ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT/PLANNING/PUBLICITY COMMITTEE
Monday,
March 9, 2026 - 10:00 AM
Matthew
Stanley, Chairperson
Kenneth
Hughes, Vice-Chairperson
Vice-Chairman
Hughes called this Economic Development/Planning/Publicity Meeting to order at 10:20
am with the following Supervisors in attendance: Clayton Barber, Matt Brassard,
Chris Clark, Timothy Follos, Kenneth Hughes, Mary Lamphear, Tracie McGill, Steve
McNally, Clayton Menser, James O’Bryan, Timothy Pierce, Richard Preston, Cathleen
Reusser, Davina Thurston, Joe Pete Wilson, and Margaret Wood. Matthew Stanley,
and Ike Tyler had been previously excused.
Department
Heads present: Mike Mascarenas and Anna Reynolds.
Deputy
present: Dina Garvey
Also Present:
Dan Kelleher - ROOST, Carol Calabrese - IDA, Elizabeth Lee & Cole Trager -
Cornell Cooperative Extension, and Aurora McCaffrey - Essex County Historian. Nicole
Justice-Green - Essex County Land Bank, and Caitlyn Wargo - Adirondack Roots
had been previously excused.
HUGHES:
I’ll call this meeting to order, good morning, Carol.
***************************
The first
item on the agenda was the Industrial Development Committee with Carol
Calabrese reporting as follows:
CALABRESE:
Good morning, everyone, we submitted a report if anyone has any questions.
HUGHES:
Any questions for Carol or the IDA on their report this morning that they
provided?
Does
not look like there are any questions for you, okay, thank you very much, have
a great day.
CALABRESE:
You, too
***************************
The
next item on the agenda was Community Resources with Anna Reynolds reporting as
follows:
HUGHES:
Let’s move on now to the Community Resources Department, Anna Reynolds.
REYNOLDS:
Hello, good morning. This morning, I have two referrals, one is for the Saranac
Lake Local Law Unified Development Code Amendment, definitions, zoning map and
some use regulations are going to be changing, the allowable use schedule,
including. There are no intermunicipal or countywide impacts, so a letter
stating that fact may be submitted.
HUGHES:
Great, can I have a motion on that recommendation, please. Ms. Reusser, Mr. Follos
ACTION OF THE ESSEX
COUNTY PLANNING BOARD
ON REFERRALS RECEIVED
FROM THE VILLAGE OF SARANAC LAKE
The following motion
was made by Supervisor Reusser.
Whereas, the Essex
County Planning Board has considered the following GML 239 referrals at its
regular meeting on March 9, 2026.
REFERRAL
PROPOSED ACTION
Village of Saranac Lake Unified Development
Code Amendments
And whereas, none of
the referred, proposed actions directly impacts a county road or county
property.
Be It Adopted by the
Essex County Planning Board that no recommendation or comment on said referral
shall be or hereby is made, and the respective referring bodies may take such
final action as they deem appropriate.
This motion was
seconded by Supervisor Follos and passed on a vote of 7 in favor, 2 excused and
none opposed.
HUGHES:
Questions, concerns on this resolution? Does not look like there are, all in
favor? Opposed? Carried, thank you.
REYNOLDS:
The last one in the Town of North Elba, a Site Plan Review for a new home
construction, located on River Road, which is County Route 21. A driveway will
be required, so there are no intermunicipal or countywide impacts, but a
Highway Right of Way Permit will be required.
HUGHES:
Motion on that? Ms. Reusser, Mr. Preston.
ACTION OF THE ESSEX
COUNTY PLANNING BOARD
ON REFERRALS RECEIVED
FROM THE TOWN OF NORTH ELBA
The following motion
was made by Supervisor Reusser.
Whereas, the Essex
County Planning Board has considered the following GML 239 referrals at its
regular meeting on March 9, 2026.
REFERRAL
PROPOSED ACTION
Town of North Elba -
River Road (County Route 21) Site
Plan Review
And whereas, the
referred, proposed actions directly impacts a county road or county property.
Be It Adopted by the
Essex County Planning Board that no recommendation or comment on said referral
shall be or hereby is made, but an Essex County Highway, Right-of-Way Permit is
required and the respective referring bodies may take such final action as they
deem appropriate.
This motion was
seconded by Supervisor Preston and passed on a vote of 7 in favor, 2 excused and
none opposed.
HUGHES:
Questions or concerns on this topic?
FOLLOS:
Is this required every time a new driveway is installed?
REYNOLDS:
No, it has to do with if the town has adopted a local law that requires the
Site Plan Review, Use Variance or Area Variance. So, if one triggers the other,
so yeah, they’re separate.
MASCARENAS:
Also, say the new driveway is coming onto a county road, that would also be a
reason that we would want to get that referral to make sure that the county
road wasn’t being damaged to proper culvert was being put in, those types of
things. So, there could be a few different reasons as to why we would want to
get that referral.
REYNOLDS:
Yeah
HUGHES:
Good question. Any other questions on this topic? Being none, all in favor, aye?
Opposed? Carried.
REYNOLDS:
I have a resolution request. A resolution authorizing a budget amendment for
$55,008 for the zero emission vehicle EV Chargers that we approved last month.
HUGHES:
Motion? Ms. Reusser, Ms. Wood
RESOLUTION
AUTHORIZING A BUDGET AMENDMENT IN THE COMMUNITY RESOURCES DEPARTMENT,
INCREASING REVENUES AND APPROPRIATIONS IN THE AMOUNT OF $55,008.00, - PREOJECT
#ZEV FOR SERO EMISSION VEHICLE GRANT.
Reusser,
Wood
HUGHES:
Questions? Concerns? No questions or
concerns, all in favor? Opposed? Carried. Thank you.
REYNOLDS:
I put the Adirondack Park Agency forum agenda in my packet, just because if
you’re updating your zoning, if you’re planning to update your zoning, if you
have new zoning members on your board, please send them to this. They’ve got
conference schedules for those folks, and I think it would be a great learning
experience.
REUSSER:
It’s a requirement, as well.
REYNOLDS:
Yes, it’s 4 credits a year. This is probably 4 credits, so if they get this one
day done, they’re set for the year.
HUGHES:
Yeah, it definitely knocks out those hourly, annual requirements, just in the
morning, alone.
PRESTON:
What’s the location of this?
REYNOLDS:
It is in Saranac Lake.
HUGHES:
At the Hotel Saranac?
REYNOLDS:
Yes, Hotel Saranac.
HUGHES:
It is excellent, I know several of us have been there before. They generally do
a really, really great job, great opportunity to be in the room with people
from Albany and you’re neighbors and colleagues, all around the County and the
North Country, it’s an excellent opportunity to network and to learn and get
out of the office every once and awhile.
Anything
else, Anna?
MENSER:
As you’re already aware, Crown Point’s going to end up having to do Phase Two
of our wastewater treatment and that Phase Two is going to go physically where
our town building office is right now. So, I am going to be looking to have an
engineering study done to determine where we can go and what our requirements
are in a new facility. Is that something that, before I ask the Town Board to
approve a resolution to do this, we have to have anything special from you to
apply for grants?
REYNOLDS:
So, that is on our list of things to do, because that is a project on our to do
list. I mean it would be nice to have a resolution to support that project,
that specific project, if you’re moving your town facility. As for specifics,
we won’t know that yet, until we have the feasibility completed, but I think
you’re getting the ball rolling, and it sounds like a good idea.
MENSER:
Right, so I need to pass the resolution to get the ball rolling with the Town
to have an engineering study done to find the feasibility?
REYNOLDS:
Yeah, it doesn’t have to be an engineering study, but more of a land use, or
like a feasibility study of what the utilities are available, if it is vacant
land. Are we going to rehab an existing structure on Main Street? Something
like that.
HUGHES:
Big project for you, good questions.
FOLLOS:
The Saranac Lake building code changes, just out of curiosity, can you describe
them?
If
not, that’s fine, too.
REYNOLDS:
Actually, I printed what they are, the changes. I can give them to you. It’s
pretty comprehensive, about 10-pages of changes.
HUGHES:
Anything else for Aurora, I mean Anna?
REUSSER:
Can you send those out to all of us?
REYNOLDS:
Certainly.
HUGHES:
That’s great, anything else for Anna? Anna, nothing for Anna? Anna, you’re
excused, have a great day, Anna.
***************************
The next item on the agenda was the
Essex County Historian, with Aurora McCaffrey reporting as follows:
MCCAFFREY:
Good morning, so I have submitted my written report for the month and in that I
gave you a little more description and detail of the upcoming seasonal exhibits
that we’re going to have. They will all open with the Museum on May 23rd,
fast approaching. So, I would be happy to answer any questions about those.
HUGHES:
Any questions for Aurora, this morning, on her report?
I just
want to make a comment; I’m also impressed with the breadth of topics that you
all decide on.
MCCAFFREY:
Well, Essex County has so many great historic aspects we can delve into.
HUGHES:
Yeah, it’s quite ripe and so you guys do a really great job plucking and
picking out various topics from various different areas that all seem to kind
of weave themselves together as Essex County, but great job on finding those
different topics and bringing them together.
MCCAFFREY:
Thanks
HUGHES:
You’re welcome.
MCCAFFREY:
And real quick, also note, I will absolutely have the full season’s calendar in
next month’s report. We have the events and the lectures scheduled, we’re just
finalizing the film series, so that will definitely be done next month.
HUGHES:
Awesome, awesome, looking forward to the new season. Anything for Aurora, this
morning, County Historian?
MCCAFFREY:
Thank you
HUGHES:
Thank you very much.
***************************
The
next item on the agenda was Cornell Cooperative Extension, with Elizabeth Lee
reporting as follows:
LEE:
Good morning, everyone, I submitted a report and I am happy to answer any
questions, if anyone has any questions.
HUGHES:
Questions for Elizabeth? I have one, what is hippology?
LEE:
It is horse anatomy.
HUGHES:
Horse anatomy, H-I-P-P-O-L-O-G-Y?
LEE:
Yup
HUGHES:
Okay, thank you, fair question.
Anything
else more intelligent for Ms. Lee, this morning?
LEE:
This morning, we are requesting a resolution to change the Agricultural
District enrollment period from October - November, from that period would move
from May 1- May 30 and the current enrollment period means we’re conducting
farm visits during the middle of the winter and it’s difficult to assess the
agricultural viability. So, we’re requesting that change to May 1- May 30.
HUGHES:
I need a motion for this recommendation. Ms. Reusser, Ms. Wood.
RESOLUTION
AUTHORIZING A CHANGE TO THE ESSEX COUNTY AGRICULTURAL DISTRICT’S OPEN
ENROLLMENT PERIOD FROM OCTOBER 20 - NOVEMBER 19 TO MAY 1 - MAY 30
REUSSER,
WOOD
HUGHES:
Is this to begin in 2026?
LEE:
Yes
HUGHES:
Thank you, any other questions on this topic? All in favor, aye? Opposed?
Motion carried.
LEE:
And we will follow through with making sure that the public is notified.
And
the only other thing that I wanted to say, well two small things, but they’re
important to us. We just received a grant to expand our senior wellness
programs. So, we have one more program in our quiver to offer to the seniors
throughout the County. The utilization of our senior programs just continues to
grow and we’re hoping by the end of the year to add a position to support the
senior programs, as well as some of our other education programs and we are
really excited that this Friday we’re going to be joining the Prevention Team
in Mineville for a full-day event for Youth on Friday which is going to focus
on mentoring youth and it’s a continuation of an event that they have run for
three years. It’s been really successful; they have as many as 100 students
attend and so we’re proud to be joining 4H forces with the Prevention Team.
HUGHES:
That’s a really awesome relationship, there.
REUSSER:
Congratulations on the grant, what qualifies as senior in terms of age?
LEE:
Ah, there is some flexibility there, depending on the community. We don’t have
a hard line.
HUGHES:
Any other questions for Elizabeth Lee, Cornell Cooperative Extension, this
morning?
Does
not look like it, have a great day.
*****************************
The next item was the Regional
Office of Sustainable Tourism with Dan Kelleher reporting as follows:
KELLEHER:
Good morning, great to see everyone, today. Many of you are enjoying the
sunshine, outside, from a tourism perspective, not so great. So, the first six
months of the year, January through the end of June are really, what is the
most elastic, they’re really the most weather dependent months for tourism that
we have. In the first few months, January - March, we’re looking for those ski
and snowmobile days and good snow. So, it looks like we’re going to be using
March, here, but we lost March last year, so the year over year change won’t be
so bad. We did have a terrific January. Last year we bet the 5-year average by
30%, this year we beat last year by 5%. So, we have a new record in terms of
visitation in terms of January this year.
We did
get the occupancy tax report on Friday and that showed a little bit different
of a story. It actually showed a decline in occupancy tax collections. What’s
important to keep in mind is those occupancy tax collections are a function of
both the timing of the payments from the hotels, as well as the performance and
so those swings, year over year, can be quite dramatic and don’t necessarily
reflect the actual performance of that given month. So, we had a positive
January, we think we had a good February, we don’t have any data on that yet
but moving forward.
Last
month I talked to you a little bit about our new ability to track AI Bots,
scrolling our websites to feed the customer. I have a little more data for you
on that. We’re actually seeing a 50% increase in overall traffic when you
include those bots to our websites and these bots now make up 33% of all
traffic coming to our websites and to shorten that up, the general message is,
we’re actually getting more impressions now, because AI has enabled a new way
for people to search and when people are asking of lists or weather
recommendations, etc., we’re now in a better position to show up in that type
of search and so we’re actually showing more traffic, which will hopefully be
beneficial to our region.
MASCARENAS:
Dan, are you seeing an increase to your costs of being included in those search
engines that are tracking those bots, so you can be at the top of those lists?
Because I see it has kind of a race to see how can get there first and driving
the cost of those search engines.
KELLEHER:
Right now, it’s primarily, we’re using our staff to write structure data
underneath the websites and so the websites are continuously being updated. You
know, as a county we’re only of the best performing counties and a lot of
people, a lot of our competitors are under investing in the technology side of
their designation marketing efforts, but as some of those counties, catchup, we
will looking at renting new server space that is closer to some of these data
centers, so that we can get our contact more quickly to the customer than we
can and that will ensure that we show up.
MASCARENAS:
Speed
KELLEHER:
Speed and energy efficiency, so that’s what we’re looking at in the move to the
future.
Finally,
I just wanted to, AATV, we will send out formal invites, but we wanted you to
put it on all your calendars, Adirondack Day at the Legislative Office Building
in Albany is going to be held on April 27th, that’s a Monday. Last
year, we heard from 9 local Legislators, as well as the Senate Majority Leader,
Andrea Stewart-Cousins; the Speaker of the House, Carl Heastie; we also hosted
the Parks and Tourism Senate Chair, Senator Jose Sarano and then the Governor
sent a representative, as well. So, it’s a good opportunity to go and network
with your local Legislators, as well as some folks that are a little higher in
the Legislature. Again, that will be on April 27th, last year we
hosted 20 Adirondack vendors came down, to showcase what they have to offer.
That included Fort Ticonderoga, that included Essex Food Hub, that includes our
local housing partners. So, it’s just a great opportunity for many of you, in
particularly the new Supervisors to come and make some new connections and with
that, I am happy to answer any questions that you may have.
HUGHES:
Any questions for Dan or ROOST, this morning? We are going to segue into
housing and I want to say thank you for ROOST’s presence at the Adirondack
Community Foundation event, down in Schroon Lake at the Lodges. I thought Adam
did an excellent job serving on the panel. It was great that ROOST could be
involved in that conversation to help educate area leaders about workforce
housing in the North Country, so bravo to him and bravo to you.
KELLEHER:
Thank you very much.
HUGHES:
You’re welcome, sir.
FOLLOS:
Just a general question, Wilmington, like many towns, recently, we’re working
on updating or redoing our comprehensive plan. I was just wondering, I know you
have some experience dealing with that, so I was just wondering, what has ROOST
done in the past to help towns with that or what can ROOST do to help towns
with that?
KELLEHER:
So, in the past, we haven’t ever written a full comprehensive plan, but we’re
certainly happy to provide data and expertise and insights, both on the input
side, what are we seeing in the market and how do we address that, but also on
the recommendation side, if you’re looking for guidance, we’re always happy to
provide that as well.
HUGHES:
You might even be named as a partner or collaborator in executing some of their
recommendations of a comprehensive plan, absolutely.
Anything
else for Dan Kelleher and ROOST? Thanks, Dan.
I do
not see any representatives from the Land Bank, and they don’t have a report,
so I am going to move on to Adirondack Roots, and they do have a monthly report
and Caitlyn tell me that she couldn’t attend.
So,
thank you for that monthly report and I don’t see anything else on the agenda.
Is there anything else for the good of the order, for this Committee? Thank you
for putting up with me, we are adjourned.
***************************
The
next item was the Essex County Land Bank with Nicole Justice-Green having been
previously excused and no report was given.
***************************
The next item was Adirondack Roots
with Caitlyn Wargo having been previously excused and no additional report was
given.
AS THERE WAS NO FURTHER BUSINESS TO COME
BEFORE THIS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT/PLANNING/PUBLICITY COMMITTEE, IT WAS ADJOURNED
AT 10:43 AM.
Respectfully
submitted,
Dina
Garvey, Deputy
Clerk
of the Board