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.

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.

Town of Gouverneur tentatively approves $30K micro-enterprise loan for upgrades to Rossie-Gouverneur Area Dog Pound

by Rachel Hunter

The Town of Gouverneur at its Aug. 13 meeting tentatively approved the micro-enterprise loan application for Dog Control Officer Daniel Moyer to make state-mandated upgrades to the Rossie-Gouverneur Area Dog Pound.

The town board unanimously approved the loan in the amount of $30,000 at zero percent interest. The loan is tentative upon Gouverneur Area Development Council (GADC) approval. The funds will be used towards the purchase of a Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) unit, which needs to be installed by December 31, 2024 due to new state regulations.

Faithful readers of the Gouverneur Tribune Press will recall that Dan Moyer is the dog control officer in 19 municipalities, and a total of 22 municipalities utilize the Rossie-Gouverneur Area Dog Pound. Starting in 2025, the New York State Department of Ag & Markets says animal shelters need to meet certain specifications in order to operate. The Rossie-Gouverneur Area Dog Pound needs a laundry list of upgrades, including a HVAC system and more.

During the Aug. 13 town board meeting, DCO Moyer said the following: “I can’t fail… I told the State that I will not fail, due to the fact that all of these towns that I deal with, including (the Town of Gouverneur, there’s nobody to take your dogs. The SPCA is full to their hat. Potsdam is full. They’ve got no room. And I’ll be honest with you, right now, I have six empty kennels right now in the facility. I was glad to get the three dogs out this last week from Gouverneur, because I need the space. I also deal with the Watertown SPCA with the Town of LeRay. They were putting dogs in the aisles, and it is just: We don’t know what to do. We don’t know where to go.

“These improvements are needed for the health and wellbeing of the dogs… We are only supposed to be a two-week holding facility until the owner claims the dog, or the dog goes to another facility like Gracious Friends Animal Sanctuary, Friends 4 Pound Paws, or Potsdam or Watertown. But they can’t take them. We’ve got some dogs that have been in the pound. There’s one from Gouverneur that has been in the pound since October. My wife and I don’t believe in euthanizing these dogs, unless it is court-ordered. We are holding them longer, and we are holding them on our dime. People are not claiming them. They are getting adopted. Friends 4 Pound Paws, God bless them, just took a dog last month that was on the euthanization list. They turned around and said that it was one of the best dogs they ever have had in. And they got it adopted out. Gracious Friends took three pit-bull puppies the other day. They didn’t have room for the mother, but they knew they could move the puppies. It’s just… we don’t know where to go. We have no idea.”

DCO Moyer is working with the Town of Gouverneur to apply for grant money through the New York State Department of Ag and Markets to fund the upgrades. But he told the Town of Gouverneur that needs a plan, just in case the funds don’t come through by the year’s end. That’s why he applied for grant money through the Town’s micro-enterprise loan program.

“I don’t know how many of you know my situation,” DCO Moyer said. “Last spring, we lost the garage and the horse barn. I’ve rebuilt that. So far, we’ve put almost $15,000 to $20,000 of our own into this facility because it is a viable operation. We believe it. Yeah, when this HVAC system comes in, it is going to raise the electric bill. It is going to raise the fuel bill. Some of the towns might have to pay more for the services that we offer. But I have explained that to them, and 99 percent of them are understanding of that.”

Town of Gouverneur Supervisor Dave Spilman Jr. said: “It is either that or they have to build their own facility. That would be $200,000 just for a facility and then you have to hire employees, pay the utilities… And if we do that, we are looking at a lot more cost.”

DCO Moyer continued, saying: “Not to brag, but most of these towns like me as a dog warden. If they don’t use me as a facility, and I pick up a dog for example in Rossie or Edwards, and have to take it to Potsdam, that is two hours out of my day. I wouldn’t be able to do the towns. They would be hiring another dog warden. While that is not a bad thing in some instances, I don’t want to see that happen. It is so much more convenient for me to pick up the dog in Gouverneur, Rossie, go home, put it in the pound. I eat dinner, go down and take care of them. I go in the morning to take care of them before I have breakfast. I am not driving all over the place… In a nutshell, I need a hand. Consider it, please.”

Supervisor Spilman said: “Our micro-enterprise loans are not like bank loans. We have the right to set the interest rate on them. We don’t have to use prime as a marker. Our last two loans have come in at four percent. I suggest that, because Dan does do the service he does for us, for the community – that we consider a zero percent loan.” After some discussion, the Town of Gouverneur Council unanimously approved the $30,000 loan, tentative upon GADC approval, at zero percent interest.

“I wasn’t expecting zero percent,” DCO Moyer said. “Thank you.”

“We are a small community,” Supervisor Dave Spilman, Jr. said during the discussion. “We all need to take care of each other.”

There was no further discussion.

The next regular meeting of the Town of Gouverneur Council will be held at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, September 10 at the Town of Gouverneur Offices Building, 1227 US Highway 11, Gouverneur. For more information, call 315-287-2340.

Wildcat News: Gouverneur CSD summer school programs a success

by Rachel Hunter

The success of the Gouverneur Central School District’s summer school programs were reported to the Gouverneur Central School District Board of Education at its Aug. 19 meeting.

Gouverneur Elementary School Principal Rich Trowbridge said the following: “First of all, I would like to say thank you very much for supporting the summer school program. It is a great feeling to know that our kids are somewhere for three days per week getting food and being cared for. So, thank you. We make it fun or we wouldn’t have the numbers that we have. We floated right around 70 kids per day. We were down a little bit during Fair Week and Swim Week, but that is understandable. We make it fun. Basically, we come in. We make the kids breakfast. We do 30-45 minutes of Math and ELA. We have a bit of fun at recess. We feed them, and then we send them home. So they are getting two meals, three days per week, which is awesome for some of our students. I think the teachers go out of their way to make sure the students are enjoying themselves. We had field trips to Timbernook, which the kids absolutely adored. We walked to the Fair to see the animals. We walked to the bank. We walked to New York Pizzeria to make some pizza. We had a day of swimming. One of our teachers made solar s’mores on a cardboard box and aluminum foil. It was super cool and worked awesome. We had a food truck frenzy week, which you had to be there to understand. We had an ice cream social. It is just a lot of fun. The kids have a good time. The best part is, because they are having such a good time, I don’t have a lot of discipline. I get to go, enjoy and laugh with the kids. The teachers really do an amazing job. The perfect example is that our numbers stay high. Last year, we had 80 students all summer. This year, we sent fourth grade to the middle school. So, for us to have 70, we probably had a better turnout than we really did last year. I just wanted to say thank you.” Principal Trowbridge then encouraged the Board to view a photo slideshow when time allowed.

Gouverneur Middle School Principal Michael Hammond reported the following: “Good evening Board of Education members, Supt. Kelly, and community. I am pleased to present the summer school program at the Middle School for the 2024 session. This summer, our group was a tremendous success, thanks to the hard work and dedication of our employees and the enthusiasm from our students. First, let’s highlight Physical Education, which was led by Mr. Devlin. This summer, students participated in 30-minute sessions that included a range of activities from volleyball, basketball, kickball, and frisbee. The programs emphasized hand-eye and foot-eye coordination, cardiovascular exercise, and teamwork. A rememberable experience was had at the high school during their trip to the pool where students enjoyed a Swim Day after they were tested by Mr. Devlin and the lifeguards. The students thoroughly enjoyed this culminating activity of their physical education experience.

“Next, our reading program was managed by Mrs. Baer. She worked with small groups of fourth to sixth grade students on intensive word work, including word parts, segmenting, blending, and vocabulary strategies. These students engaged in interactive word games, reading short stories, and various writing exercises.

“We were lucky to have a Life Skills and Special Ed program this year at the Middle School, led by Mrs. Buckmaster and supported by an exceptional team of TA’s – Mrs. Rose, Mrs. Simmons, Mrs. Kirpatrick, and Mrs. O’Donnell Thompson. The program provided students with practical skills and academic support. They participated in writing activities, reading comprehension exercises, and math lessons focused on real-life applications. Special projects included a walking field trip to Save-A-Lot to practice store etiquette. Students had a special event with Dr. Ben, who demonstrated gravity and forces through engaging experiments, like the egg protection using cushions and parachutes. Students also made lemonade for teachers, and participated in many activities.

“Fourth grade, as Mr. Trowbridge said, we welcomed to the Middle School this summer. That enrichment program was led by Ms. Cognetti (ELA and Science), Mrs. Stowell (Math and Social Studies), and supported by Mrs. Zira. The program included activities such as math fluency fact kit games, ELA reading of “The Chocolate Touch” and “Phoebe The Spy,” science experiments like the potato ring challenge and the aluminum foil boat challenge. Students created posters on the States and had various exercises in math concepts and interactive activities.

“In sixth grade, our enrichment program was hosted by Mr. Shattuck (Math) and Mrs. Devlin (ELA). They provided a well-rounded curriculum. Mr. Shattuck focused on reviewing ratios, unit rates and proportionality through problem solving activities. Mrs. Devlin led students in reading “Bud, Not Buddy” by Christopher Paul Curtis and exploring historical contexts, such as the Great Depression, and jazz music.”

“Our seventh and eighth grade general education enrichment and credit recovery programs were led by Ms. Anson (Math), Mrs. Neiss (ELA), and supported by Mrs. Byrns. They also delivered comprehensive instruction. Ms. Anson focused on reviewing math skills from seventh grade to prepare students for algebra, with practical applications such as budgeting and portfolio creations. The ELA students explored the Olympics and wrote research essays on athletes. Mrs. Neiss’ ELA credit-recovery students completed a novel study, practicing editing, summarizing and vocabulary skills.

“In conclusion, I want to extend my deepest gratitude to all the staff members who contributed their time, effort and expertise in making this summer program a success. We averaged 50-60 students each week. Their dedication has made a significant impact on our students’ academic and personal growth. Thank you for your attention.”

“Thank you,” Gouverneur CSD Board of Education President David Fenlong said, and opened the floor for comments from the board members present.

Board Member Laurie Roberts said: “It was such a beautiful summer. It was either blistering hot or raining hard. I am sure some of those days were hard, but I appreciate the comments on incorporating social etiquette. I know a lot of kids don’t get that opportunity, so I appreciate the time and organization it took to go to those places. It sounds like a lot of fun, and when kids are having fun, sometimes they don’t realize that they are learning. So I appreciate that took place as well. Hopefully that summer slide that a lot of kids suffer... those kids won’t suffer that summer slide as they face the academics in the fall. So, thank you for keeping that attendance up. It means a lot that those kids are coming to school and choosing to come here on those nice summer days. Thank you to everybody who had a hand in that.”

There were no further comments from the Board, and Board President Fenlong concluded the Wildcat News report with the following: “We appreciate everything you do, especially in the summer and all year round. Thank you.”

During public comment, Supt. Kelly read the following letter from Tina French: “Dear Mrs. Kelly, I am extremely grateful for the time and money the district has spent to invest in our students this summer. From my household, I had one attend elementary summer school and my older boys were able to attend both football and wrestling camps, as well as take advantage of the fitness center hours and summer football practices. This would not have been possible without the support of the district. I hope that in the future, we can look into being able to offer these opportunities again, as I am sure my children weren’t the only ones to benefit. As a full-time working mother with a husband who travels at least three weeks of every month, it is difficult to provide these opportunities without support. Had we not been provided with these opportunities, my children would have been home or with their grandmother unengaged and unmotivated. On behalf of all who were able to benefit from summer schools and the multiple district-supported sports camps, I truly thank you. I also want to extend a thank you to the many staff who support our students in multiple avenues without compensation and truly just for the good of the students and the growth of the district. My children have benefited immensely from the generosity from this district and its supporters. Again, I say thank you and appreciate all that is done to make this happen.”

“We appreciate all positive comments,” Gouverneur CSD Board of Education President David Fenlong said, expressing gratitude to all those who made the summer opportunities possible.

In other news:

The Board approved the Gouverneur Central School District School Safety Plan for the 2024-25 school year. A public hearing was held on July 22, 2024. No additional comments were received. The only change to the posted drafted was an update to the safety team members reflecting new administrators. Upon presentation and recommendation by Gouverneur CSD Superintendent of Schools Jackie Kelly, the Board of Education approved the School Safety Plan for 2024-25 to be submitted to the New York State Board of Education Department and distributed to specified agencies, as presented.

The Board, upon presentation and recommendation of Supt. Kelly, approved a series of personnel items. This included the resignations of 6-Hour Food Service Helper Connie A. Davis (effective July 31, 2024), Grade 4 Elementary Teacher Morgan Hutton (effective August 2), Secondary Art Teacher Alexis Ritter (effective August 8), and Reading Teacher Candace J. Grant (effective August 26).

The Board accepted the resignation of Rachel Curry from her position as Elementary teacher (Middle School Math AIS) and appointed Rachel Curry to the probationary position of Middle School Assistant Principal, effective August 26, 2024.

The Board approved a series of instructional appointments, including the following High School Business Teacher Angela Bicklehaupt LaJoy (effective September 3), Elementary Teacher to Reading Teacher Caitlyn Sullivan (effective September 3), Elementary Teacher Lindsey McCormick (effective September 3), Elementary Teacher Jennie Dalton (effective September 3), Elementary Teacher Ashley Barr (effective September 3), STEM Teacher Benjamin Reed (effective September 3), Title I .30 FTE Teacher – St. James Judith Tomford (effective September 3), Individual Aide to Teaching Assistant Wendy Stowell (effective September 3), Teacher Aide to Teaching Assistant Kara L. Mashaw (effective September 3), Individual Aide to Teaching Assistant Sarah Scott (effective September 3).

The Board also made the following non-instructional appointments: The Board appointed Kathryn Stubbs to the 12-month Secretary I position, effective August 28. The Board modified the appointment of Janice S. Rushlo, 6-hour Food Service Helper to the position of Courier/Food Service Helper (12-month), effective August 21. The Board appointed the following individuals as teacher aides, effective September 3: Tracy McCarthy, Caitlin Cardinell, Alyssa Edick, and Pam Doty. The Board appointed the following individuals as individual aides, effective September 3: Alexandria Klimowicz, Roxanne Todd, Amber Hosmer (pending completion of all new hire requirements), Grace Holmes (pending completion of all new hire requirements), Michelle Deaton (pending completion of all new hire requirements), and Jamie Mitchell.

The Board approved a series of substitutes and tutors for the 2024-25 school year. Returning substitutes are Patricia Bush, Sheila Callahan, Nathan Gates, Laney Smith, and Joe Wahl. The Board appointed Valerie Graves for up to 10 days for clerical support. The Board appointed Melissa Raymo for up to 10 days for clerical support. The Board appointed the following new substitutes, pending completion of all requirements: Kayla Absalon, Shannon Bishop, Jessica Currier, Riannon Holly, Dede Scozzafava, Lindsey Mandigo, and Madison Hurlbut. The Board approved the following returning tutors: Jessica Miller, Marie Moore, Kenneth Nicholas, Desiree Simmons, Ling Wu, Cherie Zira, Brittany Buckmaster, Lisa Carbone, Christine Cognetti, Lisa Dunkelberg, Julie Neiss, Jennifer (Maude) Palumbo, Kim Reed, Melinda Schiszler, Beth Siebels, Pam Stevens, Saddie Whitaker, and Terri Whitaker.

The Board appointed the following personnel for summer Regents review: Matt Miller, Global History (Monday and Wednesday).

The Board approved a revision to the American Rescue Act Summer Academic and Enrichment Camp Directors, funded through ARP: Joseph Wahl, Volleyball Camp, for an additional week of camp due to the number of participants.

The Board had its first reading of several policies that have been reviewed. The Board is recommended to delete Policy 1630 (Absentee Ballots), 6212.1 Incidental Teaching), and 7513 (Medication and Personal Care Items). The following policies were revised: 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 Student), 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), and 8271 (Internet Safety and Internet Content Filtering Policy). The following policies – 5670 (Records Management), 5672 (Information Security Breach and Notification), 5673 (Employee Personal Identifying Information), 5674 (Data Networks and Security Access) – remain unchanged.

The Board approved the tax warrant for 2024-25 in the amount of $7,139,239 ($7,066,189 school, $73,050 library).

The Board approved participation in the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) Program for 2024-25. Breakfast and lunch meals will be served to all students at no cost. Breakfast for an adult is $2.95 plus tax. Lunch for an adult is $5.09 plus tax.

The Board authorized petty cash funds for the following: Tax Collector Rachel Scott ($200).

The Board changed the location of several board, originally at the Gouverneur High School auditorium. The meeting will still begin at 5:30 p.m. Meetings on November 18 and March 3 will be held in the Gouverneur Middle School Cafeteria. Meetings on December 9 and March 17 will be held in the Gouverneur Elementary School cafeteria.

The Gouverneur Central School District will welcome students for the first day of school on Sept. 5. Also announced was Freshman Orientation (Aug. 28), New Teacher Orientation (Aug. 29), Pre-K and Kindergarten Orientation (Sept. 3), Grades 1-4 Orientation (Sept. 3), Middle School Orientation (Sept. 3), Sept. 3-4 (Staff Development) Days. The next regular meeting of the Gouverneur Central School District Board of Education will be held on September 9, 5:30 p.m., at the Gouverneur High School auditorium. For more information, visit www.gcsk12.org.

7th Annual Johnny’s Ride is Saturday

by Rachel Hunter

The 7th Annual Johnny’s Ride will be held this Saturday, August 24, starting at 10 a.m. from the James Maloy American Legion Post No. 65 in Gouverneur. Sign-ups will be at the Gouverneur Legion on August 23, 5 to 8 p.m., and August 24, 8 to 10 a.m. The cost is a $20 donation per bike or car.

Johnny’s Ride is held annually in memory of John J. “Johnny” Washburn, who passed away in 2017 at the age of 47. John graduated from Gouverneur High School and worked locally at DJ Walters Chevrolet and for the Village of Gouverneur. He enjoyed four-wheeling, motorcycling, and spending time with his friends and family. He was a member of the Gouverneur Vol. Firemen Exempts.

Gouverneur Village Trustee Shelly Simons-Washburn told the Gouverneur Tribune Press has reported that all proceeds from the 7th Annual Johnny’s Ride will benefit “Johnny’s Kids” and go to support improvements at Mills Park, located on Johnstown St., on the west side of town. A playground fund in memory of John J. Washburn was established in 2022, and there is great anticipation to see a playground built on the west side of town for the community’s youth. Monetary donations can be given at any time to the Village of Gouverneur to make this playground happen and put smiles on children’s faces. This year, all proceeds will go to the Mills Park Playground Fund in honor of the late Johnny Washburn and Former Gouverneur Village Trustee Nelson Lawrence. Kickstands will go up at 10 a.m., and all vehicles are more than welcome to participate.

The Chicken BBQ at the American Legion will start at 1 p.m. The Chicken BBQ is included with the sign-in fee, with a limit of two people per bike/vehicle registered. The Chicken BBQ is also open to the public. There will also be raffle tickets available for purchase (50-50, guns and more). Much gratitude is extended to the North Country community for their ongoing support. It was noted by Village of Gouverneur Mayor Ron McDougall at the Village of Gouverneur Board of Trustees meeting on Aug. 20. For more information on the 7th Annual Johnny’s Ride, call or text Josh (315-323-6895) or Shelly (315-323-3543) with any questions.

All those interested in making a donation to the Mills Park Playground Fund can do so at any time to the Village of Gouverneur, 33 Clinton St., Gouverneur, NY 13642.

Ryan’s Wish Foundation Annual Golf Tournament to be held this Saturday

by Rachel Hunter

The 2024 Ryan’s Wish Foundation Annual Golf Tournament will be held at Emerald Greens’ 18-hole golf course in Gouverneur on Saturday, August 17, 10 a.m., to raise funds to help those diagnosed with cancer and serious illnesses throughout St. Lawrence, Jefferson, Franklin and Lewis counties.

Dr. Robert Saidel and his wife Rita founded Ryan’s Wish Foundation in memory of their son, who strived to live life to the fullest even as he battled cancer. Ryan Saidel from Gouverneur, NY was diagnosed with neuroblastoma when he was 14 years old and fought the disease for five years before he passed at age 19 on February 7, 2004. During his five-year struggle, Ryan touched the lives of countless people. To those around him, Ryan defined the word courage as he lived his life inspiring others to make the best of each and every day.

A year after Ryan’s death, the Ryan’s Wish Foundation was created to celebrate Ryan’s inspirational life, and is dedicated to helping others who are battling a serious illness “play and live strong.”

Many throughout the North Country community know of someone within the local area who has been helped from the Ryan’s Wish Foundation. The foundation continues to help literally hundreds of people and their families within the North Country. The Ryan’s Wish Foundation (501 (C) (3) nonprofit organization) is created to celebrate the inspirational life of Ryan Saidel. The foundation is dedicated to helping people who are battling a serious illness to “play and live strong.” The Foundation serves people in the tri-county areas of Northern New York: Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence Counties. Funds received from the Foundation can help offset traveling costs and other expenses incurred by individuals and their families during treatment or hospitalization.

The 2024 Ryan’s Wish Foundation Annual Golf Tournament will follow a 4 Team Captain & Crew format. Cost is $75 per member or $300 per team. All donations are appreciated. The tournament will be held on Saturday, August 17, 10 a.m., at Emerald Greens Golf Course in Gouverneur.

NYS Ag Commissioner Visits County Fair

by Rachel Hunter

New York State Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball visited the 2024 Gouverneur and St. Lawrence County Fair on Friday, August 2.

The Gouverneur and St. Lawrence County Fair Association warmly welcomed NYS Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball. The fair board shared their gratitude for the state funding that has allowed for many upgrades to the fairgrounds in recent years, including the new dairy cattle barn in 2024 and infrastructure improvements.

Gouverneur and St. Lawrence County Fair Manager Don Peck (who serves as NYS Association of Agricultural Fairs District 3 Director) and Gouverneur Fair President Beth Martin led NYS Ag Commissioner Ball on a fairgrounds tour, stopping at the cattle barns, FFA Building, 4-H Youth Building, Dairy Princess Booth, and more. Commissioner Ball also had the opportunity to talk with St. Lawrence County Dairy Promotion, 4-H’ers, FFA members, dairy cattle exhibitors, etc. In addition to the Gouverneur and St. Lawrence County Fair Association, those joining the tour included North Country dignitaries: Village of Gouverneur Mayor Ron McDougall, NYS Assemblyman (AD 116) Scott Gray (R-Watertown), NYS Senator Mark Walczyk’s Office (Mike Schenk). Also in attendance was Elizabeth Wolters, Deputy Commissioner for the Department of Agriculture and Markets.

Richard A. Ball was nominated as Commissioner of the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets in 2014. A native New Yorker, Mr. Ball has made a living in agriculture his entire life. His inspiration to become a farmer came from his grandparents, who were lifelong dairy farmers. At 18 years old, Mr. Ball began his own career in agriculture as a farm worker on a vegetable farm. He later became operations manager of that same farm. After 20 years there, in 1993 the opportunity arose to be a farm owner and for the past 30 years, he has been the owner and operator of Schoharie Valley Farms in Schoharie, NY, which consists of 200 acres and produces a wide range of vegetable crops, small fruits and greenhouse crops. The farm serves both retail and wholesale consumers through an onsite farm market and ships to brokers and restaurants in the local area as well as New York City. Mr. Ball has held a number of positions within agriculture and community organizations at the local, state and national level, including the New York State Vegetable Growers Association, the New York Farm Bureau, the American Farm Bureau and the Schoharie County Chamber of Commerce. He served as the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) 2021-2022 President, where he helped guide the implementation of NASDA’s priorities and additional policies adopted at NASDA’s 2021 annual meeting. He is also the former President of Food Export Northeast. Mr. Ball along with his wife, Shirley, reside on the farm in Schoharie and appreciate having three generations engaged in the farm operation.

More than 75 persons arrived on Friday, August 2 at the Harry Parow Cattle Show Ring on the Gouverneur Fairgrounds to hear from NYS Ag Commissioner Ball and other dignitaries including Village of Gouverneur Mayor Ron McDougall, NYS Assemblyman (AD 116) Scott Gray (R-Watertown), NYS Senator Mark Walczyk’s Office (Mike Schenk).

“Thank you so much, everyone, for the warm welcome,” Commissioner Ball said, extending gratitude to the Gouverneur and St. Lawrence County Fair Association for the fairgrounds tour. “I have to tell you that you have good leadership in this county – the Assemblyman, fair director, and your mayor here. I don’t have to stop and explain agriculture… It’s great to be here on behalf of the governor, and on behalf of the rest of our agricultural community. The governor’s been to my farm, and we’ve talked quite a bit about agriculture. And we’ve talked an awful lot about the fairs. At the Department in the last few years, we’ve really made an effort to try to communicate better with Albany about what’s important to our farmers, and to let our farmers know what is going on in Albany. The governor and I have talked many times about the fairs. This year, we’ve got some pretty good initiatives. We want to make sure that agriculture remains the center of our fairs – our fair system, all our county fairs and our state fair together. We need more young people that think with their head and their hands in our farm communities, in our manufacturing facilities across the state. This is an opportunity to connect dots with young people and consumers on what you do every day in agriculture.”

Commissioner Ball added, “It is very fun for me to be here. Thank you for what you do. The North Country is an important part of New York. Rural America is an important part of it too… We live, we work, we farm a couple hours away from the most amazing, most diverse and biggest marketplace anywhere in the world. I can’t think of a better time, even though it is a challenging time, to be involved in agriculture… There’s no place in the country that I would rather farm than New York State. Thank you for what you do in agriculture. Thank you for what you are doing at the fair here. Let’s grow our fairs, and help keep agriculture as a viable life for the next generation. Thank you very much. It is great to be with you.”

Thunderous applause sounded in appreciation of Commissioner Ball’s address to farmers in St. Lawrence County.

For more information on the Gouverneur and St. Lawrence County Fair, visit www.gouverneurfair.net.

Gouverneur CSD holds public hearing on school safety plan

by Rachel Hunter

The Gouverneur Central School District Board of Education held the Public Hearing on the 2024-25 Gouverneur CSD School Safety Plan on Monday, July 22 at 5:30 p.m. before the regular meeting in the GHS Auditorium.

Gouverneur CSD Board of Education President David Fenlong opened the public hearing. He noted that the purpose of the public hearing was to discuss updates and revisions to the District-Wide School Safety Plan, as enumerated in Education Law and Commissioner’s Regulations. The plan is designed to prevent or minimize the effects of serious violent incidents and emergencies and to facilitate the coordination of schools and the School District with local and county resources in the event of such incidents or emergencies. Gouverneur CSD Superintendent of Schools Jackie Kelly noted that no public comments were received. The public version of the 2024-25 Gouverneur CSD School Safety Plan has been posted online at www.gcsk12.org. It is anticipated that it will be adopted at the August 19 meeting of the Gouverneur Central School District Board of Education. For more information, visit www.gcsk12.org.

Gouverneur CSD Board of Education President David Fenlong called the regular meeting to order at 5:32 p.m., and led all in the Pledge of Allegiance.

During discussion, Board President Fenlong announced that the New York State School Boards Association (NYSSBA) Annual Convention will be held October 20-22, 2024 in NYC. As of July 22, the Board had one member interested in attending.

There was no financial report, or unfinished business reported.

Upon presentation and recommendation of Supt. Kelly, the Board approved a series of items as a consent agenda. This included the minutes of the special meeting and organizational meeting, claims auditor’s reports, CSE business, student activities report, and the treasurer’s report. In a point of discussion, Board Member Laurie Roberts said: “It was nice to see in the claims auditor’s report the number of kids attending the (ARPA-funded) sports camps. It’s nice to see that opportunity for coaches and kids, transportation included.” The consent agenda carried with full support of the Board.

Upon presentation and recommendation of Gouverneur CSD Superintendent of School Jackie Kelly, the following personnel items were approved:

The Board approved the recommendation to abolish one position of 12-month Courier, effective immediately. It was noted that this position is currently vacant. The Board then approved the recommendation to create one position of Courier/Food Service Helper (12-month), effective immediately. It was noted that, under the terms of the GSRPU contract, the position would be for 8 hours, with approximately 3 hours daily as a courier and 5 hours daily as a food service helper.

The Board approved the resignation request by Robert Kotz from the position of Middle School Principal, effective August 6.

The Board approved a series of administrative appointments. The Board appointed Michael S. Hammond as Middle School Principal (effective July 23). The Board appointed Alison Connelly as Elementary School Principal (PreK-Grade 1), effective August 12. The Board appointed Margeaux Davis as High School Assistant Principal (effective August 6).

The Board also appointed Olivia Montagno as Music Teacher.

The Board revised the probation dates of Bradley Davis (appointed at the July 1, 2024 organizational meeting) to the position of Reading AIS Teacher at the High School, for a three-year probationary period commencing on September 3, 2024 and anticipated to end on September 2, 2027. Mr. Davis was previously granted tenure.

The Board appointed Chelsi Peck to the Keyboard Specialist position, effective July 23.

The Board appointed the following personnel as substitutes for the 2024 Middle School Summer School program: Cathy Schiszler, Ann LaRock.

The Board appointed the following personnel for summer Regents review, August 12-15, 2024: Michael Bason, English (Tuesday & Thursday), Saddie Whitaker, Earth Science (Monday and Wednesday), Terri Whitaker, Algebra (Monday and Wednesday), and Sarah Wood, Living Environment (Tuesday and Thursday).

The Board appointed Rick Vrooman as an uncompensated Volunteer Assistant for Football during the Fall 2024 season.

The Board appointed the following students as lifeguards for the 2024-25 school year: Reagan Devlin, William Riutta, and Riley Shepherd.

The Board approved the appointment of returning substitutes for the 2024-25 school year, including the following: Katelynn Ayen, Maureen Baer, Amber Barr, Evelyn Barton, Valerie Bogardus, Caitlin Cardinell, Allison Carvel, Antoinette Cogan, Hailey Cook, Pamela Doty, Alyssa Edick, Julia Fahrig, Tina Fordyce, Britney Gardner, Sharon Gates, Jennifer Hay, Laura Hayden, Gina Johnson, Alexandria Klimowicz, Anita Mantia, Ethan Matthews, Tracy McCarthy, Jamie Mitchell, Peyton Mussaw, Kaylee Ordway, Donna Parks, Sarah Riutta, Maureen Schesser, Cathy Schiszler, Nikolaus Schiszler, Deana Shepard, Cole Siebels, Abigail Simmons, Anita Sleeman, Kateena Smith, Roxanne Todd, Jane Trowbridge, Ashley Trudell, Erika Woodrow, Ling Wu, and Natalie Young.

The Board appointed Ferrara Fiorenza PC as legal counsel to the District for the 2024-2025 school year, at their established rate.

The Board appointed Board Member Laurie Roberts as the NYSSBA Advocacy Liaison for 2024-2025.

The Board appointed Board Member Nickolas Ormasen as the voting delegate for the NYSSBA Virtual Annual Business Meeting.

The Board set the hourly rate for the Extended Day After School Program tutors at $40, effective September 3, 2024.

The Board approved outside service provider as follows: Nancy Davis Behavior Consultant Services (Summer, July 11-August 30, 2024) and (School Year, September 1, 2024-June 30, 2025).

The Board adopted the Standard Work Day Resolution for Employees: “Be It Resolved, that the Gouverneur CSD, Location code 74003, hereby establishes the following as standard work days for its employees and will report days worked to the New York State and Local Employees’ Retirement System based on the time keeping system or the record of activities maintained and submitted by these members to the clerk of this body: Courier/Food Service Helper, 8 hours standard work day.”

There was no public comment received during the regular board meeting.

The next regular meeting of the Gouverneur CSD Board of Education will be held at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, August 19 in the GHS Auditorium. For more information on the Gouverneur CSD, visit www.gcsk12.org.

Village board hears GPD report

by Rachel Hunter

The Village of Gouverneur Board of Trustees at its Tuesday, July 16 meeting heard the following report from Village of Gouverneur Chief of Police Darren Fairbanks.

The following is some of the items handled by the Gouverneur Police Department since the last village board meeting:

“Members attended the fun day held at the Gouverneur Elementary School on June 20th which consisted of educating the youths in attendance on a variety of topics such as bicycle safety as well as the ability to view the tools used by law enforcement on a regular basis in the completion of the duties of a police officer. Our department also had a patrol car present for viewing and demonstration.

“A reminder: St. Lawrence County Human Resources has announced that the civil service exam for the position of Police Officer will be held on September 28th, 2024. The deadline for filing the application with that office is August 14th, 2024. I encourage members of the public, who are eligible to take the exam, to sign up. The Gouverneur Police Department has one full-time police officer position within the Department and anticipates hiring off from the list that is generated from the civil service exam given on September 28th, 2024. If anyone has any questions regarding the process itself or help in completing the application to take the exam, I, personally, can help anyone wishing my assistance in completing the application to take the exam.”

For the month of June 2024, the Gouverneur Police Department received 453 calls for service 264 of those calls for service required police intervention. 124 of those calls for service were IBR criminal complaints (on average 31 new criminal investigations per officer for the month with 21 concurrent investigations previously reported). The PD effected 34 arrests for a total of 53 charges. This included: Felony- 2, Misdemeanors- 20, Violations- 3, Infractions- 18, Bench/ Arrest Warrants- 3.

In the month of June 2024, the Gouverneur PD responded to and investigated 14 motor vehicle collisions.

In the month of June 2024, the Gouverneur PD responded to 12 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 20 incidents involving the Gouverneur Fire Department and or Gouverneur Rescue Squad at incidents requiring our presence.

Chief Fairbanks reported: “We received 30 requests for general welfare or mental health checks in which 9 were determined mental health related. Of the 9 mental health calls our agency took 7 into custody for emergency involuntary evaluation with all 7 being by police observation/investigation. No individuals under 18 years of age and 0 repeats. There were 0 attempts at utilizing the Mobile Access Program. There was 0 reported non-fatal drug overdoses inside the Village of Gouverneur.”

Much appreciation was extended to Chief Fairbanks for his report. Village Trustee Troy Besaw encouraged the GPD to participate in the upcoming use of force and other trainings offered.

The next regular meeting of the Village of Gouverneur Board of Trustees will be held on Tuesday, August 20, 6 p.m., in the municipal courtroom. For more information, call 315-287-1720.

Reminder: Fowler Family Day is Saturday

by Rachel Hunter

The Town of Fowler will hold its 2024 Fowler Family Day on Saturday, July 20, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the Fowler Town Hall, 87 Little York Road, Fowler. All funds raised and donated during the event will benefit the Town of Fowler Playground/Pavilion Fund.

The Seventh Annual Fowler Family Day will once again include fun for the whole family. The event grounds open at 9 a.m., and there will be an official opening celebration at 10 a.m. New this year will be a live, hands-on reptile exhibit by Lena The Lizard Lady at the Fowler Town Hall, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. There also will be a chicken barbecue and other food available for purchase, as well as snow cones, cotton candy and more, along with children’s games and activities, vendors, displays, raffles and so much more. All funds raised during Fowler Family Day will go to support upgrades to the Town of Fowler Playground/Pavilion.

Town of Fowler Supervisor Rick Newvine issued an invitation to all North Country residents to attend the 2024 Fowler Family Day during the July 8 town board meeting. The Town of Fowler’s Fowler Family Day committee has worked diligently to ensure that the event is bigger and better than ever.

For more information on Fowler Family Day, visit www.FowlerNY.com.

Attention exhibitors! Fair entry deadline is July 12

The entry deadline to exhibit at the Gouverneur and St. Lawrence County Fair is today (Friday, July 12). All those interested are encouraged to check out the 2024 Exhibitor’s Guide online at www.gouverneurfair.net, call 315-287-3010, or stop by the fair office at E. Barney St., Gouverneur, for more info. The 2024 Gouverneur and St. Lawrence County Fair will run Tuesday, July 30 through Sunday, August 4. Admission is free. See more details in an upcoming edition of the Gouverneur Tribune Press.

Village board holds special meeting

by Rachel Hunter

The Village of Gouverneur Board of Trustees held a special board meeting on Friday, June 28 in the municipal boardroom.

Village of Gouverneur Mayor Ron McDougall called the meeting to order at 8:04 a.m. once a quorum was present. In attendance at the meeting was Village of Gouverneur Mayor Ron McDougall, Village of Gouverneur Deputy Mayor Charles Newvine, Village of Gouverneur Trustee Floyd McAdam, Village of Gouverneur Clerk/Treasurer Barbara Finnie, and Village of Gouverneur Deputy Clerk/Treasurer Kristina Ayen.

The Village of Gouverneur Board of Trustees approved a tax roll correction at 63 Rock Island St., Gouverneur. Village of Gouverneur Deputy Clerk/Treasurer Kristina Ayen said the following: “After the water/sewer was relevied to the taxes, it was found that there was a clerical error and somebody’s water got relevied that shouldn’t have. We need to give them credit back.” Mayor McDougall then commented that the amount is $96.56. The motion was made by Village Deputy Mayor Charles Newvine, seconded by Village Trustee Floyd McAdam. The motion carried with all votes cast in favor.

The Village of Gouverneur Board of Trustees approved the hiring of Raegan Devlin, 16, of Gouverneur at the Gouverneur Recreation Department, starting on Monday, July 8, at an hourly rate of $15.60. She is a certified lifeguard, and will be on site during the summer recreation program’s trips to the Town of Fowler Beach at Sylvia Lake. It was noted that Miss Devlin has her working papers, and will fill the vacant position. Mayor McDougall also noted that recent GHS graduate Meredith Bush turned down the job offer after the Village of Gouverneur Board of Trustees meeting on Tuesday, June 18. The motion to hire Raegan Devlin was made by Village of Gouverneur Deputy Mayor Charles Newvine, and seconded by Village Trustee Floyd McAdam. The motion carried with all votes cast in favor.

The Village of Gouverneur Board of Trustees approved the hiring of a part-time laborer at the water/sewer plant. Mayor McDougall noted that Troy Lucas is on paternity leave (about six weeks). “We decided to give Bruce Hotaling some help on some of the labor issues,” Mayor McDougall said. Recent GHS graduate Joshua Spilman has been approved to fill the position, starting July 1, at an hourly rate of $18.86. Mayor McDougall noted that Mr. Spilman has his working papers. The motion to approve the new hire was made by Village of Gouverneur Deputy Mayor Charles Newvine, and seconded by Trustee Floyd McAdam. The motion carried with all votes cast in favor.

The Village of Gouverneur Board of Trustees also approved the hiring of a new trainee at the wastewater treatment plant. James Brice of DeKalb has accepted the permanent position at an hourly rate of $20.47, effective on Monday, July 1. The motion to approve the new hire was made by Village of Gouverneur Deputy Mayor Charles Newvine, and seconded by Trustee Floyd McAdam. The motion carried with all votes cast in favor.

Mayor McDougall and the Village of Gouverneur Board of Trustees extended congratulations to the Gouverneur Central High School Class of 2024. Graduation was held on the evening of Friday, June 28 at the Gouverneur and St. Lawrence County Fairgrounds grandstand. See full coverage inside this week’s edition.

Mayor McDougall also wished all a Happy Independence Day (July 4, 2024).

The six-minute special board concluded at about 8:10 a.m.

The next regular monthly meeting of the Village of Gouverneur Board of Trustees will be held on Tuesday, July 16, 6 p.m., at the municipal courtroom. For more information about the Village of Gouverneur, call 315-287-1720.

Notice: Brush Pick-Up in Village

The Village of Gouverneur Department of Public Works (DPW) will stop picking up brush on July 1 and resume October 1 to concentrate on paving and other jobs.

Please do not put brush by the road until October 1. “If you have brush, we encourage you to call the DPW at 315-287-0110 and get on the list for a Dial-A-Truck,” DPW Supt. TJ Simmons said. “We will drop a truck off at your home after hours and you can load the truck and we will pick it up the following day Monday thru Wednesday. If you call to have it on a Thursday you will have it for the weekend.”

This is at no cost to the Village of Gouverneur residents.

New hires will permit GRD to offer swim at Sylvia Lake for local youths this summer

by Rachel Hunter

North Country children will have the opportunity to swim at Sylvia Lake in Fowler this summer through the Gouverneur Recreation Department’s Summer Youth Enrichment Program.

Faithful readers of the Gouverneur Tribune Press will recall that the New York State Department of Health has announced changes to state regulations that would require the Gouverneur Recreation Department to bring an additional lifeguard on premises during trips to local beaches or pools. Gouverneur Recreation Department Director Casey Canell did some research on the topic, knowing that there was a potential for swim to be removed from the Summer Enrichment Program if something was not done.

The Village of Gouverneur Board of Trustees at its June 18 meeting approved the hiring of Meredith Bush of Gouverneur (certified lifeguard) and Abigail Lucas of Gouverneur (recreation attendant). The rate of pay for both new hires is $15.60 per hour. The approval came upon the request and recommendation of Gouverneur Recreation Director Casey Canell. The motion to hire was made by Village Trustee Troy Besaw, seconded by Deputy Mayor Charles Newvine and Trustee Shelly Simons-Washburn.

In discussion, Trustee Troy Besaw asked: “This solves our problem with the lifeguard situation, correct?”

“Yes, the kids will be able to swim using our recreation department at Sylvia Lake and other places,” Village of Gouverneur Mayor Ron McDougall said.

Deputy Mayor Charles Newvine said, “Just so you are aware, there will be four people, four lifeguards for a spot that is about as big as this room.”

“That is what they want,” Village of Gouverneur Clerk/Treasurer Barbara Finnie said.

“Thank you, New York State,” Trustee Besaw said.

“Yes, it is better known as an unfunded mandate,” Mayor McDougall said.

There was no further discussion, and the motion carried with all votes cast in favor.

“Okay, Casey, and congratulations to the people involved,” Mayor McDougall said.

Trustee Besaw then said, “And congratulations for reaching out, and finding some individuals, when we were in a tough spot here. Nice job.”

In other news: Gouverneur Recreation Department Director Casey Canell gave the following monthly report.

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 include Kids Kindness Recognitions and Bingo Fun Theme Days.

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. Highlights this month included Summer Fun Fest and Father’s Day Projects.

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. Highlights this month included Father’s Day Arts with Parents & Me interactive play.

The Senior Citizen Program continues to be held weekly on Friday mornings for bingo and coffee social. All area seniors are welcome to attend. Highlights this month include Flag Day Theme Bingo.

In related business: The Gouverneur Recreation Department on June 15 hosted the carnival games at the 2024 Greater Gouverneur Area Chamber of Commerce Flag Day Celebration. Gratitude was extended to the Gouverneur Chamber for the prizes.

Sign-ups are underway for Missoula Children's Theatre (MCT) Summer Recreation Program Performing Arts (July 22 to July 27) for youth in Grades K-12. The 2024 show is Sleeping Beauty. Packets are available at the Gouverneur Recreation Center. For more information, call 315-287-0524

The Summer Youth Enrichment Program is currently being planned for July 8 to August 15, 2024.

Much gratitude was extended to Director Canell for his report.

The next regular meeting of the Village of Gouverneur Board of Trustees will be held on Tuesday, July 18, 6 p.m., at the municipal courtroom. For more information about the Village of Gouverneur, call 315-287-1720.

GFD Fireworks Spectacular is July 3

by Rachel Hunter

The Gouverneur Volunteer Fire Department is celebrating 146 years of service to Gouverneur and the surrounding areas by hosting the largest, most spectacular, and longest fireworks held in the North Country on Wednesday, July 3rd at dusk. This show is only possible due to the generous contributions from local sponsors. The gates will open at 5 p.m. at the Gouverneur and St. Lawrence County Fairgrounds. Admission is a donation to the Gouverneur Volunteer Fire Department.

All North Country residents and visitors are urged to support the local vendors on site, selling pulled pork, Italian sausage, poutine, hamburgers, hot dogs, BBQ, pizza, fried dough, fresh cut fries, cotton candy, candy apples, popcorn, cheesecake on a stick, toys, glow sticks, and much more. Be on the lookout for firemen selling 50-50 tickets, which will also be available for purchase at the firemen’s tent.

“We wish everyone a safe holiday and enjoy the show,” the Gouverneur Fire Department said in a news release.

Mark your calendars for the Gouverneur Fire Department’s Fireworks Spectacular on July 3.

Village board hears about state reg changes that could affect GRD’s Summer Recreation Program

by Rachel Hunter

For years, local children have enjoyed swimming at the Town of Fowler’s Sylvia Lake Beach alongside other pools and local lakes as part of the Gouverneur Recreation Department’s Summer Recreation Program. The future of this opportunity is now uncertain, as the New York State Department of Health has unveiled regulation changes.

Gouverneur Recreation Department Director Casey T. Canell reported the following at the Village of Gouverneur Board of Trustees meeting on May 21: “Regulations are changing,” Director Canell said. “For rec programs to attend swimming facilities – regardless if it is a beach or a pool – we have to provide our own lifeguards in addition to the lifeguards that are being provided. It is something that we are going to have to look at, and see if it is something that we can do or are able to do. I have been researching this.”

Village of Gouverneur Mayor Ron McDougall has been in talks with Town of Fowler Supervisor Rick Newvine on the matter. “We will try to do a work-around and see what we can come up with, so we do not lose our summer Sylvia Lake swimming program,” Mayor McDougall said. “Because this potentially has the possibility of that happening, correct?”

“Yes,” Director Canell said.

After some discussion, it was noted that these regulation changes would affect all planned swim trips. “Any beach you went, it would be effective, correct?” Trustee Troy Besaw asked.

“Yes,” Director Canell said. “These places are providing lifeguards, but in order for groups to come in, the groups have to bring in additional lifeguards. Plus there’s adult-to-child ratio and all kinds of interesting stuff.”

“Does that mean you will have to hire more staff if you were going to do this?” Trustee Besaw asked.

“Just for swimming,” Director Canell confirmed.

Village of Gouverneur Deputy Mayor Charles Newvine then said: “But a pool lifeguard certificate is different than an open lifeguard. So because Sylvia Lake is an open boundary, it takes a different certification than just going to a pool. So you have to find somebody that has that certification – on top of the ones that are already hired at Sylvia Lake. When you go to Sylvia Lake, they provide you with three lifeguards. How many kids do you take to Sylvia Lake?”

“We’ve had 50 a couple times, but usually its 30-35,” Director Canell said.

“So, three lifeguards and 35 people, and that’s not enough for the State of New York,” Trustee Besaw said.

“Plus all of the Rec staff,” Deputy Mayor Newvine said. “They want an additional three people.”

“That’s an absolute farce,” Trustee Besaw said.

“But the Rec staff are not lifeguards,” Village of Gouverneur Clerk/Treasurer Barbara Finnie said.

Mayor McDougall then said: “Anyways, the Town Supervisor of Fowler said that we are going to fix this somehow.”

“Well, he’s the smartest man I know, but that’s a tough fix,” Deputy Mayor Newvine said. “The only way you could do it would be to have additional lifeguards. The school is begging people to be lifeguards. Every year they beg kids to be lifeguard certified. You would have to find kids, on top of the ones that Fowler already employs… and I think they employ five. So if they had six, they would have to have all of their staff there. But we would have to pay for them…”

“We would have to pay for at least two, because what would happen if one couldn’t make it?” Director Canell said. “Safety is a priority, and it is just something that I do. One of the reasons I keep returning to Sylvia Lake is because I am comfortable that it is a safe place for us to take these kids. I am at a loss for words…”

Town of Gouverneur Supervisor Dave Spilman, Jr. then asked, “What would it take to certify your staff?” A question that was on the lips of the Deputy Mayor Newvine and the Village Trustees. “Are you interested in doing that, Casey?” Trustee Besaw asked.

Deputy Mayor Newvine then said: “It has to be certain certification, like from the American Heart Association, and it has to be open pool certification. The school does it. Don’t get me wrong, I’m sure there’s other places that do it. But I am sure it is quite limited right now trying to find a space because we are in June.”

Village of Gouverneur Clerk/Treasurer Barbara Finnie said: I think (Town of Fowler Supervisor Rick Newvine) said he has seven lifeguards this year that signed up.”

“That would be fine,” Deputy Mayor Newvine said. “We would have to pay for those three people on our payroll to work the days that we take them to Sylvia Lake. They have to be our employees.”

Director Canell then said: “That is just a small part of it.”

Village of Gouverneur resident Shawn Mead then asked: “Is there any grants available?”

“I’m sure there are, but you know how grants are,” Deputy Mayor Newvine said. “You would not be able to use it this year… You wonder if there’s local municipalities that have kids that are lifeguard certified that you could reach out to. Do you know what I mean? Sylvia Lake is close to Edwards and Hermon.”

Director Canell then said the following: “Criteria is also changing for just regular operations, which is another conversation. There is going to be a lot to this.”

“Alright, plug away,” Mayor McDougall said. There were no further comments on the matter during the regular meeting.

In other news, Gouverneur Recreation Director Casey Canell gave the following report:

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 Kids Kindness Recognitions and Bingo Fun Theme Days.

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. Highlights included Spring Fest and Mother’s Day Projects.

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. Highlights this month included Mother’s Day Arts with Parent & Me Interactive Play.

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

In related business, sign-ups are underway for Missoula Children’s Theatre (MCT) featuring Sleeping Beauty. The Summer Recreation Program (Performing Arts) will be held July 22-27 for youth in grades Kindergarten through Grade 12. Packets are available at the Gouverneur Recreation Center. For more information, call 315-287-0524.

The Summer Recreation Program is currently being planned for July and August 2024.

The next meeting of the Village of Gouverneur Board of Trustees will be held on Tuesday, June 18, 6 p.m., in the municipal courtroom. For more information, call 315-287-1720.

Gouverneur PD awarded $70,000 to purchase body-worn cameras, speed radar units

by Rachel Hunter

Governor Kathy Hochul recently announced $127 million to police departments and sheriffs’ offices outside of New York City for new technology and equipment to prevent and solve crimes and improve public safety. The Governor secured additional funding in the FY 2025 Enacted Budget to fund applications made by 378 law enforcement agencies that responded to the state’s application for funding last fall. The Gouverneur Police Department was awarded $70,000.

“Public safety is my top priority, and we are continuing to make record investments in law enforcement so they have the resources they need to protect our communities,” Governor Hochul said. “By investing in the latest technology and equipment, we’re responding to the requests of law enforcement agencies as they look to safeguard the future of our state.”

Police departments and sheriffs’ offices will use the funding to purchase new technology and equipment to modernize their operations and more effectively solve and prevent crime. The grants will support a variety of equipment and technology, including but not limited to license plate readers, mobile and fixed camera systems, computer-aided dispatch systems, software, unmanned aerial vehicles, gunshot detection devices and smart equipment for patrol vehicles and police officers.

The State Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) notified all agencies of their grant awards in mid-May and sent award letters this month to police departments and sheriffs’ offices, which applied for the funding in late 2023. More than half of the total funding will be used to support license plate readers (22 percent), body-worn and patrol vehicle equipment (20 percent), and public safety camera systems (17 percent).

Division of Criminal Justice Services Commissioner Rossana Rosado said, “When police agencies and community organizations across New York voiced their needs, Governor Hochul listened. We thank the Governor for working to ensure that this year’s budget met those needs, and we look forward to continuing to work with our law enforcement agencies and community partners to further strengthen those relationships and support evidence-based practices that help keep New Yorkers safe and allow communities to thrive.” The Division of Criminal Justice Services provides critical support to all facets of the state's criminal justice system, including, but not limited to: training law enforcement and other criminal justice professionals; overseeing a law enforcement accreditation program; ensuring Breathalyzer and speed enforcement equipment used by local law enforcement operate correctly; managing criminal justice grant funding; analyzing statewide crime and program data; providing research support; overseeing county probation departments and alternatives to incarceration programs; and coordinating youth justice policy.

The FY25 Enacted Budget sustains record-level investments in public safety and criminal justice funding to support Governor Hochul's comprehensive, multifaceted approach to address gun violence and includes additional funding to target retail theft, more effectively combat domestic violence, and ensure funding for community-based programs that serve victims and survivors of crime.

Village of Gouverneur Chief of Police Darren Fairbanks informed the Village of Gouverneur Board of Trustees of the $70,000 award during its May 21 meeting.

“Last week, the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services made me aware that they had awarded the Gouverneur Police Department $70,000 subsequent to a grant application I filed in November of last year,” Chief Fairbanks said. “That financial award will be used to purchase body-worn cameras, new speed radar units for patrol cars… Our current radar units are over 20 years old. I would like to thank the New York State Governor’s Office and the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Service for selecting the Gouverneur PD – one of only four agencies in St. Lawrence County – to receive that award.”

Words of congratulations were extended by Mayor Ron McDougall and the Village of Gouverneur Board of Trustees to Chief Fairbanks on the $70,000 award.

In other news: Chief Fairbanks detailed the following in his monthly report: “We still have one full-time police officer position in the Gouverneur Police Department that has yet to be filled. I anticipate that Civil Service will announce a date and time for the next Police Officer exam soon. I encourage anyone who fits the criteria to be able to take the exam and has interest in wanting to be involved in law enforcement to take the exam when it is given.

“In the month of April, the Gouverneur Police Department received 416 calls for service, and 224 of those calls for service required police intervention. Ninety-six of those calls for service were IBR criminal complaints On average 24 criminal investigations per patrol. The PD effected 20 arrests for a total of 35 charges for four felonies, 20 misdemeanors, five violations, three traffic infractions, and we executed 0 bench warrants. We responded to and investigated 10 motor vehicle collisions, three incidents outside the Village of Gouverneur due to outside law enforcement not being available or to provide assistance to outside law enforcement. And 13 incidents involving the Gouverneur Fire Department and/or the Gouverneur Rescue Squad. We received 28 requests for general welfare or mental health checks in which eight were determined mental health related. The eight mental health calls were handled by our agency. Of the eight mental health calls our agency took 3 into custody for emergency involuntary evaluation with all 3 being under 9.41 by police observation/investigation. No individuals were under 18 years of age and no repeats. There were 2 attempts at utilizing the Mobile Access Program calls, but the calls did not change the end result of the complaint. There was one reported non-fatal drug overdose inside the Village of Gouverneur.”

The next regular meeting of the Village of Gouverneur Board of Trustees will be held on Tuesday, June 18, 6 p.m., at the municipal courtroom. For more information, call 315-287-1720.

Reminder: Gouverneur Memorial Day Observance is Monday

by Rachel Hunter

The Gouverneur Memorial Day Observance will be held on Monday, May 27, 10 a.m. parade, with service to follow at Riverside Cemetery (Williams St.) at about 10:30 a.m. The observance is jointly organized by the James Maloy American Legion Post 65 and the Silas Wainwright VFW Post 6338. Parade line-up will be at 9 a.m. on Rock Island St., Gouverneur.

There will be a free luncheon following the observance, provided by the Auxiliary to VFW Post 6338, at the Silas Wainwright VFW Post 6338, 100 W. Main Street, Gouverneur. The lunch will include hamburgers, hot dogs, chips, salad, barbecue beans, and dessert.

The public was reminded of the annual observance by Village of Gouverneur Mayor Ron McDougall at the Village of Gouverneur Board of Trustees meeting on Tuesday, May 21.

No further information was made available by press time this week. See coverage of the Gouverneur Memorial Day Observance in an upcoming edition of the Gouverneur Tribune Press.

For more information, call the Silas Wainwright VFW Post 6338 in Gouverneur at (315) 287-4682

Gouverneur CSD residents to vote on $44M proposed budget for 2024-25

by Rachel Hunter

On Tuesday, May 21, Gouverneur Central School District residents will vote on the proposed $44,165,000 budget for the 2024-25 school year. The proposal carries a 3.59 percent spending increase over the current year and a 2.03 percent increase to the tax levy, which is at the levy limit.

The Gouverneur Central School District Board of Education held the annual budget hearing on May 13. The call to order was given by Board of Education President and Chairperson David Fenlong. There were over 30 Gouverneur Central School District staff, faculty, administrators, and community members present. A sample ballot was available for public perusal. The Budget Vote will be held on Tuesday, May 21, noon to 8 p.m., in the GHS Auditorium. The inspectors and officers of election were appointed at the May 4 meeting of the Gouverneur Central School District Board of Education as following: Chief Inspector Diane Kelley, Inspector Judith Poticher, and Assistant Clerk, Kim Shampine.

The presentation of the 2024-25 Proposed Budget was presented by Gouverneur Central School District Superintendent of Schools Jacquelyn L. Kelly as follows:

“I’d like to thank everybody for coming tonight,” Supt. Kelly said. “This is a nice crowd.”

The 2024-25 Proposed Budget contains three components – Administrative Component, Program Component, and the Capital Component.

There is $5,070,630 in the Administrative Component of the 2024-25 Proposed Budget. This is an increase of $368,089 over the current budget, and represents 11.48 percent of the total budget. “The primary reason for the increase is a central data processing shift,” Supt. Kelly said. “Software is now going to be recorded to the Administrative Component.” Supt. Kelly reminded the community that the Administrative Component includes expenses for the Board of Education, district clerk, Superintendent of Schools, Assistant Superintendent, business administration, auditing, treasurer, tax collector, purchasing, legal services, personnel services, records management, public information services, curriculum development and supervision, central data processing, central printing and mailing, central storeroom, judgments and claims and employee benefits attributable to salaries included in this component.

There is $31,710,087 in the Program Component of the 2024-25 Proposed Budget. This is an increase of $2,401,349 over the current budget, and represents 71.80 percent of the total budget. Supt. Kelly said the increase is a direct result of the District trying to “build in the positions that have been funded by the American Rescue Plan federal funding over the course of the past three years.” The community was reminded that the Program Component includes salaries and benefits of teachers, guidance, health services, psychological and social work services, pupil personnel services, co-curricular activities, interscholastic athletics, district transportation services (excluding bus purchases), contract transportation, recreation, youth programs, civic activities, employee benefits attributable to salaries included in this component, transfers to school lunch and special aid funds, and legal services relating to the program component. Supt. Kelly also said that one big part of this component is the cost of the third year of a three-year First Student transportation contract included in the 2024-25 proposed budget, which is about $2.5 million.”

There is $7,384,283 in the Capital Component of the 2024-25 Proposed Budget. This is a decrease of $1,239,898 over the current year’s budget, and it represents 16.72 percent of the total budget. “The decrease is primarily because of the $1.2 million project at the middle school,” Supt. Kelly said. The community was reminded that the Capital Component covers the cost of operation and maintenance of buildings, school bus purchases, debt service, transfers to capital and debt service funds, tax certiorari, judgements and claims, and employee benefits attributable to salaries in this component.

In looking at the budget comparison between the 2023-24 school year and the 2024-25 school year, Supt. Kelly noted that the total budget has increased. The budget for the 2024-25 school year is projected to be $44,165,000. The tax levy will be $7,066,189, with a tax levy increase of $140,638. The tax levy increase that is projected for the 2024-25 school year is 2.03 percent. The spending increase is $1,529,580 or 3.59 percent, and the District will be allocating reserve funds to cover the difference between the spending increase and the tax levy increase.

The estimated financial impact on property owners is as follows: If a property owner is eligible for Basic STAR, on a $60,000 home, the total increase is projected to be $8.12. On a $100,000 home, the total increase is projected to be $17.21. If a property owner is eligible for Enhanced STAR, on a $60,000 home, the total increase is projected to be $0. On a $100,000 home, the total projected increase is $7.27.

Supt. Kelly then said: “I want to give you a little background on how we arrived at the budget this year. As you probably know, this budget supports our long-term district-wide goals. We have had those goals in place for three years now. Our first goal is to bring consistency to curriculum decisions across grade levels and to provide appropriate professional development to support those curriculum decisions. We are trying to tie the professional development in with our curriculum. Our primary focus continues to be developing the foundational skills necessary for students to effectively read and write and do math. Our second goal is to continue to provide the social emotional support and academic opportunities for all students to be engaged and find success in school. Our primary focus in for all students to feel safe, welcomed at school, and want to be a part of our school community. Finally, we will continue to work to provide a continuum of the Special Education services district-wide to support the needs of all our students.

“This year, we had a couple of great planning sessions when talking about the budget, and what we thought we needed to include,” Supt. Kelly said. “So, district-wide, some of the additions to the budget this year are: We will have a school psychology intern joining us. We will have behavioral support. We will continue the afterschool and summer remedial and enrichment programming that has been funded by the American Rescue Plan funds for the last three years. We will have technology education support, orchestra, and we will continue our virtual psychologists. At the Gouverneur Elementary and Middle Schools specifically, we will continue to fund the Math Academic Intervention Services (AIS) Teachers, the Instructional Math Coach, Counseling Teaching Assistants, and we will be funding additional classroom aides specifically for the kindergarten classrooms. At the high school, we will be looking to add a Reading Academic Intervention Services (AIS) Teacher. We will be looking at BOCES Alternative Education Programming to address some of our needs at the high school.

“As I stated earlier, many of these positions have been funded over the past three school years utilizing the American Rescue Plan (ARP) federal funding that the District received as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic crisis,” Supt. Kelly said. “While the funding is scheduled to end in summer of 2024, the needs of our student population continue to increase and these services are needed by our students and their families.”

Supt. Kelly said: “One last thing that I would like to add is that, in preparation for the New York State mandated shift to the use of electric vehicles and the district’s need to be prepared for that shift, the proposed budget includes the purchase of five new diesel-powered buses and one new gasoline powered Suburban. The budget also includes two fully grant funded electric powered vehicles. This will allow the district to determine the feasibility of using electric vehicles in a district of our size and terrain.

“The business office, administrative team, and I have worked hard, with faculty and staff input, to develop a fiscally sustainable budget that provides the preservation of the strong educational programming, safe and secure environments, and extracurricular activities that our community has supported over the years.”

It was also noted that, in addition to the budget, residents will be asked to elect four members to the Gouverneur CSD Board of Education. The top three vote-getters will be named to the three-year seats (July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2027) to succeed Nickolas Ormasen, Laurie Roberts, and Laura Spicer, and the fourth will fill the vacant term (May 22, 2024 to June 30, 2027) to succeed Lisa McGregor. The candidates on the ballot are: Laurie M. Roberts, Laura Spicer, Roland Roderick, Nickolas Ormasen, and Lisa McGregor. Full candidate bios have been published online at www.gcsk12.org.

Also on the budget will be a proposition that, if approved, would continue to allow a high school student to serve as an ex officio, not-voting member of the Gouverneur Central School District Board of Education.

There were no questions made public at the budget hearing.

Gouverneur Central School District Board of Education President David Fenlong extended gratitude to Supt. Kelly for the budget presentation.

All residents in the Gouverneur Central School District who are 18 years of age or older, a U.S. Citizen, and have resided in the district for at least 30 days prior to the election are encouraged to vote. The Gouverneur Central School District Budget Vote and Board Member Election will be held Tuesday, May 21, noon to 8 p.m., in the GHS Auditorium. There also will be the Gouverneur Central School District Art Show in the GHS auxiliary gym on Tuesday, noon to 8 p.m. For more information, visit www.gcsk12.org.

Frankie & The Moonlighters to perform at Sock Hop in Gouverneur

by Rachel Hunter

Frankie & The Moonlighters will offer sweet sounds from the ‘50s and ‘60s, on Saturday, May 18, 7-10 p.m. at the Gouverneur Elks Lodge No. 2035, 1419 US Highway 11, Gouverneur.

Admission to the sock hop is $3 (single) or $5 (couple). Due to the generosity of an anonymous donor, there will be a $100 prize for the best outfit, and judging will be at 8 p.m. Food will be available for purchase from 5 to 6 p.m. The Gouverneur Elks will offer the classic food options cheeseburger with French fries and shake, or hot dog with French fries and shake at a nominal $5 cost. The public is encouraged to attend.

Frankie & The Moonlighters, based in Bloomingdale, NY, is a nostalgia band with music from the ‘50s and 60s. Each band member has a day-job, thus the name “moonlighters.”

The “chief crooner” is Frank Whitelaw, 63, who currently serves as the Town of St. Armand Town Justice. He retired from the New York State Police after 24 years of service, and also served as Essex County Coroner for over seven years. “Music has always been my go-to throughout life,” Mr. Whitelaw said in an interview with the Gouverneur Tribune Press. “It was even my major in high school. It’s been a driving force. After I retired, I co-founded heavy metal band Sonic Boom with a friend. Eight years later, I wanted to try something different. Fifties doo-wop music has always resonated with me, so I decided to venture out and find a whole new group.”

Frankie & The Moonlighters consists of the following: Frank Whitelaw as primary lead vocalist, Donna Fortune, Melissa Nugent, and Jessica Kemp as backing and lead vocals, Mike Harrington on lead guitar, Barb Curtis on upright bass, Sue Grimm on keyboards, and Kevin McLaughlin on drums. The group formed in November of 2022, and was finalized in January of 2023.

“Everyone in the group is passionate about music and they give 100 percent,” Frank Whitelaw said. “The music is all from the ‘50s and ‘60s. We all have period-correct wardrobe, and our stage set is reminiscent of a performance stage from the ‘50s or early ‘60s. We give a high-energy show with a smattering of crooning ballads. We even have our audience play along on one of our songs, when the ladies hand out percussion instruments, so the audience can play along and sing along with us. Our shows are rated G, so we are family-friendly. The band has been evolving since forming. For only being a little over a year old, we are getting lots of great feedback. We tend to honestly self-critique, so this serves as the medium for growth and improvement. It’s rewarding when we see our audiences singing along, dancing and just having fun. The goal is, to let you leave your troubles at the door and just have a good time. No other agenda. Just rock around the clock.”

Frankie & The Moonlighters is booked around the North Country in 2024. The Gouverneur Elks Lodge No. 2035 will feature Frankie & The Moonlights during the sock hop on Saturday, May 18, and during the Elks’ Annual Car Show on Saturday, June 8. The band will also be playing the Clinton County Fair in July, Music on the Green at Riverside Park in Saranac Lake, Tupper Arts Sunset Music Series in August, Port Henry Farmers Market, The Battle of Plattsburgh celebration in September, a North Country Hospice benefit show in October, among others. The band is taking November off to hit the studio, to record their first EP.

Anticipation is high throughout to community for North Country’s ‘50s-‘60s nostalgia band, Frankie & The Moonlighters, to come to Gouverneur on Saturday, May 18. Organizers encourage residents to arrive early to enjoy the sock-hop fun! For more information, call the Gouverneur Elks at 315-287-1630.