Save The Date: Chamber’s Christmas Parade is Dec. 7

by Rachel Hunter

The Gouverneur Chamber of Commerce will hold its Annual Christmas Parade and Festivities on Saturday, December 7, in downtown Gouverneur. The event is sponsored by the Chamber’s Marble Member Kinney Drugs, Gold Members Bonaparte Pharmacy, Community Health Center of the North Country, Gouverneur Hospital and Lawrence Manor.

The fun starts in the Gouverneur Village Park at 2 p.m., with free mechanical reindeer rides (2-5 p.m.) and horse-drawn wagon rides (2-4:30 p.m.). There will be free hot cocoa and cookies available in the basement of the First United Methodist Church of Gouverneur (34 Grove St.), and a children’s coloring contest will be on site.

The parade will line-up, 4 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., near Green Funeral Home. All parade participants are required to sign-in upon arrival. The parade will start at 5 p.m. There will be a $50 prize for the best parade float. All businesses, churches, clubs and organizations, schools, and families are welcome to participate. The Chamber encourages all to showcase their holiday spirit with creative lighting during the parade.

Santa Claus will once again be the special guest of the Gouverneur Chamber of Commerce for the holiday celebration Santa will greet the children and give them a gift, immediately after parade, under the new village gazebo.

Mark your calendar for Saturday, December 7, and make plans to join this memorable holiday celebration in Gouverneur. For more information on the Gouverneur Chamber of Commerce, visit www.gouverneurchamber.net.

Veterans Day observed in Gouverneur

by Rachel Hunter

The 2024 Gouverneur Veterans Day Observance was held on Monday, November 11, at 11 a.m., at the Gouverneur Memorial Arch in the Gouverneur Village Park. The annual event is made possible through the efforts of the Silas Wainwright VFW Post 6338 in Gouverneur and the James Maloy American Legion Post 65. This year’s observance drew the largest crowd reported in recent years.

A word of welcome was given by Master of Ceremonies, Robert Sargent, Senior Vice Commander of VFW Post 6338. The invocation was given by American Legion Post 65 Commander Jason Carvel. The Pledge of Allegiance was led by VFW Post 6338 Commander Roland Roderick and American Legion Post 65 Commander Jason Carvel.

The Presentation of Wreaths was conducted by VFW Post 6338 Commander Roland Roderick and American Legion Post 65 Commander Jason Carvel. The Presentation of Flowers was conducted by Linda McEathron, VFW Post 6338 Auxiliary President, and Emma Hoffman, American Legion Auxiliary President. The Presentation of the Yellow Rose was made by Carla (Cappellino) Frank in honor of all Gold Star Mothers. The Presentation of the Red Rose was made by Lynda Andrews, Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) descendant. Sons of the American Legion Member Mark Jenkins presented a wreath. A wreath was also presented by Gouverneur Middle School Principal Michael Hammond from the Gouverneur Central School District.

All then enjoyed the sounds of a bagpipe selection, “Amazing Grace.”

The guest speaker was LTC Richard T. Sposito, Jr., who hails from Newport News, Viriginia. Upon graduation from the Longwood University ROTC, he received his commission in the Military Police Corps in 2007. Following graduation, he attended the MP Basic Officer Leader Course at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. His first assignment was to Fort Campbell, Kentucky where he served as Platoon Leader and Assistant Operations Officer in the 4th BCT, 101st ABN DIV (AASLT), deploying to Afghanistan in 2008-2009.

LTC Sposito graduated from the MP Captain’s Career Course in 2012 where he received an M.A. in Business and Organizational Security Management from Webster’s University and was assigned to 94th MP BN (Seoul, ROK) assuming command of the 55th MP CO (Camp Casey, ROK). Upon completion of command, MAJ Sposito was assigned to The Citadel (Charleston, SC) as an APMS. In 2017, LTC Sposito graduated ILE at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas and was assigned to the 16th MP BDE serving both as the BDE Chief of Operations and Training Officer, deploying as part of the contingency response force to the Southwest Border in 2018. While still at Fort Bragg, LTC Sposito served as BN XO, 503d MP BN then BDE XO, 16th MP BDE from 2019-2021. Following the completion of his time in the 16th MPBDE, LTC Sposito served as the Military Police Organizational Integrator, Forces Command from 2021-23.

Currently, LTC Sposito serves as the Commander, 91st Military Police Battalion and Director of Emergency Services, Fort Drum, New York. His awards include Meritorious Service Medal (3OLC), Army Commendation Medal with “V” Device (1OLC), Army Achievement Medal (2OLC). His badges include the Combat Action Badge, German Armed Forces Efficiency Badge (Gold), Chilean Parachutist Badge, US Army Parachutists Badge, Air Assault Badge, and Pathfinder Badge. His unit awards include the Meritorious Unit Citation. He is also a recipient of the General MacArthur Leadership Award.

LTC Sposito is married to the former Carla Blum from Gloucester, Virginia and together they have two children, Kaitlyn and Abigail.

In his address, LTC Sposito said the following: “Today, we gather to honor those who have worn the uniform, those who have served this nation with courage and dedication, and those who have made countless sacrifices to protect the freedoms we hold dear. This day is not only about remembrance – it is about gratitude, respect, and a solemn acknowledgement of the debt we owe our veterans, past and present.

“While World War I officially ended when the Treaty of Versailles was signed in June of 1919, the fighting ended about seven months before than when the Allies and Germany put into effect an armistice, signed on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. For that reason, November 11, 1918, was largely considered the end of “the war to end all wars” and dubbed Armistice Day. Following World War II and the Korean War, and at the urging of veterans service organizations, Congress amended the commemoration yet again by changing the word “armistice” to “veterans” so the day would honor American veterans of all wars.

“Veterans Day gives us the opportunity to pause and recognize the men and women who have taken an oath to serve. Today, there are about 18 million living veterans, from WWII to our most recent conflicts in the Middle East. They come from every corner of our nation, from all walks of life, yet they share a common, noble purpose: to defend our country and protect the values we cherish.

“Today in Gouverneur, we celebrate a rich history of military service and a proud tradition of supporting our veterans. This community has sent its sons and daughters to serve in times of peace and in times of war, and we honor those who answered the call to serve.

“Personally, I am a third-generation soldier. Both grandfathers and my father served before me, and I am entering my 18th year of service. So, it’s safe to say that I have been around a few military communities. But when I was assigned here to Fort Drum last summer… I was told about a phenomenon, an idea that I did not take seriously. That of the North Country. I was a skeptic. I thought that I had been around, and it was expected around key holidays that we would be asked to participate in events, march in parades, eat a few free meals… the normal stuff. But wow, did I underestimate the North Country. Upon my arrival, I was immediately embraced by the community. I was asked: “How can we support you and the soldiers?” And it was the most genuine offer I have experienced. The James Maloy American Legion Post No. 65 and Commander Jason Carvel. The Silas Wainwright VFW Post 6338 and Commander Roland Roderick. Local community partners and local citizens. Veterans supporting veterans. There is no nobler calling, and I salute you. It is the rich and genuine community that makes the difference in the North Country. I have made friends for life. Friends who have called this community home for generations and some who upon completing their service to our nation never wanted to leave. You have made a difference in so many and have shown that service does not end when you remove the uniform. That the person who swears the oath is one of character, selflessness and of servitude.

“All of you, and those before you, are the reason our soldiers never want to leave, staying here once they complete their service, why Fort Drum is a hidden gem, and why the North Country will always be near and dear to my heart. President George Washington said, “The willingness with which our young people are likely to serve in any war shall be directly proportional to how they perceive the veterans of earlier wars were treated and appreciated by their nation.” If every town was Gouverneur, and every region was the North Country, we would be in a great place.

“We are privileged to live in a country that values freedom, justice and democracy. But those values are not guaranteed. They have been defended and preserved by the brave actions of our servicemembers. Today, we remember those who have served across generations – in World War I, World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan, and other conflicts. Each generation of veterans has contributed to the legacy of service that we celebrate today.

“Former Chief of Staff of the Army General Raymond Odierno said: “The strength of our nation is our Army (military), and the strength of our Army is our soldiers.” Something that I find incredible is that since 1973 our military has been an all-volunteer force. During times of known and potential conflict, you have raised your right hand to serve… and unfortunately, we have had servicemembers in harms way almost every year since then. And yet you continue to volunteer to serve. To our veterans here today, we honor your service and your sacrifices. You have endured hardships and demonstrated resilience, facing challenges with courage far beyond what should have been asked of you. We are grateful for your service and your example. Your nation owes you a debt of gratitude that can never be paid.”

Thunderous applause then sounded for the veterans in Gouverneur and beyond.

“The last part of Gen. Odierno’s quote is that the “strength of our soldiers is our families.” As we stand together today, let us remember the families of our veterans. Their support, love and sacrifice are often unseen but essential to the strength of our military. They carry the weight of the unknown. They, too, bear the burden of service, and deserve our deepest gratitude,” LTC Sposito said.

The crowd erupted in applause for the veterans’ families.

“It’s an honor to serve with and for all of you,” LTC Sposito said. “Thank you, Gouverneur, for standing with our veterans. May God bless our veterans, their families, and the United States of America.”

Applause then sounded in appreciation of LTC Sposito’s address.

The honor guard salute was conducted by the VFW and American Legion’s combined firing detail, conducted by Karl Beck, Sergeant-at-Arms at VFW Post 6338. “Taps” was performed by GHS Instrumental Music Teacher Olivia Montagno. Benediction was given by VFW Post 6338 Auxiliary Chaplain Ruth Mead.

Much appreciation was extended to those who attended the ceremony, and who contributed any type of service towards the event’s success. All were invited back to the VFW Post 6338, 100 W. Main Street, Gouverneur, for a free luncheon.

For more information about the local veteran organizations, call the VFW at 315-287-4682, or the American Legion at 315-287-4590.

Veterans Day Observance is Nov. 11

by Rachel Hunter

The Gouverneur Veterans Day Observance will be held on Monday, November 11, 11 a.m., at the Gouverneur Memorial Arch in the Gouverneur Village Park. The public is invited and encouraged to attend.

The guest speaker is LTC Richard T. Sposito, Jr., who hails from Newport News, Viriginia. Upon graduation from the Longwood University ROTC, he received his commission in the Military Police Corps in 2007. Following graduation, he attended the MP Basic Officer Leader Course at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. His first assignment was to Fort Campbell, Kentucky where he served as Platoon Leader and Assistant Operations Officer in the 4th BCT, 101st ABN DIV (AASLT), deploying to Afghanistan in 2008-2009.

LTC Sposito graduated from the MP Captain’s Career Course in 2012 where he received an M.A. in Business and Organizational Security Management from Webster’s University and was assigned to 94th MP BN (Seoul, ROK) assuming command of the 55th MP CO (Camp Casey, ROK). Upon completion of command, MAJ Sposito was assigned to The Citadel (Charleston, SC) as an APMS. In 2017, LTC Sposito graduated ILE at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas and was assigned to the 16th MP BDE serving both as the BDE Chief of Operations and Training Officer, deploying as part of the contingency response force to the Southwest Border in 2018. While still at Fort Bragg, LTC Sposito served as BN XO, 503d MP BN then BDE XO, 16th MP BDE from 2019-2021. Following the completion of his time in the 16th MPBDE, LTC Sposito served as the Military Police Organizational Integrator, Forces Command from 2021-23.

Currently, LTC Sposito serves as the Commander, 91st Military Police Battalion and Director of Emergency Services, Fort Drum, New York. His awards include Meritorious Service Medal (3OLC), Army Commendation Medal with “V” Device (1OLC), Army Achievement Medal (2OLC). His badges include the Combat Action Badge, German Armed Forces Efficiency Badge (Gold), Chilean Parachutist Badge, US Army Parachutists Badge, Air Assault Badge, and Pathfinder Badge. His unit awards include the Meritorious Unit Citation. He is also a recipient of the General MacArthur Leadership Award.

LTC Sposito is married to the former Carla Blum from Gloucester, Virginia and together they have two children, Kaitlyn and Abigail.

Following the Veterans Day Observance, the public will be invited to attend a luncheon at Silas Wainwright VFW Post 6338, 100 W. Main St., Gouverneur. Remember:  “All gave some, some gave all. We did not know them all, but we owe them all.” For more info, call 315-287-4682.

Cambray Court Apartments has grand re-opening celebration

by Rachel Hunter

The grand re-opening celebration at Cambray Court Apartments, 68 W. Main St., Gouverneur, was held on Tuesday, October 29.

All were welcomed by Ronald P. McDougall, president of the Cambray Housing Corporation, Gary Hallock, project consultant, as well as representatives from financing partners (Community Bank, N.A.), NYS Housing Trust Fund Corporation – Division of Housing and Community Renewal, Development Authority of the North Country, Federal Home Loan Bank of New York, St. Lawrence County Community Development Agency, NYS Energy Research and Development Authority), Architect Engineer (Aubertine & Currier LLC of Watertown, NY), General Contractor (ConTech Building Systems, Inc. of Gouverneur), Management Agent (United Helpers Management Company of Ogdensburg), and Legal Services (Cannon, Hayman, Weiss, LLP of Albany). Also recognized were the Cambray Housing Corporation Board of Trustees, local politicians, and state representatives in attendance, including New York State Assemblyman Kenneth Blankenbush, and NYS Senator Mark Walczyk’s Office Manager Bonnie Fikes, among others.

The celebration was emceed by Gary Hallock, project consultant. “Everyone in this room has had a hand in somehow touching this project,” he said. “I want to extend my personal appreciation for all that you have done in getting it done.” A special word of gratitude was also extended to Ronald P. McDougall (Village of Gouverneur Mayor and Cambray Housing Corporation President) and Board Members Scott Gillan, Ron Tuttle and Duane Winters for their confidence throughout the project.

The floor was then given to Ron McDougall, who warmly welcomed all those in attendance. “Thank you for being with us this morning,” he said. “It’s very important that we have affordable, public housing. That is our goal, and has been our goal for 15-20 years. It is a big day for Cambray Housing, for the citizens of Gouverneur, and for the Village of Gouverneur. We certainly appreciate everyone coming. It’s been a little while. Good things come slow… but we are here and it is done, as much as it can be. We have some issues to close on – some housekeeping issues, but other than that we are all set.

“We got a housing shortage now more than ever in New York State, and particularly in Northern New York. We knew we needed new affordable housing. A little history for everyone… The finished project has been a few years in the making, starting with the flooding 10 years ago. After the flooding, we tore down the flood-impacted apartments on this campus, and built a new 70-unit project next door. Then we totally renovated the project we are celebrating today. So now we have a new campus comprised of our sister project, Cambray Terrace next door, and the newly renovated Cambray Court apartments. The two projects will provide high quality and affordable housing for our low-income seniors for at least another 30 years. A job well done by everyone involved. When I look around the room, I see that everyone here had a role in making this a reality, and I sincerely appreciate your commitment to the task at hand.

“I’d like to take a minute to recognize some folks who have been especially important to this endeavor.

“Clearly, we wouldn’t be here today without the generous support of our financial partners. After all, money is the driving force in what we have accomplished. Community Bank provided a construction loan of almost $4.4 million, and sponsored our $350,000 Federal Home Loan Bank grant. Community Bank Senior VP Ron Bacon is here with us today, and I’d like to acknowledge and thank Ron and the bank for their unwavering support, continued support, and lengthy support of our project.

“The Development Authority of the North Country (DANC) is providing $1 million. Early on, DANC also provided critical pre-development funding, which we badly needed to get the project rolling. DANC Executive Director Carl Farone is with us today, and I extend a huge thank you to Carl, the DANC Board, and to DANC’s Michelle Capone, for their tremendous support of the project.

“The New York State Division of House and Community Renewal is providing $3.4 million toward the renovation. We’d like to thank our HCR Rep Craig Thompson for his support of Cambray Housing. And let’s not forget our local partner, St. Lawrence County Community Development, which provided over $160,000 for energy-related improvements. Thank you for your efforts on our behalf.

“There are others, whose important contributions I should acknowledge, of course. Brian Jones and Noah Landers were the project architects. I think you’ll all agree and there’s been a remarkable transformation of the project from a tired old seventies deal to the present. And locally, our own ConTech Building Systems of Gouverneur was the project contractor. I extend a big thank you to Katie DeJesus, Nate Cole, and Cody Connors for their day-to-day construction expertise.

“Last, and certainly not least, I would like to thank our management company United Helpers Management for the outstanding job they did during construction and every day in managing our project… I thank Regional Director Beth Snyder, project manager Andria Johnson, John Ashley, Jim LaVair, and Jim Cook for all that they do in operating an efficient operation, day in and day out.

“I would just like to say, without ridiculing any other construction that goes on in the community or in other places in Northern New York, yes it took a while. But our local contractor, local management company… the quality is greatly improved from other endeavors that we’ve had in this community before, believe me. I certainly appreciate it. I know at times I might have been a little surly, particularly when people here didn’t have cable TV on Thanksgiving last year. I think I told the architects: “I’ll be watching football. I bet you will too. These people want to watch football.” So thanks to our guiding light, Gary Hallock, project consultant… Things were moving slow, but let’s face it. Getting the properly trained labor crew is difficult. I don’t care where you go, and it is still difficult today, even though the so-called pandemic maybe over to a certain degree. It was difficult doing projects like this during a pandemic, but we did the best we could here in Northern New York. I couldn’t be happier.”

Project Consultant Gary Hallock then underscored the vital role of the financial partners.

DANC Executive Director Carl Farone then said: “From the Development Authority’s perspective, it has been a pleasure teaming up with you folks and making this a reality. Typically, when the authority gets involved in projects, they are not easy. They are multiple phases, multiple years. It’s not typical that it is through a pandemic, but kudos to sticking with this project and providing the affordable housing to the Gouverneur area. Congratulations!”

NYS Assemblyman Ken Blankenbush said: “Thanks for the invitation… What I always look at during these ribbon-cuttings is what you’ve been talking about – the financial partners. The reason I say that is because the State of New York spends a lot of money. If you add Texas and Florida together, we have bigger budgets than both of those states added together. But when I say that, the funding that the State gives to projects like this… that is what we should be spending money on. This type of stuff. I’m always encouraged when I look across the board, at all the financial people in this room that have helped this project. I want to thank all you guys for doing that. I am just happy to be here today. It’s really nice to see, across the board, all the help that we get in our communities.”

NYS Senator Mark Walczyk’s Office Manager Bonnie Fikes said the following: “I just want to say hello from the Senator. He is currently in Kuwait, still deployed with his service in Army Reserves, and hopefully will be home very soon. We certainly recognize the need for affordable housing in this area… I have a history with housing. It seems like we can always get the money to build a project. It is very hard to get the money to keep it up. So, thank you for the invitation.”

Community Bank N.A. Vice President Ron Bacon then said the following: “I think it was Ken Snyder that steered me to this project. I thought it was a great opportunity, a very important project for the county, and I was more than happy to become involved. For those that don’t know, construction lending has a lot of risk, and we have everything in this project. We had record price increases. We had the project re-bid out one or two times. We had to extend this thing numerous times. We had interest rates that nobody anticipated from the beginning that affected the interest cost of the project. I mentioned we had cost overruns, and we have delays. Those are all reasons that banks hesitate some to do construction lending. There is a lot of risk, but we got through it. I want to thank the permanent lenders who are paying our construction loan off for their understanding and ability to increase their loan commitments over time. Without that, we wouldn’t have gotten out of this. I really want to thank Gary. He’s been the glue that’s held this whole project together. It was great working with him, and without his cooperation and the information that he provided, we would never have gotten through this like we did. We had some sleepless nights… but we are here. Great project!”

The celebration concluded with a ribbon-cutting ceremony, and thunderous applause sounded in grateful appreciation for the project’s finalization.

Gouverneur CSD Board of Education hears Wildcat news

by Rachel Hunter

The Gouverneur CSD Board of Education heard the Wildcat news report, given by Gouverneur CSD Supt. Jackie Kelly, at the Oct. 21 meeting.

“As you know, our cafeterias have begun to use locally sourced food, and tonight I have some facts about that to share with you,” Supt. Kelly said. “The Gouverneur cafeterias have served approximately 1,600 pounds of locally grown, picked and processed apple slices as well as unprocessed apples. We served 250 pounds each of salsa mix, diced onions and diced green peppers. We also just began to receive butternut squash. We started using corn on the cob and green beans that had been flash-frozen allowing us to have fresh vegetables throughout the entire school year. These fruits and vegetables are grown and harvested by our local farmers right here in St. Lawrence County. Then, they are processed and packaged in the Harvest Kitchen at the Cornell Cooperative Extension in Canton. Apples, salsa mix, onions and green peppers are delivered to Gouverneur and neighboring school districts each week by St. Lawrence-Lewis BOCES staff. We are also using local potatoes to make homemade French fries as well as fresh beef and pork products that are sourced locally. We are very excited to be able to offer these vegetables, fruits and meats to our students, and we are continuing to work to offer more locally grown produce in the future.

“Next, in our Wildcat news, I want to share a great opportunity in which some of our students participated last week. On Thursday, October 17, some of our high school students here at Gouverneur participated in St. Lawrence-Lewis BOCES Annual Manufacturing Day. The event had students tour manufacturing facilities across the region, learning about the array of products that are made right here in the North Country and discovering the variety of careers possible in the industry. This year, some of the companies right here in Gouverneur (including Kinney Drugs, CIVES Steel, and Riverside Iron) participated in this special event. Our students from Gouverneur visited Riverside Iron and the Five Mile Farm in Lisbon. At Riverside Iron, our students saw some of the miscellaneous ornamental and structural steel fabricated right here in Gouverneur. Our students also visited the Five Mile Farm in Lisbon, which has been in the Akins family since the mid-1800s. Today, the fifth, sixth and seventh generations work together on the farm. Our students got to see a modern farm, including a 50-cow rotary parlor that improves the efficiency of milking cows in operation. Manufacturing Day is a national initiative spearheaded by the Manufacturing Institute. It is traditionally held in the month of October, or whenever there is an opportunity to spark interest in the next generation of manufacturers. In this part of the region, the effort is organized by St. Lawrence-Lewis BOCES, who coordinates the business visits with St. Lawrence County Industrial Development Agency. Over 340 students from St. Lawrence County attended this event, and students from Hammond, Morristown, and Lisbon visited businesses right here in the vicinity of Gouverneur. I’d like to thank Mr. Sochia for chaperoning this educational opportunity for our students.

“Finally, I’d like to provide an update on the RECOVS grant. As you know, we were the recipient of the 2023-2025 New York State RECOVS Recover from COVID School Program Grant in the amount of $508,000. This money is helping us continue some of our ARP-funded positions through the year 2025. In addition to the two social worker positions that were created, we will still be working with Gouverneur Behavioral Health to expand student access to school-based mental health professionals right here in our school buildings. We are all very excited about the development of this relationship with a local organization that will help support our students and their families. As a reminder, Gouverneur was one of only two school districts in the North Country to receive this grant, and it is a tremendous opportunity for us, our students and their families. Thank you!”

Much gratitude was extended to Supt. Kelly for her report.

In other news:

The Gouverneur CSD Board of Education was recognized during the School Board Appreciation Week, October 14-18. The Board includes: David Fenlong, President, Todd Bates, Vice President, Brooke Bush, William Cartwright, Lisa McGregor, Nickolas Ormasen, Laurie Roberts, and Laura Spicer. Appreciation was extended to the Board for all that they do. Gouverneur CSD Supt. Kelly said: “The New York State School Boards Association recognized Oct. 14-18, 2024 as School Board Recognition Week,” she said. “This is a time to promote awareness and understanding of the important work performed by our school boards. Board members are required to make difficult decisions and spend countless hours studying education issues and regulations in order to provide accountability to our community stakeholders. Our board members spend many hours volunteering their time to ensure strategies, resources, policies and programs align with our district goals. School board members give the citizens of Gouverneur a voice in decision making. They are advocates for public education. It takes strong schools to build a strong community. These men and women devote their time to make sure our schools help every child to have the opportunity to be successful. Every decision they make is not only in the best interest of our 1,444 students but also in the best of interest of our district families, our faculty and staff members, and the entire community of Gouverneur. Thank you, to each and every one of you, for all that you do for all of the stakeholders in our district.” A tribute video was posted on the Gouverneur CSD Facebook page following the board meeting. During public comment, Jerrilyn Patton, Co-President of the Gouverneur Education Association, presented a small token of appreciation (gift certificate to the Casablanca Restaurant in Gouverneur) to the school board members in gratitude for all the work that they do, and the support of the students, school programs, etc. For more information on the Gouverneur CSD Board of Education, visit www.gcsk12.org.

The Gouverneur CSD Board of Education heard the audit report from Crowley & Halloran, CPAs, P.C. The Board then accepted the external auditor’s report for fiscal year, ending June 30, 2024.

The Board approved the following recommendations for tenure: Bobbie Holmes (Science Teacher) and Jean C. Johnson (English Teacher).

The Board approved the addendum to the Memorandum of Agreement #5 between the Gouverneur Central School District and the Gouverneur School Related Personnel Union to provide additional compensation to teacher aides who substitute teach when no substitutes or other appropriates means are available to extend through the 2024-25 school year.

The Board approved Memorandum of Agreement #1 between the Gouverneur Central School District and the Gouverneur Education Association to amend Appendix A to recognize DEI Club (Class E).

The Board accepted resignation requests from Erika J. Woodrow (Individual Aide), Elizabeth Rathbun (2.75-hour Food Service Helper), and Michelle Fiacco (2.75-hour Food Service Helper).

The Board approved the following appointments: Ashley Barr and Lindsey McCormick were named Gouverneur Elementary Afterschool Tutoring Instructors. Pam Stevens was named a Middle School Afterschool Tutoring Instructor. The following substitutes were appointed: Carlton M. Bresett, Mallorie Fuller, Rachel Laso, Morgan Prashaw, Jennifer Stiles, Gabrielle Platt. The Board approved the following 2024-25 advisors: Select Strings (Janeen L. Streeter), FFA Assistant (Taylor A. Rollins), FFA Summer 2024 (Kylie Torres).

The Board appointed the following 2024-25 winter coaches: Varsity Wrestling (George J. Baer), Basketball Girls 8th Grade (Evelyn G. Barton), Basketball Boys 7th and 8th Grade (Jarrett W. Bullock), JV Wrestling (Shawn Cummings), Wrestling 7th & 8th Grade (David M. Dailey), Varsity Girls Basketball (Sean Devlin), Winter Cheerleading (Erica Dowling), Volunteer Girls Basketball (Chelsi Peck), Girls Wrestling (Dylan Morrison), Modified Indoor Track (Julie K. Neiss), Basketball Girls 7th Grade (Korrine Patterson), Varsity Boys Basketball (Michael A. Shattuck), Basketball Girls JV (Rick L. Vrooman), Indoor Track (Kurtis P. Wells), Swim Boys Volunteer Assistant (Saddie R. Whitaker), and Swim Boys (Brett M. Worden).

The Board appointed students Kristen Burns as lifeguard, fitness room attendant. It also appointed Cayleigh Flynn as fitness room attendant.

The Board revised the appointment of Grace Mashaw, School counselor, to a probationary period, effective September 24, 2024 to September 23, 2028.

The Board appointed Madison L. Hurlbut to the non-probationary position of long-term substitute to replace a certain employee, effective September 17, 2024 to approximately December 13, 2024.

The Board had its first reading in its policy review for the following: 3231 (Complaints and Grievances by Employees), 3232 (Complaints and Grievances by Students), 3421 (Title IX and Sex Discrimination), 4250 (Evaluation of the Superintendent and other Administrative Staff), 5240 (School Tax Assessment and Collection/Property Tax Exemptions), 5681 (School Safety Plans), 8212 (Fire and Emergency Drills, Bomb Threats, and Bus Emergency Drills), 6550 (Leaves of Absence), 7220 (Graduation Requirements), 7224 (Virtual Instruction), 7470 (Student Government), 7540 (Student Directory Information), 8130 (Equal Educational Opportunities), and 7555 (Educational Services for Married/Pregnant Students). It is anticipated that the Board will adopt the recommendations at the Nov. 4 board meeting.

The Board approved the request for the Varsity Wrestling team to attend and compete in the following tournaments: Windsor Holiday Tournament, Windsor, NY (December 27-28), Peru Invitational, Peru, NY (January 4), Dame of Thrones, Halfmoon, NY (January 5), and King and Queen Bison Invitational, Latham, NY (January 25-26).

The Board approved the request for the Varsity Girls Basketball team to attend and compete in the following tournament: VVS Holiday Basketball Tournament, Verona, NY (December 27-28).

The Board approved the request for one member of the local chapter of the FFA to attend the National FFA Convention in Indianapolis from October 20-26, 2024. The student traveled with Assistant FFA Advisor Taylor Rollins and the Lowville chapter, and will cover her own expenses. The Board noted that it is interested in hearing about the trip at a future meeting.

The Board approved the request from the Class of 2025 for an overnight trip to Boston, Mass. in May 2025.

The Board authorized the Business Administrator to dispose of items declared as surplus that are obsolete, no longer useful or necessary for school district purposes and of no value to the school district.

The Board appointed Alissa McEathron, Julie Neiss, and Stephanie Plaisted as Teacher Ambassadors to the St. Lawrence-Lewis BOCES for the 2024-25 school year.

The next regular meeting of the Gouverneur Central School District Board of Education will be held on Monday, November 4, 5:30 p.m. For more information, visit www.gcsk12.org.

Sixth Annual Gouverneur Trunk or Treat a success with over 1,200 attending

by Rachel Hunter

North Country community members arrived in droves to attend the 2024 Trunk or Treat in Gouverneur. The annual event was sponsored by the Community Health Center of the North Country and Seaway Valley Prevention Council who worked in partnership with the Gouverneur and St. Lawrence County Fair Association and Gouverneur Central School District.

The Community Health Center of the North Country and the Seaway Valley Prevention Council started the event in 2018, and now they hold Trunk or Treat events across the North Country in Gouverneur, Ogdensburg and Massena. Over 3,800 persons were in attendance at the 2024 Trunk or Treats. The highest attendance was at the Ogdensburg Trunk or Treat with 1,351 persons attending. Second was Massena with 1,268 persons in attendance. Gouverneur had 1,215 persons in attendance. Due to the great amount of community support, Gouverneur had the most decorated trunks (42). Massena had 36, and Ogdensburg had 28. All treaters in attendance at the 2024 Gouverneur Trunk or Treat were welcomed by Community Health Center of the North Country and Seaway Valley Prevention Center staff.

Due to the generous contributions from the many organizations, clubs, local businesses, and community members in attendance, a total of 42 decorated trunks were set up down the fairgrounds midway to distribute “treats” to all those in attendance. The treats ranged from the sweet to the nutritious, as well as toys, crafts and much more. With the proclamation, “Trick or treat!” the youngsters took the available treats. The fairgrounds was the ideal locations as the midway was a walkable location for people of all ages, all abilities. Much gratitude to all those who made the event a success in the Gouverneur community.

The event included decorated trunks by the Gouverneur Area Chamber of Commerce, Seaway Valley Prevention Council, Community Health Center of the North Country, James Maloy American Legion Post 65, GHS Key Club, Gouverneur Peewee Cheer, FirstStudent, Kinney Drugs, Head Start, Gouverneur Savings and Loan Association, Gouverneur Public Library, among many others. The Jumbo’s Food Truck was also available on grounds. Also in attendance were the Gouverneur Fire Department, Gouverneur Rescue Squad, and Gouverneur Police Department.

The Sixth Annual Gouverneur Trunk or Treat event once again served as a fun, family-friendly way to get the word out about what services are available for people dealing with substance use issues. The idea originated with the Seaway Valley Prevention Council who in partnership with the Massena Drug-Free Community Coalition held a successful Trunk or Treat at Massena High School, which attracted hundreds of costumed children. Piggybacking on this rousing success while seeking a fun, engaging way to spread the word in the local community about the services available to those with substance use issues, SVPC and CHCNC thought the best way would be to bring a Trunk or Treat event to Gouverneur. Now, Gouverneur-area families say that it has become a tradition that they look forward to each Halloween.

For more info on how you can help at the Seventh Annual Gouverneur Trunk or Treat in 2025, call the Seaway Valley Prevention Council at (315) 713-4861 or visit svpc.net. For more information about the Community Health Center of the North Country, visit chcnorthcountry.org.

Community Watch in Gouverneur gaining momentum

by Rachel Hunter

Interest in the Gouverneur Community Watch group is growing in the local community.

The community watch program’s purpose is to create an alert neighborhood by using simple crime prevention methods. The program works through the mutual aid of neighbors watching the property of other neighbors and reporting suspicious activity to police. The monthly meetings are maintaining the interest of over 30 community members. Also there are representatives from the New York State Police, St. Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office, and the Gouverneur Police Department. Local dignitaries who have expressed their support include Village of Gouverneur Mayor Ron McDougall, Village of Gouverneur Deputy Mayor Charles Newvine, Village of Gouverneur Trustee Floyd McAdam, Village of Gouverneur Trustee Troy Besaw, Village of Gouverneur Trustee Shelly Simons-Washburn, Town of Gouverneur Supervisor Dave Spilman, Jr., Town of Gouverneur Deputy Supervisor Jay Bowhall, Town of Fowler Supervisor Rick Newvine, among others.

The third meeting of the Gouverneur Community Watch Group was held on Oct. 16 at the Eldon B. Conklin Gouverneur Community Center. The 80-minute meeting provided updates, and answered community members’ questions and concerns with the support of local law enforcement.

The meeting was emceed by Village of Gouverneur Deputy Mayor Charles Newvine, who reported that work has already begun to establish crime reporting zones in Gouverneur. The zone committee met a couple of times in the past month to arrive at the following recommendation: Zone 1 (Jefferson, W. Babcock, W. Barney, Austin, Clinton, Mill, Vaile, Snow, Dexter, Pearl, Johnstown, Ethel, E. Babcock, Trinity, E. Main, Barnes), Zone 2 (E. Barney, Barnes, Howard, Trinity, E. Main, N. Gordon, Caroline, Rock Island, Gleason, Valley, Meadow, Dale, Birchwood, Waid, Rowley, Edith), Zone 3 (Grove, Dodge, S. Gordon, Sterling, Beckwith, Averell, Depot, Pooler, Dorwin, Spencer, Factory, Lincoln, Bullard, Scotch Settlement), and Zone 4 (Bellevue, Vista, Adelia, Smith, Wilson, Murdock, Washington, Preston, W. Main, Reid, Starbuck, Prospect, McKean, Helena, Eckman, Parker, Hailesboro, River, Graves, William, South, Water). The group used the Village of Gouverneur’s brush pick-up zones to determine the zone recommendation. The zones may be further developed as future input is given.

Deputy Mayor Newvine said the success of the Gouverneur Community Watch group depends on community participation. The Gouverneur Community Watch Group needs volunteers, who are interested in seeing change in the local community. The group is currently looking to tailor the program to the needs of the Gouverneur community. But it needs people who are willing to put their name on the dotted line and sign-up to help. Deputy Mayor Newvine said now is the time for the Gouverneur Community Watch group to get organized.

“Crime is in your backyard in this small little town,” Deputy Mayor Newvine said, and then asked those present: “Will you be willing to observe, document and report?” He highlighted the reporting excellence by Dale Cronk, Sr., a Village of Gouverneur resident. “Mr. Cronk is very well-documented. Where he lives is a very problematic area in the Village. He keeps it very well-documented with a portfolio of where, what, when and why and how it happened. If you are willing to do that, then that’s a great thing. I will tell you: You will have to sign something. You will have to put your name on a piece of paper. That criminal will know your name and your address. That is the truth. They have the right to know that. That process isn’t slow for them to get it… What is your commitment level to this as far as having a community watch and having your name and personal information out there. That is something you have to ask yourself. The truth is that people are going to know who you are, and that’s not a lot of fun.” Deputy Mayor Newvine encouraged all those interested in volunteering to have a point of contact card that lists all local law enforcement phone numbers, and the zone coverage schedule.

Deputy Mayor Newvine said there are no protections that exist for those involved in the Gouverneur Community Watch group. He told the crowd, “If someone breaks onto my property, and my father sees it and tries to do something about. He is going to get arrested for assault, and that criminal is going to get trespass. He doesn’t care. He is a criminal, and it just goes in his file. This working class gentleman is going to get assault, and he is going to pay a lawyer and go to court and it is going to cost him money. That’s why these guys say that the justice system is broken… Are you willing to patrol and observe? Are you willing to do that? Are you willing to patrol the streets at 2 o’clock in the morning till 4 o’clock in the morning. There’s no coverage here from the Village police department from 11 p.m. on. So, 11 p.m. to 2 a.m., 2 a.m. to 4 a.m., and 4 a.m. to 6 a.m. These criminals are working while we are sleeping. That’s the shifts we are talking about here. Is it going to happen in the day? Yes, crime happens during the day too. But a lot of it goes on at night. Are you willing to do that? That is something you need to ask yourself.”

Deputy Mayor Newvine then gave the crowd the good, the bad, and the ugly about crime in Gouverneur and the surrounding community. “The good news is that we are here. We have people involved here, and we are going forward with this. We are going to be proactive and not reactive to this. That is what we are trying to do. That is the good news. We are trying to do something,” he said.

“The bad news is that it is worse than you think. If you think it is bad out there, it is worse than you think. Very recently, I have gotten up early to drive through the Village with my dog. I check on Newvine’s Auto Parts and I cruise around by the car wash, and I go back through town. If you want to get up at 5 o’clock in the morning and check on what’s going on in this Village, please do. Driving through the Village during the day, it doesn’t get much better. So, it is worse than you think. There’s probably about 11 people sleeping underneath the bridge. (Town of Gouverneur Supervisor Dave Spilman, Jr.) runs into it at Riverview Park all the time. That is the bad news, and there’s not much help out there… for them or for us. The other thing is that it is going to get worse before it gets better. If you think it is bad now, it is going to get worse before it gets better.

“This is the ugly part. I am going to give you the truth with as much grace as possible. If you haven’t talked about home defense with your loved ones at your house, you are already behind the eight ball. I have had the discussion with my kids not too long ago. They know exactly what is going to happen at my house if somebody breaks in. They know exactly what they are going to do, where they are going to be, and what they are going to do when they get there until I come get them. I know what I am doing at my home. I know exactly what is going to happen at my home if somebody should break in. If you don’t have that conversation with your loved ones, you are already behind the eight ball. That is the truth with as much grace as I can muster.

“Are you going to be willing to patrol? Meaning, if you are going to take the 2-4 a.m. shift on Prospect Street, are you going to patrol? I’ll give you a sign. I’ll give you a hat. We’ll put something on your car. What if a criminal comes up to you? Do you have a taser? Do you have mace? Do you have a pistol? If you do, I hope it is concealed carry. If not, you have to be going to the range or from the range. And if you do have concealed carry, you have to be retreating with that firearm and it has to be your last line of defense. If it isn’t, you are going to jail. That is the truth. If you are on patrol and you are observing and reporting, and you get out of your car, and that criminal comes to you, are you going to go hands on? Because there are people who talk about fighting and there’s people that fight. Those criminals are the last one. That is the truth… If you haven’t talked about home defense with your family, you need to do that. The First Amendment says that you can say anything you want. The Second Amendment says you better have a gun if you are going to do it. That is just the truth. If you are going to try to observe and report, and somebody wants to go hands on… are you going to go hands on? That is something you have to ask yourself.”

Village of Gouverneur resident Judy Brown then asked: “Where are they all coming from?” Deputy Mayor Newvine responded, “There is a mental health crisis in this community, and we are seeing it. Gouverneur Hospital sees it. They go Thursday to get help… on Sunday, they sign themselves out until Monday. They cope until Thursday, and they do it all over again. And there’s nothing you can do. There’s people in such a mental health crisis that they don’t know what to do. There’s help out there, but they don’t want it.”

“Why is it happening more here?” asked Village of Gouverneur resident Miki Hopper. “Don’t think it is happening just here,” Deputy Mayor Newvine said. “It’s not. It’s Canton. It’s Ogdensburg. It’s Potsdam. It’s worse in other places. But you are going to see more foot traffic here.” Deputy Mayor Newvine reminded the crowd that citizens are to observe and report only, and to let the local law enforcement agencies handle the policing. “There cannot be vigilante justice,” Deputy Mayor Newvine said. “But we’ve got to try to take back our community. “Can we fix all of it? Probably not. We can’t fix Canton. We can’t fix Ogdensburg. We can’t fix Potsdam. We’re concerned about that, but we need to fix Gouverneur. It’s a small, little town that I grew up in, was fortunate to move away for four years to go to college, and came right back here to sell brake pads. You all have a vested interest in this town. If you didn’t have a vested interest, you wouldn’t be here. We’re not doing it for our own sake. I mean, we are. But we are doing it for the sake of our children, our grandchildren. It doesn’t look like it did when I was in high school. It doesn’t look like it did five years ago. Things have changed. The system is broken.”

The Gouverneur Community Watch group wants to purchase and install 10 solar-powered surveillance cameras at high-crime locations in the Village of Gouverneur. The locations have been noted by Village of Gouverneur Chief of Police Darren Fairbanks of the Gouverneur Police Department. Maps of potential locations were distributed at the community watch meeting. “We are going to first prioritize where the problem areas are, and stick them in the right spot. You are going to see that the hottest spot is over by Prospect St.,” Deputy Mayor Newvine said. “That is just the truth. They go over there a lot. You can cut from Prospect St., right behind NAPA onto Main St., and you can get from Prospect St. over to Parker St. where they can hide a little bit on the west side of town.” It is estimated that $50,000-$100,000 is needed to fund the project. Generous donations are already being promised. The group is also discussing fundraisers to help support the project. There also have been discussions on signage, social media presence, and so much more.

But more people need to be involved. The Gouverneur Community Watch Group is looking for participation from local clubs and community organizations, and is seeking representatives from the Gouverneur Chamber of Commerce, the Gouverneur Lions Club, the Gouverneur Kiwanis Club, the Gouverneur Elks Lodge No. 2035, among others. The group also plans to reach out to elected officials, including: St. Lawrence County District 5 Legislator Harry Smithers (R-Gouverneur), NYS Senator Mark Walczyk, NYS Assemblyman Ken Blankenbush, and others.

The Gouverneur Community Watch group needs a logo. Deputy Mayor Newvine said he contacted GHS Art Teacher Robert Decker on the topic. A logo design contest is anticipated, and local students are encouraged to participate.

The Gouverneur Community Watch group meets on the third Wednesday of each month, 6 p.m., at the Eldon B. Conklin Gouverneur Community Center, 4673 NY-58, Gouverneur. The next meeting will be held on Wednesday, November 20. All those interested are encouraged to attend. For more information on how you can get involved, email cwnewvine@yahoo.com or phone Newvine’s NAPA Auto Parts at (315) 287-4098.

Hermon-DeKalb CSD Booster Club’s Trunk or Treat a success

by Rachel hunter

The Hermon-DeKalb Booster Club hosted its 2024 Trunk or Treat on Friday, October 18 at the district’s bus garage parking lot. All Hermon-DeKalb CSD families were invited to participate in the community event.

Starting promptly at 6 p.m. on Friday evening, throngs of costumed youngsters arrived with excitement in their eyes, and were ready to join the tireless hunt for candy. The community decorated trunks and distributed treats to the local children. Many families told the Gouverneur Tribune Press that they enjoyed seeing all of the creative themes and festive displays for an evening filled with spooktacular fun.

The Hermon-DeKalb Booster Club sponsors this event to help provide a fun and safe environment for the community kids to be able to dress up and trick or treat. The community has been generous enough to continue to support this event each year by either volunteering to bring their vehicle, decorate it and pass out candy or by bringing their family and friends to enjoy themselves at the event.

“We want to thank everyone who participates in making this a successful evening of fun,” the organizers said.

The Booster Club helps to provide financial support to extracurricular student activities at Hermon-DeKalb. If you would like to join, contact Beth Holland at eholland@hdcsk12.org or Sheila Conklin at sconklin@hdcsk12.org.

Ed. Note: Faithful readers of the Gouverneur Tribune Press will recall that there will be several trunk-or-treating events held across the North Country this October. See the community calendar in this week’s Gouverneur Tribune Press for a list of upcoming events.

Village sets trick-or-treating hours

by Rachel Hunter

It’s official! Trick-or-treating in the Village of Gouverneur will be from 5 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, October 31 (Halloween). The Village of Gouverneur Board of Trustees voted on the matter during the Oct. 15 meeting. See the Tribune’s community calendar for local Halloween happenings.

Town of Gouverneur to hold budget hearing on Nov. 4

by Rachel Hunter

The Town of Gouverneur announced its tentative budget at its Oct. 8 meeting.

Town of Gouverneur Supervisor Dave Spilman, Jr. said that the Town tax rate in 2025 is 0.39 cents out of a $100 valuation. That is a 0.01 valuation over the 2024 rate. “We went up one penny,” Supervisor Spilman said. The Village rate per $100 valuation stayed the same at 0.32. “We are at the tax cap level, which is at about 1.8 percent right now,” Supervisor Spilman said. “We are under the 2 percent. If you go over the 2 percent, the State doesn’t like that. It could affect your CHIPS reimbursement, AIM reimbursement, and quite a few other things. We try to keep it down as best we can.”

The Town of Gouverneur approved the tentative budget. Votes in favor were cast by Town Councilman Curran Wade, Town Councilwoman Lory Whitton, and Town Councilman Bill Infield. Town of Gouverneur Supervisor Dave Spilman, Jr. and Town of Gouverneur Deputy Supervisor Jay Bowhall abstained. The final vote was 3-0-2.

The preliminary budget will be presented at the public hearing on Monday, November 4, starting at 5 p.m., inside the Town of Gouverneur Offices Building, 1227 US Highway 11, Gouverneur. For more info, visit gouverneurny.com or call 315-287-2340.

In other news:

Town of Gouverneur Supervisor Dave Spilman, Jr. announced that the Town raised the Gouverneur Rescue Squad’s contract by 5 percent ($2,000) for 2025.

Community Center Report: The Senior Citizens Club met at the Eldon B. Conklin Gouverneur Community Center on Oct. 8. The St. Lawrence County Office For The Aging (SLCOFA) put on a presentation about Medicare and Medicaid. The Gouverneur Community Center will be the place to be in the coming weeks for a PeeWee Football Banquet, Halloween Dances, and more.

Housing Grant: Code Enforcement Officer Rick Wood announced that the first six projects are halfway completed. “They are all waiting for materials to come in to finish off the project,” he said. “The other four have been written up and sent to DANC (Development Authority of the North Country) for review… They will go out to bid probably in the week of Oct. 17-18. That is the second phase, a total of 10 at this point. Then, at that point, we will be able to figure out what we have left in funds.”

Town Highway Report: Town of Gouverneur Highway Supt. Michael Wainwright said: “We finished up all the storm repair. Just the materials that we purchased is $55,576.52. Late this afternoon I got the email from the County. They redid their hourly rates for the excavator, grater, trucks. They hadn’t changed those since 2017. So now that they have redid it, (Town Bookkeeper Diane Kelley) and I will sit down and figure out all the rates on the equipment, with the trucks, the labor. We have to come up with that figure… On Thursday, the St. Lawrence County Highway Superintendent’s Association will have a meeting in Waddington. Somebody will be there from the State and the County. That is what they are focusing on – all the paperwork and how to do it.” He also reported that the Town of Gouverneur Highway Department workers would be attending the flagging and rabies training at the Eldon B. Conklin Gouverneur Community Center on Oct. 10. The Town of Gouverneur Highway Department has its sand pile ready for the 2024-25 winter season. “We bought 1,000 less yards. As you can see the pile in the building is pretty full and we didn’t want more sitting outside, mixed with salt. We have 100 tons of salt on reserve up to the State DOT barn.” Supt. Wainwright also announced that the Town Highway Department had costly equipment breakdowns in the last month. “It really put a hurt on the repair budget. It’s pretty much history. We had some very expensive problems. One of the trucks had a major short in the dash, burnt a bunch of wiring. Just the wiring work alone was $1,500. It actually had burnt the wiring harness going to the back, ran all the lights in the back… We had an issue yesterday with one, an electrical problem on the firewall. Now I see why town barns burn down. I mean, that truck was just sitting there, idling and it quit. Come to find out, it was the wires to the tarp for the box. They were tucked down in by the transmission and up through the floor. They rubbed and they were actually like welded to the side of the transmission. The same truck, we’ve had other issues… There were very costly repairs in the last month. The excavator was stuck pretty good on the Stammers Road. We had to dig it out with a backhoe and get it pulled out and everything. It ruined one of the back doors on it, the panel doors that cover up the engine. It was $1,500 to replace that.” Supervisor Spilman then said, “These are all the trucks that were working to repair the storm damage.” Supt. Wainwright said, “Yes, every bit of it. These trucks have run steady since August. If they are not in Gouverneur, they are at some other township. The excavator spent more time in other townships than it spent in our own… because they had so much more damage than we had. It's been nonstop since that storm hit on that Friday night.”

Following the Town Highway Department Report, the Board approved the purchase of a John Deere tractor with a Diamond boom mower at $159,860.

Code Enforcement Report: CEO Rick Wood gave his monthly report (Sept. 1-30, 2024) as follows: “There have been 17 new permits, five of which were in the Town. They have been processed. The current number of permits for 2024 is 87, 62 in the Village and 21 in the Town. There are four operational permits. Inspections are going on in several locations in the town. The Wellness Building on Factory Street is one of the bigger ones. The shell is up. The roof is on. The parking lot material was down… they are moving along pretty good. I haven’t had any other complaints. I did receive one today, but that is going to be taken care of. Resolved complaints that I had last month, they were all taken care of. I am still in process on Pooler Street with some issues that they are dragging their feet with the repair on the back row of homes. They seem to be dragging pretty good. I am going to give them a shout here in the next two days to see what is going on there...”

Justice Report: Supervisor Spilman reported that the Gouverneur Town Justices did 182 new cases, and brought in $5,610. “It’s always busy,” Supervisor Spilman said.

The Board adopted Local Law No. 1 of 2024 authorizing Town Clerk Marion Bowhall to appoint up to three deputy town clerks. There was a public hearing on Oct. 8, and it was approved during the regular monthly town board meeting on Oct. 8.

The Board also adopted Local Law No. 2 of 2024 (Tax Cap Override). There was a public hearing on Oct. 8, and it was approved during the regular monthly town board meeting on Oct. 8.

The Town of Gouverneur Council approved a $25,000 microenterprise loan application from Naaman Lowry of D&B Masonry in Gouverneur to assist with business growth. The application also received approval through Development Authority of the North Country (DANC) and the Gouverneur Area Development Corporation (GADC) This is the third application approved in the last year. The microenterprise loans, funded through the State through the Town, are available to help local small businesses. “It’s a good program for a small town,” Supervisor Spilman said.

Supervisor Spilman also commented: “The Gouverneur Breast and Ovarian Cancer Walk on Oct. 5 was a huge success. Luckily, (Village of Gouverneur Mayor Ron McDougall) pulled some strings and got the pedestrian footbridge inspected by Bernier & Carr. Everything was good there, except for a little grout repair, which was minor.” For more information on the Gouverneur Breast and Ovarian Cancer Fund, visit www.gouverneurbreastovariancancerfund.com.

The Town of Gouverneur Council will next meet on October 25 at noon for the Economic Development meeting. The budget hearing will be held at 5 p.m. on Nov. 4. The next regular meeting will be held on Nov. 12., 6 p.m., at the Town of Gouverneur Offices Building. A public hearing on the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) will be at 5:45 p.m. on Nov. 12. For more information, call 315-287-2340.

Gouverneur Trunk or Treat is Oct. 25

by Rachel Hunter

The 7th Annual Gouverneur Trunk or Treat, sponsored by the Community Health Center of the North Country and Seaway Valley Prevention Council, in partnership with the Gouverneur and St. Lawrence County Fair Association and Gouverneur Central School District, will be held on Friday, October 25, 6 p.m., at the Gouverneur Fairgrounds. All trunk-or-treaters are encouraged to wear their best costume, as the annual event once again is held via a walk-through format.

Motorists are asked to park in the Gouverneur Central lot on E. Barney St. Costumed children will then make their way through the fairgrounds entrance between the parking lot and the Gouverneur and St. Lawrence County Fair office. They will then walk down the Gouverneur Fair Midway, stopping at each vehicle with decorated trunks and receive their treats. This is a free community event, and all are invited to attend.

Seaway Valley Prevention Council and the Community Health Center of the North Country hope that the Gouverneur Trunk or Treat will once again be a fun, family-friendly way to get the word out about what services are available for people dealing with substance use issues. The idea originated with the Seaway Valley Prevention Council who in partnership with the Massena Drug-Free Community Coalition held a successful Trunk or Treat at Massena High School years ago, drawing in hundreds of costumed children. Piggybacking on this rousing success while seeking a fun, engaging way to spread the word in the local community about the services available to those with substance use issues, SVPC and CHCNC thought the best way would be to bring a Trunk or Treat event to Gouverneur. The event drew an estimated 1,400 costumed community members in 2023.

The Community Health Center of the North Country and the Seaway Valley Prevention Council have put a call-out for trunks at the 2024 Gouverneur Trunk or Treat. All businesses, organizations and individuals interested in decorating a trunk are encouraged to register their vehicle by emailing clebeau@svpc.net. The Gouverneur Chamber of Commerce informed the Gouverneur Tribune Press that they will be there with their decorated trunk, and encourage the local business community to register. All those entering decorated trunks are encouraged to start the planning process, and pack candy (or other treats) for the trunk-or-treaters. Make sure to arrive early for set-up so that you can hand out candy and show off your decorations.

Mark your calendars today for the 2024 Gouverneur Trunk or Treat event, sponsored by the Community Health Center of the North Country and the Seaway Valley Prevention Council, on Friday, October 25, 6 p.m., at the Gouverneur Fairgrounds.

23rd Gouverneur Breast and Ovarian Cancer Walk raises over $235K

by Rachel Hunter

The Gouverneur Breast and Ovarian Cancer Fund’s 23rd Annual Walk drew a sea of pink and teal to downtown Gouverneur on Saturday, October 5. Over $235,000 was raised through donations to support North Country cancer patients in St. Lawrence, Jefferson, Lewis, and Franklin counties.

The Gouverneur Breast and Ovarian Cancer Fund worked to ensure that the 2024 Walk was bigger, better, and more meaningful than previous walks. Registration started at 8:30 a.m. in the Gouverneur Village Park. First Student, Inc. provided bus transportation to and from Gouverneur Village Park and the Riverview Park. Major donations were announced throughout the morning in the newly renovated Gouverneur Village Park. Walkers enjoyed the chance to purchase inspirational items, get hair extensions, enjoy the resource fair, get free coffee from the Dunkin’ booth, and more. There was great encouragement on site for all cancer survivors, fighters, caregivers, and more. Team and other photos were taken by photographer Wendy Drake of Richville. Also on site was the Superior Plus Propane’s Pink Truck alongside the New York State Police, Gouverneur Police Department, Gouverneur Fire Department, and Gouverneur Rescue Squad.

The Gouverneur Village Park soon filled with hundreds of North Country residents eager to join the non-competitive one-mile walk. At 10:30 a.m., the opening ceremony kicked off by master of ceremonies Johnny Spezzano of Community Broadcasters, LLC’s The Border 106.7 who is well-known for his strong support of the North Country community. Other North Country media outlets were also in attendance throughout the morning.

The Gouverneur Breast and Ovarian Cancer Fund Committee (President Terry Pistolesi, Judy Bush, Treasurer Marilyn LaPierre, Mona Allen, Tammy Blevins, Joey Shelly, Secretary Bridgette LaPierre, Connie Stowell, Kathy Briggs, and Kim Pistolesi) took to the stage and welcomed all in attendance.

Gouverneur Breast and Ovarian Cancer Fund Committee Member Joey Shelly told the history of the Gouverneur Breast and Ovarian Cancer Fund. The full origin story is posted online at www.gouverneurbreastovariancancerfund.com. Joey Shelly’s mother, Carolyn Pistolesi (1950-2022), was a founding member of the Gouverneur Breast and Ovarian Cancer Fund. “When she and a couple of friends wanted to help their community, they had no idea that it would grow into all this.” Great cheers and thunderous applause sounded in support of the Gouverneur Breast and Ovarian Cancer Fund. Faithful readers of the Gouverneur Tribune Press will recall the Fund’s mission to provide financial support for breast and ovarian Cancer patients residing in St. Lawrence, Jefferson, Lewis, and Franklin counties. Every dollar donated assists breast and ovarian cancer patients’ financial needs, including housing, utilities, car payments, medical costs, prescription copays, travel, and more. Each person's needs are evaluated individually to assist their journey. “Our hope is to alleviate some of the financial burden that they might face during their treatment, allowing them to focus on recovery and healing.” Shelly said. “Without all of you, we wouldn’t be able to do all the work that we do. Thank you for showing your love and support for those who are currently fighting, those who have been taken too soon, and for those that haven’t started the fight yet.”

Fr. Jay Seymour of St. James Catholic Church in Gouverneur alongside St. James School Principal Laurel Bartholomew, St. James staff, St. James students and young alumni were invited on stage to help lead the national anthem, the “Star-Spangled Banner.” This was followed by the opening prayer and blessing by Pastor Carrie Demers of the First Presbyterian Church of Gouverneur.

At the 2023 Gouverneur Breast and Ovarian Cancer Walk, the North Country met guest speaker Lynn Tharrett of Malone who shared her fight against HER2-multifocal, invasive ductal breast cancer. She passed away on September 11, 2024, just three days before “Team Tharrett” had its major fundraiser, a benefit golf tournament. The team successfully raised over $7,300, and a giant check was presented during the opening ceremony.

The Gouverneur Breast and Ovarian Cancer Fund then presented an appreciation plaque to Team Twin Peaks for their over $100,000 in donations to the Gouverneur Breast and Ovarian Cancer Fund. The donations were made in memory of Christine Loomis of Dexter (1972-2015). Chris was diagnosed with cancer in 2013, and the Gouverneur Breast and Ovarian Cancer Fund stepped up and gave her $4,000 during her fight. Team Twin Peaks formed, and gave $4,000 at their very first Gouverneur Breast and Ovarian Cancer Walk. Donations have grown over the years in loving memory of Chris Loomis. At the 2024 Walk, Team Twin Peaks was congratulated for surpassing the $100,000 donation milestone.

Gouverneur Breast and Ovarian Cancer Fund Treasurer Marilyn LaPierre reminded the crowd that the Gouverneur Breast and Ovarian Cancer Fund distributes care bags to breast and ovarian cancer patients throughout the four-county region. Applications are included for financial assistance. Once received back, the Gouverneur Breast and Ovarian Cancer Fund immediately sends $500, no questions asked. “We know that there are expenses,” she said. “We want to alleviate their mind. We want them to know that we are here, and we will always be there for them.” Mrs. LaPierre reported that, so far in 2024, the Gouverneur Breast and Ovarian Cancer Fund has distributed $120,000 to clients throughout the North Country, and $85,000 was distributed in St. Lawrence County alone. They Gouverneur Breast and Ovarian Cancer Fund is serving 65 new clients this year, plus 33 clients from previous years.

Next to the stage was Dr. Velmalia Matthews-Smith, certified hematologist and oncologist at the Center for Cancer Care at St. Lawrence Health’s Canton-Potsdam Hospital. “I’ve worked in lots of different systems across so many states. What the Gouverneur Breast and Ovarian Cancer Fund does for the community is astounding. They have such a huge impact on patients. Just knowing that there is someone in the fight with you, advocating for you is such a huge asset.

“I am sure you are aware. Breast cancer is the second most common cancer in women. In the United States, it is estimated in 2024, that more than 310,000 patients are going to be diagnosed with breast cancer for the first time. Unfortunately, in 2024, 42,000 women will lose their battle with cancer and 2,500 of those women will likely be in the State of New York. The good news is that, at this time, there are almost 4 billion women who are living with breast cancer in the United States. So, we are having a huge impact of the outcome of this disease. 91.2 percent of women are going to survive their breast cancer. That is good news. That number actually goes up to over 99 percent if the cancer is detected early. Early detection is key. Only 83 percent of women in New York are getting their mammograms consistently, so we have some work to do there. Statistics that the government keeps estimates that a mammogram will find cancer two years before you feel it on an exam. Mammograms every year are really important. The American Society of Clinic Oncology recommends that mammograms start at age 40, and in my opinion continue as long as a woman is alive and has breast tissue intact… The other thing is to know your risk. If you a family history, you need to know to stay on top of your mammograms. The other thing you want to know is: “What can I do to reduce my risk?” This includes being active and eat a healthy diet. We need to do things that are nourishing and healing to our bodies, and avoid the things that aren’t like animal products and animal fats for a better outcome. Thanks so much for being here and supporting these women in their cancer journeys.” Thunderous applause sounded in appreciation of her address.

Gouverneur Breast and Ovarian Cancer Fund Committee Member and Two-Time Breast Cancer Survivor Tammy Blevins gave an inspirational speech to all breast and ovarian cancer survivors in attendance. About 85 attendees noted that they were breast or ovarian cancer survivors during registration. “As a survivor, I know that there are a lot of emotions that go through everyone,” she said. “There’s fear, confusion, and sometimes anger and as hard as it sounds you must stay positive. You must have faith in God and have a good support system. That is why the Gouverneur Breast and Ovarian Cancer Fund says: “We are here for you.” As much as the Fund helps to take some of the burden away, the other part is the support. That is the biggest part of why we started this. I know that there are a lot of caregivers. I, myself, was a caregiver. We want you to know that you are just as important. Each person’s definition of a survivor is a little different. Last year, Lynn Tharrett was our speaker to the survivors. She just passed away. She wrote something, and I want to read her definition of a survivor. “My definition of a survivor is different. I define a survivor as one who has suffered adversity who may live with us physically or in our hearts. You see, to me, a survivor isn’t just someone who is living. A survivor may be someone who has passed away, but their spirit still lives inside of us. To me, that is the true spirit of a survivor… having affected someone so deeply that you always remain in their hearts. If you believe that someone continues to live even spiritually within you, then you like me can believe that all are survivors.” Thank you everyone for showing up today.” Thunderous applause sounded in appreciation of the inspirational address. The Gouverneur Breast and Ovarian Cancer Fund then in a moving tribute distributed pink carnation bouquets to each survivor in attendance. “As you step forward to receive, just know that we’ve got your back,” Mr. Spezzano said. There were also a couple of prize drawings announced.

Gouverneur Breast and Ovarian Cancer Fund President Terry Pistolesi then announced that the 2024 Walk had a record-breaking year. To date, over $235,000 has been donated. “That is a huge record for us,” she said. Mrs. Pistolesi also offered a word of appreciation to all sponsors, supporters, donors, and contributors.

The 23rd Gouverneur Breast and Ovarian Cancer Walk is a one-mile non-competitive walk from the Gouverneur Village Park to Mills Park and the Riverview Park. At the pedestrian footbridge, all were encouraged to throw rose petals into the Oswegatchie River in memory of a cancer patient or in a triumphant gesture amid a cancer battle. The sea of pink and teal formed on Route 11 (Main Street, Gouverneur) at about 11 a.m. The walk was led by the Soul Seekers Motorcycle Club, escorted by the Gouverneur Fire Department, the Gouverneur Police Department, the Gouverneur Rescue Squad, and the New York State Police. Traffic control was handled by the Gouverneur Police Department with assistance from the Gouverneur Fire Department. Local dignitaries in attendance included Village of Gouverneur Mayor Ron McDougall, Former NYS Assemblywoman Dede Scozzafava, Village of Gouverneur Clerk/Treasurer Barbara Finnie, Town of Gouverneur Councilman Curran Wade, Village of Gouverneur Trustee Floyd McAdam, Gouverneur Chamber of Commerce President Brooke Plowman, among others.

Upon arrival at the Riverview Park, the participants enjoyed food, raffles and more. Much appreciation is extended to Harland Brown of Brown’s Jewelry in Gouverneur for the donation of a 14 karat rose gold necklace with diamonds, pink sapphires and a teal diamond, valued at over $3,300 for the Jewelry Raffle. Also, gratitude was extended to all the North Country businesses and community members who donated prizes for the Button Raffle. A word of gratitude was also extended to the nearly 100 sponsors that made the fundraiser a success.

There is great anticipation for the 24th Walk in October 2025. Donations to the Gouverneur Breast and Ovarian Cancer Fund are always accepted. For more information, visit www.gouverneurbreastovariancancerfund.com.

Village of Gouverneur hears monthly GRD report

by Rachel Hunter

The Village of Gouverneur Board of Trustees at its Sept. 17 meeting heard the following report from Gouverneur Recreation Department Director Casey Canell.

The Before-School Morning Program meets weekdays at Gouverneur Elementary School, and is hosted in partnership with the Gouverneur Central School District. Enrichment program features early morning wake-up activities, interactive social play, arts and crafts, and breakfast. Highlights this month included a Meet & Greet with families at the school

The After-School Program meets at the Gouverneur Recreation Center STEAM Studio on Trinity Ave., Gouverneur, for Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Match activities. The After-School Program is held on Mondays and Wednesdays for Grades 2-4, and Tuesdays and Thursday for those in UPK-Grade 1. Bus transportation is provided by the Gouverneur Central School District. The program highlights include recreational opportunities exploring STEAM field, theme days and guests with fine arts appreciation, gaming stations with tournaments, and interactive social play. This month, the youths enjoyed Fall Fun theme days.

Toddler Town meets on Tuesday and Thursday mornings for a recreation pre-school playgroup. The program features interactive socialization, music and art, story and snack, and active play.

The Senior Citizen Program continues to be held weekly on Friday mornings for food bingo games and coffee social. All area seniors are welcome to attend.

The Gouverneur Recreation Department was at the 13th Annual Gouverneur Pumpkin Festival at the Gouverneur Fairgrounds on Sept. 22 with various youth activities, including scarecrow making, carnival games and a scavenger hunt. They also had various youth activities at the Community Health Center of the North Country’s Celebration of Dr. Schuessler on Sept. 14 at the Gouverneur Village Park. The Gouverneur Recreation Department also attended the Youth Bureau Advisory Board Meeting on Sept. 10.

Gratitude was extended to the Spilman family for their continued support of the Gouverneur Recreation Center facility.

Also, gratitude was extended to GS&L for the recent contribution to the Gouverneur Recreation Department. Faithful readers of the Gouverneur Tribune Press will recall that the Gouverneur Savings and Loan Association (GS&L) recently applied for and distributed $10,000 grants to five local businesses and organizations in the Gouverneur community. The $50,000 was made available through the 2024 Small Business Recovery Grant (SBRG) program. This grant, provided by the Federal Home Loan Bank of New York, offers substantial financial support to businesses and non-profits across their district.

The next meeting of the Village of Gouverneur Board of Trustees will be held on Tuesday, October 15, 6 p.m., in the municipal courtroom. For more information, call 315-287-1720.

St. James Church celebrates 150 years of faith

by Rachel Hunter

St. James Catholic Church held its 150-year celebration of faith as a parish and the 100-year construction of the church building on September 28 in Gouverneur. There was an anniversary mass at 4 p.m. with Bishop Terry LaValley (Diocese of Ogdensburg) at the St. James Catholic Church, followed by a celebration at the Eldon B. Conklin Gouverneur Community Center.

The celebration opened at 5 p.m. with a cocktail hour, featuring music by Angie Miller and a photo slideshow. The Gouverneur Community Center was packed for the event. A warm welcome was given by Fr. Jay Seymour, pastor of St. James Church in Gouverneur. All joined in the prayer to St. James (on the 150th anniversary of St. James Parish), which was read as follows: “Dear Apostle James, One of the first to respond to the call of Jesus, and who left everything to follow, fill us with the fiery zeal of your faith. May St. James Parish be filled with the faith and love that would enable us to faithfully respond to our call to discipleship. Help us to leave behind our fears, our worries, our self-concern, everything that would hinder our following of Jesus. You had a privileged closeness to our Lord. Through your intercession, may our parish grow and draw ever closer to the Lord. Then, trusting in God’s love and mercy, may we sit with you in the company of the saints at the eternal banquet the Lord has prepared for us in heaven. We ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen.”

A scrumptious dinner was then provided by the Casablanca Restaurant in Gouverneur, featuring their traditional Italian-style cuisine, with decorated cake and cookies for dessert.

Gouverneur Historian Joe Laurenza read the St. James Parish History, which had been adapted from the 1975 history of Saint James Parish, written by Margaret E. Nulty, a longtime history teacher in the Gouverneur Central School District, a member of the Gouverneur Historical Association and a communicant of St. James Catholic Church. It was presented as follows: “In August of 1873 Father James O’Driscoll arranged to purchase, for $1,400, a wooden structure on Park Street in Gouverneur. The building was a former Methodist church and then a public hall known as the Opera House. After purchase it was used for Catholic services on Sundays and rented out during the week for public use. On September 22, 1874, the church was dedicated by Bishop Edgar P. Wadhams to serve as a Mass station of the parish in Canton. Those attending the dedication were charged fifty cents for admission to help pay for needed repairs. The church on Park Street did not last however, as on January 13, 1875 it was completely destroyed by fire.

“Following the fire, the parishioners rallied and, after purchasing a lot on the west side of North Gordon Street, they had a new church built within six months. On November 2, 1875, even before the building was ready for use, the church was incorporated as a mission church of Canton where Father James O’Driscoll was pastor. On November 25, 1875, on Thanksgiving Day, the new church was dedicated by Bishop Wadhams who stayed afterwards to enjoy an oyster dinner with the people of the parish. The total cost of the new church was $4,000 and it served the needs of the people of St. James Parish for fifty years.

“Growing from a parish of forty families in 1875 to a parish of one hundred forty families in 1905, it became obvious that a larger church was needed. With that in mind, under the pastoral leadership of Father Michael Gallivan, pastor from 1896-1936, fundraising began spearheaded by the Promoters of the Sacred Heart. This was a group of about twenty women who began long years of suppers, dances and special events. Penny suppers were popular, as were pedro parties held in homes. Special envelopes went into every home to be filled at a rate of ten cents a week. Special objectives were set up with one group of young ladies putting on a dance to pay for the first Station of the Cross. They raised $44, which was $2 over the necessary amount but that $2 was donated too. The whole parish was involved, offering labor, donations and participating in the social events.

“After twenty years of patient fundraising by parishioners and under Father Gallivan’s guidance, an imposing structure of Gouverneur marble was soon raised on the corner of Main and South Gordon Streets. The estimated cost of building the church was about $100,000 with over half being raised beforehand and the rest coming shortly afterwards with subsequent donations and fundraisers. The cornerstone of our current church bears the date 1924. The actual construction of the church began in May 1924, and reportedly, it was a familiar sight to see Fr. Gallivan watching every stone that went into the walls, making workmen remove any one that he thought did not match or was not well-placed. The first Mass at the new church was on Thanksgiving Day, November 26, 1925.

“The first baptism in the new church was Alice Anne Davis, parents of Lee Davis and Julia Fortune. The first funeral was for John Shinnock and the first marriage was that of Donald Toomey and Agatha Brunet. Needless to say, there have been many baptisms funerals, and marriages since St. James Church on South Gordon St. opened in 1925. There have been quite a few changes over the years. The most recent change was just this past year, in 2023, when Sacred Heart Parish in Edwards merged as part of St. James Parish. Currently, we have about 550 families in the parish, though not all are active.

“We can’t talk about the history of St. James Parish without mentioning the history of our school. The first parochial school in Gouverneur was opened by Father Edward Laramee in 1889 with lay teacher and 60 pupils. That increased the following year to 32 boys and 65 girls. Help was needed and that is when the Sisters of St. Joseph from Watertown stepped in. Unfortunately, rising expenses beyond what the small parish could handle forced the school to close in 1896. The debt was $8,000 which was very heavy for those days.

“Under Bishop James J. Navagh when Father Joseph Bailey was pastor, a large corner property on Gordon Street opposite the church was purchased in 1958 for the new St. James School. A fund drive was started and $150,000 was pledged, allowing construction to begin in the spring of 1960. Even before the building was completed, the school opened in September of that year with 90 students in grades on through three with three Sisters of St. Joseph. In June of 1961 Bishop Navagh dedicated and blessed the building in a formal ceremony. A grade was added to the school each year until 1965 when there were eight grades. Kindergarten was later added in 1972. In 1968, there were 235 students, seven Sisters of St. Joseph and one lay teacher. In 1972, there were 176 students in grades 1-8, five Sisters of St. Joseph and three lay teachers. Today, there are no religious sisters, but a very dedicated staff of lay teachers with an enrollment of 93 students in grades Pre-K through 6.”

Fr. Jay Seymour of St. James Church in Gouverneur the read the following: “From a little band of people watching their hand-me down church on Park St. smoldering in ashes on a cold winter morning to well over 1,000 souls with a substantial property. From a far distanced mission and the services of traveling priests or a pastor living many miles away to its own pastorate and resident sisters. From a wide inherited gulf of misunderstanding and misconceptions to an honorable place for peace and friendship among local citizens. St. James Parish can well be proud of its century of achievement. It has adapted from the world 100 years ago to the modern world without destroying its facing – Catholicism. Every step has been accomplished by faith, devotion under fine spiritual leadership. Every step has required hard work and sacrifice. This evening, St. James is celebrating our 150 years of heritage, faith as a parish and the 100-year construction of our beautiful church made out of Gouverneur marble. This is an occasion to honor all dedicated parishioners, and others who continue to sacrifice to preserve our faith and our place of worship. We are grateful to those who made sacrifices before us, as well as the many who continue to sacrifice to preserve our church building and our faith tradition. As was stated so eloquently in 1975: “With renewed faith and continued devotion to God and the welfare of humanity, the parish can face any problem, any changes that the future may bring with complete confidence.” Amen to that.” Thunderous applause sounded.

The Sisters of St. Joseph (Watertown, NY) then provided their recollections and reflections from their time teaching at St. James School in Gouverneur. “One of the things that came to me while we were praying the prayer of St. James is that J. That J is your joy that has permeated and penetrated the parish of St. James. And that joy certainly penetrated and permeated within the school. Our charism and mission of the Sisters of St. Joseph continue to be carried forward by the very dedicated staff at St. James School. They are to be commended for more than 60 years of their commitment to Catholic education. That is due to the commitment and dedication of this parish. It cannot exist without you. And you have continued to bring the faith, the excellent education and formation of the students at St. James Parish…” Thunderous applause sounded in appreciation of the address given by the Sisters of St. Joseph.

Fr. Jay Seymour of St. James Church in Gouverneur then recognized parishioners for their decades of dedication and involvement. Those tributed included the following parishioners who have passed away: Joe and Carolyn Pistolesi, Mario and Judy DeCastro, Dale and Kay Bush, and Mary and John Cook. Flowers were given to Lillian Legacy of Gouverneur for her 95 years with St. James Parish, and were also presented for Evelyn Mary Washburn of Hailesboro who celebrated her 108th birthday in 2024.

Bishop Terry LaValley (Diocese of Ogdensburg) reminisced about moments of humility while at St. James Parish in Gouverneur. The first was when he was helped by a sixth-grade student during a rollerskating activity at St. James School. A photo was taken, and it appeared on the front page of the Gouverneur Tribune Press in November 1999. Bishop LaValley also mentioned the powerful Christian example of Sister Ronald Marie Hax (SSJ) who was devoted to Catholic education during her 27 years at St. James School in Gouverneur. Bishop LaValley also talked about other humbling experiences and obediently falling God’s call to service.

“This is a wonderful family of faith,” he said. “I cannot give you a higher accolade. We all are disciples in mission. And let me tell you, the folks at St. James, the folks at Star Lake and Edwards and everywhere in between… They are blessed to have a wonderful pastor, a remarkable school… Thank you for your prayerful support. God bless you all.” Thunderous applause sounded in appreciation of the bishop’s address.

The celebration closed in prayer. Much gratitude was extended to all those who contributed any type of service towards the events success. This includes the celebration committee (Julie Wainwright, Tricia Bush, Lori Weekes, Laurel Bartholomew), decorating committee (Bridgette LaPierre and Brandy Parshley), youth servers, and others. A special word of appreciation was extended to the Casablanca Restaurant in Gouverneur for providing the meal, and for the sense of family that they bring to the family of faith. Also recognized was the hospitality of Dave Spilman, Jr. and Lisa Wood of the Gouverneur Community Center.

For more information about St. James Church and School, call 315-287-0114 (parish office) or 315-287-0130 (school office).

Notice: Hydrant Flushing in Gouverneur is Oct. 2-3

The following is a public service announcement from the Village of Gouverneur:

The Village of Gouverneur Department of Public Works wishes to inform residents that hydrant flushing will be done during the day, from 6:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Wednesday, October 2, 2024 and then again from 6:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Thursday, October 3, 2024.

Residents may notice a loss of water pressure and a slight discoloration of the water. While the water is safe to drink, residents are encouraged to hold off on doing white laundry.

“Thank you for your cooperation and we are sorry for any inconvenience this may cause,” DPW Supt. TJ Simmons said. If you have any further questions, you can contact the Department of Public Works at 287-0110.

495-pounder takes top prize at 13th Annual Gouverneur Pumpkin Festival

by Rachel Hunter

The 13th Annual Gouverneur Pumpkin Festival, presented by the Gouverneur and St. Lawrence County Fair Association and the Gouverneur Chamber of Commerce, was held on Saturday, September 21 and Sunday, September 22 at the Gouverneur Fairgrounds. It was made possible in partnership with local sponsors RSI Roofing, Don Peck Auctioneer, Team Blevins, and the Gouverneur Garden Club, with appreciation extended to Barry Turner (crane operator). Funds raised during the annual event benefits the Gouverneur and St. Lawrence County Fair Association’s building and maintenance fund.

The 2024 Gouverneur Pumpkin Festival Weigh-Off Contest on Sunday, September 22 saw entries from North Country growers with lots of participation in the youth division. Festivalgoers arrived at the Gouverneur Fairgrounds at 1 p.m. to watch the Weigh-Off take place. The event was made possible thanks to the hard work of the Gouverneur and St. Lawrence County Fair Association and community volunteers in the harnessing, lifting, weighing, and accurately recording and reporting the pumpkin weights.

A 495-pound giant, grown by Travis Clemons of Croghan, took the top prize of $200. Faithful readers of the Gouverneur Tribune Press will recall that Clemons has an annual family rivalry with his mother-in-law Christine Nolan of Champion and formerly of Gouverneur. This year, there was no competition as Nolan is planning to take her giant (estimated at 1,500 pounds) to the giant pumpkin contest at Saratoga. It was reported to the Gouverneur Tribune Press that the wet season made giant pumpkin growing a challenge. Mr. Clemons said that Croghan received over 30 inches of rain in one month alone. Other giant pumpkin growers experienced issues with wildlife consuming their prize pumpkins.

The second place prize of $100 went to Lyle Hotis of Gouverneur for his 410-pound pumpkin that was later used for the 2024 Giant Pumpkin Drop. Mr. Hotis also won the third place prize of $50 for his 259-pound entry.

Travis Clemons’ son, Brayden Clemons of Croghan, won the first-place prize of $50 and trophy for his 428-pound entry. The second place prize of $25 went to Harper Sech for her 324-pound and 259-pound entries. The third place prize of $10 went to Lilyanna Clemons for her 205-pound entry. Fourth place went to Konrad Bice of Gouverneur with his 197-pound entry. Other competitors were as follows: Atticus Tweedie (146 pounds), Riley Powell Tweedie (145 pounds), Gavin Tulley (137 pounds), Oliver Powell Tweedie (119 pounds), Carole Tulley (92 pounds), Jonathon Webb (88-pound and two 76-pound entries), Judson Foote (80 pounds), Laura Foote (79 pounds), Sadie Sergel (60 pounds), Kestin Sergel (53 pounds), Jeremiah Foote (47 pounds), Josiah Foote (47 pounds), Jolie Fuller (44 pounds), and Ethan Schroeder (31 pounds).

Much gratitude was extended to all exhibitors for bringing their exceptional giant pumpkin specimens to the 2024 Gouverneur Pumpkin Festival.

Pumpkin seeds were made available to the public from Lyle Hotis’ 410-pound entry, and all North Country residents were encouraged to grow giant pumpkins, and enter the 14th Annual Gouverneur Pumpkin Festival’s Giant Pumpkin Weigh-Off Contest in 2025.

Many attendees stayed at the Gouverneur Fairgrounds to watch the Giant Pumpkin Drop at 4 p.m., a definite crowd favorite. (See associated story inside this edition.) Much gratitude is extended to all who made the 2024 Gouverneur Pumpkin Festival a success. For more information, visit the Gouverneur and St. Lawrence County Fair Association’s website, gouverneurfair.net.

Village board hears GPD report

by Rachel Hunter

The Village of Gouverneur Board of Trustees at its Sept. 17 meeting heard the monthly report from the Gouverneur Police Department.

Village of Gouverneur Chief of Police Darren Fairbanks reported the following: “The last week of August 2024, members of the Gouverneur Police Department participated in a multi-agency training held at Clifton-Fine Central School in Star Lake, New York, and were trained Active Shooter scenarios. Thank you to the St. Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office for the invitation and having my agencies participation in that event.

“For the month of August 2024, the Gouverneur PD received 477 calls for service 269 of those calls for service required police intervention. 151 of those calls for service were IBR criminal complaints (on average 25 new criminal investigations per officer for the month with 52 concurrent investigations previously reported). The PD effected 23 arrests for a total of 36 charges - Felony- 8, Misdemeanors- 13, Violations- 2, Infractions- 6, Bench/ Arrest Warrants- 0, Fugitive From Justice – 1 (United States Marshal Service).

“In the month of August 2024, the Gouverneur PD responded to and investigated 16 motor vehicle collisions.

“In the month of August 2024, the Gouverneur PD responded to 9 incidents inside and outside the Village of Gouverneur due to outside law enforcement not being available or to provide assistance to outside law enforcement and 18 incidents involving the Gouverneur Fire Department and or Gouverneur Rescue Squad at incidents requiring our presence.

“We received 51 requests for general welfare or mental health checks in which 12 were determined mental health related. Of the 12 mental health calls our agency took 7 into custody for emergency involuntary evaluation with all 7 being by police observation/investigation. 2 were individuals under 18 years of age and 0 repeats. There were 0 attempts at utilizing the Mobile Access Program.

“There were two reported non-fatal drug overdoses inside the Village of Gouverneur.

“I would also like to commend my staff for their hard work and dedication in ensuring that the students and staff had a safe return to school on Monday with the recent events and social media threats involving Gouverneur Central School District. I’d like to thank the New York State Police, St. Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office, NYS Police BCI, and our federal law enforcement partners for their assistance this weekend.”

Much gratitude was extended to Chief Fairbanks for this monthly report, and for answering questions that followed at the monthly village board meeting.

The next regular meeting of the Village of Gouverneur Board of Trustees will be held on Tuesday, October 15, 6 p.m., in the municipal courtroom. For more information, call 315-287-1630.

85th Annual Hammond Fair draws exhibits from 97 youths

by Rachel Hunter

The 85th Annual Hammond Fair on Sept. 13-14 was an exceptional showcase of youth achievements in 4-H and FFA project areas.

Faithful readers of the Gouverneur Tribune Press will recall that agricultural fairs have long played a vital role in Hammond’s history. In 1851, plowing matches began to be talked of and the first match was held on the Abel P. Morse farm. William Cuthbert, a plowman in Scotland, was instructor to some of the younger farmers. Hammond Plowman became an organized body in 1856. Luther Lamphear recommended the organization of a town fair. In February 1857, they organized a society to be known as the Hammond Agricultural and Mechanical Society. Later, the Hammond Union Agricultural Society was formed. The Societies hosted many fairs throughout the late 1800’s, in a variety of locations around Chippewa Bay, Hammond and Brier Hill. In 1939, the Hammond 4-H and FFA Fair found its home in the Village of Hammond, first on the Soper lot, near the old school and then at the McQueer barn on St. Lawrence Ave. In 1962 the Hammond Fair Association was created, and it was decided to purchase the former Eustis Homestead Barn along with four acres of land on Lake St., creating a permanent location for the Hammond Fair. Louden K. Daniels and Charles C. Paddock served as chairmen of the Hammond Fair for a combined administration of 23 years.

Hard work, the cooperation of many people, and the generosity of the businessmen and friends in Hammond and neighboring towns have made the fair a successful event for 85 years. Over the years, there have been changes made to the two-day program, but the purpose remains the same – to develop the skills of agriculture leadership, achievement, cooperation and citizenship within the North Country’s young people.

The St. Lawrence County and Jefferson County 4-H and FFA members at the 2024 Hammond Fair had the opportunity to exhibit dairy cattle, beef cattle, sheep, goats, horses and ponies, poultry, rabbits, garden vegetables, flowers, homemaking projects, and much more. Grand champion and award of merit rosettes went to projects of the finest quality. All evaluation was done via the Danish method with blue and red ribbons awarded on the project’s individual merit and based on the youth’s age and experience in the project area. A total of 97 youths exhibited at the 2024 Hammond Fair.

The first livestock competition of the 85th Annual 4-H & FFA Hammond Fair was the Beef Cattle Show, evaluated by Gabby Glenister of Pulaski. A crowd formed in the show ring as the Beef Cattle Show started at 11 a.m. with the showmanship classes. 4-H Beef Showmanship is a competition where youth participants showcase their skills in presenting and handling beef cattle. The goal is to demonstrate the animal’s best qualities while also highlighting the exhibitor’s ability to control and present the animal effectively. Master Showman went to Kalyn Bullock of Edwards, and Reserve Master Showman went to Lettie Brown of Richville. Other showmanship participants were Paul Rastley of Gouverneur, Connor Bango of DeKalb, Luke Stiefel of Redwood, Delanie Aldrich, and Ty Stiefel. The Supreme Female Champion went to the Red Angus exhibited by Ty Steifel of Otter Creek Cattle Company in Redwood. Supreme Reserve Champion went to then entry exhibited by Kalyn Bullock of Edwards. In the Heifer Calf (Under 1 Year) Class, Grand Champion went to Delanie Aldrich. In the Yearling Heifer (between 1-2 Years) Class, Grand Champion went to Ty Stiefel of Otter Creek Cattle Company in Redwood. Reserve Champion went to Luke Stiefel of Otter Creek Cattle Company in Redwood. In the Beef Cross Yearling Heifer Class, Grand Champion went to Kalyn Bullock of Edwards. Reserve Champion went to Lettie Brown of Richville. Paul Rastley of Gouverneur won the Prospect Steer (under 1000 lbs.) Grand Champion.

The Hammond Fair Association also reported the following results:

In the Dairy Cattle Show, Master Showman and Supreme Champion went to Sophia Bullock of Edwards. Reserve Showman went to Lettie Brown of Richville. Champion awards were presented as follows: Ayrshire Grand Champion (Delaney Hoffman), Reserve Champion (Grayson Hoffman), Brown Swiss Grand Champion (Nicholas Bango), Reserve Champion (Austin Rizza), Guernsey Grand Champion (Lettie Brown), Holstein Grand Champion (Myrah Bullock), Reserve Champion (Gwen Decker), Jersey Grand Champion (Abbie Smith) Reserve Champion (Blaire Ross), Milking Shorthorn Grand Champion (Sophia Bullock), and Reserve Champion (Lettie Brown).

In the Rabbit Show, top showmanship awards went to Joannah Washburn, Nora Novle, and Myrah Bullock. The Overall Best/Grand Champion went to the entry by Nora Noble. Reserve Champion went to the entry by Addison Noble.

In the Poultry Show, Master Showman went to Samantha Kulp. Reserve Showman went to Whitney Hutton.

In the Sheep Show, the Senior Showman was Owen Sands of Antwerp. Junior Showman was Hayden Davis. Top honors were awarded as follows: Champion Ram (Hayden Davis), Reserve Champion Ram (Owen Sands). Champion Ewe (Owen Sands), Reserve Champion Ewe (Hayden Davis).

In the Goat Show, top showmanship awards went to Abby Smith, Korinne Lewis, Lizzie Caswell, and Hudson Hirt. Other results are as follows: Grand Champion Market Goat (Hudson Hirt), Breeding Doe Junior Champion (Lizzie Caswell), Breeding Doe Reserve Junior Champion (Korinne Lewis), Breeding Doe Senior Champion (Abby Smith), Breeding Doe Reserve Senior Champion (Abby Smith), Grand Champion Female (Abby Smith), Reserve Grand Champion Female (Lizzie Caswell). Full 4-H and FFA competition results from Hammond Fair will be posted as they are provided to the Gouverneur Tribune Press.

The Hammond 4-H and FFA Fair also featured many agricultural demonstrations, historical displays (including the Hammond Historical Museum), exhibits, children's games and activities, raffles, food, and so much more throughout the two-day event. Also on site was St. Lawrence County Dairy Promotion, featuring 2024-25 St. Lawrence County Dairy Princess Kaitlyn Putman, a junior at Madrid-Waddington Central School, who is sponsored by C&M Dairy in Lisbon. The court also includes: Alternate Dairy Princess Myrah Bullock of Edwards, Ambassadors Bella Dalton of Madrid, Danica Dishaw of Madrid, Isabella Perretta of Canton, and Kenzie Phillips of Heuvelton, Promoters Kalyn Bullock of Edwards, Gwen Decker of Winthrop, Ava Fitzgerald of Rensselaer Falls, Melanie Gilbert of Potsdam, Samantha Kulp of DeKalb Junction, Grace MacDonald of Hammond, Norah MacDonald of Hammond, Bailey Phillips of Heuvelton, and Rose Smith of Canton. St. Lawrence County Dairy Promotion is planning to attend the St. Lawrence County Farm Bureau’s Day At The Farm on Saturday, September 28, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., at Kelly Dairy LLC, located at 2229 DeKalb Kelly Road, Rensselaer Falls. The public is invited to attend this free event. There will be a tour of the working dairy farm, and ag professionals will be on site to answer questions. For more information, visit the St. Lawrence County Dairy Promotion Facebook page.

North Country residents from all over St. Lawrence, Lewis, and Jefferson County arrived to enjoy the two-day community fair, and are anticipating returning to the Hammond Fairgrounds in September 2025 for the 86th Annual Hammond 4-H and FFA Fair.

The 2024 Hammond 4-H and FFA Fair was deemed a great success, due to all of its community and volunteer support. The Hammond Fair Association Board includes the following: Chairperson Allison Barrigar, Vice Chairman Mike Stiefel, Co-Treasurers Tina Gleason and Tammy Stine, Secretary Amy Stiefel, and Assistant Secretaries John Kingston, Carol Wright, and Jennifer Gardner. Other volunteers were: Gate (Liz Bawden), Music (Steve Bogart, Bridget Sherman, Rob Barrigar), Building and Grounds (Steve Bogard, Tim and Tina Gleason, James and Nancy Gleason, Bill and Tammy Stine, Mike and Amy Stiefel, Brett Gleason, Ron and Cathy Tulley, Jon Bickelhaupt, Roger Hadlock, Donald Greene), Food Booth (Tim and Tina Gleason, Nancy Gleason, Ron and Cathy Tulley, Nick and Jennifer Gardner, and Tammy Stine), Raffle Booth (Tina Gleason/Kaitlyn Gleason, Mary Rice, Jordyn Tulley, Katie DeRosie, Skip Hurlburt, and Diane Robbins), Events and Games (Carolyn Pierce and family, Jennifer Gardner and Debbie Richards, Bill and Tammy Stine), Vendor Committee (Amy Stiefel), Social Media Director and Website Designer (Kaitlyn Gleason and Amy Stiefel). Much appreciation was extended to all those who contributed any type of service towards the success of the 2024 Hammond Fair.

To get involved in the 2025 Hammond Fair, email hammondfair3@gmail.com. For more information, visit HammondFair.org.

Village board hears property maintenance officer report

by Rachel Hunter

The Village of Gouverneur Board of Trustees at its Aug. 20 meeting heard a report from the Village of Gouverneur’s Property Maintenance Officer Glen Besaw.

“I wrote six more tickets,” he said. “Four more properties were inspected, and this Thursday (Aug. 22) will be a very busy day in court. I think we have like six cases coming to court. Some of them have been dragging a long time. Hopefully, some of them will be taken care of this week… I have noticed that some people that I have contacted lately have been more than willing to comply without having to take any action on them. So maybe we are making some headway there. Hopefully that is a bright spot for us. I found that, by working in the evenings, it is easier to make contact with people. So I’ll be doing that. This evening, I’ll go and see six more people. Hopefully we will have some success in court. And hopefully word will get out, and people will become even more willing to comply.”

Village of Gouverneur Mayor Ron McDougall then opened the floor for questions.

Village Trustee Troy Besaw said: “So, you seem to be getting a good response then for some of these individuals that are getting in front of a judge?”

“It’s finally that some of them are coming around,” PMO Besaw said. “I think they realize that we are not going away.”

“That’s good,” Trustee Besaw. “It’s a slow process.”

PMO Besaw said, “It’s not our court’s fault or anything like that. It’s just the system we have through the state.”

“You have been in the court with some of these people four times, correct?” Trustee Besaw said.

“Oh yeah,” PMO Besaw said.

“Holy man,” Trustee Besaw said. “That’s not a cheap venture for the village in any stretch of the imagination.”

“Yeah,” PMO Besaw said. “I think they are getting the point that it’s not going to go away. They have to comply sometime.”

Trustee Besaw said: “I would hope so… thanks!”

There was no further discussion on PMO Besaw’s monthly report.

The next regular meeting of the Village of Gouverneur Board of Trustees will be held on Tuesday, September 17, 6 p.m., at the municipal courtroom. A public hearing on Local Law No. 2 of 2024 (Establishing Burning Regulations) will be held at 5:55 p.m. For more information, call 315-287-1720.

School’s Open: Gouverneur CSD welcomes students for 2024-25 school year

by Rachel Hunter

The Gouverneur Central School District opened the Gouverneur Elementary School, Gouverneur Middle School and Gouverneur High School on Thursday, September 5 for the 2024-25 school year.

As of press deadline this week, the Gouverneur CSD confirmed that it has approximately 1,470 students enrolled this year. This number includes students in Pre-K through Grade 12. As in previous years, the Gouverneur CSD elected to use a portion of federal funding to purchase school supplies for all district students. The free school supplies were distributed to all students in their classrooms upon arrival last Thursday.

Gouverneur CSD Superintendent of Schools Jackie Kelly reported the following to the Gouverneur CSD Board of Education at its Sept. 9 meeting: “We have had a great start to the school year,” she said. “On Wednesday, August 28th the first of three orientations, the Freshman Orientation, was held here at the Gouverneur High School. There was a great turnout! The event began in the auditorium where Ms. Donaldson and Mrs. Davis welcomed the new ninth grade students and their families. She shared details about student schedules, expectations, extracurriculars, athletics, and more. Then, students and their families visited different stations including a student panel where the new freshmen could learn about the high school experience from some of our more seasoned high schoolers; a teacher panel which allowed the incoming students to learn about academics and expectations; and an information session with our school counselors to learn more about their schedules, courses, and high school academic requirements. After visiting each station, students and their families had the opportunity to find their classrooms, lockers, and tour around the building. The high school administration, guidance office, and secretarial staff did a great job organizing this successful event.

“The Middle School Orientation and the Elementary Meet and Greet were both held on Tuesday, September 3rd, and there was a record number of students and families in attendance. At the Middle School Orientation, Mr. Hammond and Mrs. Curry welcomed students and families in the gymnasium to share the middle school goals and information about expectations, Chromebooks and other electronics, communication between home and school, scheduling, transportation, and a number of other topics relative to the typical day of a middle school student. After the brief presentation, students and their families were able to meet their teachers, check out their classrooms, and find their lockers. The middle school administration, school counselors, and office staff did a wonderful job organizing this event. It is always great for students to have the opportunity to meet the teachers in advance of the first day of school. It makes for an easier transition.

“The Elementary Meet and Greet was great. Students and their families were able to meet their teachers, learn about the daily schedule, and classroom expectations. I saw a lot of older siblings walking their younger brothers and sisters around to show them the ropes. There were a lot of smiles and excitement in the building. Mr. Trowbridge and Mrs. Connelly were greeting the students and their families as they arrived and the cafeteria was staffed with teachers and staff to help with answering questions about a variety of topics including: access to ParentSquare, the Morning Rec. program, Academic Intervention Services and more.

“It was great to see so many families and students at all three of our orientations! It is always nice to see the students back in school, but it is great to see the families of our students out in force. The education of our students is a partnership with families and with this level of family involvement, we will be able to work together to help all of our students be successful.

“The success of the orientations rolled right into the first day of school. Students were happy to officially return on Thursday, September 5th and our faculty and staff were happy to have them back.”

In other news:

Upon presentation and recommendation of Supt. Kelly, the Board approved revisions to the Board Policy Manual. The following revised policies were adopted: 5620 (Fixed Asset Inventories, Accounting and Tracking), 5685 (Use of Surveillance Cameras), 6192 (Workplace Violence Prevention Policy Statement), 6470 (Staff Use of Computerized Information Resources and Email), 7210 (Promotion and Retention of Students), 7370 (Student Use of Computerized Information Resources), 7521 (Students with Life-Threatening Health Conditions), 7530 (Child Abuse and Maltreatment), 8260 (Title I Parent & Family Engagement), 8271 (Internet Safet/Internet Content Filtering Policy). The Board also approved unchanged policies as follows: 5670 (Records Management), 5672 (Information Security Breach and Notification), 5673 (Employee Personal identifying Information), and 5674 (Data Networks and Security Access). The Board approved the deletion of the following policies: 1630 (Absentee Ballots), 6212.1 (Incidental Teaching), and 7513 (Medication and Personal Care Items).

The Gouverneur CSD Board of Education President David Fenlong said the following: “There’s typically nine people on our board. Now we only have eight. We had one person resign in the middle of their three-year term, which took us down to eight. We are in discussion on how we are going to fill that ninth position…” The Gouverneur CSD Board of Education members were asked to determine their position, and be ready to report it at the Sept. 23 meeting. Those who cannot be in attendance are asked to report it to Gouverneur CSD Board of Education President David Fenlong, Vice President Todd Bates, Gouverneur CSD Supt. Kelly, or Gouverneur CSD District Tatia Kennedy. “We will bring those together and have that discussion,” Board President Fenlong said. Upon the urging of Board Member Brooke Bush, Gouverneur CSD Supt. Kelly detailed the options available. “The Board has three options when filling an open seat. The first of the three options is that the board can choose to fill the seat by appointing someone. If the board chooses to appoint someone, that person would remain in the seat until the election in May 2025. That person then can choose to complete a petition packet and be put on the ballot in May. The second option is that we can hold a special election. Just for your information, it takes approximately 60 days to organize a special election. And we would run it just like a regular vote. The third option would be… the board does have the option to leave the position vacant and let the voters decide in May 2025 when the election occurs.” Gouverneur CSD Board of Education Member Lisa McGregor then asked about the expense a special election would be to district. There was some discussion, and Supt. Kelly confirmed that the district would look at the numbers and report to the board members before the next meeting.

The Board approved the appointment of Board Member Lisa McGregor to fill openings on the following committees: Policy Committee, and the Gouverneur School Related Personnel Union (GSRPU) Committee, and the Labor Management Committee (LMC).

The Board also approved the minutes from the Aug. 19 regular meeting and the Aug. 26 special meeting, as well as the claims auditors reports (Aug. 8-Sept. 3, 2024), and the CSE Business report.

Upon presentation and recommendation of Supt. Kelly, the Board of Education approves the following personnel items: The Board accepted the resignation of Amber Hosmer, Individual Aide, effective Aug. 26.

The Board approved a series of appointments. Instructional appointments were approved as follows: Gouverneur Elementary After School Tutoring Instructors (Corey Rogers and Penny Matice). Middle School Afterschool Tutoring Instructors (Jennie Dalton, Chris Cognetti, Michele Brenno, Shari Ronas, Denise Baer, Lisa Stowell, Terri Whitaker, Barb Gauthier, Brock Davison, Brandon Griffin, Kim Reed, Nola Farns, Julie Neiss, Penny Simons, Danielle Peake, Melinda Schiszler, Gina Taylor, Sean Devlin, Desiree Simmons, Candace Brown, Sarah Scott, Melissa Sweeney, Stacey Devlin (Tutor and Coordinator). High School Afterschool Tutoring Instructors: Kathleen Beese, Lisa Carbone, Jill Davis, Michelle Deaton, Lisa Dunkelberg, Robert Dunkelberg, Jean Johnson, Sam Sochia, and Sarah Wood. High School Detention Monitors: Kathleen Beese, Jill Davis. Michelle Deaton, Lisa Dunkelberg, Robert Dunkelberg, Jean Johnson, Sam Sochia, and Sarah Wood.

Non-Instructional appointments were approved as follows: Individual Aide (Erika Woodrow, effective September 3, 2024) and 6-hour Food Service Helper (Crystal Christman, effective September 16, 2024).

The Board also appointed Kayley Learn as the Gouverneur CSD Alternate Foster Care Liaison, in accordance with Board Policy 7133 (Education of Students In Foster Care).

Through the McKinney-Vento consortium grant, the Board approved the appointment of the following people to support the identified homeless population. The McKinney-Vento 2024-25 team members include Monica Scott, Kayley Learn, Christie Warren, Grace Mashaw, Pam Mahay (Support Leader), Stephanie Plaisted (Support Leader). Mentors are Monica Scott (Liaison/Mentor), Hunter Hitchman, Kayley Learn, Christie Warren, and Grace Mashaw.

The Board approved the appointment of substitutes and tutors: Pat Williams (certified teacher), Tanner Hitchcock (buildings and grounds), and Amber Hosmer (aide/assistant/teacher).

The Board also approved extra-curricular advisors for the 2024-25 school year. This includes the following: Deanonian (Cory V. Young), Musical Director #1 (Emily M. Bason), Art Club HS (Robert D. Decker), FFA (Kylie A. Torres), Select Choir – Chamber Singers (Brett M. Worden), Deanonian 2 (Bethanie J. Denesha), Trapshooting Team – Fall and Spring (Paul D. Cappellino), Drama Club 7&8 (Brandon A. Griffin), Honor Society 7&8 (Monica L. Scott), Honor Society 9-12 (Julia M. Streeter), Stage Band (Olivia R. Montagno), Student Council High School (Heather L. Parker), Varsity Club (Sarah J. Wood), Grade 11 Advisor #1 (Kathleen M. Stamper), Grade 11 Advisor #2 (Bobbie Holmes), Grade 12 Advisor #1 (Bethanie J. Denesha), Grade 12 Advisor #2 (Sarah J. Wood), Key Club (Emily B. Mashaw), Student Council 7&8 (Heather I. Rose), Whiz Quiz (Emily M. Bason), Musical Set Director (Robert D. Decker), Grade 10 Advisor #1 (Jean C. Johnson), Grade 9 Advisor #1 (Heather L. Parker), Competitive Speaking Club (Michael J. Bason), Costume Club (Meaghan A. Matthews), Math Club (Cory V. Young), Senior High Fall Play (Michael J. Bason), K-Kids Club .5 (Alissa M. Collier), K-Kids Club .5 (Kayla M. Side), Robotics -Elementary (Brooke A. June), Band Pep (Olivia R. Montagno), Tri-M Advisors (Brett M. Worden and Olivia R. Montagno).

The Board approved the appointment of the following student workers as Fitness Room attendants for the 2024-25 school year: Cayden Middleton, Caleb Premo, and Raegan Devlin.

The Board also approved the appointment of mentors and mentees for the 2024-25 school year. The mentees are: Ashley Barr, Jarrett Bullock, Alexis Currier, Jennie Dalton, Cheyenne Dann, Bradley Davis, Kaitlin Ford, Leigh-ann Kirby, Autumn Kirker, Angela LaJoy, Taylor Marcellus, Lindsey McCormick, Allison Medley, Olivia Montagno, Richard Patton, Taylor Rollins, Jacqueline Scott-Hardy, Penny Simons, Catherine Yablonski, and Emma York. The mentors are: Jennifer Anson, Christine Cognetti, Alissa Collier, Robert Decker, Bethanie Denesha, Lisa Dunkelberg, Meagan Dupuis-Frego, Kayley Learn, Megan Morrow, Amber Ormasen, Stephanie Plaisted, Megan Reddick, Monica Scott, Elizabeth Siebels, Sarah Stedman, Danielle Stowell, Julia Streeter (mentoring two mentees), Sarah Wood, and Justin Young.

The Board also approved the Fire Safety Inspection Report (dates July 18, 2024). All items listed have been rectified and the Gouverneur CSD has received the Certificate of Occupancy.

The Board approved to compensate chain gang, scorekeepers, and shot clock operators at the rate of $30 per contest, effective September. 1, 2024.

The Board declared the following as surplus and authorized the Business Manager to sell or dispose of the items: 2014 Dodge Caravan (auction) and 3-piece wrestling mats (donation to the Gouverneur Wrestling Club).

The next regular meeting of the Gouverneur CSD Board of Education will be held on Monday, September 23, 5:30 p.m., in the GHS Auditorium. For meeting documents and other information, visit www.gcsk12.org.