New Economy News  |  June 2022

Photo by Clifton Harcum, SUNY Potsdam

“There is something almost spiritual about being up there, and I would really love for as many of our kids, as many New Yorkers period, who grow up in urban centers, to have that experience.” 

~ Zellnor Myrie — member of the New York State Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic and Asian Legislative Caucus — after visiting Lake Placid in late 2021

Photo courtesy of RENZ Consulting: Essex County and New York State officers participated in ADI's Community Policing Initiative trainings in 2020.

Creating safe and welcoming communities

Thank you to all who participated in the Common Ground Alliance Forum on June 15 in North Creek, where ADI Director Nicky Hylton-Patterson led a breakout session focused on strengthening relationships between local police officers and the communities they serve.

It was a lively and frank conversation that shed light on the concerns of people of color and other minoritized populations, as well as the efforts of local and state agencies. We are eager to continue this collaborative work to make our communities safe and welcoming for all.

Special thanks to the officers who joined Nicky for the panel discussion: NYS Police Trooper Wendy House, NYS Police Investigator Tamirah Ju, NYS Police Trooper Robert Larrabee, Essex County Sheriff David Reynolds, Warren County Sheriff Jim LaFarr, and Saranac Lake Police Chief Darin Perrotte.

Photo courtesy of Adirondack Experience

Photo of the Henderson Family courtesy of Reber Rock Farm, one this year's farm stops.

Looking for a farmers' market in your local area? Check out Adirondack Harvest's list of markets across the Adirondack North Country.

Muhammad "Mo" Ahmad — owner of Frontier Town Gateway in North Hudson, N.Y. — is an active ANCA member who embodies our mission.

Mo emigrated from Pakistan in 2002 and worked as a gas station attendant in New Jersey and taxi driver in NYC before a visit to Lake George inspired him to make the Adirondacks his home. He went on to operate gas stations in Schroon Lake and North Hudson, and in 2018, he purchased the iconic Frontier Town A-frame. Three years of renovations and a global pandemic later, Frontier Town Gateway reopened in Fall 2021 with a grand reopening celebration last week!

A regular at ANCA’s Adirondack Buyer Days trade show in Saratoga, Mo supports local food producers and artisans by selling their products in his stores. He is working with ANCA on plans to install electric vehicle chargers at his gas stations. 

Mo Ahmad, right, with ANCA board and staff members at Frontier Town's iconic A-frame earlier this month.

Driven to give back to his community, Mo built an event hall for large gatherings and a space where patrons can enjoy fresh coffee, hearty breakfast and lunch meals and Pakistani food daily and Bollywood music every Thursday evening. 

Through strong vision, hard work and contagious enthusiasm, Mo is creating local jobs, revitalizing a rural community, and providing a variety of services to residents and visitors.

"ANCA CPR has been a fountain of information for my small business coming out of the pandemic,” he said. “ANCA informed me of programs and educational opportunities that will improve my business and make Oval Craft Brewing more sustainable. These will help me grow my business while maintaining my goals of energy efficiency and supporting the community." 

Climate Smart Communities

The New York Department of Environmental Conservation is accepting applications for Round 6 of its Climate Smart Communities (CSC) Grant Program, which provides matching grants to municipalities for climate change mitigation and adaptation projects, including actions that help communities achieve CSC certification.

Up to $12 million is available for grants between $50,000 and $2 million for projects that help communities:

• Reduce vehicle miles traveled (VMT)
• Reduce food waste
• Reduce hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) emissions from refrigeration and other equipment
• Increase natural resiliency wetland and floodplain management
• Reduce future flood-risk
• Prepare for extreme weather events

An additional $2 million of funding is available for grants between $10,000 and $200,000 for projects that help municipalities earn CSC certification.

Grant applications are due by July 29, 2022. Contact ANCA's Erin Griffin for more information at [email protected].

Clean Energy Communities

Congratulations to the following communities who are earning credit toward clean energy project grants through NYSERDA's Clean Energy Communities Program while saving money and greenhouse gas emissions:

• Town of Black Brook: completed LED Street Lights - Cobrahead
• Town of Champlain: attended Energy Code Enforcement training
• Town of Colton: attended Energy Code Enforcement training
• Town of Constable: attended Energy Code Enforcement training
• Town of Harrietstown: completed LED Street Lights - Cobrahead
• Town of Hopkinton: attended Energy Code Enforcement training
• Town of Louisville: attended Energy Code Enforcement training
• Town of Martinsburg: completed LED Street Lights - Cobra Head
• Town of Minerva: completed LED Street Lights - Cobrahead
• Town of Pierrepont: attended Energy Code Enforcement training
• Town of Schuyler Falls: completed LED Street Lights - Decorative Fixtures
• Village of Waddington: attended Energy Code Enforcement training

And congrats to the Town of Newcomb for completing four high impact actions (LED street lights, Energy code enforcement training, Unified Solar Permit, and Benchmarking municipal buildings) to earn CEC designation and a $5,000 grant! 

• North country communities find that harnessing group buying power saves residents, businesses on electricity bills, NNY360
• As state transitions to carbon-free power, hydropower feels left behind, Adirondack Explorer 
• Powering a solution: Hydroelectric plants seek incentives offered to solar and wind, NNY360
• For the North Country's future workforce, job training starts in high school, NCPR
• Help wanted, but not found, throughout the Adirondacks, Adirondack Explorer
• Local farms help institutions overcome COVID-related supply chain disruptions, Morning Ag Clips