April 2nd 2007 Meeting Notes

1. Report HRBRRD advisory council by Gregg Gordon of Ryans Marine and Lou Stutzlie of Fuel and Food.

a. In Gregg and Lou’s absence Bob Campbell and Carl Ward gave the report. The Council has gotten through all the regulations and this Wednesday is going to start talking about permit fees.

b. A “birth” fee is being proposed so that there is a flat fee for each birth rather than for each picnic table and pump out station. Again we are asking for a methodology based on costs as the permit system is only supposed to be paying for its own costs.

c. Information on the cost of the permit system has still not been provided, but we have been promised documentation from HRBRRD by June of this year.

d. What ever is decided, fees will not change until June of 2010.

e. Again there was discussion of dissolving the HRBRRD’s responsibilities as far as the permit system. It is a redundant state agency in this respect and the permit system should be governed by the municipalities. It has come to our attention that it has taken some residents up to 3 years to get a permit to do work on their permit areas. It is time for another letter writing campaign.

2. Update on Lobby Day in Albany

a. Fulton County Chamber Of Commerce chartered a bus to lobby day in Albany and spoke with politicians directly on our behalf. In attendance form our group was Carl Ward and Linda Kemper. The need to slow down the rule making process was a primary concern.

b. Pete Grannis was appointed to the DEC and we oppose this appointment as he is anti-tourism and has no background or qualifications for this job. The following is the article on the appointment as it appeard in the Leader Herald:

Fulton County leaders blast Spitzer’s DEC appointee
By MICHAEL ANICH, The Leader-Herald
Published on Saturday, March 31, 2007

JOHNSTOWN — Several Fulton County supervisors don’t want New York City-based state Assemblyman Alexander “Pete” Grannis to be named the new commissioner of the state Department of Environmental Conservation.

The Board of Supervisors’ Environmental Resources Committee voted unanimously Tuesday night at the County Office Building to oppose Grannis’ appointment.

Committee Chairman Anthony C. Buanno said the 65-year-old Assemblyman Grannis, a Manhattan Democrat, was appointed by new Gov. Eliot Spitzer as DEC commissioner in January.

The state Senate’s Environmental Conservation Committee approved Grannis’ nomination on Tuesday, but that body’s Finance Committee also has a chance to review the appointment.

“Some of the things he has tried to impose with the North Country people up here hasn’t set too well,” Buanno said.

The county committee passed a proposed resolution for the full board to consider April 9, opposing the appointment. That resolution indicates that in the 1990s, Grannis supported the “extreme” recommendations of then-Gov. Mario M. Cuomo’s Commission of the Adirondacks in the 21st Century, including a moratorium on one-year construction in the Adirondack Park and 2,000-acre zoning.

As an assemblyman, Grannis also supported the establishment of a “transition zone” which would be subject to state regulation on communities surrounding the park. One of his provisions would require 2,000 acres for construction of one home on 87 percent of Adirondack private land.

Supervisors said Grannis also favors creation of a “super agency” called the “Adirondack Park Administration” to manage the Adirondacks, making “resource conservation” the group’s top goal.

The committee said Grannis supports a special tax ranging from 5 to 80 percent, based upon the time the property is held, imposed on the gain of Adirondack land.

Sportsman groups, including the Adirondack members of the New York State Conservation Council, in February formally passed a resolution objecting to Grannis’ appointment.

The Adirondack Park Local Government Review Board also opposes the appointment of Grannis. The Fulton County Board of Supervisors’ ALGRB representative and alternate — Northampton Supervisor Linda Kemper and Bleecker Supervisor David Howard, respectively — recommended the full board oppose Grannis.

“We are the people who live in the Adirondacks,” Buanno said. “We want to be careful on what restrictions they put on us. This guy has some weird ideas.”

According to information on Grannis provided by the Board of Supervisors, he was elected to the state Assembly in 1994. Grannis authored New York’s Clean Indoor Act and is a three-time winner of the Legislator of the Year Award from the Environmental Planning Lobby. He was also recognized with similar honors by the Audubon Society, the Environmental Action Committee and Environmental Advocates.

He has played a key role in state legislation related to acid rain, fluorocarbons, recycling and the passage of the state Environmental Quality Review Act.

The New York State Rifle & Pistol Association considers the Chicago native to be “hostile” to its industry and opposes Grannis’ appointment as DEC commissioner.

3. GSLBA Raffle Update

a. We would like to have our drawing at our next meeting and we have 175 tickets left to sell.

4. Discussion on Fish Tagging / Big Buck Contest

a. We voted that $10 of the membership dues will be placed on a purse for a fish tagged by the GSLFF. We will also reserve $10 towards a prize for the Big Buck contest this fall. All businesses who contribute will be listed in the Edinburg Newsletter and the Sacandaga Monthly.

b. For businesses who wish to tag their own fish (rather than just contribute to the GSLBA Fish) will pay $25.00 and we will deliver the application to the Fishing Federation on their behalf.

5. Annual Dues / membership Drive
a. We have passed a resolution that annual dues will be $100.00

6. Bryan Moldt on Insurance and Consortium

a. We are unable to form a consortium at this time, but Bryan will continue to research this issue for us
b. We will hold a Health Insurance Fair Tuesday May 1st to discuss plans and High deductible plans. The Time and Place to be announced.

7. Letter to Spitzer, by Carl Ward, Captain Carl's Sunset Grill

a. We are going to send the letter as is to the Governor and will be working on a shorter version to submit as editorials to the media.

8. BBBS Golf Tournament By Margaret Lewis

a. Big Brothers Big sisters of Fulton county will be holding their Annual Golf outing Wednesday June 20th at Holland Meadows Golf Course with cocktails, dinners and drinks at the White Holland House. Golfer Registration is $85.00 and includes golf, cart, food and beverages all day, a golfer goodie bag, an hour of drinks at White Holland House, Soup, Salad your choice of salmon, chicken or Prime rib and dessert. Tickets are available for dinner only as well.
b. We have agreed to put together a basket for this event and everyone should bring an item for the basket to the May 7th meeting.

9. Map and T- Shirts

a. We have decided to go forward with the production of a Lake map. A committee is to be formed and they will have pricing and options for us by the May 7th Meeting.

b. We would also like to produce a design for T-shirts which can be sold at various local businesses.

10. Event Poster – All events need to be submitted by April 16th to be printed on the summer Lake events poster.

11. Next Mixer - TBA

12. Visit Sacandaga web site report by Elizabeth Emery of Emery Designs

13. New Business