The former Jumbo’s Diner building lot on East Main Street in downtown Gouverneur. (Rachel Hunter photo)
by Rachel Hunter
The Village of Gouverneur Board of Trustees made official its approval and endorsement of the Village of Gouverneur’s application to NYS Home and Community Renewal for funding under the 2020 New York Main Street Program at a special teleconference board meeting on Jan. 13. The application is for $500,000 in financial assistance will go towards the building renovations at the former Jumbo’s Diner building and adjacent properties owned by Clark Porter of Gouverneur.
Village of Gouverneur Mayor Ron McDougall told the village board that, while it was the village’s plan to hold the vote at the regular meeting on Jan. 19, the application needed to be filed on Jan. 15. “We need to get it together tomorrow, so we decided to do this today,” Mayor McDougall said. “We already agreed to this verbally (on December 15), but we have got to go through this process to make sure everything is correct, and for our auditors, and it is just the right thing to do.”
The village board then heard the Main Street Downtown Anchor Project resolution as follows: “Resolution by the Village of Gouverneur Board of Trustees approving and endorsing The Village of Gouverneur in its application to NYS Homes and Community Renewal for funding under the 2020 New York Main Street Program.
“Whereas, the Village of Gouverneur desires to apply for $500,000 in financial assistance through the 2020 Consolidated Funding Application (CFA) under the New York Main Street Downtown Anchor Program; and
“Whereas, the application proposes funding to assist property owner to complete building renovations to downtown “main street” building on Corner of West Main Street and Clinton Street; and
“Whereas, the proposed funding will contribute to ongoing community revitalization efforts; and
“Whereas, the grant application requires that the applicant obtain the approval and endorsement of the governing body of the municipality in which the project will be located.
“Now, Therefore, Be It Resolved, that the Board of Trustees of the Village of Gouverneur approves and endorses the 2020 New York Main Street Downtown Anchor Program for assistance prepared and to be submitted by the Village of Gouverneur.”
The motion to accept the resolution was made by Village Trustee Troy Besaw, and seconded by Village Trustee Shelly Simons-Washburn. Deputy Mayor Charles Newvine then requested discussing the resolution – a request that was granted by Mayor McDougall. Deputy Mayor Newvine then asked the following: “I know we already agreed to this, but the only question I had was… There is no address on this. It just says the corner. Does that just mean the corner building, or all of the buildings that owner owns on the corner?” Village Clerk/Treasurer Barbara Finnie said it meant the whole lot, which was confirmed by Mayor McDougall. “So the 1, 3, 5, 7 East Main Street address?” Deputy Mayor Newvine asked. “Yes, so I will add that to the resolution,” Clerk/Treasurer Finnie said.
“And then the other question that I had: Is the owner of that property using his own company to do the work, and if so, does this grant just cover material cost and no labor? Like our sidewalk grant does? Or does the grant cover labor as well?”
Mayor McDougall then said the following: “The grant covers labor. Some of it would be his company and some of it would be by others. For instance, the roofing company… He didn’t do his own roof. He had been doing some work in there. But the roof was accomplished. RSI did the roof.”
Clerk/Treasurer Finnie then said that the owner would “have to put in a percentage of the cost of the grant.”
Deputy Mayor Newvine then said the following: “I understand that… I am just questioning it because if he were to use his own labor force, he wouldn’t have to pay to have his guys working… he wouldn’t have a payroll cost. He would have his own company and be able to maintain payroll by the grant money that we are giving him.”
Mayor McDougall said “yes” and Deputy Mayor Newvine then said: “Thanks, I just wanted to make sure that was clarified.”
Discussion continued for several moments before Mayor McDougall called for a roll call vote, and the motion carried.
Mayor McDougall extended gratitude to the village trustees for their time. He also added that the Village of Gouverneur was scheduled to reopen the Municipal Building on Jan. 19 at 8 a.m. The Village of Gouverneur’s open hours of operation along with meetings are considered tentative based upon COVID-19 isolations, quarantines and other pandemic guidelines. He informed the village board that the meeting at 6 p.m. on Jan. 19 would include COVID-19 protocols, including facial coverings, sanitizer, temperature check and social distancing, etc.
Mayor McDougall also reported the following: “Another note that is important – FERC relicensing – I signed the paperwork in consultation with our attorney, Case & Leader, and our senior attorney there, Bob Leader. I did that on Monday, January 11.”
The motion to adjourn the special meeting was made by Trustee Besaw, seconded by Trustee Simons-Washburn. The motion carried with all votes in favor.