their projects from the Adirondack Park Agency.

The proposed Adirondack Club and Resort project involved a complete modernization and redevelopment of the ski center, which closed here in 1999, the construction of a major motel adjacent to it and over 600 condominiums, townhouses and private single-family residences on 5,800 acres of Oval Wood Dish Liquidating Trust lands on the mountain surrounding the ski center, and to the east wrapping around Simond Pond.

County Legislator Nedd Sparks said last week that he was “disappointed” that the county was no longer able to sell the Big Tupper properties to the town for the development of a four-season recreation park, following the adoption of the new state law.

Plans by the local business group and the town’s economic development committee include opening up the ski mountain for back country skiing, the development of more nordic trails to supplement the town’s successful system in and around the golf course, hiking, mountain biking, picnicking, etc.

Asked what she felt might be the fair market value of those properties, Ms. Perry wasn’t sure. According to the new state law, “whatever they sell for at public auction, is what will dictate is their market value.”

She said she felt that as long as Franklin County makes a meaningful attempt to get fair market value in whatever auction bids are accepted in public auction, it is doing the legal thing.

The county treasurer said this issue has been on her plate for a long time and she is “looking forward to getting it settled.”

She said she took office as county treasurer in 2018 and the next year she “defaulted” the owners of those properties “because they were not making their contractual payment” as part of a tax repayment plan the property owners and her office had agreed upon.

She said the foreclosure process was started by her office and the county board “and then COVID hit.”

During the pandemic counties and other municipalities were prevented by the state from commencing or proceeding with foreclosure actions for unpaid taxes.

She said after COVID, “because we viewed this as a difficult situation, we started the process all over again because so much time had passed. We didn’t know if additional judgements had been filed in the interim.”

“So we started our search (for those judgements) over again and our in-house attorney,” who was Dick Edwards, “and because of the difficult situation we were in with this case, felt we needed special counsel that could litigate for us.”

That’s when the county board hired the firm of Phillips Lytel, a firm which specializes in litigation in these often unusual back tax cases. Ms. Perry and her staff are working with the firm’s Rochester office, although it has a number of offices across the country.

She said the firm “handles a lot of big tax foreclosure cases, so they are very well versed in our situation.”

Like Nedd Sparks, the news of the forthcoming auction, hit Town Supervisor Ricky Dattola very hard too.

He’s optimistic, however, “Tupper Lake still has a shot” at acquiring the Mt. Morris lands.

Part of the mission of Mr. Dattola’s business group was the development of a detailed and bold plan to augment the community’s economy by capitalizing on its robust recreational opportunities. The comprehensive plan was completed in the group’s first year of work and was later adopted in its entirety by the town board about 2022.

“I’m not giving up the ship yet! I’ve talked to a number of people in recent days who have called me and offered to help. There are groups out there that work with towns and villages, to help them tackle these kinds of things.

“I’m not disappointed yet, because I don’t think we’re beat!”

Likewise he said the members of the Tupper Lake Business Group and the town board’s economic development committee are not giving up in their quest to acquire the ski center properties.

“The good thing” is the unknowns associated with the ownership of the mountain tract and the adjacent parcels are coming to an end. “At some point soon we are either going to know if someone is going to buy those properties or maybe no one will! Either way it’s soon coming to a finish!”

He said he was glad Fran Perry was “sticking to her guns” and getting this issue “to an auction” hopefully in late October or early November.

He said he believes that she and County Manager Donna Kissane and the county board members that he and Nedd have been working with over the past several years “want the best for Tupper Lake!”

“-And we’re not dead yet! We still have a shot!”

“It’s gotten harder with this new state ruling,” but we can still get control of those Big Tupper lands. “I’m still optimistic we are still going to make this thing happen!”

New MHS principal reports on bounty of free school supplies; pick-up is tomorrow

by Dan McClelland

In his first report to the board of education, the newly appointed high school principal, Chris Savage began last Monday at the board’s August meeting with a point of “Lumberjack Pride” and some very good financial news for students and their families.

He said his first item that evening was about a Generous Acts Grant from the Adirondack Foundation which permitted the middle/high school to purchase supplies for students which included binders, notebooks, pens, pencils and more- all things, he said, support students in their various educational pathways.

He said the grant was procured by his predecessor, former Principal Amanda Zullo in the last school year.

“I inherited that really substantial gift and that’s been an exciting thing for us and I got to go shopping to find the best way to enable our students success using these new school supplies.

“It provided us with a mountain of school supplies- all now sitting in the school library waiting for us to unpack and put into the hands of our students.”

Being a parent myself and putting two boys through multiple years of school, he said he understood first hand how costly all these supplies can be.

“I ordered a huge pile of one-, one and one half- and two-inch binders, dividers to go in them, loose leaf paper, pencils, pens, hi-lighters, erasers, colored pencils, supply pouches, notebooks...tons and tons of school supplies!”

“-And these are here for everybody.”

He said tomorrow, August 22, from 2p.m. to 7p.m. has been the selected day and time for parents to come with their children’s supply lists “to do some school shopping- all for free.”

He said he is also working with Mrs. Alicia Tucker in the school’s IT department “to get Chromebooks and chargers into the hands” of students so they “are charged and ready to start the school year.” The IT department will also be on hand Thursday to help install security applications and passwords for those new machines.

“It’s going to be a great afternoon and evening of school shopping at no cost to anyone!”

Mr. Savage said this windfall for local students and their families is all courtesy of the generosity of the officials at the Lake Placid-based Adirondack Foundations and its many community-minded investors.

On the progress of getting the middle/high school building in shape for the first day of school next month, he said Jeremy Dukette and his team “have done an incredible job.” Though the cleaning and preparation for the school year work continues, it is nearing completion, he told the board.

The former and long-time elementary school teacher admitted to the board members that having taught for many years in the district, at the start of each new year he is always so impressed to see how much work has been done by the custodial staff over the summer to get things ready for the return of students each September.

“The transformation to those buildings that happens over the summer time” is something quite amazing to behold.

He said this summer, as he has worked in his post in the upper school building, he is actually seeing all that work first hand.

Principal Savage said the athletic department was scheduled to hold its fall sports meeting on August 14. The varsity football team began practice this past Monday and all other fall sports begin next Monday, August 26.

“In addition we’re preparing for Regent’s exams (this past Monday and Tuesday). I have a team of proctors and scorers- teachers who are ready to see these kids succeed and get another try at them. We’ve had many students in the building this summer, taking advantage of credit-recovery opportunities and preparing for those Regents exams.”

“It’s been great seeing them embrace another opportunity for their success!” he admitted to the board members last week.

He reported summer school was expected to conclude on August 16, with over 50 in grades 9 to 12 enrolled.

Sixth grade open house has been scheduled for September 3 and is an opportunity for students and their parents “to come in and see the school and meet the staff. Fifth graders have already paid the building a visit in recent weeks.

“Just another opportunity to put nervous minds at ease, as Mrs. Littlefield also put it this evening.”

He said something to look forward to at the board’s September meeting is a presentation by Student Brock Fleishman on a Facebook page he has developed on Tupper Lake athletics.

The principal said the student and student athlete has been working hard on the page and is most eager to show it off to the school board next month.

President Jane Whitmore asked the interim principal about the move to change summer school this year.

“I think it has some opportunities to further success. I’ve seen some really great success stories and opportunities to capitalize and grow if we want to continue using that model,” Principal Savage told her.

L.P. Quinn Principal Elizabeth Littlefield agreed with him.

“Some of the students really put their noses to the grindstone and completed” various elements that were added this year, she told the board members.

Town officials applaud Little Wolfstock organizers, town recreation department on staging of Field Day

by Dan McClelland

At the beginning of last week’s monthly town board meeting, Supervisor Ricky Dattola took a moment to congratulate two local groups which he said produced stellar events in recent weeks.

The first acknowledgement of good work went to Paul Chartier and Daniel “Boonie” Carmichael, the two principle organizers of the August 3 Little Wolfstock IV at the town beach and campgrounds.

Of the hundreds of Tupper Lake High School alumni who came back home for the major musical reunion, he said “everyone had a great time...it was a lot fun!”

He joked there were “a lot of older people there,” and it was nice to see everyone.

He offered “a shout out” also to the Little Wolf facility’s caretaker, Paul Mullen. The supervisor said according to comments from the Little Wolfstock organizers “Paul was very helpful to them.”

“The Lions Club did a good job” as the event’s official sponsor and the purveyor of the hamburgers and hot dogs from its cook trailer.

“The band were fantastic” from start to finish. “It was a very, very nice thing” for the community that brought so many former locals home.

Mr. Dattola also publicly acknowledged the good work of the staff of the town recreation department and their volunteer helpers on their July 20 production of the Tupper Lake Field Day- the third annual.

“I thought the entire day went very well and everyone seemed to have a really good time!”

Councilman Rick Donah, who was one of the parade judges, added to the supervisor’s kudos.

“I thought the event was very well organized” by Recreation Director Laura LaBarge and her team.”

He applauded this year’s continued focus on “youth activities” like the many kids’ games and “a family-friendly” atmosphere,” saying it was well received by local residents and many visitors.

“It drew tons of families and a lot of kids having a great time all throughout the day.”

He said he had stopped by the town hall that day to applaud Laura and Christielee Geiger, her assistantand on this year’s Field Day, and all the other good programs under their direction at Little Wolf Beach, the many youth sports and the very successful town day camp program.

“Their focus continues to be on the youth of the community,” and I think that’s the place it should be!

“The results of their many efforts are being seen by a lot of folks- both residents and visitors,” he concluded.

“We have a fantastic day camp and those guys do a terrific job with it...it’s probably the best program of its kind in the North Country!” asserted Supervisor Dattola.

Property owners near and outside sewer district No. 1 are being invited to create adjoining new ones

by Dan McClelland

Town officials met in special session last Wednesday afternoon and agreed to extend invitations to any property owners who own parcels near the large sewer district No. 1 to consider forming new ones alongside it at their own expense.

The invitation came as part of ongoing work by the town board, in cooperation with the Development Authority of the North Country (DANC) and an architectural and engineering firm, GYMO, with making needed infrastructure improvements to the town’s two large water and sewer districts, both termed respectively as Nos. 1.

They are the districts that were created in an earlier consolidation procedure for the town by DANC, where all water and sewer districts without debts were consolidated together into one.

Step number two of that ongoing process is to prepare for construction upgrades to the oldest of those several dozen districts in each of the Nos. 1.

The offer Wednesday is another element of that ongoing study work.

Councilman John Gillis, who has been working closely with DANC and GYMO on this unfolding work, led the discussion Wednesday before the board voted unanimously to invite property owners outside but near Sewer District No. one into it.

Before the board that afternoon was a map of the town showing the various neighborhoods around the various pieces of sewer district No. 1 that would be eligible to join it.

“So what we have to decide this afternoon is whether or not we want to canvass the residents of what would be a new sewer district,” Mr. Gillis began.

Some of the neighborhoods that could become new sewer districts or a single combined district were on Glenwood and Becky Avenues, Hosley Ave., Mitchell Lane and sections of Kildare Road, according to the map provided by GYMO.

The map showed green areas which are the existing pieces of sewer district No. 1. Brown areas showed potential new districts and larger red blocks represented undeveloped areas of the town that could also become districts.

“When GYMO first proposed these areas they thought because they were so close to our existing systems, that they might want to tag onto district No. 1.”

“It turns out the price of doing that (to tag on) wouldn’t be fair to the people in district No. 1, so GYMO now proposes any interested people should create their own district.”

The town is also considering having property owners near the main town water district (No. 1) also join, but according to Mr. Gillis, that procedure is expected to be less costly and less complicated.

“In some of those cases it would be just creating loops on some streets (that are already part of a water district), he continued.

Those changes would also boost the water pressure in some of those district neighborhoods, which will help any firefighting efforts there, he told his colleagues that afternoon.

Several existing water districts on Victor, Hosley and Lincoln Drive currently have “dead ends” which curtail water pressure, it was noted. New loops that would join them would improve the water pressure and supply in each, he noted.

“What we are doing this afternoon is agreeing to canvass these new property owners about creating their own sewer districts, he added.

“This is not about adding onto sewer district No. 1, but about whether or not you want to form (or join) your own district,” Supervisor Ricky Dattola stated, making sure everyone around the board table was clear.

The end result will likely be one new district, despite their different locations around the town, said Councilman Gillis.

“The time to do it is right now.” He said if the town adds more houses to the sewer district that currently serves a couple of houses on Larkin Ave., it might just as well as pick up the properties on the adjacent streets of Glenwood and Becky avenues.

Mr. Gillis said the financial numbers also fit well right now. “So roughly it will cost sewer district No. 1 residents $3 million to do all the needed repairs and another $3 million to add the new properties” into a new district.

Mr. Dattola asked him how many properties owners near the existing sewer district No. 1 could be merged into a new district and start enjoying village sewer services.

Mr. Gillis estimated it was in the 50s range.

So those 50 or so property owners would share the cost of the $3 million over a long bonding financial period of 30 or more years? the supervisor asked Mr. Gillis and he said that approximation was essentially correct.

“What would be the new number of this new sewer district?” Councilman Rick Donah asked his colleague and Mr. Gillis said that wouldn’t be known yet. “At this point we’re just asking those people if they would like to form a new district” and enjoy the services of the village-provided system.

“It can’t hurt to ask those people!” said Councilwoman Crystal Boucher and her colleagues agreed.

“It’s a good time to ask right now, because we have the numbers before us,” explained Mr. Gillis.

He said he thought that under state law the office of the state comptroller says a town can’t exceed $680 per household a year in sewer district fees. He said those property owners will pay whatever the cost of connecting to the sewer mains near their properties, but cannot be asked to pay more than $680 or so in amortization of construction costs of forming the district and building its infrastructure each year of the bonding period.

That information will be explained in the letter the board agreed to send to those affected property owners in coming days to get an idea of who wants to form a new sewer district and who doesn’t.

Under municipal law, whenever new service districts are formed, their creations are determined by a majority vote of those in the proposed district area. If the outcome of the vote is affirmative, every parcel must be included.

“We are also looking at the repairs that need to be done in water district No. 1 as well,” Mr. Gillis also reported. “But that is a different issue and not on the table right now!”

The board agreed unanimously to canvass the owners of the approximately 50 parcels that could be formed into a new sewer district.

Mr. Gillis said that in terms of tackling the needed repairs to the large sewer district No. 1, they are awaiting a financial determination from Town Attorney Kirk Gagnier to make sure that the $680 per year contribution cap is not exceeded.

There are apparently hundreds of property owners in that big district that would share the estimated $3 million cost of needed repairs on charges on their town tax bills in coming decades.

The supervisor calculated that dividing the $3 million repair bill into that many property owners should produce an annual payment far less than $680 per household. Mr. Gillis agreed with him.

There are a half dozen or so areas in that consolidated district that have been identified by Village Water and Sewer Superintendent Mark Robillard as in need of improvement work.

It was noted too that there may be some properties very close to the boundaries of sewer district No. 1 that they may be able to run their own lateral line to attach to it, and become a new member of that large district to save both the district and themselves considerable money.

“For example, if the district covers the first three houses on your street and you own the fourth house, if you can get there using a lateral line with a gravity feed and easily tie in,” and you are willing to pay the $1,000 cost of tapping into the village system, the cost of joining the bigger district would be relatively small, Councilman Gillis predicted.

“But we’re not opening up joining district No. 1 to people who we’d have to spend a lot of money” with new infrastructure to get them to it, he assured his colleagues.

If the plan is successful, it would free up more town residents here from their reliance on on-site septic systems.

Thousands of local alumni coming to Little Wolfstock IV

by Dan McClelland

Thousands of alumni from decades of Tupper Lake graduating classes will be back in the shadow of their alma mater over the weekend, all celebrating like it’s the last day of classes at the fourth Little Wolfstock at the town-owned beach and campgrounds.

There have been reports dating back several months that campsites and motel rooms here will be in short supply- if available at all this weekend. Some of Tupper Lake’s growing number of short-term rentals are apparently still available to rent for the week or weekend.

Because of a community-wide lodging shortage, one of the event organizers, Daniel “Boonie” Carmichael was able to secure the permission of the village board to permit overnight camping in the Tupper Lake Municipal Park- just for this weekend.

Unlike typical reunions in Tupper Lake, Little Wolfstock IV is punctuated with live music from start to finish.

Keyboard player and singer Clark Blanton, who has performed at all of the three past musical reunions here, will open Saturday’s big event, performing from under the pavilion at the town beach. Clark is expected to perform a song he wrote this past year- paying tribute to his late friend, Tupper Lake’s Jeff LaBarge.

Clark has expanded his part-time musical career into almost full-time work as a sessions performer on Long Island, after his retirement from a career in education.

Next up at 1p.m. and 2p.m. are two more Tupper Lake natives and Tupper High grads- Vocalist Angela Jessie, performing with Evan Bujold. After Angela and Evan is Jim LeBlanc.

Jim’s musical career has really blossomed in recent years with many professional engagements in and around his home in the Columbia, South Carolina. The singer/songwriter is very popular in that area of the south.

Adding some country to the folk and rock and roll of the first performers that afternoon will be Tupper Lake’s Brock Gonyea, with his recently fleshed out traditional country band, featuring Larry Reandeau on pedal/steel guitar and Guitarist Terry Torrance.

A retired Long Lake music teacher, Mike Nearny, joins the musical line-up this year and plays about 4p.m. With Mike will be several performers from the greater Long Lake area.

It’s traditional rock and roll from the 1960s and 1970s at 5p.m. when Jeff Gonyea’s newest band, Legend, takes the pavilion stage. Playing with Jeff are long time band mates John Reandeau, Bruce Hollingsworth and Chuck Mozdzier.

After Legend, at 6p.m. will be Tupper Lake’s Junction Jam, featuring Dennis Torres, Mike Fritts, Skip Houston and Brian LaDue.

Capping off the evening in style in classic rock will be Tommy Snye’s Bitter Sweet, who will play until 9p.m. when the entertainment closes.

All of the local and area performers are again donating their time and talent to the event free of charge. All donations by participants have gone in the past three years to local charities and community organizations. That’s the plan too this year.

The official sponsor of the fourth version of Little Wolfstock is the Tupper Lake Lions Club which will have its well-known cook shack on site for those nine hours.

The Lions carry with their events $1 million in liability insurance, which the town now requires for events on town property, like the beach and campgrounds.

The local Lions will also be donating from the cook shack sales that day at least $1,000 to the Search And Rescue of the Northern Adirondacks (SARNAK). It’s the important volunteer agency in our area which furnishes lifesaving mobile radio and communications services to anyone or any group during times of crisis here.

This year’s event will also see some craft and other vendors in and around the picnic grounds there.

Although he has received some amazing organizational help from Mr. Carmichael this year, Paul Chartier, Class of 1972, remains the principle organizer of Little Wolfstock IV. He called Boonie, this event’s “logistics guy,” who has tackled an assortment of organizational tasks for him.

The event was founded by Mr. Chartier in 2012 when he was asked to organize his class’ 40th reunion. His new assignment came after several somewhat lackluster reunions by that class in earlier decades. Of the 120 kids who graduated with Paul, only about 30, including spouses, attended their 30th reunion.

So Paul decided on his own, if he was in charge of the 40th reunion, it was going to have a major organizational twist. That’s when the musically based Little Wolfstock was born at the town beach.

So that first year he opened the event up to all those who graduated here in the ten years of the 1970s- and it was a major success in the summer of 2012.

In 2014 Paul opened it to the graduating classes of the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s and it grew even larger and more and more people started making their summer vacation plans around it.

The last Little Wolfstock- No. 3- Paul put together in 2017- and the giant reunion was open to every Tupper High graduate. Over 1,500 people attended that time.

“The whole idea of Little Wolfstock, and it continues this year, was to just show up and enjoy great music, most of it from local performers or former residents, and picnic, family-style.”

There are several food options this year for those who forget their picnic baskets.

Mr. Chartier figures this year’s crowd may exceed 2,000.

Financial support for the free event has come again from some alumni, as it always does, plus a promotional grant of $1,500 from Explore Adirondack Frontier, the advertising campaign of the Franklin County tourism department.

Village Democrats to caucus Thursday, July 25

The Village Democratic Party will hold a political caucus this Thursday afternoon (July 25) at 2p.m. at the town’s Aaron Maddox Hall on Demars Blvd.

A required notice of caucus, filed by Caucus Chairman Daniel “Boonie” Carmichael, was published in last week’s legal notices.

According to the rules of the caucus, only registered Democrats and only village residents are allowed to participate in the nomination and decision-making processes that afternoon.

The purpose of the political meeting is to nominate candidates for two open trustee positions on the village board this fall, currently held by Trustees Jason McClain and Eric Shaheen.

Whoever the Democrats nominate tomorrow will face Republican Candidates Eric Shaheen and Rick Pickering, who were both nominated by their party on July 10. Trustee McClain opted not to seek re-election to a third term this fall.

Tupper Lake Field Day this weekend

by Dan McClelland

There will be plenty of fun and entertainment for the entire family this Saturday when the Town of Tupper Lake’s recreation department again hosts “Tupper Lake Field Day” in the Tupper Lake Municipal Park.

The three year old event was introduced by Director Laura LaBarge and her recreation department right after the departure of the Tupper Lake Woodsmen’s Days, which dominated the July events calendar its second weekend dating back to 1979.

This year’s theme is “Gone Country.”

The day begins at 11a.m. with another Field Day parade, directed by Amanda Lizotte, who handled the recent ones with skill and good organization, and before that the Woodsmen’s Days parade of marching bands, floats and logging equipment entries for a number of the recent years the logging event was here.

Parade entrants will form a line from the far end of The Boulevard at the start of The Junction from where the procession which proceed down the state highway and empty into the municipal park.

There is still room in the parade for more entries of floats and vehicles and marchers, and so those folks who haven’t signed up yet to participate, should call the recreation department in the town hall as soon as possible. Laura and her able assistant Christielee Geiger are eager to accommodate any and all parade participants.

In final planning this week is a new touch-a-truck event along the firemen’s strip in the park right after the parade. Business, groups and governmental agencies will large pieces of heavy equipment are encouraged to polish them up for Saturday and join the event. Touch-a-truck events are always popular here- with children being able to climb up into the cabs and experience the feel of a heavy equipment operator and truck driver.

Wood carvers from all over the country will be back this year- sculpting in great detail their pieces of art. Actually, many of the carvers will be arriving as early as today to begin their carving, and residents and visitors are always welcome to stop by the municipal park in the center of town.

About a dozen carvers are expected to come to town for the event, according to Mrs. LaBarge.

Some of last year’s talent will be returning.

“Many of these artisans follow a state or regional circuit of shows each summer, and are always happy to have an event here that fits that schedule,” she explained this week.

The auction of the many works created from those pieces of raw wood is set for 5p.m. Saturday.

Featured this year will be the archery range designed to teach children the fundamentals of the sport taught by members of the Tupper Lake Sportsmen’s Club.

Tupper Lake boasts a very well-run archery program run by the volunteers at the former Rod and Gun Club at their headquarters on Lake Simond Road. Organizers are always looking for more children and teens to join their program.

This year’s Field Day will again feature a car show, run by Tupper Lake’s snowmobile club leaders, Reese and Kelly Fleury. Visitors may find their favorite ride in mint condition that will take them back to memories from their teen years. Vintage car shows are always heaped in nostalgia, and this one will be no different.

The cars and other vehicles in the show will line the highway side of the park that day.

At the first-time show at the Field Day last year organizers were predicting a small field, but more than 50 vehicles and their owners came to show off their prize-winning rigs and brag about them. There’s a good chance this year’s second annual event will boast many entries, organizers are hoping.

Within the show will be many classes of vehicles- from classic to restored to modified to custom, etc., explained Mrs. LaBarge. Entries sometimes are defined by decade.

The winners in each class will receive trophies to take home with them.

The afternoon will be punctuated with all sorts of kids’ games, including sack races, three-legged races, spoon and egg matches, tugs of war between both kids of various ages and adults. Most, at this point in the planning, will be youth games. The games will run from about 1p.m. to 3p.m.

Many of the town recreation department’s day camp counselor will be helping Christielee run the games as volunteers this year.

There will be food trucks on site, as well as artisans and other vendors, inflated bounce houses and obstacle course and such, all under the director of Mrs. Geiger.

A corn hole tournament is also planned. Organizers had hoped it could be a fundraiser for the Tupper Lake Volunteer Ambulance Squad and its ambulance fund driver underway, but a shortage of available volunteers to run it nixed those plans. Face-painting artisans will also be there and are expected again to be very popular with the younger set.

For adults, in particular, but for any one, actually, Field Day will feature two hours of square dancing from 2p.m. to 4p.m., hosted by accomplished Tupper Lake musicians, Wayne and Laura Davison.

The new event will blend nicely with the “Gone Country” theme, as square dancing is a traditional pastime in rural communities everywhere.

The couple has introduced the popular form of dancing to high school classes in recent years.

“Field Day” this year will again present its popular “Slime Run” where young people navigate a short running course through a corridor of parents, all wielding buckets and pans of the gooey stuff. White t-shirts are encouraged to accentuate the effect of the various colors of goop thrown on the passing runners.

The course will be from one end of the firemen’s strip to the opposite end.

The fun event begins right at 3p.m. “and it’s a great way for parents to take out their pent up aggression on their kids in a very fun and safe way,” the recreation director joked. The slime run was very popular last year.

It’s open to kids of all ages, she emphasizes.

Big buckets filled with slime are available to parents who line the course to fill up their hand-held squirters, also provided. Buckets filled with slime can also be used.

Organizers are also planning something of a slip and slide for the kids too, if the weather is cooperative.

The day will cap off musically with a performance by Brock Gonyea and his new band, featuring pedal steel guitar stand-out Larry Reandeau. The band will perform from 4p.m. to 6p.m. and mark the close of a busy day of fun and interest in the park.

From start to finish, this year’s event will certainly have “Gone Country.”

Board of Education selects Jaycee Welsh as new superintendent of schools

The Tupper Lake Central School District Board of Education voted unanimously to appoint Jaycee Welsh as its next superintendent of schools during an organizational board of education meeting held on July 8.

The release below came from Max Spritzer, public relations specialist with Franklin-Essex-Hamilton BOCES. A similar statement was posted on Facebook by Board President Jane Whitmore after the Monday night meeting.

Ms. Welsh, the current executive principal and director of special education at LaFargeville Central School District, was awarded with a three-year contract and will officially assume the duties as Tupper Lake superintendent on August 1st or earlier, pending arrangements with her current district.

She replaces Superintendent Russell Bartlett, who notified the board last year that he would retire at the end of the 2023-24 school year, capping off a 30-year career with the district.

At LaFargeville, Ms. Welsh worked closely with the PK-12 principal, superintendent, teachers and staff on a number of successes, including significant increases in proficiency rates of grades 3-8 test scores which are now some of the highest in the Jefferson-Lewis BOCES region among several grade levels. She also helped facilitate and model strategic instructional practices for pre-kindergarten through 12th grade, including in-house professional development for all instructional staff. Welsh was also responsible for the oversight of a district-wide new teacher mentor program and the successful operation of a student teacher collaboration with SUNY Potsdam, where she is an adjunct instructor at the college’s School of Education & Professional Studies.

In addition to both of her administrative roles, Welsh also served as internal claims auditor for the district and brings with her a wealth of experience navigating challenging budgetary processes.

Ms. Welsh started her administrative career in 2015 as elementary principal and director of special education in LaFargeville. Prior to that, she was employed as a special education teacher with the Carthage Central School District, where she also served as the site supervisor for the Carthage After School Enrichment (CASE) Program.

“I've spent my entire life in small communities - I love everything Tupper Lake represents,” said Welsh. “I look forward to learning and fostering traditions, as well as immersing myself into the school and community. I respect the small town values of Tupper Lake and hope to help build on those for the next generation.”

Ms. Welsh also plans to actively engage the community in the district's governance in the near future.

“During the coming months, I plan to meet with community leaders to hear what they have to say about the district and forge new relationships. I also will invite members of the media to come in and discuss the district's goals and the path we plan to enhance and grow the learning opportunities of our students.”

According to the release, she was selected from an accomplished pool of candidates following a comprehensive search process. The process involved collecting feedback from various community stakeholders regarding what they hoped to see in the school district’s next leader. Feedback was gathered from employees, families and community members through an open survey and a series of focus groups. FEH BOCES District Superintendent Dale Breault, Jr. served as the search consultant for Tupper Lake.

"The stakeholder groups and the board of education universally felt that Jaycee is a great fit for Tupper Lake,” said Tupper Lake Board President Jane Whitmore. “She is going to bring a wealth of knowledge in key areas that will help our district, and we look forward to working with her."

A graduate of Camden Central School, Welsh earned her bachelor’s degree in Political Science and master’s degree in Special Education Leadership from James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia. She also holds a Certificate of Advanced Study in Educational Leadership from James Madison University and a Certificate of Advanced Study in District Level Educational Leadership from Niagara University. She resides in LaFargeville with her husband, but is in the process of relocating to Tupper Lake.

Great entertainment, fireworks, family fun this week in Tupper Lake

by Dan McClelland

There’s plenty to do and see in town starting today and continuing throughout Independence Day weekend.

Today the 51st annual Tupper Lake Art Show opens at Tupper Arts on Park Street. It’s a showcase of great art by local and regional artists and artisans that runs through July 14.

Tonight between 5p.m. and 6:30p.m. at Tupper Arts there’s an opening reception, that is free and open to everyone.

Tupper Arts will also treat the community and its many visitors to a musical celebration of Independence Day tomorrow. The fun starts at the village’s Sunset Stage in Flanders Park below Martin Street with free music by On3- a local acoustic trio- which will go on stage there at 4:30p.m. The trio plans original and traditional songs. On deck at 7p.m. is the local band “Night School” which routinely treats local audiences to the lively and fun songs from the 1970s and 1980s.

The two performances are actually the start of Tupper Arts summer concert series twice a week at the Sunset Stage.

The annual fireworks will light the skies above the Tupper Lake Municipal Park at dusk on July 4. The event is again presented by the village and town governments to mark the holiday in a special way.

On Friday morning, Tupper Arts opens its Little Logger shows at the bandshell at 11a.m. The program is designed to delight both kids and adults young at heart. The first performer in this summer-long Friday morning series will be Stephen Gratto, a school superintendent by day who moonlights as a physical comedian.

All Tupper Arts-sponsored events in the park this summer are free, although donations are always appreciated.

On Friday evening at 6p.m. the Tupper Lake Riverpigs- our semi-pro team will host the North Country Thunderbirds in what likely will be a great game in the municipal park stadium.

Around town this weekend there is live music at P-2’s Irish Pub and Raquette River Brewing. Check out Tupper Lake’s Visitors’ Guide available for free in local businesses or our events calendar on Page 5 for full details of all local events this weekend.