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.

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.

Delivering The Promise of A Brighter Future: Gouverneur CSD recognizes faculty, staff career milestones

by Rachel Hunter

The Gouverneur Central School District held its Annual Employee Recognition Ceremony on Tuesday, September 3 in the Gouverneur High School Auditorium.

Gouverneur CSD Superintendent of Schools Jacquelyn Kelly gave the welcoming address.

“As we embark on a new school year, I want to take a moment to reflect on the essence of our work and the impact that we have on our students lives. Angela Duckworth, author of the New York Times Bestselling writ, once said, “At its core, the idea of purpose is the idea that what we do matters to people other than ourselves.” This sentiment lies at the heart of our mission. Enthusiasm is a wonderful trait, and many of us come to this profession rimming with it. But it is endurance, the grit that Duckworth speaks of that truly defines our journey.

“Grit is more than just passion. It is the perseverance to push through challenges and stay committed to our long-term goals, even when the going gets tough. I know that the passion part is something that many of you truly possess. You chose this path because you wanted to make a difference in the lives of our students. But as we all know, perseverance can be a struggle. We have all experienced times when we have not been successful. Perseverance means we get back up and try again. And we, as educators, are great at that. It is important for our students to learn from that. Our students need more than just enthusiasm. They need adults in our lives that are both supportive and hold them accountable. This combination is critical to forming relationships that can shape their future.

“Let me share a personal story to illustrate just how important this balance can be. When I was young, and struggling with the adjustment of moving to a new school in a new area, there was a teacher in my life who was supportive and quickly worked to build a relationship with not only me but my family. That relationship has had a profound impact on my life and on my career. He challenged me to keep trying, to never give up, and he did so with understanding and care. He inspired me to achieve beyond what I thought possible, and I carry that lesson with me today. He is the reason that I chose this profession.

“The best teachers are those who not only care about their student unconditionally, but challenge them to grow. When you encounter a former student, ask them the favorite part of being in your class, playing on your team, or seeing you in the hallways. Their responses will reveal just how profound your influence has been. This summer, I ran into a former student and I heard a powerful sentiment from that student. He said, “You are the only person who ever believed in me.” That is the kind of impact that we strive for, and it is a testament to the grit that we have as educators. We have gritty kids in Gouverneur, and we are gritty adults.

“Let’s carry that spirit with us, as we start this new school year. Together, let’s continue to inspire, challenge and support our students with unwavering dedication and passion. I am honored to work with such an exceptional group of educators and staff.”

Supt. Kelly then introduced Gouverneur Central School District Board of Education President David Fenlong, who offered his welcome to all new and veteran employees of the Gouverneur Central School District. “I want to thank everyone for choosing Gouverneur,” he said. “We are extremely excited and thrilled to have all of you here together on the same team. I believe that, as we embrace all the opportunities that we have this year, we can move this district forward. We can choose to uplift and support each other every day. We can also choose to grow together through this year, rather that go through the year. If we can choose to work together, we can create an environment of success – and that success won’t just be for our kids, but for everybody here in this room.

“I also want to share with you a story about all the care and concern that Mrs. Kelly has spoken about. The care and concern that all of you have given to our kids and community goes a long way. It does help our kids throughout their whole lives. I can tell you a little story about a student who also struggled and this school, in this community helped that person achieve some success and graduate – and that student was myself.

“I started out here at Richville Elementary many moons ago. I have to tell you that those elementary days were the most memorable. They are the easiest to recollect. All the memories are very vivid. I can tell you that I can recall this clown that would go around the outside of the school on occasion and come up to the windows. The kids would come up to the window and try to catch that clown as he made his way around the building to help uplift some kids on some uncertain days. I also recall our teacher had these “letter people” that she would introduce to us every week. They were just a simple mylar balloon but she had a name for each one of them. I guess it is exciting that she kept them in this secret closet we could never go in. We also had our principal, Dr. Cartwright. I’m not sure if all of you know Dr. Cartwright, but he also serves on the Board of Education with me. But when he would walk into that classroom, it would be during our milk break and he would just be coming in to say hello. He wears that same smile when he comes to the board meetings, which is very cool to me. He also invited us down to the gymnasium, which was also our cafeteria. There was a huge parachute on the middle of the floor and he had us all circle around. We would all grab a piece of it, and lift it up and down to create that momentum to get the air underneath, and then we could go one at a time underneath there and experience that parachute. It was probably the most colorful and memorable experience.

“But I can tell you after that parachute went down and I got above second grade, things went downhill for me. Like many kids in our area, my parents decided to divorce. I got home one day, parked my bike, and got shuffled into the car, and off we went. I didn’t know where we were going. A little bit later on, I was told that my parents had decided to separate. They did that in front of six kids, so they separated the kids as well. Two of my brothers stayed back with my father, and my two sisters, brother, and I went with my mom. We were then homeless for a couple months until a fantastic, huge-hearted family here in this community took my family in. They shared their whole house, their life, and everything with us – just like it was our own. Those are the times and the people that you never forget. They are the people that helped me the most, created that structure, and helped me move along and move forward. I ended up landing at the elementary school here, at East Side. It was a whole new school, a whole new class, a new teacher, a new principal with a different smile… basically a whole new life. Through those struggling times, it was the care and concern of those teachers and coaches and administrators that helped me move forward and enabled me to be able to graduate with the rest of my class.

“But I can tell you it wasn’t always easy. That care and concern that they gave to us is what we need to do here. And I am hoping that we can all provide that same care and concern to kids as they come in. A lot of kids have those difficulties and problems that they carry around with them – but we can’t always see all of them. Those difficulties become problems, and they become burdens. And when they come into school each day, we know that they are coming in to learn and they have to carry all of these burdens and all of these problems with them. And I believe that is the part where you all come in. If it wasn’t for those teachers and people, a lot of these kids would not make it, and they may not graduate. Well, through those years, I tried everything – sports, instrument, etc. I think I was always trying to find something to fill that void or to be an inspiration for me. I always seemed to find it in the right areas here at this school and in this community. But it wasn’t always help that I received. I know that there is a coach out there that helped my brother purchase a pair of sneakers when my mom was having those difficult times. I can tell you that there is a janitor out there that I wish I could tell them the impact they had on my life. Not that the janitor taught me anything. It was just the way they were there every single day. They just happened to be at a rough point when I needed them – and there they were. It was very impactful. Another person I remember and want to thank. Life is difficult and as you struggle through those times, you always try to find that person or those people to help you to move forward. And there are so many people to thank… it’s overwhelming actually, for me.

“But I can tell you that, if we show that care and concern to everyone who comes in to this school every day… I believe we can be successful. You can be successful, and we can move Gouverneur forward where it should be. We just need to show that care and concern to everyone who comes through our doors, every single day. I know that is not easy. I graduated from here. I put two kids through school here. I’ve also been on the Board of Education for over 10 years. And I get… If we want to create success, we all have to be valued for who we are and what we do for work. I’ve also lived in this community for over 50 years and I realize what the struggles are that a lot of our kids are facing. Again, those are the struggles that they carry with them that become those burdens that instead of coming through those doors to learn, they carry those with them all day. Some of them we see. Some of them we don’t see. But again, it is that care and concern that all of you folks here in this room can provide them that will give them that uplifting energy to get through each day and to get through the school year.

“I just want to thank everyone for all that you do. Hopefully you can all impact a child in the community the same way it impacted me. Again, if it wasn’t for this care and concern that everybody here had, it is what enables me to be here today. Thank you all for being here. Have a great start to your year. Thank you all very much.”

Thunderous applause sounded at the conclusion of the addresses.

“Thank you, Mr. Fenlong,” Supt. Kelly said. “Let’s all continue this year to strive to have that kind of impact that he just described on our students.”

Gouverneur CSD Supt. Jackie Kelly conducted the awards ceremony, recognizing the employees that achieved milestones in their service to the district.

First recognized was the Gouverneur Central School District’s first-year employees: Ashley Barr (Gouverneur Elementary School Grade 3 Teacher), Caitlin Cardinell (Gouverneur Elementary School Kindergarten Aide), Alison Connelly (Gouverneur Elementary School Pre-Kindergarten to Grade 1 Principal), Alexis Currier (Gouverneur High School Science Teacher), Jennie Dalton (Gouverneur Middle School Grade 5 Teacher), Brad Davis (Gouverneur High School Reading Teacher), Margeaux Davis (Gouverneur High School Assistant Principal), Michelle Deaton (Gouverneur High School Individual Aide), Pam Doty (Gouverneur Elementary School Kindergarten Teacher Aide), Alyssa Edick (Gouverneur Elementary School Kindergarten Teacher Aide), Kaitlin Ford (Gouverneur Elementary School School Social Worker), Chelsi Griffith (Gouverneur Middle School Keyboard Specialist), Grace Holmes (Gouverneur Elementary School Individual Aide), Leigh-ann Kirby (Gouverneur Elementary School Special Education Teacher), Alexandria Klimowicz (Gouverneur Elementary School Individual Aide), Angela LaJoy (Gouverneur High School Business Teacher), Tracy McCarthy (Gouverneur Elementary School Grade 4 Teacher), Allison Medley (Gouverneur High School Art Teacher), Jamie Mitchell (Gouverneur High School Individual Aide), Olivia Montagno (Gouverneur High School Instrumental Teacher), Shea-Marie Mussaw (Gouverneur CSD School Psychologist Intern), Taylor Rollins (Gouverneur Middle School Agriculture Teacher), Penny Simons (Gouverneur Middle School STEM Teacher), Katie Stubbs (Gouverneur High School Secretary), Roxanne Todd (Gouverneur High School Individual Aide), Erika Woodrow (Gouverneur Elementary School Individual Aide), Catie Yablonski (Gouverneur Middle School Grade 5 Teacher), and Emma York (Gouverneur High School Social Studies Teacher).

“You are all joining a great team, and we are excited to have you,” Supt. Kelly said.

Also recognized were the following familiar faces with new roles in the Gouverneur Central School District. This included: Rachel Curry (Gouverneur Middle School Assistant Principal), Nicole Donaldson (Gouverneur High School Principal), Grace Mashaw (Gouverneur Elementary School School Counselor), Kara Mashaw (Gouverneur Elementary School Pre-Kindergarten Teaching Assistant), Janice Rushlo (Gouverneur CSD Courier/Food Service Helper), Sarah Scott (Gouverneur Middle School Teaching Assistant in 8:1:1 Special Class), Lisa Stowell (Gouverneur Middle School Maith AIS Teacher), Wendy Stowell (Gouverneur High School Teaching Assistant), Caitlyn Sullivan (Gouverneur Elementary School Reading), Tracy Whitton (Gouverneur High School Life Skills Teaching Assistant), Cory Wood (Gouverneur CSD Executive Director of Operations and Personnel).

Gouverneur CSD Board of Education President Fenlong presented certificates of achievement and recognition pins to employees who reached a milestone in their career.

Five Year Recognition Award: Jennifer Anson (Gouverneur Middle School Math Teacher), Amy Davis (Gouverneur Elementary School Grade 3 Teacher), Lisa Dunkelberg (Gouverneur High School Science Teacher), Kelly Harmer (Gouverneur Elementary School Keyboard Specialist), Hunter Hitchman (Gouverneur Middle School School Counselor), Robert Klimowicz (Gouverneur CSD School Resource Officer), Jessica Pickett (Gouverneur Elementary School Cleaner), Kristen Sargent (Gouverneur Elementary School Reading Teacher), Lisa Stowell (Gouverneur Middle School Math AIS Teacher).

Ten Year Recognition Award: Kyle Baker (Gouverneur Elementary School Special Education Teacher), Jeffrey Hale (Gouverneur CSD Building Maintenance Worker), Stephanie LaShomb (Gouverneur Elementary School Pre-Kindergarten Teacher), Kathleen Stamper (Gouverneur High School Teaching Assistant).

Fifteen Year Recognition Award: Bev Phelps (Gouverneur Elementary School Kindergarten Teacher), Melissa Sweeney (Gouverneur Middle School Special Education Teacher), Justin Young (Gouverneur High School Social Studies Teacher).

Twenty Year Recognition Award: Pam Ault (Gouverneur Elementary School Speech and Language Teacher), Brock Davison (Gouverneur Middle School Science Teacher), Erin Gates (Gouverneur Elementary School Grade 1 Teacher), Cory Young (Gouverneur High School Math Teacher. The following employees were recognized for over 20 years of service to the district: 21 Years: Denise Baer, Bethanie Denesha, Megan Sovie, and Terry Streeter. 22 Years: Lisa Carbone, Daniel Erdman, Danelle Foster, Barbara Gauthier, Sherry Law, Heather Parker, Lisa Sheen, Kelly Spencer Ayen. 23 Years: Michelle Benda, Shelley Burnham, Rosa Foster, Kelley Liscum, Richard Nicholas Jr., and Stephanie Plaisted. 24 Years: Joel Baer, Emily Bason, Michael Bason, Donna Briscoe, Sean Devlin, Betty Hall, Pamela Mahay, Joadie Spicer.

Twenty-Five Year Recognition Award: Shawn Cummings (Gouverneur High School Science Teacher), Mark Dailey (Gouverneur High School Math Teacher), Stacey Devlin (Gouverneur Middle School Grade 6 Teacher), Lisa Fairbanks (Gouverneur Elementary School Teacher Aide), Tatia Kennedy (Gouverneur CSD District Clerk and Secretary to the Superintendent), Kathy Palmer (Gouverneur Elementary School Grade 1 Teacher), and Shawn Typhair (Gouverneur High School Physical Education Teacher). The following employees were recognized for over 25 years of service to the district. 26 Years: Laura Streeter and Kim Shampine. 27 Years: Ann LaRock, Shari Ronas, Heather Rose. 28 Years: Steven Besaw. 29 Years: Gina Caldwell, Rowena Cameron, Robert Dunkelberg, Nola Farns, Michelle Hassett, Arthur Knauf Jr., and Terri Whitaker.

Thirty Year Recognition Award: Ellie Simmons (Gouverneur CSD Building & Grounds Maintenance Dept. Secretary) and Cherie Zira (Gouverneur Middle School Teacher Aide).

Thirty-Five Year Recognition Award: Forrest Fuller (Gouverneur Middle School Custodian). Also recognized was: Bonnie Bates (36 years of service) and Sunday Bennett (52 years of service).

“Thank you to all of you for your years of service to our school district,” Supt. Kelly said. “Whether it is one year or 52 years like Sunday Bennett, each of you contributes to the grittiness of Gouverneur, and the Wildcat family is a gritty and great family to be a part of. As you go off to your respective buildings, classrooms and offices, remember to continue to inspire, challenge and support our students with unwavering dedication and passion that I know all of you have. Thank you and have a great school year.”

The Gouverneur Central School District opened its doors to students for the First Day of School on Thursday, September 5. See coverage in an upcoming edition of the Gouverneur Tribune Press. For more information on the Gouverneur CSD, visit www.gcsk12.org.

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.

We’ve Got Your Back: First UMC Gouverneur holds school supply giveaway

by Rachel Hunter

The First United Methodist Church of Gouverneur held its Annual We’ve Got Your Back school supply giveaway on Friday, August 23, thanks to a well-oiled team of volunteers.

Over 100 children from across the North Country community received a backpack and supplies to give them a boost as they start the 2024-25 school year.

The 2024 “We’ve Got Your Back” event featured a backpack giveaway along with the necessary school supplies, clothing, toiletries, books and more. All children who arrived with washed hair could get a lice check and then receive haircuts by local hairdressers. Participants also enjoyed a hands-on reptile exhibit by Lena The Lizard Lady of Hermon, Gouverneur Rescue Squad and New York State Police apparatus visits, children’s games and activities, and so much more. They were also served a scrumptious hot chicken dinner in the fellowship hall.

Much gratitude is extended to all who volunteered, donated or contributed any type of service that helped to make the event a success.

For more information about the First United Methodist Church of Gouverneur, call the church office at 315-287-2440.

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.

North Country Sees Damage From Debby

by Rachel Hunter

The North County was hit hard by the remnants of what was once Hurricane Debby wreaked havoc up and down the East Coast as it delivered torrential rains, dangerous flooding, and spawned tornadoes.

On Friday, August 9, St. Lawrence County declared a State of Emergency that reads as follows: “The remnants of Tropical Storm Debby are causing hazardous conditions posing an imminent threat to transportation, utility service, public safety, and public health systems across St. Lawrence County; This storm is producing heavy rains, flash flooding, significant and severe storms resulting in road closures, travel disruptions, potential for power outages, and damage to public and private property, which pose a threat to the public health and safety.

“A State of Emergency is hereby declared within the jurisdiction of the County of St. Lawrence, State of New York, effective at 4:00 p.m. on Friday, August 9, 2024 and will continue to remain in effect for a period not to exceed thirty (30) days or 3:59 p.m. Sunday, September 8, 2024. The declaration will be reviewed prior to its expiration to determine if conditions warrant an extension/

“The St. Lawrence County Sheriff issued a Travel Ban effective 6:09 p.m. today, August 9, 2024 and it remains in place at the time of the issuance of the State of Emergency.

“On Friday, August 9, 2024, Governor Hochul issued Executive Order No. 38 "Declaring a Disaster Emergency in the State of New York" which currently is scheduled to remain in place until September 8, 2024. Local Emergency orders may be promulgated by the Chair of the Board of Legislators in accordance with Article 2-B of the New York State Executive Law during this State of Emergency. Emergency orders would be issued in order to protect life and property and to allow emergency and municipal personnel time to bring the emergency conditions under control.”

As local media has reported, St. Lawrence County experienced damage to over 100 roadways. As of press time this week on Tuesday, over 60 roads were still closed throughout the North Country, including in the communities of Fowler, Russell, Edwards, Hermon, etc. The current road closure list is posted online at stlawco.gov.

The Gouverneur Fire Department reported that members ran a total of 86 calls from Friday at 4 p.m. until Sunday at 4 p.m. This included one swift water rescue, one rescue of two civilians trapped by water at a camp, two possible house fires with smoke in the dwellings, and one working dwelling fire. The remaining calls were alarm activations and public service request for the flooding. Much appreciation was extended to mutual aid departments for their response in Gouverneur and the surrounding communities.

NYS Governor Kathy Hochul visited St. Lawrence County on Aug. 13, and offered praise for the numerous first responders who assisted in rapidly deteriorating conditions throughout the storm. The sentiment was echoed by local municipalities and others in the North Country community in the storm’s aftermath.

At the Town of Fowler Council meeting on Aug. 12, Town of Fowler Highway Department Randy Durham talked about the swift water rescue on Aug. 10. The Gouverneur Fire Department reported the following: At 1:25 a.m., Gouverneur Fire responded to the area of 439 Country Club Road, Town of Fowler for two individuals in a river screaming for help. While en route members were advised that one person was out of the water and the other one was being taken down the river by the strong current. 11-1 arrived on scene reporting one individual in the water clinging to a tree in the middle of fast moving water. 11-1 requested Swiftwater rescue teams due to the rapid movement of the water. However, due to the response time and length of travel of both teams incident command made the decision to launch our members flat bottom boat to get to the individual as he was in great danger due to the rapid water and time frame of hanging onto the tree. Approximately 300 feet past the individual was a 50 to 70 foot waterfall. Members were able to get to the individual and successfully place him in the boat. Once in the boat members assessed the individual and transported him to the shoreline for awaiting EMS. This was a great team effort with law-enforcement, Gouverneur Rescue and our Department. The two individuals were on an ATV and accidentally drove into a washout in the road causing them to enter the water.”

Supt. Durham reported the following at the Aug. 12 meeting: “Right now we’ve got every road open, except for outer Country Club Road. There’s a big ol’ hole in the road out there. Please don’t drive into it. The last person who tried, we had to do a water rescue. If there is swift water, don’t drive through it. You don’t know what’s underneath it. We don’t need 40-50 guys putting their lives in danger to rescue one guy who wanted to go through the swift water.”

Town of Fowler Councilman Lynn Bishop asked: “Is there room for bigger culverts out there, Randy?”

Supt. Durham said: “We are going to put two five-footers in. That’s what we are going to hopefully end up with, I ‘m hoping by the end of the week… We have had a lot of help. Louisville sent two trucks today. Gouverneur sent an excavator to clean up by Matoon Creek, and they gave me a couple trucks today. The gravel pit remained open all weekend… We had a lot of help, and got a lot of phone calls. John Hall (Hall’s Excavating in Gouverneur) did two repairs for us. He did one by Dave Spilman’s and just got done one on North Woods Road. He does a good job. We truck materials or whatever he needs for it… Battle Hill is safe now. We are finishing up Chub Lake tomorrow morning, and then we are headed to California Road up by Tyler’s Pond. That’s all torn up there. As I said earlier, we are trying to put the word of caution out: Do not drive fast on these roads. You are going to get in one of those holes. You are going to get hurt and damage your equipment.”

Supt. Durham reported that the Town of Fowler Highway Department accumulated 140 hours of overtime and 56 hours of comp time over the weekend alone. Town Supervisor Rick Newvine and the Town of Fowler Council commended Town of Fowler Highway Department Supt. Randy Durham and the Highway crew on their dedicated work in the aftermath of the storm. “Nice job,” Supervisor Newvine said. The sentiment was echoed by Town of Fowler Deputy Supervisor Karen Simmons, and Councilmen Scott Cleveland, Lynn Bishop, Leo Knight, Jr., and others in attendance. There also was a long discussion on the clean-up and repair efforts. The Town Beach is currently closed until further notice. To reach Town of Fowler Highway Supt. Randy Durham, call 315-222-6797. For more information, visit www.FowlerNY.com.

On Tuesday, August 13, confirmation was received through the National Weather Service that a tornado (category EF-U) touched down in Fowler near the Country Club Road on Sunday, August 11 at about 2:15 p.m.

Homeowners in St. Lawrence County can now apply for up to $50,000 to repair damage to their homes from last week’s flooding. The grants will fund or reimburse certain health- and safety-related repairs not covered by insurance or other disaster relief programs. The home must be the applicant’s primary residence and household income may not exceed 100% of the county’s area median income. The median household income in St. Lawrence County is $58,339. Links to the application have been posted on the Town of Fowler website (www.FowlerNY.com) and the Town of Gouverneur website (www.GouverneurNY.com). More information will be reported once made available to the Gouverneur Tribune Press.

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.

Carlton Peck Band Day celebrates six decades of marching band excellence

by Rachel Hunter

The 2024 Gouverneur and St. Lawrence County Fair Carlton Peck Band Day on Wednesday, July 31 drew the North Country to the Gouverneur Fairgrounds to witness the marching band excellence from five area marching bands from local school districts. Participating this year was the hometown favorite, the Gouverneur Marching Wildcats, along with marching bands from Heuvelton, Morristown, Lisbon, and Thousand Islands-General Brown. The high school bands parade was held at 1 p.m. at the grandstand (free admission to the fairgoing public) with the 60th Annual Peck Family Awards to follow.

Band Day Director Sean Peck, the son of the Band Day Founder Carlton E. Peck who passed away on November 19, 2021. Carlton E. Peck (GHS ’63) was the drum major with the Gouverneur Marching Wildcats. There were no marching band awards at the time. Before the 1964 Gouverneur and St. Lawrence County Fair, Carlton Peck went to the fair board and talked with then-Fair President Bligh A. Dodds about starting awards in recognition of marching band excellence. “They thought it was a great idea,” Sean Peck said. “But they couldn’t help him with it. He said: “No, I want to take care of it myself.” Carlton started with his first award “The Isabella” in honor of his mother (Isabella King Peck) at the 1964 Gouverneur and St. Lawrence County Fair on the grandstand track. “Here we are 60 years later, twenty awards,” Sean Peck said. “Every part of the band is taken care of and every family member has an award in their name… It is an emotional year for me with him not being here, but he’s here in spirit.”

The grandstand was filled with supporters as the North Country community gathered together to celebrate the local school marching bands as their season concluded. Dignitaries present included Fair Manager Donald Peck and Village of Gouverneur Mayor Ron McDougall who welcomed the crowd to the Carlton Peck Day and the 60th Anniversary of the Peck Awards at the 2024 Gouverneur and St. Lawrence County Fair in Gouverneur.

The 2024 Gouverneur and St. Lawrence County Fair High School Band Parade included the following:

The Gouverneur Marching Wildcats, under the direction of Jenelle Patchin, performed their 2024 show “Born To Be Wildcats” featuring music of the tough guys, including “Bad Guy” by Billie Eilish, “Evil Ways” by Santana and “Born To Be Wild” by Stepenwolf. Special recognition was given to drum majorette Kayden Cousino, drum major of music Hayley Burt, and trumpet soloist Nicholas Bloxham. Much appreciation was extended to the friends and parent group of the Gouverneur Marching Band, staff and Board of Education at Gouverneur Central School District, Gouverneur Correctional Facility, Nichols, and Hamilton Family, the Pawanonon Family, Jeremy Bartholoew, Dede Scozzafava, Donald and Rachel Durham, Bimbo Bakery, Frito Lays, Price Chopper, and the whole Gouverneur community for their continued support.

The Morristown Marching Rockets performed “Rockin’ Out With The Rockets!” featuring songs “Uptown Funk,” “The Cupid Shuffle” and “Hit The Road Jack.” The Morristown Marching Rockets includes students from fourth to twelfth grade. They were led by Majorette Reagan Butler. Much appreciation was extended Band Boosters, the Morristown CSD Administration and Board of Education for their continued support.

The Heuvelton Marching Bulldogs, led by drum majorette Avery Macaulay, performed their 2024 Show “OMG We’re Back Again” featuring music from 90s boy bands. The crowd heard “Everybody-Backstreet’s B ack” by the Backstreet Boys, “I Want It That Way,” by the Backstreet Boys, and “You Go It – The Right Stuff” by New Kids On The Block with a small reference to “Bye Bye Bye” by NSYNC. Special recognition was given to trumpet soloists Kayee-Simmons Noel and Shane Mudge, sousaphone soloist Garrett Wagner, snare soloist Mairin King, and tenor drum soloist Cole Trombley.

The Lisbon Golden Knights performed their 2024 Program: “Survivor.” Musical sources included “The Final Countdown” by Europe, and original drum feature, “Barrage” by director Glenn Roberts and “Still Standing” by Elton John. The Golden Knights were led by drum majorette Layla Rishe, and the 2024 marching band staff included Carly Harper (color guard instructor), Kamrynn Gammon (front line instructor), Brian O’Brian (drumline instructor), and Glenn Roberts (director).

The Thousand Islands-General Brown Marching Band featured students in sixth to twelfth grade who performed arrangements of “Forget You” and “Montero” by Tom Wallace.

The 60th Annual Peck Family Awards were then announced as follows: “Peck/Harden” Best American Flag Line (Morristown), “Kelly Ann” Best Mascot With Band (Heuvelton), “Carter” Best Rifle Unit (Gouverneur), “Carlton” Best Baton Unit (Heuvelton), “Matt-Matt” Best Wind Line (Gouverneur), “Elmer” Best Brass Line (Thousand Islands-General Brown), “Sean” Best Percussion Line (Gouverneur), “Mort” Espirit-de-corps (Thousand Islands-General Brown), “Fawnie” Award of Merit (Lisbon), “Robyn” Best Soloist (Lisbon), “MJ-Maya/Mylo” Best Special Feature (Morristown), “Judy” Best Drum Majorette (Gouverneur), “Margie” Best Color Flag Unit (1st place Gouverneur, 2nd place Heuvelton), and the “Isabella” Overall Marching Excellence (1st place Gouverneur, 2nd place Heuvelton).

Band Day Director Sean Peck is already making plans for the 61st Peck Family Awards to be “bigger and better” at the 2025 Gouverneur and St. Lawrence County Fair. For more information, visit gouverneurfair.net or contact Director Sean Peck.

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.