The Ledger

The Adirondack North Country Association Newsletter
Fall 2005/Winter 2006 Volume 12, Issue 2, Page 6

Program Highlights

ANCA Supports Regional Project Development With Grant Writing Assistance:

During the fall of 2005 ANCA prepared the following three Quality Community applications for submission to the New York State Department of State:

Adirondack Park Regional Assessment Project: ANCA submitted a $120,000 Adirondack Park Regional Assessment Project in partnership with the Adirondack Association of Towns and Villages, and the Towns of Arietta and Chester. The proposal is a unique regional community inventory and planning project to address the water and sewer infrastructure of Adirondack Park communities. In addition, the proposal will assess the obstacles and opportunities Park communities experience in their economic development.

North Elba Recreational and Tourist Pathway Planning Project: ANCA worked in partnership with the Town of North Elba in the submission of a $60,000 North Elba Recreational and Tourist Pathway Planning Project. The proposal is a unique planning project that combines our goals to develop an innovative travel corridor that improves the recreational, tourist and natural resources of the Adirondack Rail Corridor through the development of a recreational pathway that will link the communities of Lake Placid and Saranac Lake.

Integrative Community Development and Planning Project: ANCA worked in partnership with the Town and Village of Tupper Lake in the submission of an Integrative Community Development and Planning Project. The proposal is a unique community project that integrates public participation with development of a comprehensive implementation plan and market planning. The project will result in community improvements and a positive climate for economic development and growth in Tupper Lake.

In the summer, the New York Farm Viability Institute was identified as a potential funding source for a regional agriculture distribution project and ANCA submitted the following application:

North Country Regional Distribution Assessment Project: In September ANCA submitted a $140,000 funding request to the New York Farm Viability Institute, Inc. for a North Country Regional Distribution Assessment Project. The proposal is the result of a year-long dialogue in the North Country to address product marketing and distribution of agriculture products. The proposal was a joint partnership between ANCA, the Agricultural Resource Group, Inc., Ganakee Group, Michael Kujawa, NYS Tug Hill Commission, St. Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce, and the Cooperative Extensions of Jefferson, Lewis, and St. Lawrence Counties. In addition, the project provided a direct link to producer groups, including the Halalmeats, the Maple Syrup Producer's Cooperative in Essex, St. Lawrence, and Lewis counties, the Adirondack Farmer's Market Cooperative, North Country Shepherds, the Northern New York New Farm Partnership, and the North Country Grown Cooperative.

At the close of 2005 ANCA staff are working with Byway communities in the preparation of grant applications to the Federal Highway Administration/ NYS Department of Transportation for Scenic Byway funding. The grant submissions will be completed during January of 2006.

ANCA Receives $99,017 in Funding for a Marketing Guide for Wood Products Companies in the United States:

ANCA's long-standing program in Wood Products Development enabled ANCA to secure a competitive $99,017 funding award from the USDA Forest Service for the update and revision of A Marketing Guide for Manufacturers and Entrepreneurs of Secondary-Processed Wood Products in the Northeastern United States. The rewrite and of the popular marketing guide will enable ANCA staff member Carl Golas to work with Tim Holmes of Holmes and Associates in the development of the revised directory.

New additions to the guide will include descriptions of how the Internet and e-Commerce can be used most effectively to market wood products. Other new topics will include a description of the marketing and sale of wood from certified sustainable forests, regional initiatives for enhanced marketing and sales of wood products, and case studies of best practices across the country. The guide will be completed in early 2007.

Adirondack Park Mountain Bicycling Initiative (APMBI):

As a member of the Adirondack Park Mountain Bicycling Initiative (APMBI), ANCA worked to secure $25,000 in funding through the Adirondack North Country Community Enhancement Program (ANCCEP) toward an On-line Bicycle Atlas. During the year, the atlas was prepared and presented on-line at www.www.bikeadirondacks.org. The website has been sponsored by ANCA and developed and managed by Holmes and Associates for the bicycling community.

Marketing and Sale of Special Forest Products:

During the year staff completed work on the Marketing and Sale of Special Forest Products project that had been funded with a $25,000 grant by the USDA Forest Service. The project brought 10 new producers and 111 new products into the regional e-commerce service www.AdirondackCraft.com and the products and services of 163 wood products companies were listed on www.AdirondackWood.com. In addition, new online tools were created and integrated into www.AdirondackWood.com that allow producers to update their listings with new information and product information at any time.

Election of Officers At ANCA Annual Meeting

Adirondack North Country Association Election of Officers

Adirondack North Country Association Board of Directors' Annual Meeting, November 17, 2005 in Lake Placid, NY

The Adirondack North Country Association held its Annual Meeting on November 17, 2005 at the Charcoal Pit in Lake Placid. The theme of the year-end meeting was long term strategic planning and a discussion of ANCA's program goals. In addition, the meeting included the 2005/06 Board of Director Nominations presented by ANCA's Nominating Committee Chairman, Ken Parker.

Casting one vote for the entire slate of Officers for 2006, the Board of Directors unanimously reelected Ronald M. Ofner of Westport as President. He will be joined by Paul M. Cantwell, Jr. of Malone as Vice President; Donald L. Caldera of Lake Placid as Secretary; Dale G. Brown of Gloversville as Treasurer; Stephen M. Erman of Saranac Lake as Northern Region Vice President; Richard R. Bird of Raquette Lake as Central Region Vice President; Kenneth W. Parker of Diamond Point as Southeastern Region Vice President; and John Bartow of Adams Center as Western Region Vice President. The officers provide a strong geographic link to the Association's fourteen-county service area representing public and private interests throughout the region.

The Board also reappointed the following members who will continue the participation in the organization: Gregory Caito, Director-at-Large, Essex County; Jonathan MacAbee, Director-at-Large, Essex County; Donna and Dean Pohl, Directors, Hamilton County; Bruce Ferguson, Director-at-Large, Washington County; Richard Burns, Director.

President Ron Ofner welcomed three new members to the Board of Directors including Arnie Talgo of Steuben, New York. Mr. Talgo is Senior Policy Analyst of the Public and Governmental Affairs Office at the New York Power Authority. In addition, the Board welcomed J. R. Risley, Town of Inlet Supervisor and President of the Adirondack Association of Towns and Villages. Mr. Ofner also welcomed Jorja Hicks-Sanders of Ticonderoga. Ms Hicks-Sanders is a licensed Real Estate Broker and co-owner of Sanders Realty and Property Management in Ticonderoga.

During the course of the morning and afternoon session Board directors discussed a wide range of topics impacting the regional work of the Association.