Russ Bartlett retiring as superintendent of schools

by Dan McClelland

Among the personnel actions of the Tupper Lake Board of Education this month was the announced retirement of Superintendent of Schools Russell Bartlett. Mr. Bartlett will step down from the district’s highest post at the close of this school year.

Mr. Bartlett joined the district faculty nearly three decades ago in 1994 as a science teacher.

He served as athletic director from 2010 to 2015 and then as high school principal for about five years, before his appointment to succeed retiring Superintendent of Schools Seth McGowan. This year is his fourth year as superintendent.

Outside of the classroom and the administrative offices, Mr. Bartlett also coached girls varsity soccer for 13 years and junior varsity basketball for a time.

Much of Mr. Bartlett’s focus these past four years has been working with the district’s financial advisors and architects, along with Building and Grounds Superintendent Pierre St. Pierre and Business Manager Dan Bower, on the comprehensive and very detailed $20.4 million building improvement plan recently endorsed by school district voters.

Construction of the various projects eyed in the plan- which includes all the district buildings- is expected to commence next year.

The board will commence a search process in coming weeks to find a replacement for Mr. Bartlett.

In other personnel actions at the November board meeting, the board:

-accepted the resignation of Diane Helms from her position as yearbook advisor. Lori Staves was appointed as Diane’s replacement.

-accepted the resignation as Katrina Villeneuve as a teacher aide.

-accepted the resignation of Dkota Wright as a bus driver and cleaner.

-appointed Christina Pearce to a 52-week probationary appointment as teacher aide and bus monitor.

-granted maternity leave to Danielle LaMere as of March 8 through the end of the current school year.

The board also approved the appointments of the coaches for winter sports.

Broyce Guerette was appointed for another year as coach of the varsity hockey team. Josh Tomkin will be his assistant and Evan LaBarge is again a volunteer coaching assistant.

Brian Bennett is returning for another year as varsity boys basketball coach and Hayden LaMere as junior varsity basketball coach. The modified team’s coach will be Grant Godin.

Travis Dupuis is again the girls basketball coach, and he will be helped as a volunteer by Carl Sorensen.

Amy Farrell and Hannah Klossner are again the indoor track coaches and Dennis Klossner was appointed again as the weightlifting coach.

The board adjourned to executive session that evening to consider tenure appointments, to be announced at an upcoming meeting.

Mayor bids adieu with thanks to many here

by Dan McClelland

“You folks are lucky tonight,” Mayor Paul Maroun told the dozen or so local government students attending Wednesday’s village board meeting. “Because this is my last meeting,” he explained to them.

He offered something of a brief swan song that evening.

“First of all I want to wish my successor, Mary (Fontana) the best of luck in your new term. It will be an experience for you. It’s a little different from town government. I’m sure you’ll enjoy it, as I have, and move Tupper Lake ahead,” the mayor began.

“I also want to thank my deputy mayor,” he said, nodding to Leon LeBlanc. He said the trustee has been his deputy during his entire term as mayor going back 13 years.

“Leon took care of things when I was ill, when I was away, and when I was in the hospital, when he called me every day.”

“I appreciate it, Leon. You did a great job!”

“My pleasure, Mr. Mayor!” Trustee LeBlanc told him.

“I also want to thank this board. I know sometimes we’ve argued on things but we’ve all worked to do what we thought was best for Tupper Lake and the entire community. We’ve had some different ideas on things over the years, just like you students do,” again pointing to the students in the room. “We don’t always agree on everything but we always try to do our best to help both the village and the town.

He also thanked the members of the previous boards that he had directed for their hard work and dedication to the jobs before them.

“I also want to thank our office staff who take the day to day complaints, the calls, yells and screams” about the bills they receive and for what the village has done or not done for them. “We have some great people on our staff in our office here.”

He thanked Electrical Superintendent Mike Dominie and his crew. They do a great job for us, year in and year out...in bad weather, wet weather, stormy weather. They dealing with high voltage...theirs is a dangerous job.”

He said he was proud that the entire electric crew is now fully trained and certified as linemen. “It’s been a long time since we’ve had that situation in place in the village!”

“In our water and sewer department, we’ve had some issues. We’re all working hard on them and hopefully they will all be corrected in a year or so,” he said of the brown well water and the toxic water from Little Simond Pond.

The mayor said that in addition to those troubling issues for that department, Superintendent Mark Robillard and his crew work very hard every day to tackle many other routine infrastructure problems like broken mains, sewers backing up. “We try to do the best we can, but we can’t break the law either like going on private property to work.”

The water and sewer crews do a great job as do Supervisor Bob DeGrace and his DPW crew- sometimes working “extra hard” to combat things like the ongoing vandalism in the park, as well as keeping up maintenance of our village streets and sidewalks.

“We all know we don’t have a big enough staff to do all the things we know we should do- but our crews all try to do the best they can with the monies available to them.”

“Our police department has done an extraordinary job in recent years….Chief, thank you. We don’t have a full-time police department and we’re still hopeful we may soon be able to pick up a few more officers to go full-time again.” With the one-shift and fewer officers they are all working harder, and with the way the state justice system is now and the bail reform, law enforcement is a much more difficult task today.

As for our volunteer fire department, “these guys and gals are available night and day, 24 hours a day, when asked. They don’t get paid anything...it’s all volunteer service.” He told Chief Royce Cole he and his team have done an excellent job keeping people safe and saving buildings during his time as mayor. As a long-time member of the department, he promised the chief he’ll participate more now that he’s leaving public office, in department service and functions. “I’m going to have time to go to more fires now,” he said, joking: “so don’t throw me out yet!”

“Our firefighters do a great job for us!”

He said while the village doesn’t formally operate the Tupper Lake Emergency and Rescue Squad, “they are an integral part of our community, and so important to residents here.

“You don’t have a good community, if you don’t have emergency services!”

He told the senior students in the room he hoped some of them would find time in their adult lives to give back to their communities through volunteer services to public agencies and organizations.

The mayor said to the students who manage to stay in Tupper Lake he hoped they will volunteer their spare time to help these many important agencies here.

“We’ve had many grants won by the village during my time here- and perhaps as many as any mayor in recent years. So I’d like to thank Melissa McManus, our community development director.” He said she has landed many grants for the village for infrastructure and recreational improvements this past decade or so, “and she does a great job!”

“Melissa knows how to write a grant, she knows how to employ it and she knows how to talk to people in Albany, in Washington and even in Malone who award them to get us more money and work for our betterment.”

“Last but not least, I couldn’t have done my job, and I don’t think anyone around this board table could have either, without the help of Mary Casagrain.” He said Tupper Lake has never had a village manager, but the village clerk manages the day to day intertwinings of the village, plus Mary, as treasurer, works on all the numbers of all the departments. “She works with me at meetings every day. Takes calls from me in the evenings and at night...we both stay up late. So Mary thank you for everything you have done for me and the village over the years!”

“Serving as a village official isn’t easy. People are demanding...some things we can provide for them and some things we legally can’t! I’ve tried to bend the rules as much as I can without a police office arresting me, but there are some things you just can’t do. -And people don’t always understand that!”

He told his board members how his and theirs have not been easy jobs, “but I think we’ve all tried to do our best we can for the community!”

The outgoing mayor promised a major announcement for later this week that he said he thinks the community will be very interested to hear.

“I want to thank all of you and the community for giving me the opportunity to serve Tupper Lake!”

Kiwanis Club inviting kids to have “Lunch with Santa”

The Tupper Lake Kiwanis Club will host a “Lunch with Santa” on Saturday, November 25. The chance to meet the Jolly Ol’ Gent before Christmas is free and open to all children in the area. The lunch, courtesy of the service organization, will run from 11a.m. to 1p.m. and will be held at the Holy Name Parish Center at 40 Marion Ave., the former HGA.

Veterans Day speaker Jim Kucipeck delivers moving, heart-felt message about facts of Vietnam War

by Dan McClelland

Mark Moeller, one of the community’s most active veterans and the MC at Saturday’s Veterans Days ceremony at the veterans park had the honor of introducing the guest speaker- Tupper native and community leader, James Kucipeck.

“Jim’s a baby boomer, born in 1946 to Peter and Gladys Kucipeck. He attended Tupper Lake High School, graduating in 1965, where upon he entered the U.S. Air Force. Jim served two tours overseas, one in Kusson, Korea and then in Fom Rong and Fu Pat in South Vietnam in 1967-68.

“Jim went on to attend college though the G.I. bill, first at North Country Community College, and then SUNY Albany where he completed his bachelor’s degree. He continued at SUNY Albany to win his master’s degree in education. Jim taught business and technology courses at Tupper Lake High School for 31 years, retiring in 2004. He served two terms as town councilman from 1980 to 1987. He was also a member of the Tupper Lake Library Board and served terms as its president. Jim served for a time on the town’s board of assessment review and on the board of directors of the Adirondack Regional Federal Credit Union.

“Jim’s been married for 54 years to Betsy Rule and they have three daughters.

“So to sum it up Jim is a native born Tupper Laker and is a Vietnam veteran. He’s an educator who taught our children throughout his career. He’s a community leader. He was my wife’s favorite teacher and just all-round good guy.”

Mr. Kucipeck began by thanking the crowd for coming out on a cold morning.

He also thanked the American Legion post, sponsor of this year’s event for his invitation to speak, the VFW post for its organizational help and Pastor Wilburn for his words.

The day’s speaker also thanked the leaders of the village and town- both past and present. He wished the Marine Corp “a happy birthday.”

He made a little fun of the ragged Vietnam cap he wore that morning “because we were an irreverent lot!”

“Right, Leon?” he said, addressing retired Marine and village leader, Leon LeBlanc, who was standing along the State Theater wall that morning with about 12 other local veterans. Deputy Mayor LeBlanc also served in Vietnam.

Mr. Kucipeck began:

“After reading “The Good War,” by Studs Terkel about the experiences of people during World War II, I thought of the experiences of my generation during the Vietnam War.

He said he hoped his comments that day would reflect the before, during and aftermath of that war.

“This is not only my story, but a collection of stories of my buddies, friends and co-workers who served in Vietnam.

“The book, The Good War, is based on the premise that World War II united people around the world against Germany and Japan. Certainly no war is good. Congress declared war on December 11, 1941 and our mothers, fathers, aunts and uncles met the call and we know the result: victory in the spring of 1945.

“Congress, by contrast, never declared war in Vietnam. I’ve heard it said that Vietnam was not a real war. I beg to differ!

“There were 58,220 men and women who came home in coffins. There were 150,000 wounded and 1,600 missing in action. -And all the rest of us left mentally and emotionally scarred!

“The Vietnam War was so controversial that we were disrespected after we came home. What I’m about to tell you are not war stories, but who we were before, during and coming home. It’s a frank discussion we all need to have about what Vietnam did to us!”

He continued with what he called a few facts about the war.

“The first U.S. involvement in Vietnam and southeast Asia was in the 1950s, when the average Vietnam vet was only ten years old. The first U.S. troops were Marines who landed in DeNang on March 8, 1965. Most of us were still in high school!

“There were two million, seven hundred thousand men and women who served in Vietnam. Only 850,000 are still alive today. The average age of them is 77.

“We are dying at a rate of 390 each day!

“The first American was killed in Vietnam in 1961. I was a sophomore in high school. The last American was killed in Vietnam on April 29, 1975- the last of the 58,220 American who were killed in that war.

“The oldest man killed was 62 years of age. The youngest man killed was only 15. Five more were killed who were only 16 years old. They lied about their age to join.

“I want you to think about that and look at the band members here who are all about 15 or 16 years old,” he told the crowd that day.

“The average age of those who were killed was 23. I turned 21 there.

“In 1967 and 1968 when I was there, there were 549,000 men and women serving there- the largest number of any time during the war.

“Seventy-six percent of those who were there were from lower-middle class or working class families. Sixty-six percent of those were volunteers. Seventy percent of all those killed in the war were volunteers. There were 59 women killed in Vietnam...not many people know that.

“Nine hundred and 97 who served were killed on their first day in Vietnam. There were 1,448 were killed on their last day they were to serve there. The last combat troops left Vietnam on March 29, 1973.

Saigon fell on April 30th, 1975, approximately 10 years after the first troops landed.

“I know that statistics are boring, but you must know the facts to understand that it was a real war.

“I arrived in Vietnam June of 1967, coming directly from a 13-month tour in Korea and landed at Tan Sanh Nhut Air Base in Saigon. It was 90 plus degrees F. and 80% plus humidity. That was typical of all of Vietnam from the Mekong Delta in the south to the Demilitarized Zone in the north. I spent the first night listening to incoming rockets and mortars and watching our aircraft rain down fire on the Viet Cong.

“ The next morning, we moved out around the country to places with mysterious sounding names like Long Binh, Cu Chi, Phu Cat, Phan Rang, Kontum, the Central Highlands, Can Tho, Ca Mau, and to the countless and nameless fire bases around the country. The Marines typically went up country to Danang, Phu Bai, Chu Lai, Hue’ and Quang Tri. I caught a flight down to Phan Rang, my duty station for the next 12 months.

“In my next comments, I am only going to use the first name of my buddies, school chums and co-workers and where they were located. I am sure that I will miss some but that was not intended as there are 184 names on the memorial (behind me). Most of these guys I grew up with, lived here, and/or worked with.

“Mike, Leon, Wayne, Craig, Johnny, Terry, Rudi, and Pierre were with the Marines up around the DMZ, Phu Bai, Chu Lai and Khe Sanh.

“George was down in the Mekong Delta.

“Art and Eddy were up country flying choppers.

“Phil was at Long Binh.

“We lost Steve Valliere in 1966, up country with the Marines south of the DMZ.

“Danny was shot down while flying in a chopper. Mike was with the Wolfhounds around Cu Chi. Bobby and Jeff were with the 101st Airborne around Phu Bai.

“Barry got hit while on patrol around Cu Chi. Craig and Pierre were wounded while on patrol with the Marines up North around the DMZ. Glen was with the Navy was out in the Gulf of Tonkin with the 7th Fleet. Neil and Charlie were with me in Phan Rang and Phu Cat.

“One of my buddies, and I won’t even mention his first name, was on missions outside of the borders of Vietnam- in Laos, Cambodia, and North Vietnam.

“I was located at 2 separate places, Phan Rang and Phu Cat.

“Wayne Soucy, a high school friend, and I were in the same place for a period of time at Phan Rang. Incidentally, Wayne was in Vietnam twice.

“I think by now that you realize that the entire country of Vietnam was at war, a guerrilla war, and it was all around us!

“But who are these Vietnam vets, really?

“We are ‘boomers- Baby Boomers’, born between 1946 and 1960, the children of WW II vets who won the “Good War!”

“We came of age during the 60’s. It was a heady and exciting time to grow up. Tupper Lake was a thriving and bustling community. We were all about part-time jobs, playing sports, going to the beach, it was babes, the Beatles, the Beach Boys, muscle cars, going to the movies, hanging out at the “A” (the Altamont Dairy Bar), hanging out on the school wall, dances, and the best damn music ever!

“All of that changed for us in August of 1964 with the Gulf of Tonkin incident, a clash between the North Vietnamese and the U S Navy- the discussion of which I will leave to the historians to debate.

“Under President Johnson, Marines landed combat troops at Danang on March 8th, 1965. Most of my generation was still in high school. I graduated in June of 1965.

“After high school, some of us were drafted into military service, some of us enlisted in the military, some got medical deferments to avoid the draft, some got married to avoid the draft, some protested and burned their draft cards, some went to Canada, and others by the “luck of the draw” never did anything and stayed home.

“One close friend, who on the day he graduated from high school, left for the Marine Corp. One year later, to the day, he was in Vietnam. You might say it was his senior class trip….sad!

“I know at this point you would like to know what it was like during our time in Vietnam. Everyone had a different experience. I said early on that there would be no blood and guts war stories. Combat vets have their own stories and probably will not share them with you. Support personnel like me will share a story or two.

“Vietnam is a small country that was totally at war from the DMZ to the Mekong Delta and included Laos and Cambodia in which a secret war took place unbeknownst to the American public. Of course, we bombed North Vietnam from Thailand, and Guam and from the Gulf of Tonkin by the 7th Fleet. We bombed the Ho Chi Minh Trail which ran from North Vietnam, into Laos, Cambodia and finally into South Vietnam. We bombed the Sihanouk Trail out of Cambodia. Battles took place in the Central Highlands, along the borders with Laos and Cambodia, down in the MeKong Delta, in the jungles, in cities and small villages across the country. There are thousands of heart-breaking stories that are shared between vets and not shared with you. Countless books have been written about the Vietnam War, for and against, and about that war.

“I must tell you that I was a non-combatant. I worked with explosives, rockets, and napalm. It took 10 to 15 personnel to support every single pilot and combat soldier in Vietnam. As far as my part in the war, I was stationed at Phan Rang and Phu Cat. I supported Air Force missions that flew ground support for our combat troops, interdiction missions along the Ho Chi Minh Trail. We bombed Vietnam and surrounding countries 24/7. I was a ‘buck sergeant’, crew chief, in charge of five GI’s and 10 Vietnamese Nationals. We assembled explosives, 500-pound bombs, napalm, rockets, and everything else that exploded. We worked 12 or more hours a day and longer if necessary, and during TET, the Vietnamese Lunar New Year, around the clock, to support our missions. We assembled and flew hundreds of tons of munitions a day and we were only one of 10 air bases in South Vietnam.

“I have tried to convey this to you and help you understand what it was like to be there, but that was only my experience and everyone who was there has their own story to tell.

After a year in Vietnam, we were finally going home. The 1st Shirt (1st Sergeant) or “Top” called you in and told you to ‘stand down, turn in your gear, pack your bag, you are going home!’ At that point you had to catch a ride via a truck, chopper, or plane to Danang, or to Saigon or to Cam Ranh Bay for the “Freedom Bird” and home.

“One day in Vietnam and the next moment on a flight back to the ‘World’. No time to decompress! Our spirits were so high that we did not need jet engines to lift off. Once airborne the pilot announced that we had cleared Vietnamese airspace. You cannot believe the range of emotions expressed after twelve long months, hooting, hollering, tears, and dead silence by some about going home and buddies left behind and those who would never make it home alive. Some of us landed at Travis AFB near San Francisco or McChord AFB near Seattle. We did not expect a parade, nor did we get one!

“What we got instead was unexpected, met by protesters carrying signs and heckled with the word: ‘baby killer. We were spit upon, had urine thrown on us, as well feces! Some of us were even told not to wear our uniforms while traveling home to protect us from being harassed.

“For me it was quite different. It was June 4, 1968, and no one paid any attention to us as Robert Kennedy had just been murdered and all eyes were glued to the TVs in the airports. I flew from Seattle, to Chicago, to New York City, finally to Albany and to catch a bus to Saranac Lake. The trip home was in stark contrast to the landscape of Vietnam. We traveled up Rte. 9, hitting every little small town along that rural route. I was mesmerized at our beautiful Adirondack landscape.

“I was in a world of my own as I was overseas for 25 months in Korea and Vietnam, hoping nothing had changed at home.

“Reality soon set in as the bus driver let me off in Saranac Lake at the main intersection. I grabbed my bag and stepped off the bus to 50-degree temperatures after leaving Cam Ranh Bay at one hundred degrees F. the day before.

“What followed is still vividly clear to me to this very day. I was standing on the bridge in Saranac Lake, hitch hiking home when a driver stopped, and I opened the door. He asked me where I was coming from and I, of course, replied: Vietnam. At that point he asked me ‘how many babies did you kill’ and uttered an expletive at me and drove off. I was dumfounded and thought: ‘Welcome home Jim!’

“Another car approached and I was reluctant to open its door, but it was getting late, and I was freezing. The driver did see what just occurred seconds earlier and I recounted my story. He was an off-duty state police officer, he told me to get in and took me right to the door of my home.

“My parents greeted me, but it was not what I expected. I am not sure what I expected, though, to be honest. I felt as if they thought I had gone out of town for the day. I had been gone for 25 months. Home was not the same anymore and never would be. No one, family and friends included, wanted to talk about Vietnam and what it was like. There was little or no emotional support from my community!

“Only returning Vietnam vets home at the same time congregated at the local bars would talk about Vietnam and all that happened to us. People felt uncomfortable around us as we spoke of Vietnam and the war. They did not understand, they weren’t there!

“Our Vietnam experiences, for some, brought on Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Some of it can be expressed as anger, anxiety, depression, rage, crying, night terrors, survivors’ guilt, startle response, panic, irritability, just to name a few. If you want to know more of the manifestations of PTSD, research it!

“Vietnam vets have a saying: ‘you can leave Vietnam, but Vietnam never leaves you!’ We have ‘triggers’ that evoke emotions and memories, sights, and sounds that take us back to a time and place in Vietnam. Triggers like the sound of a ‘chopper’, helicopter to you, loud explosions heard during Fourth of July celebrations, 60’s music. Incidentally, the iconic anthem of the Vietnam War is the song ‘We gotta’ get outa’ this place’ by the Animals. It takes me back to Vietnam in a heartbeat. A label in my clothing, ‘Made in Vietnam’, does too...how ironic!

“As 70 year olds, all we are left with are memories, and whether we admit it or not, PTSD, and the effects of Agent Orange. Vietnam was a traumatic experience in our lives and left an indelible mark on our psyche. I have PTSD, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. I did not know that I had it until a friend of ours pointed it out. Once diagnosed, I spent 18 months in therapy, twice per month, with a VA therapist. I am better now; I know how to manage it! My ‘shrink’ told me that I had to talk about it, and this is part of the reason that I am doing this presentation. I must thank my wife of 54 years, Betsy, and my daughters Ann, Julie and Mary Kay for putting up with Vietnam. I love you!

“PTSD is not the only thing that Vietnam gave us. It exposed us to Agent Orange! The military called it Operation Ranch Hand! It is a defoliant sprayed by planes, choppers, trucks and by hand to deny the enemy of their hiding places. We were all exposed to it, some more than others. We wallowed in it, it was in the air, it was in the mud and dirt, it was in the dust, it was where we slept, and in our food. Eleven million gallons were sprayed over twenty million acres. Approximately 2.7 million Vietnam vets were exposed it and genetically to our children. The irony of it is the government knew early on that AO was potent and dangerous.

“There is a lengthy list of medical issues associated with Agent Orange: heart issues;

cancers (we lost Wayne Soucy a number of years ago to cancer from AO), Diabetes,Peripheral neuropathy, birth defects, hypertension, Parkinson’s disease, thyroid issues and many medical terms I cannot even pronounce.

Plus some medical issues they are just discovering.

“For me, my medical condition from AO is Peripheral Neuropathy. it is in my lower legs and feet.

“I have spoken to you about Vietnam from my own perspective and that of my brother Vietnam vets. I hope that you understand a little bit more about us and what we went through, about coming home and how we were treated and what Vietnam did to us. These are my own experiences and recollections and experiences of my brother vets who were willing to share some of their own stories with me.

“In closing I want to share with you the lyrics of a song recorded by Charlie Daniels, ‘Still in Saigon,’ that sums up the Vietnam experience for some veterans. I have taken a few liberties with the lyrics of this song, and I read it as a poem.

“Got on a plane in 'Frisco 
And got off in Vietnam 
I walked into a different world 
The past forever gone

I could have gone to Canada 
or I could have stayed in school 
But I was brought up differently. 
I couldn't break the rules

 13 months and fifteen days. 
The last ones were the worst. 
One minute I'd kneel down and pray 
And the next I'd stand and curse

.

“No place to run to 
where I did not feel that war. 
When I got home I stayed alone; 
and checked behind each door

; Cuz I'm still in Vietnam 
I am still in Vietnam 
in my mind!

The ground at home was covered in snow; 
and I was covered in sweat! 
My younger brother calls me a killer 
and my daddy calls me a vet! 

Everybody says I'm someone else; 
And I'm sick and there's no cure! 
Damned if I know who I am. 
There was only one place I was sure; 

When I was still in Vietnam
. I am still in Vietnam 
in my mind

! Every summer when it rains 
I smell the jungle, I hear the planes. 
I can't tell no one, I feel ashamed; 
Afraid someday I'll go insane

! That's been fifty long years ago 
And time has gone on by; 
Now and then I catch myself, 
Eyes searching through the sky. 

All the sounds of long ago 
Will be forever in my head, 
Mingled with the wounded cries. 
And the silence of the dead
...'Cuz I'm still in Vietnam, I am still in Vietnam 
In my mind

, I am still in Vietnam 
Yes, I'm still in Vietnam, 
in my mind

“Rest in peace, Craig!

“To all of my Vietnam brothers and sisters, something that you never heard when you came home: ‘WELCOME HOME!’

“Thank you for listening!”

Veterans’ Day observance Saturday

Tupper Lake will again observe Veterans Day on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month- and that’s Saturday at 11a.m. at the Veterans’ Park on Park Street. As usual the event will be attended by the Tupper Lake Veterans Honor Guard and the student members of the Tupper Lake High School band. Both the honor guard and the band brightly color and add pageantry to the national holiday which remembers the men and women of our military- both present and past.

Each year the four veterans posts here alternate hosting the Memorial Day and Veterans Day ceremonies here. Saturday is the American Legion Post’s turn.

Guest speaker this year will be native son, long time teacher, local veteran and former town councilman, Jim Kucipeck.

On Friday at 2p.m. veterans groups here will honor veterans who currently reside at the Mercy Living Center.

Tupper Lake’s Red & Black Players present fall one-act plays about actors and superheros on Wed. and Thurs., Nov. 8 & 9

“Drama Rehab” (from left): Ghost Switzer, Hannah Barber, Ayden Rabideau, John Fallon, Nevaeh Toohey, Cody Auclair, Raegan Fritts, Shae Arsenault, Haylee Callaghan, Ash Barber, Luka Lisinac, Ava Facteau, Cali Skiff, and Niko LaVigne. Missing from photo are cast members Eric LaBlanc, Gabe Collins, and Blake Wagner and crew members Alison Richer and Hannah Callaghan.

“Nemesis” cast & crew (in no order): Cast members include Aubrey Nadeau, Oliver Roberts, Bryce Richer, Gabby Frenette, Noah Switzer, Aubrey Beaulieu, Aubrey Bissonette, Eliza Bujold, Kaileigh Dukette, Lucy Frenette, Lucas Gardner, Raegan Hudak, Victoria Hudak, Martin Hughes, Yana Kucipak, Lacey Pickering, Lance Schaffer, Lawrence Sears, Madison Strack, Lily Wilber, Chloe Wilson, and Mariah Young. Crew members include Jack Dukette, Isabelle Sauvageau, Sophia Callaghan, Bella Charron, and Aubrey Chesbrough.

The Red and Black Players of the Tupper Lake Middle/High School again will present their fall one-act plays, with Drama Rehab: Revenge of the Type-cast Actors performed by the high schoolers and Will You Be My Nemesis? performed by the middle-school players. Performances are Wednesday and Thursday, Nov. 8 and 9, in the TLMHS auditorium, starting at 7 p.m. Admission at the door is $7 for adults, $5 for students and seniors, with 5 and under free.

The TLMHS auditorium is located at 25 Chaney Avenue in Tupper Lake.

Drama Rehab: Revenge of the Type-cast Actors by D. Tupper McKnight (no relation to Tupper Lake, as far as we know!) is a mysterious comedy with a distinctly unique twist. Teen Ingenue checks into Drama Rehab because she's sick of being typecast as the doe-eyed ingenue. Drama Rehab is the place where actors go to shed their stock character images and learn how to land the roles they've always wanted to play. The only problem is that no one ever leaves the facility, because no one seems to make any progress. Will the actors learn to break out of their stereotypical molds, or will they resort to murder first?

Drama Rehab: Revenge of the Type-cast Actors features a group of 20 high schoolers. Cast members are Raegan Fritts as Theatre Guru, Shae Arsenault as Teen Ingenue, Cody Auclair as Super Hero, Hannah Barber as Bimbo in Distress, Ayden Rabideau as Soldier #2, Nevaeh Toohey as Stage Mom, John Fallon as Reality Actress, Ghost Switzer as Laugh Track Guy, Haylee Callaghan as Wise Old Person, Niko LaVigne as Melodramatic Villain, Luka Lisinac as British Bobby, Ash Barber as Herr Direcktor, Ava Facteau and Cali Skiff as Aaron and Erin, the backup dancers, Eric LaBlanc as Lab Technician Dude, Gabe Collins as Stage Manager, and Blake Wagner as Director.

Crew members for Drama Rehab: Revenge of the Type-cast Actors are Alison Richer and Hannah Callaghan. The play is directed by George Cordes.

It’s hard to find your perfect match, someone you really connect with; someone who will dedicate their life to destroying you at all costs. Yes, sometimes it feels like you’ll never meet your nemesis … Will You Be My Nemesis? is a one-act comedy by Kathryn Funkhouser that the middle school members of the Red & Black Players are preparing this fall.

Under the direction of Director Elizabeth Cordes and Assistant Director Danielle LaMere, each member of the cast of Will You Be My Nemesis? is developing their hero or villain personas, battling to be chosen as the nemesis of Captain Battle or Dr. Nightmare. There is plenty of work for the crew members, too, creating many props and costumes to go along with these characters.

Middle-school cast members of Will You Be My Nemesis? are Aubrey Nadeau (Captain Battle), Oliver Roberts (Dr. Nightmare), Bryce Richer (Waiter), Gabby Frenette (Skirmish), Noah Switzer (Underling #42), Aubrey Beaulieu (Comet 1), Aubrey Bissonette (Fan), Eliza Bujold (Turbo), Kaileigh Dukette (the Possum), Lucy Frenette (the Pundertaker), Lucas Gardner (Logan the Thief), Raegan Hudak (Ultra), Victoria Hudak (Comet 2), Martin Hughes (Fallout), Yana Kucipak (Teal Redgrave), Lacey Pickering (Blue Steel), Lance Schaffer (Drill Sergeant), Lawrence Sears (Kit Calloway), Madison Strack (Firecat), Lily Wilber (RJ Boatsworth), Chloe Wilson (Comet 3), and Mariah Young (Xanderon).

Crew members of Will You Be My Nemesis? include Jack Dukette, Isabelle Sauvageau, Sophia Callaghan, Bella Charron, Aubrey Chesbrough, Rylee Bean, Jackson Rice, and Hannah Tyo.

Lighting for both plays will be provided by David Naone.

Drama Rehab: Revenge of the Type-cast Actors is presented through a special arrangement with Playscripts, Inc. Will You Be My Nemesis? is presented through a special arrangement with Stage Partners. Will You Be My Nemesis? will be presented first, with a short intermission between these one-acts.

Cheers after job well done

These are most of the selfless local folks Friday who donated their strong backs (which may have been sore the next day) to the relocation of appliances and food stuffs from the old food pantry in the basement of the Aaron Maddox Hall to new quarters in the former Holy Ghost Academy building.

When they gathered at the finish in the parking lot of the town-owned building, there were many cheers after a job well done and satisfaction that the pantry was now in a much better place. Watch for editorial and more photos in next week’s issue. Photo provided by Laurie Pickering.

Tupper Arts excited to announce very generous matching pledge of $75,000 from anonymous donor toward the Encore Campaign

Tupper Arts leaders are excited this week to announce that “Mr. and Mrs. Anonymous” have stepped forward to make a significant impact on our community by offering a matching pledge of $75,000. 
The anonymous benefactor’s $75,000 pledge serves as a heartfelt call to action, doubling the impact of every donation made by year-end. The generosity of this donor has not only multiplied the potential for a successful campaign, but also inspired others to join in.


This initiative has sparked a wave of unity, as other compassionate donors have eagerly come forward to contribute to the match.

When the match of $75,000 is met, the campaign will only be $50,000 shy of its $200,000 goal.

Lee and Nancy Keet who have pledged to donate the "last $25,000" toward the match, are among other donors who have seized the opportunity to make their contributions count twice over.


“We are profoundly grateful for the incredible generosity of this anonymous donation” said Louise McNally, founding past president of Tupper Arts. “This matching pledge has the power to amplify the impact of every donation, big or small. It is a testament to the spirit of giving that defines our community.”

The matching initiative has drawn support from the community, and there is still time for others to participate before the December 31 deadline.



Susan Delehanty, current president of Tupper Arts board of directors added, “This is a special moment for our community. We encourage everyone who believes in the power of collective giving to take advantage of this opportunity and become a part of this historic campaign. As we approach the year-end deadline, there is an invitation to join together as a community to ensure the State Theater will remain an integral part of Tupper Lake’s future. The matching pledge exemplifies the goodwill within our community, and the time for others to act is now.”

To make a contribution and have it matched, you can donate online at tupperarts.org, mail a check to Tupper Arts Inc, 106 Park St Tupper Lake, or drop in to pick up an Encore Campaign fundraising packet.


Coats for Kids handout days November 1, 2 and 3

The coats for kids that were gathered from the coat drive will be distributed at the Holy Ghost Parish (HGA) 40 Marion Street in the gymnasium on November 1st, 2nd, 3rd. There is no income requirement, meaning that anyone who needs a coat for their children and teens are welcome to come for winter clothing. We have coats, hats, mittens, scarfs, and some snow/ski pants available. This effort was organized by Family Matters Resource Center and The Tupper Lake Public Library. For more information contact Bethany Cassell at bcassell@ccccnc.org or 518.359.8167.

ROOST reps detail how data analysis benefits its marketing of Tupper Lake

by Dan McClelland

In somewhat of a repeat performance of when ROOST leaders made a presentation to the village board last month, they were at last week’s town board meeting.

Accompanying Michelle Clement, regional marketing director, and Katie Lalonde, marketing director for Tupper Lake and Hamilton County this time was not ROOST Chairman Jim McKenna but the Lake Placid-based promotional agency’s chief operating officer, Mary Jane Lawrence.

Based on the amount of coverage the Free Press had given in that day’s issue to their earlier presentation to the village, the trio offered an abbreviated program of all their work to promote this community.

“We were here in the spring to give you an overview of our program and today we wanted to follow up on some questions you had then and what we do for research” to build our programs, Mrs. Clement began that evening.

“We are going to go over some of the data we use and Katie will go deeper into the support we give Tupper Lake.”

She said the data they gather and analyze is designed to drive many of the decisions they make on the best ways to “execute the marketing for Tupper Lake.”

Mrs. Clement said one of their new tools for data analysis is a program called Zartico that they began using this year. “It allows us to track mobile devices,”- not individual ones but a look at total devices used here on visits by tourists.

“It gives us a snapshot of where the devices are moving- but in full disclaimer, we are not tracking any one person,” she told the town leaders. It is designed to give a sampling of tourist movement here and across the region.

Katie Lalonde showed a Zartico slide that showed this year 15.9% of Tupper visitors were from the Albany, Troy and Schenectady areas and their average view of the local web site to the time of visit was 38 days in advance. Fifteen percent of our visitors came from the Big Apple and their view of the web site averaged 33 days until their visit. Visitors from Rochester represented 8.4% of the visitors to Tupper this year and their average view of the site came 49 days before their arrival here. Syracuse visitors represented 11.8% of the tourist trade here this year and their average “view to visit” was 41 days.

Within each of those Designated Market Areas (DMAs), it can be accounted for how much each area spends in Tupper Lake, Michelle noted. “For example the Albany area accounts for 31% of the total visitor spend here- cash or credit cards. “That spending also skews much younger people than visitors from New York City.”

Many of the Albany visitors are young families, and so ROOST marketing directed to bring those folks here includes more family-oriented activities and those things will be promoted about 38 days ahead of any planned visitation.

She said too that their information about New York City that they use to coax those people to visit here includes a slightly older visitor with a higher income demographic.

“So we’ll do more of a higher end packaging- using some of our same attractions, but just alter how we package them!”

The Syracuse DMA is much like Albany area with a slightly smaller family income where visitors may be “more price savy” and looking for less expensive things to do on their visits here, according to the marketing pro. “They may be looking, for example, at a close to home destination where they can get a big bang for their buck!”

“So we’ll package our market a bit different” for them to address those goals.

Michelle said her agency also mines “credit card swiping” and other tourist expenditure data, which are very important to their task of “fine tuning their marketing for Tupper Lake.”

Another tool they use is what is called “web site analytics” which tracks who uses the Tupper Lake web site, how long they are on it, and what things, in particular, potential visitors are looking at, she explained.

ROOST, she said, does an annual leisure travel study” which gives it a look at the people responding to their e-mail blasts and their marketing campaign. It gives the staff members feedback to determine the “return on investment” from specific campaigns.

They showed another slide which showed a graphically-strong image of where people come from around the northeast to visit the Wild Center each year. The analysis showed the other places those visitors go when they are here and around their region during a typical visit. Those places included the Olympic jumping complex, Whiteface Mt., the Alpine Mall and Mirror Lake in Lake Placid, Fish Creek Campground, the Tupper Lake Municipal Park and Ausable Chasm.

“These are the kinds of things we look at to create those regional itineraries and road trips for people,” she explained.

“We also do a lot of surveying in gathering our research,” she continued.

She said between 2015 and 2019 ROOST did economic impact surveys each year for the Tupper Tinman, based on surveys sent to each participant after each year’s event. The work was resumed this year.

The survey this year showed that the tax collected from the 2023 event was up 53%. “Their total spend was up and more people were staying in Tupper Lake, compared with other locations. “-And that’s nice to see!”

“The average daily spend by the triathletes and the families was also up this year,” she said, noting that increased costs of goods and services has also increased this year with inflation.

“We get very specific feedback to provide you on the race. It includes improvements on the race by Laura (LaBarge) and her volunteers, and a lot of information that is bound to be helpful to the town.”

Michelle was asked if she felt that the blossoming number of short-term rentals in Tupper Lake has led to those growing Tinman numbers. She said the on-line booking reservations with those rentals are done somewhere else, and so those numbers aren’t found on the Zartico program which just tracks information generated locally.

“All this data tells us who to target, when to target them and the type of advertising content we want to direct at them,” she said of great value of this new data-tracking system.

Mary Lou Lawrence also explained they track closely the performance of the ads they place. “Our media buyer and our data analyst collaborate to look at how our ads are performing. If we see that something is not performing well and producing what we want them to produce, they make adjustments and they track it so there are as many eyes as possible who click through the activities of our campaigns.”

“We also track closely how many people go to our site, how long they are staying on it, and how they are moving through it,” Michelle added. She said ROOST launched a brand new web site for Tupper Lake last winter and it is constantly improving and adding new modules to it.

Katie Lalonde said ROOST recently took “a deep dive” into marketing with the publicity launched recently for the town’s Oktupperfest, working closely with Laura LaBarge and Christielee Geiger on the promotion of the October 14 event.

She said there was a lot “of push via social media” for the event.

Katie said with the new site at Flanders’ Park a ROOST photographer would be assigned to capture new footage for future promotional campaigns of the event.

“So next year’s ads will show the Brewfest, the hay rides, and all the fun there this year.”

Katie said ROOST has helped market the very successful Brewski in recent Februaries- growing attendance numbers into the thousands.

It will also be helping Town Councilman John Gillis promote a new cross-country race series this coming winter- six races at six venues. Details to come.

ROOST, she said, will again be helping the Sportsmen’s Club with digital registrations for the big Northern Challenge this coming February- as it has done every year in recent years.

It also does a number of e-mail blasts to past and present anglers of the big ice-fishing event.

She said ROOST also handles a similar e-mail registration program to promote the Tupper Tinman each year, with promotional updates during the 12 months before each year’s triathlon.

Katie also represents ROOST on the rail/trail preparedness committee created by Melissa McManus this past summer and on Seth McGowan’s Totality in Tupper eclipse preparation team.

Train returning to Tupper Lake twice this month

Repairs to the railway from Old Forge to Tupper Lake following the major storms in August will allow a limited restart of passenger excursion services to Tupper and back on Sunday October 22 and Sunday October 29, 2023.

“The efforts to repair the extensive washouts at two locations have been extraordinary,” said Frank Kobliski, president and general manager. “The High Peaks Limited, our premier return trip service from Utica to Tupper Lake, with a scheduled stop in Old Forge, will operate on the two dates. We have begun to contact passengers with ride credits from earlier cancelled trains to offer them first choice, prior to opening ticket sales to the public,” he added.

Mr. Kobliski said the teamwork by suppliers, the railroad’s business partner New York State Department of Transportation, and staff and volunteers are a testament to the importance of the new destination in the center of the Adirondack region.

“The foliage season will be over,” Mr. Kobliski stated. “However, the distant vistas are stunning and easier to see without leaves on the trees, and animal sightings increase too. We anticipate the community of Tupper Lake will welcome the restoration of service,” he added.

Customers are asked to check on the railroad’s website www.adirondackrr.com for tickets.

The Adirondack Railway Preservation Society, Inc. (ARPS) operates the Adirondack Railroad. It is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) volunteer-based organization with main offices in Utica, New York. Since 1992 it has provided a memorable experience for more than 1.85 million passengers, operating on the former New York Central Adirondack Division located in upstate New York.

Plenty of fun at town recreation department’s first Oktupperfest

There was something for everyone at Saturday’s Oktupperfest, hosted for decades here by the chamber of commerce but this year by the Town Recreation Department at Flanders Park. It was the first time the event has been staged there (see editorial this week).

Mother Nature cooperated in a big way, holding off the rain our area saw most days last week, and producing a fine autumn day with the mercury hovering in the mid-fifties by mid-afternoon.

For adults there was delicious craft beer prepared by a half dozen prominent breweries in our area- including the hometown favorite: Raquette River.

There was also live music by two bands, Backwoods Brass of Saranac Lake and Tupper Lake’s Third Shift, a recently reformed group here.

For kids the Oktupperfest held all sorts of fun, as these photos by Ben McClelland, Christielee Geiger and Lacy Dukett show. There were games, balloon animals, face-painting, sweet treats of all kinds, pumpkin painting and hay rides, courtesy of Vermont’s Lucky Clover Sleigh Rides, which recently purchased a hay wagon.

Vandalism now at epic proportions at municipal park, intentional damage spills over to historic trail

by Dan McClelland

The costly scourge of vandalism that has attacked the village municipal park with a vengeance since the start of summer continued unabated this past week and has spread over to the Tupper Lake Heritage Walking Trail, where several informative signs of Tupper’s history have been destroyed.

It has village leaders ready to pull out their hair, they are so frustrated.

The vandals had a field day late Tuesday or in the early morning hours Wednesday breaking in and damaging the door of the Riverpigs announcers’ booth, gifted to the village years ago by the Tupper Lake Woodsmen’s Association. They apparently used a knife to destroy the lock area. Once inside the two-story building they removed cases of soft drinks, the sale of which the baseball team used as a fundraiser. They went upstairs and removed four large boxes filled with 1000 souvenir t-shirts the team also sells. Estimated value of the shirts is approximately $5,000.

Fortunately they didn’t touch the expensive public address system.

The vandals drank many of the sodas and left the cans strewn all over the entrance area of the park and around the dug outs. The main floor area of the announcer’s building was strewn with debris. Several pieces of furniture- chairs and tables and benches- were smashed.

“It’s absolutely insane,” Police Chief Eric Proulx said Wednesday morning surveying the damage.

He said seldom does a morning pass that Department of Public Works Chief Bob DeGrace doesn’t find evidence of vandalism in the local park, he said.

He said vandalism “has become an every day thing this summer. Every morning Bob (DeGrace) calls me and says: ‘you won’t believe what happened again!’”

Vandals strike almost daily, he said it seems.

The money it’s costing the village employees to make the repairs, material costs and the amount of time his officers are spending to find these culprits is approaching “ridiculous.”

A week or so ago vandals broke through one of the washrooms in the restroom building in the outer ball field and stole thousands of dollars of DPW maintenance machinery and equipment. Fortunately the local police department apprehended the felons the next day and retrieved most of the stolen goods.

The village now has about 10 cameras at various points around the park and some of the culprits have been identified.

If he or one of his officers don’t recognize the kid, then he takes their photo to the school where they are identified.

“My plan is for the village to start issuing orders of ‘no trespassing’ around the park. “If the parents don’t stop their kids from coming here and damaging the place, I am going to arrest them for endangering the welfare of a child….I don’t know what else to do!”

For next summer, he said he has had some volunteers contact him recently who are willing to patrol the park with radios to alert the police when they spot vandals damaging the park.

The chief said, however, he has some concerns about that. “I see how the kids talk to adults who approach them” and he worries an altercation could occur after the village’s shift ends at 7p.m. He said the state police rarely attend to incidents in the village park.

“I have a group of 20 kids right now” that I’m waiting to meet with the mayor so we can serve their parents.”

He said all summer the teenagers have been hanging out on Demars Blvd. near the park. It makes it “look like a circus” is going on between 7p.m. and 10p.m. every night.

“We started this summer by putting magnetic door locks on the bathrooms so they could be put on a time schedule, so we don’t have to pay someone to lock those doors every night.”

He said the doors with those locks were designed to repel a force of 600 pounds. “But the kids were popping those doors open” like they were closet doors.

The chief said with the arrival of October they figured that when the village park worker, Arty Sparks, left for the day at 3p.m. he could lock and dead bolt the doors.

“Now every day the kids go over to those doors, put their feet up against the wall and try to pull off the dead bolts! It’s insane!”

Last week as the vandalism moved to the new historic walking trail that connects the uptown and downtown areas, at least three of the expensive and decorative signs were destroyed. The heritage trail is a valuable tourism amenity that outlines the people and populations who founded this town. The project was underwritten by the Aseel Family Fund as a gift to the community. In several cases the sturdy metal-supported signs were pushed over. Holes were created in several. In at least one case, the message board was ripped entirely from the standards that supported it.

Trustee David “Haji” Maroun, the chairman of the “Keepers of the Diamond” which is the big support group here for the Riverpigs, stopped at the park about 7p.m. Tuesday and the gate to the ball field was open. He said he checked the area out and saw no vandalism, so he locked the gate.

He drove by about 11p.m. and saw a bunch of kids hanging around but there didn’t seems to be any foul play. None were around the announcer’s booth, he noted.

Chief Proulx said he ran the footage of a camera at the diamond and up to 11p.m. that night nothing was going on. “So the vandalism had to have happened in the middle of the night!”

Anyone with information about these culprits is asked to call the village police department.

Oktupperfest/Brewfest at Flanders Park Saturday; park your cars in outer municipal park

by Dan McClelland

The town recreation department is combining two very tried and true successful fall events into one this weekend when the Oktupperfest/Brewfest will be staged in Flanders Park.

This is the first year that the now town-sponsored event has been staged in Flanders Park. In recent years it was successfully staged by the Tupper Lake Chamber of Commerce at the golf course and for decades in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s at the Big Tupper Ski Center.

It’ll be the second time in as many weeks that Tupper Lakers and their visitors have a chance to celebrate in traditional Bavarian style. This past weekend saw three big Oktoberfest days at Raquette River Brewing. Despite steady rain all day Saturday, the event saw two drier days on both flanks and the arrival of hundreds of merrymakers to enjoy the live music and myriad fun activities.

The town recreation department’s big event Saturday will feature craft beer from notable North Country brewers include Raquette River Brewing, Hex and Hop, Nine Pin, Big Slide, Maple Brewing and Lake Placid Pub and Brewery.

In addition to the Brewfest components of Saturday’s event will be a monster dash, hay rides, a bounce house, a craft fair, food trucks on site and more. The weather looks like it may cooperate for an afternoon of outdoor fun Saturday, noon to 6p.m.

The streets adjacent to Flanders Park- the lower lengths of Cliff and Mill below Lake Street and Martin Street will all be closed to vehicular traffic and parking, by order of the village board at the organizers’ request, to provide enough staging area for the annual event. Local traffic for residents there will, of course, be permitted.

Recreation Director Laura LaBarge said she and her team of organizers are encouraging people to park in the outer area of the municipal park, west of the ball field and across from McDonald’s Restaurant. People can walk from their cars behind the ball park fences and across the Little Loggers playground to Flanders Park and its bandshell, from where live music will entertain guests all afternoon.

The shoreline walkway will also be closed that afternoon in order for the hay ride operator to make runs along it.

Mrs. LaBarge said she has timed the walk from the public restrooms to Flanders Park and its only three minutes- and a shorter distance when the event was staged at the golf course. She promises plenty of signage to direct people that afternoon to designated pedestrian paths.

DRI’s “Energize Uptown” project awards announced; Over $495,000 awarded to six projects

The Village of Tupper Lake and the Franklin County Economic Development Corp. (FCEDC) are thrilled to announce the Tupper Lake Energize Uptown Fund (Energize Uptown) awards this week.

Energize Uptown is an initiative that will provide matching grants for interior and exterior building improvements, site upgrades and enhancements, as well as business assistance.

The village was awarded $600,000 through the Tupper Lake Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI) for the project. FCEDC will administer the fund on behalf of the village. This transformative endeavor will leverage both public and private funds, resulting in an investment of over $1,200,000 in Tupper Lake.

Awards include:

*$100,00 to China Wok (99 Park Street) for façade renovations and interior commercial renovations.

*$147,500 to Broaster Chicken on Park (105 Park Street owned by Kim and Nelson Landry) for façade renovations, creation of an outdoor dining space and interior commercial renovations.

*$140,000 to Frary Funeral Home (24 Cliff Avenue) for façade renovations and equipment to expand business operations.

*$100,000 to Three Lakes Holdings LLC, Flink Maswick Law PLLC, (56 Lake Street) for façade renovations, landscaping and interior commercial renovations.

*$10,300 to Greg Gachowski (82-86 Park Street) for façade improvements.

There is still $42,000 in funding available, and the Village of Tupper Lake and FCEDC will be accepting a second round of applications until November 8th. More information, including the application and program guidelines, can be found at https://adirondackfrontier.com/doing-business/financial-resources/main-street-program/

Mayor Paul Maroun said, “We are so pleased with the quality of the projects that were awarded funding and we can’t wait to see how the completed projects contribute to the continued transformation of Park Street. We express appreciation to New York State for believing in our community and investing $10 million in Downtown Revitalization Initiative funds to support Tupper Lake.

FCEDC CEO Jeremy Evans said, “We congratulate the Village of Tupper Lake and all of the grant awardees. Tupper Lake is truly on the rise and we look forward to working with the project sponsors to complete their projects. This project is another way FCEDC has been able to support downtown revitalization across Franklin County through the Adirondack Frontier Main Street Program.”

About the Franklin County Economic Development Corp.

FCEDC is a unifying economic development organization that helps entrepreneurs start and grow businesses, fosters a shop-local, community-first culture, and works to attract visitors with the hope they’ll become locals. Through the Adirondack Frontier Main Street Program, FCEDC provides strategic planning support, technical assistance, funding support and promotes placemaking.

Family Matters, local library collecting warm winter apparel for children, teens here

by Dan McClelland

The Family Matters Resource Center and the Tupper Lake Public Library have teamed up this fall to keep kids warmer this winter.

The two agencies have embarked on what they are calling a “Winter Coat Drive,” but it includes more than just coats.

They are looking to the community to donate what they are calling “gently used and like new winter items,” which include coats, hats, gloves, ski pants, mittens and every type of outdoor apparel.

Donated items are being collected at Family Matters’ headquarters in the former Holy Ghost Academy building at 40 Marion Ave. and at the local library on Lake Street. At the former HGA there is box in the entrance area to accept clothing or monetary donations.

Clothing sizes they are seeking are infant to size 14/16.

Many parents have good clothing their kids have grown out of and which are in very good shape, noted Bethany Cassell who directs Family Matters.

“We’re focussing mostly on children but are accepting teenager-sized winter clothing as well.” Some teenagers may fit into adult clothing so we’ll take some of that as well, she noted.

Family Matters is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to the needs of parents and their children. It is funded by the United Way and the Office of Children and Families, plus others.

It is sponsored by the Child Care Coordinating Council and the main office is in Plattsburgh. There are also offices here and in Malone.

Family Matters offers play groups open to any parent or caregiver and the children under their care. “The kids get to play, socialize and we do a variety of activities,” according to Mrs. Cassell, who herself is a mother of eight. Some of Bethany and Michael’s kids are adults now and their baby is six.

She noted she took her own kids to play groups when they were younger- so the activities she directs at Family Matters are a natural continuation of that.

She said the idea of a clothing drive came from some of the parents in their program who have developed an informal clothing lending program.

“Someone may have clothing in good shape they don’t need or that their children have outgrown and someone else may need it. It’s a wonderful resource for local families. It’s better for the environment as the clothes aren’t discarded. It helps parents clothe their children without having to purchase new clothes for them.

She said seeing all these parents coming together to help each other out, they thought they could take the clothing drive to the entire community so that all kids here have warm clothes for this winter.

Monetary donations are also most welcome, notes Courtney Carey, the library director who has expanded the library offerings to offer a number of new services during her time here. Checks or cash can be dropped off at the library or at the Family Matters office. Checks should be made out to the Tupper Lake Public Library.

Donations of cash or checks should be made before October 16 so that there’s time to order new clothing. Distribution of the warm pieces of apparel will be at the former HGA building gymnasium on November 1, 2 and 3. “People can just stop in and take what they need for their children,” Mrs. Cassell explained.

Clothing donations will be collected through October 31, Ms. Carey noted.

“We’re primarily looking for clean, like new or gently used winter outdoor clothing of all types,” according to the library director. “No rips or tears and zippers should be in working order!”

As to how many articles of winter clothing they need, Mrs. Cassell said: “We’re just hoping there’s enough so that every parent who shows up in the former gym on those three days in early November will find out what they need for their children.

“We’re hoping for a lot of clothing donations

For more information on the winter drive Mrs. Cassell can be contacted at bcassell@cccnc.org or the organization’s office at (51) 359-8167.

Town exploring housing grant possibilities

by Dan McClelland

The town is exploring new housing grant opportunities to help property owners fix up their houses, in the fashion the community’s many Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Small Cities Block Grant programs have in the past.

Councilman John Gillis explained to his colleagues this month some of the housing grant programs now available.

He said earlier this month he met with the town’s new economic development director, Melissa McManus and Michelle Capone of the Development Authority of the North Country (DANC) who runs its housing arm- writing and administering grants.

“We discussed possible avenues that Tupper Lake could explore, and it really comes down to the nuances between which avenue you take versus what the requirements are.”

He said in some housing assistance programs, “they take a mortgage on the property if you are awarded a grant, so the homeowner doesn’t turn around and flip the renovated property.”

“We talked a lot about Michelle’s experience” in the various programs. “Right now she’s working with three or four municipalities in the region.”

He said the DANC housing pro has brought a lot of rewards to many St. Lawrence County communities in terms of housing programs.

The two programs she recommended were the state’s Affordable Housing Corp. and the Community Development Block Grant program. “Each has different niches and different requirements!”

“She has also suggested we go for a funding level of $400,000.”

He said the village is just completing such a program.

Any new town grant program based on what we can get done in the two and one year time line of the grant program.

“You get these grants and you only have that period of time to get the work done. Capacity-wise, we don’t have all kinds of contractors here who want to jump on these grants, and some of them who don’t want to.”

He said the grants typically open in the spring or summer, with awards announced in the fall or early winter.

“To get a head start, the town, as lead agency, could contract with DANC to research and write the appropriate grant application. The cost would not exceed $3,500. DANC would then do a press release to let local residents know about the availability of the rehab grants for their houses.”

Mr. Gillis said DANC staff would also assemble the applications and get all applicants set up for the program. “We want to make sure we have a waiting list of qualified applicants to show the need in the community for the grant!”

He said once all the applicants for the housing help have been assembled, DANC will determine the best program to apply to for the grants.

“If we are successful in winning a grant, DANC will do all the administration and project delivery.”

He estimated that each applicant could receive as much as $40,000 in rehabilitation funds for their house.

All contractors selected to participate in the program must carry workers’ compensation and liability insurance. He said they must also be trained in “lead-safe practices.”

The councilman said the town can get a leg up on its applications by first doing what he called “a housing condition study.”

“If we can get volunteer to do it, what Michelle suggested was, after taking some training, the person would a smart phone in various neighborhoods and visit 20% of the houses in Tupper Lake.”

He said the volunteer would take a photo of each house using the phone and describe it. When the picture is taken, the cell phone automatically geo-locates it and adds it to GIS data base.

“If we can get a volunteer to do that, it would save the town $1,500.”

He recommended the town budget $3,500 to hire DANC in its new budget, currently under development.

The village has won a number of housing grants over the years and the town has won some.

Councilwoman Tracy Luton asked him what sorts of renovations could be done by homeowners with the new grant funds and was told they must be major ones: roofs, windows and doors, insulation, heating and electrical upgrades.

“It’s not going to be a bathroom remodel. It’s going to be things that are necessities,” Mr. Gillis told her.

He said too the money will come as an outright grant, providing the homeowner continues to occupy and own that property for a set time period.

“The Affordable Housing program has one period and the Small Cities program a different one,” according to the councilman.

He said too once the housing condition survey is completed, the DANC housing staff can determine which agency’s program is more appropriate for Tupper Lake and more likely to be funded.

“Michelle said if we do our homework between now and the spring, we have a better chance for success when we apply.”

Supervisor Rickey Dattola promised the $3,500 appropriation to hire DANC to apply for these grants and administer them when they are awarded will be talked about as the board prepares its budget for 2024 in coming weeks.

In another housing matter he said there is currently an important tax exemption- called Section 457. “It’s very simple. If our three governments pass a local law that is already state-approved, and a first-time homebuyer wants to build a house or renovate an old one, the governments assess the property at 50% of its full value and it takes five years to grow to the full value assessment.

“It doesn’t hurt our tax base one bit, because it’s for vacant land, where a new house would be built, or for a house that is distressed, and would likely be leaving the tax roll soon.”

He said to put the new program in place would require creating with the village and school district a new local law. The program could start as early as January 1, 2024. The supervisor said he believes village and school officials are also interested in the new program that eventually grows the local tax base and creates new and renovated housing here.

“I’m going to stay on this and try to get it done!”

“I think this is another tool to develop more good housing here and in helping young people to buy their first home.”

Plenty of fun amid lots of barking at recent “ADK Bark in the Park”

by Dan McClelland

September 17th’s “ADK Bark in the Park” drew hundreds of happy pet owners eager to show off their pets to what appeared to be a very successful fundraiser for the good work of the Tri-lakes Humane Society. Thousands of dollars were raised for that work that day.

The event at the western end of the municipal park was both fun and entertaining for everyone- even for folks without pets.

In all there were 60 dogs brought by their owners. Of the canine guests, 22 were micro-chipped by volunteers for identification and 50 were vaccinated by Franklin County health officials on site that day.

Many of the volunteers that day, other than society faithful, were staff members of Adirondack Regional Federal Credit Union, one of the main sponsors of the annual event.

A number of the society’s volunteers were handling registration and admission and the distribution of a free beverage ticket and another for a free ice cream treat. In the photo at top were volunteers Kim Charland, a board member who took charge of this year’s advertising and who did a yeoman's job with the assignment, Lea Bedore, society president, Aimee Lynch, a board member and her husband, Matt.

Brock Gonyea entertained the crowd in his usual able fashion with his easy-listening country and western tunes. Brock was standing in for “Night School,” who couldn’t perform due to another commitment by Drummer Ryan Gillis.

Kate Harriman and Jack Skiff were handing complimentary soft drinks and other treats.

During our visit about 1p.m. Mike Bujold and Basil Farhat were tending the refreshment booth where the on-tap products of Raquette River Brewing were poured and red and white wines donated by local purveyors.

Second from top left, Stacey Callaghan and Carol Houle of the Adirondack Regional Federal Credit Union s were encouraging kids that day to stay inside the lines and produce the best coloring contest pieces they could. The best artists that day enjoyed some donated merchandise prizes- many of which were pet-related.

There was a dog obedience trainer on site, working with some of the dog owners.

The Arsenault clan- Matt, Amy and their daughter Genevieve brought their tiny pooch- named “Bear,” not for his size but for his determination.

Bear is a Cavalier King Charles breed.

Organizers of the fundraiser says they are already looking forward to next year’s event in the municipal park.

In addition to primary sponsors, Adirondack Regional Federal Creditit Union, One Group, Long Run Wealth Advisors and Martin and Dukett Accounting, were a number of contributors to the event. They included Able Abe Diversified Services, Adirondack Cheddar, ADK Food Oasis, Boulevard Wine & Spirits, Critters, the Tupper Lake Rescue Squad, Fairytale Dreams Photography, LaVigne’s IGA, Porkbusters BBQ, Raquette River Brewing, Sam’s Club, Shaheen’s IGA, Spruce and Hemlock, Stacked Graphics, Tupper Lake Supply, Tails of Long Lake, Tractor Supply, Village Mercantile and UPS.

Town board takes preliminary legal step to acquire train station

by Dan McClelland

Following a brief executive session with their attorney, Kirk Gagnier, at their monthly meeting Thursday, members of the Tupper Lake Town Board unanimously adopted a memorandum of understanding to pursue the acquisition of the Tupper Lake train station from the Next Stop! Tupper Lake organization.

The resolution of the memorandum of understanding, read by Councilwoman Mary Fontana, was as follows:

“The town resolves to acquire any interests Next Stop! Tupper Lake has in the train depot building, pursuant to any necessary approvals and pursuant to the town’s conditions of the transfer.”

The resolution was fashioned by Mr. Gagnier and reviewed in that evening’s short executive session and presented when the board returned to regular session before the close of that evening’s meeting.

“Basically what this is saying is that this has to go to the supreme court” in Malone “and it may come back with stipulations on the dissolution of Next Stop! Tupper Lake organization and the interest it has in the depot building, Councilman John Gillis explained that evening

“If we don’t like those stipulations, we can back out of the deal!” He said the court determination was necessary to protect the town and its taxpayers.

Supervisor Rickey Dattola, who during months of talks with the leaders of the train station organization has been very supportive of the transfer of the station into town ownership, noted that if the supreme court approves of the transfer, “then we are a go!”

“If the supreme court has issues, then we have to come back and resolve it,” he added.

Next Stop! Tupper Lake Chairman Dan McClelland, who presented many reasons why the train station should be owned by the town in his editorial last week, explained the smooth dissolution of his train station-building group and the transfer of ownership of the station have to do with whether the group’s mission of bringing new tourists here via the train is the same as the town’s going forward. “I think the court will find it is the same!”

There are two ways that the not-for-profit organization can dissolve and transfer its major asset, in this case the train depot building. One is through an application to the state attorney general’s office and the second is through a state supreme court order.

Town Attorney Kirk Gagnier told town officials he prefers the latter, as it can be less cumbersome than awaiting action by the state attorney general, which could take years.

In May town leaders heard a lengthy presentation by the board’s new economic development group about the many reasons the train station, in town ownership, could economically benefit the town and its residents.

The town committee members include Tim LaBarge, Mark Moeller, Rob Gillis, Matt Ellis, Dan McClelland, Chris Keniston and Caroline Sass.

Mr. LaBarge handled the presentation to the board that evening, after presenting leaders with a 12-page summary of their findings.

He said one of its missions, when it was chartered by the supervisor at the start of his term, is to develop a strategic plan for the town and its economy- both short-term and long-term.

“Our role is to provide advice and counsel and recommendations for your consideration in the months and years ahead. We have no advocacy role- but just to share with you regularly what we’ve found in our research about things we think will help our town.”

“If we are going to talk about recreational tourism as an economic driver for the Town of Tupper Lake, we feel that a gateway hub (comprised in part by the train station) will greatly advance our economic opportunities.

He said his committee members believe that a major town presence is very important at the point in The Junction where the railroad and the new rail/trail converge.

“We think it advances our town to its economic agenda of developing economic opportunities through regional recreational tourism!” he told town leaders.

He said that evening that the train station is just one example of things created here in the spirit of “if you build it, they will come,” the message of the Kevin Costner film “Field of Dreams.”

Others are the Rotary Track and Field, the Wild Center, the Adirondack Public Observatory, the civic center, recent developments in the municipal park and Raquette River Brewing.

“So that’s our philosophy for the Gateway Hub...if we build it, they will come,” he said of the train passengers and the hikers, bikers and snowmobilers who will come for the rail/trail.

He noted that the Gateway Hub and the train station building are at the geographic center of many of Tupper Lake’s current tourism amenities- with public trails and local travel corridors leading to all of them.

One future use of part of the train station could be a tourist information center. Another, he said, could be as headquarters of the new town recreation department.

Mr. LaBarge said that the first impression of a community can be a lasting one for visitors. “If you want to create that hearty first handshake where people come to town and say ‘boy this town does it right,’ we want to do it right.

He said the committee believes the good condition of the train station and its historic design “are not only favorable ones, but things that are unique to Tupper Lake. It speaks volumes of the railroad legacy that led to Tupper’s formation.

“People will walk into the station and will immediately get the impression its a nice facility. They may think to themselves: ‘this is the way they do things in Tupper Lake; maybe this is a place for me to start a business or buy a vacation place?’”

He cited some data- albeit a little dated- that recently predicted that rail/trail users arriving here at the depot site there could be as many as 240,000 per year. Their spending could result in an economic impact of $19 million.

Even if a fraction of that prediction materialized, that would be an impressive gain for the community, he noted.

As a proposed welcome center/information center for just these visitors along, to say nothing of snowmobilers and train travelers the station could prove immensely valuable to the community’s economy in the years ahead, he added.

The train station too is near several local restaurants, bars and convenience stores and only a shuttle ride away from other tourist amenities here, according to the speaker that evening.

Another of his slides provided some answers to why the town should own this new tourism hub.

The main one was that in town ownership, the project would qualify for many state and federal grants that a private owner like Next Stop! wouldn’t. That comes on the advice of the town’s new community developer, Melissa McManus.

Those monies would not only improve the building itself, but bring many needed amenities to the site that tourists are looking for like bike racks, picnic tables and more restrooms.

Ms. McManus said that this year’s state budget carried a line item of $300,000 to prepare the Lake Placid train station for the new rail/trail visitors, so there was no reason to believe the Town of Tupper Lake couldn’t qualify for similar funds to improve its new Gateway Hub area.

A new rail/trail revitalization group is already at work here under the direction of Ms. McManus to win funds to develop the station site. A grant “ask” list is being compiled by the volunteers for this fall for grant-writing over the winter and spring.

“So what’s our vision?” he told the town board members. “If you are inclined to purchase the train station, then we recommend converting it into a four-season center for rail, biking, hiking and snowmobiling. It also be our welcome center for transient visitors driving through.” It could become a transportation hub for every person traveling through here by whatever modal means or for people starting and finishing their vacations here, Mr. LaBarge conjectured.

It could offer travelers wi-fi connections as well as a distribution center for traditional brochures, maps and other promotional materials.

“The 800-pound elephant in the room is: are there any unanticipated or recurring maintenance costs that would be a heavy lift for the Town of Tupper Lake in the years ahead?”

“We had Contractor Chris Keniston take a look at the building and we had a building inspector also look at its condition.”

In their reports, both gave the building a thumb’s up in terms of its good condition.

“From everything are committee members have seen, the bones of the station are very good- the roof is good, the plumbing’s good, the 200-amp service is good. Some painting of the siding and soffits is needed- but that’s about all.

He reasoned that if the town does not take advantage of controlling this important tourism site and using it to the community’s full advantage, it’s like what he called “entering a death spiral.”

“If we stand still with respect to economic development, we are actually going backwards at a significant clip!”

“Not pursuing economic development” through this and other moves, “is actually a risk!”

If Tupper doesn’t seize this economic opportunity, others along the corridor may. “Those lost economic development costs could be very heavy,” he stressed to the town leaders.

On the revenue side of the building acquisition, there are a number of possible funding opportunities for the town: railroad operator rentals, funds generated from events held at the site, office space rentals, and others.

The Next Stop! Tupper Lake board has offered the building to the town for $1- based on the premise that the building was built using hundreds of thousands of dollars in donations from hundreds of year round and seasonal residents in the years between 2002 and 2008. So the organization’s leaders don’t believe Tupper Lake town taxpayers should have to pay twice for the station.

The economic development committee’s recommendation to the board at the conclusion of the report was as follows: “relatively low acquisition risks- we’re talking a dollar. -And if the acquisition costs are that low, and even if there are some maintenance costs for the town, you still have a very low cash outlay to acquire this building!”

“There’s a tremendous amount of upside in terms in economic development. So low risk, high reward. We would recommend acquisition, if we were asked to make a recommendation to our supervisor and all of you,” Mr. LaBarge concluded.

Mr. McClelland spoke briefly at the end of the committee’s presentation, saying that Next Stop! Tupper Lake volunteers have several conditions that they would hope the new town owners- both present and future would abide by. One is that part of the 29 foot wide by 120 foot long building will always remain Tupper Lake’s train station, as long as trains are running here. Another is that the current tenant, the CSEA local, be given plenty of time and certainly over a year or two to find alternative quarters. In the meantime its rent will continue to support the building as it has for the past 15 years.

The third request from the NSTL board is that town officials consider an annual contribution for the new Tupper Lake Museum in the years going forward, similar to the way it supports a number of local and regional groups in its budget each year.

Councilwoman Mary Fontana commented briefly at the end of the May presentation, saying she liked the economic committee’s plan for the site, but wanted complete research over the summer to make sure any acquisition of the building by the town was done correctly and legally to prevent any future headaches for the town.

Ladyjack volleyball team off to a great start

by Dick Sterling

The 2023 Tupper Lake Ladyjack volleyball team has gotten off to a great start. The team, in its first few games of the season have nearly matched last year’s win total.

Head Coach Courtney Bennett says that the girl’s familiarity with each other, and hard work have helped to make them a much better team. “We’ve really worked on pushing, working hard and playing together. These girls play in the summer, a lot of them play club ball and attend various volleyball camps. They’ve put in the work, and it really does make a difference,” said Coach Bennett, who has headed the varsity program for three years, but who has been in the Tupper Lake volleyball system for nine years after coaching at both the modified and junior varsity level.

Coach Bennett and her assistant coach, April McClain, have been with the varsity players for years. “The girls are more and more aware of the players around them as well as the coaches, what we expect and how to keep improving. We’re well on our way to matching last year’s win total,” said Coach Bennett.

Last year the Ladyjacks finished the season with an overall record of 4-14. This season they won their first three matches, beating Brushton-Moira 3-0 on Sep. 7; downing Northern Adirondack 3-1 on Sept. 9 and then beating Lake Placid 3-1 on Sep. 11.

Tupper then dropped two league matches, losing to a tough Chateaugay team 3-1 on Sep. 12, and losing a 3-1 decision to Malone on Sep. 14. Against Malone The Ladyjacks won the opening game 25-19. They scored the first five points of the game with senior Rebecca Becker serving, Tupper built a big lead and then fought off a Lady Husky comeback attempt. Malone won the final three games 25-15, 25-18 and 25-15.

Tupper Lake will compete in Class C this year along with Canton and Brushton-Moira. Class D schools are Clifton-Fine, Chateaugay and Madrid-Waddington; Class B schools are Gouverneur, Potsdam, Ogdensburg and Salmon River and Malone, Massena and Indian River will compete in Class A. Indian River will join the Northern Athletic Conference for the first year after competing in the Frontier League, which offers volleyball in the winter, for the first time this year.

The Ladyjacks first six includes four seniors in Rebecca Becker, Liza Crouse, Laci Duhaime and co-captain Rachel Sorensen and juniors Emma Brown and co-captain Kendall Kenniston. “We rely a lot on our starters,” said Coach Bennett. “They are mentally prepared, know what to expect from each other and are very prepared to play together. We get a lot of girls into every match, but heavily rely on our first six,” said the Tupper Lake coach.

Other girls on the 2023 roster include seniors Shae Arsenault, Emma Daniels, Jordis Joanette and Aubrey Sparks; juniors Mary Becker, Addison Brown, Josalynn Hart and Nevaeh Toohey and freshman Lacey Tarbox.

Coach Bennett is pleased with her team’s play at the start of the season. “We started off the season 3-0, and had two hard fought losses to end the week. We beat Brushton-Moira, NAC, and Lake Placid. Our girls served strong and made it difficult for other teams to serve receive. They had great intensity, perseverance and grit. Their teamwork and ability to work to overcome deficits is what made them so successful. Setter Rebecca Becker, hustled and made some great scrappy plays to give us some momentum. Rachel Sorensen, outside hitter, made some great defensive plays and had strong coverage for us all over the court. Our middle hitters, Liza Crouse and Emma Daniels, had some big blocks over the course of the five games that gave us some defensive confidence. Our other hitters, Kendall Kenniston and Laci Duhaime, have made really great decisions at the net, and defensively.”

She has also been pleased with the players subbing for the first six, “Our bench has been a big piece of our success this first chunk of the season. They bring energy and a spark off the bench when we need them. Seniors Shae Arsenault and Aubrey Sparks have stepped in when their names have been called both defensively and at the net. Junior Josalynn Hart stepped up big for us in a new role, served us out of some holes, and gave us a defensive spark when we needed it. Addie Brown has gotten a few kills out of the middle to help us push through, and Nevaeh Toohey made some great plays as well. Freshman Lacey Tarbox, served us out of a big hole this season and has continued to improve and make her presence known on the court offensively,” said Coach Bennett.

“We had some tough losses to two very good Chateaugay and Malone teams. But we are going to use them as learning experiences and make adjustments and continue to grow as a group. They've responded individually and as a group and are ready to see some more successes in the upcoming weeks. We are so proud of this group and their hard work and dedication. They've continued to work, adjust and meet our expectations and we're looking forward to the remainder of the season,” concluded Coach Bennett.

The Ladyjacks are home today (Wednesday) against Salmon River and travel to Clifton-Fine on Friday.