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Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 1977-60YearsYoung-Budget Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Dwyer, Brian Title A name given to the resource 1977 Budget Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 3/9/77 Description An account of the resource A budget report from 1977 Provenance A statement of any changes in ownership and custody of the resource since its creation that are significant for its authenticity, integrity, and interpretation. The statement may include a description of any changes successive custodians made to the resource. 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For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Mapping a City: Saratoga Springs Through 250 Years of Maps Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource April 14, 2015 Description An account of the resource Photographs of the exhibition Mapping a City: Saratoga Springs Through 250 Years of Maps from the opening reception, April 14, 2015 Language A language of the resource eng Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Dym, Jordana Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Dym, Jordana Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource (c) Jordana Dym Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource jpg Type The nature or genre of the resource Photograph https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/f480b432a2e7755e5eb52c6ecade35e3.JPG 0f48c99a7e93aab08da612a3c7318c02 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Jill Sweet https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/daae08e853c7c82f60d1ebe6826bc377.mp3 e77f5799a74c911641a05e58925733ba https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/8816786fbed07a6c196de2e0c5526a7a.pdf f1e4adfcc6572c8aee49fd71b48303b9 https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/56a45e72ead5e9935b3ed423fd9bc819.pdf 897bf929f52f1de1cf16a4787c6b7cc7 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Skidmore College Retirees Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Interviewer The person(s) performing the interview Eileen McAdam Interviewee The person(s) being interviewed Jill Sweet Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Audio recording Record Contributor Individual who prepared the item and/or edited it. Susan Bender Record Creation Date Day/Month/Year of record creation/edit December 13, 2018 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Interview with Jill Sweet Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource May 13, 2013 Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. Skidmore Saratoga Memory Project Description An account of the resource Jill Sweet intended to be a dancer, but her work with native Americans to learn about their dance turned into an interest in cultural anthropology which she studied at the University of New New Mexico before coming to Skidmore in 1981.  In this interview she discusses the inspiration she found with a department that mixed the theoretical courses in sociology and anthropology with archeology and social work where theory was put into practice.  She also discusses interviewing skills learned from her time with the Pueblo Indians which she passed on to students using role play, a skill she learned through her actress mother.  She recounts her development of Native American Week on campus and the Tang exhibit of Edward Curtis photos from the Scribner Library collection that inspired creations by living native Americans.  During President Porter’s tenure, she experienced a growing demand for academic excellence, efforts at student diversity, and attempts to recruit native American students.  She also discusses her friendship with Helen Porter and faculty-staff relations which she learned of through her marriage to Steven Rosenbach, a member of the Skidmore security staff.  As a person with MS she comments on campus accessibility.  Since her retirement in 2010, she has written a book about her bohemian mother, “Life as a Tarantella,” and articles written originally for a local paper published now as a book, “Whiskers and Tails,”  as well as articles and newsletters for Friends of the Saratoga County Animal Shelter.  Language A language of the resource English (en) Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Dym, Jordana, Stern, Rebecca, '16 Subject The topic of the resource Retiree Oral History Project Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Eileen McAdam Date Available Date (often a range) that the resource became or will become available. January 20, 2015 Type The nature or genre of the resource Oral History Anthropology Department Biology Department Creative Thought Matters David Porter Edward Curtis faculty relations Helen Porter Joseph Palamountain Skidmore faculty Susan Bender Tang Museum https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/3ddaa63f75e084276464b65808a3d676.JPG d56ace44808e28947c4bbc4d28830c74 https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/73df41e1e3a6270c3fc29b7ad96d06a0.mp3 12c1f3109548e26d882bf833705833a3 https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/745354ffac9b848ffe27d38816d25afc.pdf f91f0d78fb4203dab87627c6aca7b64a https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/3a6d0a21112d45bf4d0134dd1543adb5.pdf 93a62c42349c324167f38a536a75767d Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Skidmore College Retirees Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Interviewer The person(s) performing the interview Eileen McAdam, Sound and Story Project of the Hudson Valley Interviewee The person(s) being interviewed Eleanor Samworth Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Audio recording Record Contributor Individual who prepared the item and/or edited it. Susan Bender Record Creation Date Day/Month/Year of record creation/edit December 13, 2018 Location The location of the interview Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, NY, 12866 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Interview with Eleanor Samworth Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource April 22, 2015 Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. Skidmore Saratoga Memory Project Description An account of the resource Eleanor Samworth came to Skidmore in 1964.  During her tenure she experienced the move to the new campus, growth in student enrollments, inception of coeducation in 1970, expansion of Liberal Studies, and computer use as central to many disciplines.  As chair of the Chemistry/Physics Department she oversaw the inception of Physics as a separate major and an agreement with Dartmouth for an engineering program.  In this interview she also discusses her involvement with the Skidmore Chapter of AAUP, especially a study of salary disparities between men and women faculty.  She remarks on how President Palamountain’s tenure was marked by construction and, during the Vietnam war era, tensions between faculty and administration.  Under the Porter presidency she saw an increase in money raised for student scholarships as well as a growth in student minority recruitment and funds for faculty support and endowed chairs.  Since her retirement in 1994 she has volunteered for a number of local organizations. Language A language of the resource English (en) Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Dym, Jordana; Stern, Rebecca, '16 Subject The topic of the resource Retiree Oral History Project Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Eileen McAdam Date Created Date of creation of the resource. January 5, 2016 Date Copyrighted Date of copyright. January 5, 2015 Date Submitted Date of submission of the resource. Examples of resources to which a Date Submitted may be relevant are a thesis (submitted to a university department) or an article (submitted to a journal). January 17, 2016 Date Issued Date of formal issuance (e.g., publication) of the resource. January 17, 2016 Date Modified Date on which the resource was changed. January 17, 2016 Date Valid Date (often a range) of validity of a resource. January 17, 2016 Type The nature or genre of the resource Oral History AAUP chemistry coeducation Engineering Program Eric Porter Faculty Gender Equity Information Technology Liberal Studies Palamountain Physics https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/06132d52f1ef8948f343635358135e71.jpg 36c9d3ab01003ff6012b70309c498154 https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/27655ae9ba2744505e7cebfc0dbef633.m4a 1ff80bafbf9bb7e23e2f2c298e81d8b5 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Oral History Description An account of the resource Many people who have worked or studied at Skidmore College or lived in Saratoga Springs or the surrounding area carry the memories that help us tell the stories of our communities. This collection offers a glimpse into our past in the voices of those who have shared their stories. Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Interviewer The person(s) performing the interview Eberhardt, Sophia Interviewee The person(s) being interviewed Woodworth, Marc Location The location of the interview Saratoga Springs, New York Skidmore College, Palamountain Hall Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data mp3 Record Contributor Individual who prepared the item and/or edited it. Eberhardt, Sophia Transcription Any written text transcribed from a sound [SE] What was an av-average week at Skidmore? [00:00:06.418] [MW] I don't know, I was thinking about being here in the very early 80s, oh, I arrived in fall of 1980, and, what I was thinking first about was how much Saratoga's different, which may not pertain exactly to your Skidmore question, but, um, I remember my freshman suitemates and I went downtown and found a really, kind of seedy, backroom pool hall, and we used to like to play pool there once a week and it seemed to me, that that represents the kind of Saratoga that's no longer here. You know, it wasn't entirely upscale bourgeois at that point, it was still a little bit seedy in some places there were a lot of buildings that were unoccupied, there were a lot of storefronts without stores in them, um, I think there were, maybe, more, maybe this is a fantasy, but more, artistic people who, you know, could afford to live in Saratoga, rather than wealthy people, as there are now who can afford to live in Saratoga, so it feels like the, the, the feel of the town is considerably different. [00:01:13.403] Um, a normal week in town would also have meant, in those days, for me, taking the bus to Moore Hall, which was our dorm on Union Avenue, uh, [it] was the last dormitory that Skidmore kept from the old campus which was still in place, and was still, um, a place where sophomores, juniors, and seniors would live, so, I do remember the first year I lived there, taking the bus around twilight in the winter and feeling, you know I was kind of isolated and far away from campus, so it felt sometimes a little bit, uh, like you were out of the mix of your normal, collegiate life, which was both good and also a little strange, sometimes, [inaudible], um, so that was part of the week, definitely, going back and forth on the bus that I remember. [00:02:06.524] It was also, I think, the dorm that I would say, [had] a more bohemian element, that the college lived in, so there were a lot of, uh, artist types there, and, uh, people who thought of it as a little bit of a different place to live, on, on campus, so there was quite a cast of characters there, and, it had its own dining hall, so, um, of course there was still a dining hall on campus here, but it had- it retained its old dining hall which was Skidmore's old dining hall, so, um, the denisons of that particular dormitory would, you know, gather in that dining hall, I remember an interesting cast of characters, a guy named Clark who would always take, uh, the effervescence, or the carbonation, out of his sodas, so he would spend a lot of time filling up soda, uh, filling up glasses of soda and then with his spoon, uh, clinking, the spoon, around through the ice and getting the effervescence to get away so he could drink it [00:03:07.929] Um, there were quite a few people who were, you know, notably eccentric, and it was also, it must be said, at that time, um, quite a drug center I would think. You know, Skidmore didn't, I mean, Saratoga didn't necessarily have a lot of, uh, a lot of industry at that time, but I think there were a number of young people who were selling elicit drugs out of, out of Moore Hall in those days, um, there were some international students, I remember, who, you know, seemingly have a very lucrative full time job it seemed, outside of their studies, in those, in those days. And that seemed to be a little bit based in Moore Hall, so, uh, that was, you know that wasn't, that wasn't part of my week, because I was, I was on an abstinence plan, and I never took drugs of any kind, um, my mother, wisely, made me very [afraid?] of all that stuff, but there were others, probably, who did, so, [there would be?], there would be a little bit of, uh, that kind of element going on down there. But it was, you know, it was still almost the 70s, it was early 80s, and, I guess there was still some of that permissiveness, not that the college would've permitted it, I don't suppose, but it seemed, I think, a little looser now -- then -- than it does now, probably, in all manner of things, and maybe, maybe students weren't, weren't quite so, um, overseen, I guess, in a way. So that's not really much of a schedule of a week but a scan of reassociation. [00:04:37.098] [SE] Do you feel like the students who were on Skidmore's campus then reflected the community in the -- like, in the Saratoga public more, um, and does that correlate to how Skidmore students are with correlation to the public now? [00:04:53.924] [MW] Ya that's a good question, um, it's a little hard for me to remember. I don't feel, that at least, I and my group of friends had a lot to do with Saratoga, I mean, despite going to play pool in the pool hall or, uh, going downtown. When I arrived at Skidmore the drinking age was 18, so people did go to bars and certain ones were Skidmore identified, I would guess, so we, we -- uh, I guess we socialized downtown, maybe, you know, maybe earlier than some Skidmore students do now, but I don't remember having a lot of interactions with townspeople outside of, you know, people who worked at the bank, or bartended, or served food. So I don't know if that's different, I mean, you have a better sense of what it's like now, but it's not your interview, we don't have to talk about that [laugh]. Um, but it, it feels to me that the campus and the people on the campus are more intergrated and perhaps a little more welcome and also welcoming to the people of the town now than they were then, [it] seems still pretty separate, um, I think it was, it would have been, of course, quite a while since the school became co-ed, so it was, you know, no longer thought of as a women's college, but there were still many more women at the college than men, I think it was still 3 or 4 to one ratio, maybe, at that time. And, I think the town still, probably, certainley people who had been here for a while still thought of it as, as -- as a rather posh school for wealthy young women and maybe that made them feel that it was still a separate entity from them, um. And, certainly there were still, you know, kids of means who went to the college and kids who drove very fancy cars, the likes of which I certainley didn't have or wouldn't have seen, and, I think, you know, in this town that wasn't booming economically at that point there was still probably a perception that this was a place for the wealthy to go to school and that probably retained something of a divide in there, before. [00:07:01.722] [SE] Um, so, since you weren't really involved with, like, the Saratoga public when you were here, what factors made you decide to come here and teach and live here? [MW] Hm, well I suppose that had to do largely with wanting to come back and work with Robert and Peg Boyers on Salmagundi Magazine, so uh, that, that became, kinda, my family when I was here as an undergraduate and they became my family in a way, I was very close to them. As a student I worked on the magazine, um, and spent a lot of time in what I aspired to, which was kind of their adult world of being intellectuals and loving arts and writers, um, so for me, Skidmore represented, uh, that world very strongly, and it was something that I was powerfully drawn to because I was here. And when I came back I came back initially, in a way that maybe, wasn't necessarily, going to seem permanent, but, Bob and Peg were on sabatical. I had a reason to want to -- nothing criminal -- but I had a reason I wanted to leave where I was and do something else and, um, and there was this opportunity to come back and, and help on the magazine while they were gone, and teach a few courses, so I came back for those reasons, and it wasn't, I don't think, at all because I didn't enjoy Saratoga when I was here as an undergraduate, um, I did I loved the town and I loved walking in the town, I love the architecture, um, I loved, actually, some of the sense that the grandness of the town had become compromised, because people couldn't keep up the houses anymore and there were numbers of houses on North Broadway which seemed unoccupied, weren't used in the summer even, and weren't kept up, and that was true all over town. So it's still, it kind of had a, had a bit of, um, degenerated charm, in some way, which I liked in a, uh -- and the town had a lot of, uh, a lot of charm for me in that way so I, I always loved being here even if I didn't feel, you know, like I did all that much with people in town off campus. [00:09:22.806] Um, but, so coming back was not dictated by the fact that Saratoga is Saratoga but it certainly helped that it was an interesting town, um, and when I -- when I was here as an undergraduate I didn't have anything to do with Caffe Lena, but by the time I came back I was much more involved I guess with folk music and contemporary singer-songwriter music was something I cared a lot about in Boston and Cambridge when I was in grad school before I came back, and by, so by the time back, Caffe Lena was really on the map for me, almost immidiately when I got back here, and I spent a lot of time at Caffe Lena. One of my classmates at Skidmore was, at that point, running Caffe Lena, in the early 90s, and I, I came back in 1990, and I spent a lot of time at the Caffe, playing and hanging out, and sometimes helping and doing things there, um. I remember when Ani DiFranco, which may not be a musician you know or might be, was sending her first tapes around, and Barbara ?Harris?, who was the manager at the Caffe at that time, opened the tape and, I guess I came in later that day or that night and she said "Oh, I want you to listen to this, it's really different and I think it's something we should consider," and it seemed very out of the box for the Caffe, I mean, it was identifiably singer-songwriter, acoustic-based music, which was their bread and butter, but it was sharp and it was, you know, irreverent, and it was political and it was edgy, um, in terms of its sexual content, um, all things like that. [00:11:05.066] So it wasn't a given for Caffe Lena, which, you know, probably hadn't had that much edge in that way, and we listened to it together and thought "Wow this is great," so Barbara invited Ani to come and play, um, at the Caffe, and I got to open that show, which was terrifically fun, small crowd the first time, maybe 14 people, 20 people, I don't know, and she was just a knock out. So that's to say, um, there was a lot going on, still, artistically, in town, that I started to discover when I came back in the early 90s, and for me Caffe Lena was really central to that. And at that time, and I guess that's a good way to, sort of, answer, not so much how students interacted with town in my day, but how they did in the 90s at least, there were a number of students who were actively, um, involved in Caffe Lena either as volunteers or as musicians who played regularly or came to open mics, um, and so my students who became friends, uh, during that period would spend a lot of time at Caffe Lena too, so there was a real connection there, uh, for the students who liked that kind of music and wanted to involve themselves. So that was a really great bridge to town, I think, for a lot of people, and I believe, even though I didn't have that experience as an undergraduate, since the 60s that's been a really strong bridge between town and campus for people who like that world. [00:12:26.977] [SE] Do you feel like that's something that, like, music especially, is something that Skidmore values, and maybe how -- it's more of like how, what are some of the values of Skidmore that you have seen change, and that you hope to not change, and maybe some things that you hope to change, but, I know that music here is such, is such a scene and obviously that is reflected in the town as well and at SPAC and... [00:12:56.207] [MW] No, that's a, that's a good point, um, I'm trying to think back to undergraduate days in the music scene and, I think it was strong, I definitely knew a number of musicians and [had] a couple of bands of certain kinds that weren't particularly formal, I guess, but we did play, played out a little bit and there were certainly students who had musical inclinations and the culture was strong and certainly classical music culture at the college was strong then as well. There were, I think, already, no -- yea, maybe Filene, there were Filene scholars already, at that point, so some friends were gifted classical pianists, what have you. Um, and then certainly when I came back in the 90s there seemed to be, maybe, more musicians somehow, I don't know if that's true or quantifiable, and ever since there's been a great string of musicians, bands, individuals, singers, who have found that really important, so yea, I think the college has a definite, um, element that, that's highly musical, and not everyone, I suppose, finds their way to Caffe Lena, but, uh, those who do find that connection pretty strong, and -- I'm trying to think of some more stories of those early days, well, and um, Garrett ?Duten? who now is, I think his last name is Duten, who is the person behind G-Love and Special Sauce, went to Skidmore, which, uh, many people know, but uh I remember when he was in my class, probably in the earlier mid-90s, can't quite remember, um, he's played a lot at Caffe Lena, so he would go down there and, and do open mics, and maybe even had a show or two, I'm not sure, as a student I'm not positive about that, [00:14:47.061] and the [?apocrable?], maybe it's true, [mumble] but maybe [?a powerful?] story was that he told his parents that he really wanted to make a go at being a musician and they supported it with the provisal that if he didn't, within a year, sort of establish himself as a musician, um, he could go back to college and they would support his education, but if he took more than a year and then wanted to go back later, um, maybe they wouldn't, so, within a year, sounds too neat chronologically, but maybe it's true, he had a Columbia Records contract, and that was that [laugh], so there were some, certainly some gifted musicians who played there and, and people whos names you don't know, um, haven't had careers in music or were really talented, it was, it was a good scene, and uh, there was a lot of cross-over between how Lively Lucys on campus in those days and the people who were involved with Caffe Lena, um, Barbara Harris, the manager of the Caffe, whom I spoke of earlier, and I did some cross-over productions, so we'd bring shows to campus. I think when Ani got too big for the Caffe we had some Skidmore shows with her. We brought, uh, a singer-songwriter named Shawn Colvin, who was, um, just on the heels of winning her first grammy when she came to Skidmore for a performance that we, we had here, and those were, kind of, cross, um, promoted, as it were setup by the Caffe and the college and Lively Lucy's, so there was a lot of, uh, a lot of musical culture that was going back and forth at that time, in that way too. [00:16:23.973] [SE] Do you remember any notable performances either than Ani DiFranco? [00:16:29.566] [MW] Um, at the college, um, well I loved the Shawn Colvin show, that was terrific, and, um, and the thing I loved most about that night, perhaps, was that, um, I invited a young woman named Mary Lou Lord to open the show for her, and she was somebody I knew from Cambridge, Mass, and she was a street singer, she played in the subways and in Harvard Square and she was a terrific [00:16:54.073] um, singer-songwriter, and, at a time when the consolation of music meant a lot to me is to go listen to her play in Harvard Square in the subways, just sit there for a couple of hours and she introduced me to a lot of musicians and thier songs, she's a real advocate of great songs, and a great chooser of songs to cover, um, and I just loved her and her work and she was, uh, a close friend of Shawn Colvin, as it turned out and they became friendly, I don't know how Shawn and she found one another. Anyways, so that was a great thing because she got to open the show for Shawn, it was a big sold out house at, um, at u, JKB, and she just won the Grammy, Shawn had, so there was a lot of buzz about the show and it was really packed and exciting, it was a really great show. That was a wonderful show. And then, there's a, there's a New Hampshire singer-songwriter, um, who died a couple of years ago, sadly and prematurely named Bill Morrissey, and he had a show at the dance theater that Lena and Lively Lucy's put on together and I remember that he had a great Irish fiddler named Johny Cunningham who's played with a lot of Celtic bands and it just a terrific musician and Bill himself is a very gifted, kind of literary singer-songwriter, um, who actually had a novel published by Knopf, or [?book of great editors?] who's very literate, interesting singer-songwriter, and I, I love that show, he was very, he was very wry, very great on stage, and that was the show that, that I met my wife at actually, so she came to that show and we met there, and that was the first time we had met one another, which was exciting, of course, so that was a memorable show, and I got to introduce Bill that night and, I don't know, I said something modestly funny, and for some reason Billboard Magazine was convering that show and so they ended up writing a really good live review of the show and they also included the thing that I said, which was supposedly funny in the introduction, which is, you know, kind of weird for this little show at Skidmore, would end up in Billboard, and weirdly a quote from me would end up in a Billboard article, so, I, I remember both of those shows pretty well. [00:19:17.595] Um, and we had a lot of good Lively Lucy's shows and um, I, I guess, it's, what is it now, is it Earth Fest? What do we call it? Something like that... [SE] Earth Day. [MW] Earth Day, sorry. Um, so, it seemed, before that became quite as full-blown as it has been for the last decade or so, it used to be kind of a Lively Lucy's, outdoor, spring music day, um, and I think it evolved to include more facets as it has now, but there were lots of really good events, musical events, around that as well. [00:19:49.084] So, and then that, I guess it was more folk-based then, too, it was more of a singer-songwriter and folk-based show than it necessarily is now, and it was some really beautiful April days just out on the green listening to really good music, um, [?that was a piece?] of those days, musically too. [00:20:07.714] [SE] Do you feel like, as a music writer, you've been able to, you know, excel in this environment? Or do you ever feel like you should be living somewhere else? [00:20:21.757] [MW] No I actually, I've never thought, I've never thought that, but now that you mention it, I suppose, because it's a place that is welcoming for music and has a lot of students interested in music, it's been possible for me to imagine courses and to, uh, figure out a way to include in my teaching life, um, the study of music, in, in a way that I certainly didn't when I first came here. I mean, I would teach classes in writing about the arts and we would include some musical writing as well, that was there from the beginning, but then to feel able to design and offer courses that have to do primarly with music and music writing, um, has probably something to do with the fact that musical culture here, um, which is more of a teaching than writing myself, but, um, but, but I think being around so much music and finding it possible to see so many good things that had been used, like SPAC for bigger shows, or Caffe Lena for smaller shows, has been necessarily something that's kept my head wrapped around music a lot, and maybe that wouldn't happen in a different place as much. [00:21:36.331] Um, and maybe the fact that we're pretty approximate to Boston or New York is - a chance to go see music in those places - is possibly significant, but, but you know that's a good question to think about and to think about how the writing of mu-, about music is place-based, I've never really thought of that before. [00:21:58.238] [SE] Um, you just mentioned how you took a course in writing about arts, and I guess, on a broader term, how have the courses offered at Skidmore changed and hopefully have gotten better? Are there any courses... [MW] [speaking over SE] Ya that was a course actually I taught, not took, but, um, just, that was a class that I used to teach a lot for first-year students who took a writing class in English, as they still do, called 105, um, I don't know, I found I because I have a kind of independent, not independent, but kind of hybrid position because I'm editing Salmagundi and serving in that capacity and also teaching as lecturer I'm not teaching as much as people who are full-time faculty, um, I found that the English department, and more broadly the college and MDOCS, has been very open to my proposing different things to do, which, I think, is a hallmark of Skidmore, you know, the ability of the institution to, uh, use the energy and, and interest of its faculty to come up with things that might increase the opportunities for students to do different things and find a way to make that happen. [00:23:18.981] So, that's always seemed to be a hallmark of the institution, is, you know, "this sounds like an interesting idea, how could we limit that instead of saying 'no that's not in the curriculum' or, um, 'we don't have that kind of course, so, I guess we shouldn't have that kind of course.'" People tend to, if it's a good idea, try to make it happen, and I think that has added, I'm just speaking from my own personal experience but I'm sure that's true for any number of faculty who proposed new courses and figure out how to, you know, implement what they, what they really love to teach in the classroom, I think, um, that's probably something that creates a lot of good energy around what we offer students. Is it different than what happened in the old days? I'm not sure if it was more rigid then or not, I don't know. Um, but, I've always appreciated the openness to ideas and the openness to encouragement of new things that [inaudible] the academic life that I've experienced here, at least. [00:24:17.210] [SE] Ya, that's great. Um, kind of to direct it back to something you said much earlier, you said that you were living at Moore house... [MW] Moore Hall. [SE] Moore Hall, Moore Hall, um, were you here when the campus got switched to... [00:24:30.793] [MW] No, that had happened probably, what, 72... so it was probably about eight, eight or ten years before the switch was happening, I don't know when it was completed. So that was, like, the last dorm, and they kept that dorm for quite a long time and people lived there, I'm not sure, they just tore it down this year, as, um, as they've started to put up condos on that, on that spot, um, and it was a, you know, terribly ugly, but endearingly ugly, building [laughter from SE] that was made of pink, um, rock-like material that was supposed to age to gray, an elegant gray, but it never did, so it was known as the "Pink Palace" and, you know, it-it was kind of a, I don't know what it was -- a 1960's, kind of, failed cubist design that looked very different from anything on Union Avenue, that's for sure. [00:25:20.402] And it had no trace of Victoriana about it, whatsoever, so um, so no I didn't experience that switch, and, you know it was interesting though to be part of that vestigial campus that was downtown because, you know, I also, I also loved the fact, when I wasn't taking the bus that we would walk to campus, which was a significant, a significant walk, a 20-25 minute walk, and just to be part of town in that way and really experience the architecture of the beautiful, old buildings that, that lined all of the streets, and to feel like Saratoga had a deep history, and it had, uh, a sense of place that wasn't fully dependent on the college, though the college was part of that sense of place, seemed to be really important, and, and, you know, it provided a kind of depth to your experience here, I guess, as a, as a student or as a person that is not insignificant. [00:26:13.189] I mean there are so many wonderful colleges within a very short reach of here, um, and some of them are in, you know, tiny towns essentially out in the middle of the country and, I think we have a special, uh, a special reality here because of the town's deep history and what's available to us, maybe the most notable aspect of that is the architecture which we can see and experience and walk past each day, and that gives us that sense, but then the more you start to understand the town as a whole and its history and what's gone on here and how it was first an Indian -- Native American healing place and then became, also, a healing spring for white settlers, um, and established itself in that way, that long history is not what you have everywhere. [00:27:08.412] [SE] Yea... [MW] So... [SE] Yea. Um, so I guess to wrap it up, how do you define your relatinoship with that Saratoga history that you were just talking about and also just Saratoga today and especially Skidmore College. [00:27:26.818] [MW] Hmm, um, I don't know, I find [that] because I grew up in an area of Massachusetts, um, I grew up in Carlisle but my friend was from Concord, the next over, which has itself a very rich history and was, you know, obsessed with the American Revolution when I was a boy and I went to high school in a town where Thoreau and Emerson wrote and were buried, that, it's sort of unthinkable to me to live in a place that I don't know the history or care about it, so for me, understanding upstate New York history, which I didn't know that much about, coming from Massachusetts, and starting to look into the Native American history around here and how this land was contested by the Mohicans and the Mohawks, the Iroquois and the Algonquian, different peoples, and how the Dutch influenced the area -- that's become something I've really spent a lot of time reading about and thinking about and that I'm deeply interested in. [00:28:30.077] So, so for me part of, part of being a Saratogian is, is really having a sense of the importance of that past and the detail of that past as much as I can and that makes the place, for me, livable, in some way, I mean that's really important to me, is to-is to have a sense of place of -- a place's history, and, you know, there's a lot more to learn, I don't know anything like all I could but what I do know has made this place feel rich and feel very much like home or a home, um, in a way that it wouldn't if it didn't have history. [00:29:08.296] And Skidmore's sort of impossible to think of in any objective way outside of my own experience because it's been home for so long, you know, aside from, um, six years when I was at graduate school , you know, I've lived here since I was eighteen years old and it's inextricable from every development that's -- that I could imagine for myself I suppose. Um, and, it's really where I, you know, as a-as a place, as, Skidmore, as a place where I lucked into a relationship with some of the smartest people I've ever met who are incredibly good-hearted and incredibly brilliant, um, in the English department, in Salmagundi-at Salmagundi, uh, Magazine, at the development of my love of literature which I came to Skidmore with, but which changed and deepened when I was here, uh, and continues to do that and to talk, you know, in these offices with Robert and Peg and our student assistants and other colleagues in the department about work that we love and to communicate with some of my favorite authors who I happen also to be friends and contributors to our magazine seems like a really extraordinarily rich way to live and to me that's completely inextricable from Skidmore and from living in Saratoga. [00:30:35.810] [SE] Yea, that's great, that you so much. [MW] You're welcome, thanks. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Interview with Marc Woodworth Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Spring 2018 February 21st, 2018 Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. Skidmore Saratoga Memory Project Description An account of the resource An oral history interview with professor and alumni Marc Woodworth. He discusses his time as a student on campus versus as a professor, and life as a Saratogian in general. Language A language of the resource ENG Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Eberhardt, Sophia '19 1980s 1990s Caffe Lena downtown campus Lively Lucy's Moore Hall music public history Salmagundi Skidmore faculty https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/64c498b82adf8e7095fc4b2a19a39b95.jpg cd4b03fe43422d2c893154fed17bf657 https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/0879d7e71568b86ee47ad881507b9b7f.mp3 f954379110cad1825084927a4e00a6b7 https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/31435760f338e2a087f96a137facdaf5.pdf eeb10e1296e72abf7744939b57dbecf3 https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/f8f1ce7b1129f74ccb36e76083c3d3c3.pdf 757900c107a0631e8e4a94c83ff5a7cc Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Skidmore College Retirees Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Interviewer The person(s) performing the interview Eileen McAdam, Sound and Story Project of the Hudson Valley Interviewee The person(s) being interviewed Bob Desieno Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Audio recording Record Contributor Individual who prepared the item and/or edited it. Susan Bender Record Creation Date Day/Month/Year of record creation/edit December 13, 2018 Location The location of the interview Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, NY, 12866 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Interview with Bob Desieno Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource April 8, 2015 Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. Skidmore Saratoga Memory Project Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Dym, Jordana, Stern, Rebecca, '16 Description An account of the resource Bob DiSieno, was a faculty member and Chair of the Mathematics and Computer Science department from 1983-2006. In this interview, he discusses expanding the use of computing across campus, forming the Science Planning Group to strengthen the role of the sciences on campus, and working as an Advisor to the Dean of Faculty. Language A language of the resource English (en) Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Eileen McAdam Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Audio, Transcript Date Created Date of creation of the resource. November 18, 2015 Date Submitted Date of submission of the resource. Examples of resources to which a Date Submitted may be relevant are a thesis (submitted to a university department) or an article (submitted to a journal). November 18, 2015 Date Issued Date of formal issuance (e.g., publication) of the resource. November 18, 20125 Date Modified Date on which the resource was changed. November 18, 2015 Subject The topic of the resource Retiree Oral History Project Type The nature or genre of the resource Oral History Zotero Artist Eileen McAdam Academic Rigor Academy of Lifelong Learning Administrative Computing Art Department Collaborative Research David Porter DeSieno Prize Faculty and Administrative Relations Harder Hall Information Resources Council Interdisciplinary Collaboration Liberal Studies Mathematics and Computer Science Department Palamountain sciences student body Tenure Town-Gown Relations https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/c485d466be1911234fdd757f0ed649ad.JPG bfb0857ea1b315fd2856f8694ae7d93d https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/470b3872bfe55b90577607eaef10e976.mp3 4b5b7c922d44c1e9dbffc058a87b253d https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/7c2b15b09f5d782bda2bb4de5f805e9e.pdf 9c1b3529981116e1270b4e5d2426d626 https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/e593cd5557125fccb070c8e3d94b1faf.JPG b290b262f63003580268a9e5e61aa808 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Oral History Description An account of the resource Many people who have worked or studied at Skidmore College or lived in Saratoga Springs or the surrounding area carry the memories that help us tell the stories of our communities. This collection offers a glimpse into our past in the voices of those who have shared their stories. Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Record Contributor Individual who prepared the item and/or edited it. Elizabeth Picken Interviewer The person(s) performing the interview Elizabeth Picken '21 Interviewee The person(s) being interviewed Tod Pardon Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Interview with Tod Pardon Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource October 26, 2019 Language A language of the resource eng Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Elizabeth Picken, '21 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Tod Pardon https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/bb7728d13b337413eee904280491c15e.jpg ad736b49156b2e3832ae2524ce63b376 https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/935bd5d7ac4027fa126a88a8e581c51b.m4a 8ce8fd3f456571ffaff64c33a2f96fc5 https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/302c148993179e06f3f0bab8b3a22e99.jpg fff7d77e5ab015199ec15c8a7a14b448 https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/62e66feefaa9462c2cc743ca8569afa9.pdf 970423d2b78f3c23effe7588bc793ed7 PDF Text Text 1 Title Evelyn Vasquez Interview Date June 2nd, 2018 Language Eng Interviewer Emily Rizzo Location Media Services, Skidmore Library, Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, NY Original Format Audio Recording Duration 39:30 Tags HEOP , Opportunity Program , Raíces , Study abroad , Alumni , Oral history , Skidmore College �2 ER: Can we start with you saying your full name, your class year, your major, and where you’re from? E: Class of 1998. originally from the DR, I was born there, grew up in Washington Heights, New York. currently live in Westchester, NY. ER: You said you met your husband here? Can we talk about that? EV: So, we met here. we were both HEOP students. It also happened that he's also Dominican, so I guess there was an attraction, some sort of comfortable place with that. we actually didn’t date until senior year. and that's when we became a couple, things happen in-between, and 10 years after we graduated... yeah 10 years, we got together for good. we have now four kids, two boys and two girls, ages of 12 and four, four through 12. One of the benefits of your partner being from the same school and actually the same year, makes coming back actually so much sweeter. Because he's also comfortable in the environment, he also wants to come and see friends. and we can sort of reminisce together, "Oh you remember in the cafeteria, all the parties we attended..." So, it's sort of an always Skidmore reminder when that happens to someone, which is a good thing. ER: Yeah. What have you guys been reminiscing about? Anything that is really sticking out? EV: Oh, me trying to get all the girls off his back! *Laughs* The majority here are girls. The student population is mostly female, and I think was 60... I don’t know I can’t remember the ratio but... So, I always joke with him, I always had to stand my ground and let the girls know, "Hey he's with me." [Laugh]. ER: It's always a problem here. �3 EV: Then the other thing we reminisce about is our HEOP experience and our HEOP summer. And a character that's always lively from a professor perspective was Sheldon [Solomon, professor of psychology]. So all the funny grades he would give us and then we would say, "You know what? He was right." My husband was saying he got an F- and the comment was, Sheldon wrote, "You should try harder to fail." And then another one was, "You got a D for dog shit." And he's like, "You know what? But he was right." Because he wasn’t up to the quality and it's like... back then we were like, "How dare he give us this grade and say all these comments!" And then we look back and he's like, "You know what, those were great advice." [Laugh]. EV: We reminisce about... We were also part of Raíces. I don’t know if it has the same name, but it was the Latino Hispanic student club and we would do performances. So obviously we were always part of the dancing crew. There was always a group of us that for every Latino celebration we made sure we did some sort of dance performance to a meringue, salsa... {...] and we were always involved with that. And sometimes we'd get upset like, "You're not following me, what are you thinking, pay attention, you don't know how to dance." Cause we would practice a lot, we thought we were professionals on stage because we wanted to put on a good show. It was a cultural show, we wanted to show that off like this is our culture and we're proud of it. So we took time and pride in what we were building to put out for the Skidmore community. EV: Just a couple of things that we reminisce and talk about. ER: That's amazing. I want to ask questions about all those things, but I want to start from the beginning... can you talk about your experience with HEOP? EV: Mind you, this was 20 years ago, so HEOP was the Higher Education Opportunity Program. I think it has evolved a little bit through the years. So back when I started it was mostly for domestic students. I think now we've expanded to serve international students. The perspective to give domestic students, usually from inner-city, who obviously have shown �4 potential through their high school career to have access to outstanding college education. So it came with not only a support system, but it also came with financial aid support as well. Because obviously a lot of kids that came to that program had also financial... required some financial support as well. EV: But what I remember most is all the support the program provided. So, I guess a lot of us came from inner cities where a lot of us didn't receive the best education growing up but we definitely had the potential to develop and obviously be in a classroom with kids that have had a world class education all through their lives. And they had what they call the higher education opportunity program summer, the HEOP Summer, and there you would get tutored in all the foundations to give you a good start for college. So it was the summer before your freshman year. You come in you get an intensive writing course, you get your basic math course, then we also took some sort of psychology... that liberal arts perspective as well. So it was really a program that supported you more than just financially, it was emotionally. I know a lot of us went to the HEOP office for emotional support, people that you can talk to when you're having a hard time. EV: For many of us coming to Skidmore was a culture shock. People talk, "Oh it's the real world." But I look back and I'm like, well I was living in the real world before coming to Skidmore except that everybody looked like me, talked like me...I grew up in a neighborhood in Washington Heights that was predominantly Dominicans, Latinos, so everybody spoke Spanish. I went to high school where 99.9 of the people were people of color. You obviously got exposed out of your real world but pretty much my real world was people like me, that sound like me, that ate like me, that dressed like me, that had curly hair like me right. And then you come into Skidmore and for me it was a culture shock and I'm pretty sure for other students that perhaps never even dealt with somebody of color, it was also a culture shock. So it was sort of the first time that I looked around and I'm like oh I'm the darkest person. That never happened to me. �5 EV: Oh, wait I'm the only one with curly hair. Oh shoot I'm the only one with an accent and you do feel a little bit like an outsider and to be honest that was really hard for me and it took some time for me to understand my environment and try to be successful in it. Not because I couldn't but because everything was... how can I say it? Because other things that should have been okay, became top of mind for me, like my skin color, everything else, my accent. I remember, reading whatever assignment, whatever we had, like 20,000 times because I was like oh my god I have a question, but I want to make sure that it’s not answered in the book because I was like I don't want to speak up. If the answer is in the book then I can figure it out myself but if it’s not, oh I have to raise my hand and speak up and my accent... You sort of feel so much conscious about what is I guess your natural being. EV: So the HEOP was there to support a lot of us through that and make sure that we not only survived in an environment that was not our everyday environment, an environment that we weren't used to, but really strive in it and do well. I mean I think I did great from an academic perspective at Skidmore. I was a double major, I was part of the honors society. So I think if the HEOP office wasn't there I would have most likely gotten lost and a little bit drowned by all these things that became top of mind rather than my focus on my studies. So I look back and I think the HEOP program was really the foundation for me to do well here. EV: And I think back and look back at Skidmore as this great place that opened the world to me in a way. So as you go through it you may not be appreciate but then after you've gone you're like you know what? I'm glad it took me out of my comfortable Washington heights because that was my world, but the world is so much bigger than that. And it's an appreciation for different worlds out there and that are accessible to me. I was reading somewhere; a great college is not one that prepares you for the four years that you're there it's really the one that prepares you for life. And I think that's what Skidmore has done to me; sort of prepare me, not for the four years that I was here because they go by so quickly but what comes after that for the rest of my life and how do I handle myself, how do I carry myself, how do I take advantage of those opportunities that I see and really open the world and a new perspective. �6 ER. Wow thank you so much for sharing, I really appreciate it. EV: No problem, no problem. ER: It's really nice to hear. Thank you. EV: Not a problem. ER: I mean I'm so glad that it exists, the OP program. EV: And I hope that it still does that, I know that Skidmore is doing great strides for diversity and I hope that the Equal Opportunity Program is the backbone to that because it does provide so much more to the students that come in who for some reason may feel different or otherwise that perhaps would not do well without the program. It's a great program. ER: I think Skidmore needs to keep going with it, keep getting better and better, because it's still predominantly white. Most of the teachers are white and teachers, this is something I've been thinking a lot about lately, a lot of the teachers are really just not... are stuck in their comfort zone and not willing to talk about what it means to be white and what white supremacy is and how whiteness affects how they teach and how they should, how race and social issues and the world should be part of the classroom. We're not really talking about that. I'm looking forward to that happening more. EV: Yeah and a lot of the issues that you mention, white supremacy, a lot of people do not, it's so engrained into our society that it happens subconsciously without people thinking about it. I think we do need to take a pause, say what's going on here, because we can put numbers around it. But going back to what I was saying, how do we know when we're successful? And I think that's when somebody like me can come in and not look around and say oh my god I'm �7 the darkest person. Oh my god I'm the only one with curly hair, oh my god I’m the only one with an accent. Instead of numbers its really like when you can have this diverse group of people be part of the community and not feel like they are the only one and they are the one that looks like an outsider. So when we have that, like when people like me don’t have to look and say oh I’m the darkest one, brown skin, I’m the one that sounds kind of weird, looks different. And it's not only a Skidmore problem. It goes beyond that. But yeah what is the school doing, is it doing enough? Or is what it's doing being efficient? Because I'm pretty sure a lot is being done and it's top of mind for the school, but I think we need to take a step back and say okay what are the actions we are taking and is this working? Is this creating the value that we want to be created? And it's something that me as an alumni take seriously. We try to shape that by volunteering, by our time, by giving a different perspective as well. Because I just cannot come back every reunion year and expect things to change if I don't give back and be part of the process and be part of the solution and be part of how can we make Skidmore better? So it works both ways as well. But yeah, I definitely agree there is much work to be done and I know it's top priority for Skidmore. Whether it is where we want it to be, I’m not sure. ER: Well thank you so much for your work, your devotion to this place. What ideas do you have? I mean are you seeing some things that Skidmore is doing and saying this isn't efficient and what do you think Skidmore should be doing? I feel like you will have a perspective as an alum... You're saying that you're aware that this is top priority right but maybe it's not efficient. What do you think they can do to be better or what's something new they can do? EV: That's a good question and I don't think I have the answer. [Laugh]. I definitely have some ideas. This is the thing with diversity because you need to have a balance... an easy one is you need to increase your diversity numbers, which I think Skidmore is doing. But I think it's once the student gets here, what support are they being provided. What can the college do more from that social engagement? Which I think was something that I didn't have. And again, it could have changed. To give an example, some of it could be my fault but also... some of it like I �8 said could be self-inflicted, but also some of it could have probably been a little bit relieved by the college. So one of the... I don’t want to say one of the biggest regrets but if I could do something over in college its expose myself socially more. Because I was so concerned about oh my god I represent not just me but my race, my ethnicity, that you don’t want to be the dumbest person in the class. I think... and again I'm talking personally, I created this bubble around me where I didn't socialize as much with people outside of my HEOP classmates. I always look back and I’m like how know what I could have socialized a bit more I could have engaged more with people. And again, some of it is self-inflicted but I think if there was some sort of way to increase that social engagement it would be a win win for the college and for the student because going back the HEOP provided great support great emotional and academic support but I think for that social engagement with everybody else within the college and within your classmate was a little bit failing. Again I don’t know if there exists something that can create these environments and for that socialization to happen, but I think it’s important. Because then what you're going to have is people still staying in their own little groups you know, and you’ll only have a few that might be branching out and creating friendships outside and sort of creating that social dynamic, which I believe then would impact everything else. at least that’s... that would be some of the things that I would improve. looking at what kind of social opportunities are there for that engagement to happen. because the other thing with diversity is, anything that’s like you call it diversity only certain people will show up, which are the people that identify themselves as diverse for a reason or other. and so what happens then, even that group it’s the "diverse" group only, when it should actually be imbedded within the total community. I was actually for one of my last employers, I was one of the diversity recruitment. And we had a bunch of activities. And I’m like you know what it’s great that we're talking about diversity but the only people that are coming to this diversity talk are the African Americans or Latinos or women and I’m like where’s everybody else? were like preaching to the choir. So it’s like how do we make diversity so that at it becomes a natural to the backbone of the Skidmore experience, rather than just these pockets of activities that are happening. where then only people that are affected by some diversity issue attend, its like I said, it’s like you’re �9 preaching to the choir, amen hallelujah. you’re not doing it to the entire congregation. so I think it’s that. its embedding it through the whole Skidmore experience. EV: How do you do that? I mean that's a great question. [Laugh]. ER: That's another story. Okay I want to ask, what was your favorite class here? Do you remember? EV: Oh my god, so you know what? I remember what was my favorite class and I don't know if they do this but BU107... Let me go back. So I was a double major in business and government. And the first class that I had was BU107. I don't know if it's still the same curriculum, but you study... you select a group of people, you study a company, and then at the end of the semester you present a big presentation about that company’s sort of financials, marketing strategy, operation strategy and you present it in front of a panel. oh my god that presentation, I remember my legs were shaking like crazy because I wasn’t used to public speaking. and it stuck. I was so nervous I mean I can still feel... every time I think about it I can still feel my hands getting sweaty, my team... we [were] standing outside the room with our corporate attire and my legs are shaking oh my god I think I had the financial piece of it. oh man. so it was one of those classes, at least for me, coming from where I was coming from, where it’s like you either swim or drown kind of deal. so I don’t know if it’s my favorite but it’s definitely the one that I remember the most and I think about it and I’m like oh I can totally take back all these emotions that I was feeling at that moment. I remember that into today, my hands were sweaty my legs were shaking. it was in itself an experience to have. I think it was a good experience. it puts you out there in front of people that are evaluating you, and then I remember dreading oh my god they're going to have questions they're going to ask questions, what questions do they have? So I remember that class. ER: So is it one of those things that you appreciate more now... �10 EV: Yeah you definitely appreciate it more because I was like I’ve never spoken in front of anyone. and I definitely have brought out ideas or anything that I’ve studied out to the open and saying this is what I think and challenge it and never had the opportunity to be in that opportunity. It’s great it’s what you do in your everyday... I don’t want to say life but definitely in your job. you present your ideas and people want to challenge it and then you come back and say that’s great but let’s look at it this way. so I think it was a great stepping stone. I look at it with a lot of.... not reminiscing.... with a positive mindset. ER: That class is a big deal still. EV: It's still a big deal? Okay. ER: Oh, I know... I always see the groups together, they’re dressed up. It's one of the classes that I wished I experienced because it seems like such an experience, you learn so much. EV: It is, and you do. You're preparing for it. Every semester. it’s not like the last three days before the presentation. you’re studying the company, you’re looking things up. I remember my business case was Robert Mondavi wine, winery. Which back then was starting. Now I think it’s big but that was our study case, the Robert Mondavi company. And I remember that [laugh] and it was 24 years ago. So it was nice. It was nice. Let's see what other class I took... I took some government courses which was interesting. I took dance. I actually wanted to minor in dance, I took modern dance one and two, I took ballet one and two. And then I took an improvisational course, dance improvisation or something like that and we did a performance and my friend came out of that saying, "Yeah stick to business." [laugh]. They were good friends [laughs]. So I didn't take a dance class after that [laugh]. And I was like well that’s kind of mean and they were like yeah you know [laugh] stick to business and government for now, leave the dance. but it was great. I got to experience that. so yeah, I mean it was fun. it was fun doing the dance classes. �11 ER: That's so Skidmore, to take a random dance class. EV: Yeah [laugh]. I never took ceramics oh my god, that’s the one that I always wanted to take, and it just never quite made it into my schedule. My junior year I actually was not at Skidmore. That was a year that I spent away from Skidmore. Because first the fall of my junior year I went to American University and I did the semester there and I got an internship with senator Moynihan back then. That was awesome. that was an awesome experience. You probably don't know Senator Moynihan, but he was the Senator that we can refer back as coining the phrase, "You're entitled to your own opinions, but not your own facts." Which is so true for today. He coined it so many years ago. He passed away, he was the senior senator for New York. And my job was simple as an intern there. I needed to open the letters that we get from his constituents and say okay this is related to education, this one is related to the environment, the highways, so sort of organize them in the buckets they belong. But it was just a great experience being on capitol hill and doing that and seeing him walking down the hall and you’re just like, “Wahh that’s Senator Moynihan.” ER: That's so cool. That was through Skidmore? EV: That was through Skidmore yeah. Skidmore participated in that American University program. It's mostly government courses and part of that program was to get an internship so that was my internship that I got there so it was great. Then my Spring semester I went to Spain through Skidmore study abroad program in Spain. And that was wonderful. When I'm telling you, it was an eye opener, it was amazing. I mean just the flight getting there, it’s like, wait we have to be more than four hours in the air plane? How is that possible? I remember we needed to get research... And I’m like it’s this many hours in the airplane it’s like a whole day! Yeah just it’s all that, it’s just great and the Skidmore program was so great because you not only took that culture immersion through the Skidmore program there but perhaps unlike other study abroad programs you got to take courses at the university. which was awesome. so you actually go to socialize with Spanish students there. so it wasn’t just you and your own little Skidmore �12 friends in the Skidmore center you actually went out there with the other students. you went to university classes like you would here. Your professors were Spanish professors. It was an amazing experience. That was great. That definitely opened my world. Definitely a defining moment of my Skidmore experience. It's an opportunity that a lot of perhaps college kids do not get through their campus and here it’s there pretty much for anyone who’s interested. I believe there’s GPA requirements but other than that the program (needs stability). That was great for anybody who wanted to participate in such things. For me it was definitely an eye opener. I don't think I... coming to Skidmore I didn't even know that existed, study abroad programs, I didn't know about that. Just coming here... If I tell you the reason why I chose Skidmore [laugh], it's actually a pretty funny one. It had nothing to do with rankings. Yu know a lot of people, I guess it's about the experience and peoples' backgrounds but... and I’m pretty sure my kids would do this... but... people put time and research in schools and visiting schools and what is their ranks and what career they're going to have and what are their majors, I wasn’t thinking like that. all my mom said was you need to go to college. I was like okay. that was the expectation in my family. and I remember I went to a college fair with my cousin, we were the same age, and there was a Skidmore table there and they said... so we went we were visiting tables and we ended up in the Skidmore table, and there where was people from the admissions office, there was this lady from the HEOP office, Michelle Dupree, I don’t think she’s... She’s no longer with Skidmore but she was definitely into getting me here. so, they were putting out a flyer of a one weekend program at Skidmore. they would pick you up at 42nd street, bring you up from New York City for the weekend. you get to get mini classes, they give you housing and food while you were here. So, I looked at my cousin and was like oh let’s go there. and they mentioned a party and I’m like, "Oh a party? are boys going to be there? yeah okay fine great sign me up. and its free and you come pick me up and you bring me back?" so me and my cousin signed up, thinking it’s a party there’s going to be boys, we were 17 years old right, so I come here... First of all, the drive was beautiful because it was in the fall. And you get one of the current students to host you, so you get to go to their dormitory and stay with them, we had sleeping bags. But guess what? Those rooms are huge for two people. So I remember asking my host, the current student, I’m like " Wait this entire room is for two people? With this �13 big closet? I mean we're five in my family and we all were sharing one room. And it's like, sign me up, where do I come here? I get my own closet [laugh]. Not the rankings, not the major, I was just like what I get my own room my own closet! It's all about the people coming in and what are their backgrounds and experiences. But now I know better and for my kids they’re going to be looking at rankings and what the school has to offer... how many of the students get jobs after graduation. that’s one of the important metrics. but for me it wasn’t like that. all I knew was that I needed to go to college and all I knew was I lived in a crammed apartment with five of us sharing a tiny room and one closet and it was amazing when I came here, and I was like wow just one closet for me I don’t have to share with nobody? This bedroom just me with one other person? So yeah it was definitely an experience. There you go that's how I chose Skidmore. Skidmore chose me too. Because I think it was luck of the draw me going to that table. It was definitely... probably one of the luckiest days of my life when I ended up saying, "okay fine, sign me up." They had a nice party and I'm like "Oh it’s going to be like this all the time." Nah. [Laugh]. I wouldn’t call Skidmore a party school. I don’t think so. Not at least in my experience. But maybe for other people it was that. My 4 years here, I think they were that. They definitely took me out of my comfort zone, which at the time that you're going through it you don’t see all the good things. But definitely after I graduated it was like "Oh my god that was the best thing that happened." All the opportunities that I got, all the experiences that I was able to take advantage of and pursue, definitely makes me a better person today and a more worldly person with a more worldly view of what I think, what my opinions are and what I think does matter, and how can you sort of have an impact to improve things and others. ER: Thank you so much this has been really really great. � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Oral History Description An account of the resource Many people who have worked or studied at Skidmore College or lived in Saratoga Springs or the surrounding area carry the memories that help us tell the stories of our communities. This collection offers a glimpse into our past in the voices of those who have shared their stories. Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Interviewer The person(s) performing the interview Rizzo, Emily, '18 Interviewee The person(s) being interviewed Vasquez, Evelyn Yesenia Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Interview with Evelyn Yesenia Vaszquez, '98 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1 June 2018 Language A language of the resource eng Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Emily Rizzo, '18 https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/be3d11da4d31402361d4d3a49f4d9070.png e68324fba5645bc4c24155098ef80269 https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/1f2e0ba5b66caf8530d73ce86f0ebc64.mp3 f9f2620c062ba2aa4784da2671be9b60 https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/a2919d894375fef3fea1efd2c113e1de.pdf e27e92ed12e6e1ad4c5f328b25ea4a27 PDF Text Text Narrator: Sandie Carner-Shafran Interviewers: Max Chelso ’24 and Sophia Delohery ‘25 Location of Interview: Saratoga Springs, NY Date of Interview: November 2, 2022 Max [00:00:01] Today's date is November 2nd, 2022. This is Max Chelso speaking. Sophia [00:00:07] And I'm Sophia Delohery. Sandie [00:00:08] And I'm Sandy Carner-Shafran. Max [00:00:11] So Sandy, what was your experience growing up? Where did you-- where were you born? What was that like? Sandie [00:00:18] Well, I was born in actually Hartford, Connecticut. My parents divorced. My mom lived the rest of my life, I lived in Waterbury, Connecticut, and went to school there, East Farms Elementary, and then moved on to Crosby High School, where I ultimately graduated. It was during times of very, a lot of unrest. That was when there was forced segregation and that kind of stuff going on. Max [00:00:56] So this is a bit of background we have, but, since you became an educator, what was your schooling experience like? Sandie [00:01:03] Schooling-- my experience going to school? Okay. So I, I completed high school in 1968 and I went on to post junior college in Connecticut and I took a little over, but didn't quite get my associates. So, uh, cause I ran away and got married, silly girl. And that's where I stopped. Then I went on after I got married, kids came and I kind of went back to school and got a few more credits. Still didn't quite complete my associate's degree. Life got in the way. Max [00:01:47] So after that or during that, what was your first job? Sandie [00:01:52] Well, my first job then was basically helping out at my husband's family's hardware store. Um, that wasn't so much fun. I dusted and put orders away. Not much in intellectual, you know, stimulation. It was basically very rote. And my brother in law was the owner, so it wasn't like we could really change stuff there. So I didn't have a lot of power, which I seem to crave at times. Back in those days, it was the seventies. So, you know, there was a lot of changes going on. Vietnam, I had a child, the news was not good on at supper time. It was pretty, pretty devastating to watch and to hear. And a lot of stuff was going on. Max [00:02:50] So after that, what was your continuing experience with employment? Sandie [00:02:58] So I went on. Ultimately, we took over the store and then then stuff went down and we sold it back. I ended up, you know, I had three sons by then. My youngest was going back to school, was going to kindergarten, and it was time for me to get a job and get out of the house. And I happened to be at a Little League game and a colleague that I knew socially came up and said, “Hey, you like kids?” And I said “somewhat.” And they said, How about subbing at the BOCES in Saratoga? And I said, "Well, what does it involve?" And they said, "Well, a bunch of us carpool every day to go down. You could always ride with us. And basically you help with kids with disabilities and they're looking for help." And that was like in May. And so I said, "Okay." And they called me and I worked �every day in May and in June until school stopped. And then the exciting news was I just was in love with the kids, the staff, the whole idea, making a difference. The kids were incredible and they were pretty severely, profoundly, you know, handicapped at the time. We had a lot of wheelchairs, supine boards, all kinds of physical equipment to work with the kids. But I still loved it. I loved everything about it. Every day was an adventure with the kids and gym and cross-country skiing with kids that would have a seizure. But we'd pick them up and we'd keep going. And the kids laughed about it and sledding and doing all kinds of fun things, taking them swimming and everything. We even camped with some of the kids at one point later on in life. But the big thing was I wanted to continue and the principal, Mr. Crowley at the time, called me in, early in August, late in August and said, “I have a position at the BOCES. Would you consider working in special ed full time?” And we talked about it. My husband and I and I agreed to do it. I was real excited. So September 1982, I became a full time employee as a teacher aide at the SaratogaWashington-Warren-Hamilton-Essex BOCES on Henning Road was called the Meyer Center, and that started my career. I made $3,000 that year and I had full family matrix health care, which was unbelievable at the time. That was worth like $25,000, $28,000 back then for family health. And that was because I was working there. Didn't get a lot of money in my pocket, but that was wonderful. I think that eventually my husband started to get upset because I wasn't making any money and he kept telling people in our circle that, "Costs me money for her to work there," which he was right. You know, gas, different clothes, you know, timing. The kids were in school, so we didn't pay a sitter. But it was it wasn't very I could have made a lot more money if I worked in Corinth, where we lived at the grocery store. But my argument was I'm not making a difference stacking cans. I'm making a difference in the lives of the kids that I touch at school. And I'm going to make it worth it, for me, because I didn't want to quit and have to work at a grocery store. Sophia [00:06:37] Yeah. Sandie [00:06:37] That's when my union kicked in. Sophia [00:06:40] Yeah. It's great to hear how much, like, love you had for that job. Sandie [00:06:45] Well, I just adored the kids. I so. So I did, you know, we made costumes, we did all kinds of stuff. We…I made a huge Christmas Santa Claus costume for one of the big kids to wear one time. And the teacher that did, uh…rying to think of what they called it back then, he did woodworking and he taught, they built a big sleigh. So we took pictures with the kids, with Santa. And it was just always something, always something that was a little extra because these kids needed it and the staff just ate it up. Max [00:07:23] So I get the sense that you enjoyed your work. But were there any challenges be it at the daily level or at a more structural level that you faced on the job? Sandie [00:07:38] Well, there was. There wasn't enough hands. We did get breaks, but sometimes we ate lunch with the kids, which could be kind of, I would say, difficult because, you know, they had feeding problems and it wasn't the most hygienic or fun place to eat when you're trying to feed children that could choke or have a seizure and stuff. So there was times when our breaks were ignored. There was times when we were lifting without help. You know, there was a lot of stuff that, that kind of took some of the joy away from the actual job because you felt frustrated, you weren't being supported. We didn't have a lot of training back then. I can remember them bringing in some speaker one time, and it was an older woman that talked about, you know, prioritizing your jobs and, you know, kind of really not pertinent to what I needed to learn. I actually read my contract �thinking that that two pages was going to tell me something how to help a child in a seizure or help someone drink from a sippy cup that was cut out and, you know, different things to do my job better and it wasn't there. I was lucky that our occupational therapists, physical therapists and special ed teachers were more than willing to give us some help. But they had work to do and they couldn't. It would be like having another student because, you know, you just didn't know, some of the things we needed to do. And that was, that was becoming more frustrating to a group of us. A bunch of us got hired that September. So it was probably a good 20, 30 of us that got hired because special ed was just blowing up. They had done, I believe the Willowbrook decision had come down at that time, just prior, and they had to start taking some of these handicapped individuals out of the main big giant institutions and putting them in group homes and taking them to schools. So that kind of changed the landscape for schools. So we housed them in the main center. There was another center up in Glens Falls. We didn't merge those two centers until later on. But so there was some dissension in the troops, and there was some frustration as to how can we make it better, both financially and educationally, too. If I'm trained, I can do better with the kids. That was my main goal. Max [00:10:25] Uh, you gave some explanation about this, but could you just tell me exactly what the Willowbrook decision is? Sandie [00:10:31] Well, I'm not great with the year. We'll have to go back and think about when it was. But there was a big exposé that news gentlemen put on TV and it was Willowbrook was a downstate asylum for people with, supposedly were supposed to be unable to function in society. But when they went in and found the deplorable conditions they were unclothed, filthy, soiled, and many were put there because maybe they were just a little unruly back then. They were maybe maybe they're just delayed, but could certainly function in society with the correct supports. But they were-- it was a dumping ground. There were people there that had been there 30, 40 years from, you know, being a young child. It was really horrible. Horrible. And that's when it came out. And they broke up these asylums, and they weren't just there. They were in other places. And they made it a law that they had to put them in society, in smaller group homes, to be more like families was a wonderful thing. I actually had an aunt and they…an aunt through marriage that were put in one of those situations, because they were 14, and they were a little bit boy crazy, and they spent their life in an institution. We were little kids. We didn't know what was wrong with them. So it was it was profound as a teenager to know that if you didn't obey your parents, that they could send you a place like that. Scary. Sophia [00:12:29] Yeah, that's, that's really heavy. Sandie [00:12:31] Yeah. Sophia [00:12:32] And that had, I mean, you talked a little bit about this, but that caused, like, an influx of more kids on your work, and that kind of..? Sandie [00:12:38] Yeah, yeah. Ultimately, people couldn't hide their children. You know, so many families back then were probably embarrassed. Oh, our son can't talk, oh, our daughter is, you know, crippled or, you know, can't communicate. So they kept them home and they kept them in rooms and they didn't help them. They couldn't thrive in that condition. So then they ultimately, if something happened to the parents, these children were put into these asylums, it was an awful, awful thought. And quite frankly, if you put them into smaller group homes, as we know today, many of them thrive. They go on, they �do jobs in the community and become active citizens. They pay taxes, and…just like you and me. Max [00:13:32] So you touched upon this, and I can see how the situation would be exacerbated by this Willowbrook decision. But how was that you got into labor organizing? Sandie [00:13:46] Well, that's when I told you I was getting frustrated with lack of training, lack of just understanding that we needed a better pay because I wanted to stay in that job. That job was something that was dear to my heart. So I ended up going in early during the day, every day because of the carpooling. And I ended up sitting in the career and tech faculty room, a career and tech program. Those folks, mostly men, came out of the, quote, real world. They were teachers that became teachers, but originally they were welders and home builders. They had been out in the real world. They understood unions. They understood, you know, a contract. So they would talk about stuff and I would be listening and paying attention. And then they talked a little bit more about, oh, there's going to be a a picket in Stillwater or Mechanicville. We're going to meet out here. And I thought it was kind of important for me to go with them. So I would come down, get in the car with a group of us, and we'd go picket. Now, that was probably, you know, 40, 40 some years ago. I ended up working 38 years, but early on, so that was like the early eighties and NYSUT, New York State United Teachers Union, the officers would be there at those pickets, and they would be helping to organize people to get better contracts. And the more I heard about it, the more I realized that, why can't we fight to have a better contract, more pay so that I can keep this job? So I started asking more questions in the faculty room, getting more answers. And then one of the presidents came up to me and said, “Hey, you want to be a negotiator, be on the negotiating team?” And I said, "What is it?" And they told me, "Oh, you'll love it. It's fun." Negotiating is not fun unless you have a little bit of a legal mind. And evidently I did, and I enjoyed it. I got right in and learned the ropes and pleasantly surprised. Very frustrating at times. Sometimes they swore. And that was a little bit of a shocker. You know, I wasn't supposed to, you know, you don't swear at people in their suit jackets, but they were swearing and it was getting pretty rough in there at times. And I had taken a few workshops. The president and the union officers had taken me to a couple of things that NYSUT put on and how to bargain and stuff. And I started realizing that I had a voice and they could have a suit jacket on, but we had the same power when we came to the table, which really shook me up and made me stand a little taller. And I said, “okay.” And one time I just had about enough from the business agent. He kept telling us that teacher aides, secretaries, all of us that weren't teachers were similar and could not get paid any higher than a nurse, his wife, at the hospital. And I said, “but that's, that's apples and oranges. That has nothing to do with what I do.” I was working right alongside a teacher. I was teaching a small group. I was doing all things before they changed the rules, but I was doing everything, plus changing diapers, taking them to the nurse and doing all kinds of stuff. So I fought it, fought it. And the one time he started giving me a lot of trouble at the table and I said, “I'm…I'm just going to call a stop.” And I said, “I'd like to caucus. I'd like to stop.” So we did. And they said, "Why?" And I said, "Because I'm tired of your old song. Sing me a new tune." And I walked out. I couldn't believe I did it. I was like, "Oh, my, I'm in trouble now." But I wasn't. Because when I came back in, he was all red in the face. And we ended up getting a 29% raise, which was unheard of. Of course, 29%, which I wasn't really good at math, remember I told you that. 29% of nothing is not much. But it still put us on the map. It showed them that we weren't going to just go away with two pages of paper. We were we ended up with everything the same as the teachers, the same breaks, the same insurance, the same amount of sick time. And we got a raise. We even had longevity put in there, eventually, over the years, we got longevity. Eventually, down the road, we fought to get career enhancement for �education purposes. We could get money to take college courses. If we were preapproved and we passed with a good grade, we could get the money back. So that's sort of where it got me going. Sophia [00:19:17] Yeah, that's incredible. And what was the, like, what did you feel the public support was, at the time when you were doing this initial work? Like in the eighties? Sandie [00:19:27] Well, the public loved the, you know, the teachers back then. They loved anybody that worked with their kids, we used to get beautiful presents from the parents. And I have ceramic Christmas ornaments and all kinds of things from the parents. It was really good up until, you know, really recently when the whole country kind of got a little crazy before COVID and started blaming grades on teachers. And it really isn't. And of course, now it's far from that. And they've disenfranchized a lot of young people like yourselves from going into education because, you know, granted, you can get a lot more money out in the tech field or other places. You can get respect. But the bottom line is, can you love your job as much as I did? Probably not. I loved it. I love the kids, like I said. And I keep saying the kids made it worth it. You know, you could have a terrible day. You could feel like you had a bad hair day. You go in and I had a young man named Charlie. He had so many things going, you know, kind of against him. But every time he saw you, I'm telling you, he'd say, "Oh, Miss C., you look beautiful today!" And your day just instantly became great. The kids would say they were sorry if they had a bad day. It just was like if one little boy couldn't draw five, couldn't draw five, and then all of a sudden one day he did a five. And I cried, because he was so excited. He wrote fives, like, almost all day. He just was so excited. And I told my kids when I came home, my sons, and they actually…my ten year old came to school, you could bring your child to school back then for, and he was so impressed and he said, "I'm never going to feel upset again about something I can't do when I see how hard those kids work to just do their alphabet or to even stand up at the bulletin board. I'll never complain again, Mom." So, that tells you something. Sophia [00:21:43] Yeah. And can you tell us a little bit more? I'm curious about how COVID has impacted the work that you're doing, but also the work that, like, teaching assistants are doing in the classroom. Sandie [00:21:56] Well, during the first wave, I was in the building March 16th. That's when it all started coming down. And then we were told on the 17th to pack it up and go home. And then we had to report online through Zoom, Google Meet, whatever the principal decided at the time. And we had to meet every day and we tried to meet the kids that way. Some kids, I worked at that point, I was working with high school kids more, middle school, high school, and some of them were in classrooms with numbers six to two to one, four to two to one, which means they were severely impacted, emotionally disturbed. Some students needed a lot of support from adults. They were bright. Don't get me wrong, they're very, very smart kids. But they had a lot of baggage and a lot of issues. So they would come. I was working in the in-school suspension room, which is an awful nice sounding place. We called it the alternative learning environment. Kids would come to me from the entire school and get help. So now they're home. And you could see through the Zoom that some places, some kids were sleeping on couches and that's where they were trying to do their work. And they could you could hear animals, you could hear brothers and sisters, you could hear parents. It was not conducive at times. Sometimes they would shut off their camera so you couldn't see where they were, and sometimes you couldn't tell if they were really there. It was frustrating. Then when we would do some fun things on Wednesdays to try to get the kids to come and let's let's see your pets and let's we actually did a, what do you call it, like an Instagram thing where we all did, like, a crazy �dance, you know, and everybody did it and then we put it together, and then we did posters and we went to some of the home schools. And I had my husband had to videotape me doing something in front of Saratoga High School. So the kids that went to Saratoga High School would see me, you know? And we did a lot of crazy things. We visited, we did a carpool thing for graduation. We met at the Meyer Center at 7:00 in the morning and got home at 9:00 at night. We drove like over 3 or 400 miles to every kid that graduated from our program and brought them their graduation cap and gown, took pictures and did stuff. And we had a carpool with police, ambulance, you know, fire trucks and police and everything. And we just would pull up to the house and take pictures. It was always so exciting to see the kids and I would warn my husband, I think I'm going to get hugged here. So beware, you know, we were supposed to be in masks, you know, but I'm not going to tell the kid they couldn't hug me. They were so excited. Sometimes they would swear and say, "Holy blank, it's Mrs. C!" you know. And my husband was laughing. The kids were it was it was so hard, but it was so rewarding to actually have that moment with those kids. It really was. It was. Sophia [00:25:12] Yeah. It sounds like your job was getting harder, but at the same time, like, public opinion was kind of getting worse around support for teachers. Sandie [00:25:22] It was. I think the political scene was, you know, they were questioning, you know, we have the tax cap, we have things going on where, you know, money's tight. People don't want to pay taxes. That's how you fund education. It just got ugly at times. And they of course, you know, if you buy a real expensive car, you expect that car to do well. They weren't really paying for the the Cadillac. They were paying for a beat up car, and expecting Cadillac stuff. And, you know, our kids were trying really hard, the ones that could and then our kids, many of our kids really needed the physical support. They needed that person next to them. They were getting very, very sad. Public opinion, you know, test scores weren't going up. There's a lot of time competing for kids attention. That's not schoolwork. A lot of parents think the social aspect of playing soccer and being playing instruments and doing this and being in clubs, but sometimes it's just too much for kids. And the expectation from State Ed at times was kind of high. Some of the expected readings were not age appropriate for kids. Kids don't need to read some stuff about war when they're in fourth grade. I mean, the Civil War, that's one thing that was kind of whitewashed. You didn't really hear about the bloody body parts and stuff, but some of the reading that was expected for fourth graders. And we, we at the union and went to State Ed and complained that it wasn't age appropriate. Our kids couldn't wrap their minds…they weren't emotionally mature enough for some of that reading. And I think that as we grew as a society, we started forgetting what was important in education. They don't do nursery rhymes anymore. Fire alarm [00:27:26] *Fire alarm goes off* Sophia [00:27:27] So building off of your previous work, can you just give us an overview of kind of what you're doing now or if you want to talk about even what you're heading to today? Sandie [00:27:36] So right now, I am retired, after 38 years of being a teaching assistant at the Saratoga-Warren-Washington-Hamilton-Essex BOCES on Henning Road. 38 years of a lot of memories and a lot of battles, union battles, many contracts, many union positions. I'm currently the Labor Ambassador on the Executive Board of my local, which is Saratoga Adirondack BOCES Employees Association. I am also, in that capacity, I attend the Greater Capital Region Teachers Center. I am the only, was the only one ever, that's a �teaching assistant. As a policy board member, they've only ever had teachers. I am on the NYSUT board of directors. I sit on the executive board. We meet monthly with the officers and I have been on the executive board, come this spring, it will be 25 years. So that's unfounded. I mean, it's just not something normal, people, I just been very lucky. I was put on the executive board under several…most of the presidents. The first one I was, I was able to become a board member and the rest of them I've been on the executive board, which is a total honor. And I just recently, in the past couple of years was elected to the presidency of the Saratoga Area Labor Council and second vice president of the NYSUT Retiree Council Ten. So, I have a lot of hats, and I'm a grandmother of five, recently. We started to build a home on the Sacandaga, and my husband just retired. So we're, we're busy all the time. Like I said earlier today, we are, I am heading down to the Labor Temple off of Everett Road and we will be meeting with the governor, with Governor Hochul, uh, lieutenant governor, the attorney general and probably many more dignitaries, to hear her talk about why she should be elected. We…it's a no brainer if you're in education. You know, she's the one governor we have endorsed in probably, it's probably been well over 20 some years. We have not endorsed any other governor because they haven't been good for education. She has put money in education and backed us on many issues for workers in education. Sophia [00:30:32] And just kind of expanding on that, what are you hoping to see from, like, politicians in support of the work you're trying to do? Like what would be ideal for them to give you guys? Sandie [00:30:43] Well, we want to get rid of APPR. And that's you know, it's it's an evaluation tool that's kind of, not fair to teachers. Not really fair to kids either, because kids get tested and really the results don't get given to that teacher for instruction, it goes to the next teacher. And then it's sort of irrelevant at that point, you know, usually, I know when I was in school, we got a spelling test and then if we didn't do well, the teacher knew what we needed to do, to do better, you know, the next week. These tests were punitive. And I don't…I think that it's with the pandemic, kids have lost. The teachers know the kids have lost. Just like, you know, if you play a game and you didn't do 100%, nobody has to tell you you didn't give 100%. We all know kids had a hard time. There's no sense in making them feel worse. Let's, you know, we're hoping to get rid of that. We want to take care of Tier 6 for people that are in Tier 6. Uh, teachers aren't going to, kids are not going to go into education knowing that they're not going to have a decent pension. They're going to basically lose money by the time they get up in the part of the time for their retirement, they've lost money, the way Tier 6 is laid out. So we, we want to do something with Tier 6 and we want to fix, fix it so kids want to become teachers again, to get into education. It's so rewarding. And there, I think the policies now are coming out from the politicians are starting to realize how important it is. Now all of a sudden, “oh, wow, we have a bus driver shortage? Oh, wow. We have, you know, school staff, we can't get teaching assistants, we can't get teachers.” Well, maybe if you paid them and respected them and give them the supports they need, we'll have better results in school. Kids' grades will go up, because the climate, the education, climate, the environment will be better for everybody. Sophia [00:33:01] Can you tell us a little bit, I know since you've had such an extensive experience in it, it'll probably be hard to pick. But like, can you pick out some moments that were really important in your organizing work or where you felt were huge accomplishments for you guys? Sandie [00:33:19] Well, we had some, you know, a lot of fun events that the union helped me to get involved in. Like we did this book challenge. It was a truck full of 42,000 brand �new books, and it's AFT's program, First Books. And because of the position I hold, I kind of talked my president into going to NYSUT and talking to them about maybe getting some books. Well, we took the challenge. We got 20,000 signatures. We did interviews on the radio and TV, all kinds of stuff. And we ended up having Congressman Tonko and a lot of people come to our school to watch this giant truck come with, just, boxes as big as this room full of brand new books. And then what we proceeded to do, they delivered it into a bay in the career and tech end. And then all the children, we had them working, it was hysterical to see kids in hardhats, big, burly guys that normally do the heavy equipment training, were directing some of our students with disabilities, "The princess books go over there. And this is where the Tommy the Truck book goes over here." And they were helping each other. It was a blur of craziness, but it was all orchestrated. Kids were making boxes, kids were doing this, staff was helping. Some of the kids were running, you know, a forklift outside and taking boxes up to the cafeteria where we had all, everything labeled and out. We had retired librarians, we had the police department, we had the servicemen from the Navy. We had all kinds of people in the community come and help sort books. Our culinary department made sandwiches because this took a week to sort all those books. And then when the day came, when they came to come get their books, I had teachers sitting on the floor, not much older than you guys, sitting on the floor in tears, getting new books to take back to their classrooms because there was no books for the kids. I had little kids coming and taking bags of books and, so excited…the books were heavier than they were, but they were taking books home for their sisters and brothers. And I finally went in to watch and I was teary eyed because I was busy doing other things. We had a rocking chair set up for Congressman Tonko to read to some of the kids. And it was an amazing accomplishment. My superintendent, Jim Dexter, at the time, was very supportive. He gave me six days to do this. I got my regular pay. I was the person, the person in charge, the logistics person. Don't ever accept that job. It's brutal. Brutal. And we just…I wore a Wonder Woman cape, and the kids loved it because I met them at the door and they go "Where we flying to!" I said "Down the hall!" And we gave him breakfasts and pizzas and stuff. And it was, it was a highlight. It was amazing to see. We did a lot of organizing for it and it was positive. There was times that we also had to go, you know, walk a picket line. And that's, that's a different kind of feeling. You know, and hopefully, like we just went to Starbucks. My husband and I went down to Starbucks and I wore my union shirt. And on the back it says, vote yes for the union, check yes. And I walked around the Starbucks store quite a bit with the shirt on. And then when I ordered my drink, I said, they said, "Well, who…what name?" And I said, "Say yes to the union, Sandy." So they had to yell it out. And they did. And the kids were excited, the workers. And they did vote yes, they did consolidate. They did, with the union. So, we've had a lot of young people start realizing that what their grandparents had is what they want. They want a pension. We always thought that the younger folks were looking for the big bucks and not thinking about their future later. But in talking to some of the kids from Starbucks who are going on to college and, you know, working there, too, they said, no, we want what you have: a pension. We want to be able to work at a job safely. We want to be able to have rights. And we like our job. We actually love doing what we do, but we don't want to do it unsafe and we want to do, we want to have a pension when we're done. So it's enlightening to me to hear that. And it's heartening. It feels really good to know that the kids are getting it. And I think with our president that we have now, he's a labor guy. You know, he's definitely trying. All we can do is hope that Americans come together and, you know, labor built this country. Let's hope we can keep it going. And I'm always here. Just tell me where. *laughs* �Sophia [00:38:38] Yeah. Wow. Well, what do you think is important going forward then for people, both organizers and kind of the general public, to kind of get things to where we want them to be for your field. Sandie [00:38:53] You have to listen to each other. You really have to listen because, yes, there's people that are pro-choice and, you know, anti this and pro that. We lost a big thing this year. We lost Roe. You know that Roe v. Wade is going to forever make me cry because it that was something that my kids and you kids had and now it's been taken away. My granddaughters won't have that. We have to start finding ways to communicate with those that are totally against something and some people that are totally for and find some kind of middle ground. That's what the union always did. We tried to do a win-win thing. We tried to make it, you know, give a little take a little. But today, it seems like it's all out war against the middle class. And we need to really look at the unions, go back, see what we did, see how we built this country. You know, with the infrastructure, everything we have to start protecting our water, protecting our air, protecting the rights of each individual to their own body. I mean, really think about it. I, I'd love to see what some of these men that are making the rules for women would consider if they were told they had to have something done so they couldn't…stop having babies, or they you know, I mean, they don't even like to have vasectomies. They get all freaked out, think about it. And yet they want us to give birth. What if you really, really don't want to experience that and then you're forced and especially with children. I guess that's huge right now. It's the personal bodily privileges that we, myself, as a woman that is on in age and I have no problem saying I'm 73. I could utilize and have an abortion if I needed it. Maybe it wasn't something I would have done, but I had the right to do it. I don't want less for my children and my grandchildren. And I think that unions have to step up. And we are. We have a Women's Committee at my local and we have a Women's Union Committee at the state level and at the national levels. And we are fighting, fighting hard. And I know there's a lot of men that are behind us and standing beside us. So that and we have to do something to recruit and retain teachers and people to work in education and in hospitals, because hospitals are under attack, too, with this Roe v. Wade. Doctors, nurses. So we have a lot to do, a lot of work. And because I am 73, I'm expecting you guys to step up. So I'll be there beside you. But someone's going to have to carry the flag at some point. So thank you. Sophia [00:41:53] Can you talk a little bit more about I had watched an interview with you where you talked about how working on an LGBT task force had kind of impacted your work as well. And now you're talking about like the intersection of, like, women's rights, too, with labor rights and what you've noticed in your work with those kind of things. Sandie [00:42:13] Okay. So our union, NYSUT, has an LGBTQIA committee, and it consists of teachers and union people in schools, higher ed custodians. There's a swath of everybody. And we come together virtually and in person and we have meetings and we talk about different things that legislation and issues that pertain to same-sex marriages, gender identity, gender identification and expression, gender neutral bathrooms, all kinds of issues that prep and things that everyday human beings, and that's what we are. Doesn't matter whether I identify as a male, female or non-gender. We all have certain rights and should be able to express and feel safe in those environments, whether at school or at a hospital and we're treated correctly. I had a cousin that was gay, and he was horribly treated back in high school. He went on to go out to California in the seventies when that whole thing came about. He developed AIDS later in life and he passed away. So it's my way of helping my cousin that was older than me. You know, I try to step up for him through this committee. We've done a lot of work. We had a book tasting and that was all books around how to talk from a toddler up. You know, like, I'm a yellow crayon and I �want to be a blue crayon. And you know, all these different books; Josie, all these different books that have titles that, you know, "I Have Two Mommies" or "I Have Two Daddies" or 'I Have a Blended Family" books to help kids. And what we did was we had them all around in a room, we had food, and you could go taste the books, look at what they were about. And then we had QR codes next to them with a curriculum attached, so a teacher could take that book and do a lesson around it if they chose to do that. We took some of the books to different events, too. I teach a workshop on LGBTQ, you know, safe schools, and we hand out books there, too, so teachers can take them and help their kids. So, it's just more work that I love. We, I recently went to the Latino... I don't know the title of the place, but it was in Albany and it was a center for all people that needed help. And mostly people that speak different languages come. And we did a culturally responsive food pantry. Our union put it together and we gave out books that were in Spanish. And we did a food pantry where one adult could come through with a cart and pick up food that was something that they would eat. You know, we have a lot of these drive thru food things, lots of them because of the pandemic. We realized that some of the folks that are getting peanut butter and jelly and canned chicken and canned SpaghettiOs, they're from Colombia, they're from South America. They don't know what to do with peanut butter and jelly. They don't know what to do with a canned chicken, or canned ham. It's not something that they worked with. So in this culturally responsive pantry, we had dried beans, we had canned salmon. They like that. And there was a lot of eggs and chicken and food that they could use, fresh vegetables, stuff that they knew and would cook. And it was... It brought a tear to your eye to see these families coming and getting this food and actually being vulnerable, to say, "I need help, I can't feed my family." We…I don't speak Spanish. You folks should learn another language. And I'm sure you are. I, I wasn't good at it, and I just gave it up, but I wish I did. But the language of love and caring came through, and we all could get along. And I understood what they needed, and they knew I wanted to give them what I could. And it was, even my husband was totally blown away with that activity. Our union does a lot. We also had hygiene kits put together: toothbrushes and combs and toothpaste and soap and shampoo and comb in Ziploc bags. And they took them. They needed them. That's an activity you guys could do from school. You could always get a hold of me and you could come and help at that place any time any kids wanted to do some civil and human rights kind of work. You can always reach out to NYSUT. We have higher ed folks there and myself and we do a lot of that. So I love my union because of that. Sophia [00:47:35] Yeah, that's really incredible work that you guys are doing. Sandie [00:47:38] Yeah. Thank you. Thank you. Sophia [00:47:39] It sounds like so much of what you do is just born out of, like, a genuine love for your community and working with these kids. And that's really important. Sandie [00:47:47] It is. It is. I did not want to leave this earth without having an impact on the greater good, you know? Yeah, I could go out and leave a chunk of money for my grandkids, and I will. But the bottom line is, I want to make it a better place. I don't want to destroy. I try to do everything you're supposed to. I think my kids, they're grown. They know what I do. They were there when I got a legacy award. I've been given awards through the teacher union, NYSUT. I was School-Related Professional of the year. I was given the Albert Shanker Award at the American Federation of Teachers. I was up for the National Education Association's award for the ESP of the year. There's hundreds of people that get put in, but just being nominated for those positions shows that you can, you can impact a lot of people by just doing something from your heart and asking �questions, listening to people. What do they need? The big impact that I heard and I heard a lot was don't presume, you know, what a poor or disadvantaged family needs. You need to ask them. Ask them what their needs are. Pay attention, listen, because maybe it's a coat or maybe you gave them a coat and all they really wanted was a bag of beans and some rice and some money towards heat or help with getting a car so they could go to work. You know, we have to listen to the people in our communities. We can't just judge or go in and think we're going to take over. There's a lot of these associations now, you know, that are being like, I know Albany's got a citizens' group together. They want to be heard. "Don't come in and tell us what our community needs." So as young people, always ask before you presume that someone needs something, you know, ask, "What can we do? What do you need from us?" And listen. And sometimes they're, they could be embarrassed and they might not…so if you listen and let them just talk, they'll tell you a lot. Sophia [00:50:04] So well. It's been amazing to hear about everything you're doing, but before we wrap up with the interview, I just want to ask if there's anything else that we didn't ask that you wanted to add about what you're doing. Sandie [00:50:16] I think that, as I do my daily job as a retiree, every weekend I'm busy. I find things that we need to get done through some of the committees I do. And like tonight, I'm going to go see, you know, the governor. And I'll have a meeting Wednesday night with the labor council and there's phone banking. There's always something to be done to try to make the world a little better place. Find a place that you feel comfortable in helping. Listen to people. Give back where you can. And it comes back, like my husband used to be a little, can I say, cheap or tight? And he'd see me give $10 to something or do something. And I…and then one day, you know, I won something. He goes, "You always win." I say, "But I always give." And then it seems to come back in a different way. Sometimes it's just a big thank you or an award, but it's, it's not something I worked to get. I work because it gives me inner satisfaction. And that's what you need to find. As college kids, you need to find what makes you tick, what you're good at, and I hope it's something to do with labor. I hope it's something to do with the greater community. I have a feeling it will be if you're taking this course. Sophia [00:51:40] I mean, after this interview. Yeah. Sandie [00:51:43] Thanks a lot for having me here. Sophia [00:51:45] Oh, it was amazing. Thank you so much for coming. But I think we're good to... Max [00:51:50] I think so, too. Thank you for your participation. Sandie [00:51:52] Thank you. � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Saratoga Labor History Digital Archive Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource August 11, 2023 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Eric Morser Language A language of the resource English Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Eric Morser Subject The topic of the resource Labor History Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Jesse O'Connell Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Oral History Date Created Date of creation of the resource. August 11, 2023 Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Interviewer The person(s) performing the interview Max Chelso '24 and Sophie Delohery '25 Interviewee The person(s) being interviewed Sandie Carner-Shafran Location The location of the interview Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, NY Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Audio Recording Duration Length of time involved (seconds, minutes, hours, days, class periods, etc.) 51:56 Record Contributor Individual who prepared the item and/or edited it. Eric Morser Record Creation Date Day/Month/Year of record creation/edit August 11, 2023 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Interview with Sandie Carner-Shafran Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource November 2, 2022 Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. Saratoga Labor History Digital Archive Description An account of the resource I worked for 38 years for the Saratoga Warren Hamilton Essex Boces as a Teacher Aide and then a Certified Teaching Assistant. I recently retired and currently serve on the Executive Board of my Local union as the Labor Ambassador & Co-Chair of our Saratoga Adirondack Boces Employees Association Women’s Committee, Second VP of the New York State Teachers Union Retiree Council 10, President of the Saratoga Labor Council and The Greater Capital Region Teacher Center Policy BOD member. I continue to be involved serving on various Steering Committees at NYSUT. Union For Life in my motto! Language A language of the resource English (en) Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Eric Morser Type The nature or genre of the resource Oral History https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/3d315bfa54a05937323786925c442481.jpg e01d0182326b8ab1875f4d1eb8a0dd8c https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/66bb262ad4c1c55176cc4c7c528b7eea.mp3 32a3d81ffd927dfa4e5e03c5643c0ff5 https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/48d693eeffba411e5daca4114e9bf83e.pdf d7d8508d019f55133e20a8550d4e427f PDF Text Text Narrator: Sean Collins Interviewers: David Guo ‘25, Chloe Hanrahan ‘24, and Elena Shostak ‘24 Location of Interview: Saratoga Springs, NY Date of Interview: November 4, 2022 Chloe [00:00:01] Testing. Testing. Sean [00:00:03] Testing, testing. Chloe [00:00:05] Testing, testing. Elena [00:00:07] Oh, yeah, that's better. Chloe [00:00:09] Cool. So. Hi. Sean [00:00:13] Hi. Chloe [00:00:13] Welcome to your interview. Sean [00:00:16] Yes. Chloe [00:00:16] We just wanted to start off by getting to know you if you feel comfortable on more of a personal basis. Sean [00:00:21] Sure. Chloe [00:00:22] So introduce yourself and tell us a little bit about where you grew up and what your community, like, was growing up. Sean [00:00:29] Sure. So my name's Sean Collins. I'm organizer and representative with the Service Employees International Union Local 200 United. I am also the Treasurer for the Troy Area Labor Council, AFL-CIO. About myself, oh, gosh, I've been, I've been with the Local, now as a staff member for, going on ten years in February. How I got to be here, I was telling you before, Elena, right? Sorry. And David? David [00:01:02] Yep. Sean [00:01:02] David. I was telling Elena before outside. I come from a military family. My father was a, was a marine, an enlisted Marine for 23, 24 years. And my mom worked various jobs when I was younger and through my adolescence. She was a flight attendant when she was pregnant with me and into, into, you know, the first year or two of my life and then worked other odds and ends jobs, as you know, due to my, wherever my dad was stationed, you know, wherever we were living at the time. So I was born in Bethesda, Maryland. But I lived in upstate New York—I've lived in upstate New York most of my life. I'm 32. And I would say of that, of those 32 years, about, like, 20, 21 of them have been in upstate New York. I live out in, up in Plattsburgh, out in Oneonta, and lived in the capital district for 14 so years now. I went to Califorina, I went to high school in California and also lived some time in North Carolina, Camp Lejeune in Jacksonville, North Carolina, you know, a couple of times as well. But once I graduated high school, my grandmother, my nana who lives in Binghamton, New York, where my dad is born and raised, she has a New York address, so I used her address as if it was my address to get in-state tuition at SUNY Morrisville. And I think my dad as a marine, he could sort of keep his residency as, �you know, wherever he wanted, even though he was stationed wherever. And so a combination of that I was able to use, and I don't think it's illegal, but it's probably not kosher, if you will. Sean [00:02:39] But I used, I went to SUNY Morrisville for my first year of school studying journalism technology, which was a sort of a new program geared towards, like, you know, at the time it was like 2007, 2008 where they thought, like, blogging was the future was like Ezra Klein and Matt Yglesias and like Andrew Sullivan, you know, all those, like, now they're now I realize, like, really obnoxious bloggers. That was, it was the, it was the thing at the time. And so I was studying that, and then I immediately got, like, bored with it. So, I transferred to UAlbany to study political science and, you know, sort of when I that's how I came to the Capital District. And yeah, I studied political science, political theory at UAlbany until I left UAlbany. I say left; I didn't graduate. I never completed my bachelor's degree. I got a job with Citizen Action of New York, which is a, you know, grassroots, depending on your perspective. But as it says and as it says on the website: it's a grassroots organization, membership organization that works on, like, left, progressive issues. I did communications and, like, PR work for them and then I was kind of more of a desk job and I got tired of talking, you know, on behalf of working people. And I wanted to sort of have them have their own voice. And so from, you know, the opportunity, I'm skipping some stuff, but the opportunity arose for when I was at Citizen Action to start as an organizer with the local, Local 200. And I've been here ever since. Chloe [00:04:19] You touched on that you studied political science, I think. Right? You touched on that. You studied political science. And I think Elena or David, if you want to ask the question that we have in relation to actually your political affiliation, if you're cool with talking about that. Sean [00:04:32] Sure. Elena [00:04:34] So on your KeyWiki it describes you as involved in with the Albany Democratic Socialists of America. And we were wondering if you could describe yourself as a democratic socialist and what that means to you? Sean [00:04:48] Yeah, I would, yeah, I am a member of the DSA, Democratic Socialists of America. I would never, I would never describe myself as a democratic socialist. I think that's just, like, an unnecessary redundancy in terms I would consider myself a socialist. What does that mean, right? As, you know, socialism essentially is is that, you know, workers on the means of production and democratically operate them and determine how they, how they function. Right. And then there's no competitive markets as this is just those markets exist to serve the motive of profit. And so that's, that's what I consider, that's what I consider myself. I think it took me some time to sort of develop that. It definitely started in college doing student organizing and working, you know, through that student organizing, working alongside unionized faculty and unionized graduate instructors, unionized staff on campus, you know, in the most, like, union dense, one of the most union dense parts of the country. It's like, it's like New York City, and then the capital region is, like, up there, in, like, the top five, if not top three. And so it was through that, through those studies, through those interactions with those professors and all those folks that it sort of came to that. And, you know, I joined DSA, you know, like, a lot of folks, you know, in the, in the lead up to the 2016 election and not so much motivated by Bernie, but, like, definitely that in the lead up to when it was increasingly obvious what the outcome was going to be, that Trump was going to win. And it felt like even if I didn't necessarily agree with the DSA, you know, in the totality. It's, you know, a socialist who's not, you know, �who's not a part of an organization. There's, you know, it's they're not, they're not doing, they're not doing socialist organizing and they're not doing socialism because it's right there in the name. It's a social exercise. Chloe [00:06:55] That's awesome. So from what I understand, from what you just said, that kind of like your work with unions, your education, and all of that has kind of played into not just like what you do for a living, but also like your personal beliefs. Would you say that that's accurate? Sean [00:07:09] Yeah. You know, another thing I always, I, so my mom was a flight attendant. She was a unionized flight attendant. And, you know, later on when I say I come from a union family, so I certainly come from a working class family for sure. My dad was an enlisted Marine. You know, my paternal grandmother was, was a union nurse who worked for the state for years, still works for, like, you know, as a substitute nurse, or at least until very recently worked as, like, a substitute nurse for the Binghamton schools. And so, where was I going with this... So, yeah, I definitely, definitely I sort of, as I sort of got started studying these things, I start to pose these, these questions to, you know, to my parents or to my family and stuff like that and start to pull back the, you know, layers of the onion. I was, like, oh, yeah, there's my mom was the flight attendant; my grandmother was, you know, was a nurse; my, my grandmother worked for, you know, as a, you know, civil employee, civil service employee for the State Department and did, like, refugee work for a long time. And then, you know, I had mentioned that my father was a marine and I, setting aside all the issues of American, the American military that we don't need to go into, like, gratuitous detail, you know, on its face there is, there's a, it's a, like, maybe not its face, but, like, there is a noble, you know, notion to that that, you know, here is he is signing up to serve, you know, his country, right? And for me, it's something that I came to glean, like, through high school and into and definitely into college. Is that, like, well, why is that? Why is that particular form of service so, you know, so unique when, you know, I mean, teachers, you know, that the binmen, you know, pick up your trash like all these folks are contributing to their country, to their communities and stuff like that. Sean [00:09:04] And, but that's not, it doesn't, it's not attached with the same sort of value and valor, valor, like, or military service, even, even though, like, especially now, like, I would say, you know, someone who's working in a public school, you know, setting, you know, as a teacher or a teaching assistant or whatever is in an uphill battle one way or the other. And so that sort of, that sort of that, that notion of, like, service on my father's part and also being, you know, subject to the state, you know, it's just, like, I lived where they sent him. I went to school was based on that. I interface with communities based on that, and so I worked and I, you know, when I was a, you know, teenager, I worked on base. I worked at that grocery store. I worked at the exchange like the, like, which is basically I don't know how familiar you are with, like, a military base with the PX is basically like the Macy's on base with like a Rite Aid, you know, it's like but so I, you know, I worked those places and it just sort of that's where I was. And I sort of didn't realize it until much later on, when I was filling out all the paperwork, I was, like, as a federal government employee, I was a member of the AFGE, didn't even realize that that was the thing I had signed up because I was 16 and wasn't thinking about it in those terms. And I come from a sort of somewhat union family, but not like one that was like, you know, it's not like I, my father worked for like GM and his father worked for GM. It's a little bit different. David [00:10:32] Okay, thanks. So,you talked about how you moved from a desk job to essentially organizing, so what was the process like for you in that, like, step up? �Sean [00:10:48] Right. David [00:10:49] Was it, like, difficult? Sean [00:10:50] Well, yeah. So, you know, when I was working at Citizen Action, I was doing, like, other organized, community organizing. And just by nature of, like, these organizations, you always sort of, you know, interfaced with, like the members of the organization or the other coalition partners and their members and their activists and their leaders and stuff like that. And so in that way I was doing, like, organizing, but it was more like, you know, back at the house type of thing, preparing press releases, helping folks draft, like, letters to the editor, you know, updating our website, you know, tracking our press and taking pictures at the rallies. And so I was, I was, you know, I was acting as a—I was organizing. And I was also still involved with, like, the student organization that I was a part of in college, which no longer exists, but, you know, I was, I was still, like, engage with that and, but, you know, I, so it was, it yes, it was a desk job. But I what I mean is, is, like, you know, some of my mentors that I met with there were more, they're doing more of the nuts and bolts organizing of, like, talking to folks, you know, bringing folks into the organization, having those one on ones, really building those relationships. Whereas my role was sort of I say this, you know, thinking back on when I was 21, 22, but I was the sort of topic expert as to, like, how to coach them on how to talk to the press, something that I barely knew how to do, but, like, you know, how to write letters to the editor, you know, these sorts of things. And, and, but I just, you know, I still do a lot of that stuff, but like now I also get to do these, like, one on one conversations with workers and doing, you know, identifying their issues and interest. And, you know, they're, they're in many ways like the essential qualities they have of being a leader or being an activist or being whatever. And they're in their workplace or in their communities. Chloe [00:12:38] Yeah. We were really interested in some of the work that you've done for unionized workers at, like, Capitol Roots. Sean [00:12:45] Oh, yeah. Chloe [00:12:46] And so we were wondering because Capital Roots, from what we understand, is like a nonprofit dedicated to food access and sustainability, but it's fostering a workplace that's not conducive to its employees. It's retaliatory. And we were wondering what it's like to be unionizing or fighting against a system where it's something that the public might view as, like, a good, like, oh, it's a nonprofit, it's helping people, but it's also not helping its workers. So what is that kind of that tension or that struggle or what has that been like? Sean [00:13:24] It's been it's honestly it's been incredibly perplexing. You know, I've you know, again, living having lived in the area for, like, you know, ten, 15 years, you know somewhere in there, now 14 years, I, I've lived, you know, and within, you know, rocks, you know, a stone's throw of, one of their community gardens. And over the years, I had heard stories from past staff about, like, the issues at that, at their workplace, and it was always, like, you know, as an organizer, an union organizer, every, you know, we keep a list of, like, the non-union workplaces that we would like to organize and for various reasons and Capital Roots was there because it does have this and, like, a lot of nonprofits, it does have this, like, sort of stated mission. But I always think, you know, around, like, sustainability and food access and, you know, care for its community. But I always think that the thing is with those things is that, like, you can't really genuinely and authentically perform that service or whatever it is to the community without starting, you �know, without starting at home. Which is not to say that, like, I don't recognize, or the staff don't recognize, the struggles of a nonprofit organization that probably would always want to do more. Any, you know, just taking Capital Roots out of the equation, any nonprofit would probably like to do more for its employers because it doesn't have that, like, profit motive. But, it, it doesn't. You know, I think it's, there are, it becomes, then, a sort of an internal question of, like, what's, you know, what's more important on balance, you know, for the management and its donors or its board, I should say, is, you know, doing this work internally or projecting that we're doing it internally and also, you know, doing an externally, that is a really sloppy way of putting it. But, yeah, it's been, I think, you know, and I think I actually said this in, like, one of the, one of the, to one of the reporters who came to our rally at the beginning of July is just that, like, we understand, these folks aren't working for this organization do not expect to make you know, you know, you know, six figure salaries or anything like that. There's, you know, there's a recognition that, like, nonprofits, you know, do have that, they do rely on grants and funders and foundations and donors and volunteers. Sean [00:15:37] And there's nothing wrong with that. But, you know, set aside the financial stuff, there's other things that the employer can do that, you know, can confer respect and dignity in other ways in terms of how managers and directors talk to their staff and deal with their staff and interact with their staff that they don't do. And that doesn't cost anything to sort of be nice and respectful. And the last thing I would say, too, you know, as a, as a, you know, as a union, our local 200 United, virtually all of our employers are nonprofit employers, colleges and universities, which we have about six, seven thousand members in that division of our union. They're all nonprofit employers, different kind of nonprofit, but they are still nonprofit. A lot of the human service agencies, you know, that provide care and services to, and, you know, day habilitation programs and these sorts of things to the developmentally disabled and in different parts of the state. You know, they're nonprofit employers that we have a lot of public sector workers in school districts, towns and villages. I, you know, in upstate New York, they're, they're nonprofit workers. So it's, it's, you know, they're different, but we, you know, one of the things that we've had to actually convey at Capitol Roots at the bargaining table is that, like, we don't need you to lecture us on nonprofit. We get nonprofit, but it's just that, you know, it's that other stuff that we were, I was talking about before that is, is missing there. Elena [00:17:09] So when a workplace like Capital Roots puts out a statement with buzzwords like valued staff, how does that impact the workers and the union workers fighting for their valued staff? Sean [00:17:21] I'm sorry, say that again. Elena [00:17:22] Oh. So how do these buzz words like valued staff impact workers and union workers fighting for a truly valued staff? Sean [00:17:30] Yeah, I mean, they see stuff like that. I see stuff like that. And knowing everything that's happened and they're all you know, they've all, I mean, the thing about a union, right, is that it, it's the workers coming together to, you know, obviously need to, to bargain and negotiate their terms and conditions of employment. That's what happens. That's the contract. That means the end result, hopefully. Right. But in that, in those interim stages, what happens is, is they're talking to one another, they're communicating, they're creating. I always, you know, just explain it to workers. Is that, like, management, any manager, you know, administration, whatever, they have a system of being able to communicate information and get information back from, you know, and they control it. �That's the beautiful thing about being, you know, the management administration. And so when we're forming a union, we're doing the same thing and we're sharing information across, you know, departments or across, like, job titles and, you know, different, like, programs in the case of Capital Roots. And then, you know, that filters back out to, like, the union leaders and the folks in the negotiating committee. And then we exchange that obviously with the, you know, with the employer, you know, like at Capital Roots. And so what is it? What does it mean when they see stuff? Is that like what I think the managers, you know, at Capital Roots and other places fail to realize is that, like, it drives them crazy because it's just, like, that's not true. Like, it's not, that's demonstrably not true. Just as like a, like a case point with like Capital Roots when we first started organizing there back in, like, May, late May, early June, there's 29. Yeah, 29 directors and staff as of today. As of, what time is it? It's 3:58. So Melissa's last day ends in an hour and one minute. And so with her departure, they're down to 12 staff and 12, you know, 12 staff and directors. So a 50%, like, loss. And it's, and they don't value they don't. She had an exit interview. It was, as she described, it was a very cold experience with her, the HR manager as just, like, barely acknowledged, like, thank you for your three... no, there's no thank you for your three years of service. Not in a genuine sense. And, and that's it. Sean [00:19:38] But what's happening and the reason why I have a hard stop here at 4:30 is, is that they're meeting up at Rare Form Brewing. All the current remaining staff and the former staff are going to get together to have a drink and send, you know, Melissa off. That's where, that's, that's an actual demonstration of value. But what's happened as staff have left, you know, there, in respect to, but what's happened as those folks have left is that, like, if you were liked if you were, to be candid, if you were one of the kiss asses, you got, you got the doughnuts in the morning and the "goodbye"s "was really nice knowing you". And then Melissa, who's been there for three years in their Gardens program, you know, has a cold, you know, exit interview. And it is otherwise just like it's not acknowledged at all. And I went out, you know, I'm just reading between the lines and all that. I imagine there's relief that she's gone. There's another one down, which, you know, I think, again, is just like if you valued her, especially someone like, her, who's been there for three years, I mean, you not only value her, the relationship, the personal relationship, the professional relationship you have, but particularly her as professional three years of experience working for this organization, which is a long time in Capital Roots terms, three years of, you know, knowledge and institutional memory of about how the organization works. All the relationships she has with the gardeners and the volunteers that she works with across their 50 some odd 55 gardens across like Saratoga Counties, Albany, Rensselaer, Schenectady County. Those are all relationships that she's built, not singlehandedly, but she's been a part of building over, over three years. And it's just, like, well, good riddance, because you and this one regard, you went too far. David [00:21:16] It's a bit of a topic switch, but could you elaborate a little bit more about your work with the non tenure track professors at Skidmore and what specifically is your role in that fight? Sean [00:21:27] Yeah, yeah. So I, SEIU 200 United and SEIU, the, you know, our international union which has locals across the country and members 2.1, 2.3 million members in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. That's what makes us an international those, those two. Back in like 2012, 2013, they launched what was at the time called, like, adjunct action and then became, like, faculty forward this, this nationwide organizing project to organize first adjunct faculty and then all faculty off the tenure track primarily, but where possible, all faculty. So what makes Skidmore different from, like, other like public schools, like the SUNYs or your CUNYs in a place like New York is that �public sector, you know, employees are governed by state law. And so there they can, faculty that have access or have tenure are eligible to organize, whereas non tenure track faculty at private colleges and universities, the faculty that are on the tenure stream that are in the tenure streams, rather, they are...there's a 1979 Yeshiva ruling, Yeshiva University of New York City that says that because they have access to tenure, they are, they have their they have a managerial role in their colleges and universities in terms of the budget and the finances, in terms of curricular design, in terms of personnel in hiring and hiring faculty hiring adjuncts or non tenure track faculty or filling tenure vacancies and then tenure in promotion itself. So setting aside that, like, the Yeshiva ruling is, you know, you know, as it's applied today doesn't really, it doesn't make sense in the contemporary college or university that we started organizing SCIC or SEIU the royal way, if you will, started organizing faculty across the country, particularly non tenure track faculty. Sean [00:23:35] And so our local, we started, we launched our campaign at Marist College because like I said before, we have we already had about, like, four or five thousand members in higher education. And if you throw a dart at a college or university along, like, the New York State Thruway corridor, we have members on that campus. So, like, I represent members at, like, Vassar College and Bard College in the Hudson Valley. We have members at Marist as well, and then other colleges across the state, too. So we started at Marist because there was, like, at the time I think it was like five hundred or six hundred adjunct faculty and we were, like, well, we already have these, like, two hundred plus, like, janitors and building and grounds workers who maintain the campus and we have, like, it's it's a, it's an incredible contract that those workers have. I mean, they're making you know, it it's just like I think starting rate for, like, a janitor is like $22 an hour, like premier, like health insurance benefits, a pension. It's a good, like, union job. And you can say and then those folks, you know, a lot of our members who, you know, are working as a janitor, they don't themselves have, you know, college education, but they can send their kid to school at a place like Marist or in a place like Vassar for free. And so it's, you know, it provides, you know, that sort of social mobility for their, for their children. Sean [00:25:22] So we started we were, like, this is a great contract, you know? And, you know, of course, of course that will win this campaign at Marist. We did not. It was it was it was. Marist is a very interesting college. I, what's his name? Bill O'Reilly is an alumni from there. So, it sort of gives you a little bit of a taste of what the student body is like. And we, we, we, we lost that election. But as part of, like, a lot of the press and sort of attention that the campaign got, not necessarily lost, but the campaign got a friend of mine, our acquaintance who became a friend through organizing here in the Capital District. He's like, "I am an anthropology professor at Saint Rose, and they just canceled one of my courses and I'm pissed about it and I want to organize my workplace". And he just fired off an email over like the college Listserv and, and then got a bunch of responses and started meeting up with them for drinks and so on and so forth. And then they won their union like 3 to 1. Then we organized SUNY Schenectady Community College. We organized Siena. There's a bunch of other organizing victories across the state from there. Fordham University. Ithaca College, Wells College out in the Finger Lakes. So we, you know, we won a lot of, you know, victories across the state at about in 20. I forget the actual timeline. Now it's some say 2018, some say 2019. I'll just agree with the folks who said 2018 because they've been right about most everything else. We start, we had a conversation at that cafe over in the, that Fresh Market Plaza. You know, over here I met with Pete Murray, who's a philosophy professor here at Skidmore, and Kate Paarlberg, who at the time was a history professor in International Affairs and History. I think her background is, like, in Latin American and Caribbean studies. And I met with them and that, you know, they were like, this is, these are, these are various, you know, issues and concerns. One �of the ones that they talked about was the pay disparity at the time, I think it's been chipped away a little bit. But the pay disparity between men and women, you know, faculty where so again, philosophy Pete Murray and then Kate, history. So, you know, the liberal arts, you know, the humanities, sort of generally equally valued or undervalued by college administrations. Sean [00:27:09] He made $10,000 more than her, something like that, again, it was 2018, so I might be inflating that a little bit, but there was a pay discrepancy, nonetheless. And then looking into data that the administration has done, that the faculty have sort of dug up themselves through surveys and talking among their colleagues and identified it, too. So, like, whether it's 10,000 or not, the point is it's demonstrable and it's across the, you know, across the college. And so we started having conversations and it was very slow going at first. And, you know, but you know, it, we sort of got, got some heads, you know, some steam into 2019 and then, then the pandemic interrupted everything. And then last semester, well, not last semester, the fall of 2021 semester, we sort of had a conversation at the beginning and it was like, you know, things were starting to open back up. All the frustrations that we've seen across the, you know, economy in across the workforce, you know, sort of they played out here, too, in their own sort of specific way to faculty. Sean [00:28:09] And, you know, my role, to answer your question right, is as the organizer, is to sort of push them to talk to their colleagues and to build support for the unions to, you know, sort of execute, you know, a plan to win that we sort of developed together. But that is informed by, you know, my experience at other places and, you know, what I've seen at other colleges and universities across the country. And so we had a conversation that beginning of fall 2021, which is that, like, if this is going to happen, if we're not going to continue to burn ourselves out, you know, reaching a certain threshold and then, you know, new faculty come and go and we are back to square one in many ways, and we really need to just put our shoulder into it. And that means like having, you know, conversations with as many faculty, if not all of the, at the time we thought it was about 180 non tenure track faculty. You need to go out and have like if you think about it, there is like ten folks in the cause. Like if you each have two conversations and identify two supporters a week, you know, two times ten times, you know, sixteen weeks in the semester, you know, you go from there. And so that's, that's where, you know, we did that through the fall into the spring. And then in May, we reached the threshold that we set of 60% support across the college. And that's when we went public. Sean [00:29:28] And then there was the election. Well, initially, the college was sort of reticent. They were, you know, allowing the election to go forward. We were able to reach an agreement. I'm sure you might have a question about that. We were able to reach an agreement. They had an election in September, and then they won their election, you know, 2 to 1, at least in both the full time and the part time unit. And so now, you know, my role transitions from organizer, solely organizer not that I'm not still an organizer, but, like, now I'm, like, transitioning to, like, being the representative. So helping them set up, you know, a negotiating committee, identifying who wants to serve in that negotiating committee, identifying what the bargaining priorities are through surveys, and then preparing those as with, with the response to those surveys, which is, like, all right, well, now we know what folks are looking for. Now I help them memorialize this into, like, an actual, like, contract proposal. And then we go to the table with that committee that they elect from among their peers. And I serve as the chief spokesperson for the committee. But, like, they develop the proposals and help develop our counterproposals and counterproposals to counterproposals. And again, I think it's, you know, it's in many ways, it is like the organizing drive, too, though, is that, like, I, you know, I always describe my �role as is that, like, I'm a mouthpiece, but a mouthpiece is nothing without the person who is the voice. And that's you all. It's the workers themselves. And so I can help sort of translate it because, you know, Skidmore can afford a, you know, a pricey attorney. So I could sort of translate it into their language. But I don't, what I can't do is I can't, like, provide the narratives of the day-to-day experience of the faculty or any worker. And so that's where they come in. So I'm the chief spokesperson, but that's really inflating the role. It really, I would really be nothing without, like, I would, I can't accomplish anything on my own because I don't work here. They do. And they have to be able to talk about their experiences and what changes and solutions they think need to be in place. Chloe [00:31:20] Yeah, I am. I am. I know of one adjunct professor. She used to come to the German club that I'm a part of. Ruth McAdams. Oh, yeah. And she's. She's wonderful, very kind, warm. And I know that she had a hand in. Sean [00:31:34] Oh, yeah. Chloe [00:31:34] A big hand in this. Sean [00:31:35] Oh, yeah. Chloe [00:31:36] And I was just wondering a little bit about, like, the, the power dynamic between a non tenured track professor speaking out and, and advocating for herself, theirselves, themselves, himself and, and also what you think of the overall shift in academia to adjunct professors. Like, there's this big wave of it's becoming solely adjunct and lecturers. These tenure track positions are fading away. So those two questions and then if you see this, this shift in any other fields to more, like, add on people than actual salaried guaranteed health benefits, all those kinds of things. Sean [00:32:19] I first, I should say, like, Ruth McAdams is, is an incredible organizer and as near as I could tell, also an incredible professor and instructor. And I actually, I didn't even realize until, like, I think it was about, like, two or three months ago that she also speaks German. I was, like, “Oh, this is crazy.” And she's an English professor too, I think that's wild. So, she's great. And the rest of the committee and there's so many folks on it. Diana Barnes, Pete Murray I mentioned before, Mike Paulmeno here in the library a lot of, you know, I just and I'm, Eileen Sperry in the English Department and I should stop because I’m going to forget somebody, but they're all incredible. The question of, like, the role or about, like, the risks that they take as non tenure track faculty in organizing. You know, I think it's it's, it's, it's, it's, a little, it's, it's interesting because, like, I think in many ways, like academia is no different than the rest of the workplace. Right. They, they a boss is a boss is a boss. I tell workers this all the time. However, there is the, the thing that is unique to a Skidmore college compared to like Walmart or Starbucks is that this sort of, the, the culture of academic freedom in the university or the academy as a, as a place of the free exchange of ideas. Sean [00:33:40] And to be able to arguably say, and this is changing obviously a lot, but like the, to say the controversial thing or the, the, the, or maybe the unpopular thing or in the case of organizing, I think the undesirable thing, at least in the eyes of the administration, they would prefer, like any other boss, they would prefer to have unilateral discretion to set the terms of conditions of employment. Right. And so I think so that's the sorta, like. So I think in the case of is, is Ruth taking a risk or any of those committee members taking a risk? Of course, absolutely. Any worker who organizes their workplaces but is engaging in, what I believe it to be, like, the most courageous thing that anyone �could do is to basically risk the thing that pays their bills by trying to organize it. But it's, it's a I always say it's a, it's the best gamble you can make because if you do it, I mean, the sky's the limit from there. And so, however, like, I do think that there are, there's sort of the culture of academia make it a little bit, a little bit not safer, but like, you know, it's, it's, it's there's, it dulls the edge to that risk. A little bit, just a little bit. And I think, you know, you could see similar trends of that in, like, other organizing that we're seeing. So we've seen a lot of organizing happen in, like, the not for profit space, like a lot of, like the Guttmacher Institute as, like, a, like, a pro-choice, pro-choice or pro-abortion, like, you know, advocacy and research organization, where the workers organize. Now, the boss, like, was, they were, came out really strongly against it, very harshly against it. And there was retaliation there as a part of that organizing drive. Sean [00:35:17] But, I think that nonprofit space is, you know, is a place where that is, that, that instances like I don't want to say rare, but it's like a little bit it's not as, not as likely as, like, what you would see at Starbucks, right. Or Amazon or what have you. I mean, so there's nonprofit organizing, a lot of, been a lot of newsroom organizing, which is interesting. So, like, the Los Angeles Times, a few years ago, they organized and it had been for the number was, like, a hundred and forty seven years there had been, had been a non union newspaper. Compared to, you know, other side of that on the right coast, on the cool coast, the east coast that the New York Times one of the, like, the longest, you know, running union newspapers in the country. So, you know, I think these, these workplaces where they're more, like, liberally minded or, you know, and, you know, or, you know, progressive oriented. There's, there's been I think we were seeing just there's been more propensity of them to organize. But, you know, there's still risks at any of these places. What was the other part of your question was like what makes colleges and universities like sort of different, right? Chloe [00:36:29] Yeah, like if you, if you, what you, sorry. If you see, what do you think of the field of academia moving towards this? And then if you see the trend, oh you just answered the question, you see it in other places. Sean [00:36:43] Yeah you do see it I think in terms of, like, I think what's happening in academia is like they've been toying with this, experimenting with this for the better part of, like, let's say forty, fifty years. So, you know, Sodexo is on campus, right? Even though the workers here are direct employees of the college, Sodexo is a subcontractor. You know, so it's, it's, you know, the college is nonprofit, but it's brought in this profit, you know, oriented for profit corporations around it's dining halls. That's pretty common on college campuses. You have a lot of subcontracted employees in not here, but in other places like janitorial building and grounds, the facilities maintenance of a college, the dining halls. So there's, there's that I think that, that is. But with adjuncts I think it's, I mean, I just think that is just like corporate logic, you know, in academia and, and it's not, it's not in any way dissimilar. Not really. In the end of the day, in terms of the result, in terms of like what we're seeing in charter schools and, and the charter school movement, it's just like, you know, like what happened in New Orleans, you know, it's just, like, oh, you know, there was a historic hurricane that, like, flooded the city, you know, basically they shed, like, what, like, half their population over the course of a year from everybody, you know, that was affected by that moved to Houston and they never came back. And they're like, we'll get to the levees. But first, we're going to completely charterize our public schools. Sean [00:38:07] And, and that is just to get out from underneath union contracts and to bust unions and to, you know, to cut pay, cut benefits the whole year. And I think the same, like, the same thing is happening with adjuncts. It's just that, like, you know, even, �even within our union, right? With that recently formed union there's Ruth who is a full professor, not a full professor, but as a full time professor, you know, teaching a full course load, making, you know, north of sixty thousand dollars something like that, whatever her salary is, like, I don't recall offhand. And then, you know, there's an English adjunct who is teaching maybe two courses this semester who is making forty-five hundred dollars a course. So if she if, if she's teaching a full load or full and also doesn't have any service obligations like Ruth, even though Ruth and others engage in service, they don't have any service obligation. So if you do the math there, I mean it just like as a I mean, it's a that's, that is not even, you know, a fraction of what Ruth makes for teaching that exact same course. And Skidmore said, maybe setting aside Skidmore for a second and thinking about a place like actually, like, Marist, where there is, you know, it's, there's, it's a little bit more they have a, like the full-time professors have, like, you know, they have a heavier course load than the faculty here do. And, then the, the faculty here do, I mean, I mean, you're talking about like a six thousand dollar, sometimes, thousand dollar difference between in terms of the pay parity or lack of pay parity between a part timer and a full timer. And that's, that's just it's not profit extraction necessarily, but it is like inherently exploitative. Elena [00:39:50] So you're sitting here with three future members of the workforce? Sean [00:39:54] Oh, yeah. Elena [00:39:55] How do you think we as our generation can fight against our labor being co-opted? Sean [00:40:00] Oh, I love this question. I always, I always listen to this whenever I talk to students. Unless you're like a Vanderbilt like or something like that, like, unless you're like, you know, like Anderson Cooper and you have a you know, you're going to have a boss when you graduate college. You have a boss now in college. I mean, I don't know if you any of you do like work study or anything like that. So you're already engaging in, you know, work, I mean, and, and are already experiencing it even if you don't have a work study, you know, obligations. But if you're, you're already being taxed essentially to get an education that they tell you is essential by having to take out student loan debt, that you will probably, you know, once you enter the workforce, will struggle initially and maybe over the long term, too. I mean, I went down to Albany and I, you know, as we said before, I sort of cheated my way into in, in school to in state tuition and then left. And I have twenty-eight thousand dollars in student loan debt for, you know, a piece of paper that I decided not to get, but like ostensibly, you know, whatever. But so, like, you're already, you're already being taxed to sort of enter the workforce because they tell you that this degree is essential and then you're going to get into the workforce. And it's definitely not going to be, you know, at worst, it's not going to be, you know, consistent with the cost of living in the area. Most likely you're not going to be in it, most likely because it's the United States and you're not going to be in a democratized, you know, workplace where you have a right to representation, where you have just, you don't have just cause, you don't have just cause protections. You, you don't you can be terminated at any time. You're an at will employee. And, and so I think, I think the, the thing I always tell students is that your, if you're not currently a worker now, you're going to be a worker, you're going to have a boss, and that person is going to have, you know, and it's, it's, it's an unbalanced relationship. They, it's asymmetrical. They have all the power, all unilateral discretion, all arbitrary authority. And you ask “how high?” That's your, that's your role. Unless, of course, and that's why it's important to organize a union so that you, let's say when they say “jump” well let's talk about how the hell we are going to jump first and why are we jumping? You know, that's, that's the, that's the, that's the point of a union. �David [00:42:14] So last question. Do you have anything else you'd like to share about yourself or your work? This archive? Sean [00:42:21] Sure. Anything else that I think, so as a, as a, you know, as a union organizer and then as we talked about initially, as a, as someone who identifies as socialist, I find it, you know, it's as it is right now. The two things are sort of, you know, or they're sort of at odds with each other. Not at odds with each other, they struggle with, there's a tension between them. Whereas as a socialist, I believe that, like, you know, management as a whole is in the way of workers being able to, I think, truly and efficiently, like, you know, perform their, their jobs in the service they provide to the community, whether it be educating, you know, future workers, or, you know, you know, providing fresh, you know, sustainable food to, to folks, whatever the case may be that management is in the way. But yet my job inherently requires me to interface with management and, you know, sort of bite my tongue and say, like, “you're kind of worthless.” I can't say that to them. That just wouldn't go over well. Not worthless, but, like, you are, you, you're kind of the bigger waste here than the workers are. You might think our demands are excessive or whatever the case may be, but you especially, you know, at a college, you know, you make two hundred thousand dollars and you have, you know, you can, you look at us and you talk about, like, our demands around like staffing. So I also represent a lot of building maintenance workers, like I was saying before. And so they look at our demands around, like, we need more janitors. How can you have a thousand acre plus campus that has so many millions of square footage to, to clean so many bathrooms, so many stairwells, so many, you know, trash cans to empty, all these different things. Sean [00:44:00] And we're talking about staffing and you're saying, “oh, it's a, is it, that's, we can't afford that.” It's, like, well, you have, you know, this human resources office has, like, six people to basically one of them set your schedule, likem, you're not working efficiently, efficiently by that, by your own logic, you know, compared to us. And so that wouldn't go over well, that would not, that would, that would be received poorly. And sometimes you do get an opportunity to say that. But sometimes you just have to bite your tongue or at least rather than, like, I had to bite my tongue and just like, yes, you're a socialist, but your job is also to, to, to try to do the most for, for your, for our members. Right. And so I have to ,I have to be at it. It's an interesting tension to, to tell, so that that's one thing. And then I just about myself and I think this is, it applies to anything, any job you're going to do, whether it be working in the labor movement or, you know, you're saying physical therapy, right? You know, so care work. Right? History is, is imbued in everything that we do. It informs everything that we do. And the more you know about whatever the thing you're doing. So I read a lot of labor history just as, you know, as interest, but I also just read, like I have a thing with monarchs. I just read about, like, I just finished a book about King George III. And I, you know, I'll just, I'll just dart around. My, my wife got me, like, a book on, like, Sultan Mehmed, that was, like, incredible. And so just like, it's not relevant to labor history, but history itself imbues, it informs, it blazed the trail that’s behind us. And there are lessons from it to apply to what's what we're going to try to do ahead. And that applies to the labor movement, that applies to care work. There are lessons from those historians from, you know, folks doing stuff like yourself and documenting these narratives. It's all, it's all really important. And so everyone should and I know you were saying this before you. It was this class got you interested in history because history is fucking cool and you just got to find the right stuff that, you know, speaks to your interest. And that's something, you know, I just think is always important to think about. So. Yeah. �Chloe [00:46:14] Thank you so much Sean. Sean [00:46:16] Thank you. This is awesome. Chloe [00:46:18] Four Minutes early. Elena [00:46:19] Yeah. So thank you. � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Saratoga Labor History Digital Archive Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource August 11, 2023 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Eric Morser Language A language of the resource English Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Eric Morser Subject The topic of the resource Labor History Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Jesse O'Connell Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Oral History Date Created Date of creation of the resource. August 11, 2023 Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Interviewer The person(s) performing the interview David Guo '25, Chloe Hanrahan '24, and Elena Shostak '24 Interviewee The person(s) being interviewed Sean Collins Location The location of the interview Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, NY Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Audio recording Record Contributor Individual who prepared the item and/or edited it. Eric Morser Record Creation Date Day/Month/Year of record creation/edit August 11, 2023 Duration Length of time involved (seconds, minutes, hours, days, class periods, etc.) 46:25 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Interview with Sean Collins Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource November 4, 2022 Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. Saratoga Labor History Digital Archive Description An account of the resource Sean Collins is a union representative and organizer with Service Employees International Union (SEIU), Local 200United. He also serves as a delegate and President of the Troy Area Labor Council, AFL-CIO. He lives in Troy, NY, with his wife, Ashley, and their son, Benjamin. Language A language of the resource English Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Eric Morser Type The nature or genre of the resource Oral History https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/9fff4bdecbcbbf9bd15c991bd6d584e6.JPG 2b8bbd76dcf5faf5a23091f07e8bb551 https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/d162a3421d690ba86c2b9fff1c2dab94.mp3 cd8df9e3e3be98d0c86bd793a82f4bcc https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/acc99933d9f23e7cc21f902862d306ff.pdf 78cb3fc1619cd5371c16e0d6651369e0 PDF Text Text Narrator: Seth Cohen Interviewers: Corbey Ellison ’24 and Christian Giresi ‘24 Location of Interview: Saratoga Springs, NY Dates of Interview: November 17, 2022 Corbey [00:00:00] Mostly over that. All right. So, it is November 17th, and we are sitting down with Seth Cohen of the Capital District Area Labor Federation. You want to go ahead and introduce yourself? Seth [00:00:14] Yes. Hi. So I am Seth Cohen, retired teacher from the Troy City Schools and currently the president of the Capital District Area Labor Federation. Corbey [00:00:26] So, I guess, you know, just getting started, getting to know you a bit more. First off, like where did you grow up and what was your childhood like? Seth [00:00:35] Sure. Yeah, I, I grew up just outside of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, about ten miles outside the city. I have five brothers and sisters. So big family. Did a lot of different kinds of things, you know, played sports. But were also into being near Philadelphia. A lot of history. I graduated from high school in 1976, so we were always considered the bicentennial class. And then my parents had grown up in the Boston area, so a lot of American Revolution, you know, that type of history because it was in and around where we grew up. So we were always very interested in that. Went away to college, to Northeastern University. Studied sciences in Boston, then left there, didn't finish there, transferred out to Geneseo State College in New York. And so I have a bachelor's in geology and so I was interested in geology, environmental sciences. Kind of a roundabout way, I did some work in the environmental field on Cape Cod and New England area and then eventually made my way back to this area. Christian [00:01:46] Excellent. So you said your early careers involved teaching. So was that one of your first jobs that you had? Seth [00:01:52] Yeah, I was kind of teaching and counseling in the environmental field, and so I spent a number of years running an environmental ed center on Cape Cod. We would have kids from the Boston area, Providence, Rhode Island, area. They'd come down and spend a week, and so we, we did a lot of things, usually middle school kids, environmental sciences. And when I got to the, came back to the Albany area, I was doing that as well as doing some counseling and was doing working with students, sort of underprivileged students and realized that I liked teaching and thought, okay, if I'm going to stay in teaching, I should get into the public schools. So I went and got my master's degree at SUNY Albany, master's in science teaching, and then did you know, did a variety of kinds of things and then ended up at in the Troy city schools and spent thirtythree years at the Troy city schools teaching science. Corbey [00:02:51] And did, you know, did your work as a teacher kind of inform your current, like, involvement and interest and views on labor issues? Like were you involved in teachers unions, stuff like that? Seth [00:03:03] Yeah, definitely. So I had in my family, a family history of people being involved with unions. Growing up, my mom was a teacher and she was a little bit involved with her union. But more importantly, my grandparents, my grandparents were from the Boston area, had emigrated to this country at the turn of the century and they were very much involved with unions. So kind of being in unions, my grandparents, my uncles, it was �all kind of always a conversation. And then when, yeah, when I got into the public schools a couple of years in our union was going through contract negotiations and so it got involved in that way, just kind of learning a little bit more about it, hearing about what was going on and very kind of early on, probably three or four years into my career, started getting more involved with the union kind of in our building. And then over the progression of a number of years, probably held almost every position in our union as I worked my way up through. Corbey [00:04:08] What made you first want to get involved in, like, union leadership? Seth [00:04:13] I think one of the things as far as, like, kind of going back to the unions, I always thought that people should have a voice as to where they work to be able to say, you know, this is working for me and not working for me. And really, more importantly, let's say in a teacher union, you know what's working for the school. You know, we want to make sure that things are going well for the teachers, but it also helps with the students. And then I think part of it, as far as the question about union leadership, sort of, I think sometimes is just my natural personality of, of wanting to kind of I see things and it's like, well, you know, I think that could be done a little bit differently. I was really never afraid to put my voice out there and say, “Hey, I think we should try this.” And then a lot of times people would say, “All right, well, if you think. That should work. You take it on,” you know. And so you start with some small job. I did, you know, in the unions in in our district, we had eight different buildings and every building had a couple of building reps. And so, you know, the building rep would do some different things and then you'd get on another committee and so on so often. And then, like I said, I spent a couple of years as a vice president under a couple of different presidents, two women that really did well and kind of taught me a variety of things. And then in early 2000, 2001, I guess, I was elected president of our union. Um, so that was, that was really good. It taught me a lot of things. Christian [00:05:41] Oh, were there any, like, really influential, like, events or sequence of things that happened that made you feel more passionate about labor organizing than teaching per se? Or did you just somehow develop into that path? Seth [00:05:56] Um, I think I would say one of the things was the idea of giving teachers a voice in what they taught in their classrooms. So early on, it was often about, you know, do we have a good contract, you know, the benefits, you know, sort of the bread and butter issues that that all employees and all unions look to. But very early on, as a, as a early and a new president, the New York State United Teachers has a really good program for taking local presidents and giving them some training. And so I know I think maybe I was in local president for a year or so. This is probably twenty years ago. And I went to a training facility and there were talks, conversations about the Regents Exams, and there were conversations about the Regents Exams. And then in the course of that, I really got to understand that the teachers union could make some impacts in how the Regents Exams were written that would benefit students and benefit the teachers. And, and that was sort of new to me. And that idea that a labor union, instead of just working for the teachers and their benefits, could actually impact the students and the educational outcome. And so from then on, I really started to spend more time not, not excluding my teaching, but more time developing my union skills and then doing a lot more things with the statewide teacher's union, which then led me to, I started doing some work with the American Federation of Teachers, you know, on the national level. So I think that idea of empowerment for a teacher leader, not just for the contract, you know, sort of what people normally think of, you know, union benefits, health care and that kind of stuff, but how it can actually help students in the school district. �Corbey [00:07:54] During your time in the union did you have any, like, you know, large, large gains, large acomplishments that, you know, you're particularly proud of that you want to talk about? Seth [00:08:02] Yeah, I want to say one of the things, one of the aspects I always tried to push with in my union and in talking to the people under me was to think about our union, especially in a public school, the idea of bringing community in. And so probably I think we had, I think was around 2008 and we were going back to that idea. We had contract negotiations. But one of the aspects that we really pushed to try to get at settled was to bring the community in. And so we reached out to the other public sector unions, you know, people working in the city. But then we also reached out to the other labor organizations, you know, the building trades people like the Teamsters, CWA, you know, painters union and things like that. And because we were, we were having issues 2008 was, the economy was not that great. And so we were trying to push, but we were trying to make it the idea that it wasn't just teachers, it was, again, going back to that all encompassing kind of thing, so we were trying to get the community behind us. And so we actually, I was, you know, instrumental in putting together a couple of different rallies. And we ended up at our school. We had around somewhere between two hundred fifty and three hundred people from, I think, I don't remember exactly, but about fifteen different unions, not just teacher unions, spend time at our district right before board meetings and then we'd go in and talk to the board and we'd say, look, we're not just talking about the teachers, we're talking about the community, because the students that we teach, their parents, you know, work in these other areas and they understand what a good community would be like and you need a good school for that. So yeah, that was an idea and I've really tried to push that ever since, that whole idea of community building when you're working on unions. Corbey [00:10:06] Now, when you started to get involved in the more, like, national unions, how did that work and that involvement compare to, like, your more local district teacher union? Seth [00:10:18] It was very interesting because, so that that came about by working with the statewide teachers union, being on some committees with them and then being asked from the statewide teachers folks to say, “Would you like to represent New York at the American Federation of Teachers on the national level?: There's a, they have a committee it's called the Program and Policy Council, K to 12, kindergarten through 12th grade. And there are about about 60 people on it from all across the country. And there is usually somewhere between five and seven from New York State. And so where I worked in, in Troy, small city school, about five thousand students, not completely urban, you know, not like a Big Albany or a Buffalo or Syracuse, but certainly not a suburban, was kind of a mixture. So I think I had a unique role in that idea of, of kind of bridge the gap between urban and suburban area. But the thing that I was very interesting in when I went to a couple of the first meetings, really getting to know people from other parts of the country who were in unions, but their statewide unions were not nearly as strong as what's in New York State. And so, you know, here in New York State, it's the most dense union state in the country, something, I don't know the exact number, it's like 25, 30% of people are in a union. I think in the public sector, maybe private sector, it's less of that like 15 or so. Whereas across the country it's less than 10%. And so when you, when I go to those meetings, it was very interesting to hear people talking about that sort of the, the fights or the battles that they would have. And, you know, let's say the people in Philadelphia or the people in Orlando, you know, Orlando, Florida, they would talk about what's going on in �their city. Whereas here in New York, we talk about what's going on in the entire state. So it was much more that, you know, I used to talk to them and they were like, well, you know, we're only doing things here in Orlando or maybe in Tampa, but the rest of Florida is is not even on board with them in some places, the other parts of the state aren't even unionized. So it was very interesting to kind of, you almost get in a little bubble thinking, oh, this is the way it should be. And then you go to these other places, you find out, wow, it's, it's really not like that at all. Christian [00:12:41] So following that, you felt like New York had a much more structured and, like, more complete powerful union organization all together... Seth [00:12:51] Very much so. Christian [00:12:52] Than compared to most other states. Seth [00:12:54] Yeah, absolutely. Because I would say, you know, on the, on this committee, not, I would say they were probably only even, I'd have to make a guess about twenty states represented. You know, other states have pockets of unionization, but nowhere near what let's say New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, you know, some of the East Coast. And then you go to the West Coast. You know, California is very unionized, but, and there's pockets all around. Let’s say you take Texas. You just look at, you know, Houston, Austin, maybe one or two other big cities. They're unionized. The rest of the state, they don't even have unions. Yeah. So it's a very different kind of way of looking at things, even though, you know, you listen to the papers or watch the news, you know, they'll say, oh, all of education across the country is such and such and it's not even close. It really makes you, really makes you think that what we have in New York is, is pretty unique. Yeah. Corbey [00:14:03] And, you know, in terms of New York labor organizing, like, you're now the president of the Capital District Area Labor Federation. How did you first get involved with them? Seth [00:14:14] So I got involved as being a member, so I’ll back up a bit. And so the Capital District Area Labor Federation is a federation of about forty different unions in eleven counties around the Capital District. And so we're, we're an organization part of the statewide AFL-CIO. And so, like our organization, the Capital District Area Labor Federation, there are eight similar ones across the state, one down Hudson Valley, Central, New York, Buffalo, etc. And each of them have a section of the, of the state. And of those affiliated unions, the teachers are one of them. And so for many years, probably, I don’t know, about twelve or so, I was NICE's rep on that board. And so I had sat on the executive board for all of those years. The woman who had been the president of the organization moved up. She's now the president of our statewide Civil Service Employees Association. And so they had an interim come in. He actually had some health issues. And so a year ago, they asked if I wanted to move into that position, and so I did. Christian [00:15:33] So as a president, what is your, what are your current focuses that you're focusing on from issues? Seth [00:15:39] Yeah. So most recently, obviously we were a lot of, very heavy into the politics. So we spent, you know, probably most of the summer in leading up to the elections last week, working with various elected officials. So we always, you know, we do interviews of all the various candidates running for local assembly, state senators, �Congress. We don't usually get involved with small races. Let's say, you know, like, there's the mayor race here that was in Saratoga. We know those folks and some of our affiliates get involved, but as the Area Labor Federation, we just, we work on positions that people are a broad wide area so you know, an assembly person which would cover a whole area or a state senator. So we spend a lot of time talking with the various candidates, letting them know what the issues are for the various unions that are part of our labor federation. And so we've spent, that's where I've been wrapped up for the past couple of months, with all the elections just, you know, trying to get candidates that are, getting them elected to office who are understanding of unions. I don't always tell people, you know, people say, “Oh, you're just getting somebody elected so that they'll favor the unions.” I said, no, I don't want necessarily just to favor the unions. I want them to understand what the union issues are. And if there is legislation that they can pass that will be helpful. You know, one of our big groups is the building trades. So, you know, all kinds of construction sites are around and there's lots of laws that are out there. And we want to make sure that the laws are protecting the health and safety of all those workers. And so we want to make sure that we have candidates and people in that office who understand that as opposed to just, you know, it's great to have a business and they're bringing in lots of tax dollars. But if the people who are working there or building that building aren't going to have a safe environment, that's not good. So we, so we I think a lot of times our issue for the Capital District Area Labor Federation, which is sort of my background, is educating people, making sure that they understand what's going on out there with all the people that are working. You know, I mean, it's, you know, everybody talks about the economy. The economy’s driving the, you know, the prices of houses and gas and then your cost of living and what it's at the grocery store. And we want to make sure we'll all those people, they're working, some of them are in unions and some of them are not, are not. But it's, it's pretty well documented that union wages and benefits drive all benefits of wages, not just people in unions. Corbey [00:18:26] Could you talk about kind of like sort of the specifics of how you're promoting those candidates that are, you know, understanding and favorable towards unions? Seth [00:18:36] Sure. So one of the things we often do is, you know, we'll sit down with those candidates after let's say we've endorsed somebody and then will go through, we'll talk to them about, let's say, some of the public sector people who are, you know, police, firefighters, teachers, public hospitals, you know, what their needs are. Again, going back to talk about what the building trades some of those needs are and to make sure that they understand kind of, as I say, maybe health and safety type laws are. And we get, we will put together education fliers and then, and then our job is to then go out and talk to our members about what these candidates can do for them and to help their, you know, their livelihood and their workforce. Corbey [00:19:27] Mm hmm. And if you had, you mentioned your coming out of the midterm season right now, did you have a lot of, do you think you had a lot of success this season? Seth [00:19:38] We had a decent amount of success, a decent success in getting people either elected or reelected. And then, I think, in even in some of the candidates where we didn't win or the candidate didn't win, the people that we had endorsed, I think in some cases we've made some good connections with people who had been in, I'm thinking of, let's say, the Rensselaer County area just across the river. We had a woman who, very good, she was a public service advocate. She had been on a, you know, sort of a smaller �level government position and she was running for state Senate. She didn't win, but she's not, as she said to me about just a couple of days after the elections, I'm not going anywhere. You know, she's continued doing she works as a child advocate. And so I think we've made new connections with those people. And I think that's always good. And we've made connections with, with those candidates, even if they didn't win, with our unions. And so now they know what we're doing. And I think that's always very helpful, you know, as you move forward, when you're trying to do other kinds of activities. Corbey [00:20:53] And if you have a candidate, you know, that you are promoting and they don't win once their opponent is in office do you ever work with the one who was elected? Seth [00:21:03] Absolutely. There are some candidates that they don't want to work with us. But yeah, absolutely. I've always made it a point, you know, myself personally, and then certainly the Area Labor Federation, made it a point that, you know, those people are elected, they're in office and we need to work through them. Sometimes you know, we have lots of conversations with them and they'll say, you know, “No, I can't support you on these positions,” but at least they understand where we're coming from. So yeah, there are, there are always those kinds of things. You know, like I said, some will just shut you out altogether and they don't want to meet or you always meet with their, you know, assistant to assistant to assistant, you know, kind of thing. But, you know, you kind of keep pestering away at it. And, and that's what our members expect, you know, the members that we represent when we go there, because that's what we always say when we're sitting down with legislators, we meet with them on a yearly basis in the springtime, you know, sort of halfway through their sort of budget season. And we say to them, look, it's not me, Seth Cohen, coming in and talking to you. I'm representing, you know, five hundred teachers in Troy or the Area Labor Federation. We represent about one hundred and twenty five thousand workers in eleven counties around here and their families. And so it's not just me saying this is good. This is on behalf of all these people. Corbey [00:22:33] And do you think that the fact that you're representing like so many people, do you think that has a tendency to make people more receptive to the issues as opposed to if you were just like one, I don't, I don't say lobbyist because I don't know if that's the correct term or not, but if you were just one person trying to meet with your representatives. Seth [00:22:51] I definitely think so. Yeah, it, I think, they, they understand that it's not just, you know, even just me or even that, you know, let's say when I was a teacher president, I would go in and I'd say, okay, I'm representing the five hundred teachers in the city of Troy. But they also know those five hundred teachers have families and they have friends. And that's, you know, families and friends talk to each other. And so it's that whole like that collective idea which really goes back to the whole idea of what a union is all about, being a collective and the strength of many is better than the one. Christian [00:23:32] Were there any surprising ups or downs that happened to you while being the president of the labor union? Seth [00:23:39] Uh, let's see. I think one of the, one of the downs only happened, I'm trying to think now this is 2022. It's about 2018, I guess, in regards to, there is a specific Supreme Court case that affected us. So we're in public sector unions and we have dues. And so when somebody comes in to becoming a teacher or in, you know, works in a public sector, state government, things like that, they join our union and they pay dues to the �union because the union represents them in their contracts. You know, a teacher doesn't have to sit down and say, “Okay, this is what I want for my health benefits or my working conditions.” That's part of the contract that the whole union has put together. And so we charge them dues to make sure that that happens. Somebody in a different part of the country challenged that idea of having to pay dues. And so that, that concept had been around for nearly fifty years, of, if you're part of the union, you pay the dues because they negotiate on your behalf. And so it was challenged in the Supreme Court and the Supreme Court overturned it. And when that happened, all of our members had the ability to say, “No, I don’t want to pay dues anymore.” But the Supreme Court also said if we have a contract, I still have as the president, I still had to advocate on their behalf. And so to me, it was like, well, they're not they're not one of my members, but they get all the benefits of all the things that I'm doing, but they're not contributing. And so, you know, people started calling "Those are freeloaders". And so that was, it was a down because now we, we had the potential to have all these people say, “Well, I'm just going to pull out.” In my local we didn't have very expensive dues because the officers and things got, you know, some small stipends and we had some money to spend on various kinds of things. But you look at the entire state, look at the large country, that can add up to a lot of money. So it was kind of a downer. But one of the things, great things that the state did was we had lots of conversations about and workshops about it, and what we really decided was we need to turn this around to a positive. And so what it actually ended up doing was making us much more aware of the conversations we needed to have with every single one of our members about why it's important to be in a union. And so it was kind of one of the, you asked up and down, it was a downer at first and then we were pretty much able to turn it around to say, “Okay, we need to have a conversation with every one of our members.” So in the city of Troy, like I said, we have five hundred, I had twenty building reps and some officers. There is about twenty people in our leadership. We each got anywhere from twenty five to fifty people and they went individually and talked to them and said, “Are you going to sign up next year to be,” because then you had to have everybody sign in every time on a yearly basis. And so we had those one on one conversations about why it's important to have, be a union. And it really it made a difference. It made a difference in the leadership. It made a difference in the union because then they were like, “Wow, they’re, they're really taking an interest in us.” Out of the five hundred people, we only had one person that did not want to be, join our union. And after about a year he actually left our district, decided to get out of teaching and we actually did that on a statewide basis. I spent a summer, it was probably 2019 going, sort of, door to door to teacher unions, teacher union households, talking to people about the importance of that. So it was a really, actually, even though I said going back to the decision, it was kind of awful at first. We turned it around into this is a really good, sort of, community union building exercise. And I think our union and many of the other public sector unions have actually grown stronger from it. Corbey [00:28:01] And now that, you know, union members, you said, if I’m understanding correctly, don't necessarily have to pay dues. I guess one, like, do the majority of, you know, union members still pay dues voluntarily? And if, you know, if there was a significant drop of revenue, like, what are some of the sources you might have had to turn to for, you know, more funding? Seth [00:28:26] So, yeah, so, so I know for in the teacher unions and public sector unions because the decision just affected public sector unions, not any of the private sector. So, you know, anybody who works for state government, municipal government, teachers, police, firefighters, that kind of thing. And I don't have, I don't know the exact numbers, but it is, there probably still about 95% of what they were before the decision. So it's been very strong. And I think in the areas where they've lost revenue because there's fewer �members, you know, a few members not in, I think most of the unions, they've actually just kind of like done a belt tightening. “Okay. Where can we sort of like look at our budgets, where can we cut back?” And they've tried to scale it that way. In some other cases, they've have, some of the large, you know, let's say the New York State United Teachers, which covers you know, we have six hundred thousand members across New York State, both retired and active teachers. And they look to some other kinds of grant funding. They've looked to some other voluntary contributions or different kinds of things. So I don't think the money aspect has, has hurt the unions. I think it makes them a little more conscious of how they're spending dues money, which is, which is always a good thing. Corbey [00:29:51] Where does the due money tend to be spent on? Like, what are the expenses that come with a union? Seth [00:29:56] Yeah. So in any, almost any union, the majority of expenses of a dues are paid for representing members through contract negotiations, health care benefits, and then I guess sort of in broad terms, the grievance procedure. You know, if something goes wrong or if somebody alleges, you know, my employer has done this to me, I want to file a grievance. And so there's a lot of paperwork involved. There's a lot of legal kinds of things involved. And so obviously all of that takes time and money. And that's where somewhere, you know, you put those three, the salary, health benefits, and the grievances together, that's easily 90% of a union's money. And then the other is, you know, education. There's always newsletters, you know, electronic kinds of things or paper type things. There's membership drives and that sort of thing. One of the things in New York State, let's say for the teachers union I mentioned earlier, I was involved a lot with the politics. None of our dues money went to political type stuff. The only money spent on political things was voluntary contributions. So that's, because that was a big thing. A lot of people would say, “Well, I didn’t I don’t want to be part of the union because I don’t like who they endorse.” And I'd say, “Well, none of your dues money goes to that.” That's a whole separate, it's called vote code. And that money goes to just political type things. And if you don't want to contribute to that, you don't have to. The dues part goes to all that, like I said, the bread and butter kinds of issues. So I think when people understood that, that was another reason people said, “Oh, okay, then I'm fine with that, you know, because I don't want somebody telling me who I have to vote for” type thing. Corbey [00:31:47] You keep mentioning that there are, you know, oftentimes differences between like public sector unions and private sector unions. Can you elaborate on, you know, is there like a political difference between the two make up stuff like that? Seth [00:32:04] Yeah, I guess probably broadly speaking, often times more of the building trades, construction, private sector unions, because their, their livelihood is a little different, it's business driven. And so they work for a company that is a for profit company, whereas somebody in the public sector, you know, if you're a schoolteacher, you work for state government, you're a police officer, you're working, you know, it's essentially like a nonprofit. It's not, it's not an organization that's trying to make some money. So it's just philosophically the kind of, those are two different things right there. And then the other thing that's a little different, most of the public sector unions, at least in New York State, they're part of the various different kinds of state pensions, pension systems. And so, you know, as a, as a teacher, a police officer, firefighter, state worker, you get into a state pension. You know, you contribute for X number of years, you work for thirty years, and when you retire, you have a pension. If you're in the private sector union, let's say you're a, you know, an electrician or steelworker, you are working and you have to, in a sense, many times fund your own pension, sometimes depending on the company. And the �company is matching what you're going through. But it's not always, it's not always the same. And so I think there's some, there's some differences definitely right there. And I think a lot of times the private sector and the public sector have a little bit of a battle over those kinds of things. Christian [00:33:50] You know, as you say, what are some big like intersections that you have with private sectors? Like, are there any like issues that public versus private are both going towards one thing where one gets a larger advantage over the other? Is there anything like that? Seth [00:34:05] A little bit. What I just mentioned about the pensions, I think definitely get more, you know, aspect. But I think recently, I would say in the last five, ten years, one of the aspects has been to try to meld the two and to really work on issues that are beneficial for both. And in, in the Capital District, I think we've been pretty successful bringing in good paying jobs in the sense of different kinds of, let's say, energy, different kinds of energy possibilities down, the Port of Albany has some new development down there. And so when you bring those things in which the public sector supports, all those things being built are being built by the private sector folks in the building trades, in the construction area. So that's one of the things that I've done as just in the year that I've been in, as being president of the Capital District Area Labor Federation. We have both on our executive group. And, you know, we we often have, you know, heated discussions about what's going on. And sometimes it has to do with, you know, what politician is going to favor something. But one of the big things we always come together on is, okay, are they no matter what the politician thinks on X, are they supportive of bringing in jobs that are good for these workers? Because the workers, they're going to send their kids to schools. They're going to have to have, you know, good police in the area. They need good highways and roads that are, that's the public sector kind of thing. So I think once people sort of sit back and realize that the two areas do overlap, they try to come together on it. You know, a lot of times on, you know, environmental issues, you know, there could be environmental issues regarding, let's say, a building. Let's kind of make something up, building a bridge or a highway. And you might have some folks in the environmental area saying, well, this is not really great for the environment, but the construction folks are, “We need this, you know, we need to build this bridge and we need this highway.” And then, you know, once you get people talking about it, you know, is there a way to do it a little better? Because even once you get the thing built, now, the public workers, you know, they need to plow it so there's more jobs for them. There's more tax revenue coming in. Tax revenue helps everybody, schools, hospitals and that sort of thing. So it's, there's a lot of compromise involved. And I think in this day and age with sort of the political climate, a lot of times compromise is not always like the best word is what I hear, even though I always say that's the only way you're going to get things accomplished. Corbey [00:36:52] So I guess, kind of, in your opinion, you know, this can be, like, nationally, locally. What do you think the most pressing issues regarding, like, labor and labor organizing are? Seth [00:37:08] I think the biggest thing today is for the most part, sort of, the change in where new unions or new union workers are coming from. And my experience really is more just in the Capital District. You know, gone are the days where, let's say in the 1960s and seventies, where you had big factories and, you know, there's hundreds of workers, you know, here in the Capital District. There used to be an automobile plant down in Green Island through the fifties, sixties, and early seventies, and there were hundreds of people working there. GE in Schenectady, you know, tens of thousands of people worked there �and they were all good union paying jobs. As those company, or the automobile factories gone, GE is scaling down. GE might even break up into three smaller companies. You no longer have these union organizing where you're trying to bring in thousands of workers at a time. Right now, most of the new unionizing in this area is small. You know, Starbucks workers, you know, fifteen people in one store or ten in another. Even the Amazon warehouse plant, I mean, the one down in Staten Island, there was one down here in Albany. You know, it was a few hundred kinds of workers. And so there's a real shift to the kinds of people who might becoming, workers, you know, McDonald's and all the fast food places if they want to unionize, you know, you're, you're trying to get twenty people at one McDonald's, ten at a different because they're all owned by different people as opposed to trying to say, okay, every fast food worker in the entire state is going to become a part of a union. So it's really a different kind of unionization. It's, it's, it's almost like mom and pop unionizing in, you know, small areas. We have nonprofit places, you know, where there's five or ten people working there and then, and they say, “Well, we'd like to be part of a union.” And so they start looking out and that's really different. You know, there's five people working and one manager or even fifteen people and one manager as opposed to, you know, even in a school system. Yeah. Like I said, I have five hundred people in the city of Troy that's in the school system. That's a lot of people compared to, you know, five or ten here or there. So the way in which we look at unions, I think is going to be changing over the next ten or fifteen years. Corbey [00:39:43] And do you think the fact that they, the new unions that are cropping up are like the, you know, dozen to a couple dozen people, stores and such, do you think the fact that they are smaller, that's, it's obviously possibly a different set of challenges, but do you think overall they're having an easier time because they don't need to worry about collecting, you know, I don't necessarily know the exact process of how this works, but they're collecting like, you know, twelve signatures instead of a couple hundred. Seth [00:40:17] Yeah, I think it's, it is probably a little easier, right. If you have. Okay, there's fifteen people that work here. And if we need to get, you know, whatever, three quarters of them to actually become a union. So we need, you know, eleven. It is a little easier to do that. But, um, it's that so, that, that's maybe a little easier in that sense. But it's also, I think sometimes a little easier for the organization. They only need to target, uh, five or six people to say, “No, I don't want to be a union.” And now you're not going to, they're not going to certify as it as become a union. So it kind of has pros and cons. And I think the other aspect is, you know, when you become a union, you want to become part of something bigger. And these individual stores so that all the, the Starbucks in the area, I don't know how many there are in the Capitol District. There's a lot of Starbucks shops. And I think right now I think there's four or five that have voted yes to become part of union, but they're all their own little union. Even though there's one organization, the retail workers, that are helping to organize them, they're all still individual. It's not like, you know, Store A is combining with store B and they, they talk to each other. They're, they're these little pockets. So trying to bring them all together is one of our jobs in the Area Labor Federation is to try to let them see that they're part of a big group, even if it's just, you know, they only work with these ten people at this one store. So it's definitely presenting challenges and I think it's happening very quickly. And so the people who've been in unions for a long time, this is new for them as well. And so we actually had our annual meeting about a month ago and we brought in someone from state organizing to talk about that, to kind of give some, here are some things that she had worked with some people down in Staten Island and a couple other areas. And so the big unions are trying to reach, and they're trying to stay ahead of the curve in the sense of, okay, we know this is happening. So we now have to, you know, people like myself who have not had that �opportunity to try to organize, you know, just a few people. How do you go about doing that? And so it's an interesting challenge. Um, and so I think that's going to be the, sort of going forward, the future. Christian [00:42:48] Are you guys happy about that? Are unions collectively happy about more companies wanting to be part of one community together, like for example, the Starbucks. Seth [00:43:01] Yeah, I would say probably any union organizer is definitely happy when people want to become a union or part of a union. It just there's, just the challenges about how to go about doing that. And I think the other thing that makes it a little more difficult, the definitely the unions there or the companies that are anti-union, um, you know, with the Internet and the ease of that kinds of communications, it's very easy to shut things down quicker than, than in the past. It's easier for them to get to individual people by, you know, text messages or whatever it might be to shut things down a little quicker. So it's kind of the challenges on both sides. Corbey [00:43:50] So what, uh, you know, you mentioned the changing in unions and now especially that you're coming out of the midterm election. Is there any, like, one particular thing that the Capital, Capital District Area Labor Federation is focused on? Seth [00:44:08] I'm trying to think. We've been, we’ve been so heavily involved with the federation. I think probably one of the big things, one of the things I didn’t mention that we have been doing, we, obviously, I kind of mentioned we do a lot with community. And so one of the aspects that we had been doing for well over two, two and a half years is we’ve been running food distributions. So people go to food pantries, you know, when they’re short on food or they need, need support that way. During the pandemic, people were just, you know, really hurting because they were out of jobs. So we partnered with the Regional Food Bank and Catholic Charities, an organization that helps people in a variety of ways. And so we, we were setting up these food distributions where the regional food bank would come. They drop large pallets of food. We got union volunteers, regular volunteers, and we put together bags of food for people. And then they would drive up and we just took down their ZIP code, asked how many people in a household, and gave them bags of food. And so we were doing them, and we've been doing them now for two and a half years. And then any one drop you might have a family feed or handout, I should say, food for anywhere from four to seven hundred families. And we really, as the pandemic went on, that got bigger and bigger. But the amount of food that was available to us to do that distribution has really dropped off. So one of the aspects, one of the things that we've been trying to work with our legislative people is how can we make this ongoing? It's, not it's really not sustaining for us to kind of six or seven times a month in various areas set up these food distributions, have people driving up and getting food. How can we, making the food distribution better out to the pantries, those kinds of things. So trying to work on those things. In fact, actually, next, Tuesday, myself, the gentleman who's our executive director of the Regional Food Bank, the executive director of the Area Labor Federation, we're meeting with Senator Gillibrand, the New York senator, at the Regional Food Bank, just to have a conversation with her, talk to her, show her what, what they have, what we've been doing. And so, you know, is there a way on a statewide basis, can we make sure that basically people have enough food for them? And, and that's, that's the other aspect of unions, definitely, you know, sort of nonpolitical. Doesn't matter where you’re coming from. We want to help people. And so, so that, that's an area that we're going to be focusing on. �Corbey [00:47:04] That’s wonderful. We are, you know, starting to come up on the most amount of time they want us to run for. But before we go, is there anything you want to add, like, that we didn't talk about that you think, you think would be beneficial to bring up? Seth [00:47:20] Um, well, I think the, I think this is a great project because when I talked to your professor, one of the things that he and I had talked about was most students and, I’ll just ask you guys directly, do either one of you have anybody in your family who is part of a union? Corbey [00:47:38] No, quite the opposite, actually. My dad's a CEO. So… Christian [00:47:41] All my friends are in unions. Seth [00:47:44] Okay. So one of the, because one of the things that we talked about was that families don't often have that interaction because the number of unions households has dropped so much. And so this is a great, great kind of thing. One of the other aspects that, that I do, there's an organization called the American Labor Studies Center. And it's actually housed in the city of Troy in a nineteenth-century house. There was a woman who, in the 1860s was the first woman who was the president of a laundry union. And so we, that's our area there. And they have developed lessons over the years for high schools and things like that. And so that's another aspect that when I'm talking to other people who are in unions, it's like, you know, talk to your friends, your kids, your relatives and things about being in a union and how it's beneficial not only for the union person but also for the company, and that they can work together. So just throwing in a plug for the American Labor Study Center. Corbey [00:48:51] Well, thank you so much for sitting down with us. Seth [00:48:53] Oh, you're welcome. Yeah. Good conversation. � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Saratoga Labor History Digital Archive Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource August 11, 2023 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Eric Morser Language A language of the resource English Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Eric Morser Subject The topic of the resource Labor History Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Jesse O'Connell Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Oral History Date Created Date of creation of the resource. August 11, 2023 Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Interviewer The person(s) performing the interview Cobey Ellison '24 and Christian Giresi '24 Interviewee The person(s) being interviewed Seth Cohen Location The location of the interview Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, NY Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Audio recording Record Creation Date Day/Month/Year of record creation/edit August 11, 2023 Duration Length of time involved (seconds, minutes, hours, days, class periods, etc.) 48:59 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Interview with Seth Cohen Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource November 17, 2022 Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. Saratoga Labor History Digital Archive Description An account of the resource Seth Cohen is a retired high school science teacher from the Troy City Schools. He spent 33 years in the classroom as an educator and labor leader. He holds a BA in Geology from SUNY Geneseo and a Masters from SUNY Albany. As President of the Troy Teachers Association, he negotiated a half dozen contracts as well as advancing the profession for the 500 members of the union. He also served on the Program and Policy Councils for the New York State United Teachers and the American Federation of Teachers. He is currently the President of the Capital District Area Labor Federation; the Federation is affiliated with over 40 unions from the NYS AFL-CIO and has approximately 100,000 members in 11 counties surrounding the Capital District. Language A language of the resource English Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Eric Morser Type The nature or genre of the resource Oral History https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/52ab92723c704591b1b834cc0ebbee47.jpeg ab73818b63105b44886d450727b70cf6 https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/e8481d084fef3d59fdb03354eb3463b3.jpeg 3536f85970f0e045b3335dd49a0ecc5f https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/2be9343d515033e25fc2ceef534d1813.m4a d3581ed90a836be3d8fd3ecbc994f6f5 https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/b8c3aa18d4c60506b950276266241bb1.pdf 30eb502c3117fbb688293acf6f5b06f5 PDF Text Text Narrators: Lynne Mattinson and Stuart Whipple Interviewers: Conrad Kassin ’24 and Giovanni Jacobelli ‘24 Location of Interview: Saratoga Springs, NY Date of Interview: Conrad Kassin [00:00:00] Okay. Recording, recording. So thank you so much for both of you guys for coming today. As you guys know, this is for our American labor history class. We'll be conducting oral history interviews based on labor in the Saratoga area. These interviews will be compiled with others, which will be archived for the public for future use and to look back upon. So today, me and Giovanni, my name is Conrad. We'll be asking questions. Giovanni, do you want to start asking the first question? GIovanni Jacobelli [00:00:27] Yes. So when, you can introduce yourself a little bit, and then tell us where you were born and where you grew up, and a little bit about your childhood. Lynne Mattison [00:00:38] So my name is Lynne Mattison. I grew up in a West Albany, New York, which is a little village outside of the city of Albany. I grew up in a blue collar family, so both parents worked. For, my mother worked for the state. My father worked for a meatpacking plant. So it was a very small knit community that I grew up. Stu Whipple [00:01:09] My name is Stu Whipple. I was born and raised in Saratoga Springs. Lived here my whole life, with the exception of two years away for college. I, as well, come from a blue collar family. Both of my parents actually retired from Skidmore College. My dad was the head baker, and my mom was a housekeeper. Conrad Kassin [00:01:28] So for a second question, let's just get straight into it. Please, can you tell us what do you do and how did you end up in Saratoga? Lynne Mattison [00:01:36] What do I currently do? I work at Saratoga Springs High School. I work in the attendance office. I have a clerical position at Saratoga. Stu Whipple [00:01:48] I'm a custodian for the school district. Saratoga school district. At the high school as well. And actually, my first job I ever had, paying job, when I turned 16 was working here at Skidmore College in the kitchen as a high school trainee, glorified name for a pot washer. GIovanni Jacobelli [00:02:07] What inspired you to get involved in labor issues? Stu Whipple [00:02:14] For me, that's a no brainer because my dad was the president here for years for the local 200D . My brother was the president for the Saratoga Springs Fire Department, and I took a union class in college. It was just. We have to. Lynne Mattison [00:02:33] So for me, my father worked at a meatpacking plant in West Albany. They had just started to unionize down there and then the meatpacking plant closed. So he ended up working for the town of Colony, and he felt that he needed to become active for the labor movement there. They would just CSEA was just starting to get involved. So he got involved. My mother worked for the state and she was, what we call building rep . But she was a chef steward for CSEA at the Education Department. So for me, I feel like it was born, bred, and raised into me. �Conrad Kassin [00:03:14] Very cool. So what was your first experience with labor organizing? Lynne Mattison [00:03:22] Mine was probably about when I started 25 years ago when I started at the school district. I was approached by the, I was approached by one of the custodians in the school that I worked for. He was running against our current president at the time, so he asked if I would support him and help him organize his campaign for him. That's how I originally got involved in Up Here. Conrad Kassin [00:03:50] And you had already been at that point somewhat bing introduced to labor organizing from your childhood? I see. Stu Whipple [00:03:57] Mine was just when I started here in 1985 as a high school trainee. I was exposed to it my whole life. It's something that interested me tremendously. And then when I started at the school district. You know, I as well was, Lynne has inspired me to do it. And that was, oh boy, probably twelve years ago as an officer. So and it's, it's just something that you're, lot of it is, a lot of it is instilled in you when you're younger and you see the fight that your parents do. And it goes from generation to generation, I believe. GIovanni Jacobelli [00:04:31] So you’re discussing how important and how it's a generational importance of unions. What challenges do people in your field face? Stu Whipple [00:04:42] Right now, we're having a big thing where people just don't want to join a union. And to me, for me, it's hard to understand why, because there's so much job security. I mean, I love having that guaranteed paycheck every other week. I love having my vacation time, my sick time, my pay. And, you know, that's just and I've been at jobs where I've had paychecks bounce. And they show favoritism. When you're this, everybody's the same. Everybody's treated the same. And that's what you want. You want unity. And that's what that's what the union is about. It's about everybody. Lynne Mattison [00:05:23] I agree with Stu wholeheartedly. And I think the other challenge that we face right now was when the Janus case happened, right? You no longer, you know, it wasn’t mandatory that dues came out. So the challenges that we face are getting out, doing intake meetings with no employees, right, new support staff and explain to them the importance of regardless of what happens with Janus, but the importance of why you should become a union member and like Stu said, you know, the guaranteed paycheck and the benefits and the, that and the, to be represented, you know, if you, if something should happen. So, for us, it's about the positives and the pros and trying to keep our movement moving forward, so to speak. GIovanni Jacobelli [00:06:11] What is this, Janus? Lynne Mattison [00:06:13] So Janus Case was. Stu Whipple [00:06:16] Started by a schoolteacher years ago in California. And they just, they said that they should not have to join a union if it's a union job. But the only problem is they can opt out of the union, but they still get the benefits of the union, which that's another thing that we have to fight for now. Because if you opt out, I'm still paying union dues. Why should you get the same thing that my contract that says union members, why should you get that? Why should you be entitled to that when you're not paying union dues? That's specifically for union members. �Lynne Mattison [00:06:52] I think it was about 2018 that the Supreme Court ruled in favor for him so that we used to have agency shop fee payers, people that didn't want to join the union but still had to pay that union fee. And then there was us. So now they, they, all they have to do is just write a letter to that union. Now they can opt out if you don’t feel like the union is being beneficial to you. Like Stu said, we're now having that uphill battle that they're getting the same benefits that we're getting and not having to pay union dues. So we battle that on a daily basis. GIovanni Jacobelli [00:07:33] We, we’re both not on the labor field yet. What does, what does union dues look like and how much is a union due and is it a… Stu Whipple [00:07:43] Union dues are based, it's different for every union. It’s like a certain percentage of pretty much, your pay. So if you pay $33 like we get paid every other week. So a 60 to say $60 a month. But okay, so that equates to 720 a year. That's $720 a year. That's huge for it's it's not it's huge in a sense of the protection I have and what I get for that. It's peanuts. Lynne Mattison [00:08:12] And there's a breakdown. I would have brought the breakdown. So there's a breakdown of, like, where your union dues go. So in the broader picture there's AFSCME. Right? And so they're the big parent company of the unions. So AFSCME will get a percentage or are like political? Political action gets a portion of it. So our union dues, and they stay local. They'll stay for our regional dues and our state dues. But there's an overall broader picture of why you would pay union dues. Free college we used to have, ASFCME started a free college that the government now took away from us. Conrad Kassin [00:08:58] So I had a question for Stu, because you mentioned early that that a lot of the new laborers are not interested in joining labor unions. And I just had a question, if you could attribute that to, is that a policy decision that that's leading to that outcome? Or is that a, is that just like union busting on a local level? Stu Whipple [00:09:15] I don't think it's union busting. I think some of it is people are thinking, why should I pay to work? I think that, but and the thing is, if they don't, then like when it comes time for voting for our union officers or our contract why would you not want that right to vote for who's leading you or vote for your raise? You have no say if you're not a union member. And I just think some of it is also maybe because we have a lot of twenty and thirty hour employees and the union dues, that little bit they have that, I think that's part of it maybe. Conrad Kassin [00:09:53] I see. So for my next question, what have you guys accomplished? What are your big accomplishments you would like to tout, I mean, you kind of already mentioned this as a benefit of the dues. You have some protections, but is there something about organizing that you've accomplished that you'd like to tout? Stu Whipple [00:10:09] I know one thing with our last contract or I would Lynne, she's our president of our unit, one of the big things is we got health insurance back and that's a huge accomplishment. 50% health insurance when I retire, cause that was given away years ago. But she fought hard for that, her and the other officers. And to me, that's a huge, huge benefit. 50%. When you retire as opposed to zero. Lynne Mattison [00:10:36] I think we face a lot of battles now, right when it when it comes to negotiating union contracts. So like money and like Stu said, so we, when we try you know we reach out to our members, we get feedback from our members and then we take �it from there. Like how are we going to organize this? How are we going to, you know, go into something big to be able to negotiate retiree health insurance for members like? When you when you try to organize, you stand your ground like you, you don't back down from the issues that you believe in. GIovanni Jacobelli [00:11:16] Going along the same. What do you wish to accomplish that you haven't yet accomplished? Stu Whipple [00:11:21] 100% union membership. Lynne Mattison [00:11:25] I agree. 100%. Yes. GIovanni Jacobelli [00:11:28] And going with that, what percent of union membership do you currently have? Lynne Mattison [00:11:33] Well, we currently we have eleven school districts within Saratoga County that we represent as a local. So at Saratoga, we probably have we're probably at about 90%. So we have about four hundred, four hundred and thirty support staff. So we are probably at about 90% at Saratoga. County level for our eleven school systems, we're probably about the same percentage, probably at 90%. We have that 10%, we have. So we, we do new hires, all the districts do new hires all the time. So it's important for us to get out there and to get out there and be able to reach those new hires to let them know that what the union is about and why they should be coming. GIovanni Jacobelli [00:12:25] Why do you think this 10% is hesitant to join the union? Stu Whipple [00:12:30] I think some of them, like I stated a little while ago, is if they're only going to be a twenty or thirty hours employee, any money they are earning they need. So maybe it might be the the union dues or, I hate to say it, but some people might have retired somewhere and had a bad taste, you know, got a bad taste from union and just don't want to be in a union. Lynne Mattison [00:12:58] Right. We have, I've noticed from new employees this year we we’re not, we're not attracting the younger generation. So a lot of the generation is that middle aged generation like forties and older. Right? So these are people that have left maybe private sector and now are coming into the public sector. So it's it, it, it becomes a tough sell to us sometimes to get them to understand why it's beneficial to be part of the union. You know what you get for this, um, how we help. How? So I see more of that generation than I am the younger generation. Conrad Kassin [00:13:47] So kind of to backtrack a little bit, Lynne, I was curious if you could talk a little bit more about on the ground advocating for labor issues. Can you talk a little bit about your experiencing and what does that look like on the ground? Lynne Mattison [00:14:00] So. So we also, so if we are at a delegate conference or a workshop conference. So we go to Lake Placid for a conference. Right. And they we're in Lake Placid, let's say, and there is a public department, public safety or public works department. And they're not getting a fair contract or they're not. So we will, sort of say, walk the line for them. Right? To show our support. To help organize with them. To show, you know, you're not in it alone. Right? That we, we will organize this group when we come and we bring our CSEA signs. And it's all about supporting one another regardless of what union you’re in. So we have CSEA. We have local steamfitters. Teamsters. We �have PFE we have, we have, have PEF. So. It's important to me for my eleven school districts to act, to have my members also get involved, to show support to the other unions that are around us. Does that help? Conrad Kassin [00:15:14] Yes. GIovanni Jacobelli [00:15:16] So you were talking, Stu, earlier about like some people have a bad taste of unions. What makes a union good and effective and something that people want to join like on an individual basis? Stu Whipple [00:15:26] Well, it all starts with the leadership, too. If you have leadership that just sits back and lets stuff happen. Our leadership in our unit, in our local, our region and our state, we're great. We're out there. Like, we do. What do they call the door knocking things? The blitzes. They’re called the blitz. We go to non, non-members houses and knock on the door and get them to sign up. So… Lynne Mattison [00:15:54] We do drive throughs. Stu Whipple [00:15:56] Drive through, yeah. Lynne Mattison [00:15:57] We do drive throughs. Stu Whipple [00:15:58] Movie nights they had at the drive-in movie night, you know, things like that. You're trying to get the people to join. If you've had a bad experience, we want to make it better. We're going to make it better. It's not that we want to. We're gonna. Lynne Mattison [00:16:14] And I think if you notice, so things the saying is things come around in a full circle. Right? So, a while ago it was union, union, union. And then all of a sudden you started seeing companies, corporations move away from the union. Right? Now, all of a sudden, that's coming back full circle. Right? You're starting to see people organize unions. Starbucks. Right? Amazon. So you're starting to see people come back to the blue collar community. Right? Want to bring back a union so that people can fight for their rights? Safe work environments, fair wages. So that's what we've become part of when we see another union, brother or sister struggling for them. We can't get a fair contract, you know, where their employer wants to lock them out. That's where we come in and we've become their advocate for that. GIovanni Jacobelli [00:17:10] You used the wording, brothers, sister. Is the union kind of a family almost? Are you very closely connected? Lynne Mattison [00:17:16] Yes. Stu Whipple [00:17:17] Yes, absolutely. It's a huge unity and great. Conrad Kassin [00:17:22] And it's definitely seen it seems to be at least also cross across unions, too. It's beyond just your individual unit. Stu Whipple [00:17:28] Because we were with, who do we, that. Momentum. We were walking down with them. Lynne Mattison [00:17:34] Yes, yes. �Stu Whipple [00:17:35] Down in, wasn’t that Schenectady or wherever it was? Lynne Mattison [00:17:39] Waterford. Stu Whipple [00:17:40] Waterford, yeah. Conrad Kassin [00:17:39] So on the topic of organizational, organization, can you talk a little bit about how your organization has changed over the years, a little bit, and how it's come to the position it is in today? Stu Whipple [00:17:49] The thing for me is the Janus thing that was a huge change. And that was. But we're, we're fighting on that we didn’t give up just because we lost that. We don't give up. We fight. And that's, that's just how it is. That's what's great about being in a union. We all get together and go, goddammit, it's enough is enough. We're coming after you. It’s not that we’re coming after you. We want what we deserve. Conrad Kassin [00:18:16] Absolutely. Stu Whipple [00:18:17] You know? Conrad Kassin [00:18:18] If I can build off that question, what is, the what is the maximalist goals here? Like, if you're saying we're fighting, what is, what is, you win, what is, what does that look like? Stu Whipple [00:18:28] Well, it just shows you the unity and what, what, what people are capable of, capable of doing. Lynne Mattison [00:18:33] Equality. Stu Whipple [00:18:34] Yeah, exactly. When everybody gets together and it's just, it's great. GIovanni Jacobelli [00:18:44] Why is it important to remember these stories of working people? Lynne Mattison [00:18:51] Because you're always going to have working people. Right? We're always going to have to blue collar people. Right? College is not meant for everybody. Right? The private business is not meant for everybody. So you're always going to have labor class working people. So for future generations, it's important to them. It's important for us to let them know. Right? It's okay to be in a labor movement. It's okay to be part of a union. Right? You know, it's okay not to have to go to a four year college and get this big degree that, it's okay to be able to feel like that and be able to go into working class and, you know, build your, build yourself up from there. Stu Whipple [00:19:39] Yeah, I agree with that 100%. You're always going to have us. Lynne Mattison [00:19:44] We're always going to be there. We are not going, as Stu said to you guys before. We're not going anywhere. Stu Whipple [00:19:50] We are not going away. �Conrad Kassin [00:19:54] I mean that, just I'm thinking, just that means a lot of think tells a lot about what Americans who America is really for and what we're really working here to achieve. Lynne Mattison [00:20:04] I mean, we're learning to rebuild America. You just said it. I think we're looking to rebuild America into what America wants. Conrad Kassin [00:20:12] And I absolutely and I think you really, you made a point that working people have always been here and they are going to continue to be here. I think it's just a matter of now we've acknowledged that. And I think it's we need to uplift these working people and then kind of they need to have their due. They built this country, and… Lynne Mattison [00:20:28] But I think you're seeing that again. Like I said, that was my whole you’re going around in a full circle. Right? Like everybody at one point, people felt like 'taboo' to a union. Right? And like and now all of a sudden, you're seeing that come back together. So, so people are starting to unite again and feel like we need to bring America back to America. And that if that means bringing America back and forming a union to get better work environment, better pay, just a better life then, so be it. Conrad Kassin [00:21:03] So my final question, I'd be remiss not to ask about the midterm elections and the impact on labor issues as today is November 8th. I was just curious if you could opine on what you think are possible challenges facing labor organizing following these elections? Stu Whipple [00:21:23] This is a very touchy subject. As you guys know, it's a very touchy subject. I've lost friends because I, they don't like who I support or cause I don't agree with them. That's not what it's about. We all got to get along. Lynne Mattison [00:21:38] I think it's it's the political arena is tough enough. Right? So. It divides even as a union, right? A union, they may support that one candidate that you may not support. But like Stu said, you know, bottom line, it comes down to, for us, who is the best candidate that's going to do the best job for us as a labor? Right? And, and, and really meaning, like we for our local elections and our school board elections here, we get involved like we actually interview the candidates and, and ask them questions like, why do you want us to endorse you? What is it that you're going to do for us? And I have to tell you, the candidates that are running for Saratoga County I don't care if they are Democrat or Republican that are running. They are very pro-labor and very pro-union either, whether they are Democrat or Republican working families. You will find that, that, that the candidates that are out there now are in support and they do follow through. Once they're elected, it's not like they, they're just out there. They will say that they will follow through with the labor movement. Stu Whipple [00:23:03] Because they would never get the support from us again. Lynne Mattison [00:23:05] Right. GIovanni Jacobelli [00:23:06] Do you think, uh, local politics is most important for union successes, or do you think it's a federal also? Stu Whipple [00:23:17] Well really. It like with us, it's, our union is divided into four sections. You got a unit. Local, region, and state. So it's definitely all four, well pretty much your unit, your locals is the region. So I would say your unit, region and state. But I would �say probably most likely all four. It is very important for all four. Because when you go to negotiate your contract as unit. If you have, you know, like for the city of Saratoga, when they go, they got the mayor. And all the other four, you know, the commissioners, you know, if you back the wrong person and then they lose and, you know, that's a tough, that's a tough, tough to do. GIovanni Jacobelli [00:24:10] So you've both been in the union for a while. Your family's been in. Have you seen failures happen and is it difficult to recover from failures? I know you'd say you keep on pushing, but sometimes. Lynne Mattison [00:24:21] Now failures. So define what you mean by failures. GIovanni Jacobelli [00:24:23] Like, getting push back. Lynne Mattison [00:24:25] You’re always going to get push back. Stu Whipple [00:24:28] Like when you negotiate contracts you don't, you're not going to get, you can go on with a list like this and go “here.” You're not going to get all that. You go in with a wish list and if you get three or four of them, that's awesome, because you know that you’re gonna. It's like going to a casino. You got, to go to a casino knowing you're going to lose, you know. But with this, you know, you go in and you go, okay, we got twenty items. We get three or four of them. It’s Great. Lynne Mattison [00:24:52] Right. And I, and I, with the pushback. So that's what, that's what makes you, that's what makes us strong right now. The harder, the more you push us, the more we're going to push back at you. Right? So it’s about not giving up. So push, they're going to push and we're going to push back harder. At some point, we're going to come to me in the middle. Stu Whipple [00:25:16] When you go into a negotiations. You're not going to, it's not going to be done one or two trips. It's going to be months, maybe years. Because the union just does not give up. And the leadership and the membership. They get together. They know what they want. If they don't get it. We're not approving it. We're not ratifying it. Conrad Kassin [00:25:37] What would you say to someone, a younger person like me or Giovanni, who is just entering the workforce and is failing to unionize or failing to achieve this level of unionization? What do you would you say to them to keep them motivated? Stu Whipple [00:25:54] Well, first of all, remember, it's a learning, it's a learning experience, too. You just, you learn. I'm still learning. And I've been doing it for a long time. But you learn all the time. You keep your head strong and if you see something, you go after it. What’d your parents always tell you? You see something, you go after, you know, because you got to realize it's your livelihood, too. You know, and that's, that's really what it is. It's your whole livelihood. Conrad Kassin [00:26:27] I think that was everything we wanted to cover. I cannot thank you guys enough for being here. It's been a real phenomenal conversation, I think. Is there anything you guys would like to add? Last words, the final thoughts. Stu Whipple [00:26:39] I appreciate you asking us to come. I think that for young guys like yourself. You know, that's awesome. Because it shows that you're interested in it. So hopefully we can get you into a union and a union job. Over here. �Lynne Mattison [00:26:56] There's labor attorneys. There's, you know, we have labor attorneys. We have labor relations specialists. Right? So it's not just about us, but, like, we have we have attorneys at the CSEA that are, become labor attorney . Stu Whipple [00:27:12] Health and safety people that, which is right now, as you guys know, you know, you see your sign over there. It’s huge. Our health and safety they were fantastic. So I mean, it's not, a lot of people think, oh, that's all the union, that's all it is, is this. No, there's a lot more to it than just that right there, just us. Lynne Mattison [00:27:32] But we appreciate you guys reaching out to us. Stu Whipple [00:27:33] Yeah, absolutely. Lynne Mattison [00:27:34] This was great for us. Stu Whipple [00:27:36] Yeah. Conrad Kassin [00:27:36] Thank you so much. � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Saratoga Labor History Digital Archive Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource August 11, 2023 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Eric Morser Language A language of the resource English Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Eric Morser Subject The topic of the resource Labor History Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Jesse O'Connell Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Oral History Date Created Date of creation of the resource. August 11, 2023 Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Interviewer The person(s) performing the interview Conrad Kassin '24 and Giovanni Jacobelli '24 Interviewee The person(s) being interviewed Lynne Mattison and Stuart Whipple Location The location of the interview Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, NY Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Audio recording Record Contributor Individual who prepared the item and/or edited it. Eric Morser Record Creation Date Day/Month/Year of record creation/edit August 11, 2023 Duration Length of time involved (seconds, minutes, hours, days, class periods, etc.) 27:44 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Interview with Lynne Mattison and Stuart Whipple Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. Saratoga Labor History Digital Archive Description An account of the resource Lynne M. Mattison: I have resided in Saratoga Springs for the past 35 years. I have been active in the union for the past 28 years when I started working for Saratoga School District. I started on committees and worked my way up to a union officer. Union ties run deep in my family. I am currently the Local President of one of the largest Locals in Saratoga County and the Upstate Region 4. I also serve on various committees on the CSEA Region 4 level. Stuart Whipple: Born and raised in Saratoga Springs. My entire family have been and are active union members. I have been a union activist for the past 19 years . I currently am a Saratoga County Educational Local Officer which oversees 11 School District’s in Saratoga County. Language A language of the resource English Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Eric Morser Type The nature or genre of the resource Oral History https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/833e825a076280d4eed978f3c2fb4df9.jpg 0bd0793e4383964af1ce3b244775b0c4 https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/adcab524798a83cc3ed3ad4ccc9b8c77.mp3 75f49f0b9e78be274063fd00f00e973b https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/7d5bd67564028d60fbdfe9097a93a1c4.pdf a8167d597e6097570c3d890bc9128636 PDF Text Text Narrator: Ruth McAdams Interviewers: Sam Stiefel ’24 and John Sveen ‘24 Location of Interview: Saratoga Springs, NY Date of Interview: November 17, 2022 Speaker 1 [00:00:00] Lets see how this is going. So yeah, I think it's. Speaker 2 [00:00:05] It's good volume level. Sam [00:00:06] Yeah. He said it should be right around six. Speaker 2 [00:00:09] Okay. Sam [00:00:10] So I think that if we talking to. Yeah. It's picking stuff up. Okay. I think we're going okay. Speaker 2 [00:00:18] Yeah, right. Sounds good. So I guess to begin, we're just going to start talking about kind of like more general background stuff and kind of as a rule of thumb, it's helpful for the transcription if when we ask a question in the way you respond, if you repeat the question, that's really helpful for someone transcription. Sam [00:00:40] Just so we know what where we're at. Speaker 3 [00:00:42] Sounds good. Speaker 2 [00:00:43] Sounds good. But I guess so. We're going to be a little bit freeform, but we also have some questions prepared. But um, just to start off, could you tell us your name and where you're from? Prof Ruth McAdams [00:00:55] I'm Ruth McAdams. I'm a teaching professor in the English department at Skidmore. You want to know where I'm from - from? Yeah. Chicago. Sam [00:01:04] Chicago. Great. Did you spend your whole childhood there? Prof Ruth McAdams [00:01:08] Yeah, I grew up there. Sam [00:01:09] Yeah. What was that like? Prof Ruth McAdams [00:01:12] Chicago was a great place. I have positive feelings toward it. I haven't been back in a really long time, though, so I don't think about it too often, I guess. People sometimes ask me if I can recommend like a good bar or restaurant, but I can't, like, I have no idea what's going on in Chicago these days. John [00:01:30] Gotcha. Gotcha. Did you say you lived in Chicago your entire upbringing then? Until going to college, I assume. Prof Ruth McAdams [00:01:41] Yeah. Since then I've moved around a lot. I did my undergrad at Penn in Philadelphia, so I was there for four years. And then after that I had a fellowship that took me to Edinburgh, Scotland, where I lived for three years. I did a master's degree in English literature at the University of Edinburgh. I then after that was two years, and I spent a year there afterward doing some teaching, various other projects, applying to graduate school. And then I did my Ph.D. at the University of Michigan. So Ann �Arbor, Michigan, is where I lived for four years. And then around that time things became very complicated. My partner had a post-doc, so we moved together to Atlanta for one year. Then he got a job here at Skidmore, and so I was here while I was still finishing my dissertation for one year. Then I went back to Michigan for a postdoc for one year. Then I went to Istanbul, Turkey, for a year for a job. That was really wonderful. And then after that I came here to Skidmore, and so I have been here since September of 2017. John [00:02:39] It's great. Yeah, that's awesome. You want to go ahead? Sam [00:02:43] Yeah. Did you always know that you wanted to pursue, like, such a devout background in literature and education, or did you have other plans growing up? Prof Ruth McAdams [00:02:55] Well, my first plan was to be a professional oboist. I was a musician as a kid and very serious about it. So that was what I really wanted to do for a long time around the, around college, I decided to do something else and that's when I really fell in love with literature. And that's when I decided I wanted to pursue a job as an academic, as a professor. Sam [00:03:19] Yeah. John [00:03:20] It's great. Yeah. It seems like with so many different experiences at universities and, and places that you've lived as well, it seems like all that together that must have had an influence on, on where you ended up now. Could you tell us whether in in your experiences at these, these all these universities are larger on the larger side? Prof Ruth McAdams [00:03:40] That's correct. Yeah. John [00:03:41] And now you're teaching at a smaller very much smaller institution. Could you tell us a little bit about the experience teaching at a liberal arts school and how it's different from your experience at those bigger schools? Prof Ruth McAdams [00:03:55] Yes, I'm happy to talk about that. Small liberal arts colleges are very different places to work than big research institutions, which, you are correct, is where I spent my whole academic career prior to coming to Skidmore, and I would say that the differences are really huge. One of them is that Skidmore sees itself as a community. As a small community. I have my own thoughts as to what that really means in practice. Some more critical thoughts about what that means. But I would say that, at its best, it's really wonderful to be part of a small community of faculty and students, to get to know students a bit better than I did at my previous job. And to, you know, really, I think Skidmore tries to, tries to provide students with what they need to succeed, which wasn't even attempted necessarily at some of my previous places, or that was just considered to be immediately outside the scope of what we were trying to do. Sam [00:04:57] Yeah. And so you mentioned this, this transition and you said you're from Chicago and you went to school in Philadelphia. I live outside of Philadelphia, so. And then you went to Edinburgh. You know, these are very big places and then you come to a much smaller place. And do you think that maybe that focus of like going to such a smaller place kind of allowed you to maybe think about that environment and, and your job and what you liked about that job and, you know, how that kind of transitioned into maybe looking at what you thought could be better about that job? �Prof Ruth McAdams [00:05:37] Yes, I would say that one really noticeable thing about teaching in a small liberal arts college is that you begin to be very aware of the high level of hypocrisy institutions like this have, they attract a liberal, progressive student body, and yet the labor practices of the institution are dire and, you know, indefensible and totally inconsistent with the kind of stated values of the college. And that to me, was a really eye opening experience. My, well, I could say more about that, but yes. Sam [00:06:14] Could you say more about that? John [00:06:16] We'd love to hear more. Prof Ruth McAdams [00:06:17] So I, I said this in my interview with WAMC. So I've already talked about this in a recorded context, but I'll, I'll, I'll, I'll share it again with you, which is that I didn't know very much about unions growing up. My parents were upper middle class, professional type people. Unions weren't a part of my consciousness, really, until I began my Ph.D. at the University of Michigan, where all the graduate students were members of the graduate employees organization are all the graduate student instructors. When you taught, you became a member of the union. They had been unionized since the late seventies, and all the new graduate students were invited to attend the meeting in the first semester I was there. And I didn't know much about it, but all my friends were going and they invited me to come. So I went and it, it wasn't immediately clear to me what the union was for, or what I, why I needed it. And I remember speaking with a friend who is smarter than me and she said like, “Well, the union is what gets us good health care.” And I said, “Well, Liz, shouldn't we have nationalized single payer health insurance here in America?” This was during the Obamacare wars and our pre Obamacare discussions of the possibility of health insurance reform. And she said, “well, yes, Ruth, we should, but this is America and we don't. And it's the union that ensures that people have the kinds of things that they should have but don't.” And so I was I never was especially strongly involved in the graduate employees organization at Michigan, but I was sort of on the periphery, and I would attend the meetings when they were negotiating the contract. On one memorable occasion, I went to several meetings to discuss kind of whether we should accept this contract, what we should push for, what we should be willing to compromise on. And so, so I was involved the whole way the whole time I was there, and though never especially closely involved. And it was a great experience. The union was the reason that we could afford rent that we made enough to live on. Not a lot of money. Not a, not a comfortable living. But I wasn’t desperately concerned as to how I was going to get through the month. And that was because of the union. And so I, when I came to Skidmore, I, you know, a private college that charges that astronomical tuition, I was shocked and appalled to see the level of financial hardship under which many of my colleagues, non tenure track faculty were living so early in my time here. I got to know somewhat randomly a part time faculty member who has since left Skidmore. But while they were here, I got to know them just a bit. And they disclosed to me that they were the parent of two children and their partner – they were in a partnership, but their partner was not, not able to, to have a job for reasons. And they, they were on WIC benefits: women, infant, and children supplemental nutrition assistance benefits. Like it's not food stamps, but it's, it’s a corollary of the food stamp program. And I was just amazed that Skidmore College, which charges so much in tuition, has faculty that are qualifying for these federal safety net programs that are intended for the poorest Americans. And as we know, America has such a limited set of safety net programs, totally inadequate to the needs that people actually have. And so to see that a Skidmore faculty member was qualifying for those programs was absolutely amazing to me and really has stuck with me over the years. Even though this person has left the college, you know, and has moved on to bigger �and better things. And, and I don't know how common that experience is, although I don't believe that they're the only person. But it just has been really, that has really stuck with me as, as part of why I wanted to get involved in union organizing. Sam [00:10:45] Gotcha. Thank you. And so you came to Skidmore and you see this around you, these people who are, you know, providing basically what Skidmore is effectively selling, living in very dire straits. And you've got this background in, you know, the union at Michigan. And so I was wondering what the kind of start of that process really looked like. You know, where you come to the school and you're like, okay, we can make this better. Perhaps, maybe I can bring what my knowledge is of the unions to Skidmore? Prof Ruth McAdams [00:11:22] Sure. So you're asking about how I took that as experiences and I started actualizing. Sam [00:11:29] How did how did it go from experience to the physical? Prof Ruth McAdams [00:11:32] Sorry. Yes. So, I mean, I don't want to overestimate how quickly I came to the conclusion that we needed a union. I would say that my initial approach was to, to look out for myself. And I, both my partner and I took all the steps that you're supposed to take when what you want to do is get somewhat converted to the tenure track. I was, I always wanted a tenure track job. That was my dream. I was very ambitious in achieving it, and I was deeply heartbroken by my inability to get the job I wanted. So at first I was simply seeking tenure track employment elsewhere, as was my partner. For various reasons, that didn't immediately work out for us. So as I got to know a few more non tenure track faculty at Skidmore, I began to see how widespread some of these problems were. And I would say one, another kind of moment of, of a turning point moment for me would be when I realized how much of what my department, the English department, did was teach First-Year writing classes and how everyone who taught those classes almost was not only non tenure track but also on these short term terminal contracts, short term contracts of just one or two years that come to an abrupt end at the end, and that the college had, and the department had no long-term plan for how to fill those roles. And in fact, although it was extremely notable problem in my department, it was, in fact, a pattern widely across campus in many different areas. I would say that there were some early meetings that were not intended to foment union activity, but that had that result. So in the 2017-18 school year, the Center for Leadership, Teaching and Learning, the CLTL, which was at that point run by Kristie Ford from Sociology, who has since left Skidmore, ran just a kind of meeting for non tenure track faculty at which we were simply encouraged to meet each other. And that in of itself was, it was, it was a shocking thing because many of us were sort of led to believe that there were very few non tenure track faculty at Skidmore. But all of a sudden, we, we had booked the test kitchen at the dining hall and like it was standing room only like nobody could sit because there were so many of us. So simply just discovering how many of us there were and how many of us had many of the same concerns was totally eye opening. where things went from there on the union, you're probably wondering. Okay, so I would say that within a year or so of my being here, there was a small group of us that had, you know, basically said, like, this is, this is bullshit. We we've tried asking nicely. It got nowhere. The college’s lying about stuff. How many of us there are the college’s stonewalling our requests for extremely basic, straightforward information. We need a union. So at that point, I'm actually not entirely sure because I wasn't as strongly involved then as I am now. But we reached out to Sean Collins at SEIU, the Service Employees International Union, and we reached out to them because SEIU has a sort of specialty in academic workers, particularly contingent faculty, and they represent non tenure track faculty at campuses all over upstate New York and in �Vermont and in surrounding states. They were called the Faculty Forward Division. I don't know that it's like sort of called that anymore, but, but we reached out to Sean. He gave us some practical advice about how this works. And then we began speaking to our colleagues seeking signatures on these union authorization cards. The way that putting together a union tends to work in the early phases is that you you operate in secret and you, you know, basically get people to sign on to say that like, yes, I support unionization for us. And there are these little cards. They're like an index card. And, you know, you sign it, you have your contact info. And so we did that a lot and it went incredibly slowly because for many reasons, one, people are scared. People are terrified to support union activity because they have seen the movies and they know that people who try to organize unions tend to get fired. They I think also people are to a, to a far lesser extent than, than their fear. People are a little ideologically suspicious of unions. Again, they've seen the movies. There's just decades of anti-union propaganda in this country that has been unbelievably successful at convincing people that collective action is suspicious, that it undermines individual autonomy and agency, that it is an arm of organized crime. The number of people that randomly bring up Jimmy Hoffa to me is just absolutely staggering and kind of horrifying, you know? So it was challenging. It was it was challenging. Yeah. John [00:17:27] You used the word hypocrisy speaking on the part of the college. And could you maybe speak a little bit to how their policy of the colleges really comes through in, in non tenure track faculty specifically you mentioned that 1 to 2 year contracts for initiation or not initiation but rather preliminary English courses. And in those phases of learning they're likely very important. And how important are forming lasting relationships with professors and how did you initially see that hypocrisy coming through? Prof Ruth McAdams [00:18:08] Sure. So your questions about how do I sense the hypocrisy of the college. So I can answer it in several different ways. So one is that when I was hired, I was given a one year contract and my department chair, to her credit, was very honest that she's like, we can give you no more employment than that. And I said, okay, I that that's that is the best offer I have right now. I'll take it. And yet it became clear to me within a couple of months of working here that there was no other plan for the teaching other than continued reliance on short term contracts. So as I speak to you right now, I have no idea whether I'll be teaching at Skidmore in the fall. Now, that's because I don't have a contract and I and I won't have one for months. My department has absolutely no plans in place to bring in anyone else to do the teaching I do. The teaching that I'm doing this year. It will need to be done next year. There is no short term quality to what I'm doing and this is a constant, this is a really persistent pattern across the college. So, for example, Skidmore will say things like we only use non tenure track faculty to fill short term instructional needs. That is false. That is rampantly false. We, they'll say things like we only use terminal contracts when we anticipate that instructional need going away. Totally false. Totally, totally false. They'll say things like we, you know, the say. They'll say vague things like we really value our non tenure track faculty. Whenever someone says that they value you, that's a way of not paying you, right? If they valued me, they’d pay me enough to live on so they can say that they value me all they want, but they don't actually value me because I know what's in my paycheck. Sam [00:20:12] Yeah. And so I was wondering, you mentioned the kind of the fear that the propaganda, you know, to push people away from unions. But you also mentioned that, you know, my dad's in academia. So I know a little bit about the processes of, of how you you know, my dad actually applied to Skidmore when I was a young very young. He didn't get the job. But, you know, these jobs are few there are few jobs in academia across the country, across all departments. You know, people are struggling to find places to work. �And they come to a school like Skidmore and they, you know, they're there. People might be straight forward like, Oh, we can only sign you for one year. You know, it's not ideal, but hey, like, I don't have any other options, so this is what I'm going to do. But people like that, you know, might they might buy into the fear because they, they don't have very many other options and they're worried about getting fired. So I was wondering what you would say to a person who's maybe kind of struggling to, to know what they should do in this situation. Prof Ruth McAdams [00:21:18] Yeah. I don't have to answer that in a sort of hypothetical way. I've had that conversation many times, and what I would say is that it's going to be pretty hard for the college to replace you quite as quickly as they claim that they can replace you so that there are costs to doing a search that the college doesn't want to incur, and that if we stand together, we're much more powerful. Like we, yeah, one person can be fired in a retaliatory fashion. That's easy. Skidmore has done it before. It's, it's not possible to, to fire everyone at the same time. And that's the basic logic behind unionization, behind collective action, is that when you get together, you're much, much, much more powerful than you would be otherwise. And I would say with respect to the the sort of the scarcity of jobs nationwide, you're, you are absolutely correct. But there's an important second point to that, which is that there isn't a scarcity of jobs. There is a scarcity of good jobs. So, in fact, there's tons of jobs in higher ed. They're just so, they pay so little that they're not actually jobs. They're sort of hobbies. And it's a, it's, there's a, there's, a there's as much like in industries across the country and in across the sort of, you know, you know, across similar places in the world like Europe and and and elsewhere, you know, just working conditions are just getting worse. Like there is no actual shortage of jobs. There's a decline in working conditions. Sam [00:23:04] Yeah. And so you, you were a major part of the decision to unionize. And you see these, you know, these problems everywhere. Do you feel that a union is you know, it might be extremely helpful to people, but do you feel that it is the solution to these problems? Prof Ruth McAdams [00:23:25] So there's a part of me that still is the same asshole that said that unions were inadequate because what we need is nationalized single payer health care, Liz, and that the union was a sort of Band-Aid measure. So, you know, that's the world I want to live in, but I don't live in that world. And we're not getting any closer to that world. And I don't think that I’m going to see it. So. And now having tried to having just so laboriously finally after everything and at great cost to my physical, mental and emotional health, participated in successful union, union campaign. I am, I can't imagine anything harder and, and I just like the idea that this is somehow inadequate. I mean, it's, it may be inadequate, but like it, it was so challenging. And so yeah, on the one hand, yes, I do. I think that unions are a significant part of the solution. Obviously, they're inadequate to like the world's problems. But I, considering labor, labor conditions is just absolutely must be done. And the union provides us with a legal framework to do that. Sam [00:24:49] Yeah. And so you've, you've really come in, you know, these this process has been way harder, likely than it should be. And you guys have finally, you know, voted to unionize in the past couple of months. And so I was wondering, what does the future look like for you? You know, you mentioned that you still, you're unsure about what your own future looks like. You know, like you mentioned, they're not, they need what you're offering. So, you know, I was just wondering what the what the future looks like for the union. �Prof Ruth McAdams [00:25:19] So the future of the union will involve collective bargaining negotiations with the college. So we are in the process of determining our bargaining priorities, selecting a negotiating committee, and putting that together to begin negotiating with the college in earnest early in 2023. That process will be lengthy, over a year. No doubt. Perhaps closer to 18 months or two years, it's going to be a very long road. It'll, it'll be a highly collaborative process involving people, non tenure track faculty from across the campus. So the, the, and the college's working conditions with respect to not tenure track faculty have to be sort of frozen in time during the bargaining process so that could be a long time. The future for me personally, again, I, I don't have a contract for the fall. I will be teaching here in the fall, though, unless I'm retaliated against for my union organizing activity, because I simply, the department simply doesn't have another plan. They'd have to, they'd have to get rid of me. And I think that one ironic detail is that when you speak to the NPR affiliate and the Times Union about your working conditions, you actually become harder to fire because, it's because everyone knows what's going on there, namely retaliation. So I've taken that approach very seriously and have made myself extremely visible in the in the public eye for for that reason. So yeah. John [00:27:11] I know that you mentioned in your time at Michigan when you learned initially about unions from your friend and your friend mentioned this is America and that's why you can't have these health care plans that would be most suitable for non tenure track faculty and people with similar type jobs where they're being underpaid for quality, living at Michigan with that larger population. And I know you mentioned that there's strength in numbers in a union and that you can't fire everyone. Do you think that you're face and have you faced struggles in having a smaller population of people to get behind a union and to really make a change? Prof Ruth McAdams [00:27:55] So the question is whether being in a sort of smaller union environment here vis a vis the larger one I was at at Michigan, what implications that would have? So I think you're, I think you're right. On the one hand, being smaller has the real advantage of having fewer people to talk to, which, again, I, I'm just so moved by the people who are able to organize a union on a bigger scale because it was incredibly hard with the, with a small size right now. But yes, I do think that there's a potential for our ultimately having slightly less power than than we had when when there were thousands of us. I you know, when I was at Michigan, there was one very famous anecdote that the year before I started my degree there, they had negotiated a contract, and the negotiations were in sort of a stalemate between the graduate students and the and the union university until the graduate student union called in the support of the construction workers who were working on the Michigan football stadium and the Michigan football stadium construction workers put down their tools for one morning and we had a contract. And so you have to think about labor as being these coalitions of solidarity. And one of the things that has been incredibly moving about being involved in this project has been getting kind of invited to all these capital area labor events, a whole community and set of events that I had no idea existed prior to about May of this year. There are people across the area who are, you know, really heavily involved in, in, in, in union stuff and interested in building coalitions of solidarity. Some of these people are traditional blue collar union people, construction workers of various kinds and related jobs, but also people like K-12 educators, people - the, there's a big representation from the postal workers at the capital area labor events and all these other unionized workforces. So I think that the potential to call in support from from, those people is really important. And that's, that's how it works, right? That that is how it's supposed to work. We support each other. �John [00:30:25] That's great. In your experience overseas at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland, correct. Did you notice any talk of unionization? And do you think that there's any real difference between being in America and trying to unionize and being in the U.K. or Scotland, rather? Prof Ruth McAdams [00:30:46] Yes. So the question is about whether there's a difference between American union experiences and those in the U.K. So, yes, there is. And it has to do with the law. And there's also dramatically huge differences between individual U.S. states. So when I, we won our union on like September 27th of this year or the next day, I went to a conference. Bad timing. And I got to the conference and I was I was telling, you know, my friends at other campuses about it and they're like, Well, that's nice, Ruth. We live in a “right to work” state. We can't like or like. Ohio passed a law that explicitly bars higher education faculty from unionizing. It's like that's the purpose of the law. So, I mean, the, the legal, the legal framework is ridiculously relevant, ridiculously applicable. And again, like, it was incredibly hard to do what we did here. I cannot imagine how much harder it would be in a, you know, state that we're at or a country that has worse labor laws. In the U.K. - I don't - you know, this, I lived in Scotland during the period of my life kind of before I knew a whole lot about unions. So I actually don't know a huge amount about that. I will say that from my time in Turkey is that those union organizers are really tough and those people are fighting the good fight under really, really bad circumstances. And they amaze me. Sam [00:32:23] That's great. I was wondering so speaking about kind of like the laws and the process of unionization and specifically in Skidmore, you know, New York, obviously, you can, it does have you do have the ability to unionize. But I was wondering if there were any specific aspects of the laws or the process that you would really like to change, if you could, to maybe make that process easier for people because, you know, even though it's possible here, it is obviously not an easy thing to do. And I think you and a lot of other people would really agree that it should be. Prof Ruth McAdams [00:33:04] So, so the question is whether there are laws or practices with respect to and why labor law that I would be interested in changing. And the answer is yes. One thing that absolutely amazed and deeply horrified me was the way that the election took place. So the election took place by mail. And what that meant was that the National Labor Relations Board office in Albany mailed ballots to the addresses provided by the college of all the non tenure track faculty. The college is responsible for providing the NLRB with the addresses. The list of addresses that the college provides the NLRB was riddled with errors, riddled with errors to a truly horrifying extent. What that meant was that the organizers had to identify those errors, contact the individual faculty, be like, Hey, what's your postal address? Get back to me right now. Send that address to the National Labor Relations Board. Rely on them to send a duplicate ballot to the correct address. Wait for the entirely underfunded U.S. Postal Service to deliver that ballot to the address. Then when people receive the ballots, there's, it's an incredibly complicated system. There's the inner ballot that you have to mark very, very carefully. Right. Then you have to put that in the inner envelope, seal it. Sign. No, not there. No, you don't sign over that one. You seal it up. Then you put the inner envelope inside the postal envelope. You seal that up. You sign over the seal with your cursive signature spanning the upper, the top of the envelope in the bottom the envelope so that over the seal. And then you send that back. And then you pray that the entirely under-funded U.S. Postal Service will get that ballot to the National Labor Relations Board within this two week window. Every part of this process is just like a wink and a prayer. There were so many people who I know voted. They told me they voted. I believe them. They don't. They're not lying. But the ballots didn't make it, �because every part of the process is nightmarish. There were people who forgot to sign in the place they were supposed to sign. Those ballots didn't count. There were people who mixed up the envelope and put the outer envelope inside the inner envelope. Those ballots didn't count. There was a, one ballot, and this is true, that got wet in the mail. So the external envelope was visibly damp. What this meant was that we could not know whether the internal envelope was damp and if the internal envelope was damp, whether the ballot inside the internal envelope was damp. And because we could not therefore guarantee that the anonymity of the person who submitted the ballot could be guaranteed, that ballot got disqualified for no reason of the person's own. I happen to know exactly whose ballot that was, and I happen to know exactly which way that person voted. And I happen to know that that person would have absolutely no problem tweeting it out. That person was not at all concerned about their anonymity. But and again, it was entirely possible that the ballot wasn't even wet. It was the external layer was wet. So this was just a nightmare. I mean, I don't know exactly what the ideal way to do this election is, but that's not it. Right? That's not it. John [00:36:42] Wow. That's a very interesting story. I mean, it seems like they put every barrier in place possible. Prof Ruth McAdams [00:36:48] That is correct. They put every barrier in place possible. Sam [00:36:51] Sounds a lot like voting and in elections in the country. Prof Ruth McAdams [00:36:56] Yes, it is. The NLRB is a failure by design. It is designed to sort of. It is it exists to give us a way to think that we have the option to unionize, but also to make that process as hard as possible. Sam [00:37:09] We actually, we actually learned a little bit about the creation of the NLRB in class recently, which I thought was kind of funny. But, and you mentioned that you weren't really sure about a replacement system for voting per se, but do you think that there's any kind of room for maybe changing the NLRB or perhaps there should be a better kind of, I don't know the word, like overseer of the process. Prof Ruth McAdams [00:37:43] So the so the question is whether the NLRB itself could be reformed or its duties overseen by a different and better organization? I would say that probably, yes. But again, this is America. Those positions on the NLRB are appointed by the president. So, for example, early in the process we filed, we went public with our intention to unionize. The college attempted to argue that all full time non tenured track faculty were ineligible for unionization because we were all managerial. What, what or who we were managing, they never explained. But they basically said this entire thing must be shut down. And they used that claim to achieve concessions from us on other fronts, because they knew and we knew that if we went to a hearing, that would - because the NLRB is dramatically underfunded and experiencing massive delays - that would delay our union vote for months to years. If we appealed to beyond the local board, that would delay for years and that would also kick us over to the national NLRB, which is currently occupied by a number of Trump appointees who have a fundamental opposition to the idea of organized labor. So basically because the process does not work, because the process has been so captured by the political right that, that implicates the whole process. And it means that we could have, I mean, the college's argument about the the ostensible managerial status of a full time entity faculty is a baseless argument that has absolutely no merit whatsoever. But in order to fight that in the courts, fighting that in the courts would �have been a Pyrrhic victory at best for us, so we couldn't pursue it. So, yes, the NLRB is deeply flawed, and the only way to fix it is, step one, elect better politicians. John [00:39:49] In the scope of Skidmore College. I know you've noticed. I know you've mentioned being stonewalled for basic information inaccurate addresses, and it's clear that this is all information that the college has easy access to and could distribute to you. Do you think that in a private institution like Skidmore, it's supposed to be a community, but in this private institution, does that give the college a lot more leverage in, in preventing your, your organizing activities? Prof Ruth McAdams [00:40:27] Public sector salaries are another story. Your question is whether us being a small private institution allows that and in a quote, community allows the college more leverage in preventing us from getting access to info. I would say basically yes is the answer to that. Public sector salaries are often a matter of public record. That's not the case at Skidmore. Yeah. So, yes. Sam [00:40:52] Right. And I think going off of that, you know, before this interview, I was kind of reading through some of the letters that were put out by the administration as the process went along. And, you know, I feel like that after hearing what you've had to say, the letters aren't exactly very reflective of how, you know, Skidmore kind of paints itself as being very open to discussion. And, you know, having heard what you had to say about kind of them labeling you guys as managerial positions when obviously, you know, what does that mean? What do you think could be done to maybe make Skidmore position kind of more transparent? Because I feel like those those letters would have you believe that, you know, they're right along here for the process. We're open to talk, like whatever. Prof Ruth McAdams [00:41:46] So your question is, how was Skidmore’s communication - could have been more transparent. Yeah, I would say that the college really bungled it. I the whole time we were organizing, there was a persistent tension between the organizers who were kind of on team speed and team discretion. And I thought that I, you know, shifted between those camps at various points. We did need to be underground, but at a certain point, that's just very, very, very hard to do. And, you know, occasionally an email will go across a server that it shouldn't have. And there have been there were other slip ups. You know, occasionally you're talking about someone outside the, the Case Center and you realize there's a dean standing behind you who could have been listening. But was he? You know? I would say that when we went public, what I, what I realized to my total shock and amazement, was that the administration had no idea what we were up to, that we really did catch them by surprise, which amazed me because I thought I had been unbelievably brazen. It turns out that dean was not listening and in fact was paying zero attention to you and didn't know your name prior to the point at which you started talking to the press. So I would say that Skidmore’s handling of the situation it was. I can't imagine that they would look back on it with, with pride. I don't know what they think, though, so you'd have to ask them. I would say that the college,s, the college used some extremely familiar anti-union talking points, though, and I would say that after the initial kind of confusion phase, they did figure out precisely what they wanted to say and they said it. And those were the same points that they use to oppose unions at Starbucks, at Amazon, at the auto workers, everywhere that’s trying to unionize. They use the same arguments against unionization, I would say. And one thing that I think particularly horrified me was the way that the college used a kind of rhetoric of individual agency and autonomy to discredit collective action. A classic thing to say is that, oh, the union organizers are bullies. They want you to sign these cards. They're pushy. They're pushy and they're bullies. So, you know, setting aside the fact that, as we all know, like people who accuse �others of being bullies are usually the bullies themselves. That's how bullying has been coopted in the discourse. But setting that aside, I mean, there’s this emphasis that like individual agency is this absolute highest thing was extremely familiar to me and but, but very disappointing, I would say. I am a scholar of 19th century British literature and my area of expertise is Victorian fiction. And so, for example, the work of Dickens is in my area of expertise and you know, Dickens, Dickens came up with all these arguments and he made them a lot better than the college does. And, you know, the, the sort of the sameness of those arguments over time was really striking to me. Sam [00:44:48] Yeah. And I think maybe speaking to the sameness and the kind of unawareness of what was going on. You know, you mentioned the it was surprising to you that the college didn't really, wasn't really picking up on the hints of of discontent. And, you know, I think that kind of I feel like having been at a few academic places, there's usually a kind of disconnect between the faculty, the administration and the students also. And I feel like that, you know, looking around campus in recent years, you know, I’m a junior, I've been here I was here during the COVID times. And when all that the Title IX stuff is really flaring up. And I can sense a kind of similarity between all of that, between the faculty's frustrations and the students frustrations and sort of the kind of, you know, we're supposed to be this small community, but then you see the kind of sameness between the school’s responses to like Amazon and Starbucks, these humongous corporations. And so I, I guess where I was going with this was I was wondering, you know, what can be done in terms of the kind of common ground between the students and the faculty, and what do you think should be done in terms of kind of maybe bringing the administration a little bit down, not like pushing them down, but, you know, kind of bringing us all on the same sort of playing field. Prof Ruth McAdams [00:46:23] Great. So your question is how we can bridge gaps between students and faculty and also between everyone in the administration. So I have, I have a lot of feelings on this question. I would say first that I've been reluctant to discuss my working conditions with my students because it's a little bit embarrassing and because it's not their fault and because I want them to have a really positive feeling toward their life, toward their lives, and toward their, toward Skidmore. I look back on my college years fondly, and I hope that my students develop lifelong, fond memories of their time in college. And so I'm sort of reluctant to burst that bubble in certain ways, although, you know, perhaps I, perhaps I shouldn't be. I would say that I've been incredibly moved by the level of student support for our, for our movement. It's, it's honestly like brings me to tears. It's, it's very moving. As for how to, you know, bring, bring that kind of administration to, into better touch with reality, I would say that I don't have a great answer to that question, but that the collective bargaining process is a legal structure that requires them to negotiate. And so I don't frankly need to get along with the administration. I don't particularly need or want to be very friendly with them at receptions. I actually don't think that the model of community is the best way to describe Skidmore. Skidmore as a workplace. It is my workplace, and although I do like many of my colleagues a lot, I don't think that getting along socially should be the ultimate measure of whether we are succeeding here. So I would say that I don't I don't particularly care that the administration comes to see things my way. I'm just delighted that I'll be able to negotiate them, negotiate with them through the structures provided by collective bargaining. John [00:48:41] In terms of relationships between non tenure track and tenure track faculty, how much support do you really see from tenure track faculty and is it in their best interest to support non tenure track faculty? �Prof Ruth McAdams [00:48:56] So the question is what the level of support is that we've received from tenure track faculty and whether it's in their best interests to support us. So I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of support that the tenure track faculty offered to us immediately. The morning that we went public with our campaign, there was already a petition circulating among the tenure track faculty in support of our movement. And there was a, there were a lot of signatures on there. I was delighted and also surprised. Definitely surprised. I would say that I have some theories as to kind of what was going on there. I think that the, I think that the non tenured track faculty unionization campaign went public at a moment in which overall faculty satisfaction with the administration was at a historic low for a variety of reasons. So I think that we benefited from that. As to whether it's in their best interests, this is a contentious issue. I would say that, that, yes, it is in their best interests to be supportive of us. And I'll give you an example. So, for example, there are tenured faculty, tenure track faculty who lament that Skidmore is hiring fewer and fewer tenure track faculty and more and more non tenure track faculty. And those faculty, though the people who feel that way wish that there were fewer of us and that there were more tenure track faculty. And what I say to those people whenever I have a chance, which is not all that often, but does occasionally happen, is that the reason that the college is hiring fewer and fewer tenure track faculty and more and more non tenure track faculty is obvious. It is that we make so much less money. We are so much cheaper and so much easier to fire. So if you, colleague, would like to reduce the college's support, use of non tenure track faculty, one thing that you could advocate for would be like a $25,000 raise for us because that would take the edge off why we are so much more desirable to hire. That argument is not always super successful with those people. I think those people are a little bit disingenuous, and what they're really saying, and aren't always very good at listening. But I do think that, and shoring up and ensuring some minimum standards for the working conditions of non tenure track faculty will mean that the college has less of an incentive to rely on us. And I would just observe that the non tenure track faculty unionization campaign went public in April of this year. We had our election in September. Over the summer, the college decided to hire a huge number of tenure track faculty. Those searches are in process. The way that searches work is that it takes about a year to hire someone. So already, even before we had successfully unionized, the college was moving to hire more tenure track faculty. I think that that is the best possible proof of my argument, and I think that the future will bear out that if you can't simply pay faculty next to nothing to do the same work, perhaps you will have less of an incentive to do that. Sam [00:52:18] I think going off of what you're talking about with tenure track faculty, both my parents are teachers. My dad's a professor, he's tenure. But my mom has taught at, at the college level a couple of times as kind of like an adjunct professor, but, you know, it’s, it’s a really hard field. And I was wondering if maybe you could speak on the kind of difficulties of, of the whole tenure track concept and maybe that that itself might need some kind of reform in terms of being, it feels to me from kind of an outsider perspective to be sort of kind of arbitrary and, you know, kind of just you as the person being hired don't really have a lot of say in the matter, I feel like. Prof Ruth McAdams [00:53:08] So your question is about the tenure system, whether it is sustainable, whether it needs reform. I would say that the tenure system has been subject to a variety of outstandingly excellent critiques. The tenure system is for years supported abusers, for years encouraged the worst behavior among faculty. It has, it is, it is notoriously problematic. That said, what the tenure system achieves, at its best, is that it allows faculty the academic freedom they need to pursue unpopular topics. And I would just say that what we see in red states that have eliminated tenure for public sector professors is a completely unsurprising crackdown on things like critical race theory, on �things like professors who study transgender issues. Women and faculty of color have been targeted by those cuts. So the tenure system is problematic, but it provides something that needs to be provided, which is academic freedom and freedom from political critiques on knowledge production. That said, you know, I personally, as a person who has been kept out of the tenure system against my will, I would love to be a tenure track faculty member, a tenured faculty member. I'm highly deserving of it. I am not going to cry too many tears at the death of tenure. And I think that we need to think about models of employment and models of, of education that encourage both the freedom that faculty need to do their job, but also accountability toward their students. And so I would say, I think that the union model is a really strong model. In that sense, I think it, I think that it provides the kinds of support that faculty need, but also the encouragement to be accountable toward what the needs of students actually are. Sam [00:55:17] So you would say that you think that perhaps unions can be kind of an option in terms of replacing, you know, tenure provides protection for people to say things that need to be said, but it also provides protection for people who are not deserving of that protection. And I was just trying to reiterate that you'd think that unions could possibly provide an option. Prof Ruth McAdams [00:55:42] Yes, I would say the answer is yes. But I would also say that the tenure system is not going to die. It's going to wane, as it has. And it's not going to be wholesale replaced. It's going to be supplemented. So, yeah. John [00:56:00] From a student’s perspective, I will say often times if collectively a class has, takes issue with the way that a professor is teaching or professors action, then the dialog will go something along the lines of, Oh, he or she, whoever they identify, they don't care because they're tenured. So they don't care what, what will come of their, of their actions. I guess that that's the downfall of the tenure track system. And I agree that I think the union, the unionization system, it seems like it is, it's difficult to get it rolling. And I guess part of my my curiosity about it, you've mentioned a dean behind you and you're trying to discuss the early stages of unionization and how much how much do the deans and the and the administration really benefit from preventing your unionization? Why are they at the root of this situation? Is it just comes down to money? Do they make more money if you aren't unionized and they get to pay you less? And where is, where's the money going that we, we get from these $70,000 tuitions? Really. Prof Ruth McAdams [00:57:18] Great. So your question is, what do the deans have to gain by suppressing the union movement? And where where are your tuition dollars going? Yeah. Okay. One thing that I think is really important to understand as a, as a student and it took me a while to understand this as a faculty member, is that, in fact, the deans aren't even running the show. The show is run by the board. The board are a bunch of rich people that bankroll Skidmore, that oversee our funds, and they have particular views. They are absolutely concerned, entirely and exclusively with the financial health of the institution. That is what they care about. They don't care about anything else. I would say that even the deans are -- although I don't like all these people -- they are themselves workers who are beholden to systems that they didn't design and wouldn't defend. I would say that the, the control of the, the, the institutional control exercised by the board is very disturbing and is one of the root problems here. Not the only one, but, but one of them. Sam [00:58:37] And yeah. And so I think that maybe to kind of bring this to a close. You mentioned earlier that you felt like, you know, you were maybe a little bit cautious to talk to students about this sort of thing. But I think from my perspective. From what I've talked to �about my friends, about coming here during COVID and experiencing all these things that you might find that, you know, students are more willing to talk about this sort of thing than, you know, you might think. And so I was just wondering in that regard and in kind of context of the whole country, you know, what do you think should be done to kind of start these kind of conversations about dissatisfactions with, and not just dissatisfactions, but looking to improve our surroundings? Prof Ruth McAdams [00:59:31] I think that's a great question. So your, your question is about what we can do to kind of get these conversations rolling in the future. I want to go back and say that, like, I think that I was reluctant to talk to my students about unionization before we went - obviously, earlier in the process, and at this point, I'm pretty open about it. It comes in handy. My students were like: “Can you cancel class the Monday before Thanksgiving?” And I'm like: “No, I can't. And you see, I am, I just was involved in unionizing the non tenure track faculty, so I have to follow every single rule. And the dean says that I can't cancel class.” And the students look at me like “that is a legitimate answer. I will stop bothering you about this. I will not ask again. Thank you for your answer.” So it was helpful. I would say, I don't, I don't know. I don't know the answer to that question. I think that, I think that, I think that we just need to be really honest about what work is. You know, my when I was growing up, my parents both worked a lot, and they still work a lot, and they're both very satisfied and happy in their jobs. They both have had jobs that have been fulfilling for them and have offered opportunities for advancement. And I am totally convinced that if I had gotten a job that offered me opportunities for advancement, that was fulfilling to me, that I would work all the time too. I think that that is, I can see the temptation of that, in a way. But since I never got that kind of job, I think about things quite differently. And I think that we need to be honest that like, work is work and should be fairly compensated, even if it is a, quote, good job. You know, the, the “do what you love” mentality, the idea that if you, if you get a job that you love, you'll never work a day in your life. That is some of the most nefarious bullshit. You know, every job that you, it is a job, and it should be fairly compensated. And I think that, that, I think that, just like getting that through our thick heads is challenging. And I still find myself struggling with it, to be honest with you. And, and, and it's hard, it's hard to, it's hard to say to students, too. Because I teach, I've taught twice a one-credit course called “The English Major and Beyond” for graduating senior English majors. And the idea is to help students prepare to take their first professional steps after graduation. So we do things like workshops, resumes, and cover letters. We talk about interviewing skills and stuff like that. And one of the things I say to the students in that class is that my impression is that there are three things that many Skidmore graduates want out of their job. One, intellectual stimulation, two a sense of moral purpose. And three, a living wage. And I say to my students, you know, you should think about how you'd rank those three, because it can be hard to find all three of those in equal measure in a single job. And I feel very weird about this advice because firstly, the students hate it, like they don't want to hear that. And why would they? That's, it's horrible. What I'm saying to them is truly a horrible thing. It is a reflection of something very dark that I'm saying. On the other hand, it's the truth, and I don't see value in not telling the truth. I think this is one of my problems in life. I will answer your questions honestly, and this has gotten me into a lot of trouble in many contexts in my life. And I, I don't, I don't, I don't know what to say. Like, I think that, you know, it's not as though if someone had given me that advice, I would have, like, thought any differently, that I would have done anything differently than I did. I think that I was completely dead set on doing every single thing that I did, and no adult could have ever talked me out of any of it. Some of them tried. But I don't see the value in pretending as though anyone, regardless of their interests, regardless of their training, regardless of their GPA, can just waltz into a job that is intellectually stimulating, gives you a sense of moral purpose, and actually pays you a �living wage. I don't think there are jobs that provide those three things anywhere in the world in equal measure, and I think that just some honesty about that, that, has to be involved in this process. John [01:04:21] Yeah. I think that that's absolutely a great way to finish things off as we're reaching the end of our time. Sam [01:04:27] Yeah, that was wonderful. John [01:04:28] Yeah, that was a great conclusion. Sam [01:04:30] Thank you so much. Prof Ruth McAdams [01:04:31] Thank you both. Yeah, this has been fun. Sam [01:04:33] All right. Well, I think I think we'll end it there. � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Saratoga Labor History Digital Archive Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource August 11, 2023 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Eric Morser Language A language of the resource English Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Eric Morser Subject The topic of the resource Labor History Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Jesse O'Connell Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Oral History Date Created Date of creation of the resource. August 11, 2023 Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Interviewer The person(s) performing the interview Sam Stiefel '24 and John Sveen '24 Interviewee The person(s) being interviewed Ruth McAdams Location The location of the interview Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, NY Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Audio recording Record Contributor Individual who prepared the item and/or edited it. Eric Morser Record Creation Date Day/Month/Year of record creation/edit August 11, 2023 Duration Length of time involved (seconds, minutes, hours, days, class periods, etc.) 1:03:49 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Interview with Ruth McAdams Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource November 17, 2022 Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. Saratoga Labor History Digital Archive Description An account of the resource Ruth M. McAdams is a Senior Teaching Professor in the English Department at Skidmore College, where she has taught courses in literature and writing since 2017. She is a scholar of Victorian literature with a PhD from the University of Michigan. She has written many articles for scholarly journals and has a book under contract with Edinburgh University Press. She grew up in Chicago, and has also lived in Philadelphia, Edinburgh (Scotland), Ann Arbor (MI), Atlanta, and Istanbul (Turkey), as well as Saratoga Springs. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, running, and playing the oboe. She was one of the lead organizers of the successful campaign to unionize Skidmore’s non-tenure-track faculty in September 2022. She is currently serving on the Negotiating Committee of Skidmore Faculty Forward, SEIU Local200 United. Language A language of the resource English Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Eric Morser Type The nature or genre of the resource Oral History https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/d743e91f9566c6e55b0cba610add53b7.jpeg 3d98fc62ec314988c78ca1a1243bc67d https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/1084882b66cbd761290b7a1661ee407e.mp3 b46009ebfd325f4e5f8f7e8d7dd1f208 https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/35b50e42c3c9f851b0c80862caa0a45c.pdf 7bbf333574eea983b37554a49861dde9 PDF Text Text Narrator: Eileen Sperry Interviewer: Sophia Delohery Location of Interview: Saratoga Springs, NY Date of Interview: April 7, 2023 Sophia [00:00:01] Today's date is April 7th, 2023. My name is Sophia Delohery. Eileen [00:00:11] I'm Eileen Sperry. Sophia [00:00:12] And here we go. So, Eileen, can you tell me a little bit about where you grew up? Eileen [00:00:18] I grew up in upstate New York. I'm an upstate New York native. I grew up in a small kind of rural farming town called Harpursville, which is about halfway between Oneonta and Binghamton. Sophia [00:00:29] Oh, cool. Sophia [00:00:30] That's awesome. And can you tell me a little bit about where you, just your school experience, like, beginning school and then secondary school. Eileen [00:00:41] Mm-hm. Started school in a sort of more suburban school district. Then my family had moved out to Harpursville, and so I went to this, the local high school all the way through the local public school. It's a really small school district, and so it was really intimate. My graduating class was sixty-three people, many of whom I'm still friends with, right. So it was a very small, kind of tight knit community growing up. And I went there all the way through high school. I went to NYU for my undergrad. I was, I had had enough of living in a small kind of rural town, and I, like, desperately wanted to get out and live in the city and sort of be in a big school environment. So I moved to New York and I went to NYU. Sophia [00:01:29] Yeah, that's definitely a big transition. Eileen [00:01:31] Yeah. Sophia [00:01:33] That's nice that you had like a good community, though. Uh, but did you find that going to NYU, like, changed that for you? Like, was it easy to find community there as well? Eileen [00:01:44] It was. I gravitated towards other people who I think had similar experiences like my, my kind of close group of friends ended up becoming, you know, people who had been in a similar place of like they had grown up in smaller schools or they had grown up working class. They had grown up in, in poorer communities who like all like me, really loved being in the city and really loved being at the school, but who also felt moments of estrangement, like not part of the kind of rich kid crowd or the private school crowd, like feeling both belonging and a kind of sense of being an outsider. Sophia [00:02:24] Yeah, that makes sense. I think that's, that's an experience that a lot of people go through making that transition, and it's nice that you guys, like, gravitated towards each other then to find that community. Eileen [00:02:35] Yeah. �Eileen [00:02:36] Yeah. I think that that was that was one of the things that really sustained me. Sophia [00:02:39] Yeah, that makes sense. And so what were you studying at school? Eileen [00:02:45] I was studying, I initially thought that I was going to be a major in a program that NYU had at the time called Language and Mind, which was a combination of linguistics and psychology and neuro linguistics. And then I remember that I was not great at math, and it was a lot of math. And I had taken an English class my freshman year as well, and I fell in love with the English major. And so I declared early on and I stayed an English major for the rest of my time there I minored in linguistics. I had a real love for the linguistics program, just not so much the psych in the stats and the hard science. Yeah. Sophia [00:03:21] Yeah, that's very valid. So did you go to school at any place post-NYU? Eileen [00:03:29] Mm-hm, I went from NYU, I did my master's degree in English at Binghamton University, and then I did my Ph.D. at Stony Brook University out on Long Island. Sophia [00:03:39] Oh, nice. So a lot of staying in, like, at least the New York state. Eileen [00:03:44] Yeah. You know, my, my now husband, my boyfriend at the time, he and I started dating in high school, and we both went to separate colleges, but we sort of stayed in the same geographical area as a way of staying connected to one another. I still had really close connections to my community and to my family, and I sort of never was possessed with the desire to, like, run away to California or move across the country. I wanted to stay relatively close. I also had a recurring summer job at a summer camp back near where I grew up, and so I would go back there for the summers, so it was nice to be able to stay relatively close. Sophia [00:04:19] Yeah. Sophia [00:04:20] So it sounds like you are someone who's, like, really rooted in community then, like, it seems like you've, like, sought that out in the different places you've gone. Eileen [00:04:30] Yeah, I've been thinking about that a lot recently, actually. That I think, especially from those early moments in high school that we, you know, it was not I never had a schooling experience growing up where you were always sort of encountering new communities. You know, I had heard from friends who had gone to bigger schools that, you know, you could sort of abandon one friend group and find another one or you were transitioning schools. And for us, it was the same. It was the same people the whole way through. And so I became really attached to these ideas of, like, forming deep bonds and deep community. And then that has extended, I think, to a lot of other places in my life that I've, like, privileged forming these big communities and sort of these deep relationships. Sophia [00:05:10] Yeah, that's interesting as you kind of move into the topic of labor organizing, I think community comes up a lot when people talk about that kind of stuff. Eileen [00:05:18] Yeah. �Sophia [00:05:20] But kind of in that same vein, was there anything in your, like, schooling or growing up experience that kind of portended, like, an interest in labor organizing for you? Eileen [00:05:30] My, my freshman year at NYU, we arrived. I had been there maybe four or five weeks, and the graduate students began a union campaign. They had filed for unionization and they were working towards, I believe at the time they were working towards their first bargaining agreement. And so they went on strike. And so many of my classes, because it was a big university, many of my classes were taught by graduate students or I was in a big lecture and the recitation session was taught by a graduate student and they all went on strike. And many of my professors were incredibly supportive of their graduate students and so refused to cross picket lines. And so as a freshman, you know, I had one class that moved to like the Marxist community school organizing space like halfway across Manhattan. So like every week I had to, like, grab my backpack and trek twenty blocks away to go to class. But it was this really early exposure to like labor in academia, right? Like seeing and hearing the graduate students say really clearly, I love my job, I love the work that I do, I love my students, but I have to be able to, to live here. I have to build to support myself and have a life, and that's equally important. And seeing the solidarity from other professors who were saying like, yes, our graduate students are important. They're one of the things that make this university work. It doesn't work without them. We have to be in support of them. And so seeing how much that was an early reminder or an early moment for me, where it became really clear the kinds of work that were necessary for a university to function and the way that, like, different elements, had to come together to support the fight for fair working conditions. Sophia [00:07:15] Yeah, wow, what a cool, like, experience to have, right going into college too. Eileen [00:07:19] Yeah. Sophia [00:07:19] That sounds awesome. Eileen [00:07:23] My dad pulled the most dad move ever and he was like, I'm just you have to go to -- I'm going to email the college president. And I was like, Dad, you cannot email the college. And he did. And he, like, had several emails with the college president about like labor rights. Sophia [00:07:36] Oh wow, that's awesome. Eileen [00:07:37] It was really sweet. Sophia [00:07:38] So are your parents kind of interested in this as well? Eileen [00:07:42] Yeah, to a lesser extent. My mom was a public school teacher as well growing up. My mom was a public school English teacher and so she was always a teacher's union member. She was never really involved on the organizing end. But I always remember being kind of conscious of that as just like an element of her job or that she was tapped into this bigger community. Sophia [00:08:00] Yeah, that makes sense. The teachers union, I think like starts a lot of stuff for a lot of people, like growing up around that. �Eileen [00:08:06] Yeah. Sophia [00:08:08] So kind of shifting this to, to the Skidmore experience, can you tell us a little bit about the non tenure track faculty union just and your involvement with it so far? Eileen [00:08:22] Sure. I began working here part time last year. I had been at the College of Saint Rose before that and Saint Rose during, during the period of COVID, although it sort of had its roots much furtherbefore that. They had a mass faculty layoff. They laid off thirty-three tenure track faculty, and then they let go of eight contingent faculty members. And I was one of the contingent faculty members. I had been there for four or five years on this rotating one year contract, and I always knew that it was not a secure contract, but I had become part of the department. I had, you know, built relationships, built community there. And my department fought really hard to save my position and just just couldn't. Right. Like the tide had turned. And so I arrived at Skidmore in this part time position because I had been job hunting. I had found some other work. I was sort of cobbling things together. But I had just come off this experience of, of a layoff, of seeing what happened at a college that, like, was unionized and still had a really tough set of working conditions for many of its faculty, was in terrible financial straits. And so I was at this point in my professional life where I was thinking about, like, what's the kind of security that I want? What are the sorts of things that I want to work for? What's the kind of working environment that I want to choose for myself going forward? And I had friends already in the English department through just, like, local research groups and other connections. And as I arrived, I started talking with some of the other contingent faculty members about some of the things that were going on and was able to find out that there was this kind of growing union movement. And I was enthusiastically, like, sign me up, give me work to do, like, I want to help out however I can. It helped that, you know, the organizing process was happening in conjunction with SEIU, which is the union that I had been part of at Saint Rose. And so I knew Sean Collins, the lead organizer. I knew him through other, other interactions, and I liked working with him. And so I was just sort of like enthusiastic to, to dive in and contribute. Sophia [00:10:39] Yeah, that makes sense. So like your, your previous job experience kind of propelled you into this current union experience and motivated you. Eileen [00:10:52] Mm-hm. Sophia [00:10:52] Yeah. Can you speak a little bit more to like, how how it feels to be on that, like, kind of tenuous contract and be working and how it affects, like, job experience and performance. Eileen [00:11:03] Yeah. From a really concrete standpoint, the academic job market requires a lot of work to sort of be on the market, you sort of have to prepare a set of materials every year. This can be upwards of, you know, fifty pages altogether of cover letters and syllabi and teaching statements and course evaluations and diversity statements and all these sorts of things. And so maintaining a current dossier of materials takes a lot of work. It takes a couple of weeks every summer. Then the application process. Applications would go up every fall. You'd spend time combing the listings, submitting things, interviewing, doing campus visits, making all these decisions. And all of that time was time that I wasn't spending on teaching or wasn't spending on students, right? I would find myself sort of saying no to things that I really wanted to be doing because I needed to sort of always have one foot out the door. It also affected the way that I was making decisions about the kinds of things that I would teach. Right? I was sort of �not in a position to be as experimental as maybe I would want to be, or that I was thinking about, like, how to build a CV that, like, would make me attractive to other jobs rather than, like, allow me to excel at the job that I had. And so that, just the time spent on being kind of one foot out the door, having to always sort of search for other jobs and the cognitive load of like always sort of thinking elsewhere and not thinking here. Both of those have affected in previous positions my ability to just like kind of be at home in a place and really dedicate myself to the students that are in front of me. Sophia [00:12:46] Yeah. And kind of circling back to the community aspect, like, it, it just kind of alienates a whole group of people working here who are supposed to be a part of the community and helping, like, build it and everything to yeah, to have them feel so unsettled the whole time while they're working here. Eileen [00:13:05] And I think that that distinction is often, you know, it's not visible to students because these job distinctions are sometimes they're not really clear and students don't know if I'm here permanently or on a temporary contract. And so, you know. This past year, I've had students who have asked me to serve as their advisor, and I can't, you know, I can't in good conscience say yes because I might not be here next year. I can't sort of support them all the way through to degree completion. I don't know if I will be a stable presence for them. And so it prevents me from building those kind of long term mentoring relationships as well. Sophia [00:13:41] Yeah, that makes so much sense. And that's interesting to, to move into, I just want to ask you what you think like the student perception of the union has been or your experience, like, with what questions students have been asking you. Do you feel like they're kind of aware of what's going on? Eileen [00:14:02] I think they're becoming aware. I think that it's something that has, you know, the last few years have been this really incredible time for labor organizing. I think that students are seeing the ways that unionization can affect jobs at every different level. Right. The faculty are attempting to unionize or have unionized. But also the local Starbucks is unionizing or, you know, the Trader Joe's is unionizing, thinking about how this is a tool for workers kind of across the spectrum. I think that has also helped students understand that maybe the popular perception of, like, what a professor is and what that lifestyle or job security looks like that that's not actually the reality for most of their professors. My, I predominantly teach freshman writing and these are often themed courses. And one of the themes that I use that I taught this past year was on the philosophies and economies of higher education. So, like, how does college work? How do our decisions about what college means to us, how are they shaped by our desire for money, for wealth, for happiness, for knowledge? And one of the things that came up in that class was this conversation about, you know, what do you think professors are making? What kind of class position do you think professors are holding? And I think a lot of students assume, because this was the case, you know, twenty years ago, forty years ago, that all of their professors are, like, making six figures and, like, own their own homes and are these, like very comfortable middle class lifestyles when that's not necessarily the case anymore. Sophia [00:15:34] Yeah, that must be that must have been a crazy conversation to have because yeah, I'm sure a honestly me before kind of getting more involved in this world and learning more about it, I also think I safely assume that, like, oh, my professors are definitely just making, like, stable money, stable jobs. They all kind of are on the same, like, professor is the one position you can be in kind of thing. And yeah, learning more �about this faculty union has been really interesting. And I was wondering if you could speak a little bit more to, like, what stage the, the union is at now. Eileen [00:16:14] We're currently in the negotiating process for our first collective bargaining agreement, which is, it's a really exciting place to be because it's just, like, a place of possibility. But so the election happened this past fall. The majority of non tenure track faculty voted in favor of unionizing. And so now I'm on the negotiating committee, along with several other faculty across departments, across different job roles. And we're in the process of putting together our bargaining proposals. So, you know, what do we want our contract to look like? What are the sorts of things that we want as terms of our employment and bringing those to the college to then negotiate with college representation about, like, okay, what can we make happen? What can we both agree to? What can we put in stone in the language of the bargaining agreement? Sophia [00:17:03] Yeah, wow, that's very cool. Eileen [00:17:05] Yeah, I, we, I, in fact, just before this, I spent an hour on a Zoom working meeting to look at some language about benefits and, like, who has access to health care, which of our faculty have had access to health care. What would it look like to try and widen that scope a little bit more to include maybe part time faculty or other faculty in that? Sophia [00:17:25] Yeah. And just for the record, on the, on the recording, if you could talk a bit about like what the main goals are of the union. Eileen [00:17:38] Through the organizing conversations and through all of the other conversations we've had with the full bargaining unit,that's all the faculty who are members of our new union, a couple of things have come up consistently.So one of them is, is compensation, especially for part time faculty. Part time faculty make a pretty low rate of pay and aren't eligible for a lot of really core benefits. And so increasing their compensation. For full time faculty, it's increasing job security. That's been one of the, one of the primary goals is that we have a system right now that has lots of people who are on these rotating one year or two year contracts who are in that position that I was describing earlier. They're never sort of really secure. The college has kinds of contracts that offer that sort of security for non tenure track faculty. But they haven't been extended to a lot of the faculty who are currently here. So we're fighting to create that kind of stability so that professors can be here and can be fully present for their students. And then finally, it's protecting the benefits that people have already that they really love. The college right now has a great system of benefits for full time faculty members, and a lot of faculty rely on them. And so we want to make sure that those are enshrined in the bargaining language, to make sure that they can never go away or they can't go away without the college negotiating. That's one of the things I think I have brought with me from previous job experience is that, like, knowing that even if you feel, like, you've got a great relationship with the administration, even if things feel like they're going great, feeling like things won't change isn't protection to say that they can't change. And so putting things in the bargaining language means they can't change. And so it's been a priority to get things that people really love about their jobs just memorialized and safe. Sophia [00:19:21] Yeah, that makes a lot of sense. And kind of going, following that vein of, how do you feel like the administration response has been to the union in terms of like supportive, non supportive? �Eileen [00:19:37] I think it has been, it's been neutral to supportive so far. I've been, I've been pleasantly surprised by how how things have been going. I will say at previous institutions, I have seen things rise to a level of, like, real aggression and real anger. And so far, that hasn't been the case. I think that also Skidmore has recognized that this is something that is core to its value system. At Skidmore one of the things that I've been so impressed with arriving here and that seems to really define the community, is a real dedication to, like, social justice and an awareness of, like, inequality of power in the world and on campus. And frankly, I think if the college wants to continue saying that it supports those values, it has to sort of be open to improving working conditions here on this campus. Sophia [00:20:32] Yeah, that makes a lot of sense. In that same kind of question, how has the support been from the tenured faculty or what has been kind of their involvement being like adjacent to this whole thing? Eileen [00:20:50] I've had nothing but supportive conversations with tenure track faculty. It's been really great. I think that they recognize that the work of the whole faculty body is necessary, that we are doing the same kinds of work, that we are supporting students in the same way, and that that labor is equal to the kinds of labor that they are putting into the classroom. They know how hard it is to, to make the ship run. And so they they see that. I also think that right now the academic job market is, is really, really poor. Right. That there are hundreds of Ph.D. holders or hundreds of eligible and suitable candidates for every position that gets listed. And a lot of them were also on the job market for many years, or a lot of them have also had a history of being a graduate student instructor or being an adjunct instructor or being a contingent instructor. And so I think increasingly other professors are recognizing that, like, the difference between these levels of faculties is disappearing, like that we are we are all bringing the same credentials to the table and that we could very easily be in one another's place. And so I think that that has increased this, the sense of solidarity. Sophia [00:22:03] Yeah, that makes a lot of sense. Like things could, things could change. It's yeah, kind of luck of the draw in that way. What would you say the biggest challenges to the union are at this time? Eileen [00:22:20] I think one of the big challenges is, is building the kind of community and solidarity across departments and disciplines. You know, we had, it was a really great experience. I was working on some bargaining demands with a faculty member in in the Chemistry department. And we became immediately obvious that, like, neither of us understood how the other person's job worked, right? Like, that we were, our contracts looked different. The way we accounted for our work looked different. And then you fold in somebody from music who's an instructor who, like, accounts for their labor and their work and their relationship with students in totally other ways. And so finding the space to really understand the kinds of work that we all do, like, how our jobs look kind of different on the surface, and then using those differences to actually find the core values of, like, what are the things that we share? What are the ways like what are the ways that we can build common goals out of those differences? That's something that requires a lot of trust. It requires a lot of relationship building. It requires a lot of time. So I think that that's been a big challenge. But I also think that that will ultimately be one of the big strengths. Sophia [00:23:31] Yeah. Like a cool part of it that just takes so much work. Eileen [00:23:35] Yeah. �Sophia [00:23:36] So, yeah. Do you think, I mean, hopefully the union just will build strength over time through, like, the course of creating those bonds and community. Eileen [00:23:44] Yeah. And I also think that this, the process of the first bargaining agreement is such a difficult one, but can be such a rewarding one. One of the other things that has been notable is that this is, it's sort of on generational lines, but not entirely, but that for younger professors, it's much more likely that they would have gone to graduate school and been in a graduate student union. Those have been increasing over the last ten, twenty years. And so we have one part of the population who has a long history of being unionized and knows what that kind of contract feels like, what it means to be part of a union, what that experience would look like. And then you may have another portion of the faculty who have never been a unionized worker before, like they've never been in a faculty union that has never crossed their mind. And so the process of sort of education in all of this is another, it's another struggle, but it's also going to be another kind of deeply rewarding thing that these people, you know, who've never been a union member, who've never been under a collective bargaining agreement, I think have a lot of fear of the unknown. But I'm excited to, like, that sort of motivates me even more of, like, you know, we have to secure a really strong bargaining agreement to sort of show people what we can do when we all work together for something like this. Sophia [00:25:05] Yeah, I think that's one of the classic, uh, like attributes of the union process is, like, it is such a difficult process, but, like, ultimately such a rewarding process. Eileen [00:25:15] Yeah. Sophia [00:25:15] I think that's what, like, a lot of people feel about it. And kind of in that same vein, what support would you say that the union needs the most from, from like the student body, from the Skidmore community at large? Eileen [00:25:35] Oh, that’s a great question. I mean, I think the support of recognizing, recognizing the work that's going into it, like knowing that your faculty are working towards this and recognizing the labor that people are putting in, that has been a huge, that's always a huge morale boost for me when we've done like outreach events or we've been out on campus and students come by and they're like, this is great. Like, you know, we're so happy to see this. Like, well, like, let us know how we can support you, even if that's like putting a sticker on your water bottle, wearing a pin around campus. Like, it's a good way to know that the community is behind you. That makes a huge difference. And I think learning more about the conditions of, of employment, the conditions of, like, the place that you are living, right, that being at college is this weird place, you know, you're sort of, you're a customer, but also a community member and also a student here, all these things. But taking the opportunity to sort of learn the details of like how the community that you're in, how it's working and the kinds of work that make it possible. Sophia [00:26:35] Yeah. I mean, and considering that you kind of initially were drawn to this kind of work in college, like, would you say this is an important time for, like, people to start learning about it now? Eileen [00:26:47] Absolutely. One of the tenure track faculty who'd supported us when we sort of declared the, when we filed our cards, when we had declared that the, that the vote was going to be scheduled, we held a little rally and she got up and said something that �has, like, stuck with me of, like, one of the things that you all are doing that is such a value here is that you're showing students what it means to, like, live into a set of values, to, like, to, to recognize something in the world that you can try and make better and, like, try and do that. And I've thought about that a lot over the past year of, like, that, that that's a responsibility that we have as organizers, but also as educators to, like, show students what it means to, to sort of commit to a value and to try to bring that into reality. Sophia [00:27:34] Yeah, that's so interesting to be, like, considering your role as a union member, but also an educator at the same time. Like, education based unions are so, like, special in that way. That's incredible. Is there anything else you wanted to, like, add or explain that you feel like we missed? Eileen [00:27:53] No, I think that that covers it. Sophia [00:27:55] Awesome. Sophia [00:27:56] Well, thank you so much for coming in today. This has been a great interview. Eileen [00:27:59] You're so welcome. � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Saratoga Labor History Digital Archive Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource August 11, 2023 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Eric Morser Language A language of the resource English Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Eric Morser Subject The topic of the resource Labor History Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Jesse O'Connell Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Oral History Date Created Date of creation of the resource. August 11, 2023 Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Interviewer The person(s) performing the interview Sophie Delohery '25 Interviewee The person(s) being interviewed Eileen Sperry Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Audio Recording Duration Length of time involved (seconds, minutes, hours, days, class periods, etc.) 27:59 Record Contributor Individual who prepared the item and/or edited it. Eric Morser Record Creation Date Day/Month/Year of record creation/edit August 29, 2023 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Interview with Eileen Sperry Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource April 7, 2023 Description An account of the resource Eileen Sperry holds a PhD in English from Stony Brook University. She teaches composition and early modern English literature, and her research specializes in poetry and disability studies. She’s been a member of the CWA 1104 Graduate Student Employees Union—Stony Brook chapter, United University Professions—Albany and Empire State chapters, and SEIU Faculty Forward—Saint Rose and Skidmore chapters. Language A language of the resource English Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Eric Morser Type The nature or genre of the resource Oral History Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. Saratoga Labor History Digital Archive https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/86371536d339028b913632e8d3c32e8f.png 3bfbc672f3dd417b7c45e1d284e4a15c Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Saratoga Labor History Digital Archive Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource August 11, 2023 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Eric Morser Language A language of the resource English Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Eric Morser Subject The topic of the resource Labor History Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Jesse O'Connell Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Oral History Date Created Date of creation of the resource. August 11, 2023 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource In Unity There Is Strength Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. Saratoga Labor History Digital Archive Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Eric Morser https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/20b4356ddb31d61267bc20b9db06995b.jpg 201e52299e4c82d158c6e8afd5304c89 https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/40b6cb648f66188f8d3cdb667ca5d6ca.mp3 5a4eced625c9a1350c9d1a723b0739c0 https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/d607a01f4caed999b18b6b0d2275cfbb.pdf 300b139eaedd8f69656c5aafb0c5bbe5 PDF Text Text Narrator: Melissa Deutsch Interviewers: Charlie Movius and Ben Nathan Location of Interview: Saratoga Springs Date of Interview: March 19th, 2024 Charlie Movius [00:00:00] My name is Charlie Movius. Ben Nathan [00:00:02] And I'm Ben Nathan. Melissa Deutsch [00:00:03] I'm Melissa Deutsch. Charlie Movius [00:00:05] Today is March 26th, 2024, and this is an interview on labor organizing in the Saratoga Springs area for Professor Eric Morser's American labor history class at Skidmore College. Ben Nathan [00:00:19] Mrs. Deutsch, you are a teacher at maple Avenue middle school. What attracted you to that job? Melissa Deutsch [00:00:28] That particular job or teaching in general? Ben Nathan [00:00:31] That particular job. Melissa Deutsch [00:00:32] Well, I got laid off from Niskayuna, and that job opened up. And I was teaching a student, a sixth grader in Niskayuna, and I was laid off when the, the tax cap went into effect. And, districts were laying off people everywhere and I just happened to get lucky and get up in Saratoga. Ben Nathan [00:01:03] Follow up - why did you decide to become a grade school teacher? Melissa Deutsch [00:01:11] I think part of it is my upbringing in a household - I think I was attracted to politics and this topic because my father was a Republican and my mother was a Democrat. And, so our household was very active in discussing issues. And they would always say, there they go to the polls and cancel out each other's votes. So I think that attracted me to this subject matter. And I just loved history and politics in general. And I also had some influential teachers as I was coming up as a young person. Then I came to Skidmore and, Tad Kuroda - I mean, these are names that the old timers would know was one of my favorite - I think he's not alive anymore, but - one of my favorite professors here. And, I just sort of gravitated into, my mother always wanted me to become a teacher. She wanted to become a teacher because, that's summers off, you know, that kind of thing. And great to have a family, and so that's kind of how I got into teaching. When I came here, I was the only person, only one, in my class doing secondary ed. They did not have a program for me. They had elementary ed, so they hired a man at Shen to be sort of my adjunct professor, for lack of a better word. And, that's history. That's where I did my student teaching, and, yeah. Charlie Movius [00:02:56] So thinking about being a teacher, as you were growing up and as you were in school, how is that different from actually being a teacher? Melissa Deutsch [00:03:11] It's intense to be a teacher. When you look at teachers you think, "Oh, I could do that, that's easy." And then you do it. And doing it well, because I've seen it done poorly in many cases. But doing it well takes a ton of work. And, how you �present things to a variety of learners is time consuming and takes a lot of energy. And, I gravitated towards middle school for some crazy reason. I think it was because I enjoyed my student teaching in seventh grade more than I enjoyed the older students. So that's, I've been a middle school teacher for over 25 years, so I have never done anything else. I've taught sixth and seventh and eighth grade and that's it. And I think that that's where I belong. So. Charlie Movius [00:04:12] Do you think, would you say that being part of a union is a way to help you be a better teacher and to help you teach well? Melissa Deutsch [00:04:23] Sometimes. I do, I do believe in unions. It's funny, because my dad was a small business owner and was always complaining about painters unions. He had a, construction business, and my mother was opposite. I see definitely the benefits of unions, but I also have seen the decisions that unions make sometimes the nitty, the small decisions and how they impact me in the classroom, I don't always agree. Mostly scheduling. It's the way that, I know this is already nitty gritty, but the way that our contract, we have 144 minutes of student free time, but that really stifles our schedule. So sometimes it doesn't allow us to do what we need to do for kids. And that's when I struggle with union organizing. And not organizing, but just sometimes the decisions are made and they don't realize how they impact the kids. And, and scheduling is a big issue for me. Ben Nathan [00:05:44] You said that you were in a very political household, did that make it easier to to become a voice in the union? Because you already had some experience in the political world? Melissa Deutsch [00:06:03] Well, I've never been really shy. Right. So that's... and I've always, been taught to voice my opinions, which sometimes get you in trouble, obviously. I think growing up where my parents were like, well, tell us what you think, you know, and I did and, and it was I wasn't like debate club or anything like that, but I always was sort of, like when I was going through school, I wasn't part of a group, you know, have the the nerds and the athletes and the potheads, whatever. I went from place to place and I felt like I didn't, I didn't... I felt like I could create coalitions and for lack of a better word, in my high school with different groups. So I think that was I didn't even think of that before. But I think that's kind of how I was in high school. And and when I got to college, I wasn't as active. I was just so busy working and trying to survive academics here. I don't know if that answers your question, but. Ben Nathan [00:07:26] It does. Thank you. Charlie Movius [00:07:28] So did that influence, did that upbringing and attitude influence your decision to be so involved with the union? And in addition to that, could you speak a little bit about the structure of the Saratoga Teachers Union? Is it mandatory for all new hires? Is it a voluntary situation? Melissa Deutsch [00:07:47] So I for a start, I taught ten years at, North Colonie at the beginning of my career, and I was not very involved. I think when you're beginning as a young person - well, I wish more young people would get involved. And I wish I did get more involved when I was younger, in retrospect. And then, I think when I got to Niskayuna, that was my second job after I stayed home with my children for a little while, and then I went back and, I wasn't as involved there either, which is interesting. And then when I got laid off I think that was an indicator to me, like, I should. And and as you get older and you start looking at a contract and how it impacts your retirement and things like �that, I think that's when a lot of people get more involved. Unfortunately, I wish people younger would get more involved at the beginning. Because we need young people at the negotiating table, honestly. But, and was the second part of the question? I can't remember. Sorry. Charlie Movius [00:08:53] Yeah. No worries. If you could just, speak a little bit on the structure of the Saratoga Teachers Union. And also any differences with other teachers unions that you know of or that you were a part of. Melissa Deutsch [00:09:06] Yeah. So that's an interesting question. And you should look in the contract that I'll leave with you with as long as I get back. But, we changed our structure, that's part of the Constitution, which I'll leave with you, during Covid, that changed everything, honestly. We used to have, you know, the leader, the vice president, and then everybody else kind of thing. That led committees. And, I can show you who they are, what those committees are. And during Covid the job of the union president exploded like you can't even imagine. When I first started, it was 2019, when I first got really involved and I was vice president. And it was, you know, we went to conferences and we learned and we went to the Capitol and we, lobbied. And it was all good times, and then Covid hit and people were freaking out, right. They wanted the union to solve everything, including the pandemic, and the president, that's when he couldn't do it anymore. You know, it just became too big. And he needed a break, which is totally valid. And then I was elevated to president for four months, which was pretty stressful. But it was an interesting time because we became more partners with the human beings on the other side of the table that you're usually contentious with. Just trying to figure out with district leaders how we were going to do it, how we were going to educate kids. So after Covid and things settled down, the president realized he came back and he realized, I need a structure where, it's not all on me. It's a big district. And I mean, there's 500 of us, and that's a lot of - you can't even imagine the types of emails that I would get as union president just from almost like "I have a hangnail, solve that," you know what I mean? And then, or big problems, you know. So now our structure is the president two first vice presidents, one from elementary level and one from [secondary] that's how we start to organize it. So now elementary, there's two elementary vice presidents and two secondary vice presidents underneath the president. So that helped because I think the biggest bear is the elementary schools, because there's six of them and there's lots of things going on. And so we restructured and you'll see that in the Constitution that I can leave with you. But, in order to, to make it more, equitable in terms of the workload involved with, with this particular union. Ben Nathan [00:12:09] Actually. Yeah, this was when you were a vice president. It was in the fall 2019 newsletter for the Saratoga Springs Teachers Association. It says, quote, "One topic at our meeting will be specific roles of special education teachers, school counselors, school psychologists, OTPT, speech providers, and social school social workers. The board is seeking information about our programs that are designed to meet the needs of our students." And that last part caught my attention because it doesn't say anything about, "oh, these people [need a] raise, or state of the art facilities and equipment," highlights about how these programs should, these people, should make the students better. That's the priority. Why did you focus on the students as your as the number one priority in specifically that and other times? Melissa Deutsch [00:13:12] Right. So I think, one board member in particular was very interested in finding out what the roles of each of those people - what they're supposed to do within the district. Right. So, because we kept asking for more mental health help, �right? Even before Covid. And so they wanted to kind of see. The board was starting to get a little more active, and it takes a long time for a board member to start asking the right questions of district leaders. And once they have a few years under their belt, this is not having much to do with - quick, like, let me give you an example. So we cut music positions, right? That that was one. And then, it was now we had like hundreds of kids in study halls because they couldn't go to general music because that wasn't an option anymore. And the board went, "What do you mean, they're in study halls?" Well, you cut the music position. And so people, they they didn't understand the repercussions of a cut, you know, and when you cut human beings how it impacts the other human beings in the building, whether it be other teachers or students. So that was, you know, that didn't didn't answer your question, but that the board members were starting to ask the right questions. And, "here is your position, what are you doing?" Right. What is your role in the school? And, who do you help? How many do you help? Because they were trying to figure out where the need was. We could tell them where the need was, but they had learned the impact of their decisions. So they were asking smarter questions. So I think we were already noticing that our kids were in crisis, for a variety of reasons. Well, the phone, social media, you know, those are my reasons. But, and I think that's - and then Covid hit and, you know, we were even more desperate for those services, so. Charlie Movius [00:15:48] I think it's fair to say that it's a tough time to be a teacher - I think it's fair to say that it's a tough time to be a teacher right now. And, asking the right questions is an important part of both making it easier on students and improving the situation for teachers. And so, in your opinion, what are some of the right questions that people should be asking? That teachers should be asking that, board members should be asking, or parents or students, or anyone. Melissa Deutsch [00:16:23] Well, I don't know if you have been watching recently, but we're $7 million in debt. We're in trouble, the district. And there's a variety of reasons. We're going to have to explain those reasons to the public. And right now, they're not they're going to cut people through attrition. So that means we lose positions, right? So, and what I was just saying, when you lose human beings in the building, it makes my life a lot harder. Like, I can't get a teacher's assistant in a classroom that I desperately need one. We can't attract people. And so what ends up happening, a special ed issue is people get pulled to to go in to go in other places, like a reading teacher might get pulled or a teacher's assistant might get pulled to cover someone else. Right. Because we don't have the bodies anymore. And then we're out of compliance for special ed kids, which is, they should start asking those questions. On a daily basis, we're out of compliance. We're doing things illegally because we don't have people to give the services to the kids that need them. So that is a big bee in my bonnet right now. Because that really makes my life harder. So they need to start really thinking about those cuts. And they don't consider them cuts because they're not firing anybody. They're not giving anyone a pink slip, which we're thankful for. As a union, we're like, okay, great. We're not losing any jobs. We're not firing anybody. But when you lose human beings, it puts pressure on everybody else. And it makes teaching much harder. Ben Nathan [00:18:47] How is Saratoga Springs in that much debt? Melissa Deutsch [00:18:51] Okay. So you need to go to the city of Saratoga Springs, and ask them when the last time they were assessed, and it was, 2005, I believe. Let that sink in, because Wilton people and Greenfield people should be angry. And I've spoken, look it up, I spoke in the fall about this very issue to the board, and one of their goals, I researched, and one of their goals was to seek new streams of revenue. And I said, how �about you start with pushing a citywide reassessment because you have people whose homes are worth $2 million and they're paying $300,000 on a $300,000 house. That's what they're paying in taxes. So to me, that is a crime and a disservice to our students. I've also advocated for overriding the tax cap, which is extremely radical. But that law was put into effect by Governor Cuomo as revenge against the teachers union for not giving him an endorsement. And it forces districts to choose between programing and staff. And it's very bad policy, in my opinion. Ben Nathan [00:20:24] In that October meeting, you also talked about not having a, quote, "true raise," in eight years. Can you explain what you meant by that? Melissa Deutsch [00:20:38] Yeah. Well, part of it is because I made a choice to pay up on my insurance. Because I want the best possible health insurance I can get. They lure us into a cheaper plan, and I refused to do that. They would like to eliminate that expensive plan. So that's part of the reason. Because when I get a raise, it's wiped out by higher health insurance costs. So that's pretty much why I haven't had a true raise in a long time. And that's my decision. I get that. But I think, I don't know if you listened to me about 3 to 1. I talked about 3 to 1 in that speech. So when I came to Saratoga Springs, I had 15 years of experience, and I, they put me on step five. So I'm constantly trying to make up that difference. And I took that job because of the reason I told you, was there was a shortage of jobs because of the tax cap, and I got laid off. And I work very, very hard. And I, I just feel like I've been working so hard and not getting ahead for a long time. Charlie Movius [00:22:18] You've talked about the tax cap and the role of the state government in school affairs. And you've also talked about the need to explain the debt to the public, and relationships with school board members. Could you talk a little bit more on your perception of the current balance of power between all of these different actors who have, maybe different, objectives when it comes to schools? Melissa Deutsch [00:22:54] Hm. You mean the the players like the district leaders, and the board, and the union? Charlie Movius [00:23:01] Yeah. District leaders, the board, the union, parents, state government. And I know that that's a really broad question. Melissa Deutsch [00:23:12] Our superintendent is a very good advocate at the state. He doesn't like it when I talk about the tax cut. I know that he doesn't like that. Because it's so risky for a district to try to go against the state. It's an interesting, delicate balancing act between the union, the district leaders and the board. Our union right now has a very tight relationship with the Board of Education. To be brutally honest. And our district leaders don't like that, as you can imagine. When we were in mediation at the end of this last contract, the board members came to the mediation, which is unheard of because they had had it. They had had it with the lack of movement. And then after that meeting, we settled. So, you know, I mean, it's because we go back to the importance of that committee that I was heading about who is on the board. That is very important. And I still continue to, I don't run that committee anymore, but I show up for those interviews. I'm asked to. And the people there that come that are from that organization that you spoke of, that are trying to get on the board. We can see right through them. They are trying to kiss up to that committee. It's really ugly to watch. But, I gotta admit that they came, you know, to talk to us, so. But anyway. I don't know if I answered that question, but it is a delicate balance between the three groups. I feel like the parents, they didn't know we didn't have a contract for two years. Well, almost all of them. You know, a small percentage. [They] �didn't know. Because we're quiet until we can't be quiet anymore. We're really unlike other both Nisky and North Colonie were noisy. So Saratoga Teachers Association has been really under the radar. [...] That's why I think when we got active in the fall, people were like, "what?" Because we use that power sparingly. We use it to get people on the board for sure. But in terms of, you know, marches and screaming and signs, parents, the people were like, shocked, I think, when they realized what were the teacher screaming about? Charlie Movius [00:26:33] So, you touched on a lot in that answer Melissa Deutsch [00:26:37] [Laughing] I'm sure I did. Charlie Movius [00:26:39] Can you, as a follow up, can you talk about, why it was that you needed to get loud in the fall and what it was that you were getting loud about? Melissa Deutsch [00:26:47] Right. So, I think when we came to the realization it's been two years, right? And we went through this, we went through Covid with our students, with our parents. And we felt like we deserved a decent contract after what we've been through. And I might get teary because it was hard. It was really hard. And, you know, we were angry at the district because they were disrespecting that. And they've been through the same thing. We were like, "you know what we just went through!" And the administrators got their contract, you know, and we were like, this is so... And then we there was a lot of pushing, the the union president got a lot of criticism because he didn't move fast enough. He didn't say enough. You know, he didn't get angry enough. His answers were too politically correct and too siding with the district and blah, blah, blah. So I was kind of in that camp. You know, I was like, "start screaming." And but then when NYSUT came in and kind of explained to us what I was talking about earlier. You can't start off here [gestures towards ceiling]. You have to build a coalition first among other union people. Get your parents on your side. I mean, I brought the notes that I was taking that day. Of how first you build a coalition behind you, and then you start screaming, right? And then there's a, you know, a gradual increase of activity. When we started that training, we didn't have to scream too long until the board got involved and they came to the table. So I think it was like, let's see, in the fall, we were screaming about it. When did we settle? November. End of November. Ben Nathan [00:28:50] Are you happy with the contract that came out of the negotiation? Melissa Deutsch [00:28:59] Uh.. I voted yes. I'll tell you that. But begrudgingly, a little bit, being a 3 to 1 person, I wanted them to do something for those people because it's 68% of teachers, suffered from 3 to 1. And that's a unique thing in our contract. There's no other district does that. And we kept telling the district, if you keep doing that, you're never going to attract people that have any experience. Because if you have 15 years of experience, you start on step five. And we said to the district, "that's hurting you." And the district kind of threw their hands up and said, "well, what do you want us to do? 68% of you were hired under this. You want us to give you all 100 steps or whatever?" And, so they just put that aside again, you know, so they're not going to help those people. And I didn't expect it, but it would have been nice to throw us a bone, give us two steps or something. Something to repair the damage of the people that have suffered from 3 to 1. But then I look at, I'm a union [sic] and the ugly language was removed and the raise was okay, 4.5 [%] per year for the rest of the contract. So it was okay. And as our leader said, it's - we're not going to get any better. So when we understood, he said that the first time when we voted no. But it was better than the first round that we voted no on. �Charlie Movius [00:30:41] For those unfamiliar, could you talk a little bit more about how payment and salary works? In terms of steps and years of experience? Melissa Deutsch [00:30:53] Yeah. So, that's in the contract and you can take a look at that. So you get an incremental raise every year. Right? So, and it varies. In our pay schedule, it varies because - some people got a little bigger of a raise, like, I got a little bigger of a raise because our salary schedule was sort of like this [gestures]. And in the middle steps it took a big dip. So what we've been trying to do for the last few contracts is raise that dip. And I'm in it. I'm in the middle of the salary schedule. I'm in step 17. Not quite the middle, a little up. So we've some of us got a little bigger [raise] than others. Which is hard to explain, but yeah. It passed overwhelmingly the second time around because we were just so angry about the language. And once the language was removed and we got an okay raise and we're still paying less - we went up to 18, I think, percent, you might have to look at that - for our health contributions, which is still lower than surrounding districts. And, you know, I mean, the district is like, "you're in the middle of the Suburban Council," and we're like, "well, why aren't we first? You know, you're Saratoga. Can't we be first paid in the Suburban Council?" So that kind of irks me too. That, they're all proud. "Oh, you're in the middle of the salaries." Well, why can't we be number one in salaries? Like, Ballston Spa makes more than we do, Schuylerville makes makes more than what we do. And look at our community compared to those communities. Ben Nathan [00:32:50] And by more you mean pure salary number? You don't mean like the percentage of Melissa Deutsch [00:32:57] I'd have to take a look at all that. That's true. I think both those districts probably pay a little bit more in their contributions for health insurance. But when you're looking at salaries I think, yes. Ben Nathan [00:33:11] Roughly, what was the percentage of the union who agreed in the second round of voting? Melissa Deutsch [00:33:19] Oh, it was very high. I'd have to look. It was. It was over 70, maybe 80. It was high. Yeah. It was very, Yeah, it was lots of support for the second round. Yes. Charlie Movius [00:33:38] Do you think that the increase in mobilization and vocalization of the concerns of the teachers, how do you think that that played the role not just reaching a new agreement, but having such, a high percentage of teachers vote yes on the contract? Melissa Deutsch [00:34:00] I just think that, yes. A resounding yes. I mean, I just think that people didn't know. People didn't know that we hadn't had a contract for two years. People didn't know. They just didn't know what was happening. So once people started talking about it, and the signs, and we came in force to the board meetings, and we got press, and things like that. I think people started saying things like, "We're Saratoga, you know, how come our teachers are angry and upset?" And they had to stop because it's not good attention to this community. Ben Nathan [00:34:50] What were the vulnerabilities of not being in a contract for two years? For you, for the union and union members? �Melissa Deutsch [00:35:00] So. The Taylor Law, I think if I'm correct, that's the law that you go by your previous contract, right? So that wasn't so horrible for us. That's why we could wait it out. Because in our previous contract, we paid 15% of our insurance. And that's what the district wanted to stop. They wanted that to go because other districts around us pay 22%. Right? And as health insurance costs rise, you know, it just costs the district more. They needed to come to the table for that particular reason. And we could wait. We could wait because 15% is pretty good. And then we still get our step increase every year. It's not a lot, but we would still get a tiny little raise because of our steps. So, you know that. So we could wait, and the district had to finally come to the table because they couldn't sustain that in, in the rising cost of health care. Charlie Movius [00:36:14] How much internal disagreement is there within the Saratoga Teachers Union? You spoke earlier about sort of, opposing poles, of we should be more vocal versus, we should try to smooth everything out, if that's a fair way to characterize it. Are there teachers who are, oppositional to certain approaches or teachers who are even oppositional to the idea of a union? Melissa Deutsch [00:36:49] So I think, previous question was, do you have to join? Right. So the answer is no now, because of the Janice ruling. Right. I'll get back to your question, but what we what we've been trained more so since Janice came out is we need to be a full service organization. Right. So we really need to show our members, you know, why they're paying their dues. One thing that we've really, we really have embraced is 1 to 1. Now 1 to 1 is physically speaking to a person. Not an email, not a text. Physically going to their classroom and saying, how are you doing? What do you think we should should our priorities be? And I brought some of that if you want to look at that. The variety of answers that you get is unbelievable because you talk to a music teacher, the tech teachers got something. The Spanish teacher's got something else, the guidance counselor, so there's such a variety in our jobs. You'd be surprised how many teachers begrudgingly pay their union dues. Because they're not big believers in a union. We only have, honestly, two people that don't pay their dues. And two out of 500 is pretty damn good. That's strong. Right? I mean, there's definitely a variety of opinions when you have 500 people and you've got Republicans, Democrats, you know, people who comment on that website who agree with teachers are on there too. But you've got to try, and I think the best way to do that is 1 to 1, honestly. It is really effective. And it shows your membership that you're listening and that's really what people want, to be listened to. And they want to be heard and they want not everything to be solved. But, you know, they want their union to, to, respond in some kind of way. We have a variety of people out there and a variety of needs. And 1 to 1 is really educational for me because I get in my little bubble and when I go out there and actually talk to people, I learn a lot. I learn. And then I can bring that to my executive council meetings and just be more knowledgeable about music positions and what their gripes are and things like that. So, I don't know if that answers that question, but that's a very long answer. Charlie Movius [00:40:07] I want to return to something that you just mentioned and that you mentioned earlier. Is that schools and teachers across the country have had some problems with, groups that have organized many times in the name of parents rights. But that their main goal is to keep things like DEI, diversity, equity and inclusion, or racial justice initiatives, to keep those initiatives out of schools. And you can be as specific or non specific as you like in this question. But I would love to hear if you could talk a little bit more on the challenges that you faced from those people in that movement, as well as how the union can be a tool in addressing those issues. �Melissa Deutsch [00:41:03] Yeah. So, you know, I've gotten myself online before. And I was a target of the group, I think it was them. It was an assignment that I've been doing a long time about, you know, where you stand in terms of issues. And I was trying to get them to understand, maybe Ben did this with me, but trying to get them to understand are you more conservative or are you more liberal kind of thing? Where where were you on the continuum kind of thing? And that ended up, that assignment ended up featured in social media. But the good thing about our district is the leadership is hugely supportive of DEI. Hugely. And because we have such a small pocket of students, we have such a small percentage of black students, and, it's not all about race, obviously. And with what we were talking about before, the perceived acceptance of these hateful things makes the district even more supportive. Right. So, that I'm really thankful for. Because I teach history and my main subjects are the genocide of Native Americans and the enslavement of 4 million people. So, I'm very sensitive to that. Right? I'm also sensitive to my students who are gay, and figuring that out, because that is middle schools. Welcome to middle school. I'm very sensitive to that. And I want every kid to feel welcome in their school. I think that the district ignores the noise, and they do a good job at that. And the people that come forward at those board meetings, ugh. I just feel like there's so many more people in our community that can shut that down. And they do. And I don't know if you've seen that in those board meetings. People shut that stuff down. And I'm thankful for a community that does that. I've had a couple, occasionally, someone criticize, I did an assignment on "the six truths about slavery," right? It is an assignment. And it was a Junior Scholastic Magazine article. And one of the quotes was from the woman who did the 1619 project. And the parent went after me because of that one quote. Right. So, you know, I mean, when you're a teacher, you don't want to get that kind of attention. Right? So in retrospect, we made some concessions so we aren't targeted, which makes me want to be sick. Right? Because that's not my natural inclination. But as I get older, I don't want to be a target of social media. I really don't. That will make my life miserable. So to tweak something, to make it a little more acceptable to someone like that, I don't like doing that, but that's kind of what can happen. but, I mean, I'm not going to stop teaching about enslavement and genocide. So it's not going to stop me. Because it's right. Ben Nathan [00:45:14] You just talked about this, but Saratoga Springs and the school district is very purple. There are a lot of Republicans, a lot of Democrats. Melissa Deutsch [00:45:26] I live in Greenfield. It's pretty red [laughing]. Ben Nathan [00:45:27] Greenfield? And the area around the racetrack is extremely blue, so it evens out. Melissa Deutsch [00:45:36] Yeah Ben Nathan [00:45:37] You talked about this a little bit, but when it comes to slavery and people pushing back, has there ever been the opposite, where you don't talk about something enough and people push back on that as well? Melissa Deutsch [00:45:48] No, no, it it's usually the other way around. Because if you remember, I tackle those things with kids. We unpack these issues in my classroom. As long as I'm not, you know, I don't know, indoctrinating kids. If I could indoctrinate kids, they bring me Dunkin Donuts every day, right? I don't think that's a thing. And I don't tell them my opinion, I'm like, here's the information. You figure it out for yourself. Ben Nathan [00:46:30] For the record, that is true. At least when I had her. �Charlie Movius [00:46:37] I think to, wrap up, I want to ask about going forward, what are the biggest challenges? What do you anticipate from the biggest challenges, to be for for teachers, for the school districts, for the union? Melissa Deutsch [00:46:54] Well, I tell you what we are really working on right now. Workplace violence. Right? We are, using, New York State Law and Workplace Violence Act to our advantage. Niset's advice, because, whether it's, a parent going after and threatening a teacher, or going after them in the parking lot, which has happened. Or students getting violent in the classroom, there's a real uptick in that. That's no joke. And, so now with the law on our side, we are going to utilize that law. So right now we are in the process of revamping our code of conduct with the Workplace Violence Act in our minds. And, hopefully those two things will kind of merge into a document. Because the district wants specifics, like, "what do you teachers think is unsafe?" So right now the we're making a big spreadsheet, people are adding things of what is unsafe. I mean, we've had teachers with in the elementary school with broken noses. I'm I'm not joking here. And, there's just been - look, parents, no offense, are not as good as they used to be. It's really frustrating that kids are so, they come to us with so many issues. Our jobs are, are so much more now than just teaching. There's so many facets of our jobs now that are, you know, you gotta know what triggers a kid. I don't want to be responsible for that kid because I don't know what triggers them, you know, that kind of thing. Like, what's going to get them upset? These are things we now have to consider that, I've done this a long time. I never considered that 20 years ago ever, you know? So, I know I'm old and I blame phones and social media, but I really think there's something to that. With the change of the disrespect, and maybe it's too. They're hearing it at home. Oh, you know, those teachers, they they're lazy, they get the summers off, and, you know, the kids come into us, and "my mom thinks you're lazy." You know what I mean? There used to be a lot more respect for the person in front of the classroom, parents and and students. And that has changed. And that is hard. Because I feel like I've never worked harder. And, I think I do demand respect from my students for sure. And I think when the kids and I also, and Ben can attest to this, I really work hard at rapport and reaching each kid so that they go home and they say, you know, I think this teacher might like me. And that helps, obviously, with public relations. So I really try to be kind to my students and teach them in a humorous way. And work hard on presenting it in a way that's fun. And they go home and they like history. That's all I care about. I don't care if you get a D in my class, if you walk out and you are positive about the subject matter, I've done my job. Hopefully you'll go off and you'll be a good citizen and vote and and be part of the solution. Ben Nathan [00:50:55] One more question before you head out. Do you think in the next contract, with a aging union, if there's no younger teachers coming in, do you think the union and the district will, try to put that in the contract to try to attract them? Melissa Deutsch [00:51:18] I don't know how they're going to attract people in our particular district. As I said, 3 to 1 hurts the district. I don't know how they're going to attract young people to teaching right now in general. I think people know it's grueling work and teachers are less respected than ever before. And why would you do that? You know, when I can work at home and in my pajamas. Because you can't do that. That doesn't work. Let me just say that we tried that for a year and a half. That doesn't work. So attracting people, I don't know. I mean, President Biden says, well, we need to give teachers a raise, then nothing happens, right? Governor Hochul has got no spine, right? You know, not even to go after the task because that would help. We deserve more. We deserve to make a living and not have to work a second job. Right. And young people, the �salaries aren't there for them. In some districts. they're getting a little better at the bottom. But, I don't know what would attract, young person to this occupation right now. My son who was a chemistry graduate, he's like, "maybe I'll be a teacher." I was like, "no!" And that's not good. I love teaching, I should promote it, but but I can't do that right now. I don't know if that answers your question, because I don't think I can answer that one. I don't know how they're going to do it. Ben Nathan [00:53:09] You did answer it. Melissa Deutsch [00:53:11] We're going to be in trouble in five years. I will just say that, the district just offered us today, I was at a meeting at 7 a.m., a retirement incentive. Because they want to get rid of old people like me. Right? And hire someone for half the cost. The retirement incentive was terrible, right? And there were 68 of us that could potentially do it. And they need ten to make it worth their while. I don't think they're going to get ten. We'll see. But, it's not going to be me because it was pretty lame. But that that's their solution, right. To get rid of the old guard and the people who are at the top steps and replace them with people at step one. Which is, you can look for yourself where step one is, see if you'd be attracted to the job at that salary rate. So I'll leave you with the salaries, if you want. Charlie Movius [00:54:11] With that, I want to Ben Nathan [00:54:16] Seriously, yes. Melissa Deutsch [00:54:18] I gotta get to Cantina! Charlie Movius [00:54:20] Yeah. So with that, I want to thank you so much for allowing us to interview you. Melissa Deutsch [00:54:24] Well, if you have more questions, you know how to get me. You can text me or, you know, reach out if you have a follow up things. I'm happy to oblige. Or if you need to do this more, right. Because this was pretty good. Ben Nathan [00:54:38] Yeah. And thank you for spending your evening with us. And thank you for allowing the American labor history class at Skidmore College to interview and talk about your experience and your union, and the teachers union that you're involved in. Melissa Deutsch [00:55:02] Thanks, Ben. Thanks for having me, ben and Charlie. Charlie Movius [00:55:05] Thank you,. Ben Nathan [00:55:06] Thank you. � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Saratoga Labor History Digital Archive Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource August 11, 2023 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Eric Morser Language A language of the resource English Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Eric Morser Subject The topic of the resource Labor History Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Jesse O'Connell Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Oral History Date Created Date of creation of the resource. August 11, 2023 Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Interviewer The person(s) performing the interview Charlie Movius, Ben Nathan Interviewee The person(s) being interviewed Melissa Deutsch Location The location of the interview Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, NY Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Audio Recording Duration Length of time involved (seconds, minutes, hours, days, class periods, etc.) 55:07 Record Creation Date Day/Month/Year of record creation/edit March 26th, 2024 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Interview with Melissa Deutsch Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource March 19th, 2024 Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. Saratoga Labor History Digital Archive Description An account of the resource Melissa Deutsch is a veteran middle school social studies educator with over 28 years of experience in the Suburban Council schools. She currently teaches 7th grade at Maple Avenue Middle School in the Saratoga Springs City School District. Melissa holds a Bachelor of Arts from Skidmore College and a Master’s degree from SUNY Albany. Beyond the classroom, she has been a passionate advocate for educators through her extensive involvement in the Saratoga Springs Teachers Association (SSTA). Over the past thirteen years, she has served in numerous leadership roles including union representative, chair of the Educational Concerns Committee, NYSUT representative, contract negotiations team member, ED 10 representative, vice president, and president. Language A language of the resource English Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Eric Morser Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Benno Greene Type The nature or genre of the resource Oral History https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/1385cad585f8c181f726de64d2303fb1.jpg 9a634b74fd20f1319774267f2ef741ce https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/2574e5d65743f1eb45b5ef784b9cc07c.mp3 27783708d2cfe3268a42a6521156944e https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/722b095771a49c864ef56616c9961079.pdf 358442d5d406a30425fbc753a0e6399d PDF Text Text Narrator: Natalya Lakhtakia Interviewers: Cal Rogers, Zain Sundaram, and Hope Wahrman Location of Interview: Saratoga Springs Date of Interview: April 7th, 2024 Hope Wahrman [00:00:00] So, today is Sunday, April 7th. Um, It's around 10 a.m. This is American Labor History, Oral History Project. I'm Hope Wahrman, I'm a sophomore. Other group members... Cal Rogers [00:00:16] I'm Cal Rogers, I'm a junior. Zain Sundaram [00:00:19] I am Zain Sundaram, I'm also a junior. Hope Wahrman [00:00:23] And our interviewee... Natalya Lakhtakia [00:00:26] I'm Natalya Lakhtakia. I am a speech language pathologist, who lives here in Saratoga Springs! Hope Wahrman [00:00:32] Awesome. Okay so, um I think a good... or the perfect place to sort of begin this interview um is asking or starting from the beginning. Asking about your childhood, where are you from? Sort of, what was that like a little bit. Natalya Lakhtakia [00:00:49] Sure. So I am from State College, Pennsylvania. It's where Penn State is, its what it's known for. Um, I am the daughter of two immigrants. So, my Dad moved to the United States from India. My Mom moved to the United States from Argentina, both to go to graduate school in Salt Lake City at the University of Utah, which is where they met. And about a year after, well not even a year after they met, my dad got offered a job at Penn State University as a postdoc and they moved to State College. And I was born a few years later. So I grew up with two parents working at the university. And unlike Skidmore, Penn State is very very large. When the students are there, it's doubling the population of our community. So, the community is large. You know, the city itself is larger than Saratoga, and then the population of students is very big. So the community is very university centered. And so because of that, I think I got a really, I got an excellent education. I had a lot of opportunities. I had, um a lot of chances to do things with the university that you know, really enriched my life. And then my parents, who are both academics and both from countries where the focus on education I think is a lot better than the United States. I mean more complex, but there's a bigger focus on education than there is in the United States. I had them also supplementing you know, my upbringing. So in third grade my parents said, "Hey, this isn't meeting our child's needs. She is bored at school." And the school is starting to blame me for being bored. And so they moved me to a private school, which is complex as a person who as an adult only supports public education. You know, that's a complex decision. And then when my private school didn't have the resources to do certain things, my parents would fill in. So in sixth grade, you know the sixth graders in public school got to dissect, um animal hearts. And so my mom bought animal hearts for my private school. And so they were really focused on that. They gave me a lot of chances to do things. I got to go to space camp, I got to go to journalism camp, I got to do all sorts of really amazing things. Um, and then I went to Penn State for my undergraduate degree with every intention of becoming an engineer. And after, uh the first year I thought "that's not the right path for me." And, I decided to major in psychology. As a junior in psychology I took psycholinguistics, and I was really, really, really excited about it. And I talked to my professor and I said, "How do I do this as a job?" And she said, "Well why don't you go to the Communication Sciences department and like see what you �could do?" And so she connected me with Doctor Katherine Drager who said "Hey, come work in my lab, do undergraduate research," and I did. So I did my research on, so autistic children who are three and four years old who are using a communication device. I did my research on how the other children were able to understand them, communicate with them, play with them, etc. And so within you know, a few months I said I'm gonna apply to grad school and I'm gonna go to grad school to become a speech language pathologist. I didn't want to go into research, I wanted to do work. And so I wanted to do therapy. And so when I did that and I applied, I thought that I was going to work at a veteran's hospital. I said, "I'm going to work at a VA. It's a guaranteed job for life. There will always be people who need you." Um, and I thought I was going to help people with swallowing and with their voice disorders. So those are two really common things that you're seeing at a veteran's hospital. Because, like war is really really hard on your body. And so those are two things that will come from that: trouble eating and trouble speaking. And then I, as a graduate student at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City which is where my parents went too, I had to do two externships. And I did one in a public school, and I did one in a skilled nursing facility. And I said, "That is not for me." I'm gonna work in a public school. I had an idea of what swallowing disorders were like, but it's actually really really terrible when someone tells you you can't eat. And so I put up with a lot of um, I don't want to say it was abuse because it wasn't like... I understand it, I guess. Um, but people were really really upset to not be able to eat. And I said this is not, I don't want to be the person who's telling them they can't eat. Um, I want to be the person who's playing with kids and helping them communicate. Um, and so I applied with the school district where I had done my internship and they hired me. I did two years there before I said "I actually want to move back to the East Coast." So I moved back here, and I had started dating a guy that I actually went to preschool and also elementary school and also high school and also college. So he was living in Massachusetts, so I moved there. And I ended up getting a job doing early intervention in Rhode Island. So just like for the context of this interview: being a union employee in Utah to being nonunion in Rhode Island. And then a couple of years later, he got a job offer here in New York. So we moved here and I didn't work for almost two years because I got pregnant very, very, very soon after we moved here and I had a really sick pregnancy. And then I had a baby, and I didn't really know how to go back to work. Um, the other thing that was complicated was moving to New York. It is really, really, really hard to get licensed here. It is a lot of work. So in Rhode Island I was able to like get my photograph taken at AAA, and fill out a sheet of paper and go to like the local like state police department and and get fingerprinted. And I handed it all in and I had a license. Here it was an enormous process including, like additional classes. I had to like, call my high school to get specific dates of things like it was a really involved process. But when my son was about eight months old, I got a call from a recruiter saying "Hey, the Santa Fe Public Schools are looking for someone to do teletherapy. Would you want to do that?" And I said "Yeah, that's great." And I will say at that time I didn't really understand a lot of things about employment. And so I started as a contractor with them. So I was not a direct employee of the schools, I had a contract with a company that had a contract with the schools. I was essentially self-employed. But, and it being paid pretty badly I would say, but it was worth it to me because then I could start work at 10 AM because of the time difference. And so I did that for seven school years. And then just this past August, I got a call from the head of special education where he was crying and said "The district has made the decision to end all teletherapy. I have fought, I had even fought for it to just be you who stays, like we don't want to lose you. But we don't have an option, you're out. We're ending all teletherapy." And so um, that was horrible. I will say like, I was really really upset. I didn't get to say goodbye to my students. Like, when you work in a school you're really bonded with kids. But it's also the nature of being a contractor. Like, they can just end your contract. And if you aren't even within the dates of a contract, which I �technically wasn't because they called me a week before school started, they don't even owe you anything. Like, I didn't get paid out a month. I didn't get anything. It was just your contract's... not starting. And so, I took a little bit of time to figure out what I wanted to do. I'm really actively involved in politics here, and I thought "Like I'm good at this. I could do this as my job and I could, you know, continue to have kind of an easier job until my son starts middle school." Um, and I found really quickly that it wasn't the right fit for me. I'm a person who really needs structure, and needs to have a solid work day to stay happy. And so I in December, applied to some local school districts and I got hired at Fort Edward Schools. It's about 30 minutes from Saratoga Springs. It's a very, very, very small community. Um of about 3000 people, there are fewer than 400 students in the pre-K through 12 school. And I'm one of their two speech therapists. And I'm back to being in a union and I'm a member of NYSUT (New York State United Teachers) and then a member of my local, which is the Fort Edward Teachers Association. And I'm really, really excited about that. So that's my history! Cal Rogers [00:09:51] Yeah, awesome thank you. Natalya Lakhtakia [00:09:51] Sorry. Hope Wahrman [00:09:53] (Laughs) No no, that was perfect. Um, yeah. There's so much now that I want to like, ask you about from from that alone so that's great. Hope Wahrman [00:10:03] Also I wanted to just say our professor, Professor Morser sent us like your Linkedin. And so I'd seen that you went to Penn State, and I'm from Philadelphia. There's like a map of Philly in my dorm. And like literally, I'm more like...because I'm closer to Philly than like "state" like a lot of people end up going to like Drexel or Temple. But like at least like 20% of my graduating class goes to Penn State. So. Natalya Lakhtakia [00:10:31] Yes! I'm sure. Hope Wahrman [00:10:31] Love Pennsylvania, love that. Yeah. Natalya Lakhtakia [00:10:35] I know, me too. Hope Wahrman [00:10:37] So yeah, just wanted to. Natalya Lakhtakia [00:10:39] Awesome, no I love that. Hope Wahrman [00:10:40] To make you feel more comfortable, with this. But okay, so sort of talking about, um keeping on track with like your earlier experiences and how that shaped your involvement today. Um, what was your first job? And that can be... You can talk about like your first I guess like quote unquote, like "professional job." Maybe like right out of grad school, but also maybe like your first job as a young adult as well. Natalya Lakhtakia [00:11:09] Sure, yeah. So as a young adult I, well, if you set aside things like babysitting my freshman year of college I actually was a nanny for a cardiologist in town. And I made so much money just from nannying during football games that I didn't do anything else. Like that paid my, that paid for all the things I wanted it to pay for. But, I want to say I was a sophomore in college when I got a job with what was then called MBNA. I don't know what MBNA is now, but it's essentially a bank that gives out credit cards. And I was sitting in like a big room really close to actually my parents house, and I �was making phone calls basically trying to get people to accept a credit card. And, also sometimes calling people who already had credit cards with us and upgrading them. And like thinking about it in this context, so there was another... I think she was a junior who worked with me, her name was Ellen. I don't know Ellen anymore. Like, we only worked together for five months? Maybe. But Ellen and I did not smoke, like I don't smoke cigarettes. And Ellen did not smoke cigarettes. But if you worked at MBNA, you got a 15 minute cigarette break every two hours. And Ellen and I were like, "But how come people who smoke get to leave this like weird like warehouse of desks that we're in and go outside for 15 minutes?! And we don't get to, just because we don't smoke?" And, I probably at that time would not have been the person to push it. I was the person to complain about it. Just to like, Ellen. Who was at the desk next to me! But Ellen was like, "They can't stop us." We went outside one day and our you know, manager was like "You guys aren't going outside to smoke, you can't smoke." And Ellen was like "Okay, I'll start smoking cigarettes if that will let you, if that will make you let me go outside." And our manager, like that was enough for our manager to be like,"Huh, yeah okay. Go outside." And so it was a really interesting thing where like after a month, all of a sudden we had our 15 minute breaks the same as smokers did. Um, but I didn't stay there for very long. It wasn't, um it was like the kind of job that I could do when the semester wasn't going on. When the semester was going on, they didn't have any real trouble with like pushing and pushing and pushing to take over more of my time. And I just was privileged enough to be able to say "Like sorry, I actually don't need you." Um, and so I stopped working there. I started working at Panera. Um, and then I left Panera for a local place a very Pennsylvania place called the Carnegie House, where I was a server. And so, I did that. And I worked at the Carnegie House up until I graduated and moved to Salt Lake City. Hope Wahrman [00:13:58] Cool. Yeah, that definitely answers that question. And then I also just had one other question, kind of based on what you had said earlier. And it's just, so you grew up in a house that really like supported education and self-sufficiency. And like it sounds like every opportunity your parents had to make your education better, they took. And that's really awesome. And they themselves were educators. And so it's it's funny that you you had no idea that that's kind of what you were really interested in like that you went to college for engineering, um and all of that. And so I guess my question maybe is like, do you take anything from your childhood and the way your parents raised you and educate into your work today? Natalya Lakhtakia [00:14:46] So I will say, like I doubt this is what you meant by "selfsufficiency." But I would actually say that both my parents are from very very communityminded societies compared to the United States, which is a very individualist society. And so I think that the biggest thing that I have taken from them and like that upbringing is my dad constantly saying like at least once a week, "No man is an island." Like you're not doing anything by yourself, you're doing everything in the context of the people around you. You are not like, if you do well in life you're not "self-made" like you're community made and all of that. And so to me, that kind of a mindset is what leads you to understand... unions. Because like, I cannot go to a school and do speech therapy by myself. It doesn't exist like that. Like I'm only seeing kids for 30 to 90 minutes a week, right? Like they're spending time with other people who are shaping them. We're not doing it away from their parents, even if their parents never set foot in the school. Which is the case sometimes, that parents are completely they feel disconnected from the schools and they are disconnected from the schools. But we're not doing anything by ourselves. And so I think that um...First of all, it wasn't until I was much older that I recognized that my dad views himself first and foremost as a teacher. Um, because I would recognize him as a researcher. And same thing with my mom. So my mom wasn't an instructor until I was in �high school, my mom was doing research. And so, that's kind of how I viewed academia just from like that perspective. And then my dad started to win teaching awards, and I was like "oh huh...he is a teacher." But my dad's also a professor of engineering. So I would say like my like, I was going to be an engineer like my dad. And so that's kind of how I was viewing what he was doing. Um but again my parents are very focused on like, "everything is in the context of community." And that's really difficult I will say. Like I don't know if you have parents who are from other cultures, but like it is really difficult to be an American student and especially at that time, and to have parents with that mindset when we are in such like a rugged individualist society. And when my friends who were like American with American parents, were living lives that felt very very different from mine. And I also did have a lot of Indian friends who had Indian parents, but most of them had two Indian parents then I didn't. And so that was also another thing where it was like I couldn't really... It was hard to find out my place between these two worlds. And then I don't even know that there was anybody in State College from Argentina at the time. So I don't know if that answers your question, but that's I would say that's the biggest thing that I took from them. And something I think about a lot and something that I actually tell people a lot like when I'm talking about, um the labor movement or when I'm talking about socialism. Just these are things that like you don't have to be like outright saying like "Hey, like I personally think that socialism is a better way to do things than capitalism." You can talk about things in that context of like nobody is self-made, everyone is community made. And, I think that that's a way to kind of contextualize the world in a way that helps people see the things that American education is kind of hiding from us. Hope Wahrman [00:18:19] Yeah, that's awesome (laughs). Thank you. Natalya Lakhtakia [00:18:23] Sure. Zain Sundaram [00:18:23] How did you end up working in the Saratoga area? Natalya Lakhtakia [00:18:30] So, um we were living... My husband was working at um... I think it was...I don't remember it went through a bunch of different names. I think it was "Schneider Electric" at the time, in Massachusetts. And... But it had been like different iterations. But they had taken a project that my husband was like, "something's going to go wrong here. Like, we're not going to be able to finish this project, and I'm going to lose my job." And, I was working in early intervention. Rhode Island early intervention is very different from New York early intervention. Here you're a contractor, and you're working with the counties. In Rhode Island, you're a direct employee of a company that's managing all of that. And so, I was working for a company where I would say I was definitely being exploited. I was being held to a different standard than my fellow speech therapists for a couple reasons. I mean the first is that I'm bilingual, and the second is that I didn't live physically on that island where our company was located. And so, I was doing a lot more work than everybody else and I was really tired. And my husband said, "What if we start looking for jobs in other areas?" And so he took a job in Clifton Park. And his boss told him like, "You definitely want to live in Saratoga. It's such a great place to live, you'll love it, etc. etc." We looked at a couple places to rent in Saratoga and could not afford them. And it's obviously only gotten worse. So we took... we found an apartment in Ballston Lake, which is like Exit 11. And we lived there for two years. And then actually... So I'm here in my house in Saratoga, the house across the street...the dad I will say...so the dad grew up with me and my husband in State College, he actually lived in the same neighborhood as my husband. And then his wife went to Penn State, which is where they met. So when we moved here, we like reconnected with them. And so she called me one day and said, "The house across the street is going to go on the market tomorrow. You need to buy it. This is �an affordable neighborhood in Saratoga, and it would be so great." I already had a baby. She was pregnant. And she was like, "It would be so good. None of us have family here. We could be each other's family and support. It's like you have to move there." And so, that's what I did. Like I came here...my mom was visiting, we came, we toured the house. I said, "This house is disgusting." And my mom said, "Nope, this is a good house and you can paint it, like it'll be good." And we bought the house and we moved in. And I will say again like going back to this community idea, like my parents live six hours away. My extended family doesn't live in this country. Their families live more than six hours away. I mean, I think everybody lives in Ohio basically, or DC. And, they don't have other family that's here. But we get to be each other's families like our children are, and I understand that they're not like siblings to each other, but they are. They have this really intense family relationship where like for February break, like I took their daughter with us and we went to go stay with my parents. Like we're doing these things together all the time. And so we got to build our own little community. And I will say, having that kind of community in Saratoga Springs is what keeps me here. Because I don't enjoy living in Saratoga Springs at least 80% of the time. It is a really really tough place to live. And I understand why my husband's wealthy white boss was like, "Hey you should live in Saratoga Springs." But for me it is, it is rough to live here. And so what keeps me here is my neighborhood, and having that kind of a community. Hope Wahrman [00:22:05] Um...really quickly, would you mind kind of talking a little bit about like some of the difficulties in terms of living in Saratoga Springs? Natalya Lakhtakia [00:22:37] So Saratoga is... It is a unique community in many ways. So one of the ways that it is, is that unlike most municipalities in the United States it is getting whiter. And so that is unlike the majority of the United States. So it's getting whiter, the schools themselves are not getting whiter. The schools are actually getting less white pretty, steadily. But there's such an influx here of older white people who do not have children, and so there's that. Our county is one of 3% of counties in the United States that votes in line with the winner of the presidential election. And so like, and I think that that's been happening since George W Bush. But I might be wrong on that. But it's many many years of like, "this county voted George W Bush and they voted for Obama and they voted for Obama, and they voted for Trump, and they voted for Biden." And it is very likely that however this county votes in the next election will also be the winner of the next presidential election. And so what that has led to, is to our county being a kind of testing ground. And with us being kind of the focal point of the county, a lot of that testing happens here. And this makes me sound like a conspiracy theorist, but like we can track like this is something I'm really interested in. And so, you can track that this is happening and you can see. Like if you remember a few years ago, there was a big focus on critical race theory. Not actual critical race theory but like what you know, conservatives were calling "critical race theory" and how that was going to take over the schools. That entire cycle played through in Saratoga Springs before it became a national news story. We had already had an entire school board election here that was focused on critical race theory and it played out in a way that was really interesting. I mean, that was three years ago. And so the people that were elected through that election are now up for reelection here. And so being a testing ground means that there is kind of a constant attack on the left, and that's really tough. I would say that I do not view myself as liberal, because I view liberalism as being very conservative. I am, you know, I'm a leftist. I view myself as being very far to the left. And then because I'm not white and because I am a public figure here, I get to be the target of things. I get to have different things -- I don't know if they're tested on me or if people are just saying them. But there's kind of this like, regular attack on me as a person. And that's really really tough. So it's not only tough to recognize that I'm �raising my son, who I don't think you can see him, but and by all appearances is white. Um, like gets to live in the world as a white child. And like as a tall, fairly well-off, very cute white child which comes with a lot of privileges. So not only am I raising my kid in this very homogenous society or homogenous community but also like... so there's like this, like structural thing that's really tough for me and there's also the personal attacks that are really tough for me. And then there's the other specific level of um, we are one of the we are one of two communities in the entire state of New York that has our particular form of government. Which is called the "commission form of government." The commission form of government is literally illegal in some states. Like it is such a horrible form of government, it was created immediately after... I think after Juneteenth, I think I think it was like 1867ish. It was created to ensure that formerly enslaved people couldn't have the same like ability to be in charge of their municipalities, as like wealthy white landowners. And we still have it here in Saratoga Springs. Since I moved here, there have been a lot of attempts to change that and they both failed. One of them failed by only ten votes, though. Like I mean, there are some pretty close things that are happening. But so because of this form of government, we just have kind of "rule by a specific mindset of person," Which has been led to like very very blatant civil rights violations, specifically against Black people. But also poor people, brown people, etc. And I think that that is something that our community doesn't even really recognize. You know, I would consider myself to be a police abolitionist. Like, I don't think that societies need policing the way that it exists right now in the United States at all. But I think that specifically in Saratoga Springs, the form of policing that we end up having here as a result of the commission form of government, and as a result of the whiteness, and as a result of the wealth here has led to us just being in a really dangerous situation. And again, I feel like a lot of the people around me don't recognize that. And that's because of...and this is the last thing I'll say about Saratoga Springs. I think that Saratoga Springs, being raised here from people who were also raised here, leads to a lack of curiosity. And so there are a lot of people who are like "Why would I leave Saratoga Springs when this is the best place to live? It's so good." Like it's... And it is a good place to live, right? Like there's a lot of stuff to do. It's really beautiful. You're close to things. In general, like your kids' needs are met. Like, there's a lot of good stuff here. And so, I think that there's just these people who aren't leaving this community. Who also have this particular type of like nativism where they're like, "If you're not from Saratoga, then you're not a true Saratogian." Which I'm like, "Okay well, I don't really want to be. I don't care about that." But I think that this has led to people having a very skewed perspective of their community. And therefore, not standing up against the really concerning parts of our community. And again I will say like, I'm making generalizations here. And there are a lot of amazing people here who are standing up to that and who are doing work, and who are trying to make it better. And I'm trying to do that too. But, it it is a very particular type of community that kind of has all these different things going on. And they do add up to being a hard place for me to live like, conceptually. Like I'm like, "Oh my God, I can't believe I live in Saratoga Springs, New York." And also just in terms of like my actual existence here like, "Natalya Lakhtakia living in Saratoga Springs" is having a really really hard time because I am a focus. And, we have considered moving. Like we have talked about it. Not this past December but the December before, somebody posted under a fake name on Facebook. Like, they posted this thing about how like, I'm vermin and "we need to bring out the big guns against Natalya and blah, blah, blah." And that, I will say like having had so many things be said about me over the last five years...that particular like dehumanization like using literal Nazi language against me was enough that I was like "we need to move, like we need to go somewhere else." And my husband was like, "Great, let's figure it out." But at the end of the day like many Americans, we are in some ways stuck here because my husband's job is really really good. And like so we could move to Niskayuna if we wanted to. Or we could move to Clifton Park if we wanted to. But we're �really just staying within the area because my husband's job is so good. And a lot of millennials don't get to have the kind of job that he has, and it's not worth it to give it up. Because he gets raises every year, he's really protected, he gets time off, he gets PTO and medical time off. He gets all these things that like millennials are getting less and less of, and Gen Z is potentially not even getting at all. And it's really really hard to give that up and if we're just going to move within the area, then we are giving up the benefits of our neighborhood community. And I would rather that my son had that neighborhood community and just like, look at social media a little bit less. Hope Wahrman [00:31:04] Thank you. And also like I mean, of course it's difficult living in Saratoga Springs. But yeah, this community really needs people like you. And the work that you do makes Saratoga better. So, thank you... Natalya Lakhtakia [00:31:17] Thank you. Hope Wahrman [00:31:18] ...For staying in spite of all those things. Natalya Lakhtakia [00:31:20] I will also say like, the students in this community are super rad. And, there are things happening in this community that I sometimes I'm like, "Oh my God, like there's really, really good stuff here." So like this is just one thing, I really love musical theater. But our high school just put on Head Over Heels. And, Head Over Heels is a really in your face musical that is like very very blatantly spelling it out for anybody who might not get it: pro-trans. And to have like our high school students put that on, and to see essentially no pushback. No pushback that I saw as a school board member and as a member of the community. And as the friend of parents of a lot of kids in the musical, there was like one parent that was like. And all the other parents were like "Nope, the kids are doing it." And that was the end of that. And I was like okay, that makes me feel good because for us to be so far on the right side of that in terms of protecting trans students and uplifting their stories... Like that to me, I'm like "okay, they're good things in Saratoga too." So I can talk about the bad things all day long but there are a lot of good things here too and I will say that. Cal Rogers [00:32:33] I want to transition a little bit. I want to hear about what your work looks like and your interactions with kids and like...just tell me about it. Natalya Lakhtakia [00:32:44] Yeah. So I'm a speech language pathologist and again, I started this job um... Tuesday will be three months of me working in this particular school district. So I am still learning a lot about it. But I work in a pre-K through 12 school building. And then my particular caseload is grades one through six. And the other speech therapist is doing pre-K, kindergarten, and then like seven through 12. And so my day generally looks like most of the time pulling kids into my room, either individually or in small groups, to do speech and language therapy with them. So it's two different things: either working on their sounds, or working on the actual content of what they're saying or what they're understanding. And then we have a really awesome, strong union and so I have a lot of stuff built into my day that I didn't really realize I guess, what an awesome day I had, I could have, until I started working here. So there are 30 kids on my caseload, that is extremely low. In Santa Fe where I was a contractor, at one point I had 47 kids on my caseload and I was like, "Oh my God, they're going to make me go to another school because this is too low." So I usually had around 60 kids on my caseload. So here we're at about half of that. I do see these kids more often than I saw kids before because I work on a six day cycle. So like when I go back to work on Tuesday, I think it'll be day three. And so I have like my day three schedule that I follow. But the following Tuesday will not be day �three, right? It'll be like day one or whatever, I don't know what it is. So I follow that and sometimes I'm going into classrooms, sometimes I'm pulling kids for testing. And then also under our contract, I can sub for people that are absent for a period. So I can sub for a teaching assistant, or a teaching aide, or I can sub for a teacher. And I get paid different rates for that. And so sometimes I'm doing that as well. And then I have a lot of prep time. But I am so used to not having prep time that I think that I've developed the skills that I don't really need to prepare during that time, like I'll do some prep. A lot of my prep is transitioning things that I previously had that were electronic to now being like printed out and laminated so that we can reuse them over and over again. But usually I'm using that prep time to do billing or to type reports. Then also right now we're in what they call CSE seasons. So CSE is Committee for Special Education. And so I'll have meetings with parents to go over our plans for next year. And then also as we get to like, you know, the different marking period, and I'm typing up progress notes to let parents know how their kids are doing. But the majority of my time is doing therapy, it's doing testing, it's doing billing. There's a lot of billing to do in New York compared to Santa Fe. And the system that we use is actually really inferior to the system we were using in Santa Fe. And I think that's because New York kind of has, maybe because of the BOCES, I don't know. But everybody's using the same system, so it doesn't have to get better because there's no competition. So it's a really time consuming system to do all of my billing. My work day is from 7:55 to 3:00 pm, except for on Fridays when I'm out at 2:45. And because I have a little kid and because of my husband's work day, I get to work at like 7:54. I mean, I'm not getting there before my contract time at all. In general, I'm not staying after my contract time either. And part of that is because the other speech therapist, her husband is such like a strong union guy that he's like "if you can't get your work done during your contract hours, then they need to change how they're giving you work. It's not up to you to figure it out outside of your contract hours. It's up to the district to give you an appropriate work level." And if we stay after he will like jokingly, but also like it's only kind of a joke be like "you guys are being union busters, like you're scabbing." And it's such a good perspective to have from this like really strong union guy of like, "Yeah, why am I staying after? If I didn't get my work done, I got to do it tomorrow." But like my contract hours are from 7:55 to 3. I'm not, I don't need to stay later. And I actually recently went through this, where I contacted the Special Ed director and I said "Hey, I have three IEPs due, those are the individualized education plans that we're writing for students who are in special education. And I have to do all of my progress notes. I don't have time to do this and see my students. What do I do?" And she said, "Oh, actually you get three days that you can request like as time off, but it's only time off from therapy. You're still here doing your paperwork." And she was like, "Why don't you put in for you know, two half days so you can do that?" And that's what I did. And they got my stuff done. So, there's a lot of stuff in place to make sure that I can do stuff. In terms of actually being with kids, we do a lot of "play therapy." So communication in general, as I'm just like making a speech right here. But in general, it's a turn taking exercise, right? Like you take a turn you say something, I take a turn and I say something. And so because of that, it allows us to play a lot of turn taking games while we do our work. And I do have a surprising number of students who need support with turntaking. I actually was not expecting how many of my kids would be in like third and fourth grade and not know how to take communication turns. They know how to take turns on a game, but they don't know how to translate that into their communication. So there are a lot of times where I'm walking down the hallway and three children are talking to me all at the same time. And I'm like, "oh my gosh like this is what we really need to focus on." So a lot of times we're sitting there, we're playing a game, and we're working on whatever their skill is. Sometimes we're reading, I'm reading or they're reading. And then we're you know, working on vocabulary through that. We're working on using context clues to build their inferencing skills. Or we're just working on sounds. There are a lot of kids who are making �speech-sound errors, and I just do therapeutic work with them to help them be able to develop those sounds. Because it's important that they be able to be understood. Cal Rogers [00:39:29] Awesome, thank you. So what are, following up with that, what are some advantages or disadvantages of your job? Natalya Lakhtakia [00:39:40] Um, the work hours are really good. The only thing I would change is if I could start work at like, 8:15. That would just give me a little bit more time with my kid in the morning before I like, send him over to my neighbor's house. And I would be happy to stay until 3:20 for that. But I would say when you work in education, especially right now, you're really bonding experience with your coworkers. I mean, you're responsible for children and there are a lot of families that are really really struggling. Fort Edwards is a really depressed community. I'm still learning about it, but it's my understanding that they used to have a really successful factory there. And when the factory shut down, that really just impacted the community. So I have a lot of students that don't just need to come to school to get an education and to learn how to be like humans in the world and learn how to interact with each other, but they also need like love and support because their parents are really really struggling. They you know... I think a lot of times they think my son gets to like, enjoy breaks. I have kids on my caseload and I'm sure this is the case everywhere, but kids on my caseload that break is like a daunting time for them, and they're really relieved to come back to the structure of a school day. So I didn't really understand it when I interviewed. And they were like, you will get so much love working here. But it is definitely true. And I would call that both a benefit to my job which is that like, my kids are really really sweet and loving and we have such a nice time together and I just, I mean I love children in general. And also just a really sad part of my job, which is to know that like they need love from me because their parents are in such a bad position that they literally cannot meet the needs of their children the way that I can meet the needs of my child. And so that's both good and bad. I really like my coworkers. I like my school building. I like that I get to move around a lot. I spent a lot of time just sitting literally here at this desk, for seven years doing work at this computer. And so it's really nice to get to move around. You get to see, kids are so creative. You get to see what they're creating. You get to create things with them. Like my big thing is if I go into a classroom and they're doing an art project, me too. Like I want to do it as well. And to you know, to do that you get to what my kids think. Kids are really radical. I always love to say that "kids are the truest comrades." Because they are very very cool. And they're living in this very specific way when they're attending public school that just really builds their community ties. And then like as adults, we just don't get to have that in the same way. Especially without having like community centers, the way that I think that we should have them. And so I get to hear like a lot of really radical stuff from kids, and I love that. I get to read books with them, like it's just it's really nice to work in a school. And I had think forgotten that, working from home. Because working from home was fulfilling for me, and it was easy for me. And I still got to see my kids, and it was really fun. But working in a school, you just are in this very specific type of community that I think I wish could be expanded out more. I think that there are education reforms that are needed, for sure. It's not that I think public education is perfect, it's not. But I do think it is much better than just our general communities and existing in that is really amazing, I love that. And then also I will say, New York pays me really well. And I'm not saying that teachers don't deserve to get paid more like, we do. Like I think that my job is a lot more valuable than someone who plays basketball, for example. But I'm not a sports person in general but like I think like what I do, like I love Taylor Swift. But I think that her writing beautiful music maybe doesn't mean that she needs to be a billionaire when teachers should definitely get paid more for the work that we do. But that said like I also get paid significantly better than I got paid �before, in Utah and in New Mexico. Rhode Island was different because I worked you know, 40 hours a week year round. But I get like, the pay is really good. Cal Rogers [00:44:04] So going on to the Utah topic, my dad worked for a trucking company called "Driver Tech" out of Salt Lake City. So uh... Natalya Lakhtakia [00:44:11] That's cool. Cal Rogers [00:44:11] The University of Utah was my first choice for school, but I didn't get in. Natalya Lakhtakia [00:44:19] Well, that's their loss I'm sorry. Cal Rogers [00:44:21] It's okay. So you kind of answered all of my questions, so I'm gonna... Natalya Lakhtakia [00:44:26] Oh, okay! Cal Rogers [00:44:26] I'm gonna put it on the rest of the group, thank you. Zain Sundaram [00:44:35] What would you say is, some of the current local union issues? Natalya Lakhtakia [00:44:41] I mean Skidmore, honestly. It's really exciting that the nontenure track professors are, I guess instructors, are very close to getting you know their collective bargaining agreement done... Is what I was recently reading. I know the RAs were working on unionizing. Although I will admit that I lost track of where that was and what was happening. I also know you know, we had an attempt at unionizing the ALB1 Amazon warehouse. Which is in, I still don't know how to say it. If its Schodack or Shodack I forget. I think it's Schodack, about an hour away from here. But, you know people here work there. We did a really awesome job with unionizing Starbucks. Although, I'm now boycotting Starbucks. So for a while I was like, "I'm gonna go to the union ones." And now I'm like, "I don't need to go to Starbucks at all." So there's that kind of stuff happening. I know that there were some attempts at unionizing Spot Coffee, which was really exciting. But I think that what I appreciate about the area is that there is a lot of just solidarity between the unions. And I don't know how this compares to other places because I was not involved in this stuff before I moved to New York. And I moved to New York in like December 2014. So it hasn't even been you know, a decade yet. But here at least there's a lot of solidarity in the entire region, and the capital region is huge. But there's a lot of work that's being done to take care of each other. There's a lot of collaboration to like, support each other. There's some big union only projects coming up. So when there's a construction project there can be something called the PLA, a Project Labor Agreement. Which means that all of the labor will be union. And also all of the materials will be from union places like unionized...I don't know what the word is...industry? And so there's going to be a few of those. I think that the airport is one of them. And then there's some other bigger projects going on in terms of like the infrastructure in the area so like that's happening. But I think also, there's a lot of discussion going on. And there's a lot of solidarity when there are unions that don't have contracts. So, this is one thing that I can't talk a ton about because I'm on the school board. But the Saratoga Springs Teachers Association did not have a contract for two years. And, well that's misleading. They didn't have a contract for a year and a half. But negotiations are usually about six months. So for about two years they were working on a contract before they got one. And that included a contract that was voted down at the end of last school year. And it was really amazing to �me to watch the solidarity that was happening there and the work that they did. I mean, at one point we had a school board meeting with like 250 teachers at it, all in their union tshirts to show up with signs to basically be like "make this happen." And I thought that that was really amazing. I didn't really expect it I guess, even though I know that we have a strong union. The other thing that I think is really amazing is that. Um, well okay. So actually I will say the same thing happened at SUNY Empire where they didn't have a contract, so they did picketing. And people from different unions are coming. And so what I think is really amazing about unionizing is that you don't have to know the other people, and you don't have to work with the other people to show up and support them. Right? We're all in the working class, we're all together in this. Like the solidarity is so strong. And so I think that that's really amazing to see. I know that like the head of our teachers union was writing letters to Skidmore in support of the unionizing that was happening there. And the head of our CSEA, which is like the staff members of the district, did the same thing. And so they're showing up at pickets together. I think that's really incredible to see. And I will say like even when I feel really, really, really down about the current state of things in our country and world and like what I perceive to be the future. Or like what I'm worried will be the future, seeing like this kind of renewed sense of like labor and like that the working classes hold the tools to the future and the ruling classes clearly don't. I think that that's what really gives me hope. So, yeah. There's also some concerning labor stuff happening in the area, which I think is really interesting. And it gets back to kind of my view of liberalism. Which is that, liberalism is nice as a concept but in practice kind of falls apart. And so in Troy, we saw Capital Roots try to unionize. And they were like, "we're going to unionize." I had a couple friends who work there, and they were like "we're so excited to announce that we're going to do this work." And right away, the executive director and the board were like "Nope we'll just we'll recognize your union. You guys are unionized now. That's great. Like, you don't have to do all of the work. We'll just recognize it." And so everyone was like "Cool, this is great!" And then Capital Roots is basically going to be destroyed because of this. Because while they recognized the union, they then started to actively target different people and fire people. And there was like a lot of retaliation. So they like, recognize the union in concept because they knew that not doing that wouldn't be good. But then they have like many active National Labor Review Board violations that like they're found in the wrong. Capital Roots is falling apart. This is a group, I don't really know enough about what they do but they do like community gardening. And then they provide food to people in the area. So they're doing work that we can all agree is good. But they went on this kind of retaliation spree. My husband and I got to go and like be there to help picket with like Scabby the Rat and whatnot, which was really cool. My husband took off work to do that. But it's a reminder of like, unions aren't a nice idea. Unions are an ongoing, powerful practice. And so I think that sometimes in a place like New York where we are very liberal, we are very blue. Even in you know, like "Red Saratoga County." But like, it's not really right? Like Saratoga is very purple, that we can kind of recognize these good things, but then not actually support the practice. And so Capital Roots is now falling apart. And I think that that's really interesting. I also just like... This is weird to say because I assume that you're all in Gen Z. But I just like Gen Z gives me, like endless hope. Because I'm like. Gen Z with generally Gen X parents know so much and can see what these practices should look like. And I'm really excited for that, because I do think that we're going to see just kind of like a renewal of labor work. Hope Wahrman [00:51:57] Um, Yeah. And I kind of like to that vein of talking about like Gen Z and like their kind of hope for the future... Like what are what are some ways I mean, on Skidmore's campus is like one thing, but what are some ways that you think Skidmore students can sort of get involved in these unions? �Natalya Lakhtakia [00:52:21] So I think that the best way for any Skidmore student to get involved unfortunately costs money. But going to the labor breakfast. So the most recent one was just two days ago, and unfortunately I couldn't be there. But the first Friday of every month with a couple exceptions, I think May and September and July can kind of be iffy for them. But in general, the first Friday of the month there is a labor breakfast that happens at the Desmond Hotel. It's that hotel that's right off of Exit 4, so it's really close to the airport. And, it's a Union hotel. And so there's this labor breakfast where labor leaders and labor like union members and then also like electeds will all get together and talk about what's going on in the area. Because I think that what's going on in the area changes really rapidly from month to month. And so, you can learn about what's going on there. That's actually where I met Eric (Morser). Because I was going there with Minita, who is one of the city council members. And she was like "I'm going to bring my friend Eric from work." And I was like "cool!" And so he came to see it, and so he came to a really interesting one. Where we you know, we really just were talking about Palestine. And it was really interesting to see some of the leaders of the group try to shut down that conversation. And also really interesting to see one of the like, big labor leaders who the executive director... um and what is he? Yeah, he's the executive director of PEF, which is the Public Employees Federation. Get so angry about it, with him being in support of Israel. That he like threatened a woman who is Israeli, and like told her that her baby would be beheaded. Like it was really intense. So Eric got a very intense view of the labor breakfast. But that said, like it is a really awesome way to learn what's going on it is generally a really positive experience and the only reason why I can't go right now is because I have a job that's in-person and doesn't start at 10AM. But it's kind of your chance to learn what's going on in the area. And I think that that's really amazing. What I do know is going on right now close to here, is that the county workers are saying that they don't have a fair contract. And so there's some of the people who work for Saratoga County, I think they're CSEA, and so I know that they're doing pickets around the area. So I think that there's a way for students to get involved and to learn about that. I think it's really interesting that we're a very politically divided society. But when we're talking about the labor movement, that kind of doesn't matter as much, I guess. And I think that is because again, like the solidarity of the working class is so strong when you're unionized that views of like electoral politics just matter less. And I say that as somebody who like I would generally identify electoral politics as like my sports. Like I love to follow it, I love to be involved, I love to do my work, I love to know what's going on worldwide. But it's just you can set that aside when you're doing labor work. And so I think that that's really incredible to see. Because it doesn't really matter who's president. If you can't, like pay your bills and if you can't eat. Like, what matters is that you do the work to be able to do that with your one job. I also saw today that in Europe, something like 37% of people can identify that their job serves no purpose. Like they're not doing anything that's like, important to the continuing efforts of society. So I also know that, Bernie Sanders just introduced like a four-day work week bill into Congress. And I think that that's something that students should actively be involved in supporting. Because, like everybody could go do a four-day work week and our society would continue and people would have better lives and be happier and have more time for like, the joys of life. Without really very much changing. Hope Wahrman [00:56:28] Yeah. And I have one more, like our last question. But I also... It was interesting because during the pandemic, my high school had like a four day workweek. Like, the Friday of the week was "office hours." So like, you could go if you needed help, but like if you didn't have anything you needed help with and you were ahead on all your work like there was no class that day. And I think obviously there were some discrepancies with just working online, but in general like we were able to finish like �everything we had to for each unit. And like, learn the best that we could under those conditions. So, I definitely think a 4 day work week is a super cool thing that we could see in the future. That would work. Natalya Lakhtakia [00:57:11] And it's I mean, it's popular, right? Hope Wahrman [00:57:14] Yeah. Natalya Lakhtakia [00:57:14] Like my dad talks about it. And my dad is in his late 60s and is a professor. Like he's not working like in industry, right? Like he's he has like "a make your own hours" type of a job. And even he has like "yeah, people should have a four day workweek." Hope Wahrman [00:57:29] Yeah. And so thank you so much for meeting with us and talking to us. I could talk to you about this kind of thing for hours! Natalya Lakhtakia [00:57:38] Yes, me too. I love labor. Hope Wahrman [00:57:40] So I guess the final question is... Maybe it's a cheesy one I don't know. But I guess what is your advice to younger labor union organizers. Younger people just entering the workforce in general? Um, trying to kind of navigate their rights and their workplaces. Natalya Lakhtakia [00:58:04] Um...well. I don't think that I'm old, but I didn't know anything about this when I started working. So like when I started working, when I started working after grad school. When I started working in my school, they said "Check this box if you want to pay your union dues." And I turned to the person next to me and said, "Why wouldn't I pay my union dues?" And she was like, "There's no reason to not pay your union dues, like the pay off is much more like just pay them." And I said "Okay," and I checked that box. And that was like my total understanding of unions, was that my coworker said to check the box. And so because it is an option to not pay your dues which really sucks, to not pay into your society I guess into your community. But, so I would say like learning about this understanding that like basically all the good things that we have in terms of like the structures of society or because of the labor movement. And then also I will tell you, I get a lot of recruiting calls. And so, I do think that you have to balance like being able to live with having ideals. Like I strongly feel that. Like I have a lot of ideals, and I have a lot of beliefs for how things should be, and I also know how things are. And so I think that there needs to be a balance there where you can work for better, but also like you have to be able to eat. And you have to be able to pay your bills and you have to also like, not be just laying in bed in the dark because you don't have a job, right? Like so like there's all these things going on. But what I do now is even though I'm not looking for a job, I think I'm probably in it at Fort Edward for the long haul. I really like it, and I am happy there. After three months but, still. Even though I'm not looking for a job, every single time that a recruiter calls me, every single time I get an email or a text or a message on LinkedIn I respond and I say "Is this a union job? Because I will only take a union job." And, it's really interesting because some of the recruiters are not unionized either, they're doing their jobs. And so it's one of those things where it opens up a conversation. And I've started to kind of push for that. And what I'll tell people is "I will not take a job if it's not union." And I encourage other people to do the same, because I'm certainly not the only one getting these calls. And so I think that if you have the ability to do that, just getting out that kind of a message matters. I also think even if you get a job that's not union like my last one, and you have the ability to support union work in your area. Like being aware of what's going �on and showing up to support is worth it every single time. And so... um well with one exception, which is that I will say. Police say that they have unions, but they don't. Because unions are for workers and police are not workers. And so what they have are whatever they are called, um the...what are they called? Police Benevolence Associations. And they can have solidarity with other workers when they want to have that like public relations view. Of like, "Look, we stand with the teachers" or whatever. But I will never, ever stand with them because that kind like police come from Pinkertons like they're union breakers. They're not union supporters. But all of that aside, I think that any time you're showing up for actual workers like you're making the world better. I'm a firm believer, as even as somebody who doesn't who loves electoral work, that if you are organizing your own community you are doing something that is vastly more important than any sort of electoral work is. And there are times where I like...I will say, I do think that being on the school board can at times put me at odds with my view of the working class. And I also still think it's worthwhile to do it, because I think that having my viewpoint on the board is important, and I'm not the only one with my viewpoint. But I think that if you are doing the work to try to get a union job, getting your job and then doing the work to unionize it while knowing your rights. I think if you are connecting with other unions to support them. And then I just think in general,like even just setting union work aside, doing the work to support the working class. Which is like, all of us. And not doing the work to support the ruling class, gives you... It builds class consciousness. And understanding class, and how this division of the classes and dividing us into different groups only supports the ruling class, helps you navigate the world. And helps you have, I guess strong principles to follow. And so even if you're not in a union job, and even if you feel like you're being mistreated at work, it will help you move forward to something better. And I think that having solidarity with your fellow workers is the only way we're going to move forward as a society. Stay in New York! Because New York is like, I think the second most unionized state. Hope Wahrman [01:03:04] Wow. That's very impressive. And it's the second most? Natalya Lakhtakia [01:03:08] I think so. I think I saw Hawaii is higher? Something like that, I don't remember right now. But New York is like around 20%? This is...I actually might be remembering this wrong. We're definitely second, though. So you may want to look this up. But, if you stay in New York you have a higher chance of being in a union if you work in public education or any sort of public office. Like if you're working for the governor's office, or the state, or the federal government like you have a higher chance of being in a union.... If you're a postal worker. And then you can work for better for you and your fellow workers. But also you can unionize where you're at, my husband has looked into it for his job. Hope Wahrman [01:03:43] Yeah. Well yes, thank you so much again. Natalya Lakhtakia [01:03:46] Yeah! Zain Sundaram [01:03:46] Yeah, thank you. Hope Wahrman [01:03:46] I like really appreciate you coming in and taking the time to meet with us. Um, yeah. This was a wonderful interview. � Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Interviewer The person(s) performing the interview Cal Rogers, Zain Sundaram, Hope Wahrman Interviewee The person(s) being interviewed Natalya Lakhtakia Location The location of the interview Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, NY Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Audio Recording Duration Length of time involved (seconds, minutes, hours, days, class periods, etc.) 1:03:54 Record Creation Date Day/Month/Year of record creation/edit September 8th, 2025 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Interview with Natalya Lakhtakia Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource April 7th, 2024 Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. Saratoga Labor History Digital Archive Description An account of the resource Natalya Lakhtakia is a speech-language pathologist in the Fort Edward School District and a proud NYSUT member. The daughter of immigrants and from a family of educators, she has been on the Saratoga Springs Board of Education since 2019 and has served as board vice-president, and on the finance, audit, policy, superintendent evaluation, DEI, and counseling committees. She is currently serving as board president. She lives in Saratoga Springs with her husband and son. She is active with Capital District DSA, NYS Break the Bonds, and does work with Skidmore’s Education Department to support future educators. Language A language of the resource English Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Eric Morser Type The nature or genre of the resource Oral History https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/3ab7aabaebe7e5b21ba948a33bd78eac.png b449f1adbf78665e1ba29712e9fa58d0 https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/fa9ea7a6aff0d419f1d5c078c840b07a.wav c10c119ea0b5fda02eff80ce9f8a0545 https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/4ff84dee8e99c720c48f4b99835c8647.pdf c305531d9962f05245011b904418ef4c PDF Text Text Marah_Evan_ALH.wav Marah Frese-Despins [00:00:05] I'm Marah Frese-Despins. Evan Forrest [00:00:08] I'm Evan Forrest. Todd Shapiro [00:00:10] I'm Todd Shapiro. Marah Frese-Despins [00:00:12] The date is April 15th, 2024. Evan Forrest [00:00:16] All right. So we're going to start with a couple questions about your childhood. So let's start with an easy one. Where did you grow up? Todd Shapiro [00:00:25] I grew up in a town called Newington, Connecticut, just outside of Hartford. Evan Forrest [00:00:29] And what was your family like? Todd Shapiro [00:00:32] I am an only child. My father, Norm, was an industrial engineer. And my mother, Barbara, was a, dental hygienist. And I had a great childhood. No complaints. Evan Forrest [00:00:45] Nice. So what was your early education like? Middle school. High school? And did you like school? Todd Shapiro [00:00:53] Yes. Liked school very much. Liked elementary. Middle school. Went to an interesting, I don't know if it was experimental, but it was a middle school that, had, like, a team structure. So it wasn't the traditional, like, you're in one classroom the whole day. It was sort of almost like a college campus kind of thing where you change, I mean, in middle school, we were in sort of, each, each grade was a wing. And you would you would move between classes. And it was sort of cutting edge for the time in the late 70s, early 80s. Evan Forrest [00:01:35] That's interesting. So do you remember your first job? What was that like? Todd Shapiro [00:01:40] My first and only job. I worked at Newington Bicycle for over ten years. I started at 15. State of Connecticut said that 15 year olds could work like a certain amount of limited hours after school. So before I was even 16, I was working in the bike shop. I'm an avid cyclist. I've been racing since I was, I don't know, 12 years old and started at this job as a stock stock boy, you know, stocking shelves, sweeping floors and then eventually worked my way up to be, manager of the store. Evan Forrest [00:02:15] Nice so you're kind of mixing pleasure with work. Todd Shapiro [00:02:17] That's right, that's right. Evan Forrest [00:02:18] Find something you're interested in. Todd Shapiro [00:02:20] Exactly. �Marah Frese-Despins [00:02:23] Do you want to tell us about your time in college? What undergrad school you went to. Graduate? Todd Shapiro [00:02:28] Sure. Undergraduate, I went to University of Vermont. I did not go to Brandeis because that's where my daughter is going in the fall. So, undergraduate was University of Vermont in Burlington. I was a business major with a focus on productions and operations. So that's everything from, like, statistical process control, industrial engineering. So, yes, I was in the business school, but it had a sort of an engineering bend. And while in school, my, Italian teacher mentioned that I wanted to get into, you know, working in a bike shop and being very into, like, bikes and gear and outdoor things. I wanted to work in manufacturing for an outdoor company. And in a conversation with my Italian teacher, my Italian professor, she mentioned that her husband was the CEO of Nordica, which was the ski company. You know, they made, boots and bindings and and she could get me a meeting with him. So I met this, head of Nordica, US in Burlington, Vermont, and I told him, “Hey, I want to work in manufacturing in the gear industry.” And he was like, “you're not going to do that in the United States.” Like, very little is manufactured here. It's all distribution. So everything is made overseas, imported into the U.S.. And then there's these advanced distribution networks that distribute the products, whether it's bikes or skis or mountain climbing, whatever your hobby is. And he's like, you should look into operations and start to understand the distribution and how it works. And that completely changed my trajectory. I went from focusing on like engineering and manufacturing to, you know, business and operations, and that changed my, my whole course, changed classes. I took, and then, even after college, what I, what I ended up doing. Marah Frese-Despins [00:04:31] Did that affect where you chose to go to grad school? Todd Shapiro [00:04:35] I moved to Boston after undergraduate. I worked for the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. And the Museum of Fine Arts had the largest museum catalog in the world. And what that means is all these museums sell product, right? They have gift shops and they sell products. But the MFA had a catalog. We would mail them. This is in the days of the days of old. You would mail catalogs, paper catalogs. People would read them. They'd find. Something they liked. They write it down on a piece of paper. Fold it up, put it in an envelope and mail it to you. To the catalog center. We had banks and banks of people opening these things. They'd take out your order, they'd enter it. Then it would go to the fulfillment center, and we'd pick, pack and ship and send it out. And that's how I started. It was distribution. So I worked there for about six years. I'm in Boston, and I realize, you know, I want more than just I mean, it was very big operation, but it wasn't like an L.L. Bean or, you know, a massive cataloger, so I decided to go to grad school. I'm in Boston. I mean, you got 62 schools to choose from. So I ended up going to Boston University for an MBA. Evan Forrest [00:05:51] Were you, part of any clubs or any other organizations where your time at UVM or in Boston? Todd Shapiro [00:05:58] Yeah, I was on the rowing team at UVM, so I got to travel all over the country racing. That was a fantastic experience. And I also got into logistics with that. I got trained to drive the trailer, so I would drive an 80-foot long trailer CDL, and, yeah, we would caravan all over the country racing, which was fantastic. And then, I was also in the Outing Club, got trained as a first responder, wilderness first responder. So I would drag people off mountains that were injured or hurt. And, my specialty was winter �camping. I actually love the cold. So. Yeah. So you can see where my love of gear and, and outdoor stuff, came from. Evan Forrest [00:06:46] Vermont's a good place to, to do it at. Yeah. Marah Frese-Despins [00:06:52] Do you think any of those experiences helped prepare you for your roles in management? Todd Shapiro [00:06:56] Absolutely. No question. Rowing. You're, you know, one cog in a, in a massive machine. So you've got to, you got to work to get. I mean, it's all the classic, clichés. You got to work together. You've got, you know, you're only as fast as the weakest link. And there's a tremendous amount of finesse and technique in the sport of rowing. There's, there's, you're so reliant on your equipment, right? So it's not just your fitness and your, strategy, but it's, you know, does your equipment work? Is it, you know, is, is the, the machine that you're moving gonna operate efficiently? Is your technique good? Right? Or is, are your oars going to go too deep or are you not, are you going to catch a crab and slow the whole boat down? So, I mean, you can start to see how that translates to a team you're working with, right? If you're on a production line, if you're working on a conveyor belt and you got multiple people and moving parts, you have to coordinate all that. And then in the Outing Club, you know, learning to be a wilderness first responder was just tremendous. I mean, you learn how to not only help people but lead, right? How do you motivate? And, you know, if you're on a hike and someone is injured, I mean, you got to get them out of the woods. So you have to encourage and motivate and, and think creatively of how you're gonna, you know, get this group of people with someone that's wounded out safely. So yeah, it absolutely applies to day-to-day work. Evan Forrest [00:08:35] Team player. Todd Shapiro [00:08:36] There you go. Evan Forrest [00:08:37] Yeah. So you mentioned starting off after college in kind of a smaller, less, I don't know, multinational kind of job. Was it your goal to kind of transition into a larger company with larger duties or. Todd Shapiro [00:08:56] No, there was never a goal. Like, I never was, like, I want to work in a catalog. I mean, when I was looking for a job after school, I mean, you went to the newspaper, you literally opened the newspaper. You looked at the classifieds and you would circle ads that sounded interesting, and you would write a cover letter in an envelope. Snail mail, send it. I sent out hundreds of, of letters, and the one that came back said, “Hey, we'd love to interview you” was the Museum of Fine Arts, and it was a distribution center for product. And I was like, this is fantastic. So yeah, there was no goal of like, oh, I want to, I want to work in a catalog center or I want to do this. So that first step, like each step, whether you're in school or you're playing a sport or you're in a club, right? These are all things that kind of build your, your background and your experiences. And they can each send you down a different path. So once I started working at the Museum of Fine Arts, I was involved in a very large catalog center, and I was like, this is pretty cool. Maybe I want to, you know, see where this could take me. So I worked there for many years. And then it started to feel small. I mean, it's 100,000ft², which is a very big building. There were, I don't know, 5 to 10,000 SKUs which are stock keeping units. So when you go into a store like Target, you know, there's probably 100,000 to 200,000 SKUs in that store. Everything from a pen to a razor to a toothbrush that's each got a unique identifier. So we had about 5000 SKUs at the MFA. And when I started as a recent college �graduate, I was like, this is unbelievable. How am I ever going to keep track of this? Well, by the end of a few years, I was like, this place feels small. I know where everything is. I know how the place runs. So I'm like, what's next? What's next? So that's, that's what got me thinking. And then I started to look for the next, the next big thing. And I, and I just kind of progressed. I went from there. I went to Aramark, which was a very large distribution center, and we did uniforms for every major company. UPS drivers, FedEx drivers, CocaCola drivers, all, you know, every driver needs a shirt, pants, jacket, belt, shoes, socks, hat, company hat with their logo. We did the embroidery. We would do about 60,000 shipments a day. The MFA was 3 to 5 thousand a day. Aramark was about 30,000 to 60,000 a day. And so, yeah, I started, you know, I wanted bigger, bigger. You know, it was it wasn't, “I want to go to a multinational. I want to go to something big.” I just I wanted the next challenge because you start to get stagnant. You start to get comfortable, and you're like, you know, I gotta. I want to grow. I want to grow. I want to do more. Evan Forrest [00:11:55] What did your day to day look like? I know you said your you're shipping off in this specific example uniforms, but what does that mean. So you go into work and you're just boxing up uniforms and selling them out? Like I can't visualize it right now. Todd Shapiro [00:12:08] Sure, sure. So the way I like to describe it is, if you order something online. So I don't know if you guys ever ordered from L.L.Bean or, let's use L.L.Bean. That's the best example in the world. So you you go online and you order a pair of the famous L.L.Bean boots, right? You and 100,000 other people are all ordering this stuff. So in the morning, when a worker in a distribution center shows up, you have to, like, start the system up. Right? And so you print the orders and it's called induction. And you induct this work into the system. So there's stacks and stacks of orders. That are the picklist. So when you are at home and you go, oh, I ordered these boots, and you open up your box and there's a sheet in there and it says, you know, size ten duck boots. And if you look closely, there's probably a little code it could say like, you know, PX-24. Well, that's a location. It's all done with coordinates. You know, these buildings are like 1,000,000ft². That could have a couple hundred thousand locations. It's essentially shelves. It's like the library. You've got shelves with books on them. But imagine you're like, okay, there's a section of all of shoes. There's a section of all the shirts, is a section of all the tents or whatever that these retailers sell. So you will literally grab a stack of orders that are printed in by walk pattern. So there's a tremendous amount of math and like choreography because you have to say, “Okay, Evan, we're going to give you this stack of orders.” You don't want to walk to the back of the building and grab, you know, a hat, and then you got to walk all the way up and grab some shoes and then go over it. Now, you want it efficient so you're assigned a section. You're like, okay, you're going to be in, you know, section P out of, you know, 100 rows or 100 aisles. And each sheet that you take is guiding you on a walk pattern, an efficient walk pattern. And so you'll go and just say, okay, there's a size ten shoes. Maybe for that day you're assigned to the shoe area. So all you’re picking is shoes. Then your racks are profiled. So yes, you're in the correct aisle. But the companies do analysis and they forecast what is going to sell the best. And it's loaded on the shelves in the most ergonomic position. So right here your top selling item is going to be in a very easy to reach place. The thing you sell like two of a year. That's going to be up high because you got to get a ladder to get it. So you're not going to make those picks very frequently. And then what you do is you do reprofiling. So after a couple of weeks of fulfilling, because these websites are, you know, they have the new spring lineup. So you reprofile your racks, you load them from the back with this spring's offering in very efficient locations. Then let's say spring is done and now it's the fall. And it's a whole different thing. Now coats are popular or whatever, you know, outcome the bathing �suits are off the shelf. And now the hooded, you know, sweatshirts are in that key location. So you're constantly reprofiling and readjusting so that you can have efficient pick runs. And you can, you can, you can get this stuff processed quickly. So you, you pick it all, you put it in containers and they're on an automated conveyor belt. That conveyor belt will take it around the building. Then it's got to go to a packing station. So now okay, you pick the shoes, you threw them in a box, they go down the conveyor. Then there's a station that might have to put some what's called dunnage or void fill, like bubble wrap or some crumbled up paper to kind of brace it. Maybe that person request some gift wrap, or maybe they requested a gift message, or maybe there's a second pick. So you put the boots in the box. The box heads down the conveyor belt to your area and you're picking, you know, I don't know, first aid kits, right. You know, L.L. Bean sells everything. So you're like, okay, “they bought boots. I'm going to put the first aid kit, I'm going to put some sunscreen in there.” And then it goes down the conveyor to the next area, to the final station that seals it, puts a label on it, overhead scanner reads it and routes it to one of 50, 60 tractor trailers that are there. So there's some going to the West Coast, there's some going to the Midwest, there's some going East Coast, South, Southwest, and then they route them and they drive them deeper into the mail stream to a USPS or UPS distribution center. So your morning literally starts with, “what am I picking?” Like that's how the whole process starts. Johnny Jones placed an order online, and that order becomes like a pick ticket of what you've got to put in the box. I mean, people don't realize this. They're online. They have no idea what entering that order does and like what that sets into motion to do. Evan Forrest [00:17:24] It's interesting hearing the other side, logistically, because the consumer just sees the computer screen and orders that, and then there's just so much more that goes on to it. Todd Shapiro [00:17:34] Oh yeah. It's unbelievable. Yeah. Marah Frese-Despins [00:17:37] What was the working environment like? There was, was it, were people happy working there? Were you receiving good benefits? That kind of thing. Todd Shapiro [00:17:43] Thing? Well, I'll start with the MFA and then I'll go to Target. So when I was at the MFA, it was a small catalog operation. We probably had 25 to 50 people in the distribution center. And it was sort of a feeling of like, you're working for a good cause, like you're supporting a museum and the artwork. And what we sold was supporting the artwork, right? You would sell prints of Monet or whatever, and the pay was alright, and the environment was not crushing, meaning you didn't have production standards. You know, it was look if, if somebody ordered some note cards or a vase, right? You know, you're not shipping body parts, you're not shipping medical supplies. So, you know, it wasn't like this huge sense of urgency. I also worked at Target. And Target is another world that is backbreaking. There are production standards. The pay is not great. Benefits are okay. And Target distribution centers ship 100,000 packages per shift. So you could be doing 100,000 to 300,000 or more packages a day in the yard where the tractor trailers are, there's 4 million cartons that have to be backed up to the doors and unloaded. And when I got to Target, I thought I made the show. I thought I was in the major leagues. That's what brought me to this area. I was recruited by Target and I was living in Boston, and they said, we're opening a new distribution center in Amsterdam. And I thought Target was going to the Netherlands. And then I learned that it's, depressed factory town west of Saratoga, where all this industry went out of business in the 1960s, and 30 to 50 thousand people lost their jobs. However, it's right on Interstate 90. So big distribution centers, 2,000,000ft² can get their goods and trucks right on the highway. So I was recruited to �open a distribution center that would serve 80 Target stores, came up here and moved up here with my family, started at the Amsterdam facility. And that's when the fun ended. It was soul crushing. And this is why your professor probably asked me to come here. So there's production standards you have to produce. Now I'm in this situation. I'm a manager. I have a team of people who are pick packing, just as I described, like at the MFA or at Aramark. But every quarter you have to pick a certain amount per hour. So let's just say, you've got to do 35 picks an hour this quarter. Every move you make. You are scanning everything. You scan the shelf, you're going to pick some boots, right? Just like in our other example, you scan the shelf, you scan the product, and it'll, it'll be, it'll, it'll give you a confirmation like that's the right thing. If it, if it gives you an error message, it's like, “hey, you just scanned, you know, a bottle of tide detergent, and you're supposed to be picking boots.” So you can see how it starts to take the humanness out of it. It's all like, it's all fed to you. So you have to pick 35 an hour. You got to hustle next quarter, the new production standards. You got to do 40 an hour. You gotta do like 20% more. So that works when you're doing like toothbrushes and boots. But what happens when it's grill season and you got to move a gas grill barbecue? It is. I would literally be going up to people. I'm like, “hey Tony, you know, it's you got to do 40, 40 an hour.” And he's like, “I couldn't even do 30. How am I going to do this?” He's like, “it's grill season.” These things weigh 150 pounds. So, you know, you have to also think of the type of product like someone could be stationed in, like the dental area where it's toothbrushes and toothpaste. Easy. But somebody that's over in grills or tool chests or bunk beds, I mean, you know, think about it like Ikea. I mean, that stuff is just killer. And it was just it, it killed me to press my staff to hit these production numbers. And if they didn't do it, I'd have to write them up. So I'd have to say, “you know, Marah. Hey, you know, this week, you know, you've only been doing 26 an hour, and you've got to get to 35 an hour.” And you'd say, okay, we're going to give it, you know, the rest of this week, I need to see some improvement. And off you go. And you do it. Now, what happens if you're rushing and you damage product? What if you're using a forklift and you take down the pallet of goods to pick and you dump it and you just dumped, you know, however many grills or whatever, and they're damaged. Now that comes off of a your, off your, you know, productivity report. And I would just watch us break people, literally break people. And then we would track their whereabouts during the day. So you'd say, okay, “you did. You did 26 an hour. You have to do 35. But I've noticed, you know, every day around 11, you're missing for 12 minutes” and you're like, “oh, I, you know, I had to go to the bathroom” and it's like, well, we've tracked this and it should take, you know, an average person about 3 to 4 minutes to go to the bathroom. You know what I mean? It's this unbelievable, like the conversations you have to have with people. And the only thing I can think of is if you want to walk into a Target or a Walmart or Amazon and you want to spend $4 for, for a shirt or a product like you, you know, the American consumer says, “I want this for five bucks.” Well, where are you going to get that margin? You're going to squeeze it out of your staff, right? You're going to get more efficient. You're going to get faster. You're going to hire less people. You're going to automate. And that was the only thing I could reason with myself to be like, “this is why we're pushing people.” But I eventually left. I could not stand it. I could not stand seeing what we did to people and how we broke them. And I mean, can you imagine having a conversation with someone about how long they spent in the bathroom? Marah Frese-Despins [00:24:21] It'd be horrible. Todd Shapiro [00:24:22] It's horrible. It's horrible. And, you know, here at the time, I have a master's degree, and I'm like, I'm walking around this thing just, like beating people over the head. Yeah, it was terrible. It was terrible. And, yeah, I left. �Evan Forrest [00:24:38] Were you, I assume, perceived as the bad guy or was it like a don't shoot the messenger type thing? Like did they understand that you were just the manager, and... Todd Shapiro [00:24:48] I mean, it's very interesting. Target and Walmart and all these places tend to hire in these roles people that are fresh out of college, fresh out of the military, where they can be molded. Right. I had already been in the in the workforce for 12 or 15 years, kind of running facilities and learning how to manage people. So I developed a very good relationship with my staff, and they realized, “hey, Todd's just doing his job and we get it.” But a lot of the new people that did not have real world experience just drank the Kool-Aid, delivered these terrible messages, and were perceived as the bad guy. They were like, “wow, this this kid's rotten. Like, this is awful.” You know, I had a little more empathy for these people. Like, these people had families, these people, you know, this was a good job for these people in this area. And, yeah, it was, it was tough. It was tough. Evan Forrest [00:25:54] And I assume that there's just managers that were just like you. All over the country as well. Todd Shapiro [00:26:01] There were 26 distribution centers. Target runs 26 distribution centers. Each distribution center employs a thousand people. So there's 26,000 employees just in product distribution. And the facility is run with about 30 managers. So I was in charge of warehousing and distribution. Somebody might be in charge of inbound freight. Somebody might be in charge of outbound freight. Somebody might be in charge of like high value. So about 30 managers in the building runs 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. I worked Thanksgiving. I worked Christmas, I worked, you name the holiday I have worked it, and I would do 80 hours a week. And it was, yeah, it was, It was soul crushing. It was awful. Awful. Evan Forrest [00:26:48] Were there ever talks with your employees about unionizing or things to increase their happiness? Todd Shapiro [00:26:57] I was trained, Target trained all of us in union busting. So here these people would start to organize, and we were trained as management on how to dissuade them and sort of scuttle it. You know, you couldn't say the word union, but there were techniques and phrases that we were trained to use to sort, you know, change the topic, change the, the thing. And Target was very successful. Very, very successful in, in squashing and, you know, union votes and that kind of thing. I mean, it was, it was eye opening, eye opening for me and it, yeah, yeah. It's, and Target is one of the more progressive companies. I mean, if you look at Walmart or Amazon, I mean, these places are brutal. Brutal. Marah Frese-Despins [00:27:56] How did working at Target and having those tough experiences, affect, like, your family life and personal life? Todd Shapiro [00:28:04] It was extremely difficult. My wife and I were newly married, and I was working 80 hours a week. I never saw her. And to this day, we refer to that as the Dark Ages. Target sold me on, they said you're going to work four days on, three days off. You'll work four, ten-hour days, and then you'll get three days off. I was like, “this is unbelievable.” They said, “you'll start at like seven. You'll get out at three.” And that's awesome. That never happened. I worked, pretty much every day I would start, I would get up at 3:30 in the morning to be at the facility at 5 a.m. to do production control. So that description of the pick tickets and everything, you have to sort of orchestrate the printing �and the dissemination of all of that. So you have to kind of figure out your pick runs and things. It's called production control. So, in a facility like a Target, because they have Sunday fliers or they have TV ads, that product has to get to the front of the line so it can get in the stores. Right. Like, imagine they do a big ad campaign and the distribution center forgets to, like, send something. So I was getting up at 3:30 in the morning to drive to Amsterdam, 45 minutes, to do production control at 5 a.m., and I'd work 12 hours. I'd be home at 5 or 6 and I would just, I was a zombie, I would collapse. And then, my wife was pregnant with our daughter, and my daughter, Zoe, was born. And I remember taking off two weeks from work. It took, like, an act of Congress for me to get time off. And I remember holding her. She's an infant, and I'm like, I am leaving this job. I'm never going to see her. Because you work all day getting up at 3:00 in the morning. You can't do anything when you get home. You know, you can't see your family. You can't. You don't even have energy to make dinner. So it was just get up, work, come home, collapse, do it again, do it again. And then having these horrible experiences at work, you would bring all that home. So the conversation was just like, this is, this is ridiculous. So yeah, it really affected, you know, and at least in my experience at Target, extremely high divorce rate, extremely high depression rates in management. I mean, these people are just, everyone is broken. Yeah. Evan Forrest [00:30:39] You mentioned a little bit the comparison between MFA, and Target and that there were production... what did you call it, production... Todd Shapiro [00:30:50] Production control or production standards. Evan Forrest [00:30:54] Standards. Is that what, that's what made the difference between Target and MFA, why Target was so much more soul crushing than MFA? Todd Shapiro [00:31:01] Yeah. Yeah. MFA was more of a familial or, I guess you could call it kind of a family atmosphere because the volumes were lower. It wasn't a Fortune 500 retailer, you know, it's this little museum in Boston. It's a big museum, but there wasthe pressure was not there. You know, there weren't shareholders. There wasn't, you know, there weren't Sunday fliers. There weren't, you know, because we were a cataloger. That's the other thing is you sort of launch these catalogs into the mail or nowadays on the internet, and you just pack your warehouses with the product for that season. So you're kind of like, all right, we're good. We got everything in the shelves are loaded. Let's just fill the orders. But at a Target, it is like 24 hours a day inbound and outbound. And so it's like, it's like sweeping the ocean. It's just, you are never going to catch up. And they know that. And that's on purpose. And it's just to keep you under the, under the thumb and you can never catch up. So you're always like going, going, going, going, going. And that also does not allow you time to think and unionize because you are so slammed. It's, I really feel, it's very strategic in how they build and designed and, and kind of feed these places, so, you know. Marah Frese-Despins [00:32:41] Where did you move next? Like, how did it get better? Todd Shapiro [00:32:45] Great question. So, I was hating Target, and, my wife was on Craigslist. That shows how long ago it was, 20 years ago. So I come home one day and she's like, “hey, I saw this ad in Craigslist. There's a little software company in Saratoga, started at the RPI incubator, and they're looking for people that have retail supply chain experience.” I was like, “huh?” So in all of my jobs, from the MFA, actually going back to the bike shop, to Target, I was always very involved in systems. You cannot run a facility of this magnitude without software and systems to, to manage it and track it. And I mean, it �is, it's mind boggling how much. So when I was at Target, they were installing $80 million worth of equipment and software to take the people out of unloading trucks. And so I started to become a super user. Right. You know, think of any jobs you've had or, you know, whether you're working at a grocery store or you're working at a bike shop or whatever, like there's, there's always a system, right? And you've got to get good at using that system. So in all of my jobs, I tried to become a subject matter expert to like, understand, I would train others and I would learn how they work. So my wife found this thing. She's like, yeah, “this little software company started in some kids dorm room. They built multi-channel retail software.” And so what it is, is it I mean, today you could laugh at it, but 20 years ago it was, “hey, we can run your inventory for your website, for eBay, for Amazon, for take your pick of a couple others.” But it's centralized inventory and it's all done online because years ago you'd have a website, you'd have a brick and mortar store, you'd have everything. Each one of those held the inventory differently. So if you sell hats, maybe you have ten in stock. Well, what if there was a run on them and the store sold them all? The website still thinks there's ten, eBay still thinks there's ten, Amazon still thinks there's ten. But the store sold them all. What these kids did is they centralized it in one single database and did it online, which people weren't doing at that time, so that the store, the website, eBay, whatever your channels were, they could draw on one central inventory master so that if you ran out of stock, it would automatically take it down from the other sites. Conversely, what if a shipment of more hats came in - automatically push them up. So I went to this interview and I had no idea what to expect, and I met with this software team over on High Rock near the farmers market, and they explained that they have built a multi-channel retail system, but they don't know retail. And, you know, do I know how retail works in the backend? And I was like, “wow, this is a match made in heaven.” And so I ended up working for them for three years. It's called Core Sense. They're down on High Rock still. And I learned how to implement software, and I brought my retail expertise. So I became sort of a product manager slash consultant. I helped them build out the system, improve it so the real world could use it. What they built in their dorm room was good, but it wasn't ready for prime time. And then we started to install it. And so I would go to a client site. I could speak the language of retail, at least backend retail, like how do you fill and operate? And I would consult, I would gather requirements. And then these guys taught me about software, I taught them retail, they taught me software, and we went and installed systems all over for this, this new multi-channel retail system. And that's what got me into software. So I've been doing software for 20 years now. Evan Forrest [00:36:52] That's awesome how you could use your, all of your experience to kind of transform yourself into a different role. Todd Shapiro [00:36:58] Yep, yep. Evan Forrest [00:37:01] So going back to kind of, management, we talked about a couple of the bad effects and some of the more unpleasurable experiences. Do you have any, rewarding parts of working in management and having a team that you kind of work with closely? Todd Shapiro [00:37:23] Oh, yeah. When you can manage and create a well-run machine of people, there's no better experience. It's fantastic. Like where I am now. I mean, I consider this group I work with, I've been there for ten years, like close friends, which is extremely rare in the working world. We are such a tight unit. We know each other's roles so well that you almost don't have to talk sometimes. And you can figure things out, get through problems. Solving work problems efficiently and with, with a great team is just an extremely rewarding experience. Yeah. Not having drama like, when you guys get into the �work world, you'll realize, like, there's politics and there's backstabbing, you know, all that, all the stuff you read about. But when you can find yourself working with a team that supports each other, has each other's back, is challenging work, rewarding work. There is no better experience than that. And it's, it's rare, you know, you may only find it once or twice in your career. But when you do, you know, you realize how special it is and how much, dare I say, fun, it can be to, you know, work on this stuff. Evan Forrest [00:38:47] So in an ideal world, if you're working at Target, how could you make that environment better? Todd Shapiro [00:38:57] You can't, you can't, you can't. The machine is too big. At one point, I thought I could, I was like, “oh, I can bring my experience from the working world to Target.” And, you know, I was, I was squashed essentially, like upper, upper, upper management, you know. You know, they're, they're controlling the managers too. Like, it's not just me as a manager controlling the front-line staff, but the executive team is putting the kibosh on the managers because they dangle the carrot for us. So they say, “okay, there's 26 distribution centers. Let's say there's 30 managers. You know, it's like 500, 600 people. We've only got ten slots at corporate in Minneapolis.” These are coveted, coveted roles to run a department in Minneapolis. And they're like, “okay, we're going to, we're, you're all competing with each other.” So no longer are you this unified team to like, improve the distribution center and make it better. It's like, “oh, my coworker, now I'm competing with you because there's only ten slots. There's 500 of us. There's only ten slots. I got to show my stuff, and I got to step on anybody I can to get that.” You know, it's not we rise or fall together. That's how it is with a good team. But in Target, it's step on your coworker to get, to get your opportunity. And, yeah, it's no way you cannot change it, it is too big. There's too much money involved. And, yeah, it's, it's, it's not for me. It's not for me. Some people might like it, but, yeah, you can't change it. Evan Forrest [00:40:50] It almost sounds like there's just so many levels. And then at the bottom, all the levels are kind of just weighing down and creates kind of that toxic work environment where you really just can't be successful or happy. Todd Shapiro [00:41:06] No, no, you can't, you can't. And everyone. So I had like a cohort when I started at Target, and 16 of us had previous real-world experience in that field. The other half were fresh out of military, fresh out of college, and all 16 of us left within three years because we knew life is much better on the outside. And since many of those that stayed have also left and, yeah, it's, yeah. But you know, when you read about Amazon or you read about Walmart, I mean, the stories are true. It's really like, to give you an idea, when we opened the facility, we needed to open with a thousand workers, the building's 2,000,000ft². You need a thousand workers to run it 24 hours a day, 365. Guess how many people we interviewed for those slots? Marah Frese-Despins [00:42:09] Like 5,000, I don't know. Todd Shapiro [00:42:12] Close. Evan Forrest [00:42:13] Well, I was going to say way less. Todd Shapiro [00:42:15] Okay. 8,000. We interviewed 8,000 people. So we opened the back of the building. It was like an airplane hangar, and we would assign people a slot 24 hours a day. We flew in Target. People from all over the country put them up, and we had teams of two and long lanes of, of interviews. And so you'd have a table with two people. �One person would ask questions, the other would notate. Then you'd switch off. 8,000 people and we only hired 700. We didn't even hit the thousand. So what does that tell you? Yeah, you can have a crushing work environment. That guy falls down. You can't hit the production standards. There's 8,000 more willing to come in right behind them. And, uh yeah, it's just it's just an ocean of people. People need jobs, and it's like we'll just churn and burn. And. Yeah, it's awful. It's awful. Evan Forrest [00:43:20] How did those teams of two, like, adequately, evaluate a candidate when there's so many different teams? Todd Shapiro [00:43:31] You have a set list of questions. Again, it's highly organized and choreographed. You have a set list of questions, and, you know, they're leading questions like, you know, if you're, if you're a good worker and you're, you know, trustworthy and all of this, you know, you can sorta tell by the answers. That's why it's two people. Because while you're asking, the other person is taking notes, but they are watching for, like, a tell. You know, could they be lying? Could they, did they get the dates wrong? Like, did they mess up, you know, and then you're like, “okay, this is a, this is a made up resume.” And yeah, it, it's got to be in teams because you're going to miss something like, you know, I could be reading the sheet asking the question, and he's like, you know, they're spacing out, doing something else, or, and then it's all noted. It's stapled in a box and then the next one, and then you got to process 8,000 applications and answers. So there's two boxes. There's like, you know, call them back for a second. Don't call ‘em. So you're sort of making a split-second decision on that. But you can tell I mean, you know, a lot of times it's, it's very apparent. But if you're, if you're not sure, if you're like, hey, maybe, call back for a second, let another team evaluate it and, and do it. Evan Forrest [00:44:56] Sounds like you've gotten pretty good at reading people throughout your years. Todd Shapiro [00:44:59] Yes, yes. Yeah. When you're managing people in, in, in a very physical environment, you really get, you learn people, you can read them. You know if they're having a bad day. You know if they're having a good day. You know what motivates them. You know what de-motivates them. Yeah. It's, it's the only way to survive and get better is to really learn how to work with people. Which is why in this new world of ours, you know, everything is remote. And, I mean, I work in a remote world now. I mean, I implement software at some of the largest retailers in the world, and we do it with teams all over the world, and we've never met in person. I mean, it's just, it's unbelievable. And I feel that somebody knew, like, for example, the two of you, once you graduate, if you were to go to a software development firm, you gotta go to an office. Like, how on earth are you going to learn or whatever your field is. If you're at home staring at a monitor like you need mentoring and you need like, interaction. I mean, I really feel for, for younger people that are starting jobs, like, during Covid or soon after. It is hard. Like you've got to do it in person, learn how to work, learn how to interact with people, and then when you become more senior in your positions, then go remote. But to start off that way is, that's crazy. Marah Frese-Despins [00:46:28] Overall, are you happy to have had that experience at Target, even if it wasn't always great or happy to bring those experiences in the future? Todd Shapiro [00:46:36] Yeah, it's, it's I'm definitely glad I went through it. And look, having that logo on your resume, that opens doors, there's no question. I mean, I could have been a janitor, but people see the red thing on my resume and they're like, oh, you worked at Target. And it's like, yeah. And it's unbelievable how that alone can open doors �and, and change the conversation. And I'm glad I went through it. I mean, I, I would have always wondered, right, like, what is it like on the inside because you think, wow, this is a big, amazing company, you know, everybody loves going into a Target. But had I not done it, I always would have wondered, and I'm very glad I did. Evan Forrest [00:47:20] So going back into time, if you could go back, would you change anything about the way you approached college? Your field of study, knowing what you know now? Or if you could give advice, what would you what would you say? I know you gave the advice of going to an office and getting that human relation, and, but, would you go back and change anything about the way you approached it? Todd Shapiro [00:47:46] No, I, I thought I had a fantastic undergrad experience. I'm super happy I studied business, and I didn't, you know, I didn't go, like, the finance track. I didn't go, you know, the accounting, you know, the classic business stuff. You know, I stuck to what I enjoyed which was operations. And I'm super glad I did. But I will say you can always change. And a quick story. So in the 1990s, right. That's when startups and the internet and all of this was starting to take off. And here I am, an operations guy. Right. Physical product, kind of like a factory. And I remember, starting graduate school, going into the career office, like my first week and saying, hey, “I want to get into IT.” And they laughed at me. They laughed at me. Can you believe that? The career office at BU was like, “what is your background? No! You can't. You're ,you're in like, operations. Yeah. You can't.” And I was just like, “oh my God, I have to get into IT.” And so I graduated in 2002. So 20-something years later, I am so deep in IT, it's not even funny. So I would say, don't ever think you can't change or maneuver. You just got to kind of take stock of what you've been working on and say, “oh wow, what I'm doing now, could I apply this to the area of interest that I've got?” And, and you can do it just because I'm like, “wow, we use systems every day in product distribution. So why couldn't I be on the other side of that?” So whatever your interest is or whatever, there is always a way to figure out how to, how to get to what you want to do. And don't let anybody tell you, you know or laugh at you that you know, you can't make that change. So. Yeah. Evan Forrest [00:49:55] What does the future look like for you in your work environment? Do you just continue to do the same thing or... Todd Shapiro [00:50:02] Good question. That's a good question. I work in a very stressful environment, now, if you must know. Big websites, very big budgets, and very tight deadlines. Our projects run from a year to 18 months to spin up a, you know, a big website. We can have anywhere from 20 to 50 people working on it, developing it, integrating it. I enjoy the work. I enjoy my team. But. Yeah, I'm curious what's next? It's like, okay, you know, am I just going to keep building these things? And, yeah, I almost want to go smaller again. I almost want to get back to that, like MFA bike shop kind of thing. Like more entrepreneurial, you know. It doesn't always have to be big and fast and, multinational, multi-bazillion dollars, you know. It's like maybe do something a little smaller that, you know, a little slower pace where you can have more creativity. Because when you implement these big things, whether you're at Target or you're implementing a website for a major, major retailer, like, you have to fit their standards, right. You know, there's, there's margins. It's nice when you can put your own creativity and spin on something. So if you're doing your own thing, if it's entrepreneurial or it's a smaller company, you can wear a lot of hats and you can try different things and you can make suggestions and get creative. Right. And that, that is where I think it's going for me, is trying to get back to that entrepreneurial, a little more creativity, not pedal to the metal all day long, every day. �Marah Frese-Despins [00:51:47] I think we're about done. Unless you have any more questions, Evan? If there's anything you want to add. Evan Forrest [00:51:54] Not for me. Todd Shapiro [00:51:55] Okay. That was. Evan Forrest [00:51:56] Great. Marah Frese-Despins [00:51:58] See? Other. � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Saratoga Labor History Digital Archive Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource August 11, 2023 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Eric Morser Language A language of the resource English Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Eric Morser Subject The topic of the resource Labor History Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Jesse O'Connell Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Oral History Date Created Date of creation of the resource. August 11, 2023 Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Interviewer The person(s) performing the interview Evan Forrest, Marah Frese-Despins Interviewee The person(s) being interviewed Todd Shapiro Location The location of the interview Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, NY Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Audio Recording Duration Length of time involved (seconds, minutes, hours, days, class periods, etc.) 51:49 Record Creation Date Day/Month/Year of record creation/edit September 22nd, 2025 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Interview with Todd Shapiro Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource April 15th, 2024 Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. Saratoga Labor History Digital Archive Description An account of the resource Todd Shapiro brings 30 years of experience in the retail supply chain, blending expertise in both e-commerce systems and retail distribution operations. Currently serving as the Sr. Director of PMO at DMI, he leads the Program Management Office overseeing large-scale e-commerce platform implementations. Todd and his team work closely with some of the world's largest retailers to build and enhance their online storefronts, integrating new features and driving operational improvements. Prior to his current role, Todd spent over a decade managing retail distribution centers for major companies such as Target, Aramark, and the Museum of Fine Arts Boston, refining his skills in logistics, supply chain optimization, and operations management. His extensive career allows him to seamlessly bridge the gap between traditional retail logistics and the growing demands of digital commerce. Todd holds a BSBA from the University of Vermont and an MBA from Boston University. Language A language of the resource English Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Eric Morser Type The nature or genre of the resource Oral History https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/63bc23ca3c9ae2c738f513d9b74290d4.jpg 6031e036c7a68a7dff3c78593160bdf6 https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/7e9f83af0743394092555795b2b9abb2.mp3 ba23b51c4ea659f8925eaf6008973129 https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/b21e48258a6c4da901ceebf6144e85bc.pdf 9a4548b0009fcd18bbc5d42ff97b15d5 PDF Text Text Tim McGuiggan Interview Conducted By: Isabel Kroeger and Nate Meyers Recorded: 3/22/2024 at 1:30 on Skidmore Campus Nate M. [00:00:01] Alright, so we just wanted to ask basic information to start off with like your name and where you grew up and also what growing up in said place was like. Tim McGuiggan [00:00:17] So my name is Tim McGuiggan. I grew up in a town called Whitesboro, New York, which is just outside of Utica. Utica was an old mill town that kind of fell on hard times while I was growing up. It was one of those towns that was built around, a company, it was built around General Electric, and General Electric pulled out, which made it really diminish the city quite a bit. But when I was younger, and still to this day, I still consider myself a Central New Yorker. It was a great place to grow up. The food is incredible, still is incredible. But you could go into one town, New York Mills, people were speaking Polish, South Utica people speaking Italian, Northern Utica, people speaking Spanish. It was incredibly ethnic. It was great place grow up, great, great place to grow up. That's it for now. Izzy K. [00:01:19] Um, so I know you talked about how your mother and your grandfather were in unions. Tim McGuiggan [00:01:25] Yes. Izzy K. [00:01:26] Um, and did that, um, affect you growing up? Did you know about it growing up. Tim McGuiggan [00:01:31] Oh, absolutely. Some of my first memories actually with my grandfather, he was, when I was younger, preschool age, like four or five, he was retired from the railroad, he was a railroad worker. And one of my fondest memories of him was my mother and I would pick him up and we'd go to the Union Hall for Friday fish fries or whatever the meal was. And it was, it was his social club, his... That's where he met up with all the old retired union guys, and they tell stories and things. So unions have been a part of my life going back there, not just the labor aspect of unions, but the social aspect of the unions as well. So earliest memories there, I remember also as a adolescent, early teen, my mother's union going through some fights. I also had an aunt who was a president of a teacher's union. That was back in the days when you could strike as a teacher and she actually led one of the first strikes in Central New York. So it was all around me as a child. Nate M. [00:02:37] Can you not go on strike as a teacher? Tim McGuiggan [00:02:38] In New York State, you are not allowed to actually strike. There's something that's called the Taylor Law in New York State, which makes it illegal for us to strike. There are some other components of it that give the union benefits as to offset the fact that we can't strike. Nate M. [00:03:00] Is there, do you think it like, is it equal payout for the benefits of not being able to strike? Tim McGuiggan [00:03:11] It's situational depending upon where you are, so the main payoff is this, teachers in New York State work on a salary schedule, so we're guaranteed a raise every year. We know, I can tell you what my raise is going to be for the next three �years, right? If that contract expires, then the salary schedule stays in place. So, in other words, even though our contract is over, I continue to get raises year to year to year. So that's the guarantee that we got in exchange for giving up the right to strike. I think it's good because I don't think, especially now, public employees striking gets the positive response from the community that it used to. So I don't think we would strike anyways. Nate M. [00:04:06] Um, was your grandpa still involved with the union even after he retired, like more than just meeting him? Tim McGuiggan [00:04:12] Yes. He wasn't an active officer or anything, but everything from community service projects he was involved in, but if they had labor rallies, he was always there for those. He still, even though he was retired, had a vote in the union, so he would always be there to vote. And they were the labor unions in Utica, but I think just about anywhere back in the 70s. They were very connected, so if the pipe fitters needed support in action, the railroad workers went there and he was there with those too. There was a social aspect to that too as well, but he was definitely still active in the labor movement even after he retired. Nate M. [00:05:04] I'm sorry, these are kind of choppy. That's OK. We had to cut it down from how many we originally had. What exactly do you do for the union, and how long have you been doing it? Tim McGuiggan [00:05:15] Okay, so currently I am the president of the Saratoga Springs Teachers Association. That's the teachers union for the Sarotoga Springs City School District. We have 548 members. I am elected to a two-year term. I'm serving in my third two- year term right now, so I've been in this position for six years. Previous to that I was, I think the best term to equate it would be a shop steward. I was a head building rep in our high school which was our largest building for five years previous to being that. Previous to that I was also a vice president. I got involved in our union 21 years ago when I got laid off by the school district and as it turned out the president of our union at that Struck kind of a backroom deal with the district that would benefit her personally in exchange for not putting up a fight to lay off 13 turned out to be 13 people of which I was one so that outraged me quite a bit and prompted me to say okay well we need a new direction and you can't do that from the outside so if you're going to complain you got to get involved so that's how I got involved. Wasn't the best reason to involved or or situation that got me involved, but it's good for some fun. Yeah, but that's where I got in. Nate M. [00:06:48] Are there any current issues the union is focused on that you can talk about? Tim McGuiggan [00:06:56] The school safety is a huge issue for us. Not just where you're seeing, you know, active shooters, things like that, but we have a lot of very volatile students in our schools now. And this is not just us here at Saratoga, this is country-wide and my knowledge is mainly statewide. That's kind of whammy going on of we have a tremendous amount of teacher burnout happening, so we have a lot of people leaving the profession, and at the same time we don't have anybody entering the profession. So it's causing a tremendous of shortage of teachers, which does not, it certainly hurts the districts and it hurts our students, but it also hurts us as an association. We don't want to see that either. So we're very involved in recruitment right now as well. I would say those are probably the two biggest issues facing. Izzy K. [00:07:57] And how do you deal with those issues of the union? �Tim McGuiggan [00:08:01] Well, we have a lot of art, so we're associated with the New York State United teachers, NYSUT. They run a lot on the recruitment side. They're doing a lot there in terms of working with colleges. We actually started a program this year in our high school to try and recruit students to start thinking about possibly education. So we're running a couple classes. My internship program that I run actually places students as teachers, kind of as... Kind of a modified student-teacher situation, so to try and get people interested. So we're going down into even the high school level to try to get students interested and carry them through there for that. On the burnout side, that's not as easily done because the demands on teachers has changed a lot in the past three years and you're always balancing. What's good for, as a union leader, what's good for teachers with your primary focus, which is always what's best for students. So that balance is difficult. On the school safety side, that is a hot button issue in our community, especially if you guys, I don't know if you follow anything that's going on in our communities, but you have a very divided community about school safety. You have a large group of people who want a very upfront police presence, armed police presence in buildings, and then you have a very large group of people who see it the exact opposite way and don't see that as a good environment for students. And both sides are constantly trying to get the teachers to chime in on their side. So for as a union leader I have to be very careful how I address that issue. One, make sure, my primary job is to represent my members. I can't state my own personal opinions. I have to state the opinion of the membership. But there's times where I have to be careful how that's said so it doesn't get misconstrued or we don't pull ourselves into a place, into a conversation that we don't really have a place in. So it's a difficult balance, very difficult balance right now. Nate M. [00:10:21] How does the union handle internal... conflicts or just differing ideas. Is there like a place to debate? Tim McGuiggan [00:10:31] Yeah, we have a representative government built within our union. So our school district has eight buildings, right? Six elementary schools, a middle school, and a high school. In every building there are elected representatives and those positions are a one-year term so every june we have an election and each building picks who they want to be their representatives who are their voice basically they're they're congress people right. And then we have what's the next level up is what's called our executive council our executive counsel would equate to congress They are the decisionmaking. Group for our union. They then, whatever that group decides, gives the officers, myself and my vice presidents, okay, this is the direction we want you to go. Now it's my job to see that through, right? I don't have executive power like a president does. I don't sign off on things or whatever. I'm involved in the debate. I provide information in the but but they are the decision-making party. So, and even though it's those people with the vote have been elected, anybody can come to our Executive Council meeting so you don't have to be a representative to speak at one of our meetings. And oftentimes that's usually what happens. Someone will come bring a concern or an issue to the executive council, make their case like hey I think we should start pushing for this and then we'll debate it and then the council will make a vote and decide which direction they want to go. Izzy K. [00:12:16] Are there, like, what percentage of teachers are in the teachers' union? Tim McGuiggan [00:12:20] We, so this, I don't know if you guys may not know this, there was a huge shift in the labor movement for public employees recently. It was called the Janus decision. It went to the Supreme Court decision. It used to be we were a closed shop, which meant if you were a teacher in Serratory Springs, you belong to the union. �You didn't have a choice. Now everybody has a choice, so when people get hired by the school district, we meet with them and try and convince them to join the union we right now have 500, I think our exact number is 518 members. We have two teachers who are not numbers. That's it. The average in New York State right now is running somewhere around 90 percent. So we're well above the average. But it has changed how we deal with things quite a bit because it used to be just, you're a member of the union, you don't have a choice. Now we actually have to, which I think is a good thing, kind of an unintended consequence. It's made us actually stronger because it has the executive committees and the officers to be much more focused on talking and listening to every member rather than just you know, kind of the people who are involved. We do a thing in our union where we call it a one-to-one where we take that executive council and we divide up all our membership so every member in our association gets a one on one conversation with one of those executives council members, one of those building reps. And we basically, we don't ask them, we basically ask them three questions every year. Number one, how are we doing as a union representing you? What do you think we could do better? And are there any specific issues that we're not addressing that you think need to? And those, that came straight from, out of that Janus case where we decided we needed to make sure our members see us every year, hear from us. We're a big district. We are spread out over eight buildings. It's very easy for someone to get lost. So we make sure that we're in touch with everybody. And a lot of great ideas have come out of those conversations. A lot of good ideas. Nate M. [00:14:38] Do you guys ever collaborate with other unions? Tim McGuiggan [00:14:41] Constantly. Constantly, other teachers unions primarily. So, we are We have all different types of committees and associations. There is, in this area, there's something called the suburban council, which is very similar schools from Albany up to here that we work with. I'm also on the Saratoga County Labor Council. So on that council is people from aluminum workers, steam fitters. Uh... There's railroad there's communications union there are other teachers unions that are there professor university professors have representation there so it's it's it's a constant you're constantly communicating because you if you if you just to isolate to what's going on in your place you're not seeing what's goin on there's so many different resources out there for everybody so we're constantly talking. Izzy K. [00:15:46] In a slightly different direction. Can you talk about kind of everything that you do? I know you do a lot So not just Tim McGuiggan [00:15:54] Not just union? Okay. So all of my different roles, are you ready? Okay, so my primary job is I am a high school teacher in our business department. So within that I teach a college-level business law class, a 200 level business law class. I teach data design class, which is primarily an advanced Microsoft Excel class and I run our internship program. I am our union president. I run our business club, DECA club. I run a community service club that's through the Saratoga Lions as well. I am the lead of our mock trial team. I also teach, I'm adjunct professor with SUNY Adirondack up at Comstock Prison, which is a medium security prison. And I teach the law class and also the data class up there as well. Trying to think of what else I do. I am a member of the board of directors of the Saratoga's Community Federal Credit Union. So I sit on their board of Directors. I am husband, father of three adult children and also a brand new puppy. Nate M. [00:17:12] What type of dog? �[00:17:13] Yellow Lab Golden Mix. So we had two dogs. We have, we have not had a puppy in over 20 years. We're dog people. I met my wife 37 years ago, right. And we got our first dog when we were in college and we counted this from that point till our two dogs passed away in September. We have been without a dog in our life for seven days. And then there was another 10 days till we got this puppy. So, so we are definitely dog people, but one of the dogs that we just had to put down was a yellow. Lab golden mix and we thought he was just the sweetest thing so we said you know what let's give it a shot again so my wife is retired so she's home all day so she is actually dealing with the puppy which is nice i just come home and play. Nate M. [00:17:58] Was she at all involved in the union? Tim McGuiggan [00:18:00] She was a teacher for 34 years at saratoga springs schools she she was involved in the union as a member but never enough in an official capacity she was not a building rep or anything like that, but she was involved in a lot of our committees and things. Nate M. [00:18:18] Um, so you said you work with the prison a bit to teach. Have you had any, is there anything like prison unions? Tim McGuiggan [00:18:26] Yeah, as a matter of fact, I was there last night and I was having a conversation with one of the corrections officers. They all belong to a union called NYSCOBA, the New York State Correctional Officers and something or other association. And they are a very, very strong active union in New York state. Uh... So i was uh... One of them was talking about an issue so i introduce myself and told them what my role was we just kind of uh... As i have to i have a pretty long walk down to where the school area is in the jail and he walked with me and we just talked about the different issues that they're dealing with versus what we're dealing you know it's completely different world what they're doing with so but they are a very very strong union uh... And uh... They are uh... They have to be because, you know, I'm dealing with things like, you know, when my people get in trouble, it's because they show up late to work, or they leave early, or, you know, kind of somewhat minor things. When their people get more get in trouble, It's usually because they got involved in some kind of a physical altercation with an incarcerated individual, you can't use prisoner anymore. So. It's a much higher level than what I'm dealing with in a lot of ways. It's a fascinating part of my... I got involved in it two years ago. I wouldn't tell you it's the best part of my work week, but it is fascinating. It's definitely fascinating. Nate M. [00:20:06] Do you believe the work makes an impact? Tim McGuiggan [00:20:08] Oh absolutely, I can give you a can because of confidentiality, but I know of four of my students who have graduated with an associate's degree and have used that to either enroll in a four year program or used it to get a job. So we know for a fact that it works. Absolutely do. Izzy K. [00:20:28] So you're involved in, really involved in the community. Tim McGuiggan [00:20:32] Yes, very much so. Izzy K. [00:20:34] What's your motivation? �Tim McGuiggan [00:20:36] I love this place. I really do. I mean, you guys are here. It's not a normal little city, right? It's pretty amazing, everything that we have for the size we have in Sarasota Springs. And I firmly believe and have always believed that the school district is the center of the community just because we deal with everybody. We deal with everyone who has a kid. In a lot of different ways. So yeah, it's it's I benefit a great deal from living here. So the more I give, the more I benefit, quite frankly, it is a little bit of a selfish thing as well. So but yeah, I do. I've lived here for 36 years. I still do consider myself a from New Yorker just because I grew up there, but... It's it's been a wonderful place that I have never thought of leaving here at any point at any Izzy K. [00:21:38] Mm-hmm. Nate M. [00:21:48] What was the original purpose of the teacher's union? Tim McGuiggan [00:21:52] So teachers unions didn't really start until the early 70s. And in New York State, there was kind of the grandfather of teachers union was a guy by the name of Al Shanker, who organized the first unions down in the New York City area and started the New York State United teachers. And it centered 100% around pay. I remember when my wife started teaching, my wife started before I did. She knew people that were teachers. Getting a full teacher's salary, who were also collecting food stamps. Because the salary was just nothing. Our salary is still not, in comparison to other people, we're required to have a master's degree. In comparison to people with master's, we're still not on the same level. Yes, we do get six weeks off in the summer, which we get that. Trust me, no one takes that for granted. But that was the center of it. But from that also were things such as our health benefits, which are good in comparison to anybody right now, and also our retirement system were things that were built in to compensate for the salary discrepancies that we had. So that was the center of the teachers unions. That was the main purpose of where they came from, at least in New York State. Nate M. [00:23:19] Do you think like paying salary are still one of the main goals? Tim McGuiggan [00:23:21] Oh, absolutely. Absolutely. We are currently negotiating. I'm negotiating our contract, our new contract right now, and they're the number one and two issues. The cost of insurance is just, it's incredible. So, you know, you're talking real dollars out of people's pockets when you're talking insurance right now. So they are the main issues. We have other issues about work that we're dealing with about, you know, that you normally deal with in your contract language, trying to, you know how our work day goes and things like that. But the main things are always paying insurance. Always paying insurance, our retirement system is not, that's regulated by law so you don't negotiate anything when it comes to retirement. Nate M. [00:24:10] How long do contracts normally last? [00:24:12] Anywhere from three to five years, I would say the average is three years, but we are just, we came to the end of a five-year contract because we had a lot that we wanted to structurally do within our contract. So it took us five years to, you can't just, you can't, just come up with a completely new concept and say, okay, we're starting that next month. You've got to build to it. So we did a five year contract because we had things that we want it to build. Um, but on the average, they're three years. Most, most are three year deals. Nate M. [00:24:43] Is that, is that an average, like, for here specifically, or is that? �Tim McGuiggan [00:24:48] Again, New York State, I would say, the average is three years. Definitely. Izzy K. [00:24:55] When you're negotiating, who exactly are you negotiating? Tim McGuiggan [00:25:00] We are negotiating with the school district administration, so the superintendent of schools and anybody else he designates. Usually, every school has a finance officer. They're part of the negotiations. And usually, the school's counsel, their lawyer. They are technically negotiating on behalf of the school board, which oversees everything. The school board is basically the board of directors of the School District. They're technically negotiating for them on behalf of them, but the reality is the school board is going to approve whatever the administration, in most situations, it's rare that they would not support their administration. So that's who's on their side. On our side it's teachers, it's our officers, but then also NYSUT, our parent union, provides someone who's called the labor relations specialist, and they help us in our negotiations as well. But we do, and this is not normal, we as an association that serves the SSTA, we contract out with an actuarial service, we contact out with a couple of other services to help us because we're not professional negotiators, right, we don't, but we're not stupid, so we know to go to people who know what they're doing. Nate M. [00:26:22] While you've been president, have there been any particular issues you can talk about that have stood in the way of the union? Tim McGuiggan [00:26:31] In terms of getting it stood in the way of getting a contract or it stood in the away of us just as an association things that we wanted that we weren't able to accomplish? Nate M. [00:26:40] Either, whichever one is easier to talk about. Tim McGuiggan [00:26:42] Well, I cannot talk about our current negotiations as to what we're talking about and things. But in years past, the length of the workday and the amount of contact time with students has been something that we as a district, that was that five years that we had to work on and change because, again, this goes back to when I said earlier, as we're in a different situation in that. We're also worrying about students, right? That's, we didn't, like you'll hear people say all the time, you didn't become a teacher to get rich, right. You became a teacher because you love working with students and that's your goal. So there are times when you give things up for the students that may not be in your best interest as an individual and time is usually the thing. So, structuring your day is a very, very important part of any teacher's contract. And again, how many students do you see in a day? How many classes do you teach in a today? What are the responsibilities you have outside of just teaching and, again, what's the overall length of the instructional day? Those are big big hurdles that that are there. As far as negotiating a contract, that was our last one. We dealt with that a lot. Outside of negotiating issues that we come across in in for us is the entire COVID situation. I can't I can tell you how many hours I put in. So when that hit in March. No one knew what to do. So we scrambled, we went online. You guys were all a part of that, right? It stunk, it was terrible. Everybody knew it was horrible, right. So we spent that entire summer trying to come up with something that was better than that. But it's also, again, that balance. As representing the teachers, I had to make sure that what we came up with wasn't so oppressive to us that it just burned everybody out. But you also wanted to make it was a valuable instructional model for the students. So we spent, I mean, I think I worked seven days a week through �that summer just trying to come up with stuff. We're working with the district trying to come up the plan we were going to use when students returned that first year. So, and that still didn't work that well. But it was the best we could do, but it still wasn't good. Still wasn't. Nate M. [00:29:24] Um, do you feel like, I guess, did COVID have any impact on union meetings? Tim McGuiggan [00:29:31] Yeah, we had to go Zoom, and they stink. We went to Zoom meetings throughout there. Our executive council meets once a month. But here's the thing, they stink in the sense that for me, as president, I need to, it's not just hearing somebody say something. I need judge how important is this issue to everybody? It's not by just what people say, it's... You've got to look around the room. Who's uncomfortable? Who's comfortable? Who's getting agitated? Who is not? I'm constantly dealing with the different worlds of elementary versus secondary. Elementary teachers are nothing like secondary teachers. The secondary day is nothing like the elementary day. So I'm almost, I feel at times like I'm the president of two unions. So having everybody in the room is really good. Having everybody on Zoom takes away a lot of that interaction, but it's really convenient. So my members right now, I'm struggling right now getting members to come back in person, not because they're afraid of COVID or getting sick. It's just a heck of a lot easier, especially if you're an elementary teacher and your day ends at 3.30 and our meeting starts at four. Where we try to have it in a central location so they've got to pack up, get out of the school, come to the meeting, versus just flicking on their computer in their classroom where they can sit in great papers while they're listening to the meetings. So it's been a challenge getting everybody to come back in, but it's just so valuable that you can't not do in-person meetings. You know, I mean, again, picture Congress not in person. It's not the same. Not the same. Do you have any other? Tim McGuiggan [00:31:23] Have you taught anywhere else besides here? Tim McGuiggan [00:31:25] I taught, I started teaching at Ballston Spa. I taught there for two years before I came here. Prior to that, I went to, my undergrad degree is in hotel restaurant management. That's what I went school for. And I went, when I graduated college, I went straight to work for Marriott Hotels and I loved it, it was great. But I had an aha moment where I was working, I had worked a wedding, got out at 2.30, that was a Saturday night. I went as I was leaving, I made the mistake of looking in my mailbox and there was notice saying that Sunday morning, which was my day off, 7:30 cabinet meeting, which I was a member of the cabinet, I was the catering director. And so I had to get home, I got home about 3 o'clock, get back up at 7, come back down for the meeting. As we were waiting for the general manager, everyone was talking and it dawned on me that 12 of the 13 people sitting in the room were divorced. And I was fairly newly married, I think the third year of marriage. My wife was pregnant with our first child and I just thought this isn't a good lifestyle for a family. So I then, me and my brother who was a stockbroker, he was burning out of that job. We bought a bread distribution company. We delivered Thomas's English muffins in the local area so that I could go and get my masters at night. And he just needed a break. And we were gonna do that for, the plan there was to do that for two years, sell the business, and go our separate ways. And we ended up doing it for six years because it was a bit of a racket and we made a bunch of money doing it. So once that, and then it kinda came to an end and that's when I moved into teaching. Nate M. [00:33:17] I've gotta get into the bread industry. Tim McGuiggan [00:33:18] Not anymore. It's no good anymore. �Nate M. [00:33:20] Oh, really? [00:33:20] No, it's only a 2% margin now and they have a much stricter control over the distribution of it. Because they only have a 2% margin, so it's not the racket that it used to be. That's why we got out. We saw it changing. So we sold it. We started out where I think we owned the distribution rights to Colony, Latham, and a part of Albany. By the time we were done, we owned all the way from Clifton Park down to Cogleskill. We just kept buying up routes, buying up roads from different people because we kind of, we understood the system better than other people. So we were making money, making money. And then it got to the point where, well, Thomas got sold to another company and that another company came in and went, oh, wait a second here, what's going on? And we knew at that point, we were like, okay. So we sold the company, got out. It was a good deal, it's definitely a good deal. Helped compensate for the low teacher salary I was taking on. So yeah, so and then I started out, I started out in special education as a behavior specialist. So I took, I had my first program at Balston Spa, I had kids coming out of juvenile hall. So I've kind of come full circle. I started teaching kids coming to juvenile hall and now I'm winding up my career up at a prison. So That's how I started and then I moved over to Saratoga to start that similar type of program. Then I got laid off That whole story and then because my degree was in business They had a retirement in the business department. So I applied for it and I got it Nate M. [00:34:58] What were you teaching before business? Tim McGuiggan [00:35:00] Special education. So I was teaching those students earth science, algebra, English, and global studies. They were in my room all at the same time. Izzy K [00:35:11] Are there different issues that are important to special education? Tim McGuiggan [00:35:16] Absolutely. The laws regulating special education are very specific and difficult for a school district to follow. They're very labor-intensive. It's so special that it is very expensive, so it makes it difficult for districts. So one of our jobs, prior to me coming, I had a special ed teacher come over to come and see me because they're not staffing her room properly. She's supposed to she has a very intensive need students. Physical intensive needs, emotional intensive needs and academic intensive needs. She's supposed to have three people in her room with her at all times. In case one student kind of flares up, you need to have others in the room. Well, we're having difficulty filling those positions the district is. So it's causing issues where she's in a room with all these intensive need students and it's her and maybe one other person when she's supposed to have three other people. So they come to me to say hey they're not following the regulations so then my job is to go to the Director of Special Ed and point out the fact that they're not and I kinda tell them if you don't these are the options that I have to follow to force you to. Kind of thing and we don't you always you always want to come to an agreement rather than force a decision so you always I at least I find I always offer like how can I help in any way there's times where you can't do that there's just times where it's just listen you and I are at loggerheads and we need to force an action of some kind but you try to avoid those at all costs. You absolutely try to avoid this at all cost. It doesn't benefit you ever to go in and pound down the desk. I don't believe it. Izzy K [00:37:14] How can you force it? �Tim McGuiggan [00:37:16] You have, you have, so we have different procedures built into New York State law. So, or into our contract. So, within our contract, we have a very specific grievance process spelled out. So, if we feel the district is not following the contract, and that means any part of the district. So, let's say we have principal that is telling teachers, New York state laws. I'll give you a simple example that happened at the beginning of the year. New York State law says teachers must get a minimum of a half hour uninterrupted lunch, right? It's simple and basic, everyone knows it, it's been that way since I can ever remember. Well we have a new principal hired who came in from outside the state, doesn't know that law, and they started handing out 20 minute lunches. So I call up and I say politely, you need to give them 30 minute lunch. And the principal's response was, well, I can't, I need him to do this, this, and this, too bad. So then I go to the superintendent and say, okay, we're going to start our grievance process. They're violating the contract. We gave them a chance to fix it. They didn't fix it, so now there's a process we file. We write a formal letter, they have 10 days to respond to that letter in writing. Either one, they're gonna stop the practice, or two, they are going to say, no, we don't think we're violating the contract. Then from that point, it then goes to arbitration in our grievance process. We then go to arbitraion, and the third party comes in, it's just like a court hearing. We make the case, they make the case. Nate M. [00:39:02] So since you can no longer strike, what's a way you can put pressure onto the school district or like whoever you're trying to get adjustments to be made with in a way that isn't striking? Tim McGuiggan [00:39:21] Um You can, there's a couple different ways. If you feel like you can't, you can no longer work with the administration. They're just not hearing you. Then you start working with the school board and you start communicating with the School Board. That's a tactic that you use very sparingly because you don't want to go to the well too many times and you don't want to get the School board involved in minor things, right? It's got to be something big. So that's one that you can do. The other is, is you can force, you have the legal recourse through grievance if you have to, and you can follow that process. The problem with grievance is it takes a very long time. So let's say, again, the lunch thing. If we, we did not end up going to grievance on that one. We wrote the letter, the district responded saying we understand that the law says 30 minutes and and they fixed it right away. But let's say they didn't do that. It would probably take two to three months for them for us to have an arbitration hearing. And then it takes two to 3 months for that arbiter to come back with a ruling. And that entire time, whatever we're saying is wrong, is still going on because they're not changing it. So members get frustrated because they feel like nothing's happening and their problem is still there. But it's the process that we have. So, and then the other is, and again, this is one of those you have to be very careful how you use it, is collective voices, and sometimes involving the community, if need be. I haven't done that in as long as I've been around because we haven't felt the need to. We have an incredibly supportive community. Our school budgets pass on average a 80 to 20 vote, which is almost unheard of. So you don't want to play that card. By involving the community too much because you can come across as, sometimes you come across as whining, sometimes they don't understand the inner workings of a school, so they may not, it may be difficult to explain it to them, so you don't actually get the point that you want to make. So that's a difficult thing to do as well. So primarily your best option is always sit down with the district administration and come to some kind of a resolution. It may be everything you want. It's enough. Nate M. [00:41:56] For legal recourse, do you have any, like, it doesn't have to be realistic, but any ideas you would- in a perfect world like to expedite the process. �Tim McGuiggan [00:42:11] Well, I would love for there to be, we have an arbitration process, but I would like another step in there, which is a mediation process. I would, like, because it's usually quicker, it's not binding, right? So both parties can walk away from it if they want, but if we had a mediatation step in, I'd like that. That's a third party sitting down and trying to help us negotiate the situation before we go to an arbitrations situation. I have In six years, we've gone to arbitration two times, right? Only two times. We've, we, the SSTA have won both times, fortunately. One was over an individual teacher and their performance. And then the other was in regards to our contract and the time of day or the amount of teaching time, right. You go through that process and there's no way you walk away from that process without somebody, and in that case both sides on it, feeling kind of some animosity towards each other. It's just, it's the nature of the beast. I would have preferred that there would be a mediation step in there, a third party to come in and kind of go, all right, one side. You're really not on base here. You might want to think about coming to a resolution or to say that to the same side, or say to both of them, you guys are both nuts. Here's in, but offer up some solutions that I would definitely prefer to see. I would prefer to see, but it's just not part of the normal practice. It really isn't. So that's one aspect legally I would like to see Nate M. [00:43:57] Oh, I have one more question that I was wondering. I know union busting was definitely a thing a little while back. Is there any modern versions of that? Tim McGuiggan [00:44:10] Yes, absolutely. And in this town, actually, fairly recently, so I referenced the Janus decision, which I believe is five years old now. Right after that decision, there were groups who were trying to lure teachers out of the union, telling them, you know, because your union dues, you know save yourself, our union dues are $700 a year. Save yourself the $700, the union doesn't do anything for you stuff like that. They actually, locally try to have a I think it was a, the primary purpose was a fundraising dinner, but they invited a bunch of teachers to come and they had a guest speaker who was going to, who was one of the parties in the lawsuit, who was a factory worker and wasn't a teacher, to again try to recruit people, not just Saratoga Springs, but in the area to try and get teachers to start leaving. They set it all up. Rented out a restaurant. When the restaurant owner found out what it was, he canceled it. And his response was he did not want to do anything that would be disrespectful to the teachers in the community. His kids came through our school. We all know them. So it built a tremendous amount of you know, respect from us. I promised you that we made sure that that business stayed in place during COVID and we rewarded him with a lot of appreciation for that just in bringing them business. But so for the year after that Janice decision there was a lot of that going on. It wasn't effective. They were not able to peel away a lot teachers, like, for example, us with only two. So it has died down again, but that was it was definitely. That was the attempt of the lawsuit that got brought to the Supreme Court, and they tried to use it, but they did not use it successfully. At least in New York State, they haven't used it successfully, our NYCIP was the state union was projecting that we were going to lose 15, that across the state we were gonna end up losing somewhere around 15% of our membership. And I think we ended up, like I said, I think the average we ended up losing is somewhere between 4 and 5% tops. And the majority of that was in New York City, not here. So it is very good. It's very very good and then the charter schools Was another attempt at union busting and then if that didn't work as well, so then they turned into a profit motivated industry. Nate M. [00:47:12] Did charter schools come into conflict with public schools a lot? �[00:47:15] Not here, but in mainly urban areas. Albany, they have two or three, but they failed. And then the school district actually took them over, and now they're successful. The concept, the actual concept of a charter school, you gotta, I don't know if you remember, I mentioned the guy who started teacher's unions, Al Shanker, that was his idea. He actually started the charter concept in New York State, but then it got stolen and the meaning and everything was changed. So in Albany, the district has actually taken those school districts over because they were failing financially, but they've kept in place a lot of the concepts of a charter school, a nontraditional school, and they're doing quite well, right? But now those teachers who were previously not unionized. They're now part of the teachers union, they're now getting paid because the phrase that you always heard was churn and burn. They'd bring in teachers, they'd burn them out, and then see you later, and they'd bring in more, burn them up, and throw them out and it just, it didn't work. Nate M. [00:48:26] Is there a union in the general area of upstate New York? Yeah, I know that's kind of a mystery. But that you think is the ideal for what a teacher's union should look like. Tim McGuiggan [00:48:42] I would say there is a union that I look to a lot for guidance and that's the AFL-CIO of New York State. The president of the AFL-CIA right now is a very dynamic person but even though they weren't faced with, because they're not public employees, the face with the same issues that we were with the Janus decision. He actually made that shift earlier. He's the one that I stole the one-to-one idea from. He's one that has talked about the idea of we have to accept the fact that unions got off the rails for a while. We need to get back to serving each individual member and connecting with each individual number. So, so. [00:49:30] Also, what does that stand for? [00:49:32] The AFL-CIO? If you go back way into the very beginnings of unionization the AFL was the American Federation of Laborers. That's one of the first ever labor unions there. I'm not 100% sure what the CIO stands for, but it is I think one of the largest. Izzy K [00:49:53] Something industrial organization? Tim McGuiggan [00:49:57] Yeah. They're one of the largest unions out there. And they have many different affiliations. Just like we as, so our structure is, so Saratoga Springs is the local association. We are a member of New York State United Teachers, who is a member of the American Federation of Teachers. So there's, and usually that's how unions run now. There's the local, the state level, and the federal, and the national level. So He's the director of the New York State AFL-CIO. There is a national level there, too. You will, again, probably not in your interest area, but recently, so the president of the AFT is a woman by the name of Randy Weingarten, who was a teacher in New York City, now she's the national president. She was just identified by somebody who's, Mike Pompeo was looking to run for president in 2024, as the most dangerous person in the world. More dangerous than Vladimir Putin, more dangerous than Kim Jong-un, more dangerous then anybody else she is because she's the president of the teachers union and his take was the teachers are going to ruin the world So we face some of that as well. We are definitely. Recently the CRT, have you heard that phrase. Critical race theory. There are many people out there who believe that teachers are pushing critical race theory and I can tell you with absolute certainty that of my 518 members, I would be willing to bet you that 500 of them don't know what critical race is because we don't have time to worry about that stuff. �Izzy K [00:51:54] Is that an issue that you face in the communities, like, has the community talked about that? Tim McGuiggan [00:51:58] Our most recent school board election, which was back in May, was very heated and very abrasive and just like everywhere else in the country, it became very political. And a lot of people targeted school boards to be kind of the ground level of where So we had people at our school board meetings, because at the beginning of every school board meeting there's an incredibly fascinating moment where anybody can get up and speak. And we were accused of everything from promoting gender conversion to critical race theory. We were promoting a people accused us of not letting teachers carry guns, even though teachers want to carry guns. I don't know one teacher that wants to carry a gun in school, flat out don't. So we got accused of a lot of things during those open forum sessions. And I met every school board meeting and I just sit there and listen to it. There's nothing you can do to convince some people. Izzy K [00:53:21] Yeah, we should probably wrap up soon. Just gonna ask like two more questions. So what's your perfect ideal world as a teacher union? Tim McGuiggan [00:53:38] So can I tell you, I was up in Lake Placid two weeks ago at a conference, and there is one of those stores on the main drag, had one of the stores that sells like funny signs. And their sign was, I wish to live in a world where a chicken can cross the road without someone questioning their motives. And I thought to myself, and I laughed, ha ha ha, and I kept thinking about that. And I'm like, you know what? That to me is what I want. A perfect world to me is a world where nobody passes judgment on somebody else. We're gonna have all different types of people in the world. Just let them be, long as they don't harm somebody else, but I feel way too much. I see it, I'll be honest, it's a concern that I have seeing students in our schools. Way too much, I'm right, you're wrong. Far less of... Any type of willingness to either work together or understand somebody else's perspective. It's not, it's not there. So yeah, a place where we don't have judgment is my perfect world, absolutely. And a lot of hot dogs because that's the perfect food. Nate M. [00:55:00] Based on that, would you say that you think the community is becoming more polarized down to, like, the students? Tim McGuiggan [00:55:08] I mean you watch, watch, well, so a phrase I use all the time and I've actually gotten some people actually reached out to me to ask me because they heard me quote it is, I have always believed that public schools are a reflection of a society, not a driver of society. Public schools are never going to push an agenda on society. We are an exact reflection of it. My membership is a reflection of society. I have people on all areas of the political spectrum, and that's just because that's who we are, our students. Are a reflection of their parents or their or their home lives. I should not say their parents because many of them aren't living with their parents, but they are a reflection of the homes. So what we're seeing in school is just a reflection about the community and absolutely yes we are polarized. There's very clearly polarized. Yeah. Where I don't see polarization, quite frankly, is up at the prison. Feel it. Yeah, I feel like prison is prison to me is like teaching 15 years ago. There's a higher level of intellectual curiosity For them, it's not a necessity quite honestly There they are a much more thoughtful and tolerant group that I see in my high school right now. �Nate M. [00:56:35] Do you think a large community, a large diverse community that's forced to live together is part of that reason? Tim McGuiggan [00:56:43] Yes. I mean, you guys walk around town, we're not exactly diverse in Saratoga Springs, right? I mean this is one you may probably edit out, but I mean the running joke about Skidmore was your bus that used to drive around was white, and the joke was even the busses are white in Skidmore, right? So we are not diverse. My membership is not diverse, our faculty, I have no control over who they hire. Our faculty is is not diverse. My membership is not. We are not a diverse community So I think that unfortunately adds to some of the polarization. Growing up in Utica again all of the different cultures that blended together That's I think what made me love Utica so much was you had to like I'm picture now There's a market in New York Mills called Hapanowitz's market You walk in, they all speak Polish, right? I picture now someone walking into that market, it's still there and they still speak Polish. Somebody like pounding on the counter saying, speak English. Like, no, you'll get what you want to get. Like, if you have to point to it, who cares? But instead of embracing those different cultures, we are kind of pushing away. So, yes, I would say more diversity means more tolerance. Unfortunately, that's one of the only things about Saratoga I'm not the most proud of. Nate M. [00:58:15] Any other questions? Tim McGuiggan [00:58:16] Yeah, you said you had two. Izzy K [00:58:17] Yeah, just final question. Is there anything that we haven't asked you about that you want to talk about or anything we did ask you about, that you wanna expand on? Tim McGuiggan [00:58:28] The only thing I guess I would say is the future of the labor movement or unionists is the phrase you hear a lot as people use as unionists. I think what you're seeing is the pendulum is swinging back. Unions used to be very powerful, then unions got corrupt. There's all kinds of evidence of it, right? They got corrupt and corporations in particular were able to use that to diminish unions but you're seeing laborers start to see the value again in unions there's strength in unity you can't fight starbucks alone but if you're the entire store you can. So you're seeing that growth in retail places that you'd never seen it before. So Amazon, Starbucks are kind of big name ones. You're starting to see the labor movement grow again because of the necessity and this campus is a classic example. Your professors just went through a massive fight. Massive fight. My daughter is a doctor. She just left Albany Med. But she was down there, their nurses, I personally marched with them, I think, five times. They went through a three-year battle to unionize, and then after they unionized, the hospital still wouldn't give them the respect that they were asking for. They weren't asking to get rich, they were just asking for decent working conditions. And then COVID hit, and then all of a sudden the hospital's like, you guys are heroes, you're wonderful, yeah, yeah. But what were we six months ago, kind of thing. So I do think you're seeing a growth, definite growth, which that would be my question. Did you guys actually, as students, see, hear, or get any feeling about what was going on with the professors here? Was it pretty much a catalyst. Under the Izzy K [01:00:30] Um, I, there was a table outside the Tang Museum, um, where they had, they were giving out pins and that sort of thing. So I have a couple pins for that. I accidentally grabbed one that said, I'm voting for the union. And then I was like, oh wait, I know. So I had to, one of them says I'm voting and then one of the says I like for, um �teachers union or something like that. So there was that and we talked about it a little bit in our class because it's a labor class. Nate M. [01:00:58] Yeah, we did bring it up. It was also, some of the teachers who are not even sure now, because it's been a little while and they don't have the best memory. But they put up some posters on the entrance to the dining hall. I don't know, that was last semester, right? [01:01:21] Yeah, pretty much came to, Well, it was resolved in the spring. Nate M. [01:01:27] Yeah, so it was either the end of last semester or the start of this semester, but they put up flyers on the door basically listing for all the students their reasons for being unhappy. Izzy K [01:01:38] And last year, now I'm remembering, they sent out Skidmore News or something sent out an email to basically everyone that you could sign a form that said that you were for unionization. Tim McGuiggan [01:01:58] Yeah, so that would be the only thing that I think we didn't cover was what I think is going to happen in the future and that is I think you're going to see more and more of a resurgence of labor unions, especially in the non-traditional areas such as you're seeing like retail. Retail was never really a union stronghold service. Hotels have always been a pretty strong union area, but restaurants not necessarily, but you're starting to see that more and more Nate M. [01:02:32] Have you seen the news about the railroad union? Do you have any thoughts about that, that you're willing to share? Tim McGuiggan [01:02:40] It's interesting, I mean what jumps off the page is a 24% pay increase. I did not, I was not aware of the ability of the federal government to impose a contract on them, but I had to read up on that a little bit and where that came from. In essence, if the railroad shut down it would be a national emergency, so that gives them the ability to do that. So, yes, but look at what they were fighting over. They were fighting over salary, paid family leave, which is a real interesting topic, paid family leave medical benefits. And that's what everybody fights over, right? So, private, the law of the New York State says you can get paid family medical leave. If you're a private employer, you... You have to provide that, but it doesn't come off like it sounds. You have provide it, but public employees like us, they don't have to provide it to public employees. So, so if we want it, we have to negotiate it into our contract. And then the question becomes at what cost? Cause what are we going to give up? What's interesting about it is it's the, it's all insurance. So it sounds like the employers are paying. For their employees to go on medical leave. What actually, it's the employees are paying for an insurance policy that pays for them to go out. Money doesn't come out of the employers, not at all. They have to manage it. It doesn't cost anybody a dime other than the employees. So it's a question of do you want to pay for that or do you not? We do, we have a lot of very young, and my membership of all of New York teachers in general, it's very heavily female-dominated, right? Teachers are predominantly women. So maternity is a huge issue that we deal with. And fairness in using family medical leave or paid family medical leaves is something I have had to study and study and study to be up on it, so yeah. So that's, the railroad is like everyone else, money, benefits, health insurance. But trust me, the next time we go sit down with our district and we talk about our contract, I'm going to be throwing out 24%, 24% increase, you know. I'd be derelict if I didn't. �Nate M. [01:05:23] Well, thank you so much for doing this with us. Thank you. Tim McGuiggan [01:05:28] Yeah, I hope it works out well � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Saratoga Labor History Digital Archive Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource August 11, 2023 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Eric Morser Language A language of the resource English Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Eric Morser Subject The topic of the resource Labor History Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Jesse O'Connell Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Oral History Date Created Date of creation of the resource. August 11, 2023 Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Interviewer The person(s) performing the interview Isabel Kroeger, Nate Meyers Interviewee The person(s) being interviewed Tim McGuiggan Location The location of the interview Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, NY Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Audio Recording Duration Length of time involved (seconds, minutes, hours, days, class periods, etc.) 1:05:30 Record Creation Date Day/Month/Year of record creation/edit Septermber 22nd, 2025 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Interview with Tim McGuiggan Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource December 2nd, 2022 Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. Saratoga Labor History Digital Archive Description An account of the resource I have been an active member in our labor union for 28 years. I am currently a teacher at Saratoga Springs High School and adjunct professor at SUNY Adirondack. My most recent position within The Saratoga Springs Teachers Association was as President and served in that role for seven years. I have also served as a delegate to the New York State United Teachers Association ED10 committee. Currently I serve as lead negotiator for the SSTA along with Head Building Representative on our Executive Committee. Language A language of the resource English Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Eric Morser Type The nature or genre of the resource Oral History Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Record Contributor Individual who prepared the item and/or edited it. Krystle Nowhitney Hernandez Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Erick Alberto Estrada Martínez Title A name given to the resource Poder y Equilibrio/Power and Balance Alternative Title An alternative name for the resource. The distinction between titles and alternative titles is application-specific. Erick Alberto Estrada Martínez_2017_1.jpg Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2017 Subject The topic of the resource Saratoga Race Course, Saratoga Springs, NY, USA Description An account of the resource El vuelo ágil de la libélula y su capacidad de moverse en todas las direcciones destilan una sensación de poder y equilibrio, algo que solo viene con la edad y madurez. Igual que yo tengo poder y equilibrio en mi vida y en mis logros para ir a la dirección correcta. The agile flight of the dragon fly and its ability to move in every direction, distill a sensation of power and balance--something that only comes with age and maturity. The same way that I have enough power and balance in my life and in my achievements, to go in the right direction. License A legal document giving official permission to do something with the resource. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Digital Photograph, JPEG art bilingual Estamos Aqui immigration Latinx race track Saratoga Race Course Spanish Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Record Contributor Individual who prepared the item and/or edited it. Krystle Nowhitney Hernandez Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Erick Alberto Estrada Martínez Title A name given to the resource Recuerdos/Memories Alternative Title An alternative name for the resource. The distinction between titles and alternative titles is application-specific. Erick Alberto Estrada Martínez_2017_2.jpg Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2017 Subject The topic of the resource Congress Park, Saratoga Springs, NY, USA Description An account of the resource Sepan que la vida en este país no es fácil, paso momentos agradables y desagradables, es difícil estar solo extrañando a mi familia en todo lo que hago, pienso en mis amigos y al final me quedo con el momento en que regrese a mi país y la felicidad completa que estará ahí para mí. You should know that life in this country is not easy, I go through nice and not so nice times, it’s hard to be alone missing my family in everything I do, I think of my friends, and in the end I cling to the moment that I’ll return to my country and how complete happiness will be there waiting for me. License A legal document giving official permission to do something with the resource. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Digital Photograph, JPEG art bilingual Estamos Aqui immigration Latinx race track Saratoga Race Course Spanish https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/5bf8a989044cb90dccd192806ce1daba.pdf c09fd46a786084fdc676eeae8c0691a8 PDF Text Text AMENDMENT CHAPTER 240 ZONING ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF SARATOGA SPRINGS AMENDMENT TO THE ZONING ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF SARATOGA SPRINGS TO ESTABLISH THE PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT KNOWN AS " YMCA OF SARATOGA COMMUNITY CAMPUS" BE IT ORDAINED by the City Council of the City of Saratoga Springs, following a public hearing as follows: Section I: NAME: The ordinance shall be known as the YMCA of Saratoga " Coirununity Campus Planned Unit Development" and amends Chapter 240 of the Zoning Ordinance of the City of Saratoga Springs, New York. This project is also referred to herein as "PUD ". Section II: AMENDMENTS: The Zoning Ordinance of the City of Saratoga the Zoning Map of the City of Saratoga Springs as set forth therein shall be and the same hereby are amended by changing the permitted ( Code ") and Springs, New York, the " uses for the land owned by Young Men's Christian Association of Saratoga Springs, Inc. YMCA ") designated as tax parcels 178 4 17; 178 4 18. ;178 4 18. ; - - -1 - -2 Applicant" or " 178 4 19; 178 4- 112; 178 4 21; 178. 1 1 2; 178. 1 1 3; 178. 1 1 4; 178. 1 1 5; - - 20. - 4 - 4 - 4 - 4 - - 178.41 1 8;and 178.41 1 9 on the Inside Tax District Tax Map for the City of Saratoga - - Springs and real property designated as Tax Parcels 178 2 1; 178. 8 1 35; 178.48 1 37 - 4 -- on the Outside Tax District Tax Map for the City of Saratoga Springs, which property is presently located in two zones for purpose of zoning classification under the Code, that being Transect Zone 4 — Urban Neighborhood for those parcels immediately adjacent to West Avenue and Transect Zone 5 General Urban Zone for those parcels located to the east of West Avenue, but not adjacent thereto, as specified herein. Section III: BOUNDARY: The area of the YMCA of Saratoga Community Campus Planned Unit Development consists of 25+ acres made up of the following Tax Parcels: 178 4 17; 178 4 18. ;178 4 18. ;178 4 19; 178 4 20. 12; 178 4 21; 178. 1 1- - - 1 - -2 - - - 1 - 4 4 4 4 4 - 4 - 2; 178. 1 - 3; 178. 1 - 4; 178. 1 - 5; 178. 1 1 8; and 178. 1 1 9 on the Inside Tax District Tax Map for the City of Saratoga Springs and real property designated as Tax Parcels 178 2 1;178. 8 1 35; and 178. 8 1 37 on the Outside Tax District Tax Map for - 4 - 4 -the City of Saratoga Springs. Said property is described in Exhibit " " A attached hereto. 1 �The boundary may be expanded without further municipal or legislative action to include any of the following properties immediately adjacent to the PUD site: Tax Parcel 178. 1 1 1,178. 1 1 6,178. 1 1 7,178. 3 1 17, 178. 3 1 18, 178. 3 1 19, 178. 3 1 20 4 - 4 - 4 - 3 - 3 - 3 - 3 - - and 178.33 1 24 on the Inside Tax District Map for the City of Saratoga Springs and Tax -Parcel 178.48 1 16 and 178. 1 1 14 on the Outside Tax District Map for the City of -4 - Saratoga Springs, if and only when, they come under the ownership or control of the applicant. When such properties are proposed to be added to the PUD, the applicant must provide written notice to the Clerk of the Saratoga Springs City Council. The Council shall have 30 days from the date of the notice to object to such action. If an objection is recorded by the Council, the boundary revision shall not be valid until further action of the City Council of the City of Saratoga Springs. If no objection is recorded with the required 30 day period, the amendment shall be valid and the City Clerk shall revise the City zoning maps accordingly. The boundaries may also be expanded upon petition for a zoning change or a PUD amendment made to the City Council of the City of Saratoga Springs. Section IV: OBJECTIVE: It is the objective of the Ordinance to bring about a creative land use allowing the buildout of the site to be achieved in an integrated fashion. The mixed use concept that is proposed will allow the development of a significant interactive indoor outdoor / recreational facility on the interior of the site with the construction and development of office, retail, commercial and or residential uses along the West Avenue corridor. The / PUD will be constructed in a way that takes into consideration the " est Avenue — W Southern Area" Special Development Area recommendations as set out in the Saratoga Springs Comprehensive Plan to include the construction of multi story buildings, diminished setbacks for structures along West Avenue, shared driveways and parking lots and pedestrian access to the PUD Site. Section V: SKETCH PLAN: A" Sketch Plan"of a build out scenario of this site showing the development of B. It is anticipated that beyond the as Exhibit " construction of the YMCA the site may evolve and over the decades reevolve. As a result, the attached Sketch Plan may change, be altered, or amended pursuant to Section the entire site is attached hereto 240 3. of the Zoning Ordinance. -6 Section VI: USES AND CHARACTERISTICS: The PUD shall be divided into two zones with Zone A being the first to be developed as a YMCA facility,to include the public bike and pedestrian path. A second area designated as Zone B shall be primarily located along the West Avenue corridor and shall offer the opportunity for structures to be constructed along the West Avenue frontage of a more / commercial office retail related nature. / These structures may be 2 �constructed on property through a long term lease from the PUD real property owner, constructed by the PUD real property owner or may be located on a subdivided parcel. In the long term construction, leasing and possible subdivision of this site, flexibility in use is desired. As a result uses permitted in Zone A may shift to Zone B and uses in Zone B may shift into Zone A upon the granting of a special use permit by the Planning Board of the City of Saratoga Springs. A plan showing the areas of Zone A and Zone B is attached as "Exhibit C ". The structures to be constructed in Zone A may have a gross usable square footage of up to 130, 00 square feet. Attached as Exhibit D and made a part hereof are 0 the uses that are permitted within Zone A of the PUD site. The structures to be constructed in Zone B may have a gross leasable square footage of up to 100, 00 square feet. Attached as Exhibit E and made a part hereof is the 0 uses that are permitted in Zone B. Area and Bulk Standards for Buildings within Zone A shall be as follows: 1. Principal Structures: a) b) c) d) Gross leasable square footage - maximum 130, 00 square feet. 0 Building height excluding appurtenances — 60 ft.maximum. Building height - 18 feet minimum. Street frontage - no requirement for street frontage other than for driveway access to West Avenue and New Street or Congress / Avenue. e) f) g) yard setbacks - minimum of 24 feet to property boundary or Zone boundary. Permeable area to include permeable area within the deeded pedestrian/bike path —minimum 40 %. Parking - there will be no setback for parking spaces for principal uses where Zone A and Zone B abut, along the pedestrian/bike Front side rear / / path or along a public road extended through the PUD site. Parking shall be setback a minimum 24 feet from all other PUD site boundaries. 2. Accessory Structures: a) b) Building height - 30 feet maximum. / Front side rear yard setbacks / 10 feet minimum to property boundary or Zone A boundary. Area and Bulk Standards for Buildings within Zone B shall be as follows: 3 �1. Principal Structures: a) b) Gross leasable square 0 footage —maximum 100, 00 square feet. Building height - two story minimum, 40 feet maximum excluding appurtenances c) minimum 5 feet and maximum 10 feet from West Build to line — - - Avenue property line. 50% minimum of the leased or subdivided real d) Build out - e) property that has frontage on West Avenue Side yard setback - 0 minimum for each side or for the side on an interior public roadway, or driveway; except where building lot abuts residential property where the setback shall be a minimum of 12 feet. setback - minimum 12 feet from leasehold or f) Rear g) Permeable Area within leasehold or subdivided property — yard subdivision line. minimum 10 %. h) Parking - parking spaces must be located to the side opposite West Avenue or to the sides of the structure, even when the structures located on an interior public roadway or driveway. 2. Accessory Structures: a) b) c) yard setbacks — 0 feet. Rear yard setbacks —minimum 5 feet. Front yard setback —minimum 10 feet. Side Section VII: ISSUANCE OF BUILDING PERMIT: Prior to the issuance of a building permit to develop any or all structures within the PUD, except as exempted in Article 240.5 of the Zoning Ordinance of the City of Saratoga Springs, the applicant shall receive final PUD site plan approval for the structure(s) be constructed from the City of Saratoga Springs Planning Board. All to building permits or sign permits within this PUD shall require architectural review approval from the Design Review Commission of the City of Saratoga Springs pursuant to the provisions as set forth in Article 240.8 of the Zoning Ordinance. It is anticipated that there will be multiple applications for PUD site plan approval and each application shall show the relationship between the building(s)be developed, to the vacant areas within the PUD and any improvements from a prior PUD site plan approval. Each final PUD site plan shall respond to the requirements set forth in Section 240 5. of the Zoning Code of the City of Saratoga Springs. -4 4 �Section VIII: PARKING LOADING DOCKS: / The interactive nature of the uses proposed in the PUD allows for a parking plan which incorporates the "shared parking concept" so as to best utilize the parking to be constructed within the zones of this site. As a result, upon reasonable proof being supplied at PUD site plan review the Planning Board may reduce the amount of required site on - parking up to thirty percent (30 %) the total parking demand. of Because of the intermittent demand for parking within the structures to be A,thirty percent (30 %)of the parking required or requested may be constructed in Zone constructed on permeable grass surfaces. The required on site parking for any use in Zone A or Zone B does not have to be - located on the same owned or leased parcel. The required onsite parking must, unless waived by the Planning Board during PUD site plan approval, be located on a parcel within the PUD with appropriate easements. Parking requirements shall be the same as those set forth in Article 240 11 of the - Zoning Ordinance except as noted below: Parking The Zone A: parking area Health Club Establishment — 1 parking space for every 250 gross square feet of indoor facility and 1 parking space for every 5 participants that the outdoor facilities are designed to accommodate when used to the maximum capacity. within Zone A shall have a minimum of ten percent ( 10 %) green space within the parking area or adjacent to the parking fields, unless waived by the Planning Board during PUD site plan approval. The Zone 13 parking fields shall have a green space requirement of five percent 5 %) ( green space within the parking area or adjacent to the parking field, unless waived by the Planning Board during PUD site plan approval. The delivery area for all Zone B structures shall be situated to the side or rear of the structure fronting on West Avenue. The delivery parking loading area for structures / in Zone A shall be determined at the time of PUD site plan approval. The PUD at build out shall at a minimum have two (2) entranceexit locations on / West Avenue and one (1) either New Street or Congress Street. The vehicular ingress on and egress for the structures constructed in Zone B will be at a minimum by the three (3) common entrance exit locations / / specified above. The tenants and or owners of the structures in Zone B shall be given cross lot easements through Zone A for the purpose of ingress and egress to their individual site from the public roadways. Zone B building, unless subdivided with proof of on site parking in compliance with this legislation shall - be given an easement for non -exclusive excess parking in Zone A. The development of 5 �the Zone A uses shall at a minimum require two entrance exit locations: one (1) West / on Avenue and one (1) either New Street or Congress Street. on Section IX: AMENDMENTS TO THIS ORDINANCE: This PUD shall be developed in general compliance with the final approved Sketch Plan"as specified in this Ordinance. Any amendments thereto shall be pursuant to the applicable provisions of the Zoning Ordinance of the City of Saratoga Springs, New York unless otherwise specified herein. Section X: INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS: The entire project, as set forth herein, will be serviced by municipal water and sanitary sewer lines. All services and improvements that are to be dedicated to the City of Saratoga Springs will be constructed to City standards as they exist at the time of construction. All other services and improvements shall be constructed in compliance with applicable codes, rules and regulations, with the exception that the public mains may be located within cross lot easements. - Potable water will be supplied to the structures constructed in Zones A by means of an eight (8) inch main entering the PUD site from West Avenue. As a portion of PUD site plan approval for the first building in Zone A, the applicant shall replace approximately two hundred (200)linear feet of existing six (6) inch potable water main in West Avenue with a new twelve 12) inch main. This extension of the main in West ( Avenue will go from the intersection of the northwest corner of the PUD site in a generally southerly direction along West Avenue. At the time of PUD site plan review for the any structure within Zone B of the PUD site, the Planning Board may require the replacement of the existing six (6) inch water main in West Avenue along the remaining frontage of the Zone B properties with a new twelve ( 2)inch water main. 1 All private watersewer lines connecting into any structure in the PUD shall be / individually metered. Storm water disposal shall be by means of a retention/ etention andor infiltration d / system located on the site with outfall into the municipally controlled storm water system. The City is hereby granted the right to enter upon the PUD site for purposes of making emergency repairs to any privately owned main, pipe or line. The City shall have the right to charge the real property owners whose pipeline or main is repaired for said service. Prior to the time of the first PUD site plan approval for the PUD, the Applicant shall grant to the public by means of offering and if accepted, conveying to the City of Saratoga Springs, New York a strip of land being approximately fifty ( 0') in width 5 feet west of the PUD site's easterly boundary. The Applicant shall retain the right to cross 6 �said strip of land, at a location or locations to be determined at any PUD site plan approval for the purpose of extending driveways roadways, sidewalks, utility and storm / water drainage easements through said pedestrian/ ike path. These crossings shall be b created so as to allow vehicle, pedestrian, utility and storm water easements to extend into and out of the PUD site to and from the real property and public roadway which exists to the east of the PUD site. If the strip of land, which is conveyed, primary use as a path open to the general public is discontinued, or if the land is transferred without restrictions that it be primarily used as a path and trail open to the general public, then title to the real property shall revert to the Applicant or its successors or assigns. The Applicant shall not be responsible for the construction, care, maintenance, improvements, reconstruction, security, or landscaping of the pedestrian/bike path and shall seek to be held harmless for all injuries, damages, judgments, fees and provided a legal defense from all claims and actions, arising from incidents on the pedestrian/bike path not caused by the direct action of the applicant or its successors. The Applicant and its successors shall be responsible for the reasonable restoration of the pedestrian/bike path arising from the introduction, construction, maintenance and reconstruction of driveways roadways, / sidewalks and utilities across said pedestrian/bike path. During PUD site plan approval for the first building within the PUD provision will be made for the accommodation of a future public road extending from the easterly boundary of the PUD site south of the main parking area, to the easterly boundary of West Avenue. This portion of the roadway driveways shall be built to City of Saratoga / Springs specifications for a public street and shall be dedicated to the City of Saratoga Springs upon written demand from the City of Saratoga Springs upon the construction of a public road from New York State Route 50, through the lands presently owned by the Espey Manufacturing Co. to the easterly boundary of the PUD site. The City of Saratoga Springs will be responsible for the construction of the connection of the road from the easterly edge of the PUD site to the roadway driveway constructed on the PUD site. / Section XI: OFF SITE IMPROVEMENTS: - The Planning Board of the City of Saratoga Springs may require a traffic analysis and traffic mitigation improvements related to the structure to be constructed during PUD site plan approval for structures in Zone A or Zone B. As a portion of the PUD approval for the first structure in Zone A a public sidewalk and curb if not already in existence or a requirement of an approved plan will be extended south on the east side of West Avenue to the northwest corner of the site. Also a sidewalk and curb shall be constructed along the New Street frontage. A pedestrian walking system shall be constructed within the PUD so as to gain access to the buildings therein constructed. As a portion of the PUD site plan approval for structures in Zone B a public sidewalk shall be constructed along the east side of West Avenue, along the leased/ urchased frontage of the structure that is to be constructed. p 7 �Section XII: TIME EXTENSIONS: On good cause shown the PUD owner may apply for an extension of an approved PUD site plan which request shall not be unreasonably denied. An application for such request shall be made to the Planning Board of the City of Saratoga Springs. Section XIII: SIGNAGE: Signs within the PUD shall conform to all provision of Article 240 10 with the exceptions set forth below: ZONE A: 1. Freestanding signs: a) A freestanding externally illuminated sign with a maximum signage size of 24 square feet per side constructed to a maximum height of 12 feet may be placed at the New Street or Congress Street entrance exit and at one of the West Avenue entrances exits / / to the site. b) A freestanding sign with a maximum signage size of 12 square feet per side with a maximum height of 6 feet may be placed at the second West Avenue entrance exit. / c) If more than one user is incorporated into Zone A, then two 2) ( directional information signs may be constructed within Zone A on / the entrance thereto. This sign shall be no greater than six square feet per side and no taller than five (5)feet and may contain the name of the user/usiness, but is subject to architectural review by b the Design Review Commission. 2, In addition to the wall signs permitted pursuant to Article 240-10( )( 2), c the YMCA may place a logo sign which may be internally illuminated on the general southerly and westerly walls of the YMCA structure. The logo shall be no greater than 24 square feet and is subject to architectural review by the Design Review Commission. d) 3. Non -illuminated directional signage may be placed within Zone A for the purpose of internal circulation and direction to user parking for Zone B. These signs shall be no larger than four square feet per side and five feet in height and may contain the name of the user/usiness, but shall be b subject to architectural review by the Design. Review Commission. ZONE B: 1. For each leased or subdivided parcel a freestanding sign may be erected in the " uild to" B - area along West Avenue. If the structure is to be occupied 8 �by one tenant or user, then the sign shall be 12 square feet per side. If the structure is to be occupied by more than one tenant or user then the freestanding sign may be 24 square feet per side. The sign may be externally illuminated. 2. Each structure in Zone B may have a wall sign on its West Avenue facade and the facade opposite the West Avenue facade. The total area of the wall signage per facade shall not exceed two ( square feet for each linear 2) foot of building frontage attributable to the particular business or businesses which the sign will identify or fifteen percent ( 5 1 %)of the total area of the building facade upon which the signage is to be placed or one hundred ( 00)square feet, whichever is less. 1 Section XIV: CONSTRUCTION STANDARDS: Unless otherwise noted in this Ordinance, or not required by law, all City construction standards current at the time of PUD site plan approval for any project, shall be met with regard to improvements which are to be made in a public right ofway or - with regard to improvements which are to be made in a public right - way or with ofregard to improvements that are intended to be dedicated to the City of Saratoga Springs, N. . Y All construction standards for buildings and public improvements and for utilities shall be prepared and approved by licensed architects, landscape architects or engineers. All costs associated with this shall be borne by the real property owner whether the plans are provided by the City of Saratoga Springs or by the real property owner. Further, all completed construction shall be certified to the City of Saratoga Springs by licensed architects, landscape architects or engineers as being completed in the manner called for in the plans and shall be certified in accordance therewith. Section XV: EXPIRATIONS: Planned unit development zoning approval for this site shall expire if final PUD site plan approval for the first building in Zone A is not granted by the Saratoga Springs Planning Board on or before December 31, 2008. Planned unit development zoning approval for this site shall expire if final PUD site plan approval for the first building in Zone 13 is not granted by the Saratoga Springs Planning Board on or before December 31, 20015. If the PUD legislation expires the zoning for this site shall revert to the zoning districts in existence for this site at the time of the enactment of this legislation. Section XVI: VALIDITY: If any provisions of this Ordinance shall be held invalid the remainder of the Ordinance shall not be affected. 9 �Section XVII: MODIFICATIONS: The Applicant may, upon approval of the Planning Board of the City of Saratoga Springs, alter, modify or change the number, placement and type of structures to be constructed within the site so long as the alterations, modifications and changes does not result in an increase in density for which on site parking cannot be provided, constructed or obtained. Section XVIII: EFFECTIVE DATE: This Ordinance shall take effect the day after publication as provided by the provisions of the City Charter of the City of Saratoga Springs, New York. Adopted: June 21, 2005 10 �EXHIBIT A PUD BOUNDARIES All that piece or parcel of land situate, lying and being in the City of Saratoga Springs, County of Saratoga and State of New York being bounded and described as follows: Beginning at a point on the southwest bounds of Congress Avenue approximately 1300 feet from the intersection of said southwest bounds of Congress Avenue with the east bounds of West Avenue, said point being the most easterly corner of lands mapped as the " ongressville"subdivision as shown on a map prepared by J. S. Mott and filed in C the Saratoga County Clerk's Office on August 18, 1902 as Map number AA 121,said point also being the most easterly corner of lands of Saratoga County Economic Opportunity Council, Inc.; running thence along said south bounds of Congress Avenue the following three courses: S 49°15' 00"E 49. 0';S 52°55' 55"E 50. 2'; 82°40' 00"E 41. 4' to a point 5 1 S 1 at the northwest corner of lands of Espey Mfg. and Electronics Corp.; running thence along the northwest bounds of said lands of Espey Mfg & Electronics Corp., being generally along a chain link fence, the following four courses: Along a curve which bears to the left having a central angle of 09°55' 23 ", a radius of 789. 2', length of 136. 4' and a chord of S 45°56' 14"W 136. 7'; 5 a 7 5 S 40°59' 00"W 602. 0'; 49°01' 00"W 10. 0'; 40°59' 00"W 1200. 4' to a 0 N 0 S 5 corner of said chain link fence at the north comer of lands of Sol & Ruth approximate Pinsley; running thence along the northwest bounds of said lands of Pinsley,being generally along a stockade fence. S 40°59' 00"W 190. 6' to an iron pipe capped " 3 S." N. . the center of the Y in former right -of-ay of West Avenue and at the north comer of lands of the People of the w State of New York and the Saratoga Springs State Park; running thence along said lands of the People of the State of New York the following two courses: S 40° 59' 00" 284. 2 "; N 83°01' 00"W 156. 1' to a point at the southeast W 2 8 corner of lands of A. & Brenda L.Henderer; running thence along the southeast Ralph bounds of said lands of Henderer and lands of First Auriesville Corp., trustee N 40°59' 00"E 509. 9' to a point on the west bounds of the former right ofway 9 - of West Avenue and lands of the City of Saratoga Springs; running thence along said right ofway and lands of the City of Saratoga Springs the following three courses: - S 06°12' 00"W 26. 9'; 40°59' 00"E 92. 1'; 2 N 9 N 06°12' 00" 232. 0' to a point at the southwest corner of lands of Oscar W. & E 6 Angela M.Ovitt; running thence along said lands of Ovitt the following three courses: S 83° 48' 00"E 123. 0'; 06°12' 00"E 120. 0'; 5 N 0 N 83°48' 00"W 123. 0' to a point on the east bounds of West Avenue; running 5 thence along said east bounds of West Avenue N 06°12' 00"E 13. 0' to a point at the southwest corner of lands of Niagara 1 Mohawk Power Corp.; running thence along said lands of Niagara Mohawk Power Corp. the following three courses: S 83°26' 25"E 123. 0'; 06°12' 00"E 50. 0" 5 N 0 N 83°26' 25"W 123. 0' to a point on the east bounds of West Avenue; running 5 thence along said east bounds of West Avenue �N 06°12' 00"E 568. 0' to a point at the southwest bounds of lands of Steven A. 9 Sandra J. Swart; running thence along said lands of Swart the following three courses: S 83°48' 00"E 123. 0'; 06°12' 00"E 173. 0'; 5 N 0 N 83°48' 00"W 123. 0' to a point on the east bounds of West Avenue; 5 running thence along said east bounds of West Avenue N 06°12' 00"E 498. 2' to a point at the southwest corner of the aforementioned 7 H Congressville"subdivision and lands of D. . &M.J.Farenell; running thence along the south bounds of lands of Steven A. &Sandra J. Swart; running thence along said lands of Swart the following three courses: S 83°48' 00"E 123. 0'; 06°12' 00"E 173. 0'; 5 N 0 N 83° 00"W 123. 0' to a point on the east bounds of West Avenue; running 48' 5 thence along said east bounds of West Avenue N 06' 12' 00"E 498. 2' to a point at the southwest corner of the aforementioned 7 H Congressville"subdivision and lands of D. . &M. .Farenell; running thence along the J south bounds of the " ongressville"subdivision and said lands of Farenell the following C two courses: S 49°25' 00"E 156. 3'; 06°16' 26"W 24. 1'; 4 S 2 running thence along said south bounds of the " ongressville"subdivision, being along said lands of Farenell, lands of C David E.Frantz and Carol A.Frantz, lands of David F.Madden, Jr. and Debra L. Madden, lands of Harold A.Post and Shirley A.Post, lands of Shirley Post and Robert McDonough, and the aforementioned lands of Saratoga Economic Opportunity Council, Inc. S 82°58' 00"E 937. 5' to a point; running thence along the east bounds of the 5 Congressville"subdivision and said lands of Saratoga County Economic Opportunity Council, Inc. N 40°59' 00"E 28. 0' to the point and place of beginning. Containing 24. 39 0 8 acres of land. �rl i ESPEY MFG. NEW STREET ENTRY AND EXIT NIAGARA MOHAWK EASEMENT X11% 0 1 ' - 1- WIDE RAILROAD RUN TRAIL CORRIDOR 50 SEWER EASEMENT • c. i' '' 4 J f t y i / OUTDOOR RECREATION SIDEWALK CONNECTION TO RAILROAD RUN DAYCARE DROP OFF - a i AREA s L OVERFLOW PARKING POSSIBLE FUTURE BUILDING EXPANSION TYP.) OUTDOOR RECREATION AREA VEHICULAR DROP OFF AND PICK- P U 7; I P;, F POTENTIAL CITY STREET AND CONNECTION THROUGH SITE S I 4 AREA 1 01 k - NEW YMCA FACILITY STORMWATER RECREATION AREA . y \ wain r § to7Yg 4, . 111 1 a ;' 4444ii 4 i4i'}111 a TO SIDEWALK I dam „ IJ k I t` RAILROAD RUN TRAIL l IlII} III rii' I I l 4iiiinfNHi`l li4 4 ri 2 = 9 a 4 vt1HI1HNf IIHa V IIINIIIHIl114 - ^ i 4 1i} lilNiD }! s, 4V1Vi`444 i 7r k : •' I 1 I 4l rr S _ Z' 11111I(' .,, li€€ L-..., 11, °' off! ,- 1 i 1' r s li l L - _ TRAIL CONNECTION 4 pF5 tq g(g5 { fF ii, I CONNECTION TO RAILROAD RUN TRAIL v j BUILDING EXPANSION TYP) ti M, F F' POSSIBLE FUTURE 3 r I- el MANAGEMENT AND z NIAGARA MOHAWK EASEMENT i DAYCARE PLAY 1 k 1+ 1? 1 L ENTRANCE/ XIT I E - lit '\ MIXED JSE OFFICE MIXED USE OFFICE I MAIN ENTRANCE'EXrT STORMWATER MANAGEMENT BASIN MIXED USE OFFICE.,, I 1111 Tlior he YMCA of Saratoga The YMCA of Saratoga Saratoga Springs, NY 0 - Community Campus P.U. Exhibit B - Sketch Plan w Rev. May 23. 2005 �lot so NORTH ESPEY MFG. 1 NEW STREET ENTRY AND EXIT NIAGARA MOHAWK EASEMENT t a SEWER EASEMENT R N6F OUTDOOR RECREATION AREA 50' WIDE RAILROAD RUN TRAIL CORRIDOR 1 SIDEWALK CONNECTION TO RAILROAD RUN tv -, 4 , 4 I- . 1 DAYCARE DROPOFF - y`, POSSIBLE FUTURE BUILDING EXPANSION I TYP.) OVERF_ W PARKING O k r. V VEHICULAR DROP OFF AND PICK UP - ZONE A \ ` I RECREATION AREA POTENTIAL CITY STREET AND CONNECTION THROUGH SITE NIAGARA MOHAWK EASEMENT q 1 DAYCARE PLAY AREA O NEW YMCA FACILITY I 1 r I v gA y l 4 pp CONNECTION TO RAILROAD RUN TRAIL x li RAILROAD RUN TRAIL e, I ND to Z&& EA I l ] 1 ss y, . } r, k. 1 2 I NTYP • ( i TRAIL CONNECTION WI ZO TO SIDEWALK' oLr.W CS - ' 1 4F ' B L . E_ • it iT ' ilk 7 71U nl B 1ZON f T3( W. A i m hlij ID t } Y `' • I ZONEB 6a S ry ENTRANCE/ Ili EXIT MIXED USE OFFICE STORMWATER MANAGEMENT BASIN MIXED USE OFFICE MAIN ENTRANCE EXIT / W V MIXED USE OFFICE , 4 ” • 4°. f 1111 The YMCA of Saratog Saratoga Springs, NY The YMCA of Saratoga - Community Campus P Exhibit C Zone Plan - kg fit .> Rev.May 3,20D5 �EXHIBIT D PERMITTED USES WITHIN PUD ZONE A USES PERMISSIBLE PERMITTED PRINCIPAL USES UPON SITE PLAN REVIEW ACCESSORY PERMITTED USES UPON SITE PLAN AND APPROVAL REVIEW AND APPROVAL UPON ISSUANCE OF SPECIAL USE PERMIT UPON SITE PLAN REVIEW & APPROVAL a) Health Club Establishment b) Day Care Center / / c) Bath House Health Center Spa d) Training & Educational Services e) Eating & Drinking Establishment f) Retail a) Storage Facilities b) Maintenance Facilities c) Solar/ eating/ ventilation h equipment d) Private garages and e) Parking Structures f)Antenna and satellite dishes g) Outdoor Pool( ) s Definition: For the purposes of this PUD the use "Health Club Establishment"shall be defined as follow: A membership based recreation establishment that is available to " members and their guests that may provide indoor and outdoor recreational facilities. Such facilities may include swimming pools, spas, bath houses, gymnasiums, fitness centers, court games, recreation rooms, lockers rooms, changing rooms, classrooms, athletic field, etc. Such establishments may also include ancillary support facilities such as administrative office, eating and drinking establishment, retail, etc. for its members and guests." 14 �EXHIBIT E PERMITTED USES WITHIN PUD ZONE B PERMITTED PRINCIPAL USES UPON SITE PLAN REVIEW ACCESSORY PERMITTED USES UPON SITE PLAN AND APPROVAL REVIEW AND APPROVAL USES PERMISSIBLE UPON ISSUANCE OF SPECIAL USE PERMIT UPON SITE PLAN REVIEW & APPROVAL a) Animal Clinic b) Animal Hospital Kennel / c) Art Gallery d) Artist Studio e) Barber/ eauty Shop B / / f)Bath HouseHealth CenterSpa and Drinking g) Eating h) Business Office Convenience Sales and Service i) Business Office j) k) Convenience Sales and Service a) Storage Facilities b) Maintenance Facilities a) Drive In Facility c) Solar/ eating h ventilation equipment d) Private Garages e) Parking Structures f)Antenna and satellite dishes g) Canopies for Drive In facilities h) Home Occupation i) Swimming Pools 1) Drugstore m)Financial Institution/ ank B n)Retail o) Medical Office Clinic / p) Neighborhood Convenience Store q) Professional Office r)Multifamily Residence s) Two Family Residence 15 �ôÞ¿´´-¬±² DZ®µ ÐÙ±«¬±- Ý»®¬·º·½¿¬» Í°¿ Ò»© ïîðîð ß-¾»-¬±Ò± Ò± ððéðíïî ò ß-¾»-¬±- Ô·½»²-» ò íéêë ìç Ú®±²¬ Ø¿²¼´·²¹ Ò± ͬ® ðèóðëìê îê ß«¹«-¬ îðïï Ýßͳ·¬¸ Ю±¶ ݱ³³·--·±²»® Ý·¬ ͽ·® ݱ³³·--·±²»® ±º Ы¾´·½ ɱ®µ- Í¿®¿¬±¹¿ Í°®·²¹ìéì Þ®±¿¼©¿§ Í¿®¿¬±¹¿ Í°®·²¹- DZ®µ ô Ò»© ïîèêê Ê·¿ Ø¿²¼ Í«¾¶»½¬ Ü»´·ª»®§ æß-¾»-¬±ß¾¿¬»³»²¬ ¿²¼ Ì·´» É¿¬»®º®±²¬ λ°±®¬ Ú±®³»® ß¼¼·¬·±²¿´ ±º Ý»·´·²¹ Í¿³°´·²¹ λ-¬¿«®¿²¬ Ü»¿® ݱ³³·--·±²»® ͽ·®±½½± æ ß- °»® §±«® êî®»¯«»-¬ ¿² ô É¿¬»®º®±²¬ ô ê Ý®»-½»²¬ λ-¬¿«®¿²¬ Í¿®¿¬±¹¿ °®±¶»½¬ ©¿- °»®º±® ߪ»²«» ¿-¾»-¬±- ¿¾¿¬»³»²¬ Í°®·²¹- ®»°±® ôÒ»© DZ®µÌ¸·ò ô ¿¾¿¬»³»²¬ ¿½¬·ª·¬·»- ®»-«´¬-¾»»² °®±ª·¼»¼ ·² ¿ ô -«°°±®¬·²¹ ¼±½«³»²¬¿¬·±² ¿²¼ ¬¸» °»®º±®³»¼ ò ̸·- ®»°±®¬ ¸¿- ±º É¿¬»®º®±²¬ 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ß¾¿¬»³»²¬ λ°±®¬ ÒßÔò¼±½ �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������CITYOFARATOGAPRINGS S S O PENPACEESOURCES 2002 S R NPDATETOTHEPENPACELAN A U 1994O S P ARATOGAPRINGSPENPACEROJECT S S O S P APRIL2002 REPAREDITHSSISTANCEROM P W A F THEARATOGASSOCIATES S A LANDSCAPEARCHITECTS,ARCHITECTS, ENGINEERS,ANDPLANNERS,P. . C ND A �ITYOF ARATOGAPRINGS CSS PENPACEESOURCES OSR2002 NPDATETOTHE PENPACELAN AU1994OSP ABLEOF TC ONTENTS INTRODUCTION....................................................................................................................... 1 HEPURPOSEOFTHEPENPACEPDATE TOSU................... 1 THEPOWEROFAPLAN........................................................................................................ 2 THESETTINGTODAY............................................................................................................ 3 SARATOGASPRINGS’ OPENSPACERESOURCES......................................................... 6 PENPACEANDECREATIONESOURCESAP OSRRM.................. 6 STRATEGIESFOROPENSPACECONSERVATION INSARATOGASPRINGS......... 8 REATIVEITEESIGNURINGTHEEVELOPMENTROCESS CSDDDP............... 8 URCHASEORONATIONSOFANDORASEMENTSFROMILLINGANDOWNERS PDLEWL– STABLISHMENTOFANPENPACEROTECTIONROGRAM FORARATOGAPRINGS EOSPPSS....... 10 ARTNERSHIPSWITHRGANIZATIONSUSINESSESNSTITUTIONSANDOVERNMENT PO, B, I, G GENCIES A.............................................................................. 13 RECOMMENDEDACTIONS ( YRESOURCECATEGORY)........................................ B 16 GRICULTURALERITAGE AH..................... 16 NVIRONMENTALLYENSITIVEANDS ESL.............. 17 ECREATIONALACILITIES RF.................... 18 URALORCENICOADSANDISTAS RSRV..................... 19 IGNATUREATEWAYS SG............................. 20 ATERFRONTCCESS WA............................ 21 RAILONNECTIONS TC............................................. 22 APPENDIXA – OPENSPACEANDRECREATIONRESOURCESMAP...................... 25 APPENDIXB -THEBENEFITSOFOPENSPACE........................................................... 26 APPENDIXC -DEVELOPMENTOFTHEOPENSPACEANDRECREATION RESOURCESMAP............................................................................................................... 30 APPENDIXD -BACKGROUND............................................................................................ 31 RAFTPRIL D– A2002 AGEI P �ARATOGAPRINGSHEITY INTHEOUNTRYNTRODUCTION SS: TCC I PENPACEESOURCES OSR2002 INTRODUCTION HEPURPOSEOFTHE PENPACE The " CityintheCountry". ThissimplephraseTOS PDATE capturestheuniqueopportunitythatthecity' s U historyandgeographyhaveprovidedour community. Originallyabustlingsmallvillage Augmentandupdatethe1994OpenSpacePlan; withinaruraltown,bothwereincorporatedasa Providethecommunitywithadetailed cityin1915.SaratogaSpringsisthefourth descriptionoftheremainingopenspace largestcityinupstateNewYorkintermsofits resources( e. .,agriculturallands,rural g landarea,yethasapopulationofjust26, 00. 0 roadways, woodedareas,etc.)thatrequireour Thecityisintheenviouspositionofmanaging stewardship; growthwelloutsideoftheurbancenter. Demonstratehowtheseresourcesrelatetoone Preservingthevitalityandcharacterofour another, ndhowtheycanbelinkedtocreatea a award-winningdowntown, anditssettingwithin networkofopenspacessurroundingourvibrant anunparalleledsceniclandscape, istheessence urbancore;andto ofthe "CityintheCountry" vision. RecommendappropriateactionsthattheCity, theOpenSpaceProject,andothersshouldtake Thereisconstantpressuretoblurthedistinction toimplementthevisionofthisplan. betweencityandcountry. Inthepastdecade, residentshaveralliedtodefeatproposalsfor sprawlingsuburbancommercialdevelopmentat Exits14and15oftheAdirondackNorthway. Overthelasttwodecades, thedowntown neighborhoodshavelostresidents, whilethe TheOpenSpacePlanaimstoenhanceandsafeguard SaratogaSprings' economicandenvironmental numberofpeoplelivingintheCity' ruralareas s hasincreasedby44percent. Opportunitiesto health,visualappeal,andoutstandingqualityoflife. preserveimportantresources, suchaspublic Byencouragingcompatibledevelopmentinour accesstoSaratogaLake,havedisappeared. The spectacularnaturallandscapesringingthecity historicdowntownarea,andemployingsmartgrowth areindangerofbeingtransformedintotypical techniquesasanantidotetosprawl,wecanconserve land,controlfuturetaxburdens,andcreatea suburbansprawl. Thedefiningcharacterof valuablenetworkofparks,trailsandrecreational SaratogaSpringscouldbelost. areasforfuturegenerations. Recognizingthevalueofopenlandsto Saratoga's character,the CityCouncil unanimouslyadoptedanofficialOpenSpace Planin1994. Buildingontheimportantpolicy recommendationsofthatreport,thisupdate providesablueprintandtoolsforfurtheringthe community'svisionofthe "CityintheCountry." RAFTPRIL D– A2002 AGE P1 �ARATOGAPRINGSHEITYINTHEOUNTRYOWEROFTHELAN SS: TCC PP PENPACEESOURCES OSR2002 HEOWEROFA TPP LAN The1994OpenSpacePlan forSaratogaSpringscontainsaseriesoftwenty-ive ( 5)policy f 2 recommendations. Allofthetwenty-ivepolicyrecommendationsremainvalidtoday,andtheycontinue f toformthebasisforactionsbytheOpenSpaceProjectandtheCity. Manyoftherecommendationsand opportunitiesidentifiedinthe1994planhavebeenimplemented. Eachhascontributedgreatlytothe highqualityoflifethatallresidentsenjoyintheCityofSaratogaSprings. Forfurtherinformationaboutthe1994OpenSpacePlanforSaratogaSprings, pleaseseeAppendixC Background) attheendofthisdocument. RAFTPRIL D– A2002 AGE P2 �ARATOGAPRINGSHEITYINTHEOUNTRYHEETTING SS: TCC TS PENPACEESOURCES OSR2002 HEETTINGODAY TST SaratogaSpringsisknownforitshistoricand vibrantdowntown, itsabundantcultural resources, itsbeautifulopenspaces, andits excellentqualityoflife. Ithasbeenrecognized nationallyasa “ GreatAmericanPlace” andas thewinnerofthe “GreatAmericanMainStreet Award”. Asthousandsoftouriststelluseach year,ourcommunityisagreatplacetovisit; nd a asourresidentsknow,itcontinuestobeagreat placetolive. ThechallengeforSaratoga Springsistocontinuetobuildonoursuccess, andnottobeavictimofit. 1 Theinnercore,andinparticularthedowntown, isandshouldremainthefocusofourgrowth. The1994OpenSpacePlanstronglyadvocates foranincreasedemphasisoninfilldevelopment inoururbancore. Infact,thefirst recommendation intheOpen SpacePlanisto PreservetheCity inthecountry.” Injustthelast fewyears,severalnewappropriatelydesigned buildingshavebeenconstructed,andexisting buildingsrehabilitated,inandaroundour downtown. Fewdowntownsofequalsizein NewYorkState,andevennationally,canboast ofthislevelofprivatesectorinvestment. Despiteconventionalwisdomwhichsuggested thecontrary, alocaldeveloperrecently demonstratedtheviabilityofnewresidential development (abovegroundfloorretailand officeunits)inourdowntown. 1 TheCity’s InnerCoreisgenerallyboundedbyI87 ontheeast, WestAvenueonthewest,thecitylineon thenorth, andSpaStateParkonthesouth. Arevivalofdowntownresidentialdevelopment bodeswellforthelong-ermsuccessof t commercialenterprises, andshouldbeacatalyst forcontinuedinfillgrowthintheheartofour community. Itcouldalsohelpdiversifythe availablehousingstockinourcommunity, enhancingaffordablehousingopportunitiesfor currentandfutureresidents. Thepastdecadehasalsowitnessedcontinued suburbanresidentialdevelopmentintheCity’s outerdistrict. Theplateau, thehighground betweenLakeLonelyandSaratogaLake,isa primeexampleofthisongoingtrend. lmostall A oftheavailablelandontheplateauhasbeen transformedintohousingsubdivisions. hileit W isfortunatethatSaratogaSpringshadtheland capacitytogrowourhousingstock,itis unfortunatethatmanyopportunitiesforsecuring publicaccess, afebicycleroutes,andrecreation s areasalongthelakeshavebeenmissed. ew F opportunitiesremain. Thesuburbanresidentialgrowthintheouter districtof Saratoga Springsis symptomatic ofsimilar growth patterns throughout SaratogaCounty,theCapitalDistrict,thestate, andthenation. Thesepatternsarebasedonan over- ependenceonautomobiletransportation, d andlandusepoliciesandpracticesthatfavorthe conversionofgreenfields tosprawling developmentinstead ofmorecompactformsof developmentandinfill. Generallyspeaking, RAFTPRIL D– A2002 AGE P3 �ARATOGAPRINGSHEITYINTHEOUNTRYHEETTING SS: TCC TS PENPACEESOURCES OSR2002 low- ensitysuburbandevelopmentconsumesthisresidentialgrowth wasoutsideoftheurban d landatarapidrate,ignoresnaturalfeaturesof core. Infact,accordingtothe2000census, ll a thelandscape, anddemandstheseparationofofthepopulationincreaseintheCitywasinthe peopleandactivities. outerdistrict. Duringthepastdecade,thetwo censustractsthatgenerallycomprisetheouter SaratogaCounty’sprimarygrowthcorridorfordistrictincreasedinpopulationby1, 54persons 4 thelastthirtyyearshasfollowedtheAdirondack ( 18. %), 8 whilethefourcensustractsthat Northway(I-7) 8 fromtheCityofAlbanytogetherformtheinnerdistrictdecreasedin throughthetownsofColonie,CliftonParkand populationby269persons (-1. %). This 5 HalfmoontoWiltonandevenNorthumberland. continuesthetrendthatoccurredthroughoutthe Resultsfromtherecentlycompleted2000 1980' s censusindicatethatthistrendiscontinuing. ThepopulationgrowthwithintheCity’souter Northwaycommunitytownsledthewayin districtisnotsurprising. Asanestablished populationincreasesduring the1990' s: community, muchoftheinnerdistrictisalready Halfmoonadded4, 95people, CliftonPark 5 developed. Despiteopportunitiesforinfill,most added2, 78,Maltaadded1, 96,andWilton 8 2 newresidentialdevelopmentisexpectedto added1, 85persons. 8 extendoutwardfromtheinnercore. However, thecurrentpaceandpatternofresidential Duringthe1990' ,theCityofSaratogaSprings s added1, 85residents, anincreaseofalmost5%. 1 developmentintheouterdistrictwillquickly Duringthesameperiod,approximately950newconsume the “country” portionofthe “Cityin housingunitswerecreatedintheCity. MostoftheCountry.” Area19801990Change1980- 2000Change1990-Change1980199020002000 InnerDistrict17, 59817, 2834censustracts) (- 31517, 0141. %) (8 OuterDistrict6, 787, 181, 40 ( 1. %) 3 7 3 2 0 2censustracts) RAFTPRIL D– A2002 AGE P4 2691. %) (5 584 3. %) 3 9, 721, 54 ( 8. %)2, 94 ( 3. %) 1 4 1 8 7 4 8 �ARATOGAPRINGSHEITYINTHEOUNTRYHEETTING SS: TCC TS PENPACEESOURCES OSR2002 ThesharpdistinctionbetweenCityandcountryDuetothisinfluxofpopulation,tisappropriate i thatourcommunitycherishesisbecomingtopauseandascertainhowourremainingopen increasinglyblurred. Muchofthemosteasilyspaceandrecreational resourcescanbe builtuponlandintheouterdistricthasalreadypreserved. Towardthisend,thisupdatetothe beendeveloped. Opportunitiesforprotecting OpenSpacePlanseekstoaddtothe1994Plan, ournaturalresourcesandconservingsomeofthe setforthasoundvisionforthefutureofour openspacesthatcontributetotheuniquecommunity,andpresentstrategiesforreaching characterofourcommunityarefast thisvision. Itsupportssmartdevelopment disappearing. consistentwithourcommunity’sspecial character. ArecentanalysisoftheCity’ outerdistrict s showedthatthereareapproximately3, 00 0 existinghousingunitsinthisarea. Under currentzoningabout2, 00morehousingunits 0 couldbeconstructed (CityPlanningDepartment, 2001). fSaratogaSpringswishestoretainits I CityintheCountry” character, moremustbe donetopreservecriticalopenspaceresources andtoensurethatthedesignofnew developmentsdoesnotcontributetourban sprawl. RAFTPRIL D– A2002 AGE P5 �ARATOGAPRINGSHEITYINTHEOUNTRYPENPACEESOURCES SS: TCC OSR PENPACEESOURCES OSR2002 ARATOGAPRINGSPENPACEESOURCES SS’ OSR Thereareapproximately7, 00acresofopen 0 landsleftintheOuterDistrictofSaratoga Springs. Theselandsareprivatelyownedin parcelsof10acresormore. Theyinclude parcelsthatarecompletelyvacantand unimproved, landsthatarepredominantlyvacant forexample,ahouseona20acrelot),and agriculturalland. Ofthese7, 00acresofopenspace, 0 approximately3, 00acresconsistofwetlands, 2 streambanks, orverysteepslopes. Theselands haveverylimitedpotentialfordevelopment. Theremaining3, 00acresoffairlyflatanddry 8 openlandsaremoresuitablefordevelopment thatcontributestothecommunitywhile preservingandenhancingtheruralcharacterand keyopenspaceresourcesoftheOuterDistrict. Floodplain, forestsandmeadowlands, hardwood grovesandfarmland, wetlandsandsprings, streambanksandridgelines - allcontributeto thespectacularrurallandscapes,whichringthe City. TheOpenSpaceandRecreationResourcesMap isorganizedaroundsevencategoriesofopen spaceresourcesinourcommunity: b b b b b b b AgriculturalHeritage EnvironmentallySensitiveLands RecreationalFacilities RuralandScenicRoadsandVistas SignatureGateways WaterfrontAccess TrailConnections TheOpenSpaceandRecreationResourcesMap illustrateshowthesevariousresourcesrelateto oneanother,andhowtheycanbelinkedwith trailstocreateaninvitingnetworkofopen spacessurroundingoururbancore -an interconnectedgreenbeltforSaratogaSprings. TheOpenSpaceandRecreationResourcesMap isausefultoolfortheOpenSpaceProjectand theCityofSaratogaSpringsinthefollowing ways: 1. Itupdatesthe “CityintheCountry” vision. PEN PACEAND OSR ESOURCESAP RM ECREATION ThecenterpieceoftheOpenSpaceResources Plan2002istheOpenSpaceandRecreation ResourcesMap. Themapidentifiescritical naturalandrecreationalresources,andthe remainingopenlandsthatrequireourcareful stewardship. (SeeAppendixAforafullsize map) The1994OpenSpacePlancreatedthefirst visionidentifyingandrecognizingopenspace valuesinSaratogaSprings. Sincethattime, opportunitieshavedisappearedornew opportunitieshaveemergedtoimplementthe 1994policyrecommendations, allofwhich remainrelevanttoday.Thismap,therefore, identifiestheremainingopenspaceand recreationalresources, andillustratesthe potentialtoachievethe " CityintheCountry" vision. RAFTPRIL D– A2002 AGE P6 �ARATOGAPRINGSHEITYINTHEOUNTRYPENPACEESOURCES SS: TCC OSR PENPACEESOURCES OSR2002 2.ItassistsCityreviewboardsinthe evaluationofdevelopmentproposals 3. Ithelpsidentifylandsappropriateforan openspaceprotectionprogram. Themapprovidestheplanningboard, potential TheOpenSpaceandRecreationResourcesmap developers,andcityresidentswithimprovedwillbeanimportanttooltohelpidentifylands knowledgeaboutasitethatwillbedeveloped: thatshouldbeprotectedforrecreationaland Whataretheopenspaceresourcesontheopenspacepurposesthroughthepurchaseor particularsite? Wherearetheseresourcesdonationoflandoreasementsfromwilling located? AndhowdotheyrelatetothelargerlandownersinaccordancewithLocalLawNo.5 openspaceandrecreationalvisionfortheCity?2001,heEnvironmental, ParksandOpen t Thisinformationcanbeusedtoguidethe AreasProtectionActof2001. projectdesignandapprovalprocessinwaysthat aremoresensitivetotheuniquefeaturespresent ontheproposeddevelopmentsite. UndertheCity’sadoptedcomprehensiveplan, thePlanningBoardwillsoonhave,forthefirst time,atoolforensuringthattheseresourcesare consideredinthedesignoffuturesubdivisions withinportionsoftheCity’souterarea. The ConservationDevelopmentDistrict ( DD) C providesflexibleareaandbulkstandardsand requiresthatopenspaceresourcesbepreserved throughcreativesitedesignduringthe developmentprocess. Itensuresthatnew subdivisionswillpreservesignificantopen spaceswithoutsacrificingdevelopment potential. TheOpenSpaceandRecreation Resourcesmapwillbeusedtoguidethe selectionofconservationlandsinthese subdivisions. The [ penSpaceandRecreation O Resources] mapprovidestheplanning board,potentialdevelopers, andcity residentswithimprovedknowledgeabouta sitethatwillbedeveloped RAFTPRIL D– A2002 AGE P7 �ARATOGAPRINGSHEITY INTHEOUNTRYONSERVATIONTRATEGIES SS: TCC CS PENPACEESOURCES OSR2002 TRATEGIESFOR PENPACEONSERVATIONIN SOSC ARATOGAPRINGS SS Whilesomethinkthattheonlywayinwhichto certainportionoflandmustbesetasideand conserveopenspaceistostrictlylimit,orfreeze, remainundevelopedaspartofthedevelopment development,therearevarietiesofmethodstoprocess, whichisaccomplishedwithout usethatcontinuetoallowforabalancebetween changingtheactualnumberofhomesthatmay openspacepreservationanddevelopment. beconstructedinthispartofthecity. Whetheritisthroughtheregulatoryprocess, outrightpurchasing, orpartnerships, openspaceThegoaloftheCDDistoachieveabalance andrecreationalresourcescanbepreservedinabetweenwell- esignedresidentialdevelopment, d mannerthatthesumofthepartscreatesa recreationaldevelopment, meaningfulopen meaningfulsystemthatdirectlycontributestospaceconservation, andnaturalresource theCity’shighqualityoflife. protection. Nationally, therearenumerouscommunitiesthatWithintheCDD, theplanrecommendsthat aredealingwiththeseverysameissues. residentialdevelopmentcorrespondtothe Throughresearchconductedacrossthenationfollowingprovisions: andnortheastthefollowingstrategiesfor conservingtheCity’sopenspaceresourceshave Thebasedensityfortheareashouldremain beendefined: ascurrentlyzonedwith1homeper2acres ofunconstrainedland b CreativeSiteDesignDuringthe Lotsizesmayvary,andotherareaandbulk DevelopmentProcess requirementsshouldbemademoreflexible PurchaseorDonationsofLandor b Homesmustbeclustered ( usinga EasementsfromWillingLandowners ConservationSubdivisionDesignapproach). b PartnershipswithOrganizations, Businesses, Insubdivisionsservedbypublicsewer,all Institutions,andGovernmentAgencies constrainedlandand50percentofthe unconstrainedlandmustremain REATIVEITEESIGNURING CSDD undevelopedandpermanentlyprotected THEEVELOPMENTROCESS DP throughtheuseofaconservationeasement therequiredopenspaceislessifpublic TheCityCounciladoptedrevisionstothecity’s sewerisunavailable). comprehensiveplaninJuly2001. Therevised Densitybonusesareavailableasan comprehensiveplanestablishesanewlanduse incentivefortheprovisionofpublicaccess designation -- theConservationDevelopment andassistancewithtraildevelopmentinthe District( DD). Thisnewdesignationincludes C openspace. mostoftheundevelopedlandinthecity’souter districtbycombiningareasthatwerepreviously designatedintheplanasResourceManagement andRuralResidential- . WithintheCDD,a 1 RAFTPRIL D– A2002 AGE P8 �ARATOGAPRINGSHEITY INTHEOUNTRYONSERVATIONTRATEGIES SS: TCC CS PENPACEESOURCES OSR2002 TheConservationSubdivisionDesignapproach beginswiththeidentificationofopenspaceThecomprehensiveplanstatesthatthereare resourcespresentonthesitetobedevelopedseveraladvantagestotheapproachoutlinedfor agriculturalland,historicorscenicviews, theConservationDevelopmentDistrict.They significantinclude: woodlots, etc.). TheOpenSpace Openspaceconservation, recreational andRecreation developmentandnaturalresourceprotection Resourcesmap guidethesubdivisiondesignprocess. willguidethe Becausetheareaandbulkregulationsused PlanningBoard, forconventionalsubdivisionsarenot applicants, and applicable,hedesignprocessiscreativeand t thepublic in notdrivenstrictly understanding by arbitrary theopenspace minimumlotsize resourcespresent requirements. onindividual Significant ConventionalSubdivision sites. This networksofopen ource: CenterforRuralMA S informationwill landarecreated formthebasisfordesignatingconservation throughthe landsfornewsubdivisionsintheConservation development DevelopmentDistrict. Onceconservationlands process – the areidentifiedanddesignated, areaswhere valueofhomes developmentwouldbemostappropriateare withinthese identified.Homes ( thenumberbasedon subdivisionsare ConservationDesign allowabledensityforthedistrict) arethen enhancedasare Source: CenterforRuralMA designedintothedevelopmentareasofthesite thevalueofthe inacreativefashion. Theflexiblelotsizesand surroundingneighborhoods, andthequality areaandbulkstandardsfacilitatethiscreativity. oflifeofallcityresidentsisimproved Identifyingroadalignmentsandlotlinesarethe Developerscanprovidedifferenttypesof finalstepsintheconservationsubdivision housingonavarietyoflotsizesinresponse designprocess. tomarketdemand. Thisallowsforamore diversifiedhousingstocktomeettheneeds RandallArendt,inhisbookConservation ofourchangingsociety. DesignforSubdivisions: APracticalGuideto CreatingOpenSpaceNetworks (1996),provides excellentguidanceintheuseofthisapproachto subdivisiondesign. Conservationeasementsare thelegalmechanismusedtoensurethat conservationlandssetasideaspartofthis process, remainpermanentlyprotected. RAFTPRIL D– A2002 AGE P9 �ARATOGAPRINGSHEITY INTHEOUNTRYONSERVATIONTRATEGIES SS: TCC CS PENPACEESOURCES OSR2002 Sinceadoptionoftherevisedcomprehensive planinthesummerof2001,theCityofSaratogaInordertoimplementanOpenSpaceprotection Springshasstartedtoimplementtheplan’ program,ourcommunitymustmakea s recommendations. Aspartofthiseffort,a commitmenttofundingthisactivity. Many ZoningOrdinanceReviewCommitteehasbeen communities,throughacarefulanalysisoftheir establishedtorecommendrevisionstotheCity’sfiscalsituation, havefoundthattheirinvestment zoningandsubdivisionregulations. The willactuallycostlessinthelongtermthanit revisionsareintendedtobringtheseregulations wouldcosttoprovideservicesfornew intoconformancewiththecomprehensiveplan, residencesthatmightinsteadbebuiltonthe whichincludestheestablishmentoftheopenlandsunderconsiderationforprotection. ConservationDevelopmentDistrict. The Herein Committee’srecommendationsshouldbe Saratoga forwardedtotheCityCouncilforreviewand Springs,a adoptionduringthesummerof2002. fiscalanalysis ofpotential Oncethezoningandsubdivisionregulationsarebuildoutand updated, heCityofSaratogaSpringswillhave, t land conservationscenariosrevealedthatamodest forthefirsttime, practicalandreliabletoolfor a achievingopenspace conservationandconservationprogram, includingbondingto recreationaldevelopmentthroughtheplanningpurchaselandoreasements, willnotcost process. TheOpenSpaceandRecreationtaxpayersanymoreinthelongrunthanifwe Resourcesmap,developedaspartofthisOpensimplyallowdevelopmenttocontinuewithno SpacePlan,willbecomeanintegralpartoftheconservationalternativesinplace ( ehan B developmentdesignandreviewprocessforPlanningAssociates2001). landsinthecity’souterdistrict. Communitieshavepaidforopenspaceand recreationalprogramsinvariousways. One URCHASEOR PD ONATIONSOF ANDOR LE ASEMENTSFROM methodistosimplysetasidefundsonanannual ILLINGANDOWNERS WL– basisusingthebudgetingprocess. Other STABLISHMENTOF ANPEN EO communitieshavededicatedasmallpercentage PACEROTECTIONROGRAM SPP oftheirsalestaxorrealestatetransfertaxfor FORARATOGAPRINGS SS thispurpose. Athirdoption,andtheonethatis probablymostappropriateforSaratogaSprings, TheCityofSaratogaSpringsshouldestablisha istoissuerevenuebondstospreadthecostover dedicatedsourceoffundingtopurchaselands aperiodofyears. feeacquisition), orinterestinlands conservationeasements), forpermanent conservationorrecreationalpurposes. Inall cases, acquisitionmustbefromwillingsellers. Anopenspaceprotectionprogramwouldgive landownersanalternativeoptiontoconventional development. RAFTPRIL D– A2002 AGE P10 �ARATOGAPRINGSHEITY INTHEOUNTRYONSERVATIONTRATEGIES SS: TCC CS PENPACEESOURCES OSR2002 TheCityCouncilpassedlegislationin2001, decidestopursue. Itisrecommendedthatthe whichestablishedtheEnvironmental, Parksand CityPlanner,orthenewlycreatedpositionof OpenAreasProtectionProgram. Thislaw administratorfortheOfficeofParks,Open enablesthecitycounciltosetasidefundingforLandsandHistoricPreservation (CityCharter thepurposeofprotecting, preserving,enhancing, RevisionapprovedinNovember2001)provide andimprovingenvironmentallysensitive, staffsupporttotheAdvisoryCommittee. recreationalandscenicland. Italsoenableda referendumonbondingforopenspaceInaddition, partnershipscanbeformedbetween protection. The " CoalitionfortheCityinthetheCity, the Country" isworkingtoplaceabondinitiativeSaratoga foropenlandsprotectionbeforethevotersof Springs SaratogaSpringsattheNovember2002 OpenSpace elections. Project,and theLand ItisrecommendedthattheCityCouncilTrustforthe establishtheAdvisoryCommittee, alledforSaratoga c Regiontoallowthesenot- orf profit underthisnewlegislation, todevelopcriteriafor organizationstolendtheirexpertisetotheCity’s openspaceandrecreationalprojects. Similarto theCity’ CommunityDevelopmentBlockstaff andtheAdvisoryCommittee. Thesetypes s Grant ( DBG)Committee, theselectionofofarrangementsarenotuncommon. For C projectsbytheAdvisoryCommitteewouldstillexample, theCityofAlbanyandtheTownof requirefinalapprovalbytheCityCouncil. WiltonpartnerwithTheNatureConservancyfor thetechnicalaspectsoftheirwildlifeandopen TofacilitatetheAdvisoryCommittee’swork, spaceprotectioninitiatives,andseveraltownson a setofcriteriashouldbeestablishedforthetheeastendofLongIslandworkwiththe selectionofcandidateopenlandsprotectionandPeconicLandTrustinthesamefashion. recreationprojects. TheOpenSpaceand RecreationResourcesmapcouldhelpguidethis Specifically,theSaratogaSpringsOpenSpace effort. Othercriteriamightincludethe ProjectandtheLandTrustfortheSaratoga willingnessofthelandownertosellthepropertyRegioncouldbeutilizedaspartnersto: ordevelopmentinterestintheproperty) ata bargain” rate,orfactorssuchasdevelopment¼ Conductcommunityoutreachandpublic pressureonthelandinquestion. educationeffortsonprogramgoalsand operations, Negotiationswithpropertyownersandthe Follow- pwithlandownerswhomaybe u developmentofprotectionprojectsthatmeet interestedinparticipatingintheCity’s boththeneedsofthelandownerandthegoalsof program, theprogramareoftenlengthyanddetailed. The Negotiatetheoftencomplexdetailsofa AdvisoryCommitteewillneedassistanceto particularproject, formalizearrangementswithindividual landownersforeachoftheprojectsthatit RAFTPRIL D– A2002 AGE P11 �ARATOGAPRINGSHEITY INTHEOUNTRYONSERVATIONTRATEGIES SS: TCC CS PENPACEESOURCES OSR2002 Administertheprojectandmanageit throughclosing. Thismayinclude identifyingandsecuringoutsidesourcesof publicandprivatefunding ( atchinggrants) m toenhancetheCity’sinvestment,managing surveyandappraisalwork,preparingand monitoringprojectbudgets, and coordinatinglegalworkthroughclosing. Generatethelegallyrequired “baseline” of informationaboutaproperty ( description, survey, photos, aps) oensurethat,ifa m t conservationeasementisused,thetermsof theeasementagreementarefollowed. Monitorlandsprotectedthroughthe program(especiallythoseundereasement) onaregularbasistofulfilltheCity’s enforcementandstewardship responsibilitiesfortheselands. Inadditiontoacquisitionoflandoreasements usinglocalfunding, therecouldbeother elementstotheCity’sOpenSpaceProtection Program. Forexample,theCityshould consider: Asthenameimplies,atermeasementis writtentolastforaperiodofyears, ost m commonly for5to20years. Tax abatementsareusuallycalculatedona slidingscalewithlargertaxabatementsfora longertermeasement. Iftheprotectedlands areconvertedtodevelopmentpriortothe expirationoftheterm, thetaxbenefitmust bereturnedandasignificantpenaltypaid. Thisconceptcouldbeanadditionalelement oftheCity’ OpenSpaceProtection s Program. Itcouldbeusedtohelp landownerswhilepermanentsolutionsare soughtforthedesireddevelopmentand conservationscenario, ortoconserve additionalparcelsthatdonotquitemeetthe criteriaforpermanentacquisition. Educatinglandownersaboutthemany optionsavailabletothem. orexample,a F landownercanchoosetodonatea conservationeasementonallorpartof his/ erland.Incomeandestatetaxbenefits h mayaccruetothelandownerfromsucha donation. Leveragingothersourcesoffunding. Once theCityhasestablisheditsprogramand createdadedicatedsourceoffundingforit, theCitywillbeinaverystrongposition whenitcompetesforgrantstosupplement Cityinvestmentinopenspaceand recreationalresources. Thelocal community’scommitmenttotheplanandto itsimplementationweighsheavilyonthe decisiontofundgrantapplications. Providingtaxincentivesforshorter- erm t openspaceconservation. Termeasement / taxabatementprograms,usedbyseveral communitiesinNewYorkState,providetax abatementsinreturnfortermeasementson particularparcelsofopenspaceorfarmland. RAFTPRIL D– A2002 AGE P12 �ARATOGAPRINGSHEITY INTHEOUNTRYONSERVATIONTRATEGIES SS: TCC CS PENPACEESOURCES OSR2002 ARTNERSHIPSWITH RGANIZATIONS PO, USINESSESNSTITUTIONSAND B, I, OVERNMENTGENCIES GA TheCityofSaratogaSpringsishometoa numberofstrongorganizations, important institutions, andcreativeandtalented individuals. TheCityshouldcontinuetofoster partnershipsbetweenitselfand: Landconservationorganizationssuchas theSaratogaSpringsOpenSpaceProject andtheLandTrustfortheSaratoga Region Asdescribedabove,theseorganizationshave considerableexpertiseinthetechnicalaspectsof landconservation. Withknowledgeablestaff andtalentedanddedicatedboardmembersand volunteers,theseorganizationsareinaposition toworkwithCitygovernmenttoimplementthe community’sconservationgoals. Thelocaldevelopmentcommunity Thelocaldevelopmentcommunityincludes homebuilders,developers,realtors, businesses, theSaratogaCountyChamberofCommerce, andtheSaratogaEconomicDevelopment Corporation ( EDC). Alloftheseentitieshave S contributedto,andhaveastronginterestin,the continuedsuccessofourcommunity. Thedevelopmentcommunityseeks predictability inthedevelopmentapproval process. Inanidealworld,itwouldbesimpleto providethispredictability – “ good”projects wouldbequicklyapproved, and “inappropriate” proposalswouldbeswiftlyrejected. Ofcourse, definingwhatis, ndwhatisnot,appropriateis a notsimple. However,overthepastfewyears, a remarkabledegreeofconsensusaboutwhat constitutesappropriatedevelopmentfor SaratogaSpringshasemergedinour community. Forexample, severalwell- esigned d mixed- sebuildingshavebeendevelopedinour u downtown. Unlikesomanydevelopment proposalsinthesuburbs,thesedowntown developmentprojectsmetwithsignificantpublic support. Asaresult,theapprovalprocessfor theseprojectswasnotoverlycumbersome. The community isproudofthesenewor rehabilitatedbuildingsandthecontributionthat theymaketothecharacterandprosperityofour downtown. Asthecommunitybecomes increasinglyclearaboutitsvisionforthefuture, andarticulatesthisvisionintheComprehensive PlanandtheOpenSpacePlan,heCityshould t seekcooperativerelationshipswithdevelopers anddevelopmentintereststhatcanassistthe communityinachievingitsvision. Arecentexampleincludesprovisionsforland preservationandtrailsthatwereincludedinthe developmentoftheSaratogaNationalGolf Club. Landowninginstitutionssuchasthe SaratogaSpaStatePark,NewYorkRacing Association, Yaddo, andSkidmoreCollege Theseinstitutionscontrolalargeamountofland andcontributeenormouslytotheopenspace characterofourcommunity. Thelocationof theseinstitutionsattheedgesoftheCity’sinner corehasbeenacriticalfactorinoursuccessful effortstomaintainthedistinctionbetweenthe community’surbancenteranditsstillsomewhat ruralouterdistrict. Thecontinuedstewardship oftheselandsisoftremendousinteresttothe City. TheCitymustworkinpartnershipwith RAFTPRIL D– A2002 AGE P13 �ARATOGAPRINGSHEITY INTHEOUNTRYONSERVATIONTRATEGIES SS: TCC CS PENPACEESOURCES OSR2002 theseinstitutionstoensurethattheirinterests andthecommunity’sinterestsareachieved.( planningasimilarreconstructionofRoute50 downtowntoExit15)inthenearfuture. CooperationwiththeNYSDOT,combinedwith Forexample,theSaratogaSpaStateParkfundingfromthefederalgovernment’sTEA21 occasionallypurchaseslandadjacenttoits“ enhancements”program, couldhelptheCity currentholdingstobetterprotectand/ rmanagecompletethetrailnetwork proposedinthisOpen o significantresources. SuchacquisitionsareSpace Plan. consistentwiththeOpenSpacePlan. Manyof theresourceareasandtrailconnections TheNewYorkStateDepartmentof identifiedontheOpenSpaceandRecreation Environmental Resourcesmaparein,oradjacenttothepark. Conservation Partnershipswiththeparkcouldgreatlyenhance ( DEC)has theCity’sabilitytomeetitsconservationgoals. partneredwiththe TownofMilton overtheyearsto Agenciesatthecounty, regional,state, and federallevels enhancethe fishingresource NumerouspublicagenciescanassisttheCityin ofthe attainingitsconservationandrecreationgoals. KayaderosserasCreek. Throughfishstocking SinceSaratogaisthefastestgrowingupstate programsandthedevelopmentoffishingaccess county,thecountymaydevelopmechanismsto pointsalongthestream, thecreek’simportance encouragetownsandcitiestoenactopenspace asafisheryhasbeenwellmaintainedand protectionprograms. Atthestatelevel,thereare enhanced. TheCityofSaratogaSpringscould numerousmatchinggrantprograms, workwiththeDECtoprovidesimilar administeredbytheOfficeofParksRecreation opportunitiesinourcommunity. Accessfor andHistoricPreservation, theDepartmentof fishingandfornon- otorizedboatlaunching m EnvironmentalConservation, and the withinSaratogaSpringswouldimprovethe DepartmentofAgricultureandMarketstoname recreationalvalueoftheKayaderosserasto afew. residentsoftheCityandCounty. TheNYSDepartmentofTransportationcould playasignificantroleaspartnersinthe developmentofourcommunitygateways. The NYSDOT,heSaratogaSpaStatePark,andthe t Cityhavealreadypartneredtoimprovethe southernentrancetotheCityalongRoute9.The installationofplantedmedians,decorative lighting, urbsandsidewalks, andabicycletrail c alongRoute9neartheentrancetothepark greatlyenhancesthisgatewaytoour community. NYSDOTandtheCityare Therearealsoanumberofpotential opportunitiestopartnerwithSaratogaCountyto helpachieveouropenspaceconservationgoals. Forseveralyears,SaratogaCountyhasproposed constructionoftheZimSmithTrail --amultiusetrailalongtheCountySewerDistrictrightof- ay(heformerDelawareandHudsonrail w t line) fromBallstonSpatoMechanicville. Constructionofthistrailisunderwayinthe TownofMalta,andadditionalsegmentsshould becompletedincomingyears. TheCityshould RAFTPRIL D– A2002 AGE P14 �ARATOGAPRINGSHEITY INTHEOUNTRYONSERVATIONTRATEGIES SS: TCC CS PENPACEESOURCES OSR2002 workwiththecounty,andtheSaratogaSpa agriculturallandandotherimportantopen StateParktocompleteasecondphaseofthespaces. ZimSmithTrailthatwouldtravelnorthfrom BallstonSpatotheSaratogaSpaStateParkand Neighboringmunicipalities intodowntownSaratogaSprings. Thistrail Asmentionedabove, verthelastfewyears o connectionisshownontheOpenSpaceand therehasbeenanincreasinginterestwithinour RecreationResourcesmap. TheCounty fast- rowingcountyforopenspace g PlanningDepartmentandtheSaratogaCounty conservation.Twoofthecommunitiesthat HeritageTrailCommitteehavealready adjoinSaratogaSprings-- MaltaandWilton -completedsomepreliminaryplanningforthis recentlyproposedthecreationofdedicated trailextension. Thetrailwouldbeatremendous fundsfortheacquisitionofimportantopen recreationalresourceforresidentsandtourists. spaceresources. Althoughvotersdidnot Itcouldalsobeasignificanteconomicresource approvetheWiltonbondinitiative,andMalta fortheCityandthevillage. Thetrailwould pursuedalessambitiousprogramfornow, he t provideanotherwonderfulfamilyoriented factthatopenspaceconservationwasontheir activitythattouriststoourregioncouldenjoyall agendasatallwouldhavebeenhardtoimagine yearlong. justafewyearsago. thercommunitiesinthe O county,includingCliftonParkandMiltonare Anotherpotentialpartnershipwiththecounty alsoexploringtheiroptionsforopenspace couldbethroughthecounty’sAgricultureand protection.Allofthisinterestinopenspace FarmlandProtectionBoard. TheAFPBhas conservationincommunitiesborderingoursis supportedmunicipalapplicationstotheNYS goodfortheCity. ItsupportstheCity’sgoals DepartmentofAgricultureandMarketsfor anditallowseachcommunitytolearnfromthe fundingtopurchasedevelopmentrightson others. agriculturallandinthecounty. Asmentioned earlier,there arestilla handfulof farmsin Saratoga Springs. Oneormore ofthesemay beagood candidateforstatefundingunderthestate’s AgricultureandFarmlandProtectionprogram. Therehasalsobeenincreasinginterestatthe countylevelforopenspaceprotection. heCity T shouldencouragethecountytoexplorethe creationofacountyfundtoconserve RAFTPRIL D– A2002 AGE P15 �ARATOGAPRINGSHEITYINTHEOUNTRYECOMMENDEDCTIONS SS: TCC RA PENPACEESOURCES OSR2002 ECOMMENDEDCTIONSBYESOURCEATEGORY RA( RC) Definingasetofstrategiesisanessentialfirst Hickey’sCorners,andalongKayaderosseras steptodefiningabroadapproachtoconservingAvenueEast. openspaceandrecreationresources. The AprimaryoptionforconservingAgricultural challenge,however, isinthepractical Heritagelandsisthroughsomeformof applicationofthestrategiestospecificelementseasement.Inthecaseofagriculturallands,the oftheCity’s openspacesystem. TohelpCityshouldseektoPurchaseDevelopment accomplishthistask,sevencategoriesofopen Rights ( DR)fromwillinglandowners. Funding P spaceresourcesinourcommunityweredefinedforthistypeofacquisitioncouldcomefromthe andillustratedontheOpenSpaceandproposedOpenSpaceprotectionprogramand/ r o RecreationResourcesmap ( eeAppendixA) s statefundsthroughavarietyofgrantsources. In Whetherthroughcreativesitedesign, urchasefact, p ifanOpenSpaceprotectionprogramwere ordonationoflandorconservationeasementsestablished, theCitycouldusethefundingto fromwillinglandowners, orthrough leverageothersources. partnerships, thefollowingdiscussiondescribes howthespecifictypesofresourcescanbeThecostofPDRdependsonthespecificparcel. conservedforfuturegenerations. Itiscalculatedbydeterminingthecurrent appraised valueof GRICULTURALERITAGE AH the TheCityofSaratogaSpringshasarich property, agriculturalheritage,withsomefarmsstill andits operatingtoday. InotherplacestheCity’ s appraised agriculturalpastisevidentinthelandscape valueas whereoldfarmbuildingsandfallowfields openor remain. agriculturallandwithoutdevelopmentpotential. Thedifferencebetweenthesetwonumbersisthe RecommendedActions: value (hecost) ofthedevelopmentrightsthat t willbepurchased. Conservationeasementsare Inordertoprovideretiringfarmersanoptionfor thelegallybindingdocumentusedtoensure theirlandotherthandevelopment, theCity that,oncethedevelopmentrightsarepurchased, shouldseektoconservesomeofitsremaining thelandremainsundevelopedinperpetuity. The agriculturalheritage. Inparticular,thefollowing landremainsprivatelyownedandonthetax areasareidentifiedontheOpenSpaceand rolls ( ithassessmentsreflectingrestricteduse). w RecreationResourcesmap:thePitneyFarm,the AshgroveFarm, theSeamanFarm,andsmaller Insomecases, itispossibleforthecommunity agriculturalareasalongGilbertRoad,onLake andindividuallandownerstocombinethePDR AvenuenearitsintersectionwithWeibel approachwithalandownerdonation. Undera Avenue, longOldSchuylervilleRoad,at a bargainsale,”thelandowneragreestosellthe RAFTPRIL D– A2002 AGE P16 �ARATOGAPRINGSHEITYINTHEOUNTRYECOMMENDEDCTIONS SS: TCC RA PENPACEESOURCES OSR2002 developmentrightsatacostbelowappraised Numerousstreamcorridorstraverse the value. Undersuchanarrangement, thelandscapeofSaratogaSprings. Thereare communitybenefitsbypayinglessthanthefullapproximately30miles ofstreamsand valueofthedevelopmentrights(savingmoneywaterwayswithinthe City. Streamcorridors, intheprocess). Thelandowner, whostillincludinga100 receivescash,mayagreetothisforconservation footbuffer reasons, utmayalsobeabletobenefitthrough b from each reducedcapitalgainstaxesand/ rbyusingthisbank, are o charitablecontributionfortaxdeductionindicatedon purposes. theOpenSpace and Insituationswhereagriculturallandswillbe Recreational developed, asecondoptionforconservingsomeResourcesmap. oftheseresourcesexists.UsingthecreativeThese streamsprovidenumerousecologicaland subdivisiondesignprocessoutlinedforthe recreationalbenefits. Inaddition, becauseall ConservationDevelopmentDistrictintheCity’s( exceptforFishCreek)ultimatelydraininto comprehensiveplan,agriculturalheritageareas SaratogaLake,theyareapotentialsourceof drinkingwaterforourcommunity. Saratoga couldbeprotectedevenasdevelopmenttakes place. Springsiscurrentlyconsideringtheuseof SaratogaLakeasapublicwatersupply. Atthe sametime,theSaratogaLakeProtectionand NVIRONMENTALLYENSITIVE ES ImprovementDistrict (SLPID)iscompletingan LANDS intermunicipalstudyoftheSaratogaLake SaratogaSpringscontainsanabundanceof watershed. environmentallysensitivelands. Themost prominent, andperhapsthemostsensitiveof Steepslopes, orthepurposesofthisreport,are f theseareitswetlands. Thereareapproximately areasthathaveaslopeof25%ormore. Inother 3, 00acresoffreshwaterwetlandsidentified 2 words,thegroundelevationchangesatleast25 andregulatedbytheNYSDepartmentof feetoverahorizontaldistanceof100feet. EnvironmentalConservationwithintheCity. Developmentonsteepslopesisdiscourageddue WetlandsareindicatedontheOpenSpaceand tothepotentialforsoilerosionassociatedwith RecreationalResourcesmap. Alargeportionof theremovalofvegetationfromtheseslopes. theCity’swetlandsarepartofamassive Thereareseveralareasofsteepslopesaround ecosystemlocatedtotheeastoftheAdirondack theCityofSaratogaSprings,andtheyareall NorthwaythatincludestheSpringRunandBog shownontheOpenSpaceandRecreational Meadowbrooks, wlPond, LakeLonely, and O Resourcesmap. Mostnotablearetheslopesthat theKayaderosserasCreek. Amongother descendfrom “theplateau” -- anareaofhigh benefits,wetlandsprovidevaluablehabitatsfor elevationbetweenLakeLonelyandSaratoga fishandwildlife,controlstormwaterrunoffand Lake. floods,andwaterpurification. RAFTPRIL D– A2002 AGE P17 �ARATOGAPRINGSHEITYINTHEOUNTRYECOMMENDEDCTIONS SS: TCC RA PENPACEESOURCES OSR2002 RecommendedActions: RecommendedActions: Asidefromtheirenvironmentalvalue,these landshavesevereconstraintsfordevelopment. Inallcases,theenvironmentallysensitivelands discussedaboveshouldremainundeveloped. RatherthanutilizingfundingfromanOpen Spaceprotectionprogram, theflexibilityof designprovidedundertheConservation DevelopmentDistrictcouldbeusedtosteer developmentawayfromtheseimportant resources. Insomecases, theCityshould consideracquisitionoflandoreasementsfrom willinglandownersonparcelsthatinclude environmentallysensitiveareas. TheCity' recentleaseoftheGilbertRoad s Fieldshas helpedto alleviatethe shortageof outdoorplay space. These fieldsshouldbe acquiredbythe cityinordertoconstructandmaintain permanentoutdoorplayingfields. Intermsofstreamcorridors, currentCity regulationsarenotadequatetoensurethe protectionofwaterquality. TheCityshould adopta100foot “nodevelopment” bufferinto itszoningregulations. Inaddition, theCity’s zoningshouldlimitsoildisturbanceactivities andrequireasubstantialvegetatedbuffer ( o n cutting)within75feetfromthestream. ECREATIONALACILITIES RF ActiveRecreationalFacilities A2001reportissuedbytheRecreationTask Forcedocumentsthecity' needsformore s outdoorplayingfields,moreindoorrecreation space, morepedestrianandbicycleaccessto facilitiesviasidewalksandtrails,andmore publicaccesstowaterbodies. TheOpenSpaceandRecreationResourcesmap canassistintheselectionofsitesforthe developmentofnewrecreationalareasand highlightsopportunitiestomaximizetheir accessibilitytocityresidentsandvisitors. Furtherdevelopmentofoutdoorplayingfields onWeibelAvenueisalsoencouragedtocreatea multi- serecreationdestinationthatiseasily u accessibletopedestriansandbicyclistsfromthe urbancenterviatheSpringRunTrail. TheclosureoftheArmoryhasstrainedthecity' s abilitytoprovideadequateindoorrecreational programs. Thisplanendorsesthe recommendationsoftheRecreationTaskForce tositeanewindoorrecreationfacilityatWeibel Avenue, xcelsiorAvenue, orWestAvenue. E Allthreeplaceshavethepotentialtobelinked withcityneighborhoodsbysafesidewalkand trailnetworks. PassiveRecreationalFacilities TherecentacquisitionofRamsdillParkprovides passiverecreationandpublicaccessforfishing andboatingonLakeLonely. Similar opportunitiesshouldbepursuedtosecurea publicbeachonSaratogaLake,andaccess pointstotheKayaderosserasandFishCreek. Publicrecreationaloptionsshouldalsobesought RAFTPRIL D– A2002 AGE P18 �ARATOGAPRINGSHEITYINTHEOUNTRYECOMMENDEDCTIONS SS: TCC RA PENPACEESOURCES OSR2002 atLoughberryLakeastheCityresolvesits watersupplyissues. HutchinsRoad; GeyserRoad; Route50 ( eartheCity’ssouthwestcorner); n TheOpenSpaceandRecreationalResources KayderossAvenue; mapalsohighlightstheopportunitytocreatea CrescentAvenue; networkofmulti- setrailsthroughoutthecity, u NYSRoute9P ( nionAvenueeastofthe U linkingdowntownwithoutlyingneighborhood AdirondackNorthway); andrecreationalfacilities. GilbertRoad; MeadowbrookRoad; URALOR CENICOADSAND RSR Stafford’sBridgeAvenue; VISTAS RugglesRoad; IngersolRoad; Ruralorscenicroadsandvistasenhancethe OldSchuylervilleRoad; and characterofourcommunityinmanyways. RoadsbeingtheprimaryvantagepointsfromNYSRoute29east ( eastoftheAdirondack whichmostofusexperiencethelandaroundus, Northway) thequalityoftheroadsidehasalastingimpact. onourperceptionofplace. InruralareassuchProtectionofthecharacterofruralorscenic astheCity’souterdistrict,narrowcountryroads roadscanbe andundevelopedlandsadjacenttothemcreatea accomplished senseofremotenessandcalm. InSaratoga throughtwo Springs,hisexperienceisparticularlyvaluable t approaches.The becausetheseruralfeaturesareinsuchclose firstinvolvesthe proximitytotheCity’svibrantinnercore. ust J landattheedgeof minutesfromdowntown, itisstillpossibleto theseroads. driveacarorrideabicycleonaquietcountry Developmentof road. landattheedgeofruralorscenicroadscan preservea “ ountry” feelwhenundertakenin c accordancewiththeprovisionsofthe RecommendedActions: ConservationDevelopmentDistrict. This Ruralorscenicroadsegmentsareidentifiedon creativedesignprocessallowsdevelopment theLandsofConservationInterestmap. hey T alongRuralandScenicRoadstobesteered includeportionsof: awayfromtheroadside, andhomesclustered elsewhereonthesiteasappropriate. nsome I PetrifiedGardensRoad,HickokRoad, nd a cases, cquisitionoflandoreasementsfrom a NYSRoute9N; willinglandownerscouldalsobeusedto NYSRoute29west ( eartheCity’swestern n conserveparticularlycriticallandsalongthese roadways. boundary); GrandAvenue ( eartheCity’swestern n boundary); AdamsRoad; RAFTPRIL D– A2002 AGE P19 �ARATOGAPRINGSHEITYINTHEOUNTRYECOMMENDEDCTIONS SS: TCC RA PENPACEESOURCES OSR2002 Thesecondapproachinvolvestheroaditself. experienceofarrivaltoSaratogaSpringsis Over-“improvement”ofruralorscenicroads -greatlyenhanced throughexcessivewideningorstraightening -by thesharp canadverselyeffectthespecialcharacterof transitionfrom theseroadways. TheCityDepartmentofPublic theseundeveloped WorksshouldworkwiththeCountyDepartmentgatewaysto the ofPublicWorksandtheNYSDOTtopreparedevelopedinner guidelinesforthetreatmentoftheseroadswithin coreoftheCity. ourcommunity. Toaccomplish this,heCityshouldseektoprotectsignificant t ScenicvistasareparticularlocationsintheCitypropertiesthatcomprisethesegatewaysthrough fromwherethevisualqualitiesofthenaturaldevelopmentthatisnotinkeepingwiththecity landscapeareespeciallyrewarding.Severalcharacter. ArecentprojectbytheLandTrustof specificplaceshaveemergedthroughpublictheSaratogaRegiontoacquireaconservation discussionsasespeciallysignificanttooureasementontheveterinaryfacilityatExit14is community. TheseareindicatedontheOpen anexcellentexample. TheCityshouldalsouse SpaceandRecreationResourcesmap. thedevelopmentprocess, undertheprovisions oftheConservationDevelopmentDistrict,to Scenicvistascanbeprotectedthroughthesteerthelocationofnewhomesawayfromthe developmentprocess, usingtheprovisionsofthe gatewayarea. Usingthecreativedesignprocess ConservationDevelopmentDistrict,orthrough outlinedfortheConservationDevelopment acquisitionoflandoreasementsfromwilling District,gatewayareascanbeincludedas landowners. conservationlandssetasideaspartoffuture subdivisions. Byclusteringhomeselsewhereon IGNATUREATEWAYS SG thesite,agateway’sundevelopedcharacter couldbeeffectivelypreservedevenas GatewaysareimportantentrancestotheCity developmenttakesplace. wherethescenicqualitiesandcharacterofour communityareondisplayforresidentsand InthecaseofSaratoga’sdevelopedgateways, visitorsalike. Saratoga’ssignaturegateways theOpenSpacePlanrecommendsthattheCity comeintwoforms --gatewaysthatareprimarily worktoimprovethesitedesignandarchitecture undevelopedandalmostpristineinappearance, ofdevelopmentthroughtheuseofdesign andgatewaysthataresomewhatdevelopedwith standards. Thedesignstandardsshould amixtureofcommercialandresidentialuses. emphasize, amongotherthings,pedestrianand RecommendedActions: InthecaseofSaratoga’sprimarilyundeveloped gateways, theOpenSpacePlanrecommendsthat theCitystrivetoconservethepristinequalities oftheseentrancestoourcommunity. The bicycleconnectionstotheinnerdistrict, bufferingofparkingareasthroughtheplacement ofbuildingsortheuseofnativevegetation, appropriatearchitectureandsignage, andthe consolidationofaccessontothehighway. The goalfortheseareasisnottofoster RAFTPRIL D– A2002 AGE P20 �ARATOGAPRINGSHEITYINTHEOUNTRYECOMMENDEDCTIONS SS: TCC RA PENPACEESOURCES OSR2002 amoreintense ( rdense) patternoflanduseStreamssuchastheKayaderosserasCreekand o development,butrathertoimprovethephysicalFishCreekalsopresentopportunitiesfor appearance,attractiveness,andsenseofarrival additionalpublicaccessanduse. The forthesedevelopedgateways. Kayaderosserasisa regionallysignificanttrout fishingresourceandisusedfornon- otorized m boating ( canoesandkayaks). TheSaratoga ATERFRONTCCESS WA SpringsOpenSpaceProjectrecentlyprepareda PublicaccesstotheCity’ abundantwater s mapfordistributiontocanoeistsandkayakers resourcesremainslimited. Privatesubdivision whowishtonavigatetheKayaderosseras. The anddevelopmentofwaterfrontlandhasnearly organizationalsoorganizesannualclean-upsof eliminatedopportunitiesforsecuringpublic thiscreek.FishCreek,theoutletofSaratoga accessalongtheshoresofsuchsignificantwater Lake,susedforfishing,recreationalboating, i featuresasSaratogaLake. Inthiscase, allfour andforcompetitiverowing. Astateoperated municipalitiesthatsharetheshorelineof boatlaunchislocatedatthenortheastcornerof SaratogaLakehavefailedtosecureaccessinthe theNYSRoute9Pbridge, androwingactivityis formofabeach,park,orotherpublicspace. organizedfromasmallfacilitynearthebridge thatcarriesStafford’sBridgeRoadoverthe AlongLakeLonelytherehasbeenrecent stream. successinsecuringpublicaccessforthe purposesoffishingandboating.Therecent RecommendedActions: developmentoftheSaratogaNationalGolf TheOpenSpaceandRecreationResourcesmap Courseledtothecreationofwalkingtrails, identifiesseveralopportunitiesforpublic includinga waterfrontaccesswithintheCity. These pathto a include: viewing platform on thelakefrom Thepossibilitytopurchaselandandcreatea Union smallCitypark, rotherpublicspace,on o Avenue SaratogaLakesouthoftheNYSRoute9P NYSRoute bridge. 9P). The TheextensionoftheBogMeadowTrailtoa Cityrecentlysecuredpermanentpublicaccessto terminusalongFishCreek. thelakeattheLakeLonelyBoatLiveryin Thedevelopmentofaccesspointsalongthe agreementwiththelivery’sowners. Aspartof KayaderosserasCreekforthelaunchingof thisagreement, approximately30acresofland canoesandkayaks,andforfishing. To adjacenttotheliveryandalongtheshoreofthe createtheseaccesspoints,theCityshould LakeLonelyoutletwaspurchasedbythecityfor partnerwiththeSaratogaSpaStatePark. thecreationofapublicpark. RAFTPRIL D– A2002 AGE P21 �ARATOGAPRINGSHEITYINTHEOUNTRYECOMMENDEDCTIONS SS: TCC RA PENPACEESOURCES OSR2002 Toaccomplishtheserecommendations, theCityProjectshowstheBogMeadowBrook shouldsupplementitsownfundingbyapplyingNatureTrailandRailroadRun, ndit a forgrantsfromtheNYSOfficeofParks, illustratestheCity’ on- oadbicycle s r Recreation,andHistoricPreservation, fromthe network.Thenetworkconsistsofthree NYSDepartmentofEnvironmentalroutes( ,B,andC)whichextendfromthe A Conservation, rfromthefederalTransportation o downtownouttotheCity’souterdistrict. EquityActforthe21stCentury (TEA21). Consistentbikeroutesignsweredeveloped andlocatedthroughouttheCityin conjunctionwiththedesignationofthese RAILONNECTIONS TC routes. ExceptfortheshortsectionofRoute Inadditiontoensuringthatlandsof CthatfollowsRailroadRun,allofthe conservationinterestareprotectedtothe designatedbicycleroutessharetheroadway maximumextentpossible (throughavarietyof withautomobiles. Thebrochurenotesthat techniques), theOpenSpacePlanseeksto bicyclistsshouldalwaysridewithtraffic, expandopportunitiesforaCitywidetrail shouldstayasfartotherightaspossible, networkconnectingresourcesbothinsideand andusetheshoulderswhereavailable. outsidetheurbancore. Significantportionsof KayaderosserasCreekCanoeTrail –The thistrailnetworkhavealreadybeenestablished. SaratogaSpringsOpen ExistingtrailsareshownontheOpenSpaceand SpaceProjectproduced RecreationResourcesmap,andinclude: abrochureandmapfor thiswatertrailin1999. BogMeadowNatureTrail –thiswalking The6. milecanoetrail 5 trailfollowsanoldrailroadlineand runsfromKellyParkin connectsNYSRoute29 ( akeAvenue)with L BallstonSpa to MeadowbrookRoad SaratogaLake. The RailroadRun –thisshortmulti- se u mapidentifies5access bicycling /walking) trailconnectsWest pointstothecreek. CircularStreetwithCongressAvenue. his T Althoughthe route short offersarelativelymild sectionis canoeingexperience, considered therearetwosmall tobethe areasshownonthemap first wherewhitewatercanoeingexperiencesare segmentof possible. atrailthat SaratogaNationalGolfCourseTrails –as will partoftheapprovalprocessforthegolf ultimatelyconnectdowntowntothe course,heSaratogaSpringsOpenSpace t SaratogaSpaStateParkandbeyond. Projectworkedwiththegolfcourse SaratogaSpringsBicycleSystem & developerstosecurethecreationofwalking PedestrianPathmap (1996) –thisbrochure trailsonthissite. Oneofthetrailsrunsfrom createdbytheSaratogaSpringsOpenSpace RAFTPRIL D– A2002 AGE P22 �ARATOGAPRINGSHEITYINTHEOUNTRYECOMMENDEDCTIONS SS: TCC RA PENPACEESOURCES OSR2002 theUnionAvenueentrancetothegolf designed, andmuchofthefundingforits coursetoaviewingplatformonLakeconstructionisalreadysecured. haseIIof P Lonely. Theothertrail ( otyetcompleted) n theSpringRun willrunalongthenorthernedgeofthegolf Trailprojectwill coursepropertytoYaddolandseastofthe betoextendthe Northway. TheSaratogaNationalGolf trailunderthe CourseandassociatedpublictrailsopenedNorthwayto duringthesummerof2001. WeibelAvenue neartheCityIce Rinkand RecommendedActions: RecreationArea, Thereareapproximately28milesofexistingonandultimatelyto roadbicycleroutes,andabout5milesof connecttothe existingoff-oadtrailsintheCityofSaratoga r BogMeadow Springs.TheOpenSpacePlan’s goalisto NatureTrail. doublethecommunity’strailsystemmileage. SaratogaCountyZimSmithTrailNorthern Theplanproposesthatanadditional35milesof Extension-WorkingwiththeSaratogaSpa trailsshouldbedevelopedintheCity. Someof StatePark, SaratogaCounty,andtheVillage theproposedtrailswillconsistofnewly ofBallstonSpa,atrailrunningthroughthe designatedbicycleroutesthatwillshareexisting southernendoftheparkonanabandoned roads, howeversignificantportionsofthe trolleybedcouldultimatelyconnect proposednetworkwillbeoff-oad.Someofthe r SaratogaSpringstoBallstonSpaand off-oadtrailsshouldbeconstructedasmulti- se r u SaratogaCounty’sZimSmithTrail.The trailswhileotherswouldbemoreappropriately ZimSmithTrail ( hichispartiallyunder w developedaspedestriantrails. development) runsfromBallstonSpa, throughBallston, alta,theVillageof M TheOpenSpaceandRecreationResourcesmap RoundLake, Halfmoon,andterminatesin illustratestheproposedpedestrianandbicycle theCityofMechanicville. Makingthe trails. Threepriorityoff-oadtrailconnections r connectionnorthtoSaratogaSpringswould are: addaregionallysignificantrecreational facilitytothemixoffamilyorientedtourist TheSpringRunTrail –thismulti- setrail u attractionsintheCity,andwouldcreatea willrunnorthfromCongressParkanddown year- oundrecreationalassetforresidentsof r HighRockAvenuebeforeheadingoff-oad r theCityandsurroundingcommunities. The alonganabandonedtrolleyrightofway. SaratogaCountyHeritageTrailCommittee Theoff-oadtrailwillheadeastonthe r andtheSaratogaCountyPlanning trolleybed,crossingunderExcelsior Departmentcompletedpreliminary SpringsRoadandthenorthernendof conceptualplansforthistrailextension EurekaAvenuetoatemporaryturnaround severalyearsago. attheAdirondackNorthway (I-7).This 8 CompletionoftheSaratogaNationalGolf portionofthetrailiscurrentlybeing CourseTrails –Whenthegolfcourse RAFTPRIL D– A2002 AGE P23 �ARATOGAPRINGSHEITYINTHEOUNTRYECOMMENDEDCTIONS SS: TCC RA PENPACEESOURCES OSR2002 openeditsdoorsinthesummerof2001,tintheCityisagoodbeginning, routesignage i hadalreadycompletedconstructionofa andevenwellmaintainedroadshouldersdonot walkingtrailfromasmallturn- ffnexttoitsprovideadequatesafetyforthemanytypesof o entranceonUnionAvenuetoabeautifulriderswhouse,ormightuse,thissysteminan viewingplatformonLakeLonely. Theactiveandtouristorientedcommunitysuchas secondwalkingtrail,whichwasagreedtoas ours. salongA termgoal,theCityshouldwork partoftheCity’sapprovalprocessforthetowardcreatingoff-oadtrailswhichparallelthe r golfcourse,isnotyetcompleted. histrailonT roadnetwork, ruseexistingpassagessuch o willrunalongthenorthernedgeofthegolf asutilityright- f- aysandstreamcorridors, ow coursepropertytoYaddolandseastofthe thatseparateridersfromtraffic. Afineexample Northway. ofthistypeofsystemexistsinMartha’s Vineyard. Off-oadalternativeswouldgreatly r TheCitycanobtaintraillinkagesthroughenhance thesafetyandpleasureoftrailusersand acquisitionoflandoreasementsfromwilling wouldaddanotherattractiontoouralready landowners. Itshouldalsousetheincentive successfultouristeconomy. Offroadtrails provisionsoftheConservationDevelopmentwouldbeespeciallyappropriatealongthehigh Districttoobtainpublicaccesstoconservation speed, highvolumestatehighwaysthatrun throughtheCity’souterdistrict. landsandassistanceintheactualdevelopment oftrails. fcourse,inadditiontousingitsown O resources, heCityshouldseeksourcesofgrant t AnotherimportantconsiderationfortheCity’s fundingtodeveloptrails. Themostlikelytrailnetworkistodeterminehowthesetrails sourceofsuchfundingistheenhancementsshouldultimatelyarriveinthebusyurbancore. programofFederalTransportationEquityActAlthoughdirectionalsignsareausefulstart, forthe21stCentury. movementsthroughtheinnerdistrict,and especiallywithinthedowntownarea,needto Ideally,moreoftheCity’strailsystemwouldbereceivemoreattention. off-oad.Althoughthededicatedbicyclesystem r RAFTPRIL D– A2002 AGE P24 �ARATOGAPRINGSHEITY INTHEOUNTRY SS: TCC PENPACELAN OSP2002 Appendices PPENDIXPENPACEAND AA – OSR ECREATION ESOURCESAP RM RAFTPRIL D– A2002 AGE P25 ��ARATOGAPRINGSHEITY INTHEOUNTRY SS: TCC PENPACELAN OSP2002 PPENDIXHEENEFITSOF PENPACE AB TBOS Openspacescontributeenormouslytotheenvironmentalhealth,qualityoflife,andfiscalstabilityof SaratogaSprings. ConservingtheCity’sopenspaceresourceswillhavelastingvaluetoourcommunity forthisandfuturegenerations. EnvironmentalBenefits Theprotectionofimportantnaturalresourcesisaprimaryobjectiveofanyopenspaceconservation strategy. TherearemanypotentialenvironmentalbenefitsthatwillresultfromoureffortsinSaratoga Springs. Perhapsthemostimportantoftheseenvironmentalbenefitsistheprotectionorenhancementofwater quality. AstheCityandtheregionhavegrown,theneedforimproved, andperhapsnewsourcesof drinkingwaterhasemergedasaprimaryconcernforthefuture. Currently,theCity’swaterneedsare servedbytheLoughberryLakeReservoir, theaquifer- edGeyserCrestwatersystem, andtheBog f MeadowSystem. TheCityhascommissionedaninvestigationintothepotentialforSaratogaLaketo serveasasourceofwaterinthefuture. Whileallavailableoptionsarebeinginvestigated, effortsto preventnon- ointsourcepollutionandtocontrolerosionandsedimentationintoourlakesandthe p streamsthatfeedthemwillimprovethequalityofourwatersupply. AccordingtotheNewYorkStateDepartmentofEnvironmentalConservation’sinventorymaps,thereare 3, 00acresofstate- egulatedfreshwaterwetlandsinSaratogaSprings. Additionalareasofwetlandsare 2 r identifiedontheU. .FishandWildlifeService’sNationalWetlandsInventoryorareregulatedbythe S U. .ArmyCorpsofEngineers. Wetlandsserveasstorageforstormwaterrunofftherebyreducingflood S damageandfunctionasnaturalfiltersforwaterpollutants. Theyalsoprovidewildlifehabitat, recreationalopportunities, andprovideopenspaceandscenicbeautythatcanenhancelocalproperty values. Therearealsothirtymilesofstreamcorridors,andthreelakesintheCity. Conservinglands alongstreamsandlakes,andprotectingtheCity’sextensivesystemofwetlandswillallcontributeto improvedwaterquality. Inadditiontowaterqualityimprovements, therenvironmentalbenefitsofopenspaceconservation o includetheprotectionofwildlifehabitat,heenhancementofregionalbiodiversity, andtheimprovement t ofairquality. RAFTPRIL D– A2002 AGE P26 �ARATOGAPRINGSHEITY INTHEOUNTRY SS: TCC PENPACELAN OSP2002 QualityofLifeBenefits Openspaceconservationbenefitsthequalityoflifeinourcommunityinmanyways. SaratogaSpringsis definedbyits “CityintheCountry” character -- thatis,avibranturbancoresurroundedbyanetworkof openspaceresources. Thetransitionfromourdenseurbancore,tothemuchmoresparselypopulated countryside” isstillfairlywell- efined. Thisdistinctedgemakesitrelativelyquickandeasyfor d residentsinourCitytoaccessthe “country”, abenefitthatfewurbanresidentselsewhereintheUnited Statesshare. Theopportunitiesforactiveandpassiverecreation,andforrelieffromtheurban environmentarenumerousinourcommunity. Thefocusonopenspaceconservation, especiallyintheCity’souterarea,alsofostersthecontinued emphasisongrowthanddevelopmentintheCity’scenter. Thereareno “throw- way” sitesfor a developmentinoururbancore. Wehavemanagedtoachievearemarkable (andstillgrowing)levelof consensusinourcommunityabouttheformandqualityofdevelopmentthatisexpected. Theresultisa vitalandstill-mprovingdowntown,andsurroundingneighborhoodsthatcontinuetorevitalize. The i successofoururbanenvironmentisinsharpcontrasttomanyotherurbancommunitiesinthispartofthe country. Thedemandforthistypeofurbanexperienceisreflectedbythegrowingsuccessofthetourism andconventionindustriesinSaratogaSprings,andinthestrengthandincreasingvalueofourhousing market. Thenotionthatwemustmakeachoicebetweeneconomicgrowthandopenspaceconservationhasbeen revealedasamyth. hereisagrowingrecognitionaroundthestateandthenationthatthisissimplya T falsechoice. Forexample, accordingtotheTrustforPublicLands’report, heEconomicBenefitsof T ParksandOpenSpace (1999,p.3- 3), “ orporateCEO’ssayqualityoflifeforemployeesisthethird1 C mostimportantfactorinlocatingabusiness,behindonlyaccesstodomesticmarketsandavailabilityof skilledlabor.” Inaddition, “Ownersofsmallcompaniesrankedrecreation / parks /openspaceasthe highestpriorityinchoosinganewlocationfortheirbusiness.” Thesamereportnotesthataccordingto theNationalParkService, “Atthepresentratesofgrowth,thetourism / leisureindustrywillsoonbecome theleadingU. .industryofanykind” ( 27). aintainingorenhancingthequalityoflifeforresidents, S p. M andtheexperienceforvisitorstoSaratogaSpringsisanimportantbenefitassociatedwithopenspace conservationefforts. RAFTPRIL D– A2002 AGE P27 �ARATOGAPRINGSHEITY INTHEOUNTRY SS: TCC PENPACELAN OSP2002 FiscalBenefits TheCityCouncilrecentlycommissionedastudytoexaminethefiscalimpactofvarioustypesofland usesinSaratogaSprings. Atitsmostbasiclevel,thistypeofanalysiscanprovideasnapshotofthe revenuetoexpenditureratiofordifferenttypesoflandusesataparticulartime. Calleda “ costof communityservicesstudy”, theresultisusuallypresentedasasetofratiosforparticularbroadcategories oflanduse. Typicalcategoriesmightincluderesidential,commercial/industrial,andopenland / farmland. Foreach,theanalysiscomparestherevenuesgeneratedbythelanduseandthecostof providingservicestothelanduse. Manyofthese “costofcommunityservices” studieshavebeenconductedacrossthestateandthenation. Innearlyeverycase,theresultshaveshownthatforeverydollaroftaxrevenuecollectedfromresidential landuses, hecostofprovidingcommunityservicesishigherthanadollar;andforeverydollaroftax t revenuegeneratedfromopenland /farmland, hecostofprovidingcommunityservicesissubstantially t lessthanadollar. SomeexamplesfromtheFarmlandInformationCenterofAmericanFarmlandTrust are: RevenuetoExpenditureratiosindollars Community: ResidentialFarm / Forest/ OpenLand WilliamstownMA 1: . 1 11 1: . 4 03 AmeniaNY 1: . 3 12 1: . 5 02 Deerfield MA 1: . 6 11 1: . 9 02 Montor NY 1: . 0 15 1: . 9 02 InthecaseofWilliamstown ( bove),foreverydollargeneratedfromresidentiallanduses,thecommunity a spends $ 11onprovidingservicestotheseuses. ForeverydollargeneratedfromFarm/ orest/ pen 1. F O Land,thecommunityspends $0. 4onprovidingcommunityservices. 3 Afiscalmodeltakestheanalysismuchfurther. Afiscalmodelbeginswithasimilarstudyofabaseyear thatis,informationaboutthecommunity’srevenuesandexpendituresmustbeallocatedbylanduse typesforayearwhichwillbethestartingpointforthemodel. Tocreatethemodel,additional informationaboutthecommunity,suchasthecapacityofexistinginfrastructureandfacilities,planned extensionsand/orimprovements, historicaldataaboutpopulationandhousing, etc.,mustbecollectedand analyzed. Oncethemodeliscreated,itallowsthecommunitytotestdifferentscenariosofdevelopment todeterminetheimpactonfuturetaxesofeachscenario. Inthemid- 990s,theTownofPittsford,NewYorkdecidedtocreateaPurchaseofDevelopmentRights 1 PDR) rogramaspartofitsGreenprintfortheFuture ( heGreenprintwasanimplementationitemfrom p t thetown’scomprehensiveplan). UnderthePDRprogram, thetownwouldpermanentlyprotect1, 00 2 acresonsevenfarms. Theaveragecosttoahomeownerofthisprogramwasestimatedatabout $ 50per RAFTPRIL D– A2002 AGE P28 �ARATOGAPRINGSHEITY INTHEOUNTRY SS: TCC PENPACELAN OSP2002 year. Thetownuseditsfiscalmodeltocomparethistoafuturelandusescenarioinwhichthe1, 00 2 acresweredevelopedashousing ( reasonableassumptioninthatfast- rowingtown). Thefiscalmodel a g demonstratedthattheaveragecosttoahomeownerofnotimplementingthePDRprogram (allowingthe housestobedeveloped) wouldbeapproximately $250peryear. Taxincreaseswouldbeneededtopay foradditionalservices -- especiallyschools -- forthenewresidentsinthesehypotheticalfuturehousing units. Themodelshowedthatthesavingsfromavoidingthesetaxcostswouldtotal $ 000forthe 5, averagehomeowneroverthelifeofthe20yearPDRbond. InSaratogaSprings,thecity’sfiscalanalysiswascompletedattheendof2001. Resultsfromthisstudy indicatethatamoderateconservationprogram,includingbondingtopurchaselandoreasements, willnot costtaxpayersanymoreinthelongrunthanifwesimplyallowdevelopmenttocontinuewithno conservationalternativesinplace ( ehanPlanningAssociates2001). B Allofthesestudiesshowthatresidentialgrowthdoesnotnecessarilyenhanceacommunity’sfinances. A balanceofresidential, ommercial, andopenlandsisnecessarytobalancetherisingcostsforservices. c Still,hefiscalbenefitsofopenspaceconservationarenotalwayswellunderstood. Asarecentarticlein t theNewYorkTimesstated: “Althoughanincreasingnumberofmunicipalitiesaretryingtoslowthe juggernautbyacquiringopenspaceandrequiringlargelotsforconstruction,localofficialsarestill obsessedbythenever- ndingpursuitofdevelopmenttheyhopewilloffsetpropertytaxincreasesthat e werelargelycausedbyearlierresidentialgrowth” (AnAppetiteforConstruction: NewJerseyCries Sprawl,butLetsSuburbsSwell,March11,2001). Fortunately, wehavemovedbeyondthatherein SaratogaSprings. RAFTPRIL D– A2002 AGE P29 �ARATOGAPRINGSHEITY INTHEOUNTRY SS: TCC PENPACELAN OSP2002 PPENDIXEVELOPMENTOFTHE PENPACEAND AC DOS ECREATIONESOURCESAP RRM InpreparingtheOpenSpaceandRecreationResourcesmaptheOpenSpaceProjectconductedaparcelby- arcelinventoryofresourceswithintheCity. Tofacilitatethisprocess, aGeographicInformation p System (GIS)wasused. Thissystemenablesgeographicinformation,suchastaxparcels, oads, treams, r s andrailroads,tobedisplayedandmanipulateddigitally. Tobegin, digitalfileoftaxparcelsandtheirassessmentinformationwasobtainedfromtheCity, which a allowedamaptobecreatedillustratingthecurrentuseofeachproperty. Forexample,alllandsthatwere classifiedbytheCity’sAssessorascommercialwereshadedred, landsclassifiedasresidentialshadedas yellow,landsclassifiedasindustrialshadedpurple,landsclassifiedasvacantshadedgray, etc. Oncethe mapwascompleted, itwasusedinthefieldto( verifythelanduseinformation,and ( )conducta 1) 2 furtherinventoryofresources. Additionalinventoryinthefieldincludedacheckforwetlands, steepslopes, typeofvegetation (wooded, meadow, etc.),approximatepercentdeveloped,shorelinehabitat,wildlifehabitat,scenicvistas, nd a wildlifeobservation. Allinformationcollectedwasenteredintothecomputerproducingacompleteand accurateparcel- y- arceldatabaseoflanduseandresourcesinthecommunity. Althoughmuch b p informationwascollectedinthefield,supplementalinformationwascollectedinordertocompletethe analysisincludingNYSdelineatedwetlandswitha100’ buffer,25%orgreaterslopes, agriculturallands, andstreamswitha100’ buffer. AfteralltheinformationwasgatheredandenteredintotheGISdatabase,aworkingbasemapwas preparedhighlightingallvacantlandsandpredominantlyundevelopedlands (argeparcelswithverylittle l development)overtenacresinsize.Thisbasemapprovidedaframeworktobegintounderstandthe patternofopenspacesurroundingtheurbancore. Oncetheworkingbasemapwasprepared,aseriesofoverlaymapswerecreatedillustratingdifferent categoriesofopenspaceresourcesincluding: NaturalResources: Wildlife,steepslopes, vegetation, wetlandswithbuffer,streamswith buffer,andagriculturallands. ExistingTrailSystemsandMajorOriginandDestinationPoints ScenicVistas,Gateways, andRuralRoadCorridors Eachofthemapswasprintedonclearacetateandoverlaidontotheworkingbasemap. Insodoing, the culminationofresourcescouldbeeasilypinpointedthushelpingtoindicatecertainlandswith conservationinterest. Usingtheoverlaysasaguide,theOpenSpaceandRecreationResourcesmapwas prepared. RAFTPRIL D– A2002 AGE P30 �ARATOGAPRINGSHEITY INTHEOUNTRY SS: TCC PENPACELAN OSP2002 PPENDIXACKGROUND AD B The1987masterplanfortheCityofSaratogaSpringsrecommendedthattheCitydevelopanopenspace plan. Fromitsinceptionthatyear,theSaratogaSpringsOpenSpaceProjectworkedtoward implementationofthatrecommendation. In1994,theOpenSpacePlanforSaratogaSpringswas completedbythevolunteerBoardoftheOpenSpaceProject. TheplanwaspresentedtotheCityCouncil andwasadoptedasapublicpolicyguidelaterthatyear. TheCityInTheCountry” describesSaratogaSprings. Thissimplephrasecapturestheunique opportunitythathistoryandgeographyhaveprovidedourcommunity. Originallyabustlingvillage withinaruraltown,SaratogaSpringswasincorporatedasaCityin1915. Asaresult,SaratogaSpringsis thefourthlargestCityinNewYorkStateintermsoflandarea. TheCityisintheuncommonandenvious positionofcontrollinggrowthinalargeareasurroundingtheurbancore. hereremainsasignificant T opportunitytocreateanetworkofopenlandsasagreenbeltaroundourvibrantCitycore. Thedistinct edgebetweenCityandcountryistheessenceoftheCityintheCountryvisionoftheOpenSpacePlan. TheOpenSpacePlanarticulatedabalancedvisionofSaratogaSprings -- onestillsharedthroughoutour community. Thevisionwaseloquentlystatedintheintroductionasfollows: TheOpenSpacePlanforSaratogaSpringsaimstoprotectthecriticalboundarybetweenrurallandscape andtownwithpurposefulurbandesign. AstheCitycontinuestodevelop, caremustbetakentomaintain avitalurbancenterwithastrongruraledge. Withitsemphasisoninfill,itsfocusonconsolidationasan antidotetosprawlanditsstressonthepreservationoflandandfiscalresources, the1994OpenSpace PlanaimstosafeguardthesurvivalofSaratoga’seconomichealthandvisualappeal. ThisbalancedvisionwasquiteprogressiveforupstateNewYorkintheearly1990s. Itrecognizedthat growthandopenspaceprotectionarenotcontradictorygoals. Thenationaldialogueabout “smart growth”whichhasemergedsincethattime,lendssupporttoourvision. TodayinNewYorkState,the Governorhasdefinedgeneralprinciplesforsmartgrowth,or “ qualitycommunities”, whichinclude, “the revitalizationofdowntownareas,historicdistrictsandbrownfieldsandthepreservationofcommunity characterandopenspaceresources.” TheQualityCommunitiesInteragencyTaskForce,chairedbythe LieutenantGovernor, recentlyissuedareporttitled,StateandLocalGovernmentsPartnering foraBetter NewYork ( anuary2001). Thereportnotesthat, “TheGovernorrecognizedthattheStateandlocal J governments requirecreativestrategiestocombinegrowthandenvironmentalprotectioninorderto ' enhanceeconomicvitalityandqualityoflife.’" RAFTPRIL D– A2002 AGE P31 �ARATOGAPRINGSHEITYINTHEOUNTRY SS: TCC PENPACELAN OSP2002 TheOpenSpacePlanforSaratogaSprings ( 1994)containedaseriesoftwenty- ivepolicy f recommendations, including: 1.PreservetheCityinthecountry 2.Preserveandmaintainexistingactiverecreationareasandfacilities 3.Upgradeandimproveexistingactiverecreationareaandfacilities 4.Preserveandmaintainexistingpassiverecreationareas 5.Developnewareasforpassiverecreation 6.Conservequasi- ublicrecreationareasandopenspaces p 7.ImproveanddevelopadditionalcenterCitygatheringplaces 8.Encouragefurtherdevelopmentofsmallneighborhoodparks 9.Preserveimportantculturalresources 10.Preserveandprotectsignificanthabitat 11.Protectdrinkingwateraquifersandwatersheds 12.Preserveallexistingwetlands 13.Protectstreamcorridors 14.Maintainexistinganddevelopadditionalsprings 15.Preservethepetrifiedseagardens 16.IdentifyandprotectthescenicorvisualqualitiesoftheimportantentrancewaysintheCity 17.Protectscenicbyways,vistasandareas 18.Developbikeways 19.Developwalking,skiing,andequestriantrailsystems 20.MaintainandexpandasidewalksystemthroughoutthemoredevelopedareasoftheCity 21.Developcanoeroutes 22.Developpublicaccessforboatingandfishing 23.Preservefarmlandandsupportexistingagriculturalactivity 24.Formalizethecommunityshadetreeprogram 25.Promoteimprovedlandusedesignanddevelopmentstandards Allofthetwenty-fivepolicyrecommendationsremainvalidtoday,andtheycontinuetoformthebasisfor actionsbytheOpenSpaceProjectandtheCity. Undereachpolicyrecommendation, the1994Open SpacePlanprovidedideasforhowtherecommendationmightbeaccomplished. Manyofthe recommendationsandopportunitiesidentifiedintheplanhavebeenimplementedsincetheplan’s completion. Manyhavenot. Insomecasesthesituationhaschangedornewopportunitiesexist. The 1994planrecognizedthatitshouldberevisitedperiodicallytoensurethatitremainscurrent. Thatisthe purposeofthisupdatetotheOpenSpacePlan. RAFTPRIL D– A2002 AGE P32 �Chapter 241. 9 PROVIDING FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF PLANNED AN ORDINANCE UNIT DEVELOPMENT GREEN BE IT Section DISTRICT PLANNED TO UNIT BE KNOWN AS DEVELOPMENT" by the City Council of the City of Saratoga York, following a public hearing as follows: ORDAINED New Springs, ACRES 1 - Name: This Ordinance and Development" shall amends be known Chapter Green as 240 the of Planned Acres Code the of Unit of City Saratoga Springs, New York entitled " oning" Z Section II - Zoning Change: The Zoning zoning map the herein be and same zoning the described planned Green as referred to the of district residential of UR 2 - of boundaries unit as hereinafter said district development Acres Unit Planned described, described newly to known be and area a and Development", hereinafter as "Green Acres ". III The the of City of Saratoga Springs and City Saratoga Springs as set forth are hereby amended by changing from the the within existing creating Section Ordinance of - Boundaries: area of Green Acres Unit Planned Development" owned by the Inc., hereinafter Corporation ") consists of approximately thirteen 13. 2) acres located in the City of Saratoga Springs and is bounded and described as set forth in Appendix A Legal Description, and Green Acres of Lake, Saratoga Sketch Plan, attached hereto and made a part hereto. Appendix B The property is designated on s the Assessor' Map of the Outside Tax District as set forth on Appendix C Tax Map Identification. Section IV - Purpose: Historically, outside the now the area applicable included zoning in Green ordinance. Acres It is developed the purpose of this Ordinance to provide a means to establish regulations and limits is the in the this of residential further purpose development area which into the growth has and of in this design existed and the already Ordinance of Green been to developed promote Acres developed ordinance area. It flexibility incorporating by over the last 30 legislative City' s zoning ratify the residential nature of the area and facilitate the use of land, promote good site design and visual quality and result a more The in pleasing environment_ than otherwise possible. years so as to �Plan Comprehensive for the of City Saratoga Springs as revised) proposes that this area be developed as a PUD. Section There V - Uses and Density: shall be constructed within the boundaries of " Green Acres Planned Unit Development" residential use types consisting of family detached dwelling units. The maximum number of single units that be can constructed shall be twenty 20). The maximum number of lots upon which said units can be constructed is nineteen 19). No more than one unit can be constructed upon a lot unless other provided for in this ordinance. Within the PUD the following uses are allowed: Single family detached - Each lot will be established by surveyed descriptions incorporated in this legislation by reference on the attached sketch No plan. further will development be permitted on said lots other than as expressly provided for in this act. Recreation 4. 092 Recreational lot acre Center court and related established of Green the on of Acres include a Clubhouse may amenities swimming pool, outdoor facilities recreational etc.). PUD games, may be remaining lands as Inc., which Lake, Saratoga facilities described site plan approval shall be required for development of the open space and or common land. / Accessory Accessory permitted uses follows: as are private / / swimming pools, solar heating ventilation sheds, storage garages, equipment, private docks up to 110 feet in length), temporary home antennas satellite and dishes, accessory dwelling, and greenhouses non -commercial). occupation Section VI The 7 shall PUD acres) leased the the in lots PUD common for expenses generated by are the lot its to owners through association or common the and the land remaining members same to to be lot lines contained the right to as or to other be In tenants. individuals, property to fee by the corporation revenues paid through the the event contribute retained by that corporation as a condition of the conveyance otherwise convey in persons maintained shall the the retains same Acres shall space transferred all be Green the said maintain will leases require to Association: totaling approximately parcels members corporation leases. premises The simple. and the members' leased 19 of Homeowner's common retained be acres) shall by the space lines the lot The and leased lots are surveyed approximately described consist to and 6 corporation. in Tenancies Ownership, to agree sufficient Green Acres. the shall funds �Section VII The City - Sketch attached and the Plan: Sketch developer Plan, Appendix B, for shall be used the by overall guide development of It be amended and Development ". may modified by the Saratoga Springs Planning Board so long as the and use, density development regulations as set forth in this Green Acres Ordinance Section The be Planned are a Unit met. VIII - Utilities: entire serviced as Green by Acres municipal Planned and water Unit Development" area sanitary sewer lines in will the manner directed by the Saratoga Springs Planning Board during the PUD site plan review process. The water lines shall service all units on Garside Road as well as Garside Green Garside Road Acres easement to Road and Extension. Garside giving to Garside the Road Road City and Access Extension a a thirty twenty to the water lines on shall be insured by two 32) foot permanent 20) foot permanent easement to Garside Road Extension for the maintenance of said water lines. All when water completed lines shall shall be be constructed offered for to City dedication to standards the City and of Saratoga Springs. All District lots 1. maintained shall continue to be serviced by County Sewer sanitary sewer facilities will be owned and 1 Saratoga County Sewer District # . Said by the �Prior to the issuance of a building permit to develop any of the residential Development" be permitted within lots Green Planned Acres Unit other than a building permit which would otherwise under the site Code) the shall Corporation receive PUD plan approval Planning Board of the City of 3. Saratoga Springs pursuant to Chapter 240 - 5. Such PUD site plan shall be limited to road approval improvements and all other from the right of way improvements, on or off site, utilities and drainage - system and shall be Zoning Ordinance of in conformance City the of with 35 Chapter 240 - . Saratoga Springs. If of the in the development of the PUD site plan it becomes apparent that certain elements of the Site Plan infeasible are in and need of significant modification, any significant modification thereof be approved in accordance with the Zoning Ordinance of the must of City standard Saratoga the Springs. Any concerning construction of residential units to be constructed within " Green Acres Planned with the Unit Development appropriate codes, shall be governed by and comply laws, rules and regulations, including the New York State Building Codes in force and effect at the time cf site plan approval for units the be to so constructed. Once PUD site plan approval has been granted for Phase I, PUD site plan aproval shall not be required for any residential lot in the Section PUD. X - Streets Garside Roads: Road, which services the Green Planned Acres Unit Development" as indicated upon the Sketch Plan, shall remain owned by Green Acres. It shall be constructed in accordance with city specifications, excluding width, curve radius, T turnaround and slope. Its paved width shall be Fourteen There 14) feet. shall also street installed. be lights. easement shall No be along Garside sidewalks given will Road be the for City water lines running under said extension. Garside Road to Extension shall wing curbs, along with installed. A maintenance remain owned by of permanent the City Green Acres. It shall be improved by paving of the same to a width of ten 10) feet. A permanent easement shall be given to the City for maintenance of the City water lines running under said extension. Should any emergency cause the City of Saratoga Springs to operate, maintain or repair Garside Road, Garside or the welfare drainage system of the in order to protect the residents, the City Department Road Extension, health, safety and of Public Works shall be empowered to bill the real property owners of the 4 �improved land in an amount to be determined by the Commissioner of Public Works so as to reimburse the Department of Public Works for all expense incurred for such purpose. Section XI - The for Off site Improvements: - developer, curbs, any or pavement lighting within the portion of Crescent frontage on the PUD. Section XII - its successor, shall improvements, be not street public rights of Park or Kaydeross existing Street that that has Phasing: Acres Planned Unit Development" shall in accordance with the following phasing plan: I street of ways Road Green PHASE responsible trees, RESIDENTIAL be developed AREA Water System, Drainage, Road Improvements, and Residential must be obtained by Lot December Designations PUD site plan approval 31, 1999. If not obtained by said date, the zoing for the PUD shall expire and the property shall revert to RR 1 zoning. - PHASE II: Clubhouse RECREATION and AREA Recreation Amenities PUD site plan approval can be obtained at any time. There shall be expiration date. The approximate boundaries of these phases are shown on the sketch plan in Appendix B. no �Section XIII Storm A storm sewer system for the road improvement Sewer. that constructed be shall Drainage: - shall sufficient be to 25 a convey year storm. A storm management facility Facility. shall be constructed that shall be sufficient to treat the first Storm Management and flush utilize will basin overflow an will that protect sediments and potential pollutants from entering Saratoga Lake. Section Height, Setback, XIV and Area and Regulations Bulk Exceptions): All D Schedule to shall lots attached exceptions the Unit Planned Acres hereto which and appear made a in the Development, set requirements the with comply of part this Bulk and in subject entitled schedule Area forth act, Green Schedule Exceptions" attached hereto as Appendix E. Height setback and area and bulk regulations for recreation facilities shall be determined by the Planning Board during PUD sice plan approval for Phase II. Section XV Reconstruction of Existing Structures: its successors, assigns or its lessee of each lot shall have the right to replace, reconstruct or otherwise improve The owner, any existing structure including principal buildings and accessory buildings now situate ( as shown on the site plan or as permitted pursuant to Appendix E herein) on a lot, whether or not within the area, bulk and/ r setback requirements contained o herein long so as said replacement, reconstruction, improvement does not require construction outside the existing footprint of said structure or said footprint as permitted in Appendix E. Severability: Section XVI If any provision of this Ordinance shall be held invalid, the remainder of the Ordinance shall not be affected thereby. Section XVII - Construction Standards:_ All construction standards for buildings, private and public improvements and for utilities shall be prepared and approved All by architects, licensed costs architects, Landscape or engineers. associated with this shall be borne by the owner whether the plans are provided by the City of Saratoga Springs or by the owner. the Further, City of all completed construction shall he certified to Saratoga Springs by 6 licensed architects, landscape �or engineers as being completed in the manner called for in the plans and shall be certified in accordance therewith. architects, City may require any or all costs connected with this to be borne by the owner. Section In by Change In Ownership: XVIII the Green ownership that event of the area wholly encompassed or transferred is Development ", person, firm, corporation, partnership or applicant herein, the City of Saratoga Planned Acres Unit conveyed to any third other entity by the of to the reserves proof require right Springs with accordance in the transferee of responsibility - 5 of the Zoning procedures set forth in Chapter 240 3. financial the same Ordinance of the City of Saratoga Springs. Section XIX - This Effective Ordinance Date: shall take effect the day after publication as provided by the provisions of the City Charter of the City of Saratoga ADOPTED: Springs, c5iOJ New f/ L York. 22 I 7 �APPENDIX "A" VW W/ E-VAZ 1 Legal Description ENVIRONMENTAL t. CSIGN ARTNERSHIP, LLP BOUNDARIES OF GREEN ACRES PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT GREEN ACRES OF SARATOGA LAKE, NY SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY ALL CERTAIN THAT TRACT, PIECE PARCEL OR OF LAND in SITUATE the City of Saratoga Springs, County of Saratoga, State of New York lying along the southeasterly line of Crescent Avenue, County Road No. 22 and the easterly line of Kaydeross Park Road and being further bounded and described as follows: Beginning at a point marked with a capped iron rod found at the Avenue, County lands Book of No. Deeds of 1028 Road of formerly or now herein of intersection of point at described being beginning 22 southeasterly with the line common the of Crescent division line of Saratoga Settlement, Inc. as conveyed in Page 1183 to the northeast and the parcel the to said along the southwest; division common thence from said point line the two following 2) courses and distances: 1) South 2) 55 South 64 min. 50 53 deg. 52 deg. sec. min. 00 East, sec. 292. 0 feet to a point; 5 7 East, 304. 0 feet to a marked with a capped iron rod found near the west shore line of Saratoga Lake; thence winds and 1, 050 feet with the along turns to in the common the a west general point division of shore line southerly intersection line lands now of Saratoga direction of of said Lake as it approximately west shore line formerly of Mary Jane I 900 Route 146, Clifton Park, New York 12065 phone ( 518)371 7621 - fax ( 518)371 9540 �talitt Hales and Timothy Ross as conveyed in Book 1191 of Deeds as Page 322 south and shore the to line north, said courses the herein parcel the having following twelve the to 12) tie line and distances: 1) South 50 deg. 22 min. 10 sec. West, 115. 7 2 2) described being 49 South 11 deg. min. 00 sec. West, feet to a point; 103. 5 feet to a point; 4 3) South 35 deg. 10 min. 00 sec. West, 45. 6 9 4) South 28 deg. 29 min. 30 sec. West, 47. 3 feet to a point; 5 52 min. 10 sec. West, 111. 8 feet to a point; 9 5) South 18 deg. feet to a point; South 07 deg. 07 min. 10 sec. West, 120. 2 3 7) South 04 deg. 32 min. 00 sec. West, 59. 6 feet to a point; 1 South 10 deg. 07 min. 10 sec. East, 67. 4 feet to a point; 1 9) South 14 deg. 56 min. 20 sec. East, 82. 5 8 6) 8) min. 40 feet to a point; feet to a point; East, 94. 6 1 feet to a point; 9 11) South 12 deg. 06 min. 40 sec. East, 51. 8 feet to. a point; 10) South 07 29 deg. 43 deg. along said 12) South thence sec. min. 30 01 9 East, 117. 4 sec. line division common in feet to a point; the part, and common division line of lands now or formerly of Milton Ross Associates, Inc. and as the three in conveyed parcel Book herein 1092 being described at to Page the 203 north the to the south following 3) courses and distances: 1) North 68 deg. 44 min. 40 sec. marked with a concrete monument 2) Deeds of North 39 deg. 29 min. 30 West, 569. 8 8 feet to a point found; West, 9.0 7 sec. feet to a point; 2 900 Route 146, Clifton Park, New York 12065 7 phone (518) 371 - 621 fax ( 518)371 9540 �3) North 68 with marked iron an min. rod 30 sec. the in found 328. 2 9 West, feet to line of easterly point a Kaydeross thence along the easterly line of Kaydeross Park Road Road; Park 59 deg. and the southeasterly line of Crescent Avenue, County Road No. 22 the following 4) courses and distances: four 1) North 24 deg. 26 min. 07 2) North 23 deg. 20 sec. min. 40 East, 524. 6 7 sec. feet to a point; East, 113. 8 4 feet to a point of curvature; 3) Along of point chord a a to curve right arc an length of 113. 9 2 feet to a said curve having a radius of 375. 0 feet and 0 tangency, length the of North 31 deg. 46 min. 50 sec. East, 112. 6 8 feet; 4) North 40 deg. 26 min. 10 or place of same more or Said parcel conditions, sec. East, 216. 1 feet to a the point 4 acres 13. 2± beginning containing of land to be the less. made subject easements to and and any all restrictions enforceable of record covenants, they as may appear. The purpose of this description is to describe a proposed P. . D. U and not to be used for the conveyance of Real Property. Prepared by: TJM March 18, 1999 E. Dani- Fuller, S. P. . No. L 49, 35 1 C:NLNWORD \ ESC UDG \ D \? 3 900 Route 146, Clifton Park, New York 12065 7 phone ( 518) 371 - 621 - fax ( 518)371 9540 �P4RK EPCSS N 10' 2<: : 6' 52 LEGEND: cSc ROAD r a. aevoarJ 76' w E; RC. O E. REcn.. , . , N R, E 2J' TaO I1J. D 46' r' 375 . 29 5 D e D 5 T.' .eeeSS ,C. / oc„. xCD vc . e— L H 0aa 0, 9 , a 0 4, " 0- 2 1 d/ 6 f n r 13. ACRES 1r - a' 10' JCnO RS ACCFSSOR fluxD. S C CAPPCL , en. R co : ck' L n of. 1.. 4. aG\0T5 r coxur[ O. uvEnr ro:.. c re) i 9. AS` II CCvcTS c. . o q ROaYD: mar flt( n r D' 1"^ 9" +• .... 8 h e OS a(.. SE 13. . C ` ? r. CJ. . R DC" RS O D. P. U. AREA = Ex- SF TBACR • YSB• C0 - : G REAR I I PHASE. a n arc s0E GE' z NJ s naL. r r o • D En 0 as PC0 , 0-,,,, C CASn9C '.00. ... LAMER y c s. eAroc. wE « i. 2id: 4f1ed) CAF.r 0p0 . o J] a .( RF x025 w O( RESIDENTIAL va – ,.. s n, nUMBE.R f C SAn. AR I A[ c A'• n O r U) r a N. D •. r s, - I o c7 1_ l r I 0s , U0% rl • j ,i)) . s ' D i k 1 I_ dt . - 5 , o 0v eooa 9, 67x2 S. . F xME. v 1•. S. . 2031 F ROSE SE r' E.• IL nn. c+ Oc03 Ar PACE raze ueJ 255 S. 75'- F . ROSE 17 10, 44_ S. . 3 F 19 r ms oor XOwALC` r YX 11.132 6 S. . F 21 sA,. rAR. 5TAUFFACnER 15, J. 362 5. . • ,..( F IJ SU TTC 20,. 3662 S. . F OS 27 LAMSU2T 17552= S. . . F r0 e R rAw m er JO rl a.en 314 en, ra I o WELLS 26 . uKE a[. B. RRR Rw) n MACxEr 7< 31) SC r[ 0.0 tr 4 5. 9622 S. . F II pa. 12 ANO (> o/ PROA- XO WAL C. rX 6, 1052 S. . • F LAKE 15.612 8 S. F I xo. %/ rxs c- V21 W u rw > nc 11 S. . 2. 1A8_ F g 101 s XOwalCn r. y r2.572 0 uBERT. L. a 1 cARSDC Wee( cF4n i: r. 3. ,-.. 9B: 0. 9 4 16. i1 S.F.. B S. F x.r.. 1 r 504 SF. CUIOrriA4COEE n wws R ar 4SARA , S. . F n • 7.', 3. ,°: o 5O I F. C.,. R. r. . r wsrw It 1_ \ 5D• y I 0 s 7 2 u • 1 O[ rx S I I'' • .., I y I • r,+. e•,?...‘. ' 0... 0. 1 3 . I 1 ,, I 10,722 9 R r. j '' . CI • v _ '. 1 BARTER 4 C----\ ROY rn) BAR . R 1 0 7 ROU 0: 12252 SFE:, J n R 0 I .f , P TJh ;+; 1_ 12. 27± S. . 5 F LANE O+ ES y c i. n 1 F. RA7 1 • -•--_— y Tr• • PUD 9 E YKR r lA bG .. Aur us[ a CAAAM1 n)1 - . THE OWER 5 i 1 C... F IN w piping. n ^ LOTS wa ,µ D5 01 UCFx wUCS il y / 1; OR ME RO0 >E OESrM• n LAM- A0005 CASE Enrs ± , Sr R : L u.. r- /./ j i r 1, APPENDIX TO(..;.;fir'.• 1. , SKETCH PHASE GREEN ACRES 8 PLAN PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT A/ CI TY OF SARA TOGA 0-, r..7 .. _ R( 1 SPRINGS nn' ry• na SARA TOGA COUN TY, N. . Y or(: r2T 1999 ' �APPENDIX "C" CURRENT TAX PARCEL OF THE PUD 180. 7 1 12 1 - - 13. 6 0 acres) Leased as 180. 7- 1 1 12 21 180. 7- 1 1 12 22 180. 7- - 2 23 1 11 180. 7- - 2 24 1 11 180. 7- - 2 25 1 11 - 180. 7- - 2 26 1 11 180. 7- - 2 27 1 11 - 180. 7- 12 28 1 1180. 7- - 2 29 1 11 180. 7- - 2 30 1 11 180. 7- 1 1 12 31 180. 7- 1 1 12 32 180. 7- 1 1 12 33 180. 7- 1 1 12 34 180. 7- - 2 35 1 1 1 - 180. 7- - 2 36 1 11 - 180. 7- - 2 37 1 11 180. 7- - 2 38 1 11 180. 7- - 2 39 1 11 - 10 follows: �APPENDIX "C" CURRENT 180. 7 1 12 1 - - TAX PARCEL OF THE 13. 6 acres) Leased as 0 180. 7- - 2 21 1 11 - 180. 7- - 2 22 1 11 180. 7- - 2 23 1 11 180. 7- - 2 24 1 11 - 180. 7- - 2 25 1 11 - 180. 7- - 2 26 1 11 180. 7- - 2 27 1 11 - 180. 7- - 2 28 1 11 180. 7- - 2 29 1 11 180. 7- -12 30 1 1 - 180. 7- - 2 31 1 11 180. 7- -12 32 1 1 - 180. 7- -12 33 1 1 180. 7- - 2 34 1 11 - 180. 7- -12 35 1 1 180. 7- - 2 36 1 11 180. 7- - 2 37 1 11 - 180. 7- - 2 38 1 11 1 180. 7- -12 39 1 follows: PUD �APPENDIX "D" Green Acres Planned Unit Development Area and Bulk Schedule Exceptions General: a. All lots bordering Saratoga Lake shall be permitted to construct a dock extending to the shoreline. Specific: a. The owner construct lessee or a of lot No. 9 shall be permitted to 20) foot by twenty four twenty ( 24) foot garage extending from and parallel to the northerly line of the principal building. No side setback or lot coverage variance shall be required for construction of the b. same. The owner or lessee of Lot No. 17 shall be permitted to construct.mprovements and additions to the principal i including building an attached garage). No side setback or lot coverage variance shall be required so as the lot percent for the long for the shall coverage not exceed sixteen 16) principal building and eight 8) percent ancillary building. In addition, said building shall be permitted to encroach on the southerly side setback only. c. The owner or lessee of construct or otherwise Lot No. retain 21 shall be permitted to two 2) principal buildings on said lot subject to the following conditions: 1. The existing building located nearest the westerly line of the property shall be limited in size to the footprint currently existing on said lot as shown on the site plan. 2. The second building shall be constructed upon the existing foundation located nearest the easterly line of the property. shall be by forty The permitted four owner to or lessee construct a 44) foot residence, 11 shall of Lot twenty eight No. 21 28) foot which building shall �be confined to the existing northerly and southerly lines of said foundation i. 28 e. feet) and shall extend the easterly and or westerly lines of said foundation to / a maximum of forty four 44) feet. No side setback or lot coverage variance shall be required for construction of d. the same. The owner or lessee of Lot No. 27 shall be permitted to construct garage twenty (20) foot by twenty four a and ten 10) 24) foot foot enclosed walkway connecting said garage and principal building. No side setback or lot coverage variance shall be required for construction of the same so long as said garage and walkway shall be located on the westerly side of the premises and encroach upon the southerly side setback only. e. The owner or lessee of Lot No. 3 shall be permitted to construct a walkway ramp from the northerly entrance of / the principal building to a deck to be constructed on the easterly side of the principal building. No side setback or lot coverage variance shall be required for construction of the same so long as the walkway ramp is / of not in excess five of 5) feet in width and of the minimum length necessary to connect the northerly entrance f. The to owner construct 35) the lessee foot or a lessee thirty of five lot No. 4 shall be permitted to 35) foot by thirty five 35) foot garage attached to the principal residence within or said deck. by thirty dock. setbacks. required shall be permitted In to addition, construct 30) ( a said owner thirty 30) foot boathouse over the permitted No set back or lot coverage variance shall be required for construction of the same. l2 �APPENDIX "D" Green Acres Planned Unit Heights, Setback, Area For Maximum Lot of Minimum Percent to Residential Bulk Lots in Schedule Phase I Principal Building Yard Dimensions be Development and Accessory Building Minimum Distance To Occupied Principal Accessory Front Rear Building Building feet) feet) One Total Maximum Side Side Height feet) 15 5 25 30 10 feet) 20 feet) 35 Principal Building feet) 5 Front Lot Line feet) 25 Side Lot Line feet) 10 Rear Lot Line feet) 30 �APPENDIX "E" Green Acres Planned Unit Development Area and Bulk Schedule Exceptions General: a. All lots bordering Saratoga Lake shall be permitted to construct a dock extending to the shoreline which dock shall not exceed 110 feet in length. Specific: a. The owner construct lessee or twenty a of lot 9 shall be permitted to No. 20) foot by twenty four 24) foot garage extending from and parallel to the northerly line of the No side principal building. setback or lot coverage variance shall be required for construction of the b. same. The owner lessee or of Lot 17 shall be permitted to No. construct improvements and additions to the principal including building an attached garage). No side setback or lot coverage variance shall be required so long as percent the for lot the coverage shall exceed not 16) sixteen for the principal building eight 8) percent ancillary building. In addition, said building and shall be permitted to encroach on the southerly side setback only. c. of owner or lessee construct or otherwise The Lot No. retain 21 shall be permitted to 2) principal two buildings on said lot subject to the following conditions: The existing building located nearest the westerly line of the property shall be limited in size to the 1. footprint currently existing on said lot as shown on the site plan. The second building shall be constructed upon the foundation located nearest the easterly line of 2. existing the property. shall be permitted forty by The four owner to or construct 44) foot shall lessee a of Lot twenty eight No. 21 28) foot which building shall residence, be confined to the existing northerly and southerly lines the a of said easterly maximum of foundation and or / forty i. 28 e. westerly four feet) and li nes 44) feet. of No said side shall extend on foundation setback or to �lot coverage variance shall be required for construction of d. the The same. lessee of Lot No. 27 shall be permitted to twenty by twenty four 24) foot garage and ten 10) foot enclosed walkway connecting owner construct said or 20) foot a garage and principal building. No side setback or lot coverage variance shall be required for construction of the same so long as said garage and walkway shall be located on the westerly side ofthe premises and encroach upon the southerly side setback only. e. The owner or lessee of Lot No. 3 shall be permitted to construct a walkway ramp from the northerly entrance of / the principal building to a deck to be constructed on easterly side of the principal building. No side the setback or lot coverage variance shall be required for construction of the same so long as the walkway ramp is / of not in excess of five 5) feet in width and of the minimum length necessary to connect the northerly entrance f. The to owner construct 35) foot within or a said deck. lessee of five lot No. 4 shall be permitted 35) foot by thirty five to 35) thirty garage attached to the principal residence the required setbacks. In addition, said owner shall be' e' to construct a thirty 30) rmitted p foot by thirty 30) foot boathouse over the permitted or lessee dock. No set back or lot coverage variance shall be required for' contruction of the same. I �CITY OF SARATOGA SPRINGS ZONING ORDINANCE GENERAL/ ISCELLANEOUS M ARTICLE XV — / ARTICLE XV —GENERAL MISCELLANEOUS 240 15. - 1 INTERPRETATION In their interpretation and application, the provisions of this chapter shall be held to be minimum requirements, adopted for the promotion of the public health, morals, safety or the general welfare. Whenever the requirements of this chapter are at variance with the requirements of any other lawfully adopted rules, regulations, ordinances or deed restrictions, the most restrictive, or that imposing the higher standards, shall govern. 240 15. - 2 REPEALER Ordinance Number D111 establishing a Comprehensive Zoning Plan in the City of Saratoga Springs enacted by the City Council on July 6, 1961, together with all changes and amendments thereto, is hereby repealed and superseded by this chapter, with the provision that violations of these ordinances and all amendments thereto shall remain violations to the extent that the matters in violation do not conform to the provisions of this chapter. 240 15. AMENDMENTS (amended 6/ / 15/8/ / - 3 93, 7 4/ 99) 97, 3 A. The City Council may, from time to time, on its own motion or on petition, or by recommendation of the Planning Board or Zoning Board of Appeals, amend, supplement, modify or repeal, in whole or in part, this chapter or the boundary of a district established by this chapter. Such notice shall take place after a public notice and hearing as required by the General City Law. In cases involving a petition or a Board recommendation, the City Council shall decide, in its discretion, whether such petition or recommendation has merit for review. If it is determined that the petition or recommendation has merit, the petition shall be progressed as set forth below. B. Any such proposed change in the text or zoning district boundary that has been determined by the City Council to have merit for review shall be submitted to the Planning Board at least 30 days prior to publishing the newspaper notice of public hearing. C. The Planning Board in its written report shall recommend favorably the adoption of any proposed change only if it meets the following conditions: 1) The revision is not contrary to the general purposes and intent of this chapter; and 2) D. E. The revision is accordant with the Comprehensive Plan. The Planning Board's advisory report shall be submitted to the City Council within 30 days after receiving notice from the City Clerk for the proposed change. NEWSPAPER NOTICE. At least 10 days prior to a scheduled public hearing on a change, a notice announcing the time and place and giving a description of the ARTICLE XV - PAGE 1 �CITY OF SARATOGA SPRINGS ZONING ORDINANCE ARTICLE XV —GENERAUMISCELLANEOUS regulation, boundary and areas involved in the proposed change shall appear in a newspaper having general circulation in the City. For all petitions involving zoning map amendments, the petitioner shall pay for and cause notice of the time and place for any required hearings of such applications in the form prescribed by the City Council to be printed in a newspaper of general circulation in the City of Saratoga Springs once a day for 3 successive days upon which the publication is regularly issued, the first publication of which shall be a Friday at least 10 but not more than 20 days before the hearing. An affidavit of the publisher of the newspaper in which such notice is printed, or principal clerk of such publisher, showing such publication, shall be filed with the clerk of the City Council before the time of such hearing. F. PUBLIC HEARING. No change of the Zoning Ordinance text or map shall be effective until a hearing has been held and the public has had occasion to be heard. G. WRITTEN NOTICE OF HEARING. 1) At least 30 days prior to a scheduled hearing, written notice of any proposed change affecting property within 500 feet of the boundaries of any county, town, village, city or state park, reservation or parkway shall be given to the respective clerk or other person performing such duties or to the commission, authority or other body having jurisdiction over the area concerned. Said county, town, village, city or state park, reservation or parkway have the right to appear and to be heard at such hearing, but shall not have the right of review by a court as provided in Article 78 of the Civil Practice Law and Rules. 2) At least 30 days prior to a scheduled hearing, written notice of any proposed change affecting property within the protectively zoned area of a housing project authorized under the Public Housing Law shall be given to the housing authority in charge of the project and to the government providing financial aid or assistance thereto. 3) For all petitions involving zoning map amendments, public hearing notice provided to adjacent property owners. At least 7 days, but not more than 20, before the date of the City Council hearing, the petitioner shall mail a copy of legal notice of the hearing to all owners of property within 250 feet of the petitioner's parcel. The name and address of property owners notified shall be identified from the latest records on file in the City Assessor's Office. Prior to the time of the hearing, the petitioner must file with the Clerk of the City Council a Certificate of Mailing from the Post Office that notice was sent to all property owners. shall be H. PUBLICATION AND POSTING. 1) Every zoning ordinance, every amendment thereto and every map incorporated therein, shall be entered into the minutes of the City Council, ARTICLE XV - PAGE 2 �CITY OF SARATOGA SPRINGS ZONING ORDINANCE ARTICLE XV -- GENERAUMISCELLANEOUS and notice thereof shall be published once in a newspaper of general circulation in the City. Such publication may be done by publishing a notice containing a brief description of the new ordinance, amendment, or map. Such notice shall specify that a copy of the entire ordinance, amendment or map is available for inspection at the City Clerk's office. 2) A copy of the entire ordinance, amendment and any incorporated map shall be posted conspicuously at or near the office of the City Clerk for at least two weeks following publication, and a copy of the ordinance, amendment or map shall be made available for inspection at the office of the City Clerk. 3) Affidavits of publishing and posting shall be filed with the City Clerk. EFFECTIVE DATE. 1) An amendment or revision to this chapter involving solely a change in boundaries shall become effective only when: a) The revision has been duly adopted, and b) The revision has been drawn on the official zoning map, and c) Proper entry of the revision has been recorded on the map referring to the revision number, its location in the public record, and the date of adoption, and d) 2) J. The amendment or revision is published as specified in this section. All other amendments or revisions shall take effect upon publication as specified in this section. PROTEST. Signatures required. A protest against a proposed amendment or revision of this chapter must be signed by the owners of the following: 1) 20% more of the land area included in the proposed amendment or or revision; 2) 20% more of the land area immediately adjacent and extending 100 or feet therefrom; or 3) K. 20% more of the land directly opposite thereto and extending 100 feet or from the street, road or highway frontage of such opposite land. VOTE REQUIREMENTS FOR PROTESTS. No protested amendment or revision shall become effective unless 34/ of the members of the City Council vote favorably on such amendment or revision. L. FEE. Every petition for an amendment or revision to this chapter shall be accompanied by a fee as hereinafter provided for in Section 13. which shall be 6 used to defray the cost of investigation, studies or advertising as may be necessary to present such amendment or revision for adoption. ARTICLE XV - PAGE 3 �CITY OF SARATOGA SPRINGS ZONING ORDINANCE ARTICLE XV— GENERAL/ ISCELIANEOUS M 4 240. 5. SEVERABILITY 1 The provisions of this chapter are severable. If any Article, section, subdivision or provision of this chapter shall be invalid, such invalidity shall apply only to the Article, section, subdivision or provision adjudged invalid, and the rest of this chapter shall remain valid and effective. 240 15. - 5 SAVING CLAUSE The adoption of this chapter shall not affect or impair any act done, offense committed, or right incurred or acquired, or liability, penalty, forfeiture or punishment incurred prior to the time this chapter takes effect under the chapter relative to use districts in said town. 240 15. - 6 EFFECTIVE DATE This chapter shall take effect and be in force from and immediately after its passage, publication of notice of adoption thereof and posting, as prescribed by law. I ARTICLE XV - PAGE 4 �y/. AN ORDINANCE PROVIDING FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A 240 3.1 2 PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT TO BE KNOWN AS DIVISION STREET PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT" ORDAINED IT BE City the by Council of of City the Saratoga Springs, New York, following a public hearing, as follows: This Ordinance shall be known as the Division Street A. Planned Unit Development and amends Chapter 135 of the Code of the City of Saratoga Springs, New York, entitled Zoning ". " B. The Zoning Ordinance of the City of Saratoga Springs and the Zoning Map of the City of Saratoga Springs as set forth herein be and the same amended hereby are from by changing the existing zoning districts of R 2 Single Family, R 3 Two- amily and F R 4 MultiFamily, as hereinafter described and creating within the boundaries of said newly described area, a Planned Unit Development District to be known and described as the Division Street Planned Unit Development. The C. Division the of area Street Planned Unit City of approximately Development forth in and is bounded and described as set Saratoga Springs Appendix A - Legal Description, attached hereto and made a part hereof, and Appendix B - Sketch Plan, which is on file in the City Engineer's Office in the City of Saratoga Springs. The area is consists 23 of acres in the located on the west side of the City of Saratoga Springs and is known as Division Street. D. It is the purpose of this Ordinance to provide a means to establish parameters and limits around which the desired commercial and industrial activities in the Division Street area of the West Side Neighborhood may expand and grow in a manner which to the contribute redevelopment of commercial uses as well. It is neighborhood will the residential and further the purpose of this Ordinance to promote flexibility in the development and design of the Division Street Planned Unit Development that will result in the more efficient use of land, promote good site design and visual quality, and result otherwise possible. E. in a more pleasing environment than that There shall be constructed within the boundaries of the Division Street Planned Unit Development, primarily industrial include any or all of the following: Office, uses shall production, metal fabrication, retail sales facilities, garages, storage, service spaces, adequate parking and loading docks have New been planned for with minimal impact to the neighborhood. uses; said buffer plantings will be provided to further mitigate any impact on the neighborhood. accessory uses are The major planned to proposed can be serviced support the main activity. uses and / �F. used by the The City attached and the preliminary plan, Exhibit B shall be applicant as a guide for the overall development of the Division Street Planned Unit Development. G. The entire Division Street Planned Unit Development area is adequately serviced by existing water and sanitary service lines. H. Prior to the issuance of a building permit to develop any or all of the area within the Division Street Planned Unit Development, the applicant shall receive final site plan approval from the Planning Board of the City of Saratoga Springs. Such site plan approval and final development plan shall be in conformance with Section 135 44 F - of the Zoning Ordinance of the City of Saratoga Springs. Within sixty days of receipt of the final site plan the the of City of Saratoga Springs shall approve, with or modification disapprove the final site plan approve and time as to the specified in Section procedure according 135 44 G of the Zoning Ordinance of the City of Saratoga Springs. - Planning Board with I. Copies of the final approved site plan shall be filed City Planning Board, City Clerk and the City Building the Inspector. J. The Division Street Planned Unit Development shall be developed in strict compliance with the approved final site plan. K. invalid, thereby. the L. If any provision remainder This of the Ordinance of this Ordinance Ordinance shall take shall shall be held be affected not effect the day after publication as provided by the provisions of the City Charter of the City of Saratoga Springs, New York. ADOPTED: October 17, 1983. �EXHIBIT " A" DESCRIPTION OF LANDS PLANNED UNIT and FOR "DIVISION DEVELOPMENT" STREET BEGINNING at a point at the intersection of Marvin Alley Street; thence running along the centerline of Cherry northwesterly 289 feet to a point on the centerline of Cherry Street Cherry Street; thence running southerly along the eastern boundary lands owned by Allerdice point; thence running westerly along the southerly boundary of lands owned by Allerdice 180 feet to a point on the centerline of Walworth Street; thence of 225 feet to a running northerly along the centerline of Walworth Street 225 feet a to point at the intersection of Walworth Street and Cherry Street; thence running westerly along the centerline of Cherry Street 345 feet to a point at the intersection of Cherry Street and Beekman Street; thence running southerly 135 feet along the centerline of Beekman Street to a point; thence running westerly along the southern boundary of lands owned by the Saratoga Springs 5 feet to a Enlarged City School District 209. point; thence southerly along the southern boundary of lands owned by the Saratoga Springs Enlarged City School District 55 1/ 2 feet to a point; thence running westerly along the southern boundary of lands owned by the Saratoga Springs Enlarged City School District 184 feet to a point; thence southerly along the southern boundary of land owned by the Saratoga Springs Enlarged City School District 50 to a feet point; thence running westerly along the southern of lands owned by the Saratoga Springs Englarged City boundary School District 400 feet to a point at the centerline of Walnut Street; thence running northerly along the centerline of Walnut Street 200 feet to a point at the centerline of Walnut Street; thence running westerly along the southern boundary of lands owned by the Saratoga Springs Enlarged City School District 564 feet to a point at the centerline of Bensonhurst Avenue; thence running northerly along the centerline of Bensonhurst Avenue 325 feet to a point at the intersection of Bensonhurst Avenue and Division Street; thence running easterly along the centerline of Division Street 1360 feet to a point at the intersection of Division Street and Beekman Street; thence running northerly along the centerline of Beekman Street 230. 5 feet to a point on the centerline of Beekman Street; thence running westerly along the southern boundary of lands owned by the southerly along a to feet point; Dehn 104 eastern feet to of a point; thence running 50. 5 boundary running westerly along the southern boundary of lands owned by Dehn 30 feet to a point; thence running northerly along the western boundary of lands owned by Dehn 126 feet to a point at the centerline of Andrew Street; thence running easterly along the centerline of Andrew Street 134 feet to a point at the centerline of Beekman Street; thence running northerly along said centerline of Street feet to 25 Beekman a point on the centerline of Beekman Street; thence running easterly along the northern boundary of lands owned by Dehn 175 feet to a point; thence running northerly along the western boundary of lands owned thence lands owned by Dehn �by Dehn to feet 50 a owned easterly running thence point; lands of boundary northern feet 100 Dehn by to along the a point; thence running northerly along the western boundary of lands owned by Dehn 50 to feet a running thence point; easterly along the northern boundary of lands owned by Dehn 85 feet to a point at the centerline of Walworth Street; thence running southerly along the centerline of Walworth Street 100 feet to a point on the centerline centerline running easterly Street; thence Walworth boundary of of owned lands by feet 239 running Street; thence Park of Dehn northern point at the southerly along the the along to a centerline of Park Street 50 feet to a point at the centerline of Park Street; thence running westerly along the southern boundary of lands owned 239 Dehn by feet to at point a centerline the of Walworth Street; thence running southerly along the centerline of feet to a point at the intersection of Street 281. 1 Walworth Street and Division Street; thence running easterly along the centerline of Division Street 643 feet to a point at the Walworth intersection of Marvin Alley and Division Street; thence running centerline the along southerly Marvin of Alley 306 feet to the point and place of beginning. EXHIBIT " B" SKETCH CITY PLAN ON FILE IN THE OFFICE OF THE ENGINEER IN THE CITY OF SARATOGA SPRINGS EXHIBIT " C" AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND CHAPTER 135 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF SARATOGA SPRINGS, NEW YORK, ENTITLED " ZONING ". BE IT ORDAINED, by City the Council of the City of Saratoga Springs, New York, following a public hearing, as follows: SECTION 1. Chapter 135 of the Code of the City of Saratoga Springs, New York, entitled Zoning" is hereby amended to " show and reflect the following change in district boundaries from Single Family, R 3 Two - Family and R 4 Unit Development, which property is located in the Inside Tax District of the City of Saratoga Springs, and includes lands occupied by the Ellsworth Ice Cream Company; Side Allerdice Inc.; West Flowers, Building Supply; Dehn's its classification Multi -Family to a as R2 - Planned Recreation Field; Division Street School and only those residential properties within the area which are logical or integral to the contiguousness of the proposed zone to be known as the " Division Street Planned Unit Development ". SECTION 2. This Ordinance shall take effect the day after publication as provided by the provisions of the City Charter of the City of Saratoga Springs, New York. ADOPTED: October 17, 1983. �CHAPTER 241. 7 AN ORDINANCE PROVIDING FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT TO BE KNOWN AS CONGRESS PARK CENTRE PLANNED UNIT COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT" BE IT ORDAINED by the City Council of the City of Saratoga Springs, following a public hearing, as follows: Section I NAME: This Ordinance shall be known as "CONGRESS PARK CENTRE PLANNED UNIT COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT"and Amends Chapter 240 of the Code of the City of Saratoga Springs, New York. This project is also referred to herein as "PUCD ". Section II AMENDMENT: The Zoning Ordinance of the City of Saratoga Springs, New York and the Zoning Map of the City of Saratoga Springs as set forth therein shall be and the same hereby are amended by changing the land owned by Eton Centers Company, designated as Tax Parcel 165. 7 1 23 on the 6 - Inside Tax District Tax Map for the City of Saratoga Springs which is presently situated in a Commercial 1 Downtown Business Zone C 1) a Planned Unit Commercial Development creating ( - to within the boundaries of said described area a Planned Unit Development District to be known and described as CONGRESS PARK CENTRE PLANNED UNIT COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT ". Section III BOUNDARY: The area of the CONGRESS PARK CENTRE PLANNED UNIT COMMERCIAL acres and is bounded on the north by Washington street, on the south by Congress Street, on the east by Broadway and on the west by Federal Street. The real property consists of an entire City block except for the real property owned by the Bethesda DEVELOPMENT consists of 6.2 + 0 Episcopal Church. The Tax Map reference for the Inside District of the City of Saratoga Springs is 165. 7 1 23. Said real property is described in Exhibit " 6 - A" attached hereto. Section IV PURPOSE: It is the purpose of this Ordinance to provide for the means and to encourage the development of a mixed use commercial center in the core of the central business district of the City of Saratoga Springs. To allow this commercial center to develop over such a significant portion of �Congress Park Centre Planned Unit Commercial Development Chapter 241. 7 the Saratoga Springs downtown area, flexibility in design concepts and criterion, building size and parking requirements must be allowed so as to permit the economically viable development of this site while remaining cognizant of the historic significance of the area and the need to employ good design techniques while incorporating concern for the on site and offsite urban nature of the environment in which the site exists. Section V SKETCH PLAN: The " ketch Plan", S entitled Proposed Master Plan, for the development of this project at its anticipated build out,is attached hereto,marked Exhibit " " made a part hereof. It is anticipated B and that this project will go through multiple phases of construction over an extended period of years. As a result,the Sketch Plan may be changed, altered or amended pursuant to Section 240.3 13( ) - f of the Zoning Ordinance of the City of Saratoga Springs as it exists at the time of the passage of this Ordinance. A mylar of the final approved Sketch Plan shall be filed with the City Planning Board and the City Clerk. Section VI USES AND CHARACTERISTICS: There shall be constructed within the boundaries of the Congress Park Centre Planned Unit Commercial Development structures and improvements for commercial and residential utilization as permitted in the City of Saratoga Springs Commercial 1 Downtown Business (C 1) - Zone, see Exhibit " " C attached hereto and made a part hereof, as that zone is defined at the time of the passage of this Ordinance and as the uses within the zone in which this project is located may increase, but not as they may decrease, as a result of future amendments to the Zoning Ordinance of the City of Saratoga Springs. The permitted principal use shall also include movie theaters, indoor performance facilities, drive thru facilities as specifically enumerated in Phase Id and with the structures to be located on the southeast corner of Broadway and Congress Street,except a drive thru facility cannot be associated with a restaurant. A Special Use Permit is required for an outdoor performance facility. Permitted uses also shall include all Accessory Permitted Uses and Special Permitted Uses as designated for the uses within the Commercial 1 Downtown Business (C 1) - Zone in the City of Saratoga Springs at the time this Ordinance is enacted and as those uses may increase,but not as they may decrease, as a result of future amendments to the Zoning Ordinance of the City of Saratoga Springs. In the construction and leasing ofthe structures involved within this project,flexibility in use is desired, as a result, all permitted uses may be interchanged, i.., e restaurant for retail. The parking criterion for each use as established in Section IX is intended to accommodate those shifts and changes within the maximum gross square feet permitted for each phase and subphase of the project. 2 �Congress Park Centre Planned Unit Commercial Development Chapter 241.7 The development of the site will be staged over four primary phases each of which may have one or more building projects. All phases may be undertaken as tenants are identified for use of an individual building or a significant portion of an individual building. Because this site is already improved with occupied commercial space and ground level parking, as individual building construction is undertaken certain portions of the existing structures will be demolished and the parking field will be reconfigured. New structures will be completed and granted a Certificate of Occupancy before existing structures are demolished, so long as adequate parking is provided. Phase 1: May consist of four structures intended to be primarily utilized for retail and general and professional office uses. Phase la: May consist of the construction of retail space with associated loading docks and storage area and associated on site parking. This shall be the first structure constructed in the PUCD. Characteristics are as follows: Maximum: 1 Number of structures: Gross Leasable Square Footprint Square Feet: Height Structure: Height Tower: 23, 00 sq. ft. + 5 27, 50 sq. ft. + 7 Feet: 30 ft. 50 ft. The building constructed in this phase shall be set back from the PUCD site's south property line on Congress Street by ten ( 0) feet from a point commencing on the PUCD Site at the 1 intersection ofFederal Street and Congress Street running in a generally easterly direction along the north line of Congress Street for a distance of 140 feet. Demolition: During the construction of Phase la,the structure at the northwest corner of Washington Street and Federal Street shall be demolished. Prior to occupancy of the new structure in this initial phase, the garage on Federal Street will be demolished. Subsequent to the occupancy of the building in this subphase, the structure at 307 Broadway and 315 Broadway shall be demolished. Subsequent to the demolition, 31, 10 gross square feet+of the previously existing 3 shopping center will remain. Subsequent to the destruction of the structures at 307 Broadway and 315 Broadway, the existing parking area associated with this site shall be landscaped as specified in Exhibit E" " attached hereto and made a part hereof. 3 �Congress Park Centre Planned Unit Commercial Development Chapter 241. 7 Phase lb, lc and ld are interchangeable as to the construction sequence within the PUCD, subject to the limitations specified in Section XVII but shall be granted PUCD Site Plan Approval subsequent to Phase 1 a. Phase lb: Shall consist of either of two structures, one would occupy the northeast corner of the site at the intersection of Washington Street and Broadway and the second would occupy the southeast corner of the site to be located at the intersection of Broadway and Congress Street. The choice as to which of these structures shall be constructed first shall be controlled by the real property owner subject to PUCD Site Plan approval as described in Section VIII. The anticipated primary use for these structures shall be retail and general and professional offices. The timing for submission for PUCD Site Plan approval of one of the structures shall be controlled by Section XVII. The structure to be located at the intersection of Congress Street and Broadway may have a drive thru window exiting onto Congress Street. The exit shall be signed and constructed so as to permit only right hand turns. The characteristics of these buildings are as follows: Structure: Intersection of Washington Street and Broadway: This structure may consist of retail on the first and possibly second floor and general and professional offices on the second and third floors. Characteristics are as follows: Maximum: 1 Number of structures: Gross Leasable 37, 24 sq. ft. + 2 31, 50 sq. ft. + 7 12, 08 sq. ft. + 4 Height: 75 ft. Gross Square Feet Square Feet: Footprint Square Feet: Structure: Intersection of Congress Street and Broadway: This structure may consist of retail on the first and possibly second floor and general and professional offices on the second, third and fourth floors. 4 �Congress Park Centre Planned Unit Commercial Development Chapter 241. 7 Characteristics are as follows: Maximum: Number of Structures: 1 Feet: Gross Square Gross Leasable Square Feet: 42, 05 sq. ft. + 9 36, 00 sq. ft. + 5 11, 50 sq. ft. + 2 Footprint Square Feet: Height Structure: 75 ft. Demolition: Depending on which structure is first constructed on Broadway, the remaining portion of the previously existing structures will be demolished either during construction or immediately after construction and the issuance of a Certificate of Occupancy by the City of Saratoga Springs for the first structure on Broadway. Phase lc: May consist of retail space, general and professional office space. Characteristics are as follows: Maximum: Number of Structures: 1 Gross Square Feet: 15, 76 sq. ft.+ 8 9,14 sq. ft. + 5 Footprint Square Height Height Feet Structure: 45 ft. Tower: 60 ft. Phase Id: May consist of retail space and/or general and professional office space, with a drive thru facility. Characteristics are as follows: Maximum: 1 Number of Structures: Gross Square 15, 00 sq. ft. + 0 13, 00 sq. ft. + 2 7,00 sq. ft. + 5 Feet: Gross Leasable Square Feet: Footprint Square Feet: Height Structure: 30 ft. The building to be constructed at the intersection of Washington Street and Federal Street shall have a set back of 10 feet from the PUCD site's northerly boundary on Washington Street for a distance of 20 feet from the intersection of Washington Street and Federal Street running in a general easterly direction. 5 �Congress Park Centre Planned Unit Commercial Development Chapter 241. 7 Phase 2: Shall consist of the second structure to be constructed as described in " hase lb" P above. Phase 3: May consist of the construction of a connecting building on Broadway between the two structures constructed in Phases lb and 2. The structures shall be a mixed use retail/ ffice o building. Characteristics are as follows: Maximum: Number of structures: Gross Square 1 Feet: Gross Leasable Square Footprint Square Feet: Height Structure: 30, 00 sq. ft. + 5 25, 00 sq. ft. + 0 8,64 sq. ft. ± 0 Feet: 75 ft. Phase 4: May consist of a Cinema with several theaters housing a total of up to 1,00 seats 0 to be constructed to the east of the easterly boundary of Bethesda Episcopal Church and west of the building designated in Phase 2, lb. If a theater is constructed, the films shown to the general public shall be consistent with all Ordinances of the City of Saratoga Springs. Characteristics are as follows: Maximum: 1 Number of Structures: Gross Square 41, 34 sq. ft. + 3 Feet: Gross Leasable Square Footprint Square Feet: Height: 35, 50 sq. ft. + 2 20, 00 sq. ft. + 7 Feet: 40 ft. The maximum height of any building within the PUCD shall be 75 feet. So as to allow flexibility in design and architecture, the appurtenance to any structure may include, but not be limited to, clocks, clock towers, non -occupied mechanical rooms, tower and flag poles which may extend above the herein specified maximum height limitation but not to exceed 110 feet. The real property owner is permitted to increase the Gross Leasable square footage within 15 by fifteen ( %) percent without the requirement of an amendment to this the entire PUCD ordinance. 6 �Congress Park Centre Planned Unit Commercial Development Chapter 241.7 The Gross Leasable Area is as follows: Building 1 Gross Leasable Square Feet 23, 00 sq. ft. ± 5 31, 50 sq. ft. + 7 36, 00 sq. ft. + 5 13, 00 sq. ft. + 5 13, 00 sq. ft. + 2 25, 00 sq. ft. + 0 35, 50 sq. ft. + 2 a lb,2 lb,2 lc id 3 4 Gross Leasable Square Feet = 178, 00 sq. ft. + 7 Total gross leasable square feet = permitted 205, 05 5 sq. ft. + with addition of 15 percent. Because traffic control ingress and egress from the PUCD is of significant importance and based on the assumption that the site when fully built out will generate 682 vehicle trips per peak hour, the real property owner agrees that at the time of any PUCD site plan approval, if the,trip generation figures for the peak hour exceed 807 vehicle trips per peak hour, the City has the right to ask that real property owner to conduct another traffic impact analysis and the applicant will negotiate with the City any additional improvements required as a result of that analysis. Section VII DENSITY: For the purpose of determining building,pavement and parking lot coverage maximums, the entire project shall be treated as if it is being constructed in the Commercial 1 Downtown Business C 1) - Zone as that zone is defined in the Zoning Ordinance of the City of Saratoga Springs and shall be controlled by the "District Regulations: Area and Bulk Schedule for Commercial District City of Saratoga Springs"of the Zoning Ordinance of the City of Saratoga Springs for the Commercial 1 Downtown Business Zone as that schedule is written at the time of the passage of this Ordinance. Section VIII ISSUANCE OF BUILDING PERMIT: Prior to the issuance of a Building Permit to develop any or all of the structures within the PUCD, except as exempted in Article 204.5 of the Zoning Ordinance of the City of Saratoga Springs, the Applicant shall receive final PUD Site Plan approval for the structure(s) be to constructed from the City of Saratoga Springs Planning Board. 7 �Congress Park Centre Planned Unit Commercial Development Chapter 241. 7 It is anticipated that there will be multiple applications for PUD Site Plan approval and each application shall show the relationship between the building to be developed and the vacant areas within the PUCD. Each final PUD Site Plan shall respond to the requirements set forth in Section 240 5. of the Zoning Code Ordinance of the City of Saratoga Springs. -4 Section IX PARKING/ OADING DOCKS: L The interactive nature of the uses proposed in the project allows for a parking scheme which incorporates the "shared parking concept" so as to best utilize existing parking and parking to be constructed as a portion of this project. So as to accommodate the various order in which construction of new structures and the demolition of existing structures within the PUCD will take place, as portions of the PUCD are presented for PUD Site Plan Approval, parking shall be supplied in the below specified ratios. Parking may be supplied on site,within a parking structure, or by means of a long term (5 year) lease of under utilized parking on properties within 500 feet of the project site. Parking requirements shall be based on " gross leasable square feet ( GLSF ")to be occupied within the site as follows: a. Retail: 4 parking spaces for each 1,00 GLSF. 0 b. Mixed Use as specified in Exhibit " C ":Take the GLSF, multiply that figure by one tenth 0. ), ( 1 subtract that number from the Mixed Use Gross Leasable Square Feet and divide that number by Three Hundred square feet to determine the number of parking spaces required. c. Residential: 1. parking spaces per residential unit. 2 d. Cinemas: If 100, 00 or more GLSF exist within the PUCD, then a 450 seat credit 0 shall be granted. Thereafter, three parking spaces for each 100 additional theater seats. If 100, 00 GLSF do not exist within the PUCD, then three parking spaces 0 shall be required for each 100 theater seats. The surface parking areas subsequent to reconstruction shall have eight percent green space within or contiguous to the parking fields. There shall be no green space requirement associated with a parking structure. 8 �Congress Park Centre Planned Unit Commercial Development Chapter 241.7 Because ofthe urban setting of the project and the requirements needed to maximize parking and on site traffic flow, loading docks, access from the public right ofway - shall be established as follows: a. Federal Street to access the structure in Phase I a. b. Federal Street to access the structure to be located at the intersection of Federal Street and Washington Street. During the construction of a structure in the Phase 4 location in the PUCD, the introduction of a loading dock off of Washington Street shall be subject to review and approval of the Planning Board of the City of Saratoga Springs at the time of the PUD Site Plan review for that aspect of the project. The site shall have entrance and exit location(s): Washington Street with one to be two on used in conjunction with the structure to be located at the intersection of Federal Street and Washington Street,two on Federal Street with one entering and exiting the garage structure and also permitting the one way vehicular access to the drive thru window associated with the structure - located at the intersection of Federal Street and Washington Street and two on Congress Street as specified herein. No direct vehicular access point shall be permitted onto or off of Broadway. As a portion of Phase 1 b or 2, a drive t-hru exit onto Congress Street shall be permitted. This exit shall be designed and signed for right turn only so as to allow exiting traffic to flow only in a westerly direction on Congress Street. Also,a drive thru window may be constructed in conjunction with the Phase lb or 2 structure to be located at the intersection of Broadway and Congress Street. The total number of parking spaces required during any Phase of this project may be decreased but not increased by the Planning Board of the City of Saratoga Springs at the time of PUD Site Plan approval. Section X AMENDMENTS TO THIS ORDINANCE: This PUCD shall be developed in compliance with the final approved " ketch Plan" as S specified in this Ordinance. Any amendment thereto shall be pursuant to the applicable provisions of the Zoning Ordinance of the City of Saratoga Springs unless otherwise specified herein. 9 �Congress Park Centre Planned Unit Commercial Development Chapter 241. 7 Section XI INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS: The entire project, as set forth herein,will be serviced by City water and sanitary sewer lines. All services and improvements that are to be dedicated to the City of Saratoga Springs will be constructed to City standards as they exist at the time of construction. All other services and improvements shall be constructed in compliance with applicable codes, rules and regulations. Storm water disposal shall be by means ofdirect access into the municipal storm water drain and piping system. With regard to water service to the structures within the PUCD, they shall not be required to directly tap off a City main for purposes of obtaining a water supply. The City is hereby granted the right to enter upon the PUCD Site for purposes of making emergency repairs to any privately owned main,pipe or line. The City shall have the right to charge the real property owner whose pipe, line or main is repaired for said services. All private water sewer lines connecting into any structure in the PUCD shall be individually / metered. Section XII OFF SITE IMPROVEMENTS: - The real property owner and the structures located within the PUCD shall be exempt from all water service connection fees. The real property owner shall, upon certification in writing that a fully functional three way traffic light is to be constructed and installed at the intersection of Congress Street and Federal Street,pay to the City of Saratoga Springs Twenty Five Thousand 525, 00.Dollars which sum 00) ( 0 shall be used exclusively to assist in the payment for the herein specified traffic light. The City,prior to the issuance of a Certificate of Occupancy for the structure in Phase la, shall install "Stop"signs at the three corners of the intersection ofFederal Street and Congress Street. As a portion of the construction of the building in Phase la,a standard warning sign shall be placed on Federal Street indicating a stop sign at the intersection of Federal Street and Congress Street. The location of the warning sign shall be determined at PUCD Site Plan review for this Phase. Improvements shall be made off of the project site on a phase by phase basis. 10 �Congress Park Centre Planned Unit Commercial Development Chapter 241. 7 Phase la: a) The existing water line on Federal Street between Washington Street and Congress Street shall be replaced with a ten inch line. b)A ten inch water line incorporating a butterfly valve, at the Broadway main,shall be constructed and installed, which line shall be extended through the Congress Street right ofway entering the site at a point to the west of the building to be - constructed at the intersection of Broadway and Congress Street. The line will be constructed through the site and shall end at a tie in with the 10 inch water line to be constructed in Federal Street. c) The structures at the northwest and southwest corners of the PUCD site shall directly tap into the sanitary sewer lines existing within the municipal right ofway - adjacent to the structures. The remaining structures within the PUCD shall be serviced by means of access to a tap off of the trunkline within Congress Street which shall enter the site at a point west of the location of the structure to be constructed at the corner of Broadway and Congress Street. d)If directed by the Planning Board of the City of Saratoga Springs during PUD Site Plan approval, the existing curbs and sidewalks from a point 100 feet west of the intersection ofBroadway and Congress Street on the north bounds of Congress Street running westerly to the intersection of Federal Street, thence along the easterly boundary of Federal Street to the intersection of Washington Street, thence easterly along the south bounds of Washington Street to the westerly property line of Bethesda Episcopal Church shall be replaced. e) The existing traffic signal at the intersection of Congress Street and Hamilton Street shall be improved with the installation of two sets of three section signal head assemblies to assist traffic flow at the southern site entrance exit. These will include / new loop detectors at the site driveway approach. Also,new pavement markings will be applied at the intersection. f) The real property owner, at the time the curbs and sidewalks along the north boundary of Congress Street are replaced, as specified herein,shall install within the public right ofway, in proximity to the curbs that are to be installed, a two inch - conduit needed to house the wires and mechanisms required to "hard wire"the traffic signal systems at Broadway and Congress Street with the traffic signal system at Hamilton Street and Congress Street. The installation of the wire and mechanisms within the conduit, other than as specified herein, shall be undertaken by the City at the City's cost and expense. 11 �Congress Park Centre Planned Unit Commercial Development Chapter 241. 7 g) Pedestrian "Walk/ on' Walk" signal shall be installed on the corners of the t D intersection of Hamilton Street and Congress Street. Phase lb a)The PUCD real property owner shall transfer to the City of Saratoga Springs a strip of land described as follows upon the demolition of the existing northern most structure on the PUCD site: ALL THAT TRACT,PIECE OR PARCEL OF LAND situate lying and being in the City of Saratoga Springs, Saratoga County, New York beginning at the intersection of the south bounds of Washington Street and the west bounds of Broadway and running south five feet to a point; thence running in a general westerly direction parallel with the south bounds of Washington Street 200 feet to a point;thence in a general northerly direction five feet to the south bounds of Washington Street and thence in a general easterly direction along the south bounds of Washington Street to the west bounds of Broadway. The PUCD real property owner, in conjunction with the construction of the structure at the northwest corner of the intersection of Broadway and Congress Street, shall purchase and deliver to the City one Type 179 controller, or its equivalent to be installed at the intersection of Broadway and Congress Street by the City. Also, the PUCD real property owner shall supply and install along the eastern frontage of the PUCD site,two inch conduit from the traffic signal at Congress Street and Broadway - to the traffic signal at Washington Street and Broadway. The responsibility and cost for placing wiring and mechanisms within this conduit to "hard wire"connect the traffic control signals a Washington Street and Broadway, Spring Street and Broadway and Congress Street and Broadway shall be the City's unless that responsibility is specifically accepted by the PUCD real property owner. b)Because the PUCD site is presently occupied with extensive leasable space, which will be demolished during the various phases of this project, the construction of the Phases of this project in conjunction with the demolition of the existing structures will not have an adverse impact on the roadways and signalization of the City of Saratoga Springs until such time as more than 61, 00 square feet of the new gross 0 leasable space is built. During the phase of construction that reaches the above specified square footage, the real property owner shall construct a new signal installation at the Washington Street and Broadway intersection which shall include new signal poles, loop detectors, wiring and signal head equipment to install a fully functioning signal. Also, at the intersection of Spring Street and Broadway, a new 12 �Congress Park Centre Planned Unit Commercial Development Chapter 241.7 signal installation shall be constructed to include new signal poles, loop detectors, wiring and signal head equipment to install a fully functional signal. This installation shall include a Type 179 controller,or its equivalent,which will operate both ofthese newly installed signals. The real property sowner shall also purchase and deliver to the City of Saratoga Springs one Type 179 controller, or its equivalent to be installed in the traffic signal at the intersection of Division Street and Broadway. Pedestrian " alk/ on'Walk"signals shall be installed at the corners of Washington t W D Street and Broadway and Spring Street and Broadway. The work described in this paragraph shall be undertaken either in coordination with the building to be constructed when 61, 00 new gross leasable square feet of 0 construction has been approved for this site and being constructed. Other than as specified herein, no offsite infrastructure improvements shall be required for the structures in these Phases. Phase 1C and D: Phase 2 or 1b, whichever building is second on Broadway: The streetscape along Broadway shall be replaced, if directed by the Planning Board of the City of Saratoga Springs during PUD Site Plan approval. If directed by the Planning Board, the curbs and sidewalks from the intersection of Broadway with Congress Street on the north bounds of Congress Street to their point of intersection with the sidewalk improvements made in Phase 1 shall be replaced. Also, if directed by the Planning Board, the curbs and sidewalks from Broadway along the south bounds of Washington Street to the easterly boundary of the Bethesda Episcopal Church property shall be replaced. The real property owner shall supply the City with 500 feet of two inch conduit to be installed by the City, at the City's expense, from the traffic light signal at Division Street and Broadway through the intersection ofWashington Street and Broadway. The responsibility and cost for placing wiring and mechanisms within this conduit, to hard wire"connect traffic signals at " Division Street and Broadway, and Washington Street and Broadway shall be the City's, unless that responsibility is specifically accepted by the real property owner herein. For the construction of the structures in Phase 3 and 4,the municipal systems are adequate for the structures and uses intended and no further infrastructure improvements shall be requested, other than as specified herein, during site plan review for any of the projects. 13 �Congress Park Centre Planned Unit Commercial Development Chapter 241. 7 Section XIII SETBACKS: Upon further subdivision of this property, the setback requirements shall be as exist at the legislation. Upon subdivision, parking by fee ownership or by covenants or cross -easements shall be adequate for each individually subdivided property. time of the enactment of this Section XIV TIME EXTENSIONS: On good cause shown, the PUCD may apply for an extension of an approved PUD Site Plan which request shall not be unreasonably denied. An application for such request shall be made to the Planning Board of the City of Saratoga Springs. Section XV SIGNAGE: A. All signs shall be part of a uniform program for the entire site and individual signage shall be compatible with respect to the architectural standards for Congress Park Centre. B. The following types of signs may be erected with permits, but without permit fees, and maintained, providing such signs comply with the general requirements of this section: 1. a) A single sign tower at the entrance to the site located at the intersection of Hamilton Street and Congress Street shall be permitted, provided it substantially conforms to the design presented in Appendix F. The total area of the tower signage shall not exceed 120 square feet per tower face. The sign tower may have sign panels on the south and north side of the sign tower. The sign panel shall be no higher than 41 feet from ground level and the maximum height of the tower shall be 60 feet. The sign panel will list the tenants The sign panels may be externally lighted or internally lighted. If the real property owner chooses to internally light the tower signs, then only the lettering of the sign and not the background of the sign shall be lit. In addition, incorporated as a within the site. structural feature of each of the sides of the sign tower and not exceeding 56 square feet per side, may be the name of the Centre and/ r the logo representing the Centre. o 14 �Congress Park Centre Planned Unit Commercial Development Chapter 241.7 b)At the site entrance on Federal Street and Washington Street, a site identification tower sign shall be permitted. The sign shall not exceed 40 square feet per tower and may be illuminated as specified in Paragraph "B. ( a)" l above. 2) Building sign panels on the structures on the corner of Broadway and Congress Street and Broadway and Washington Street: the four panels,one on Congress Street, one on Washington Street and two on Broadway, are allowed to be attached to the face of the buildings with each panel not exceed 190 square feet. The top of the panel may be located above the ground floor of the structure but shall be not higher than the window sill of the highest story of the structure or 45 feet above ground level, whichever height is lower. The sign panel will list the major stores and commercial units throughout the site with not more than ten entities to be listed on any panel. 3) Within the arcade connecting Broadway and the internal parking field for the site, a directory of tenants with site locate map may be attached to the arcade wall or placed on a free standing pedestal. The directory, with map, may be up to 120 square feet. 4) Horizontal sign bands may be permitted on the street facade and the internal facade of all structures. The signs shall be placed no higher than the lower sill of the second floor window or below the roof line on a single story structure. The band on which the signs are located shall be no higher than 30 inches and shall identify the tenant of the space below which it is affixed. 5) Below the roof line on each structure upon the site, on each facade facing a public street and on the internal facade of the structure facing the interior parking field, signage identifying the building may be constructed as an integral part of the facade or as a sign added to the facade of the structure but integral to the building design. This building identification sign may be one or two signs on each facade. 6) A sign marque shall be constructed in association with the cineplex. The marque shall be located on the internal side of the site and may extend over the private sidewalk. The sign shall have two faces each of which may be 120 square feet with the sign to be no higher than 40 feet above ground level. The sign may be allowed to be internally illuminated with an external grid to support individual letters not higher than 15 inches. 15 �Congress Park Centre Planned Unit Commercial Development Chapter 241. 7 7) On premises directional signs identifying private property, restrictions, public parking, fire zones, entrances and exits signs shall be located on the external side of the site and shall not be illuminated. Each sign lettering panel shall not exceed four square feet per side. The signs may be free standing and two sided. The total square footage of the sign structure and lettering shall not exceed 6. square feet per side. 5 8) Temporary non -illuminated " or Rent" signs may be permitted within the F windows of the site but shall be no larger than 30 percent of the window area. 9) An analogue clock which does not exceed 10 square feet in diameter per face is allowed to occupy the four faces of a tower incorporated in a Broadway building design and shall not be higher than 96 feet above grade. 10) Awnings projecting over the property lines of the public street facade of the site and on the external side of the site which incorporates signage on front: Awning graphics shall only be allowed on the front flap and shall be no larger than 12 inches in height and may include logos. Signage must be of the same type,size, color as the sign band described in subparagraph (B)( herein and may be included only on the 4) front of the awning. The awning on the street facade of the site may not be internally illuminated. The awning on the internal facades of the site may be internally illuminated. 11) Banners, flags or pennants maybe flown from the towers upon the site and upon the internal sidewalks and parking field of the site. The flags located at ground level may be no higher than 20 feet in height. There shall be no advertising located on the banners, flags or pennants other than the site's commercial name and/or logo. The placement of these banners, flags and pennants shall be by the property owner and not the individual site tenants. C. General: 1) Tower Signs: a) All of the letters, except tenant logos, will be of the same type, face and color, and the background will be a uniform color. The letters shall not be more than 8 and no less than 6 inches high. Such height limitation shall not apply to the lettering for the Centre name and logo on the tower. 16 �Congress Park Centre Planned Unit Commercial Development Chapter 241. 7 2) Sign Panels: a) All of the letters, except tenant logos, will be of the same type, face and color, and the background will be of a uniform color. The letters shall not be more than 15 inches high. 3) Sign Band: a) The architectural design of the structures are allowed to include the sign band described in subparagraph (B)( which band would 4) continue over all of the rental store fronts interrupted only by architectural pilasters or columns. The signage may be no longer than 50 percent of the length of the store frontage occupied by an individual tenant. In general, the lettering, except for tenant logos, shall be the same type, face and color,and the background will be the same color as the general scheme of the building. b) The signs shall be externally illuminated with the lettering and logo to be no more than 15 inches high. c) Any tenant with special logos or special color signage that wishes the logo to be part of the exterior signage must apply to the real property owner for approval. 4) Building Identifier Signs: a) The letter for this sign, which is incorporated within the facade or the design of the structure, shall be no more than two feet in height. b) The signs may be located on any portion of the facade except that it shall not extend above the building line. c) The total size of all building identifier signs for each facade shall be no larger than five percent of the facade of the building side upon which they are constructed." Section XVI CONSTRUCTION STANDARDS: Unless otherwise noted in this Ordinance, all City construction standards current at the time of PUD Site Plan approval for any project, shall be met,with regard to improvements which are to be made in a public right of way or with regard to improvements that are intended to be dedicated to the City of Saratoga Springs. 17 �Congress Park Centre Planned Unit Commercial Development Chapter 241. 7 All construction standards for buildings and public improvements and for utilities shall be prepared and approved by licensed architects,landscape architects or engineers. All costs associated with this shall be borne by the real property owner whether the plans are provided by the City of Saratoga Springs or by the real property owner. Further, all completed construction shall be certified to the City of Saratoga Springs by licensed architects, landscape architects or engineers as being completed in the manner called for in the plans and shall be certified in accordance therewith. Section XVII EXPIRATIONS: The Planned Unit Development Zoning approval of this site shall expire if: a) final PUD Site Plan approval for the initial structure in Phase 1 is not granted by the City of Saratoga Springs Planning Board on or before July 1, 1995, or within six ( ) 6 months of submission of the initial PUD site plan application, whichever date occurs first; or b) The Planned Unit Development Zoning legislation shall expire if a PUD site plan application has not been submitted by the real property owner by the 31st day of December 1998 for a structure located in Phase lb;or c) The Planned Unit Development Zoning Legislation shall expire if PUD site plan approval has not been granted within 24 months of submission of the application for PUD site plan approval for a structure in Phase lb;or d) Planned Unit Development building approval for the individual structures within each phase as shown on the "Sketch Plan"shall expire on December 31, 2003 if PUCD site plan approval for those individual structures is not applied for the real property owner to the City of Saratoga Springs. The zoning for the real property upon which a PUCD Site Plan approval has not been granted shall revert to the Zoning District in existence at the time of the enactment of this Ordinance. On good cause shown, an application for an amendment to the expiration date may be made to the City Council of the City of Saratoga Springs, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld. Section XVIII VALIDITY: If any provision of this Ordinance shall be held invalid,the remainder of the Ordinance shall not be affected. 18 �Congress Park Centre Planned Unit Commercial Development Chapter 241. 7 Section XIX MODIFICATION: The developer may, upon approval of the Planning Board of the City of Saratoga Springs, alter,modify or change the number,placement and type of structure to be constructed within the site so long as the alteration,modification and change does not result in an increase in density for which on site parking cannot be provided, constructed or obtained. - Section XX EFFECTIVE DATE: This Ordinance shall take effect the day after publication as provided by the provisions of the City Charter of the City of Saratoga Springs, New York. ADOPTED: June 22, 1993 AMENDED: June 16, 1998 September 1, 1998 January 19, 1999 19 �Congress Park Centre Planned Unit Commercial Development Chapter 241. 7 EXHIBIT " A" LEGAL DESCRIPTION ALL THAT TRACT, PIECE OR PARCEL OF LAND situate lying and being in the City of Saratoga Springs,Saratoga County,State ofNew York beginning at the intersection of the south side ofWashington Street and the west side ofBroadway and running thence south 04 degree 53 minutes 47 seconds west, a distance of 445. 4 feet to a point at the intersection of the west line of Broadway 9 and the north line of Congress Street and running thence south 84 degrees 38 minutes 49 seconds west, a distance of 480. 2 feet to a point; thence north 64 degrees 39 minutes 11 seconds west, a 7 distance of 132 feet to a point which is the intersection of the north line of Congress Street and the East line of Federal Street; thence north 04 degrees 05 minutes, 49 seconds east,a distance of470. 4 4 feet to a point which is the intersection of the east line of Federal Street and the south line of Washington Street and running thence south 86 degrees 29 minutes 11 seconds east, a distance of 153. 2 feet to a point which is the northwest corner of the lands now or formerly of Bethesda 6 Episcopal Church and running thence south 03 degrees 30 minutes 49 seconds west a distance of 152. 5 feet to a point which is the southwest corner of the lands now or formerly of Bethesda 7 Episcopal Church and running thence south 86 degrees 29 minutes 11 seconds east, a distance of 193. 5 feet to a point which is the southeast corner of the lands now or formerly of Bethesda 7 Episcopal Church and running thence north 03 degrees 30 minutes 49 seconds east, a distance of 152. 5 feet to a point on the south line of Washington Street which is also the northeast corner of 7 lands now or formerly of the Bethesda Episcopal Church and running thence south 86 degrees29 minutes 11 seconds east, a distance of 256. 0 feet to the point and place of beginning. 1 20 �Congress Park Centre Planned Unit Commercial Development Chapter 241. 7 EXHIBIT " C" PERMITTED USES WITHIN PUCD AND USES IDENTIFIED FOR PARKING DEMAND C 1 DISTRICT USES PERMISSIBLE PERMITTED PRINCIPAL USES ACCESSORY PERMITTED UPON SITE PLAN REVIEW USES UPON SITE PLAN REVIEW AND APPROVAL AND APPROVAL UPON ISSUANCE OF SPECIAL USE PERMIT & UPON SITE PLAN REVIEW & APPROVAL 1. Private garages & Parking Structures I. Animal clinic 2. d Apparel cleaning/ ry 2. Solar/ eating/ h cleaning 3. Art gallery 4. Bakery shop 5. Barber/ eauty shop b ventilation convention center 3. Fraternal 5. Laundromat Boutique 6. Satellite receiving 8. Business office 9. Car rental agency 10. Churches & religious 2. Civic center/ lodges clubs / 4. Group entertainment nightclubs, theater) / 6. Bathhouse/ ealth centerspa h 7. equip. 1. Bus Depot antennas institutions 11. Communication services 12. Convenience sales and services 13. Daycare center 14. Drug store 15. Eating & drinking establishments 16. Financial institutions & banks 17. Florist 18. Furniture store 19. General retail 20. Hotel/ otel m 21. Library 22. Medical offices clinics / 23. Museum 22 �Congress Park Centre Planned Unit Commercial Development Chapter 241. 7 EXHIBIT " C" PERMITTED USES WITHIN PUCD AND USES IDENTIFIED FOR PARKING DEMAND C 1 DISTRICT USES PERMISSIBLE PERMITTED PRINCIPAL USES UPON SITE PLAN REVIEW AND APPROVAL ACCESSORY PERMITTED USES UPON SITE PLAN REVIEW AND APPROVAL UPON ISSUANCE OF SPECIAL USE PERMIT & UPON SITE PLAN REVIEW & APPROVAL 24. Neighborhood center 25. Newspaper plant 26. Open air market (farmers' market) 27. Printing, publishing & engraving 28. Professional offices 29. Real estate office 30. Recreational facilities ( ndoor) i 31. Residential use on 2nd floor or above Training & educational services, classroom instruction, etc. 33. Vehicular fee parking 32. 34. 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NTRODUCTION 0I…………………………………………… 10 ARATOGAPRINGSREATMERICANLACE 1. SS– 1 AGAP……………………… 10 1. HISLANSISIONSANDOALSFORTHEOMMUNITY 2TP’ VGC………… 11 1. P, 3 ROCESSOMMUNITYNVOLVEMENT ANDUPPORTINGOCUMENTS CISD……… 12 SSUESDENTIFICATION 2. II…………………………… 0 13 AINTAININGAALANCE 2. MB……………………………… 1 14 INANCIALONSIDERATION 2. FC…………………………………… 2 14 RADITIONALONINGONSTRAINTS 2. TZC………………………… 3 16 2.ROWTHATTERNS 4GP………………………………………… 16 2.OCALOMPLEXITIES 5LC……………………………………………… 17 3.OLICYREAS 0PA…………………………………………… 18 3. T……………………………………………………………….. 1 RANSPORTATION 18 TILITIESANDUBLICAFETY 3. UPS………………………… 2 20 PENPACEANDECREATION 3. OSR……………………………… 3 22 3. H………………………………………………………………………….. 4 OUSING 24 3, E………………………………………………………………………... 5 CONOMIC 26 HEEVELOPMENTLAN 4. TDP…………………………… 0 28 PECIALEVELOPMENTREAS 4. SDA……………………… 1 29 DENTIFICATIONOFPECIFICPECIALEVELOPMENTREAS 4. 2ISSDA………… 32 OUNTYVERLAYREA 4. E“ 3 STABLISHMENTOF COA”……………… 46 ONSERVATIONEVELOPMENTISTRICTS CDD)……………………………. . 4. 4CDD( 47 OWENSITYESIDENTIALISTRICTS 4. LDR( 5 LDR)D………………………………….. 49 DDITIONALREASOFPECIALONCERN 4. AASC…………………… 6 50 4. THERONPECIALEVELOPMENTREAANDSEECOMMENDATIONS 51 7ON- SDALUR…... ROCEDURALECOMMENDATIONS 5. PR……………………………… 0 51 6. MPLEMENTATION 0I…………………………………………… 54 PPENDICES A………………………………………………………… 59 July17,2001Page 2of66 �èÔ× éÛÊÛÈÍÕÛ éÌÊÓÎÕÉ ùÍÏÌÊ×Ô× ÎÉÓÆ× ìÐÛÎ THESARATOGASPRINGSCOMPREHENSIVEPLAN ExecutiveSummary: ThisComprehensivePlanisaunifiedsetofpoliciesforguidingthephysicaldevelopmentofthe CityofSaratogaSprings. Theplanpresentsamapdepictinghowandwheredevelopment shouldoccurthroughouttheCity. Italsospecifiespolicystatementswithrecommendationson howspecificissuesshouldbeaddressed. TheComprehensivePlanisadocumentthatarticulatestheCity’ goalsforlanduse s development,designandenhancement. TheComprehensivePlanalsoprovidesthejustification forplanningandregulatorypoliciesthatencouragedesireddevelopmentandefficientgrowth patternstomaximizetheCity’ socialandeconomicpotential. s ThePlanisbasedonthefollowingvision: ThisPlanisbasedonthe “ ity-n-he- ountry”concept,meaningacitywithanintensively C i t C developedurbancoreandaneconomicallyvibrantcentralbusinessdistrict,withwelldefinedurbanedgesandanoutlyingareacomprisedofopenlands,alandscapeorrural characterandlowdensityresidentialdevelopment. Theoverridingphilosophythatwill guidefuturedevelopmentofour " ityintheCountry"willbesustainability.Sustainable C developmentisdevelopmentthatenhanceseconomicopportunityandcommunitywell beingwhileprotectingtheamenitiesuponwhichoureconomyandourcommunity depend. Asustainable-growthpolicyrecognizesthatunlimitedgrowthisnotrightforour City;norisnogrowthatall. Throughsustainabledevelopment,weaimtomeettheneeds ofthepresentwithoutcompromisingtheabilityoffuturegenerationstomeettheirown needs. TheComprehensivePlanprovidesapracticalanduseablesetofrecommendationsaddressing selectedissuesofconcern. ThisPlan’ goalsareto: s 1. EnhancethevitalityandsuccessoftheCity’ downtowncorearea. . s 2. Promoteabroadermixtureofusesinselectedareastoencouragesocial, businessandresidentialinteractionanddiversity. 3. Implementlanduseanddesignpoliciestoenhanceourqualityoflife,balancethe costsofmunicipalserviceswithrevenues,protectsensitiveenvironmental resources, andpreservetraditionalcommunitycharacter. 4. Promotepedestrianandbicycleaccess,transitservices,andtraditional neighborhooddesigninordertoreducedependenceontheautomobile. July17,2001Page 3of66 �èÔ× éÛÊÛÈÍÕÛ éÌÊÓÎÕÉ ùÍÏÌÊ×Ô× ÎÉÓÆ× ìÐÛÎ 5. Continueinvestingintheamenitiesthatcontributetoourcommunity’ success. s 6. SupporttheCity’ senseofhistoryandthe “ ityintheCountry”bypreservingthe s C qualityof,andlinkagesamong,culturalandopenspaceresources. 7. Encourageandincreasehousingdiversityandaffordabilityaswellas neighborhoodvitality. 8. Workwithothercommunitiesintheregiontoaddressissuesthattranscend jurisdictionalandotherboundaries 9. Investininfrastructureimprovementsandencouragepublic/ rivatepartnerships p thatsupportthePlan’ goals s MAJORPOLICIESOFTHEPLAN: ThefollowingisasummaryofthemajorpoliciespresentedinthePlan: s i DowntownisthekeytotheCity’ economichealth. Maintainingacompactdowntownwith adequateparkingandsupportinginfrastructureisessentialforbusinessestoprosper. i SaratogaSprings’openspaceresourcesconstituteavitaleconomiccomponentanda valuableaestheticandrecreationalamenity. Itisthisuniqueopenspacecharacterthat createstheambianceofthe “ ityintheCountry”. C i TheCityprovidesexcellentservices;however,suchserviceshaveacost.TheCitymust provideforadequaterevenuesourcesifitistocontinuetomaintainandenhanceservices. i TheCityhasafairlydiversemixofhousingtypesandpricelevels;however,therearesigns thatthisischanging.Adiversecommunityrequiresasimilardiversityofhousingvarietyand affordability. i SaratogaSpringshasauniquemixofsocial,culturalandrecreationalresources. Maintaining,enhancingandinvestingintheseamenitiesisessentialtotheCity’ economic s andsocialdynamic. ThefollowingarethemajortransportationpolicespresentedinthePlan: Strictenforcementoflawsregardingtrucks,todiscouragetrucktripsthroughthecitywhile prioritizingpublicsafety. ImplementtheotherSSTARtrucktrafficimprovementrecommendationsthatinclude: synchronizationoftrafficsignalsonChurchStreet,VanDamStreetandBroadway;signage plantodirecttruckstoGrandeIndustrialPark;adjustpropertyassessmentsforlandowners significantlyadverselyimpactedbytrucktraffic;requestdesignationofallofWestAvenuefor July17,2001Page 4of66 �èÔ× éÛÊÛÈÍÕÛ éÌÊÓÎÕÉ ùÍÏÌÊ×Ô× ÎÉÓÆ× ìÐÛÎ specialdimensionvehicles,and;restricteastboundtrucktrafficonLakeAvenue ( etween b BroadwayandHenningRoadto5tonsexceptforlocaldeliveries. Completethe2- tageupgradeofSouthBroadway.Aboulevards styleroadway, includinga plantedmedian,turninglanesandpedestrian/ icyclepathsfromWestFenlontoCrescent b Avenuewascompletedinearly2000.Theimproveddrainage,roadandpedestrian improvementsfromCircularStreettoWestFenlonhaveaprojectedfinishdateof2004. UpgradenorthernRoute50 ( rterial)toaboulevarda styleroadway,includingaplanted median,turninglanesandpedestrian/ icyclepaths. NYSDOTactivityfinishisprojectedfor b 2003. CompletetheupgradeofWestAvenue. NYSDOTactivity,finishprojectedforearly2002. Completetherehabilitation/ pgradeoftherailstationonStationLane. u Completedowntownpedestrianimprovements -finishprojected2003. Continuepedestrianandautomobileimprovementsparticularlytomajoractivityareas includingSkidmoreCollege,Embury/ esleyapts.,SpaStateParkandtheracetracks. W Developacomprehensivesidewalkplanthatidentifiespriorityareasfornewsidewalk constructionandrehabilitationincludinglinkstoCityrecreation/cerinkalongLakeAvenue i andconnectionsundertheNorthwaytoBogMeadownaturetrail. Developacomprehensivecitywidemulti- se (oincludebicycles)trailplanthatintegrates u t existingpedestrian,bicycle,road,andopenspacesystems,andprovidescriticallinkages. Evaluateadditionalparkingneedsdowntown. Continuetoparticipateinregionalcommuterandlocalbusandparkandrideservices. Investigatepossiblealternativelocationsforthebusstationthatwouldprovideimproved linkswithothertransportationmodes. ThefollowingarethemajorutilityandpublicsafetypoliciesinthePlan: CoordinateinfrastructureimprovementsbasedonthePlan’ landusevision –concentrate s ontheCity’ downtownandotherSpecialDevelopmentAreasasthehighestpriorities. s Mandate,inthezoningordinance,thatundergroundutilitiesbeutilizedforservicestoallnew, redeveloped,orsubstantiallyrenovatedbuildings,andworkwiththelocalutilitycompaniesto resolveotheraestheticissuesrelatingtoutilityinstallationswithparticularattentiontothe carefulplacementofelectricandgasmetersandtransformers. Establishprioritiesin conjunctionwithinitiationofundergroundinginselectedareasoftheCity. July17,2001Page 5of66 �èÔ× éÛÊÛÈÍÕÛ éÌÊÓÎÕÉ ùÍÏÌÊ×Ô× ÎÉÓÆ× ìÐÛÎ Embarkonacapitalimprovementsprogramtoupgradeandreplaceagingutilities,in accordancewithanoverallplanandprioritysystem,withafocusontheoldersewerand waterpipeswithintheInnerDistrict. Protectexistingwatersourcesthroughtheimplementationofacomprehensivewatershed managementprogramandCityacquisitionofland,wherefeasible,incooperationwith neighboringcommunities. TheCityshouldworkwithadjacentmunicipalitiestoencouragetheadoptionofwatershed managementrulesandregulations. TomeettheCity’ increasingwatersupplyneedsthe s Cityshould,asapriority,continuetoundertakestudiestoprovideanadequatequantityofits watersupplythroughpursuitofalternatesources,particularlyincludingSaratogaLake. Acitywidestormwatermanagementplanshouldbefundedandimplemented. Itshouldbe designedtoidentifyrehabilitationneedsandareasfornewstormsystemdevelopment. The planshouldincludestandardsforstormwaterdetention,retention,infiltrationandwaterquality consistentwithNYSDECandUSEPAguidelines. Implementtherecommendationsofthe1998SmartCityTaskForcetoensurethatour technologydependentbusinessesareadequatelyservedwiththeappropriateinfrastructure. ReviewtheneedforexpandedpoliceandfireprotectioneastoftheNorthway. Thefollowingarethemajoropenspaceandrecreationpolicies: Promoteconcentrated, compactgrowthinthe “ ity”whileprotectingandenhancingtherural C qualityofandaccesstothe “ ountry”andmaintainingasharpedgebetweenthetwo. C Useopenspaces,naturalfeatures,institutions,recreationalfacilitiesandregional transportationfeaturestoformawell- efinededgetotheCity’ urbancore. d s Providelinkagesbetweenexistingareasofprotectedopenspaceandnaturalresources. Preserveandprotectimportantopenspacesandnaturalareasincludingstreamcorridors, wetlands,agriculturalresourcesandviewshedsofaestheticvalue. Ensureadequatebuffersandencourageuniqueformsofdevelopmentforcommercialand industrialgrowth. EnhanceruralviewsalongroadwaysandentrancewaystotheCity. Establishcreativemechanismstoprotecthistoricpropertiesandkeyfarmlandparcels. ContinuewithsystematicandtimelyimplementationoftherecommendationsintheCity’ s adoptedOpenSpacePlan. July17,2001Page 6of66 �èÔ× éÛÊÛÈÍÕÛ éÌÊÓÎÕÉ ùÍÏÌÊ×Ô× ÎÉÓÆ× ìÐÛÎ Promotedevelopmentthatcontributestoneworexistingopenspaces. Developadequateanddiverseactiveandpassiverecreationalfacilitiesandencouragetheir frequentusethroughplacementanddesign.Suchfacilitiesshouldmeettheneedsofas diversearangeofagegroupsandinterestsaspossible.TheCityshouldconcentratefirston facilitiesforwhichthereisanactualshortage.TheCityshouldestablishnewrecreational areasinunder- ervedareasoftheCity. s TheCityshouldpursuepublic/ rivatepartnershipstomeetidentifiedrecreationalneeds,for p example,providingaccesstoSaratogawaterbodiesorworkinginconjunctionwiththe YMCA. TheCityshouldestablishanon- oingdialoguewithadjacentcommunitiesandtheschool g districtonopportunitiesforintermunicipalrecreationalprogrammingandfacilityuse. ThefollowingarethemajorhousingpoliciespresentedinthePlan: Encouragearangeofresidentialopportunitiesthatwillbeavailabletoallresidentsto promotethesocialandeconomicdiversityvitaltoabalancedcommunity. Encouragenewhousingdevelopmenttobeconsistentwiththehumanscale,historical contextanddesigncharacteristicsoftraditionalSaratoganeighborhoods.Promotethe upgrading,infillandpreservationofexistinghousingandneighborhoods, particularlyinareas ofpredominantlylowandmoderateincome. Encouragethedevelopmentofhigherdensityresidentialalternativeswithintheurbancore. Promotetheconversiontoresidentialuseofupperfloorsincommercialdistricts. Supportcollaborativeeffortstodevelopadditionalaffordablehousing. Reconstructand rehabilitateexistinghousingtorevitalizeneighborhoods, maintainaffordability,and reintroducedecentaffordableunitsintotheCity’ housingstock. s ActivelypromoteaffordablehousingofalltypesandtenurethroughouttheCitytoavoidoverconcentrationinanyoneareaandtoreducethepotentialforisolationofincomegroups.One areaofparticularconcernistheWestSideneighborhood. Promotegreatereducationandawarenessoftheneedforaffordablehousingandtrytodestigmatize “ ffordable” / ”ow- oderateincome”labeling. a l m Rehabilitateanddevelopaffordablehousingviaa whole- iteapproach” withattentiontosite “ s locationandlayout,façadedesign,pedestrianmovementandaccessibility, adequate infrastructureprovision,andsensitivitytohistoricpreservation. MakegreateruseofCity- wnedpropertiesforaffordablehousingandacquireadditional o propertiesforthispurpose. July17,2001Page 7of66 �èÔ× éÛÊÛÈÍÕÛ éÌÊÓÎÕÉ ùÍÏÌÊ×Ô× ÎÉÓÆ× ìÐÛÎ Promotemoreaggressiveenforcementofhousingcodesandzoningregulationstoensure decent,safehousingunits. Reviewzoning,subdivision,buildingcodesanddevelopmentpoliciestoactivelyencourage affordablehousingconstructionorredevelopmentthroughmechanismssuchas: d x Moreeffectivedevelopmentincentives ( ensitybonuses, relieffrombuilding setbackandparkingrequirements, etc.) x Higherdensityrezoningwhereappropriate x Permittingconversionandpermanentresidentialuseofaccessorybuildingssuch ascarriagehousesandgaragesforaffordablehousing x Providinginfrastructuresubsidiesfordevelopmentswithaffordableunits eg p x Establishingadedicatedfund ( . .developmentfees,non- rofitPILOTprograms, etc.)orlandtrustforaffordablehousingdevelopment, landacquisition, constructionsubsidies,etc. PromotetheimplementationoftheCity’ ConsolidatedPlan”toachieveidentified s “ communitydevelopmentobjectivesandincreasetheavailabilityofsafe,affordablehousing. MaximizeparticipationinFederalandStatefundingprogramsfortheconstructionand rehabilitationofaffordablerentalandhomeownerunits. Encourageconstructionofseniorhousinginproximitytotransitserviceaswellashealthand communityservices. ThefollowingarethemajoreconomicdevelopmentpoliciespresentedinthePlan Maintainthedowntownastheeconomiccenterofthecommunity,includingtheprimaryretail andcommercialcenter. Encourageinfilltoensureawell- efinedurbancore. d EncouragenewdevelopmentinspecificallydefinedSpecialDevelopmentAreasto complement,ratherthanduplicate,downtown. Maintainadiversepropertytaxbaseandaccommodateabroadrangeoflanduseswhile minimizingconflicts. Supporttheviabilityandgrowthofthecommunity’ uniqueinstitutions ( . .SkidmoreCollege, s ie SaratogaHospital,SPACandtheracetracks)andcommunitybasedartandcultural programs. Encouragearangeofjobopportunitiesforresidentsandpromotelandusesthatencourage long-ermfiscalsustainability. t Developaforward-ookingstrategytoaccommodatetheincreasingprevalenceofhome l officeactivitiesduetotheelectronicrevolutionandchangingbusiness/ ommunityneeds. c July17,2001Page 8of66 �èÔ× éÛÊÛÈÍÕÛ éÌÊÓÎÕÉ ùÍÏÌÊ×Ô× ÎÉÓÆ× ìÐÛÎ SupportthediverseentertainmentamenitiesoftheCity. Promoteandaccommodate increasesinvisitorsduringfall,winterandspring. Encourageindustrial,technologyandoffice- asedbusinessestolocatewithintheCity. b EncouragethecreationofbusinessincubatorsitesandencourageIDAsupportofdowntown redevelopmentprojects. ThefollowingarethemajorproceduralpoliciesinthePlan: x Enforceexistinglanduseregulations. x Createcleardesignexamplesanddevelopmentstandards. x Enhancedevelopmentreviewandapprovalinformationmaterials. x Illustratezoningstandardsgraphically. x Provideadequatestaffingforprocessingdevelopmentproposals. x Prepareandmaintainaninventoryandanalysisofexistinglanduses,marketandcommunity needs. x Continuequarterlyreviewmeetingsfordevelopmentboardsandcitystaff. x AppointalternatemembersforthePlanningBoard,DesignReviewCommissionandZoning BoardofAppeals. x InitiatepreliminaryreviewofdevelopmentproposalsbyCitydepartments. P x LimittheuseofPlannedUnitDevelopment ( UD)districts. x Reviewpaperstreetsandeliminatethosethathavenofuturepurpose. x Implementcreativedesignprovisionswithinthelanduseregulations. x Encouragegovernmentalcompliancewithzoningregulations. 1. INTRODUCTION 0 1. SaratogaSprings –AGreatAmericanPlace 1 TheCityisnationallyrecognizedasa GreatAmericanPlace”largelyduetoitscommitmentto “ historicpreservation,itsvibrantdowntownandtheamenitiesitoffers. Thisheritagecombines July17,2001Page 9of66 �èÔ× éÛÊÛÈÍÕÛ éÌÊÓÎÕÉ ùÍÏÌÊ×Ô× ÎÉÓÆ× ìÐÛÎ withourcommunity’ excellentqualityoflifeandstrongsenseofplacetocreateabalanceof s physical,economicandsocialassets. i i i i i i Weareasaferesidentialcommunitywithworld- lassrecreationalandtourismattractions c Wecombineanindustrial,retailandofficecenterwitharchitecturalbeautyandhistoric charm Wearehosttorespectedinstitutionsofhighereducation Wehaveanaward- inningdowntown w Wehaveauniqueopenspace “ reenbelt”surroundinganurbancore g Wehaveanenthusiasticcitizenrythatactivelyparticipatesinamultitudeofcommunity, serviceandgovernmentalactivities. Itisthisdiversity,thismomentum, thisbalanceofeconomicandsociologicalassetsthatmakes SaratogaSpringsanattractivedestinationwithanactive,year- oundresidentialandbusiness r community. SaratogaSpringsoriginallygainedfameduringColonialtimesaswordspreadofthesprings andcurativewatersfoundinthecommunity. Thisnaturaloccurrence,andsubsequentresort attraction, initiatedtheconstructionanddevelopmentofwhatisnowthevalueddowntownarea. Theadventandprosperityoftheracingandwageringindustriesnotonlyprovidedthe Citywitha colorfulhistoriclegacybutalsoreinforcedtheconcentratedandcompactformthatisthekeyto thesuccessofourdowntown.Indeed,horse- elatedindustriesincludingthoroughbredand r standardbredracing,poloanddressageevents,horsesalesandequineservicesremain importantcontributorstotheeconomic,culturalandsocialmakeupofourcommunity. Followingaperiodofdeteriorationinthe1950sand1960s,SaratogaSpringsrebuiltitselfinto anaward- inningcommunityandcelebratedresortdestination. Infact,whilemostcitieshave w experiencedseriousdecline,SaratogaSpringshasmaintainedandincreaseditsmomentumas avibrantcommunity. IncorporationoftheCityin1915joinedtheurbanizedareaoftheformervillagewithan expansiveandlargelyundevelopedcountryside. NowthefourthlargestCityinNewYorkStatein totallandarea,SaratogaSprings, “heCityintheCountry”,continuestohavesignificantopen t spaceresources. A1994Cityevaluationestimatedthatoverone- alfofthetotallandareacan h beclassifiedas “ penspace”. o TheCity’ openspaceresourcesprovidebothactiveandpassiveenjoymentandare s maintainedthroughacombinationofpublicandprivateownership. Institutionalexamples includeYaddoandSkidmoreCollege;theCityoffersCongressParkandseveralneighborhood parks;Stateandprivate- ectorholdingsincludemorethan2000acresatSaratogaSpaState s Park,theequinepolofields,harnessandthoroughbredtracks,andagrowingnumberofgolf courses. Thesepublicandprivatelyownedopenspaceresourcesarecomplementedbythree lakesandanabundanceofstateandfederallyregulatedwetlands. July17,2001Page 10of66 �èÔ× éÛÊÛÈÍÕÛ éÌÊÓÎÕÉ ùÍÏÌÊ×Ô× ÎÉÓÆ× ìÐÛÎ TheCity’ populationinthe2000Censuswas26, 86.DuringthelastcenturytheCitymostlyhad s 1 aslowbutsteadypopulationincreasewithannualgrowthratesnearorbelow1%. Thatrate doubledduringthelate1980sbutleveledbackoffinthe1990s.Todayitisestimatedthatthe annualgrowthrateforpopulationisabout0. %. 5 1. 2 ThisPlan’ VisionsandGoalsfortheCommunity s SaratogaSpringsisauniqueandspecialplacetoliveandvisit. WeowethistoourCity' s historicarchitecture;ourlivelydowntown;ourbeautifulparksandotheropenspaces;ourmixeduseneighborhoods;ourdiverseeconomicbase;anddozensofotheramenities,includingthe mineralsprings,theracetracks,Yaddo,SkidmoreCollege,andtheSaratogaPerformingArts Center. Withthisinmind,theoverridingphilosophythatwillguidefuturedevelopmentofour " ityinthe C Country"willbesustainability. Sustainabledevelopmentisdevelopmentthatenhances economicopportunityandcommunitywell- eingwhileprotectingtheamenitiesuponwhichour b economyandourcommunitydepend. Asustainablegrowthpolicyrecognizesthatunlimited growthisnotrightforourCity;norisnogrowthatall. Throughsustainabledevelopment,weaimtomeettheneedsofthepresentwithout compromisingtheabilityoffuturegenerationstomeettheirownneeds. TheComprehensivePlanprovidesapracticalanduseablesetofrecommendationsaddressing selectedissuesofconcern. ThisPlan’ goalsareto: s 1. EnhancethevitalityandsuccessoftheCity’ downtowncorearea. s 2. Promoteabroadermixtureofusesinselectedareastoencouragesocial,businessand residentialinteractionanddiversity. 3. Implementlanduseanddesignpoliciestoenhanceourqualityoflife,balancethecostsof municipalserviceswithrevenues,protectsensitiveenvironmentalresources, and preservetraditionalcommunitycharacter. 4. Promotepedestrianandbicycleaccess,transitservices,andtraditionalneighborhood designinordertoreducedependenceontheautomobile. 5. Continueinvestingintheamenitiesthatcontributetoourcommunity’ success. s 6. SupporttheCity’ senseofhistoryandmaintainthe “ ityintheCountry”bypreservingthe s C qualityof,andlinkagesamong,culturalandopenspaceresources. 7. Encourageandincreasehousingdiversityandaffordabilityaswellasneighborhood vitality. July17,2001Page 11of66 �èÔ× éÛÊÛÈÍÕÛ éÌÊÓÎÕÉ ùÍÏÌÊ×Ô× ÎÉÓÆ× ìÐÛÎ 8. Workwithcommunitiesintheregiontoaddressissuesthattranscendjurisdictionaland otherboundaries. 9. Investininfrastructureimprovementsandencouragepublic /privatepartnershipsthat supportthePlan’ goals. s ThesegoalsaretobeimplementedbytherecommendationspresentedinthisPlan. 1. Process,CommunityInvolvementandSupportingDocuments 3 ThedevelopmentofthisPlanbeganin1998withtheappointmentofa9member ComprehensivePlanCommitteebytheCityCouncil.TheCommitteemetnearlyweeklybetween May1998andMay1999workingwiththecommunityatlargeandrelyingheavilyonthe assistanceandsupportofferedbythesponsorsofnumerousfocusgroupstudiescompleted sincetheadoptionoftheCity' 1987MasterPlan. s TheCommitteeconducteddetailedanalysesoftheCity’ currentgrowthtrendsandfinancial s conditions. Itmetwithmanyresidentsandexpertsandheardfromawidevarietyofcitizens. ThisPlanrepresentstheCommittee’ efforttosynthesizethediverseopinionsitheardand s respondtotheissuesfacingtheCity. i ThefirststepintheComprehensivePlanCommittee'sprocesswastoreviewthe1987 MasterPlan. The1987plancontainedanextensiveinventoryandanalysisoftheCity' s physicalresources. Theseresourcesremainlargelyintact;therefore,thisPlandoesnot attempttorevisitthesestudies. Rather,thisPlanmakesuseofthefindingsofthe1987plan aswellasthenumerousplanningstudiesconductedsincethattime. i OnMay4,1999the1999ComprehensivePlanwasadoptedanditreplacedthe1987 MasterPlanastheCity’ officiallong- angeplanningpolicydocumenttoguidefuturegrowth s r anddevelopmentinourcommunity. i OnNovember21,2000anamendedComprehensivePlanwasadoptedthatupdatedand replacedthe1999ComprehensivePlan. ThemostvaluableresourceaffordedbytheComprehensivePlanCommitteeduringthisPlan’ s developmentwastheinputprovidedbytheCity' residentsthroughneighborhoodassociations, s advisorygroups,coalitions,authoritiesandcommittees. Appreciationforthemanyhoursof laborandinsightprovidedbythesegroupscannotbemeasurednorcondensedintothefew linesofferedhere. Alistofthecontributorsinrecognitionoftheireffortsduringthedevelopment ofthe1999ComprehensivePlanispresentedinAppendixA: TheCommitteethatpreparedthe1999ComprehensivePlanwaschairedbyWilliamDakeand hadthefollowingothermembers:JamesGrande,RichardHoffman,CindyHollowood,Brian McMahon,RobertPasciullo,SteveSullivan,LorrainePowerTharp,andCharlesWait. July17,2001Page 12of66 �èÔ× éÛÊÛÈÍÕÛ éÌÊÓÎÕÉ ùÍÏÌÊ×Ô× ÎÉÓÆ× ìÐÛÎ The1999ComprehensivePlanwasadoptedbytheCityCouncilonMay4,1999.Itwasfollowed byaseriesofzoningtextandmapamendmentsthatwereadoptedbytheCityCouncilon August3,1999. InMarch,2000,theMayorofSaratogaSpringsappointedaComprehensivePlanReview Committeethatwaschargedwiththetaskofreviewingthe1999ComprehensivePlanand makingrecommendationsforitsrefinement,modificationandimplementationstrategies. TheComprehensivePlanReviewCommitteewaschairedbyJeffPfeilandhadthefollowing othermembers:NancyButcher,JacintaConway,RichardDunn,RobertIsrael,BrianMcMahon, LisaNagle,LorrainePowerTharpandMichaelWelti. Asnotedpreviously,theCityandvariousconcernedcitizenshavecommissionedanumberof planningstudiessincethedevelopmentofthe1987MasterPlan.Thesestudieshavebeen relieduponinthepreparationofthisComprehensivePlanandarepresentedinAppendixBof thisPlan: 2. ISSUESIDENTIFICATION 0 ThissectionofthePlanidentifiesthemajorissuescurrentlyfacingtheCity.ThisPlanisintended toresponddirectlytotheseissues. 2. MaintainingaBalance 1 ThekeytotheCity’ successhasbeenmaintainingthebalanceoflanduses,economicforces s andsocialdiversity.ContinuingtokeepthisbalanceisthecentralpurposeofthisPlan. SustainingacommunityasattractiveanddesirableasSaratogaSpringsinvolvesacombination offactorsthatismorethanthesumofitsparts. Keyconsiderationsincludethefollowing. i DowntownisthekeytotheCity’ economichealth. Maintainingacompactdowntown s withadequateparkingandsupportinginfrastructureisessentialforbusinessesto prosper. i SaratogaSprings’openspaceresourcesconstituteavitaleconomiccomponentanda valuableaestheticandrecreationalamenity. Itisthisopenspacecharacterthatcreates theambianceofthe “ ity”inthe ” ountry”. C C i TheCityprovidesexcellentservices; however,suchserviceshaveacost.TheCitymust provideforanadequaterevenuesourceifitistocontinuetomaintainandenhance services. i TheCityhasafairlydiversemixofhousingtypesandpricelevels;however,thereare signsthatthisischanging.Adiversecommunityrequiresasimilardiversityofhousing varietyandaffordability. July17,2001Page 13of66 �èÔ× éÛÊÛÈÍÕÛ éÌÊÓÎÕÉ ùÍÏÌÊ×Ô× ÎÉÓÆ× ìÐÛÎ i SaratogaSpringshasagoodmixofsocial,culturalandrecreationalresources. Maintaining, enhancingandinvestingintheseamenitiesisessentialtotheCity’ s economicandsocialdynamic. 2. FinancialConsiderations 2 TherecentgrowththattheCityhasexperiencedmaybepartiallyattributabletotherobust nationaleconomy.However,manybelieveitismoresignificantlyattributabletothe attractivenessofthequalityoflifeenjoyedbyourresidents.Whilecitiesinourregionarestill experiencingstagnantgrowthrates,anever-ncreasingnumberofpeoplearediscoveringthe i advantagesofourcommunity. Sustainablegrowth,therefore,impliesmaintainingourqualityoflifewhilecontinuingtoattract commercialandindustrialdevelopmentwiththeaccompanyingpromiseofjobsandincreased taxrevenues.SustainablegrowthalsoimpliesthatthecostofservicesprovidedbytheCityis offsetbytheincreasedtaxrevenuesrealizedfromproposedprojects. Whilethereislegitimatepublicpurposeinencouraginggrowthanddevelopmentthatmaynot directlyenhancepublicrevenues,suchasaffordablehousingorpublicparksorgreenspace, sustainablegrowthwouldimplythatamajorityofnewdevelopment, afterananalysisof quantifiablepubliccosts ( uchas,schools,fire,police,etc.)resultinapositiveincomestream. s Somesustainablegrowthoccursasamatterofcoursesuchasupscale “ mptynester”housing. e OtherdevelopmentsmayenhancetheCity’ revenuestreamwithrecreationandutilityfees, s publicgrants,etc.Themannerinwhichdevelopmentoccursalsoaffectsitseconomics. Traditionalneighborhooddevelopment, thatminimizesroadsurfacesandincreasespedestrians access,concentratesgrowthinurbansettingsanddiscouragesurbansprawl,alsohelpsto achievesustainablegrowth. Thefirstprincipaltorecognize,however, shouldbethatourqualityoflifedrivestheCity’ s economicengine.Qualityoflifeconsiderationsshouldbeaparamountfinancialconsideration. Sustainablegrowthrequiresit. Thebasicprinciplesenunciatedaboverequirefurtherstudyanddocumentation. When developmentisproposedourCityplannersneedobjectivefinancialstandardstousein evaluatingdevelopmenttodeterminewhetheritisrevenuepositiveornot.Thesestandardswill provideguidanceaboutthebenefitsandcostsoftheproposedprojectsbroughtbeforethem. Duringthedecadeofthe1990' thecitygenerallystruggledinitsattempttohaverevenues s matchanticipatedexpenses. Throughtheuseofacombinationofrevenuesourcesandthe closemonitoringofexpenditures,theCitysuccessfullymetthechallengeofachievinga balancedbudget". However,duringthe1990' theCity' debtalsorosetoapproximately $ s s 10 million. TheCity' self-mposeddebtceilingis1percentofthetotaltaxableassessedproperty s i valuation,hence,basedonthe1999revaluationsomeadditionaldebtcouldbeincurredif July17,2001Page 14of66 �èÔ× éÛÊÛÈÍÕÛ éÌÊÓÎÕÉ ùÍÏÌÊ×Ô× ÎÉÓÆ× ìÐÛÎ required. Duringtheearlypartofthe1990' theassessedvaluationgrewatanannualrateof s about1/ percentperyear. Thegrowthratefor1999wasapproximately1. percentandthe 2 5 preliminaryfiguresfor2000areevenhigher. However,despitetheencouragingincreasein growthduringthepast2years,itisimperativethattheCityfocusonsustainablegrowthin assessedpropertyvalueorfindsomeotherrevenuesourcesifwearetoadequatelyfund increasesinexpendituresthathaveapproximated5percentannually. Ofcourse,someofthis increaseisattributabletoautomaticsalaryincreasesandinflation.However,anannual assessedtaxablepropertygrowthratesoflessthan5percentwillresultinpropertytaxincreases fortheindividualtaxpayer. AppendixCprovidesseveralhistoricalfinancialstatisticsthatrelatetosalestaxes,property taxesandassessedpropertyvaluation, Cityrevenuesandexpenditures,andbuildingpermit statistics. Whilenosinglestatisticcanbetakeninisolation,whenconsideredintotalthese figuresprovideanunderstandingoftheCity' continuingneedtofocusonsustainablegrowth. s AppendixCalsobrieflypresentsananalysisofseveraloptionalnewsourcesofrevenuethat couldbeconsideredinthefuture. 2. TraditionalZoningConstraints 3 SincetheestablishmentoflocalzoninginSaratogaSpringsmorethan50yearsago,thenatural combinationandmixingofactivitiesbaseduponpuresocial,communityandeconomicforces hasbeenreplacedbythecategorizationandseparationoflanduses. Theeffectsofthis separationoflandusesalsoseparatedpeoplefromtheirplacesofwork, ecreationand r shoppingplaces,contributingtothegrowthofcostly,inefficientdevelopment. Traditionalzoning regulationinadvertentlypromotedmanyoftheproblemsinourcommunitiestoday. x Inflexibleseparationofusesoflandmayresultinsprawldevelopmentthatcreatescostly, inefficientuseofland,infrastructureandservices. Innovativecommunitiesarereturningto amoretraditionalmixtureofusestoencouragemoredynamicsocialandeconomic interaction. x Businessandcommerceareconstantlychanging, particularlyinresponseto communicationstechnologyimprovements. Asaresult,satelliteofficesand telecommutinghavebecomemoreimportant;modernbusinesseshavelanduseneeds differentfromthosecoveredbypresentconventionalregulations. x Emerginglandusesmaketraditionalcategorizationcomplicated,limitingandoutdated. Thenumberandnatureofnewbusinessesisrapidlychanging,anditisimpossibleto successfullyanticipateandregulateallfutureuses. x Theimperfectabilityofconventionalzoningtoanticipatenewbusinesseslimitsits viability,particularlyasapromoterofeconomicallydesirablenewdevelopment. July17,2001Page 15of66 �èÔ× éÛÊÛÈÍÕÛ éÌÊÓÎÕÉ ùÍÏÌÊ×Ô× ÎÉÓÆ× ìÐÛÎ Thegeneralpurposeoflanduseregulationistomakedevelopmentcompatiblewithadjoining usesandtocreateanoverallbenefitforthecommunity. Unfortunately,conventionalzoning regulationandever- orelandusecategorizationisoftenthedefensivereactiontounanticipated m issuescausedbyemerginglandusesorchangingcommunityneeds. Acommunityhopingtothriveinthefuturemusttakeaninnovativeapproachtoencouraginga dynamicmixofcompatibleusestoimproveitseconomicstabilityandtoenhancecommunity diversityandinteraction. 2. GrowthPatterns 4 ThesuccessandactivitylevelinSaratogaSprings,aswellastheamountofdevelopmentinthe adjoiningTownsofGreenfield,Malta,MiltonandWilton,hasledtothewidespread,yet inaccurate,perceptionthattheCityisgrowingrapidly. i Becauseofthehighgrowthratesinthemid- 980s,thepopulationforecastslistedinthe 1 1987MasterPlanweretoogenerous.Infact,populationhasincreasedbyonlyabout ½% peryear. i Theaveragehouseholdsizeisdecreasingandthenumberofautomobilesperhousehold isincreasing. Thesetrendscreatehigherdemandforhousing,servicesandroadway accessevenwithlimitedpopulationgrowth. i TheCity’ landusepatternreflectsthehistoricconsolidationofavillagewitha s surroundingruraltown. Themoredenselydevelopedcoreareacontainsopportunitiesfor in-ill,replacementandverticalexpansion. MuchoftheCity’ outerarea,under f s increasingresidentialdevelopmentpressure,hassignificantenvironmentallimitations includingwetlandandfloodplainrestrictions. i TheassessedvalueofCity’ taxablerealpropertyhasgrownabout1/ % s 2 peryearover thepastdecade.However,between1998and1999itincreased1. % 5 andthedraft figuresforthe1999- 000indicatea4. % 2 2 increase. i Recentrapidgrowthinadjoiningtownshascreatedpressuresforsimilargrowthin adjoiningareasoftheCity.TheCityhasnocontroloverdevelopmentinadjoiningtowns, althoughsuchdevelopmentdirectlyaffectstheCity. i Region- ideissuessuchastraffic,schools,andhousingareheavilyinfluencedby w developmenttrendsandactivitiesoutsideoftheCity’ boundariesandarebeyondthe s controloftheCity.Solutionstochallengespresentedbytheseissueswillnotbefound entirelywithintheCityandwillrequirecooperationwiththeadjacentcommunities. July17,2001Page 16of66 �èÔ× éÛÊÛÈÍÕÛ éÌÊÓÎÕÉ ùÍÏÌÊ×Ô× ÎÉÓÆ× ìÐÛÎ 2. LocalComplexities 5 Layeredontheconstraintsimposedbytraditionalzoningarecertainlocalcomplexities,which includethefollowing. i TheCityhasacomplex “ ommission”formofgovernmentwithdistinctlyseparate c functionalareas. Inadditiontotheplanning,designreviewandzoningappealsboards, proposedprojectsmayundergofurtherreviewbymultipleofficesanddepartments includingDepartmentofPublicWorks,DepartmentofPublicSafety,BuildingInspector, CityEngineerandCityPlanner. InJuly2000theMayorappointedaCharterRevision Committeetoreviewtheseissues. TheCommittee’ recommendationsareexpectedto s bepresentedinmid- 001. 2 i TherehasbeenagrowingnumberofPlannedUnitDevelopment ( UD)andzoning P variancerequeststocountertheinflexibilityofcurrentzoningregulation. Continualzoning regulationchangesandPUDproposalsrequireCityCouncillegislativeapprovalthereby lengtheningandoftenpoliticizingtheapprovalprocess. i TheCity’ zoningiscomplex. Anumberofoverlappingregulatorydistrictsandoversight s jurisdictionsfurthercomplicatestheprocess. i TheCityhaslimitedstafffacedwithoftenlengthy,complicatedreviewprocessesthat demandever- reatertechnicalexpertise.Partlyasaresultofthis,theprocesscanbe g lengthy,complicatedandexpensive. i Thereisaneedformoreflexibilityinthetypesofallowablelandusesandaneedto clearlyidentifywhattheCitywantsandexpectsfromacompletedproject. Such provisionswillallowadevelopertoknowupfrontwhatisexpectedandtheCitywillknow whatitcanexpectfromacompletedproject. i Thereisaneedtoincreasecommunicationamongallpartiestoclarifythedevelopment approvalprocesstherebydecreasingtimeandcosttoboththeCityandapplicants. 3. POLICYAREAS 0 TheComprehensivePlanexpressestheCity’ commitmenttocareful,economiclong-erm s t managementoflandandcommunityresources. ThissectionsetsforththeCity’ specific s planningpolicies,goalsandobjectivestowardsachievingthisvision. Inpreparingthese policies,goalsandobjectives, theCityhasreliedonthemanyplanningstudiesconductedduring thelastdecadeaswellasadditionalanalysesconductedaspartofthisplanningprocess. 3. Transportation 1 TheCityisatransportationhub. LocatedatthesoutheastedgeoftheAdirondacks,anunusual numberofroadsconnectingtheMohawkandHudson- hamplainvalleysconvergeintheCity. In C July17,2001Page 17of66 �èÔ× éÛÊÛÈÍÕÛ éÌÊÓÎÕÉ ùÍÏÌÊ×Ô× ÎÉÓÆ× ìÐÛÎ fact,alloftheseroadspassthroughthecenteroftheCitybetweentheSpaStateParkand Skidmore. ThissituationisfurthercomplicatedbythefactthattheCitywasplannedtogrowto thewest,takingadvantageoftheflatterrainandsandysoilsinthisarea.However,theNorthway wasconstructedinwetlandsontheeastsideoftheCity,requiringmuchdailycommutertrafficto passthroughthedowntownareatoaccesstheNorthway. Trucktrafficthroughthecitycontinuestobeaseriousproblem.Severaltruckbypassalternatives havebeenmetwithoppositionfromvariousgroupswithinthecity.Findingsolutionstothetruck problemmustremainahighpriority.Trafficsafetylawsandotherlawsgoverninguseoftrucksin thecitymustbestrictlyenforced. ThisPlanalsorecognizestheimportanceofimprovingtransportationgatewaystotheCity.A sectionofSouthBroadwayneartheSpaStateParkentrancehasrecentlybeenreconstructed asaboulevard. MajorimprovementsintheWestAvenuecorridorareunderway. TheNewYork StateDepartmentofTransportationalsoisdesigningimprovementsfortheRoute50Arterial betweenthedowntownandExit15.TheCityisworkingonplanstoimproveSouthBroadway betweenWestFenlonStreetandCircularStreet.Anothermajorissueisthepossible introductionofcommuterrailserviceviaatwo- eardemonstrationprojectandatourismtrain y service.Thiswouldcreateanopportunitytoencourageadditionaldevelopmentinthevicinityof thetrainstation. TheCityshouldcontinuethedevelopmentofalternativetransportationmodes,especially pedestrianandbikeways.Thesebikefacilitiescanbeon- treet,butalsoshouldalsobe s integratedintotheCity’ openspacesystem.Similarly,commuterandlocalbusservice,aswell s asparkandridefacilitiesshouldcontinuetobesupportedandsubsidizedwhereappropriate. Theimplementationofalternativelocaltransportationsuchasalocaltrolleybetweendowntown, theracetracksandSpaParkshouldalsobeconsidered. Additionally,thePlanrecommendsthefollowingtransportationpolicies: Strictenforcementoflawsregardingtrucks,todiscouragetrucktripsthroughthecitywhile prioritizingpublicsafety. ImplementtheotherSSTARtrucktrafficimprovementrecommendationsthatinclude: synchronizationoftrafficsignalsonChurchStreet,VanDamStreetandBroadway; signageplantodirecttruckstoGrandeIndustrialPark;adjustpropertyassessmentsfor landownerssignificantlyadverselyimpactedbytrucktraffic;requestdesignationofallof WestAvenueforspecialdimensionvehicles,and;restricteastboundtrucktrafficonLake Avenue ( etweenBroadwayandHenningRoadto5tonsexceptforlocaldeliveries. b Complete2- tageupgradeofSouthBroadway.Aboulevard- tyleroadway,includinga s s plantedmedian,turninglanesandpedestrian/bicyclepathsfromWestFenlontoCrescent Avenue. Thefirstphaseoftheprojectwascompletedinearly2000.Theimproved drainage,roadandpedestrianimprovementsfromCircularStreettoWestFenlonhavea projectedfinishdateof2004. July17,2001Page 18of66 �èÔ× éÛÊÛÈÍÕÛ éÌÊÓÎÕÉ ùÍÏÌÊ×Ô× ÎÉÓÆ× ìÐÛÎ UpgradenorthernRoute50 arterial)toaboulevard- tyleroadway,includingaplanted ( s median,turninglanesandpedestrian/ icyclepaths. CompletionisprojectedbyNYS b DOTfor2003. CompletetheupgradeofWestAvenue. CompletionisprojectedbyNYSDOTforearly 2002. Completedowntownpedestrianimprovements.Completionisprojectedfor2003. Continuepedestrianandautomobileimprovementsparticularlytomajoractivityareas includingSkidmoreCollege,Embury/ esleyapts.,SpaStateParkandtheracetracks. W Developacomprehensivesidewalkplanthatidentifiespriorityareasfornewsidewalk constructionandrehabilitation,includinglinkstotheCityrecreation/cerinkalongLake i AvenueandwithconnectionsundertheNorthwaytoBogMeadownaturetrailaswell. Developacomprehensivecitywidemulti- se (oincludebicycles)trailplanthatintegrates u t existingpedestrian,road,andopenspacesystems,andprovidescriticallinkages. Evaluateadditionaldowntownparkingneeds ( tudyunderway). s Continuetoparticipateinregionalcommuterandlocalbusandparkandrideservices. Continuetoparticipateinthedesignanddevelopmentofthenewtrainstationtoensure itslong-ermviability,itspotentialasanassettothecommunity, anditsintegrationin t transportationfacilitiesfortherestoftheCity. Investigatepotentialalternativelocationsforthebusstationthatwouldprovidelinksto othertransportationmodes. Takestepstopreventcongestiononalltransportationsystemsbyimplementingvarious managementtechniquesthatcouldalterpeakdemands. 3. UtilitiesandPublicSafety 2 ThelocationandcapacityoftheCity’ utilityinfrastructurestronglyaffectsgrowthpatterns, s communitycharacter,housingaffordability, economicdiversityandfiscalstability. Water TheCityhas3independentwaterresources:LoughberryLake,theaquifer- edGeyserCrest f watersystem,andtheBogMeadowsystemwhichiscurrentlyundergoinganupgradetoconnect directlywiththeCitywaterplant. Approximately95%oftheCity’ populationisservedbythis s system,consistingofmorethan85milesofpipe. July17,2001Page 19of66 �èÔ× éÛÊÛÈÍÕÛ éÌÊÓÎÕÉ ùÍÏÌÊ×Ô× ÎÉÓÆ× ìÐÛÎ Recenteffortstoenhancethesewatersources,includingtheemploymentofaweedharvesterin LoughberryLakeandotherCityefforts,havesignificantlyupgradedthequalityofCitywater. A revisedstudybyBartonandLoguidiceP. .ConsultingEngineersdocumentsthattheCityhas C increasedandimproveditssustainableyieldto5. milliongallonsofwaterperday. Continuing 5 waterserviceexpansiontoclosetheloopattheeastedgeoftheCityalongStaffordsBridge Roadwillbedoneatdeveloper’ expense. s Sewage Sewageisconveyedto,andtreatedat,theCountySewageTreatmentPlantinMechanicville. TheSewersystemservesapproximately90% oftheCity’ population. TheCountyownsthe s trunklineswhiletheCityownsthelocalcollectorlines.Althoughthetreatmentplanthascapacity totreatgreaterflows,thecostofsewerextensionmaydelayorforestalldevelopmentinsome cases. Stormwater Stormwateriscollectedviamainsthathavebeenmostlyseparatedfromoldcombined sanitary/ tormwatersystems. ThestormwatersystemisdischargedtoVillageBrook,Putnam s BrookandGeyserBrook.ThereareanumberofareasoftheCity,particularlytheWestSide andSouthSide,thatexperiencefloodingduetoinadequatelysizedpipesorlackofanadequate overallconveyancesystem. TheCitywillcontinueitseffortstoimprovethegeneralstormwater drainagesystem,withparticularattentiontotheWashingtonStreetdrainagearea. ThePlanrecommendsthefollowingutilitypolicies. CoordinateinfrastructureimprovementsbasedonthePlan’ landusevision – s concentrateontheCity’ downtownandotherSpecialDevelopmentAreasasthehighest s priorities. Mandate,inthezoningordinance,thatundergroundutilitiesbeutilizedforservicestoall new,redeveloped, orsubstantiallyrenovatedbuildingsandworkwiththelocalutility companiestoresolveotheraestheticissuesrelatingtoutilityinstallationswithparticular attentiontothecarefulplacementofelectricandgasmetersandtransformers. Establish prioritiesinconjunctionwithinitiationofundergroundinginselectedareasoftheCity. Workwithlocalutilitycompanies ( lectric,phone,cable,etc.)todevelopaplanfor e placingexistingoverheadwiresundergroundinpriorityareasofthecity. Embarkonacapitalimprovementsprogramtoprioritize,upgradeandreplaceaging utilities,inaccordancewithanoverallplanandprioritysystem,withafocusontheolder sewerandwaterpipeswithintheInnerDistrict. July17,2001Page 20of66 �èÔ× éÛÊÛÈÍÕÛ éÌÊÓÎÕÉ ùÍÏÌÊ×Ô× ÎÉÓÆ× ìÐÛÎ Protectexistingwatersourcesthroughtheimplementationofacomprehensivewatershed managementprogramandCityacquisitionofland,wherefeasible,incooperationwith neighboringcommunities. x TheCityshouldworkwithadjacentmunicipalitiestowardtheadoptionofwatershed managementrulesandregulations. TomeettheCity’ increasingwatersupplyneedstheCityshould,asapriority,continue s toundertakestudiestoprovideanadequatequantityofitswatersupplythroughpursuitof alternatesources,particularlyincludingSaratogaLake. Acitywidestormwatermanagementplanshouldbefundedandimplemented. Itshould bedesignedtoidentifyrehabilitationneedsandareasfornewstormsystem development.Theplanshouldincludestandardsforstormwaterdetention,retention, infiltrationandwaterqualityconsistentwithNYSDECandUSAEPAguidelines. Implementtherecommendationsofthe1998SmartCityTaskForcetoensurethatour technologydependentbusinessesareadequatelyservedwiththeappropriate infrastructure. ReviewtheneedforexpandingpoliceandfireprotectioneastoftheNorthway. 3. OpenSpaceandRecreation 3 AprimaryassumptionofthisPlan,andindeedpriorplans,istoencouragequalitydevelopment thatcanbeclearlybalancedwiththepreservation, protectionandenhancementofopenspace. Infact,economicgrowthandopenspacesareinterdependentandthereiscompellingevidence thatthepresenceofampleandaccessiblepublicopenspaceincreasescommunityproperty valuesandcontributestoeconomicgrowth. Furthermore, theprovisionofdiverseandhighqualityindoorandoutdoorrecreationareasand facilitiesandacommunitythatislinkedbywalkingandbicycletrailsaddsimmeasurablyto qualityoflife.SaratogaSpringsisuniqueinitsdistinctedgebetweenthe “ ity”andthe “ ountry”. c c Thereareseveraltypesofopenspace/ ecreationresourcesworthyofprotectionand r enhancementtopreservetheimageandexperienceofSaratogaSpringsasthe “ ityinthe C Country”. Thesegeneraltypesofresourcesaredescribedinthe OpenSpacePlanfor “ SaratogaSprings1994”adoptedbytheCityCouncilin1994. Theseresourcesinclude: i NaturalFeaturessuchasstreamcorridors, wetlands,andimportanthabitat. i RuralViewshedsofparticularvaluealongselectedroadwaysandentrancewaystothe city. July17,2001Page 21of66 �èÔ× éÛÊÛÈÍÕÛ éÌÊÓÎÕÉ ùÍÏÌÊ×Ô× ÎÉÓÆ× ìÐÛÎ i s Linkagesprovidenaturalcorridorsforwildlife,accommodatethecity’ growingtrailand recreationalsystem,andpromotegreateraccessibilitytoexistingareas. i Farmland whiletaxedataratelessthandevelopedproperty,doesnotrequireservices, providesvisualbeauty,andcontributestoabalanceintegraltotheCity. i PrivateRecreationLandsprovideessentialleisureservices,taxrevenueandjobs. i includeparklands,trailsandopenspacesinpublicownership PublicRecreationAreas primarilyputtopassiveuse. TheCountryOverlayAreamap,Figure1,isagraphicrepresentationoftheseresourcesfor comprehensiveplanningpurposes. Thefollowingpoliciesareproposedtomaintain,promoteandenhancetheCity’ openspace s andrecreationresourceswithoutdiminishingprivateowners’propertyvalueorresultingina taking”withoutcompensation. Thesepoliciesareintendedtobeachievedthroughthe techniquesdiscussedinSection4. . 3 Promoteconcentrated, compactgrowthinthe “ ity”whileprotectingandenhancingthe C ruralqualityofandaccesstothe “ ountry”andmaintainingasharpedgebetweenthe C two. Useopenspaces,naturalfeatures,institutions,recreationalfacilitiesandregional transportationfeaturestoformawell- efinededgetotheCity’ urbancore. d s Providelinkages ( uchastrails,bikeways, recreationways,wildlifecorridors,greenways) s betweenexistingareasofprotectedopenspaceandnaturalresources. Preserveandprotectimportantopenspacesandnaturalareasincludingstream corridors,wetlands,agriculturalresourcesandviewshedsofaestheticvalue. Ensureadequatebuffersandencourageuniqueformsofdevelopmentforcommercial andindustrialgrowth. EnhanceruralviewsalongroadwaysandentrancewaystotheCity. Establishcreativemechanismstoprotecthistoricpropertiesandkeyfarmlandparcels. ContinuewithsystematicandtimelyimplementationoftherecommendationsintheCity’ s adoptedOpenSpacePlan. Promotedevelopmentthatcontributestoneworexistingopenspaces. Developadequateanddiverseactiveandpassiverecreationalareasandfacilitiesand encouragetheirfrequentusethroughappropriatelocationanddesign.Suchfacilities July17,2001Page 22of66 �èÔ× éÛÊÛÈÍÕÛ éÌÊÓÎÕÉ ùÍÏÌÊ×Ô× ÎÉÓÆ× ìÐÛÎ shouldmeettheneedsofasdiversearangeofagegroupsandinterestsaspossible. TheCityshouldconcentratefirstonfacilitiesforwhichthereisanactualshortage. TheCityshouldpursuepublic/ rivatepartnershipstomeetidentifiedrecreationalneeds, p forexample,providingaccesstoSaratogawaterbodiesorworkinginconjunctionwith theYMCA. TheCityshouldestablishanon- oingdialoguewithadjacentcommunitiesandtheschool g districtonopportunitiesforintermunicipalrecreationalprogrammingandfacilityuse. TheCityshouldestablishnewrecreationalareasinunder- ervedareasoftheCity. s 3. Housing 4 ThedynamicsocialandcommunitystructurethatissohighlyvaluedinSaratogaSpringsisa directproductofthediversityinourpopulation. Wearefortunatetoenjoyavarietyofages, heritages, educationalbackgrounds, professions, culturalbackgroundsandinterests. A fundamentalbuildingblockinattractingandmaintainingthisdiversityofpopulationisthe availabilityofhousingoptionsaffordabletothefullrangeofcityresidents. OwingtoSaratoga Springs’historicaldevelopmentandstrongmarketdemands,theCityfacesuniquehousing challenges. x Cityhousingisnearlyequallydividedbetweenrentalunits ( 6%) 4 andowner- ccupied o 54%) units. Between1980and1990,thenumberofrentalunitsrose22. % 8 while owner- ccupiedunitsrose6. %source:1990Census). o 7 ( x Morethan50%oftheCity’ housingisover40yearsold ( uchofit100+yearsold) s m indicatingacontinualneedformaintenance,repairandreinvestment. x Recentresidentialconstructiontrendshavechangedfromthehistoricaldevelopmentofa denselyurbanizedcoretoconstructionaddressingthecontinuingdemandforupscale single-amilydetachedhousing. Roughly94%ofallresidentialunitsbuiltduringthelast f decadeweresinglefamilyhomesinresidentialsubdivisionsintheoutlyingareasofthe Citywithsteadyincreasingconstructioncosts. x Environmentallimitations, existinglanddevelopmentpatternsandhousingmarketforces havelimitedrecentdevelopmentofaffordablehousing. Generallandusepolicies, buildingcodes,utilityconnections,environmentalandhistoric/ esignreviewmaypresent d additional,althoughoftennecessary,obstaclestothedevelopmentofaffordablehousing. x Thecombinationofsubstantialseasonal,studentandnavalpopulationsseekingshorttermresidencesintheCityplacesgreatpressureupontheavailabilityandpriceof housingforyear- oundresidents. Touristsandseasonalworkersdramaticallyincrease r thedemandforrentalhousinginparticular. July17,2001Page 23of66 �èÔ× éÛÊÛÈÍÕÛ éÌÊÓÎÕÉ ùÍÏÌÊ×Ô× ÎÉÓÆ× ìÐÛÎ x WhileSaratogaenjoysavibrantdowntownandexpandingtouristseason,greaterthan 41%oftheCity' totalhouseholdsqualifyaslowandmoderateincomeunderfederal s guidelines ( ource:1990Census).Inearly2000,afamilyof4wouldbedefinedas s moderateincome”iftheirtotalhouseholdannualincomewasbelow $ 050and 41, definedas “owincome”iftheirtotalhouseholdannualincomewasbelow $ 650. l 25, i Housingisconsidered “ ffordable”ifitcostsnomorethan30% a ofone’ s householdincome.The1990Censusshowedthatthefollowingsspecific householdtypes ( lderly,renters,low- oderateincome)withintheCity e m werespendingsignificantlymorethan30%oftheirincomeonhousing28% ofallhouseholdsspendmorethan30%oftheirincomeonhousing1% of rentersspendmorethan30%oftheirincomeonhousing i 25% ofelderlyhouseholdsspendmorethan30% oftheirincomeon housing i 54% oflowandmoderateincomehouseholdsspendmorethan30% of theirincomeonhousing;24%spendover50%onhousing Giventheseuniquecircumstances,thefollowingpoliciesareproposedtopromoteandenhance theCity’ diversityofhousingoptions. s Encouragearangeofresidentialopportunitiesavailabletoallresidentstopromotethe socialandeconomicdiversityvitaltoabalancedcommunity. Encouragenewhousingdevelopmenttoreflectthehumanscale,historicalcontextand designcharacteristicsconsistentwithtraditionalSaratoganeighborhoods. Promotethe upgradinginfillandpreservationofexistinghousingandneighborhoodsparticularlythose areasofpredominantlylowandmoderateincome. Encouragethedevelopmentofhigherdensityresidentialalternativeswithintheurban core. Promotetheconversionandresidentialuseofupperfloorsincommercialdistricts. Supportcollaborativeeffortstodevelopadditionalaffordablehousing. Reconstructand rehabilitateexistinghousingtorevitalizeneighborhoods,maintainaffordability, and reintroducedecentaffordableunitsintotheCity’ housingstock. s ActivelypromoteaffordablehousingofalltypesandtenurethroughouttheCitytoavoid over- oncentrationandtoreducethepotentialforisolationofincomegroups. c Promotegreatereducationandawarenessoftheneedforaffordablehousinganddestigmatize “ ffordable” / ”ow- oderateincome”labeling. a l m July17,2001Page 24of66 �èÔ× éÛÊÛÈÍÕÛ éÌÊÓÎÕÉ ùÍÏÌÊ×Ô× ÎÉÓÆ× ìÐÛÎ Rehabilitateanddevelopaffordablehousingviaa whole- iteapproach”withattentionto “ s sitelocationandlayout,façadedesign,pedestrianmovementandaccessibility, adequateinfrastructureprovision,andsensitivitytohistoricpreservation. MakegreateruseofCity- wnedandacquiredpropertiesforaffordablehousing. o Promotemoreaggressiveenforcementofhousingcodesandzoningregulationsto ensuredecent,safehousingunits. Reviewofzoning,landuse,buildingcodesanddevelopmentpoliciestoactively encourageaffordablehousingconstructionorredevelopmentthroughmechanismssuch as: x x x x x Moreeffectivedevelopmentincentives ( ensitybonuses, relieffrombuilding d setbackandparkingrequirements, etc.) Higherdensityrezoningwhereappropriate Permittingconversionandpermanentresidentialuseofaccessorybuildingssuch ascarriagehousesandgaragesforaffordablehousing Providinginfrastructuresubsidiesfordevelopmentswithaffordableunits Establishingadedicatedfund ( . .developmentfees,non- rofitPILOTprograms, eg p etc.)orlandtrustforaffordablehousingdevelopment, landacquisition, constructionsubsidies,etc. PromotetheimplementationoftheCity’ ConsolidatedPlan”toachieveidentified s“ communitydevelopmentobjectivesandincreasetheavailabilityofsafe,affordable housing. MaximizeparticipationinFederalandStatefundingprogramsfortheconstructionand rehabilitationofaffordablerentalandhomeownerunits. Encourageconstructionofseniorhousinginproximitytoneededhealthandcommunity services. 3. EconomicDevelopment 5 Maintainingahealthybalanceofeconomicactivitieswillensureasoundfuture,encouragea diversecommunity,andhelpourcommunitytoavoidmakingrashdecisionsbasedupon immediatefinancialneed. TheCity’ focusisonappropriatedevelopmenttoimproveand s contributetoabalancedeconomy;thatis,betterandmorecreativedevelopment,not necessarilybiggerdevelopment. ClearlythemostimportantpolicyistomaintainDowntownastheCity’ economiccenter.Itis s imperativetostrengthenoursuccessful, compactanddefinedcommercialandpedestriancenter ratherthansuccumbtounboundedgeographicexpansionoftheCity’ primarycommercialarea. s Effortstostrengthenandenhancethisareathroughinfilldevelopmentandreplacementare July17,2001Page 25of66 �èÔ× éÛÊÛÈÍÕÛ éÌÊÓÎÕÉ ùÍÏÌÊ×Ô× ÎÉÓÆ× ìÐÛÎ integraltotheoverallsuccessoftheCityandtheCityhasestablisheda 485B”taxincentive “ programtoattractbusinessdowntownandarealpropertyreliefprogramforownerswho improvehistoricproperties.Furthermore,thecurrentdemandtobedowntownnaturallypromotes theincreasedattentiontoenhancedconstructionstandardsthatisdesirablethroughoutthe community. Atthesametime,thereisasignificantneedforadditional,balancedandcompatible developmenttohelppayfortheamenitiesandservicesuponwhichresidentsandbusinesses depend.AbalancedapproachtoencouragedevelopmentinspecificSpecialDevelopment Areasthatiscomplementary, ratherthancompetitive,withDowntownwillstrengthentheoverall long-ermeconomicstabilityoftheCity. t ThereareotherareasofeconomicpotentialfortheCity. Ourcommunity’ proximitytothe s NorthwayandothertransportationlinksprovidestheCityanadvantageinattractingbusinesses. TheCityalsohastheopportunitytofurtherpromotetourismrelatedlanduses.Asdiscussedin Section2. andAppendixB,hotel,barandrestauranttaxesmayprovideasignificantsourceof 2 expandedrevenuefortheCity. Ineachoftheseinstances,theCity’ naturalresourcesanditsintrinsicdesirabilityasa s destinationlocationplayamajorroleinprovidingthiseconomicopportunity. Therefore, developmenttoutilizethispotentialtoimprovetheCity’ long-ermfinancialsituationmustalso s t ensurethattheseactivitiesareattractiveadditionstoboththecommunityandnatural environment. Thefollowingeconomicdevelopmentpolicieshavebeenidentified. Maintainthedowntownastheeconomiccenterofthecommunity,includingtheprimary retailandcommercialcenter. Encouragetheinfillofawell- efinedurbancore. d EncouragenewdevelopmentinspecificallydefinedSpecialDevelopmentAreasto complement,ratherthanduplicate,downtown. Maintainadiversepropertytaxbaseandaccommodateabroadrangeoflanduseswhile minimizingconflicts. Supporttheviabilityandgrowthofthecommunity’suniqueinstitutions ( . . Skidmore eg College,SaratogaHospital,SPACandtheracetracks)andcommunitybasedartand culturalprograms. Encouragearangeofjobopportunitiesforresidentsandpromotelandusesthat encouragelong-ermfiscalsustainability. t Developaforward-ookingstrategytoaccommodatetheincreasingprevalenceofhome l useactivitiesduetotheelectronicrevolutionandchangingbusiness/ ommunityneeds. c July17,2001Page 26of66 �èÔ× éÛÊÛÈÍÕÛ éÌÊÓÎÕÉ ùÍÏÌÊ×Ô× ÎÉÓÆ× ìÐÛÎ SupportthediverseentertainmentamenitiesoftheCity. Promoteandaccommodate increasesinvisitorsactivityduringfall,winterandspring. Encourageindustrial,technologyandoffice- asedbusinessestolocatewithintheCity. b EncouragethecreationofbusinessincubatorsitesandencourageIDAsupportof downtownredevelopmentprojects. 4. THEDEVELOPMENTPLAN 0 Wemustrecognizethatthereisnooneperfectanswertothemanychallengesposedbylongtermfinancialtrends,ourlocalcomplexities, andtheincreasingconstraintsofconventionaluse zoning. Ifwearetobesuccessfulinpreparingforthefuture,wemusthaveincreasedflexibilityto accommodatetherapidlychangingneedsofbusiness, commerceandourcommunity, andwe musthaveincreasedaccountabilitytoensureandenhancethephysical,culturalandsocial amenitiesthatmakeSaratogaSpringssuchanattractiveandvibrantlocale. Fortunately, SaratogaSpringsiscurrentlyinagoodpositiontocapitalizeonourcollective strengthsandenthusiasmatatimewhenmanyothercommunitiescannot. Wecanmove beyondatraditionallylimitingdefensiveposturetoapositiveandcreativeapproachtochanging landuseandcommunityneeds.Itisproposed,therefore,thattheCityharnessitscurrent momentumtoimplementthefollowingrecommendationsaddressingpreviouslyidentifiedissues andadvancethePlan’ overallgoals. s TheDevelopmentPlanshowinFigure2isagraphicrepresentationofthegrowthand developmentpoliciessetforthinthisComprehensivePlan. Thevariouslandusecategoriesshownonthemaprepresentinageneralwaytheintendeduses anddensitiesdesiredoranticipatedforthecommunityinthefuture.Thereareanumberof importantpointstonoteabouttheselandusecategories: i ThelandusecategoriesintheDevelopmentPlanarenotzoningdistricts.Thelanduse categoriesarebroaderandmoregeneralthanzoningdistricts. i Thelandusecategoriesarejustgeneralguidestofuturezoningordevelopmentchanges. Statelawmandatesthatzoningmustbeinconformancewiththepoliciesofthe ComprehensivePlan. Thismeansthatthezoningforaparticularareamustbeequalor lessthanthatstatedontheDevelopmentPlanmapofthisdocument. Whenareasareto berezonedtheusesanddensitiespermittedwithinthezoningdistrictmustbecompatible andexceedtherangespresentedinthelandusecategoryoftheDevelopmentPlan. July17,2001Page 27of66 �èÔ× éÛÊÛÈÍÕÛ éÌÊÓÎÕÉ ùÍÏÌÊ×Ô× ÎÉÓÆ× ìÐÛÎ i ThelandusecategoriesreflectavisionfortheCityinthefuture.Itmaytakemanyyears fortheproposedchangestooccur. Becausethefutureisnotcertain,someofthe changesproposedmaynotoccurbutitishopedthatmanywill. Thevisionissomething toaimforandtoworktoward. Sincezoningistheprimarytooltoimplementthisplan,the zoningforanareamaybechangedorupgradedseveraltimesinanefforttodirect developmentwhereandatwhattimetheCitywantsittooccur. i Theboundariesforeachofthelandusecategoriesareintentionallynon- recise. The p boundariesofthezoningdistrictsarefarmorespecificanddetailed. TheDevelopment Planismeanttobemorefluid.Itprovidestheoverallobjectivesandpoliciesforagiven areawithoutthedetails. 4. “ SpecialDevelopmentAreas” 1 SevendistinctgeographiczonesareidentifiedasSpecialDevelopmentAreasbasedupontheir presentcharacteristicsandtheirindividualneedforinfillandenhancement,theirpotentialfor futuredevelopmentand/ rtheneedforcreativesolutionstotopographic, physicaland o environmentalcomplexities. Theintentistoprovidecreativesolutionsobtainingthepositiveresultsofenhancedin-ill f construction,moreefficientinfrastructure,betterservices,betterdesignandanimprovedtax basewhilemitigatinganyadverseeffectsofnoise,traffic,etc. ThesevenselectedSpecial DevelopmentAreasare: Downtown ExcelsiorAve –innerarea ExcelsiorAve –outerarea WeibelAve –northernarea WestAve –northernarea WestAve –southernarea Northern”SouthBroadway WithineachSpecialDevelopmentArea,amixtureofuseswillbeencouragedwiththeobjective ofenhancingtheseareasthroughimprovedsitedesign,greatereconomicactivity,andmore dynamicsocialinteraction. Ratherthanallowinganactivity “ sofright”basedsolelyonausedefinition,activitieswithinthe a SpecialDevelopmentAreaswouldundergoamorethoroughevaluationthroughthe “ pecialuse s permit”process. Thisevaluationwillconsiderthebalancebetweenanactivity’ positive s contributiontoitssite,thestreet,neighborhoodandCity,andthepotentialeffectsofsuchitems astraffic,lighting,sound,etc. TheCityCouncilmay,atitsdiscretion,electtoassumefinal authorityoverprojectsbroughtbeforethePlanningBoard. Furthermore, descriptivedesignguidelinesandperformancestandardswillbedevelopedwith considerationoftheuniquecharacteristicsofeachSpecialDevelopmentArea. Thesecriteria July17,2001Page 28of66 �èÔ× éÛÊÛÈÍÕÛ éÌÊÓÎÕÉ ùÍÏÌÊ×Ô× ÎÉÓÆ× ìÐÛÎ willensurethatnewdevelopmentisdesignedandconstructedwithgreatersensitivityand compatibilitywiththeadjacentman- adeandnaturalenvironment, andthatitisalsoconsistent m withtheComprehensivePlanvisionforthatarea. Theintendedresultistoencourageadynamicmixofcomplementarylanduses,amoreefficient developmentprocess,aclarificationofdesireddevelopmentandconstructionpractices,and improvedcompatibilitywithsurroundings. EstablishingthisinnovativeapproachtotheseselectedSpecialDevelopmentAreaswould: i Improveunderutilizedparcelsthroughappropriateredevelopmentornewinfill/eplacementdevelopment. r i Improvetheefficiencyandcost- ffectivenessofinfrastructureandserviceprovisionwithin e moreconcentratedareas. i PreservetheCity’ openspaceresourcesbyfocusingdevelopmentinselectedareas s andlimitingurbansprawl. i Encouragemoredesirabledevelopmentby providingincentivesforhigherdesign standards. i Enhancevisual/ edestrianenvironment, architecturaldesign,buildingconstruction, p parking,bufferingandgeneralsitecompatibilitythroughmoredefinedandcreativeurban design. i ImprovetheCity’ flexibilityincontendingwithemergingcomplexlanduseactivities. s i Encourage “ evenuepositive”developmentandincreasetheCity’ j“ r s obstohousingratio” toenhancerevenueopportunitiesandminimizenegativeimpactsontheschooldistrict. Applicantsforlargescaleresidentialprojectsshouldprovideinformationaboutthe requirementsoftheproposeddevelopmentprojectsforpublicservices ( chools,police, s fire,roads,etc.)andaboutanticipatedtaxrevenuesfromtheproject. i Improvelong-ermfinancialstabilitythroughabroader,morehighly- aluedtaxbase. t v i ReducethegrowingnumberofZoningBoardofAppealsapplicationsandPlannedUnit DevelopmentproposalsthatrequireCouncilapproval. i ProvideadditionallatitudeformorecreativedevelopmentoptionsbygivingthePlanning Boardwithgreaterflexibilitythroughthe “ pecialusepermit”processtorejectormodify s projectsthatarenotconsistentwiththeComprehensivePlan,designstandardsand guidelinesandspecificcriteriaforeachSpecialDevelopmentArea. July17,2001Page 29of66 �èÔ× éÛÊÛÈÍÕÛ éÌÊÓÎÕÉ ùÍÏÌÊ×Ô× ÎÉÓÆ× ìÐÛÎ 4. IdentificationofSpecificSpecial 2 DevelopmentAreas SpecialDevelopmentArea Downtown Location Generallytheexisting “ entralBusiness C District”,thisarearepresentstheCity’ s primaryretailandservicearea. CurrentCharacteristics SaratogaSprings’DowntownhasaveryspecialqualitythatmanybelieveisthekeytotheCity. InadditiontoitsprominentroleastheCity’ social,commercialandretailcenter,italso s representsasignificantportionoftheCity’ taxableassessedvalue. Givenitsinherent s importance, itssuccessmayalsobeattributedtoitsbroad- asedcommunitysupportsystem. b Asillustratedbythe1998reportbytheDowntownComprehensivePlanCommittee, “ any m divergentconstituenciesactinasingularlyunifiedvoicewhenitcomestoprotectingand promotingDowntown.” AvirtualprototypeoftheflexibilityandstandardsenvisionedwithintheseSpecialDevelopment Areas,thiscombinationofmixedlandusesworkinginconcertwithstrongdesignguidelines contributestothevitalityofthisdestinationlocation. Thedowntownareashouldbeboth strengthenedandkeptcompactinordertomaintainthenecessarycriticalmassofbusiness. Whilethebulkofthisareaisgenerallyconstructed, thereexistssubstantiallandareaandvertical spaceforsignificantin-ill-,replacement, redevelopmentandverticalexpansionwithinthe f Downtowncore.TheconstructionofthePhilaStreetparkingdeckaddressessomeparking issues,butfurtherstepsarerequiredinthenearfuture. Othernecessaryinfrastructureispresent, althoughagingandinneedofimprovementinsomeareas.Thetruckby- assstudy p recommendationsmayhelpalleviateand/ rdiverttrucktrafficfromdowntown. o ComprehensivePlanVision Topreserve,protectandenhancetheimageandvitalityofdowntownbyencouragingmixed- se u in-illdevelopmentwithstrongpedestrianelementsinacompactandconcentratedform. To f enhancethebalanceanddiversityofactivitythroughacombinationofnationalandincubator retailestablishments,highdensityresidentialopportunitiesandcommercialservices. July17,2001Page 30of66 �èÔ× éÛÊÛÈÍÕÛ éÌÊÓÎÕÉ ùÍÏÌÊ×Ô× ÎÉÓÆ× ìÐÛÎ ComprehensivePlanRecommendations 1. Maintainandenhanceprimaryretail/ erviceareawithadiversityofmixedcommercial, s officeandhigh- ensityresidentiallanduses. d 2. Requiresomeofthecurrent “ dvisory”developmentguidelinesintheadopted a DowntownHistoricDistrictDesignGuidelines”,developedbytheSaratogaSprings DesignReviewCommission,tobemandatedthroughincorporationintothezoning ordinance. Guidelinesshouldencouragethemaintenanceandcreationofpublicopen spacewithingeneralsitedevelopmentintheDowntownSpecialDevelopmentArea. 3. Requirenewdevelopmenttomeetminimumdensity ( eight,bulk,etc.)requirementsto h sustainandre- apturehistoricDowntowndensities,andtocomplementadjacent c structures. Promoteuseoffirstfloorspaceforretail/ fficeandpromoteupperfloorsfor o office/ esidentialuse. r 4. Continuetoimproveand /oraddparkingareasandstructuresinconvenientlocations andintegratesuchnewfacilitieswithnearbylanduses. 5. RecognizetherangeofarchitecturaldiversitythatmakesDowntownuniqueandvital. The rangeofDowntownarchitectureismuchmorebroadthansolelyVictorian. 6. Supportpedestriananddestinationemphasiswithenhancedpedestriancirculationto, andwithin,Downtown. 7. TheCityshallprovideassistanceandguidancetoapplicantsthroughdevelopment approvalprocess. 8. TheCityshallconductalot-evelanalysisoflandownership,useandoccupancyto l identifyavailableareasforinfill,improvementandexpansionandthesubsequentanalysis ofcommunityandconsumerneedstopromotemarketingofavailableareas. 9. Conductanalysisandevaluationofoverlappingregulatoryareasforconsolidation opportunities. 10. Encouragepublic,privateandnon- rofitcreativedevelopmentstrategiesdesignedto p continuethesuccessofDowntown. SpecialDevelopmentArea July17,2001Page 31of66 �èÔ× éÛÊÛÈÍÕÛ éÌÊÓÎÕÉ ùÍÏÌÊ×Ô× ÎÉÓÆ× ìÐÛÎ ExcelsiorAve innerarea Location TheinnerextentofExcelsiorAvesouthof theRoute50arterialfromtheformerVan RaaltemilltothebreweryandQuality Hardware. CurrentCharacteristics Historically, arailroad/ndustrialavenueoftheCity,thisareacontainsprominentstructures i includingthetheVanRaalteknittingmillandtheNiagaraMohawkfacility. Thisareacontainsacombinationofseparatelandusezonesincludingmixedbusinessandlight industry;highway/ eneralandtourist- elatedbusiness;and1/ - / acreresidentialzoning. g r 7 14 Topographicconstraintslimitdevelopmentincertainpartsofthisarea. ComprehensivePlanVision Giventhediversityoftopography,currentlandusesandlotsizes,thisareaistargetedasan SpecialDevelopmentAreatoencourageamoreefficientandusefuldevelopmentpattern transitioningfromthehighdensitymixeduseDowntowncoretothemoreresidentialsurrounding areas. ApremiseofthisPlanisthatthisarearepresentsanopportunitytocreatedevelopment complementingdowntown,includinganeighborhoodcenterinthevicinityofEastAvenueand ExcelsiorAvenue. Theintentistomaximizetheeconomicanddevelopmentpotentialofthis areaadjacenttothecitycore,encourageimprovementincertainareasthroughinfill/eplacement r andredevelopment,protectandenhancetheCity’ entrancewayalongNYSRoute50,and s promoteamixtureofusescompatiblewithsurroundingresidentialneighborhoods. DevelopmentalongtheRoute50arterialshallnotbeallowedacurbcutorabreakinaccess ontooroffofthearterial. ComprehensivePlanRecommendations 1. EstablishahighertomediumdensitytransitionSpecialDevelopmentAreathrougha diversityofmixedcommercial,retail,office,lightindustrial,hightechmanufacturing, and residentiallanduses. July17,2001Page 32of66 �èÔ× éÛÊÛÈÍÕÛ éÌÊÓÎÕÉ ùÍÏÌÊ×Ô× ÎÉÓÆ× ìÐÛÎ 2. Establishstrongdesignstandardstoensurethatflexibilityinallowableusesisbalanced withimprovedcompatibilitywithsurroundings. 3. Createamorevibrantneighborhoodatmospherewithnewdevelopmentcreatedin walkableblocks. 4. Encourageconstructionofmulti- torybuildingswithmainentrancesfrontingonprimary s andsecondarystreets. Promoteconstructiontoestablishenhancedconnectionwith neighborhood. 5. Buildingheight,construction, massandscaletotransitionfromDowntowncoreto surroundingareas. 6. Promoteuseoffirstfloorspaceforretail/ fficeuse;upperfloorsforoffice/ esidentialuse. o r Encouragethecreationofbusinessincubatorsites. 7. Requirenewparkingareastobelocatedbehindbuilding,orwithintheinteriorofablock sufficientlybufferedfromstreet. Largepavementareastobedividedbyplantedislands. Encourageon- treetparking. s 8. Advancepedestrian/ icycleemphasiswithenhancedpedestrian/ icyclecirculationto b b Downtown. CompletionoftheproposedSpringRunTrailandtheproposedRoute50 improvementsshouldbestronglypromoted. 9. Conductalot-evelanalysisoflandownershipandoccupancytoidentifyavailableareas l forinfill,improvementandexpansion. Conductsubsequentanalysisof community/ onsumerneedstopromotemarketingofavailableareas. c 10. Investigatesolutionstocorrectdrainageproblemsinthisarea. July17,2001Page 33of66 �èÔ× éÛÊÛÈÍÕÛ éÌÊÓÎÕÉ ùÍÏÌÊ×Ô× ÎÉÓÆ× ìÐÛÎ SpecialDevelopmentArea ExcelsiorAve outerarea Location TheouterportionoftheExcelsiorAve areafromVeteran’ WaytotheNorthway s andExit15,includingthenorthsideof Route50andtheSpringRunarea. CurrentCharacteristics Currentlyzonedforlightindustry,thisareacontainsdistributionfacilities ( edEx,Ryder)and F TarrantManufacturingaswellastheproposedSpringRuntrail. Municipalwaterisavailable; soilshavegenerallygooddrainagewithsanitarysewerserviceatVeteran’ Way. s ComprehensivePlanVision ThisSpecialDevelopmentAreawasdesignatedin1999afteramajorcontroversyovera proposedretaildevelopmentforthesite,andwithconsiderationofitscurrentzoning, proximityto theNorthway,anditsimpactuponaprimaryentrancewaytotheCity. Theintentistoallowforreasonedandcompatibleexpansionofexistingbusinesses,andto allowflexibilityindevelopmentoptionswithinthisdesirableareawhileprotectingandenhancing theCity’ entrancewayalongNYSRoute50andsurroundingneighborhoods. Facilitiesare s envisionedwithanorientationtowardsinternalcirculationsignificantlybufferedfromtheir surroundings. DevelopmenteithernorthorsouthoftheRoute50arterialshallnotbealloweda curbcutorabreakinaccessontooroffofthearterial. ComprehensivePlanRecommendations 1. EstablishaSpecialDevelopmentAreaallowingamixtureoflandusesincludingmixed residential,office,lightindustry,hightechmanufacturing, institutional,serviceand distribution. Generalretailusesareexcludedwiththeexceptionthatancillaryretailuses maybeallowedonlywhendirectlyrelatedtoprimarypermitteduses. 2. Ensurethatflexibilityinallowableusesisbalancedwithsignificantbufferingandimproved compatibilitywithsurroundings. July17,2001Page 34of66 �èÔ× éÛÊÛÈÍÕÛ éÌÊÓÎÕÉ ùÍÏÌÊ×Ô× ÎÉÓÆ× ìÐÛÎ 3. Encourageconstructionofbuildingswithalowvisualprofile,orientedtofacilitateinternal circulation. Buildingheight,constructionmassandscaletobecompatiblewith surroundingareas. Extensivebufferingshouldbeemployed. 4. RequirebuildingstobesignificantlybufferedfromRoute50andtheNorthway. Facilities areenvisionedwithanorientationtowardspedestrianandmotoristconvenienceParking areasshallbesufficientlybufferedfromstreet. Largepavementareastobedividedby plantedislands. On- treetparkingisencouraged. s 5. Advancepedestrian/bicycleemphasiswithenhancedpedestrian/bicyclecirculationto Downtown. CompletionoftheproposedSpringRunTrailandtheproposedRoute50 improvementsshouldbestronglypromoted. July17,2001Page 35of66 �èÔ× éÛÊÛÈÍÕÛ éÌÊÓÎÕÉ ùÍÏÌÊ×Ô× ÎÉÓÆ× ìÐÛÎ SpecialDevelopmentArea WeibelAve northernarea Location TheupperportionofWeibelAveareaeast ofExit15,includingthemunicipaland institutionallands,southtotheformer railroadrightofway. CurrentCharacteristics Currentlythesiteofaplannedunitdevelopment ( UD)andruralresidentialzoning,thisarea P containsalargeshoppingplaza,anindoorrecreationcenterandavarietyofvacantland parcels. TheapprovedPUDincludesplansforahoteloroffices.AthleticfieldsatthePBAsite arecurrentlyunderconstruction. Immediately, totheeastofthisarea,lowdensityresidentialand openlandspredominate. ComprehensivePlanVision ThepremiseofthisPlanisthatthisareaprovidesanopportunityformixedresidentialand commercialdevelopmentwithlimitedaccessandinternalcirculation. GivenitsproximitytoExit15andcommercialdevelopmentpressuresandopportunities, the intentofthisSpecialDevelopmentAreaistoencouragetheconsolidationoflandtomaximize thearea’ economicanddevelopmentpotentialtobroadentheCity’ taxbase.Facilitiesare s s envisionedwithanorientationtowardspedestrianandmotoristconveniencewithsignificant bufferingwithsurroundings. Specifically,developmentalongtheeasternsideofthisSpecial DevelopmentAreashalltransitiontomedium /lowdensityresidential, andincludesubstantial vegetatedbufferstoprotectthecharacterofexistingresidentialneighborhoodstotheeast. ComprehensivePlanRecommendations 1. EstablishaSpecialDevelopmentAreaallowingamixtureoflandusesincluding residential,commercialservicefacilities. Developmentinthisareashouldgenerallybe orientedaroundaninternalgrid- tyleroadnetwork.Parkingshouldbeorientedto s facilitatepedestrianactivity,convenienceandcirculation. 2. Ensurethatallowableusesarecompatiblewithsurroundings. July17,2001Page 36of66 �èÔ× éÛÊÛÈÍÕÛ éÌÊÓÎÕÉ ùÍÏÌÊ×Ô× ÎÉÓÆ× ìÐÛÎ 3. Encourageconsolidationofindividuallandparcelstomaximizedevelopment opportunities. 4. Encouragebuildingorientationtofacilitateinternalpedestrianandautomobilecirculation. Buildingheight,constructionmassandscaletobecompatiblewithsurroundingareas. 5. Parkingareasshallbesufficientlybufferedfromstreet. Largepavementareasaretobe avoided. On- treetparkingoninternalroadsisencouraged. s 6. Providepedestrian/ icycleaccessfromLakeAvenuetoexistingandplannedfuture b recreationaluses. PromotelinkagestoSpringRunandBogMeadowTrails. 7. ImprovetheappearanceofcityownedlandandtheWeibelAvenueright- f- ay. Develop ow amasterplanforcitylandsinthisarea. July17,2001Page 37of66 �èÔ× éÛÊÛÈÍÕÛ éÌÊÓÎÕÉ ùÍÏÌÊ×Ô× ÎÉÓÆ× ìÐÛÎ SpecialDevelopmentArea WestAve northernarea Location WestAverunsnorthandsouthstretching fromjustnorthofChurchStreettosouthof WestCircularStreet. Thisareaextends westtoincludetherailroadstationand areasalongWashingtonandChurch Streets,andeastalongWashington Street. CurrentCharacteristics Thisgenerallycommercialareacurrentlyiszonedforhighway,office/ edical,warehousingand m generalbusinessuses. Thisareaalsocontainsmanyretailandprofessionalestablishments andisadjacenttoseveralresidentialneighborhoods. ComprehensivePlanVision ThePlan’ premiseforthisareaisthatitisappropriateforsecondarycommercialdevelopment s complementarytodowntown. The “ estAvenueConceptDevelopmentPlan &SiteDesignGuidelines”preparedbythe W SaratogaSpringsPlanningBoarddescribesthevisionforthisareaasaneighborhoodservice andshoppingareamixedwithmediumandhighdensityresidential ( speciallyaboveground e floorcommercialandserviceuses),reflectingaformofthe “raditionalneighborhood”with t greaterpedestrianuseofthestreet. Thisemphasisonneighborhoodservicesandenhanced pedestriancirculationandisalsoreflectedintheWestSideNeighborhoodAssociation’ West s“ SideMasterPlanandActionPlan”. ComprehensivePlanRecommendations 1. EstablishaSpecialDevelopmentAreaencouragingadiversityofneighborhood- riented o commercial/ etailusesmixedwithmediumtohighdensityresidentiallanduses r especiallyabovegroundfloorcommercialandserviceuses),andwarehousingalongthe railroadtracks. 2. Establishstrongdesignguidelinesandperformancestandardstoensurethatflexibilityin allowableusesisbalancedwithimprovedcompatibilitywithsurroundings. July17,2001Page 38of66 �èÔ× éÛÊÛÈÍÕÛ éÌÊÓÎÕÉ ùÍÏÌÊ×Ô× ÎÉÓÆ× ìÐÛÎ 3. Encouragethecreationofbusinessincubatorsites. 4. Createamorevibrantneighborhoodatmospherewithnewdevelopmentcreatedin walkableblocks. 5. Encourageconstructionofmulti- torybuildings (esidentialusesabovecommercialon s r mainstreets)withmainentrancesfrontingonstreets. Requirebuildingstobeclosetothe edgeoftheroadandprohibitlargeparkingexpansesinfrontofbuildings. 6. Buildingheight,construction,massandscaletocomplementadjacentstructures. Diminishsidesetbackrequirementstopromoteacontinuousedgeofstructuresalong street. 7. Buffercommercialandwarehousingactivitiesfromneighboringresidentialareasby screeningwithfences,bermsandtreesatrearoflots. 8. PromoteshareddrivewaysanduseofrearalleystominimizecongestionalongWestAve andreducethenumberofcongestion- reatingcurbcuts. c 9. Requirenewparkingareastobelocatedbehindbuilding,orwithintheinteriorofablock sufficientlybufferedfromstreet. Largepavementareasaretobeavoided. Encourage on- treetparking. s 10. Advancepedestrian/ icycleemphasiswithenhancedpedestriancirculationwithin b SpecialDevelopmentAreaandimprovedaccesstoDowntown. 11. Participateinmasterplanningforthetrainstationtoachieveintegrationwith transportationfacilitiesintherestoftheCity. July17,2001Page 39of66 �èÔ× éÛÊÛÈÍÕÛ éÌÊÓÎÕÉ ùÍÏÌÊ×Ô× ÎÉÓÆ× ìÐÛÎ SpecialDevelopmentArea WestAve southernarea - Location Thelandtotheeast oflowerWestAve approximatelybetweenthejuncturewith Route50inthesouthandCongressAveto thenorth. CurrentCharacteristics ThisSpecialDevelopmentAreabordersontheschool,containssomehousingandadditional openland,andextendstoBallstonAvebehindthecurrentEspeyindustrialarea. Theareais betweentwoimportantopenspaceresources --thenorthwestcorneroftheSaratogaSpaState Parkontheeastandsouth,andthePitneyFarmonthewest. ComprehensivePlanVision ThePlan’ premiseforthisareaisthatitprovidesauniqueopportunityforcreativelanduses s developedinanintegratedfashion. ThisSpecialDevelopmentAreaisenvisionedasanextensionofathehigherdensityurban fringe. Mixedinstitutional, lightindustrial,high- ensityresidentialandrecreationallanduses d wouldbeencouragedtobecompatiblewiththesurroundingareas.Ifpossible,theareashould bedevelopedasawhole. ComprehensivePlanRecommendations 1. EstablishaSpecialDevelopmentAreaencouragingadiversityofhigh- ensity d residential,recreation,lightindustrialandinstitutionallanduses. Creativeoptions compatiblewithsurroundingsaretobeencouraged. 2. EstablishstrongdesignguidelinesandperformancestandardsforthisSpecial DevelopmentAreatoensurethatflexibilityinallowableusesisbalancedwithimproved compatibilityspecificallywithintheuniquecharacteristicsofthisSpecialDevelopment Area. Extendtheadjacenthigherdensityneighborhoodatmospherewithnewdevelopment createdinwalkableblocks. Encourageconstructionofmulti- torybuildingswithmain s entrancesfrontingonstreets July17,2001Page 40of66 �èÔ× éÛÊÛÈÍÕÛ éÌÊÓÎÕÉ ùÍÏÌÊ×Ô× ÎÉÓÆ× ìÐÛÎ 3. Buildingheight,construction,massandscaletocomplementadjacentstructures. 4. Diminishsidesetbackrequirementstopromoteacontinuousedgeofstructuresalong street,andmandateamaximumfrontyardsetback ( r build- o”line)thatisclosetothe o “ t street. Buffercommercialactivitiesfromneighboringresidentialareasbyscreeningwith fences,bermsandtreesatrearoflots. 5. PromoteshareddrivewaystominimizecongestionalongWestAveandreducethe numberofcongestion- reatingcurbcuts. c Requirenewparkingareastobelocatedbehindbuilding,orwithintheinteriorofablock sufficientlybufferedfromstreet. Largepavementareastobedividedbyplantedislands. Encourageon- treetparking. s EnhancepedestrianaccessandcirculationwithintheSpecialDevelopmentAreaand improvedaccesstoDowntown. PromoteopportunitiestolinktheRailroadRunTrailwith theSaratogaSpaStatePark,andtocreatelinkagestotheHighSchoolCampus. July17,2001Page 41of66 �èÔ× éÛÊÛÈÍÕÛ éÌÊÓÎÕÉ ùÍÏÌÊ×Ô× ÎÉÓÆ× ìÐÛÎ SpecialDevelopmentArea Northern” SouthBroadway Location TheupperportionofSouthBroadwayfrom CirculartoFenlonStreetsincludingadjacent portionsofBallstonAve. CurrentCharacteristics Thisareacontainsacombinationofseparatelandusezonesincludingurbanresidentialand mixedgeneral/ ighwayandtourist- elatedbusinessincludingapreponderanceofauto- elated h r r facilities. ComprehensivePlanVision ThePlan’ premiseforthisareaisthatitisatransitionalareawhichshouldbecomplementaryto s downtown. Significanttransportationandpedestrianimprovementsareplannedinfuture. This areaistargetedasaSpecialDevelopmentAreatoencourageamoreefficientandattractive developmentpatterntransitioningfromthehigherdensityDowntowncorealongtheCity’ s entrancewaytothelowerdensityareastothesouth. Theintentistomaximizetheeconomicanddevelopmentpotentialofthisareaadjacenttothe citycore,enhanceamajorentrancewayintotheCity,andpromoteamixtureofusescompatible withsurroundingresidentialneighborhoods. ComprehensivePlanRecommendations 1. EstablishamixeduseSpecialDevelopmentAreaallowingadiversityofcommercialand residentialusesincludinghotels. Promotecommercialusesincludingretailandoffices alongSouthBroadwaywithresidentialopportunitiesalongthefurthereasternand westernedgesoftheprimarilycommercialcorridor. Alongcommercialcorridor,promote st useof1floorspaceforcommercialuse;upperfloorsforoffice/ esidentialuse.Prohibit r auto- elatedsalesandservicelanduses. r 2. Establishstrongdesignguidelinesandperformancestandardstoensurethatflexibilityin allowableusesisbalancedwithimprovedcompatibilitywithsurroundings,andto enhancetheentrancewaytothedowntowncorearea. July17,2001Page 42of66 �èÔ× éÛÊÛÈÍÕÛ éÌÊÓÎÕÉ ùÍÏÌÊ×Ô× ÎÉÓÆ× ìÐÛÎ 3. Createamorevibrantneighborhoodatmospherewithnewdevelopmentcreatedin walkableblocks. 4. Buildingheight,construction, massandscaletotransitionfromDowntowncoreto surroundingareas.Diminishsidesetbackrequirementstopromoteacontinuousedgeof structuresalongstreet.Establishaconsistent “ uild- o”lineclosetothesidewalk. b t Requirenewbuildingstohaveanappearanceoftwostories. 5. Buffercommercialactivitiesfromneighboringresidentialareasbyscreeningwithfences, bermsandtreesatrearoflots. 6. Promoteshareddrivewaystominimizecongestionandreducethenumberofcongestioncreatingcurbcuts. 7. Requirenewparkingareastobelocatedbehindbuilding,orwithintheinteriorofablock sufficientlybufferedfromstreet. Largepavementareasaretobeavoided. Encourage on- treetparking. s 8. EnhancepedestriancirculationwithinSpecialDevelopmentAreaandimproveaccessto Downtown. 9. Conductalot-evelanalysisoflandownershipandoccupancytoidentifyavailableareas l forinfill,improvementandexpansion. Conductsubsequentanalysisof community/ onsumerneedstopromotemarketingofavailableareas. c 10. Encouragethecreationofbusinessincubatorsites. 11. BeautifytheSouthBroadwaycorridorwithattractivestreetfurnitureandtreeplantings particularlyasbufferingbetweenpedestriansandstreet. 12. Encouragethedevelopmentofpedestrian/ icyclelinkagestotheexistingStatePark b systemtothesouth. July17,2001Page 43of66 �èÔ× éÛÊÛÈÍÕÛ éÌÊÓÎÕÉ ùÍÏÌÊ×Ô× ÎÉÓÆ× ìÐÛÎ 4. Establishmentof “ ountryOverlayArea” 3 C Becausethebalancebetweenthe “ ity”andthe “ ountry”isfundamentaltothegeneralhealth, c c welfareandeconomicviabilityofthecommunity,thisplansetsouttodefineandenhancethe country”withintheCity' jurisdiction.SincethedevelopmentofthetownssurroundingSaratoga s Springsisindeedbeyondthecity’ control,thecitymusttakeproactivemeasurestopreserve s thegreenbeltsurroundingtheurbancore. Thestateofopenspaceinthecityhaschangeddramaticallyduringthelastdecade,withnew developmentthreateningtoblurthedistinctionbetweenthe “ ity”andthe “ ountry”.Several C C farmshaveceasedoperations,andnumerousparcelshavebeensubdividedforsuburban residentialdevelopments.Majorentrancewaystothecityhaveexperiencedcommercialand retailgrowth.Recentprolongedcontroversiesregardingdevelopmentproposalsatkeycity gatewaysspeaktotheneedforcomprehensiveplanninginthe “ reenbelt”. g ThemapoftheCountryOverlayAreaillustratestheopenspacesthatremainandthatare importanttobeconsideredinthepreservationofcitycharacter. Inageneralway,theCountry OverlayAreadepictsanearlycontiguous “ reenbelt”aroundtheurbancorewhichdefinesand g shapesthe “ ountry”inthe “ ityintheCountry”visionofthiscomprehensiveplan. Themap C C illustratesthediverseopenspaceresourcesthatcollectivelyconveyasenseofthetraditional settlementpattern –adenseurbancorewithadistinctedgesurroundedbyopenlands –that characterizesthehistoricsettlementpatternofSaratogaSprings. TheCountryOverlayAreaincludes: x Privaterecreationallandsandinstitutionalopenspaceresourcessuchasthe SaratogaNationalGolfCourse,Yaddo,andtheracetracks. x PublicrecreationallandsincludingtheSaratogaSpaStatePark. x Designatedwetlandsandstreamcorridors x RuralandscenicviewshedsincludingExit14,UnionAvenue,Route9Pto SaratogaLake,AdamsRoad,LocustGroveRoad,GeyserRoadnearRoute50, Route9south,LakeAvenue,BallstonAvenue,Route50northtoExit15. x Linkagestoprovidenaturalcorridorsforwildlife,toaccommodatethecity’ s growingtrailandrecreationalsystem,andtopromotegreateraccessibilityto existingareas. x Farmland,includinglowerWestAvenue,outerLakeAvenue,andthenorthwest agriculturalareaofthecity. July17,2001Page 44of66 �èÔ× éÛÊÛÈÍÕÛ éÌÊÓÎÕÉ ùÍÏÌÊ×Ô× ÎÉÓÆ× ìÐÛÎ WithintheCountryOverlayArea,theenhancementofnaturalresourcesandtheopenspace valuespresentonasite,alongwithdevelopmenttoolstoeffectthisenhancement,shouldbe addedasitemstobeconsideredbytheBoardswhenevaluatingdevelopmentproposals. This evaluationwillconsiderthebalancebetweenanactivity' positivecontributionstothecityand s thepotentialnegativeeffectsonnaturalresourcesandopenspacecharacter. EstablishingthisinnovativeapproachtotheCountryOverlayAreawill: x ImprovetheCity' openspaceresourcesbyencouragingdevelopmentintheother s SpecialDevelopmentAreasandlimitingsuburbansprawl. x ClarifytheCity' wantsandexpectationsforthepreservationofopenspace s character, maketheapprovalprocessmoreefficientandclear,andencourage generalcommunityinterestandparticipationintheplanningprocessearlyrather thanconfrontlaterreactiontodevelopmentproposalsinconsistentwiththe " ityin C theCountry"vision. x Improvetheefficiencyandcost- ffectivenessofinfrastructureandservice e provisionintheouterdistrictbylimitingsuburbansprawl. Theintentofthissectionisnottoprohibitorpermitanylanduseactivitybutinsteadistoreaffirm thatopenspacevaluesbetakenintoconsiderationindevelopmentproposalswithintheCountry OverlayAreaorinadoptinganyzoningamendmentsforareasincludedintheCountryOverlay Area. 4. ConservationDevelopmentDistrict ( DD) 4 C Inordertoachieveabalancebetweenwelldesignedresidentialdevelopment,meaningfulopen spaceconservation, andnaturalresourceprotection,mostbutnotallofthelandwithinthe CountryOverlayAreahasbeendesignatedasaConservationDevelopmentDistrict.The boundariesofthisdistrictareindicatedontheDevelopmentPlanmap.ItistheintentofthisPlan that,withrareexception,usesintheConservationDevelopmentDistrictwillbelimitedto residential, recreationalandotheropenspaceuses,withtheunderstandingthatthereisland adjoiningthisdistrictwhere “ illage”retailusesmightbedeveloped. v WithintheConservationDevelopmentDistrict,residentialdevelopmentwillcorrespondtothe followingprovisions: Basedensity:0. dwellingunits /acreofunconstrainedland ( quivalentto1homeper 5 e twoacresofland). Note -unconstrainedlandsareareasofthesitethatdonotcontainlandswithsevere constraintstodevelopmentsuchas: wetlands,verysteepslopes,streamcorridors, floodplains,etc. July17,2001Page 45of66 �èÔ× éÛÊÛÈÍÕÛ éÌÊÓÎÕÉ ùÍÏÌÊ×Ô× ÎÉÓÆ× ìÐÛÎ Minimumlotsize:Couldbequitesmall --perhaps5, 00SFwithsewerandwater. Also, 0 significantlymoreflexibilityinlotareaandbulkrequirements. Conservationsubdivisiondesignrequired ( andatoryclustering) m Insubdivisionsservedbypublicsewer,aminimumof50%oftheunconstrainedland,and alloftheseverelyconstrainedland,willremainpermanentlyprotectedopenspace ( nder u conservationeasement). Insubdivisionsthatmustutilizeindividualsepticsystems,a minimumof25%oftheunconstrainedland,andalloftheseverelyconstrainedland,will remainpermanentlyprotectedopenspace ( nderconservationeasement). Under u extraordinarysite- pecificcircumstances, thePlanningBoardmayallowaconventional s subdivision ( pecialpermitorwaiverprocesstobedevelopedaspartofzoningand s subdivisionamendments)inplaceofaconservationsubdivision. IncentiveZoningOptionforPublicBenefits -densitybonuses ( ptoamaximumincrease u of20% inthenumberofpermittedunits)forthedonationbythedeveloperofsignificant publicbenefitssuchas:publicaccesstoopenlands ( ote -permanentlyprotectedlands n donotautomaticallyallowpublicaccess),developmentoftrailsorpublicparks, affordable"housingunits,etc. Theconservationsubdivisiondesignapproachisquitesimpleandinvolvescollaboration betweentheplanningboardandtheapplicantattheearlieststageofdesign -theconceptor sketchplanphase. Todeterminetheyield,orpossiblelotcountforasite,subtractthelands whichcontainsevereconstraintstodevelopment ( obedefinedinthesubdivisionregulations). t Themaximumnumberofhousingunitswouldthenbebasedonthenumberofacresremaining andthemaximumallowabledensityintheConservationDevelopmentDistrict ( . du/ cre). 05 a Oncethenumberofhousingunitsisestablished,thedesignprocesscanbegin. Startby identifyingtheresourcespresentonthesite ( griculturalland,historicorscenicviews,significant a 1 treestands,etc.). Theseopenspaceresourceswillbedesignatedastheconservationlandsof thenewsubdivision. Atleasttheminimumpercentageofunconstrainedlandoutlinedabove 50% forsubdivisionswithpublicsewerand25% forsubdivisionswithindividualseptic systems),plusalloftheseverelyconstrainedlandsubtractedoutearlier,shallbesetasideas permanentlyprotectedopenland. Aconservationeasementwillbeusedtoensurethatthisland remainsundeveloped. Oncetheanalysisofresourcesisdone,itispossibletoidentifylandswheredevelopmentis mostappropriate. Locatethehomesinthesedevelopmentareas,designroadalignmentsto connectthesehomes,andthendrawthelotlines. RandallG.Arendt,inhisbookConservation DesignforSubdivisions: APracticalGuidetoCreatingOpenSpaceNetworks ( 996),provides 1 excellentguidanceintheuseofthisapproachtosubdivisiondesign. 1 Note: Anupdateofthecity’ adoptedOpenSpacePlaniscurrentlybeingprepared. Theupdatewillincludea s detailedmapof LandsofConservationInterest.” ThismapwillguidethePlanningBoard,theapplicant,andthe “ publicinunderstandingtheopenspaceresourcespresentonindividualsites. Thisinformationwillformthebasis fordesignatingconservationlands fornewsubdivisionsintheConservationDevelopmentDistrict. July17,2001Page 46of66 �èÔ× éÛÊÛÈÍÕÛ éÌÊÓÎÕÉ ùÍÏÌÊ×Ô× ÎÉÓÆ× ìÐÛÎ ThereareseveraladvantagestotheapproachoutlinedfortheConservationDevelopment District. Theyinclude: Openspaceconservationandnaturalresourceprotectionguidethesubdivisiondesign process. Becausetheareaandbulkregulationsusedforconventionalsubdivisionsare notapplicable,thedesignprocessiscreativeandnotdrivenstrictlybyarbitraryminimum lotsizerequirements Significantnetworksofopenlandarecreatedthroughthedevelopmentprocess –the valueofhomeswithinthesesubdivisionsareenhancedasarethevalueofthe surroundingneighborhoods,andthequalityoflifeofallcityresidentsisimproved Developerscanprovidehomesonavarietyoflotsizesinresponsetomarketdemand. Thisallowsforamorediversifiedhousingstocktomeettheneedsofourchanging society. Inaddition,thedensitybonusincentivecanleadtotheprovisionofmore affordablehousingoptionsinthispartofthecity. ItisrecommendedthattheCityamenditszoningandsubdivisionregulationstoreflectthe provisionsoutlinedfortheConservationDevelopmentDistrict. AdditionalOpenSpaceConservationToolsforconsiderationbythecityarediscussedin AppendixD. 4. LowDensityResidential ( DR)District 5 L Inordertoachieveabalancebetweenwelldesignedresidentialdevelopment,meaningfulopen spaceconservationandnaturalresourceprotection,additionalareasofthecityhavebeen designatedasaLowDensityResidential ( DR)District.Theboundariesofthisdistrictare L indicatedontheDevelopmentPlanmap. WithintheLowDensityResidential ( DR)District,residentialdevelopmentwillcorrespondtoall L oftheprovisionsoutlinedfortheConservationDevelopmentDistrict ( DD)insection4. above, C 4 except: Basedensity: IntheLDR,themaximumdensityshallbe1. dwellingunit /acreof 0 unconstrainedland ( quivalentto1homeperoneacreofland). e Note –unconstrainedlandsareareasofthesitethatdonotcontainlandswithsevere constraintstodevelopmentsuchaswetlands,verysteepslopes,streamcorridors, floodplains,etc. Itisrecommendedthecityamenditszoningandsubdivisionregulationstoreflecttheprovisions outlinedfortheLowDensityResidential (LDR)District. 4. AdditionalAreasofSpecialConcern 6 July17,2001Page 47of66 �èÔ× éÛÊÛÈÍÕÛ éÌÊÓÎÕÉ ùÍÏÌÊ×Ô× ÎÉÓÆ× ìÐÛÎ A. ExistingCommercialGatewaysonsouthernsectionsofRoute9andRoute50: Newdevelopmentdesignstandardsshouldbedevelopedforallexistingcommercialareasthat linetheCity’ importantentrancehighways.ThisincludestheareasdesignatedCOMM- , s 2 COMM- ,andCOMM- alongsouthernsectionsofRoute9andRoute50.Thegoalforthese 3 5 areasisnottofosteramoreintenseordenselandusedevelopment,butrathertoimprovethe physicalappearanceandattractivenessofcommercialuses. Itisrecommendedthatthecity: 1. Establishspecificanddetaileddesignguidelinesandperformancestandardsfor architecturalandsitedesignquality,signageandlighting. 2. RequirethatexistingvegetationalongtheseStatehighwaysberetainedasa naturalbuffertothemaximumdegreepossible,andrequirethatnewvegetationbe plantedtosoftenthevisualcharacterofdevelopmentinthesecorridors. 3. Promoteshareddrivewaystominimizecongestionandreducethenumberof congestion- reatingcurbcuts. c 4. Requirenewparkingareastobelocatedbehindbuildings.Largepavementareas aretobeavoided. 5. Enhancepedestriancirculationandimprovepedestrian/ icycleconnectionsto b nearbyresidentialareasandtotheSpaStatePark. OtherGateways: TheCityshouldalsodevelopdesignguidelinesthatwouldguideorcontroldevelopmentalongall thegatewaystothecommunity.Theseguidelinesshouldcontainrecommendationsonwhere curbcutsshouldbeallowed,wherenaturalvegetativebuffersshouldberetained,andwhere structuresshouldbesitedonspecificsensitiveparcels. B. MarionAvenue ( oute9): R Toreducetheadverseimpactsofthehighvolumeoftrafficonexistingresidential neighborhoodsonMarionAvenuebetweenRoute50andtheGreenfieldTownlinetheCity shouldworkwiththeNYSDepartmentofTransportationtoimplementsometrafficcalming techniques.Somepossiblephysicalimprovementsalongthecorridormightincludenarrowing thepavement,additionaltreeplantingandtheinstallationofsidewalks. C. IND- ,LightIndustrialDistrict 2 July17,2001Page 48of66 �èÔ× éÛÊÛÈÍÕÛ éÌÊÓÎÕÉ ùÍÏÌÊ×Ô× ÎÉÓÆ× ìÐÛÎ DuetotheproximityoftheIND- GeneralIndustrial) areaonthenorthwestcornerofWashington 1( Street ( YSRoute29)andBrookRoadtoresidentialneighborhoodstotheeastandsouth, N developmentintheIND- LightIndustrial) areashallberequiredtoretain,andperhaps 2( enhance,significantvegetatedbuffersontheeasternandsouthernboundariesofthislanduse area. Inaddition,acurb- utontoWashingtonStreet ( YSRoute29)fromtheIND- shallnotbe c N 2 permitted. D. StreamCorridors DuetotheincreasingimportanceofprotectingwaterqualityintheSaratogaLakeand LoughberryLakewatersheds,thecityshouldstrengthenprovisionsforminimizingtheimpactof developmentonourwaterresources. Toaccomplishthis,itisrecommendedthatstream corridoroverlayzonesbeestablishedto: 1. Limitalldevelopmentwithinacertaindistancefromthestream. Currentlythecityhasa 50-oot “ odevelopment” buffer. Thecityshouldconsiderincreasingthisbuffer. f n NeighboringcommunitiessuchasWiltonandMiltonhavealreadyadopted,orare consideringmoresubstantial100foot “ odevelopment”buffers. n 2.imitsoildisturbanceactivitiesandrequireasubstantialvegetatedbuffer ( ocutting) L n withinacertaindistancefromthestream. Thecity’ adoptedOpenSpacePlan s recommendsa75footvegetatedbuffer. 4. OtherNon- pecialDevelopmentAreaLandUseRecommendations 7 S Nocomprehensiveplancananticipateallofthesitespecificconditionsthatmayapplytoevery individualparcelorarea.Individualareasshouldthereforebesubjecttocontinuingreviewas conditionswarrant,amendingthePlanandzoningordinanceasnecessary. 5. PROCEDURALRECOMMENDATIONS 0 Inordertoencouragedevelopmentthatlookstothelong-ermsustainabilityoftheCity,the t regulatoryandprojectreviewprocessshouldbeclearandstreamlined.Thiswillhelpencourage investmentintheCitybyreducingtimedelaysandextraordinarycoststoboththeproject sponsorsandtheCity.Thesecreativesolutionswillhelpaddresssomeoftheissuesidentified earlierintheplan. 5. EnforceExistingLandUseRegulations 1 TheCityshouldimproveitsabilitytoenforceexistingzoningandotherlanduseregulations. Enforcementshouldbeconsistent,equitableandswift.TheCityneedstomaintainadequate proceduresandprovideappropriatestaffingtoensureeffectiveenforcement. July17,2001Page 49of66 �èÔ× éÛÊÛÈÍÕÛ éÌÊÓÎÕÉ ùÍÏÌÊ×Ô× ÎÉÓÆ× ìÐÛÎ 5. CreateClearDesignExamplesandDevelopmentStandards 2 TherefinementanddevelopmentofclearmandateddesignstandardsforeachoftheSpecial DevelopmentAreasandotherareasofthecommunitywillprovideapplicantswithspecific directionastotheformofdevelopmentdesired. Projectsthatproposedesignsincorporating theguidelineidealswillhaveagreatlyexpeditedreviewprocess. Particularlyneededareimprovedstandardsforthehistoricandarchitecturaldistricts. New developmentguidelinesandrecommendationsforreviewingdevelopmentproposalsinthe CountryOverlayArea”areanotherkeypriority. 5. 3 EnhanceDevelopmentReviewandApprovalInformationalMaterials TheCityneedstoprovideapplicantswithaneasilyunderstoodguidebooklettoitsreview processes,includingsubmittalrequirementsandtimeframesforeachstep. Similarly, applicationandinformationalmaterialsshouldbestreamlinedandsimplified. 5. IllustrateZoningStandardsGraphically 4 Thegreateruseofdesignexamplesandguidelinegraphicswillhelpthepublicandapplicants visualizetheformandappearanceofdesireddevelopment. Conversionoftheuseandarea schedulestoachartformatwillassisteveryoneinunderstandingwhatisallowedandwhere. 5. ProvideAdequateStaffingforProcessingDevelopmentProposals 5 Withdevelopmentproposalsincreasinglycomplexandtimeconsuming, itisrecommendedthat theCityprovidethenecessarystaffinglevelstoassuretimelyreviewsofdevelopmentproposals andbuildingpermits.TheCityshouldusecreativeandflexibleprocedurestodealwiththe seasonalfluctuationsinthereviewprocess. Allapplicationsshouldhaveequalaccesstothe reviewprocess. 5. InventoryandAnalysis 6 TheCityshouldconductandmaintainaninventoryandanalysisofexistinglanduses,market andcommunityneeds,andthecreationofmoreuser-riendlyinformationalmaterials. f 5. QuarterlyReviewMeetings 7 TheCityBoardsandofficialsinvolvedinthedevelopmentreviewprocess ( . .theplanning eg board,thezoningboardofappeals,thedesignreviewcommissionCityCouncilmembersand departmentsupervisors) shouldcontinuetomeetonaquarterlybasistoshareideas,concerns, schedules,etc. July17,2001Page 50of66 �èÔ× éÛÊÛÈÍÕÛ éÌÊÓÎÕÉ ùÍÏÌÊ×Ô× ÎÉÓÆ× ìÐÛÎ 5. AppointAlternateBoardMembers 8 Theappointmentoftwoalternateplanning, designreviewandzoningboardmemberswillensure thatfullboardsarepresenttomakedecisionswhenboardmembersareabsentorhavetostep downforconflictreasons. 5. InitiateEarlierDevelopmentReviewbyCityDepartments 9 Toexpeditethedevelopmentprocessandencouragebettercoordinationwithintheoften complexframeworkofthecommissionformofgovernment,thisPlanrecommendsestablishing andmaintainingspecifictimeframesforCitydepartmentreview.CityDepartmentsshould respondtodeveloperinquiriesearlyintheapplicationprocess. Effortstodevelopand coordinatedevelopmentpoliciesamongdepartmentsshouldbeencouraged. 5. 0LimittheUseofPlannedUnitDistricts ( UD) 1 P PUDsshouldbediscouragedinmostareasoftheCity.Thiswillservetofurtherreinforcethe roleoftheSpecialDevelopmentAreasandtheConservationDevelopmentDistrictasthe preferredchannelforgrowthandwillhelpremovemanypoliticalconsiderationsfromplanning actions. 5. 1ReviewPaperStreets 1 TheCityhasanumberof “ aperstreets” ( nconstructedstreetsappearingontheCity’ official p u s map)onwhichindividuallotshavebeensubdividedandsold. Theexistenceofpaperstreets tendstogreatlycomplicatethedevelopmentofareasinwhichtheyarelocated. ThisPlan recommendstheCityundertakeastudyofthebestwaytomanageanddevelopareaswith paperstreets. July17,2001Page 51of66 �èÔ× éÛÊÛÈÍÕÛ éÌÊÓÎÕÉ ùÍÏÌÊ×Ô× ÎÉÓÆ× ìÐÛÎ 5. 2ImplementCreativeDesignProvisions 1 TheCity’ zoningordinanceshouldspecificallyallowandencouragecreativedesignprovisions, s includingtraditionalneighborhooddevelopment,clusteringandbufferingwithlimitedincentive provisions. 5. 3EncourageGovernmentalCompliance 1 TheCityandotherlevelsofgovernment ( tate,County,SchoolDistrict,etc.)aregenerally S exemptfromlocalzoningregulationsiftheiractivitiesinvolveanexerciseoftheirgovernmental function.However,theCityshouldencourageitsownactions,andthoseofothergovernments operatingwithintheCity,tovoluntarilycomplywiththedevelopmentpoliciesofthisPlan. The City’ developmentboardsshould,ifrequested, bepreparedtofacilitateprojectsforother s governmentalentitieswithpromptandconstructiveadvisoryopinions. 6. IMPLEMENTATION 0 Thissectionlistsaseriesofrecommendationsfortheimplementationofthe ComprehensivePlan. Someoftheserecommendationsrequireimmediateimplementation whileotherswillbeaccomplishedoveralongerperiod.Althoughitwouldpreferableto implementalloftherecommendationsassoonaspossible,thereisalimitedpoolof resourcesonwhichtodrawthatwillallowtheimmediateimplementationofactionitems. Recognizingthissituation,theCitymustfocusonanimplementationstrategythatwill allowthemostefficientimplementationoftherecommendations. Theactionitemsrangefromformulatingandimplementingregulationsthatare necessarytoshapethedevelopmentandpreserveneighborhoodstocompleting infrastructureimprovementsthatarenecessarytoaccommodatefuturegrowth. ImmediateActions Tobeinitiatedimmediatelyfollowingadoptionoftheamendmentstothisplan) 1. Amendthecity’ landuseregulationstobeconsistentwiththerecommendationsin s thisplan. Primaryelementsoftheseamendmentsshouldinclude: RewritegoalsinzoningordinancetobeconsistentwiththoseintheComprehensivePlan CreateaConservationDevelopmentZoningDistrictconsistentwiththeprovisionsoutlinedin thisplan ( eesection4. ). s 4 CreateaLowDensityResidentialZoningDistrict,ormodifyexistingzoningdistricts,tobe consistentwiththeprovisionsoutlinedinthisplan ( eesection4. ) s 5 Completeothermapandtextamendmentsconsistentwiththisplan July17,2001Page 52of66 �èÔ× éÛÊÛÈÍÕÛ éÌÊÓÎÕÉ ùÍÏÌÊ×Ô× ÎÉÓÆ× ìÐÛÎ Reviewandstrengthenexistingillustrateddesignguidelinesandperformancestandardsfor allsevenSpecialDevelopmentAreas –incertainSDA’ suchasdowntown)convertallor s( most “ uidelines”tostandards g Preparedesignguidelinesforinfillresidentialdevelopment Preparedesignguidelinesfortheexistingcommercialgatewaysonsouthernsectionsof Route9andRoute50 ( eesection4. A)andforothercitygatewaysaswell. s 6 CreateaStreamCorridorOverlayZoneasdescribedinsection4. D 6 Mandateundergroundutilitiesforallnew,redevelopedorrenovatedbuildings ReviewtheboundariesoftheHistoricandArchitecturalReviewDistrictsforpossible expansionalongsuchareasasNelsonAvenueandWoodlawnAvenue. Incorporaterecommendationstoencourageaffordablehousingconsistentwiththisplan: d o Developmentincentives ( ensitybonuses, relieffrombuildingsetbacks,etc.) o Higherdensityrezoningwhereappropriateandconsistentwiththisplan o Permittingconversionandpermanentresidentialuseofaccessorybuildingssuch ascarriagehousesorgarages o Providinginfrastructuresubsidiesfordevelopmentswithaffordableunits eg developmentfees,non- rofitPILOT p o Establishingadedicatedfund ( . ., programs,etc.)orlandtrustforaffordablehousingdevelopment,landacquisition, constructionsubsidies,etc. Re- tructurezoningordinancetomakeitmoreuserfriendly. s PrepareguidebookletfortheCity’ developmentreviewprocess. s Developfiscalimpactanalysisformsforlargescaleresidentialprojects. Strategy –ThisimmediateactionshouldbeinitiatedbytheCityCouncil. Thecouncilshould identifyfundingtoretaintheservicesofaprofessionalplanningconsultanttoassistthecity planningdepartmentinthiscriticallyimportantimplementationactivity. Inadditiontoplanning andzoningexpertise,theselectedconsultantshouldhavedesigncapabilitiesappropriateforthe creationofnew,andstrengtheningofexisting,designguidelinesasdescribedabove. 2. PrepareandadoptanupdatetotheOpenSpacePlan (nprocess) i Identifyallnaturalresources,agriculturallands,archeologicalresources,recreationallands, waterways, scenicroadsandviewsheds,andpotentialtraillinkagesandwateraccess. Complete) Createamapof LandsofConservationInterest”. Thismapshouldincludeallknown “ constrained ( ordevelopment)landswithinthecity. f Recommendfinancingmechanismsforpermanentopenspaceresourceprotection Developothernon- egulatoryincentivebasedapproaches/options r Strategy –ThisimmediateactionhasalreadybeeninitiatedbytheSaratogaSpringsOpen SpaceProjectwithsupportfromtheCityCouncil. Itisanticipatedthattheupdatedplanwillbe completedbythesummerof2001. TheCityCouncilshouldreviewandadoptanupdatedOpen SpacePlan. July17,2001Page 53of66 �èÔ× éÛÊÛÈÍÕÛ éÌÊÓÎÕÉ ùÍÏÌÊ×Ô× ÎÉÓÆ× ìÐÛÎ 3. PreparemasterplanforareaGilbertRoad/ eibelAvenueintersectionArea W AconsultantshouldberetainedtoassisttheCitywiththepreparationoflanduseplan fortheareaneartheintersectionofGilbertRoadandWeibelAvenue. Theplanshould bedevelopedwithsignificantpublicparticipation.Itshouldaddressdesignstandards, trafficcalmingactions,roadrealignmentandmixedlanduses. Short- ermActionsItems T Tobeinitiatedwithinoneyearofadoptionofthisplan) 1. NeighborhoodFocusedMasterPlans Particularneighborhoodswithinthecity’ innerdistrictshouldbethefocusofdetailed s NeighborhoodMasterPlans. ExamplesincludeDublinSquare,thesouth- ide,thenorthwest s neighborhood, MarionAvenue ( orthoftheRoute50arterial),etc. NeighborhoodMaster n Plansshould: Promoteactiveparticipationfromneighborhoodresidentsandbusinessowners Enhancedistinctneighborhoodidentities Encouragetherehabilitationofexistingstructures,orthedevelopmentofnew structuresthatareconsistentwiththeneighborhood’ traditionalurbanand s architecturaldesigncharacteristics Promotemixed- sesincludingneighborhoodu scalecommercialandarangeof housingoptionstoprovideforadiversityofhousingneedsinourcommunity Developstrategiestofundcapitalimprovementsininfrastructure,streetscapes, andothernecessaryenhancements Strategy –TheCityCouncilshouldseekpartnershipswithneighborhoodassociationsandcivic groupstoinitiatetheseneighborhoodmasterplans. TheOfficeofCommunityDevelopmentand theCityPlanningDepartmentshouldhelporganizetheseefforts,however,theservicesof professionalplanningconsultantsshouldbeconsideredtofacilitateandcompletethese neighborhoodplansinatimelyfashion. 2. InitiateInfrastructureSupportPlan Evaluatepublicsafetyservicestotheouterareasofthecommunitywithspecial attentionforfireapparatusresponsetimeintheareaseastoftheNorthway. Developacomprehensivesidewalkplanthatidentifiespriorityareasfornewsidewalk constructionandrehabilitation,andrecommendsavarietyofoptionsforfinancing improvements. Prepareacitywidestormwatermanagementplan. Developplantoplaceoverheadwiresunderground. MediumTermActionItems: Initiatewithintwoorthreeyearsfromadoptionofthisplan). July17,2001Page 54of66 �èÔ× éÛÊÛÈÍÕÛ éÌÊÓÎÕÉ ùÍÏÌÊ×Ô× ÎÉÓÆ× ìÐÛÎ 1. CityideTransportationAndMobilityStudy AcquireCDTCgranttoconductstudy Focus: ie Skidmore,trainstationandWest o Movingpeopleamongactivitycenters ( . ., Avenuebusinessdistrict,Welsley,theracetracks,theSpaStatePark,andthe downtown) o Bicycleaccommodations o Sidewalkdevelopmentandmaintenance o Considerroadwayimprovementstoenhancepedestrianmovement: UnionAvenue LakeAvenue SouthBroadway Rt.50 NYSDOT) ( BallstonAvenue CongressStreet (ncludingits)intersectionwithBroadway i ChurchStreet WashingtonStreet VanDam SpringStreet GrandAvenue 2. InitiateDetailedDowntownMasterPlan –anupdatetothe “ lanofAction” P Initiateadetailed “ owntown” masterplantoaddress: d aparcel- y- arcelinvestigationofopportunitiesforfurtherinfilldevelopmentand b p redevelopment; downtownhousing; pedestrianconnectionsandpublicspaces; transportationandparking;marketing, businessdevelopment,andbusinessrecruitment; designguidelines /standardsandthedevelopmentreviewprocess; Mustincludeanintensivepublicparticipationstrategy ( harrette). Thedefinitionof c downtown”,forthepurposesofthisstudy,shouldbefairlybroad – HenryStreeton theeast,WestFenlonStreetonthesouth, RailroadRunandperhapsBeekmanStreet onthewest,andVanDamStreetonthenorth 3. CitywideParksandRecreationPlan Comprehensiveexaminationofcity’ parksandrecreationresources s July17,2001Page 55of66 �èÔ× éÛÊÛÈÍÕÛ éÌÊÓÎÕÉ ùÍÏÌÊ×Ô× ÎÉÓÆ× ìÐÛÎ ImplementtherecommendationsoftheupdatedOpenSpacePlan. 4. PlanforCity- wnedProperties o DevelopamasterplanforCity- wnedlandonbothsidesofWeibelAvenue,includingareo useplanforthelandfillsiteandidentificationofneedsforlandacquisitionforfuturepublic worksfacilitiesorrecreationlandsandfacilities. APPENDICES APPENDIXA:LISTOFCONTRIBUTORSTO1999COMPREHENSIVEPLAN: July17,2001Page 56of66 �èÔ× éÛÊÛÈÍÕÛ éÌÊÓÎÕÉ ùÍÏÌÊ×Ô× ÎÉÓÆ× ìÐÛÎ ORGANIZATIONCHAIR/ EPRESENTATIVE R x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x ConcernedCitizensofSaratogaSpringsProf.TomLewis DowntownComprehensivePlanCommitteeRobertBristol EasternCorridorStudyCommitteeClarkBrink GrandeIndustrialParkWilliamMcNeary LakeLonelyAssociationJosephLamb NewYorkStateSpaParkJuliaStokes NorthSideCivicAssociationVincentPelliccia NYRASaratogaRacecourseGeorgeHathaway SaratogaCountyAffordableHousingCoalition, EdwardHarder SaratogaNeighborhoodPreservationFoundation, SheltersofSaratoga SaratogaCountyPlanningBoardLawrenceBenton MichaelValentine MichaelWelti SaratogaEquineSportsCenterFrankFitzgerald SaratogaHospitalDavidAnderson SaratogaLakeProtectionandImprovementDistrictKarlHardcastle SaratogaOpenSpaceProjectAlaneBall SaratogaSpringsBuildingInspectorMichaelBiffer SaratogaSpringsCityPlannerGeoffBornemann SaratogaSpringsCitySchoolDistrictDr. JohnMacFadden SaratogaSpringsDowntownBusinessAssociationMarkBaker SaratogaSpringsHousingAuthorityGerardZabala SaratogaSpringsPreservationFoundationJeffreyPfeil SkidmoreCollegeKarlBroekhuizen TownofGreenfieldRobertStokes TownofMiltonJosephMiranda TownofSaratogaRobertHall TownofWiltonRoyMcDonald WesleyHealthCareCenterNeilRoberts WestAvenueAdvisoryGroupMattJones WestSideNeighborhoodAssociationGeneCorsale AdditionaldesigninputCatherineJohnson JohnMuse July17,2001Page 57of66 �èÔ× éÛÊÛÈÍÕÛ éÌÊÓÎÕÉ ùÍÏÌÊ×Ô× ÎÉÓÆ× ìÐÛÎ APPENDIXB: PASTPLANNINGSTUDIESANDDOCUMENTS i 2000ConsolidatedPlanandEntitlementActionPlans,SaratogaSpringsCityCouncil preparedbytheOfficeofCommunityDevelopment. DefinesCity’ housingandcommunity s developmentneedsandidentifiesstrategicplanstoaccomplishobjectives. i AffordableHousing:ProgramOptions,1993,byGeoffBornemann,CityPlannerandRachel Jagareski,CommunityDevelopmentCoordinator.Thisstudyattemptstodefinethelocal affordablehousingproblemandidentifiesprogramsthattheCitymightselecttosolvethe problem. i TheCityofSaratogaSpringsEasternCorridorInventoryandAnalysis,1998,Eastern CorridorCommission, preparedbyBehanPlanningAssociateswithEnvironmentalDesign Research.Thisstudyprovidesacomprehensiveinventoryoftheresourcesofthatpartof theCitylyingeastoftheNorthway B i CityofSaratogaSprings:LoughberryLake/ ogMeadowBrookWaterSourceCapacity Analysis,November1997,preparedbyBarton &Loguidice,P. . C i ADowntownPedestrianImprovementProgramfortheCityofSaratogaSprings,NewYork, June1995,SpecialAssessmentDistrict,preparedbyMuseArchitect/ lannerandtheLA P Group,P. .. Apedestrianimprovementandimplementationplandesignedtomaintain, C strengthenandexpandthedowntownareawithstrongpedestrianfocus. i DraftandFinalGenericEnvironmentalImpactStatementforthe1999Comprehensive PlanfortheCityofSaratogaSprings,MarchandApril,1999. i EastoftheNorthwayStudyRecommendationsforComprehensivePlanandZoning Amendments,1996,bytheSaratogaSpringsPlanningBoard. i ExcelsiorAvenueCorridorStudy,1998,byCatherineJohnson,Architect &TownPlanner, Middletown,CT.Thisstudypresentstheresultsofapublicplanningworkshopheldtostudy andexploreoptionsfortheExcelsiorAvenuecorridor. i TheOpenSpacePlanforSaratogaSprings,1994,byTheSaratogaSpringsOpenSpace Project.TheOpenSpacePlanprovidestheguidingprincipalsaswellasspecific recommendationsforopenspaceprotectioninSaratogaSprings.Itsrecommendations wereapprovedbytheCityCouncilin1994andincorporatedintosubsequentplanning documents. i ReportoftheSpecialCommitteetoStudytheOperationsoftheBuildingInspector’sOffice, March1998. MayorJ.MichaelO’ onnellandCommissionerThomasJ.Curleyappointeda C 5memberspecialcommitteetostudythecurrentoperationsoftheCityBuildingInspector’s Officerelativetothedeliveryofservicesunderitsjurisdiction. July17,2001Page 58of66 �èÔ× éÛÊÛÈÍÕÛ éÌÊÓÎÕÉ ùÍÏÌÊ×Ô× ÎÉÓÆ× ìÐÛÎ i SaratogaSpringsDowntownHistoricDistrictDesignGuidelines,1997,SaratogaSprings DesignReviewCommission, preparedbyMichaelB.Allen,A. . .Thisstudypresents IA specificdesignguidelinesforthedowntownhistoricdistrict. i SmartCityTaskForceReport,March1997,preparedbyaspecialtaskforceappointedby MayorJ.MichaelO’ onnelltoidentifyhowtheCitymayparticipatein,andencourage,the C developmentoffuturetechnologiesinthisregion. i SouthBroadwayStudiesandProposals –ongoingevaluationsandproposalsconductedby theSaratogaSpringsPlanningBoardondevelopmentopportunitiesandalternativesalong theSouthBroadway. i WestAvenueConceptDevelopmentPlan &SiteDesignGuidelines,1995,Saratoga SpringsPlanningBoard,preparedbyTheLAGroup,P. .Thisstudysetsforthanoverall C masterplanaswellasspecificdesignguidelinesfortheupperWestAvenuecorridor. i WestAvenueCorridorDesignGuidelines, 1996,SaratogaSpringsDesignReview Commission, preparedbyMichaelB.Allen,AIA Theseguidelinesassistpropertyowners . andtheCityindevelopingacoherentandattractivearchitecturalidentityfortheWestAvenue commercialcorridor. i WestSideMasterPlanandActionPlan,1997,bytheWestSideNeighborhood Association.ThisstudypresentstherecommendationsofresidentsoftheWestSide neighborhoodforthepreservationofthehistoriccharacteroftheWestSideandtorestore, redevelopandrevitalizethearea. i SaratogaTrafficAlternativeRouteStudy,2000,bytheSTARCommittee. Thisstudywas preparedbytheconsultantfirmofEdwardsandKelceyanditidentifiedalternativeand preferredsolutionsfortrucktrafficinthegreaterSaratogaSpringsarea. July17,2001Page 59of66 �èÔ× éÛÊÛÈÍÕÛ éÌÊÓÎÕÉ ùÍÏÌÊ×Ô× ÎÉÓÆ× ìÐÛÎ APPENDIXC:FINANCIALBACKGROUND Inadditiontothelimitationscausedbycurrentzoningregulationsandrelatedlocalcomplexities, theCitymustalsoconfrontanendemicfinancialproblemthatdirectlyeffectsitseconomicfuture. Currentlandusedevelopmentpatternsmaynotprovidesufficientlong-ermrevenuenecessary t tosupporttheexpendituresforthemunicipalservicesrequiredtosupportsuchlanduses. Giventhattheincreaseintotaltaxableassessedrealpropertyhaveonlygrownatanaverage annualrateofapproximately ½%peryearduringthepast8years,thislevelofgrowthmaynotbe sufficienttobalanceCityexpenseswithoutseekingalternativessuchasincreaseddebt,higher propertytaxes,newrevenuesfromothersourcesorreductionsinmunicipalservices. The financialissuemaybeillustratedasfollows: 20million.Theseexpenseshavebeen i TheannualtotalCityexpendituresnowareabout$ growingatroughly5%/ yearoverthelast7years.Thesearemostlycostsassociatedwith personnel,mandates,andinflationaryincreasestonecessaryinvestmentsincommunity amenities. Salariesandbenefitshavehistoricallyaccountedfor75%ofannualexpenditures. i Cityrevenueresourcesmaybedividedinto3categories. Sinceeachcategoryisroughly equivalentintherevenueitproduces,eachcategoryshouldshoulderanequalshareofthe growthinexpense ( %). 5 1) Salestax -largestofthe3categories oncethesourceofagreaterpercentageofourrevenue -ithasonlybeengrowingan averageof about2. % 2 forthepastsevenyears formula- rivendistributionsaredecliningduetolowgrowthofCitypopulation &assessed d valuerelativetogrowthratesinadjacentmunicipalities leavesCitywithabout2. % 8 annualshortfall ( , % 22 revenuevs.5% expense) the “ egmentation”distributionalternativewouldgivetheCitya3% s portionofsalestax receiptsonhotel,restaurant, bar &utilityincome,andaportionofCountysalestaxbased ontotalpopulationandassessedvalue. Thisapproachwouldtakeseveralyearsbefore attainingdesired4- % 5 growth. 2) StateAid,racing- elatedincome,grants,feesandothermisc. r avolatilecategory -Cityhaslittlecontroloverit recently,thiscategoryhasgrownproportionatetothe5% increaseinexpenses revenuesfluctuatefromyeartoyear -oftentheleastavailablewhenmostneeded 3) Propertytax -directlyrelatedtoassessedvalueofCityland theannualincreasebetween1998and1999was1. %, 6 theincreasebetween1999and 2000was4. % 0 andtheincreasefrom2000to2001was2. %. 7 Theaveragethreeyear increasewas2. %. 8 lessthan1/ % 2 annualgrowthinassessedvalueforoverthepastdecade.Howeverthe annualincreaseintotaltaxableassessedvaluefortheCityhasriseninrecentyears.The July17,2001Page 60of66 �èÔ× éÛÊÛÈÍÕÛ éÌÊÓÎÕÉ ùÍÏÌÊ×Ô× ÎÉÓÆ× ìÐÛÎ annualincreasebetween1998and1999was1. % 5 andthepreliminaryfigureforthe increasebetween1999and2000is4. % 2 somesignificantrecentconstruction ( kidmore, EmpireStateCollege,QuadGraphics, S etc.)iscurrentlynottaxableduetonot-or- rofitorIDAstatus f p duringthelast10yearstheCityhasaveraged95newresidentialunitsperyear. However,in1999therewerebuildingpermitsissuedfor194newresidentialunits. The reportedvalueofallbuildingpermitsissued ( othresidentialandcommercial) wasabout b 54million. withonlyanaverageofabout1/ % 2 annualgrowthinpropertyvalues,propertytaxeswould needtobeincreasedby10%annuallytomeettheannual5% increaseinexpenses Taxeson Taxas %% ofTotal 100, 00 0 2000AssessedTax House ValueCollected City County School Library Total 5590. 6% 5 3070. 0% 3 1, 491. 5% 7 7 1370. 4% 1 2, 522. 5% 7 7 20. 3% 0 11. 6% 1 63. 5% 5 4. 8% 9 100. 0% 0 InsideTaxDistrict Source:CityofSaratogaSprings AdoptedBudget RevenueAnnualized19931992 199919981997199619951994 allamounts ($)in% Increase thousands Past7yrs. AdoptedBudgeted 5. 8%$ 0 Revenue Source:CityofSaratogaSprings 19, 47$18, 79$ 17, 58$ 16, 41$ 16, 09$ 15, 43$14, 16$ 13, 71 3 3 3 6 3 7 8 7 In1999,Salestaxactualrevenuewas $ 822, 00;StateAid,racing- elatedincome,grants, 6, 0 r feesandothermisc.actualrevenuewas $ 180, 00;andPropertytaxactualrevenuewas 9, 0 7, 04, 00. 3 0 StateAid,racing- elatedincome,grants,feesandothermisc.revenue”wascomprisedof r 1999budgetedrevenueincluding: Stateaid $ 662, 00;OTBrevenue $ 000;Mortgage 1, 0 369, July17,2001Page 61of66 �èÔ× éÛÊÛÈÍÕÛ éÌÊÓÎÕÉ ùÍÏÌÊ×Ô× ÎÉÓÆ× ìÐÛÎ taxrevenue $ 862, 00;PILOTrevenue $ 0 255, 00;Utilitiesgrossreceiptstaxrevenue 0 452, 00;and “ ther”revenuesuchasrecreationfees,grantsetc. $ 580, 00. 0 o 5, 0 ActualProperty TaxRevenueAnnualized allamounts ($)in% Increase19931992 thousands Past7yrs. 199919981997199619951994 ActualPropertyTax Revenue 10. 8%$ 9 TotalTaxable AssessedValuation 1998equalization ratewas5. 5%) 7 TaxRate (nside i district) 6, 50$ 5, 64$ 5. 35$ 4, 17$ 4, 14$ 4, 49$ 3, 00$ 3 4 2 6 9 2 4 3, 47 5 1, 38, 30$68, 48$67, 70$ 68, 36$68, 69$ 67, 73$ 67, 46$ 66, 28 3 7 7 9 3 3 8 7 3 5. 4$ 90. 8$ 84. 0$ 77. 0$ 70. 0$ 54. 0$ 58. 0$ 4 6 3 1 1 3 7 53. 0 7 Source:CityofSaratogaSprings Assessedvaluehasbeenveryflatexceptforthelastyearorso. Re- aluationaddedover $ v 100million (> 10%) toourassessedvaluebutthatisincreased valueonexistingpropertynotnewproperty. Estimated2000totalFullValueAssessmentisabout $ 1B -35% or $ 77Bisnontaxed 2. 0. Between1999and2000thetotaltaxableassessedvalueincreasedby $ 57million –a4. % 2 increase. July17,2001Page 62of66 �èÔ× éÛÊÛÈÍÕÛ éÌÊÓÎÕÉ ùÍÏÌÊ×Ô× ÎÉÓÆ× ìÐÛÎ ActualSales TaxRevenueAnnualized allamounts ($)% Increase19931992 inthousands - Past7yrs. 199919981997199619951994 ActualCity SalesTax2. 8%$ 787$ 6, 11$ 6, 02$ 6, 15$ 6, 67$ 6, 27$ 1 6, 5 4 2 0 0 Income CountySales TaxIncome County Distributionto$ 1 Municipalities 5, 94$ 5, 40 7 8 4. %$ 757$ 55, 59$54, 29$ 51, 68$49, 74$49, 20$ 45, 36$44, 55 2 58, 9 3 6 4 0 6 0 32, 39$ 31, 40$30, 84$ 28, 95$27, 90 4 0 2 8 7 City’ % s of Distributionto20. 2% 20. 8% 21. % 21. % 21. % 9 9 1 5 8 2 Munic. 1 56%ofCountySalesTaxisdistributedtomunicipalities 2– TheCity’ populationandassessmentisapproximately14%ofthetotalCounty. s Source:CityofSaratogaSpringsandSaratogaCounty TheCitygets $ 4millionplusapproximately7% oftheCountySalesTax ( / theCounty' 12 s incometimes %populationandassessedvalueof14%). Our %ofthisisdecreasingastheTownsincreasefasterthanwedoinpopulationand assessedvaluation. TheCitycanalsoopttotake3% ofhotelrestaurant,barandutilitiesincomeplustheState regulatedpercentageoftheCountydistribution. Thismayequalthecurrentamount sometimeinthefuture. TheCityhaditsownsalestaxinthe 70' . TheCountyinitiatedtheirsalestaxintheearly ' s 80' withageneroussplitwiththeCity. Thatformulawasrevisedintheearly 90' andhas s ' s beentrendingdownward. Itwouldappearthatatsomepointwemaybebetteroffgoingwith ourownseparatetax. Duringthisperiod,theCityhasincurrednearly $ 10Mofbondedindebtednesswithextensive annualdebtservice.Debtserviceannuallyisabout $ 000forjusttherepaymentonthe 650, principal. TheCitycouldalsoinvestigatemoreuseoftaxesorrevenuesfromthetouristsorvisitorrelatedbusinesses. July17,2001Page 63of66 �èÔ× éÛÊÛÈÍÕÛ éÌÊÓÎÕÉ ùÍÏÌÊ×Ô× ÎÉÓÆ× ìÐÛÎ APPENDIXD: ADDITIONALOPENSPACECONSERVATIONTOOLS ThefollowinglandusetoolsshouldbeconsideredforusebytheCityinitsongoingefforts toprotectandenhancethenaturalandopenspaceresourcesinthecommunity. TheCity couldtakeamorepro- ctiveapproachtokeepingspecificparcelsoflandundeveloped, a andtoprotectingimportantresources,throughanyorallofthefollowingapproaches: Acquisition TheCitymayacquirelandinfeetitleinterestorinpartialinterest fromwillingsellersat fairmarketvalue.Acquisitionoffeetitlemaybeappropriateforparcelsoflandthatare intendedforactiveorpassivepublicrecreationaluses. ConservationEasements Onewaytoprotectscenicresources,farmlands,andenvironmentalresourceswouldbe touseconservationeasements. Aconservationeasementisavoluntarylegalagreement betweenalandownerandamunicipality,orathirdpartysuchastheLandTrustforthe SaratogaRegion,toprotectlandfromdevelopmentbypermanentlyrestrictingtheuse anddevelopmentoftheproperty,therebypreservingitsnaturalormanmadefeatures. ThelegallybindingagreementisfiledwiththeCountyClerkinthesamemannerasa deed. Thelandownerretainsownershipoftheland,andalloftherightsofownership excepttheabilitytodeveloptheland. Thespecificrestrictionsorotherstipulationsare detailedintheeasementagreement. Alandowneralsocanchoosetodonateaconservationeasementonallorpartofhis/ er h land.IncomeandestatetaxbenefitsmayaccruetothelandownerConservation easementscanalsobeusedtopermanentlyprotectopenspacesetasideaspartofa conservationsubdivision. PurchaseofDevelopmentRights ( DR)Program P Whendevelopmentrightsalonearepurchasedusingaconservationeasement,the processiscalledPurchaseofDevelopmentRights. ThecostofPDRdependsonthe specificparcel. Itiscalculatedbydeterminingthecurrentappraisedvalueoftheproperty anditsappraisedvalueasopenoragriculturallandwithoutdevelopmentpotential. The differencebetweenthesetwonumbersisthevalueofthedevelopmentrights. Generallyspeaking,PDRprogramsareregardedasbeingfairtolandownersbecause thelandownersarecompensateddirectlyfortheircontributiontosomethingthepublic desires.Thelandremainsonthetaxrollsandistaxedatanassessedvaluethatreflects itsrestricteduse. Theseprogramsarealsopopularwithresidentsbecausetheyachieve permanentlandprotection. July17,2001Page 64of66 �èÔ× éÛÊÛÈÍÕÛ éÌÊÓÎÕÉ ùÍÏÌÊ×Ô× ÎÉÓÆ× ìÐÛÎ InordertoimplementaPDRprogram,acommunityneedstomakeacommitmentto fundingthisactivity. Initiallythismayseemtobeaverylargeexpense -anditis. However,throughcarefulanalysisoftheirfiscalsituation,somecommunitieshavefound thattheirinvestmentwillactuallycostlessinthelongtermthanitwouldcosttoprovide servicesfornewresidencesthatmightinsteadbebuiltonthatland. Communitieshave paidfortheseprogramsinvariouswaysincludingissuingrevenuebondstospreadthe costoveraperiodofyears. TherearealsosourcesofStateandfederalgrantfunding availabletoassistcommunitiesinpermanentlyprotectingfarmlandandotheropenspace inthismanner. Localconservationorganizationsshouldalsobeconsideredaspartners inthistypeofprogram. ImplementationofaPurchaseofDevelopmentRightsprogramrequiresafairamountof planningtoimplement. Intermsofgrantfunding,communitieswithwelldefinedprograms tendtofairmuchbetterduetothecompetitivenatureofthesegrants.Thereturnonthis investmentinplanningcanbesubstantialintermsofboththecommunity’ fiscalsituation s andcommunitycharacter. TermEasementsandTaxAbatementProgram Thistypeofprogram,usedbyseveralcommunitiesinNewYorkState (ncludingtheTown i ofCliftonPark),providestaxabatementsfortermeasementsonparticularparcelsof openspaceorfarmland. Asthenameimplies,atermeasementisavoluntarylegal agreementbetweenalandownerandthemunicipalitywhichiswrittentolastforaperiod ofyears,mostcommonlyfor5to20years. Taxabatementsareusuallycalculatedona slidingscalewithalargertaxabatementforalongertermeasement. Iftheseprotected landsareconvertedtodevelopmentpriortotheexpirationoftheterm,thetaxbenefitmust bereturnedinfullandapenaltypaid. Whiletheseprogramsareeffectiveinaddressing thelossofopenspaceandfarmlandintheshortterm,theysimplyplacetheselandson hold. Longtermsolutionsmuststillbedevelopedforthefutureofthesespaces. EnvironmentalProtectionorScenicSpecialDistrict Themunicipalitycouldalsoestablishspecialdistrictstoprotectspecificscenicornatural resources. Forinstance, thedistrictcouldincludealllandwithinaspecifieddistance fromastreamorlake. Specificprovisionsorstandardsforprotectingthequalityofthese waterbodiescouldbeincorporatedintospecialusepermitprovisionsforalldevelopment withintheoverlaydistrict. DevelopanAlternativeRoadStandardforLowVolumeLocalRoads Analternativeroadstandardforlocalstreets (ncludinglowvolumesubdivisionstreets) i couldbeconsidered. Suchastandardwouldcomplementthecharacterofsubdivisions developedintheConservationDevelopmentDistrict. Alocalroadstandarddoesnot sacrificeacceptedengineeringpracticebut,rather,takesintoconsiderationtheactual July17,2001Page 65of66 �èÔ× éÛÊÛÈÍÕÛ éÌÊÓÎÕÉ ùÍÏÌÊ×Ô× ÎÉÓÆ× ìÐÛÎ functionandexpectedvolumeoflocalstreets. TheDutchessCountyDepartmentof Planning,inapublicationentitledAlternativeRoadStandards ( ebruary1992),states F that, " maller,welldesignedroadshavelessofeverything: lesspavement, fewerand S smallerdrainagestructures,andfewercurbs,andassucharelessexpensivetoconstruct andmaintain." Lateritnotesthat, "nadditiontocostbenefits,moreflexiblestandards I canalsoimproveaesthetics. Wideroadswithdeepbasesrequireextensivegradingand cuttingofvegetation. Frequentlytheconstructionofstandardroadsleavesthelandscape barren,robbingitofitsmoreruralandscenicqualities." Withanemphasisonstreet connectivity,anotherbenefitofaruralroadstandardisthatnarrowerstreetsdeter speedingandcanoffsettheperceivedlossofsafetyresultingfromthereduceduseof cul- e- acs. d s July17,2001Page 66of66 �CITY OF SARATOGA SPRINGS ARTICLE V - ITE PLAN REVIEWAPPROVAL S / 240 5. DECLARATION OF COVENANTS, RESTRICTIONS, CONDITIONS AND EASEMENTS - 7 The Planning Board may request as part of the final site plan approval process that the applicant execute and cause to be recorded in the Saratoga County Clerk's office, a declaration of covenants, restrictions, conditions and easements, imposing affirmative duties on the applicant in conjunction with and in furtherance of the site plan. 240 5. PERFORMANCE GUARANTEES -7 amended 11/ 8/9/ / 19/4/5/4/ / 15/ 91, 8 6/ 97, 4 6/ 1 92, 95, 1 00, 04) A letter of credit, performance bond, or equivalent security shall be delivered to the City to guarantee thereby to the City that the applicant shall faithfully cause to be constructed and completed within a reasonable time the required improvements as indicated on the site plan. A. The City shall require Letters of Credit, performance bonds or equivalent security for any construction involving grading, curbs, sidewalks, utilities, street lighting, driveways, parking Tots, plantings, signs, etc., indicated as on the site plan. No financial guarantees are required for construction of a Procedures. structure covered by a building permit. 1) The letter of credit, performance bond or equivalent security are to be written to cover the full estimated cost of required improvements within the public right ofway and 25% the full estimated cost of required on site - of improvements required by the site plan. The estimates shall be in accord with standards established by the City Engineer. 2) Estimates of construction costs are to be submitted to the Planning Board by the applicant's New York State licensed professional engineerarchitect / or landscape architect. The Planning Board shall approve the estimates after receiving an advisory opinion from the City Engineer. Upon specific resolution, the Planning Board may delegate to the City Engineer the approval of the amount for a specific letter of credit. 3) The letter of credit, performance bond or equivalent security must be submitted to the City prior to final approval of a site plan. 4) The letter of credit, performance bond or equivalent security is to identify the City of Saratoga Springs" as the beneficiary and will state that funds " may be collected at an institution location within 40 miles of the Saratoga / Springs municipal boundaries upon receipt of a written demand from the City Attorney of the City of Saratoga Springs." Legal and administrative costs incurred by the City associated with the collection of a letter of credit, performance bond or equivalent security will be reimbursed to the City from the amount set aside in the performance guarantee. The 0 - $ 99; aforementioned cost shall be $ 00 for securities between $ 19, 9 2 39, 99; 400 for securities 9 $ 300 for securities between $ 20, 00 - $ 0 between $ 40, 00 0 59, 99; 500 for securities between $ 9 $ 60, 00 0 - $ ARTICLE V - PAGE 11 �CITY OF SARATOGA SPRINGS ARTICLE V - SITE PLAN REVIEWAPPROVAL / 79, 99; 600 for securities 9 $ securities $ 100, 00 or more. 0 5) between $ 0, 00 8 0 - 99, 99; and $ 00 for $ 9 7 The expiration date for the letter of credit, performance bond or equivalent security may be set by applicant but in no case can it be longer than 24 months from the date of issuance. 6) With thirty days written notice, letters of credit, performance bond or equivalent security may be extended for a period not to exceed 12 months at each occurrence. All extensions require a motion of approval by the Planning Board. For each extension the Planning Board can require a revised cost estimate and alter the sum required on the letter of credit, performance bond or equivalent security. 7) Letters of Credit, performance bond or equivalent security will be canceled by written notice from the City once the applicant has satisfactorily completed all required construction. All requests for extension of time and or reduction shall be accompanied by an application fee as set forth in / Section 13. . 6 8) With 30 days notice the applicant may request an amendment to any letter of credit, performance bond or equivalent security for a reduction of the original amount after a portion of the required improvements are completed. Upon receiving such a request, the Planning Board will instruct the City Engineer to inspect the improvements. If the inspection is satisfactory upon recommendation by the City Engineer, the Planning Board will by motion determine if such a reduction is appropriate and, if so, reduce by motion the amount required and proof of this reduction will be set forth in a letter by the City Attorney and forwarded to the appropriate bank who will in turn issue an amended Letter of Credit, performance bond or equivalent security to the City. 9) All letters of credit, performance bonds or equivalent security shall comply with current codes established by the State of New York. Such securities shall be issued by a bank, bonding or surety company approved by the City attorney and shall also be approved by such City attorney as to form, sufficiency and manner of execution. 10) The Planning Board, in their sole discretion, may waive the requirement for a letter of credit, performance bond or equivalent security for a site plan if the costs of the site improvements are Tess than $ 000. 10, B. As BUILT DRAWINGS REQUIRED. No required improvements shall be considered to be completed until the installation of the improvements has been approved by the City Engineer and a map satisfactory to the Planning Board has been submitted indicating the location of monuments marking all underground utilities as actually installed. As built drawings shall meet the requirements established by the City ARTICLE V - PAGE 12 �CITY OF SARATOGA SPRINGS ARTICLE V —SITE PLAN REVIEW APPROVAL / Engineer. If the applicant completes all required improvements, then two reproducible sets of as built"drawings shall be presented to the Planning Board. " Such "as built" drawings shall have a seal and signature of the site plan designer engineer and shall have the following form: / RECORD DRAWING CERTIFICATION: Registered Professional EngineerArchitect/ andscape / L I, Architect/ urveyor No. S in the State of New York, was retained by to undertake or cause to be performed by staff members under my supervision periodic inspections and reports and hereby certify that this drawing stamped by me as "Asbuilt" has been completed in accordance with the approved drawings and specifications of any authorized changes and show the actual facilities and infrastructure as they were installed in the field. The as built must show the actual field location of all underground utilities - including lengths of pipes, rim elevations, frame elevations, material of pipe, inverts, percents ofgrade for sanitary and storm sewers, ties to all wyes and - curb boxes, lengths of pipe between all appurtenances (i. valves, tees, bends, e., In hydrants, etc.). addition, the drawing must show light poles, parking spaces, / curbing, trees, sidewalks, bench marks, retention detention areas, berms, retaining walls, dumpsters, etc. C. INSPECTIONS OF IMPROVEMENTS. 1) Pre -construction Conference. Under normal conditions a pre construction meeting shall be held with the City Engineer to discuss construction schedules and inspection requirements. No construction on the site plan should occur before this conference. 2) Notification. a) The owner or designated representative shall be responsible for notifying the City Engineer 48 hours prior to commencing any work. b) The City Engineer, upon notification, will inspect or designate an independent consultant to inspect the required construction activity. All inspection fees shall be paid in advance by the applicant to the City on a rate established annually by the City Council. The inspection fees for the site plan shall not exceed 2% cost of of the the installation of the required improvements. c) Such notification is generally required prior to each of the following phases of construction: 1] 2} 3] 4] Site clearing Sanitary sewer installation Storm sewer installation Waterline installation ARTICLE V - PAGE 13 �CITY OF SARATOGA SPRINGS ARTICLE V - SITE PLAN REVIEWAPPROVAL / 5] 6] 7] 8] Sub grade preparation Gravel installation Asphalt binder and wearing courses and curbing Any special construction d) In addition, 48 hours notification will be required prior to resuming work if contractor is absent from the site for more than 7 days. e) All these items and any others designated by the City Engineer shall be inspected before work is covered up or it will be subject to rejection or excavation and inspection at the applicant's expense prior to acceptance by the City. PROPER INSTALLATION 3) IMPROVEMENTS. If the designated City Engineer shall find, upon inspection of the improvements performed before the expiration date of the performance guarantee, that any of the required improvements have not been constructed in accordance with plans and specifications approved and filed by the applicant, or the construction standards adopted by the office of the City Engineer and in force at the time such approval was given, he shall so report to the City Attorney, the Building Inspector and the Planning Board. The City Attorney shall then notify the applicant and, if necessary, the financial guarantor, and take all necessary steps to preserve the City's rights under the bond. 4) ISSUANCE OF STOP ORDERS. Whenever the City Engineer has reasonable grounds to believe that work on any site improvement is occurring either in violation of the provisions of this Article, not in conformity with any application made, permit granted or other approval issued hereunder, or in an unsafe or dangerous manner, the City Engineer shall promptly notify the appropriate person( s) responsible for suspending work on any such building or structure OF or the use of any such land. Such person( s) shall forthwith immediately cease and suspend such activity until the stop order has been rescinded. Such order and notice shall be in writing, shall state the conditions under which the work or use may be resumed and may be served upon the person( s) whom it is directed either by delivering it personally to him or by posting the same upon a conspicuous portion of the improvements under construction and additionally sending a copy of the same to the applicant listed on the site plan application by certified or registered mail. The City Engineer, on his own initiative, may inspect and stop order. alleged violation. issue 5) a He does not have to receive written notice of an If, in the opinion of the City Engineer, a violation exists which requires immediate action to avoid a direct hazard or imminent danger to the health, safety, or general welfare of the public, the EMERGENCY ACTION. City Engineer may direct such violation to be immediately remedied or ARTICLE V - PAGE 14 �CITY OF SARATOGA SPRINGS SITE PLAN REVIEWAPPROVAL / ARTICLE V may take direct action on his own initiative to abate the hazard or danger. Any costs incurred by such action shall be paid for by the owner of such property. If a person other than the owner is responsible for the violation, such person shall be jointly and severally liable, together with such owner, for any such costs. The City Engineer shall keep on file an affidavit stating with fairness and accuracy the items of expense and date of execution of action taken, and is furthermore authorized to institute a suit, if necessary, against the person liable for such expenses, or to place a lien against the property, in order to recover the said costs. 240 5. DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION STANDARDS - 9 A. The Planning Board shall adopt and maintain a set of design and construction standards which shall apply to all actions within the City of Saratoga Springs which require site plan review. 240 5.0 RECREATION LAND REQUIREMENTS (ADDED 9119106) - 1 A. Required offer of Usable Land: The owner shall offer to the City Class A Type " Usable Land"equal in size to at least 10% the owner's subdivided tract upon a of finding by the Planning Board that a proper case exists for requiring that a park or parks be suitably located for playgrounds or other recreational purposes within the City. Such findings shall include an evaluation of the present and anticipated future need for park and recreational facilities in the City based on projected population growth to which the particular site plan will contribute. B. This land shall be used as parkland. The Board may specify which lands within the site plan shall be dedicated for parkland. The Board may also require that the owner suitably grade the land, which is to be dedicated for parkland. The Board may instead request that the owner offer, Class B Type Usable Land" to " ( City to be left as passive open space to be defined as "open space "). The amount and location of "Class B Type Land" to be offered shall be as deemed appropriate by the City. The Planning Board may refer such offers to the the Recreation Commission for review and recommendations. C. if the Planning Board determines that the 10% area, offered by the owner, should not be useful for a public purpose, or, if the dedication of land within the site would not conform to the Comprehensive Plan or Official Map, or is otherwise not practical, the Planning Board shall require as a condition to approval of the site plan that the owner pay to the City a fee per residential unit included in the site plan, which sum shall constitute a trust fund to be used by the City exclusively for neighborhood park, playground or recreation purposes including the acquisition of property. D. In the instance of payment, the Planning Board shall require a payment to the City of a fee as set forth in Section 13. . The fee shall be paid for each approved 6 ARTICLE V - PAGE 15 �CITY OF SARATOGA SPRINGS ARTICLE V —SITE PLAN REVIEWAPPROVAL / residential unit except that any existing residential unit on the property shall be exempt from this requirement. This payment shall be made prior to the Board's granting of final approval. All such cash deposits shall be paid to the City of Saratoga Springs and credited to a separate fund to be used for parks, playground, and recreational land acquisition and improvement that will serve the residents of the proposed site. E. If the Planning Board determines that only a portion of the 10% offered by area the owner is acceptable for public use, then the owner shall dedicate the acceptable and and pay a fee equal to the difference in the percentage of land offered and the 10% required. F. Unique and scenic areas and those areas bordering streams, lakes or other watercourses may be given special consideration by the Planning Board, should they be desirable for public open spaces. Where such sites and open spaces are not shown on the Comprehensive Plan and where deemed essential by the Board upon consideration of the particular type of development proposed the Board may recommend that the City Council require the offering of reservation of areas up to the 10% limit. G. If the land included in a site plan is a portion of a subdivision plan which has been reviewed and approved pursuant to the City's subdivision regulations, the Planning Board shall credit the applicant for any land set aside or money donated in lieu thereof under such subdivision plat approval. In the event of resubdivision of such plat, nothing shall preclude the additional reservation of parkland or money donated in lieu thereof. ARTICLE V - PAGE 16 �CITY OF SARATOGA SPRINGS ARTICLE V - SITE PLAN REVIEWAPPROVAL / ARTICLE V - SITE PLAN REVIEW APPROVAL 240 5. INTENT -1 A. The intent of site plan approval is to promote the health, safety and general welfare of the City. A clean, wholesome, attractive environment is declared to be of importance to the health, welfare and safety of the inhabitants of the City and, in addition, such an environment is deemed essential to the maintenance and continued development of the economy of the City. B. It is further the intent to ensure the reasonable overall conservation, protection, preservation, development, and use of the natural and man related resources of the City, by regulating land use activity within the City through review and approval of site plans. It is not the intent to prohibit per se any land use activity, but to allow all land use activities, which will meet the standards, set forth in this Article. 240 5. DELEGATION TO PLANNING BOARD - 2 amended 11/ 8/6/9/4/5/8/ / 4/ 15/ 91, 1 97, 3 4/ 5/ 1 95, 1 99, 00, 01) The power to approve, approve with modifications or disapprove site plans in A. accordance with the intent established in Section 5. above, is granted to the 1 Planning Board in accordance with Section 30a of the General City Law. B. It shall be the duty of the Building Inspector to refer to the Planning Board plans for any identified actions listed below which require such reference in conformity with the purposes set forth in Section 5. above. The Planning Board shall not 1 accept any application for review that includes a parcel which has a preexisting reported written violation from the Zoning Enforcement Officer pertaining to any provisions of this Zoning Ordinance, unless and until the same is brought into compliance. C. The Planning Board shall conduct site plan review for the following types of actions: 1) Transect Zones: Site plan review shall be required to construct, erect, build, improve, remodel, renovate, demolish, convert or change the use any building other than a single family residence in any Transect Zone. However, site plan review shall not be required if the proposed action does not result in an increase in the required number of parking spaces, as set forth in Article XI, or does not increase the building coverage and or / impermeable coverage by more than 2% 200 square feet, whichever or 1, is Tess, from the coverage that existed on or before July 7, 1971, or unless such building and or impermeable coverage increase was authorized by / an approved site plan. Nothing in this section shall allow conditions of prior approved site plans to be altered. ARTICLE V - PAGE 1 �CITY OF SARATOGA SPRINGS ARTICLE V —STE PLAN REVIEWAPPROVAL / 2) Nonresidential use: Site plan review shall be required to construct, erect, build, improve, remodel, renovate, demolish, convert or change the use of a building in any industrial, commercial or institutional district. However, site plan review shall not be required if the proposed action does not result in an increase in the required number of parking spaces, as set forth in Article XI, or does not increase the building coverage and or impermeable / coverage by more than 2% 200 square feet, whichever is less, from or 1, the coverage that existed on or before July 7, 1971, or unless such building and or impermeable coverage increase was authorized by an / approved site plan. Nothing in this section shall allow conditions of prior approved site plans to be altered. 3) Change in occupancy tenancy: Site plan review shall be required for a / change in occupancy or tenancy of a nonresidential use if the proposed action results in an increase in the required number of available parking spaces, as set forth in Article XI, or an increase in the building coverage and or impermeable coverage by more than 2%1,00 square feet, / or 2 whichever is Tess, from the building and or impermeable coverage that / existed on or before July 7, 1971, or unless such building and or / impermeable coverage increase was authorized by an approved site plan. Nothing in this section shall allow the conditions of prior approved site plans to be altered. 4) Multifamily residential: Site plan review shall be required to construct, erect, build, improve, remodel, renovate, demolish, convert or change use of a building which shall contain more than 2 residential units in any UR 4, UR 5 or UR 6 district. However, site plan review shall not be required if the proposed action does not increase the required number of parking spaces, as set forth in Article XI, or not increase the building and or / impermeable coverage by more than 2% 200 square feet, whichever or 1, is less, from the coverage that existed on or before July 7, 1971, or unless such building and or impermeable coverage increase was authorized by / an approved site plan. Nothing in this section shall allow the conditions of prior approved site plans to be altered. 5) Special use permit: Site plan review shall be required to implement an approved special use permit, unless an exemption is set forth in Article II or unless there is no increase in the building coverage and or / impermeable coverage by more than 2% percent or 1,00 square feet, 2 whichever is less, from the building and or impermeable coverage that / legally existed prior to the application for the special use permit. Such review may occur at the same meeting as, or subsequent to, special use permit review, at the applicant's discretion. 6) Use variances: Site plan review shall be required to implement a use variance except in cases where the only use on the parcel is one or two ARTICLE V - PAGE 2 �CITY OF SARATOGA SPRINGS SITE PLAN REVIEWAPPROVAL / ARTICLE V residential units. However, site plan review shall not be required if the proposed action does not result in an increase in the required number of parking spaces, as set forth in Article Xl, or not increase the building and or impermeable coverage by more than 2%1,00 square feet, / or 2 whichever is less, from the coverage that existed on or before July 7, 1971, or unless such building and or impermeable coverage increase was / authorized by an approved site plan. Nothing in this section shall allow the conditions of prior approved site plans to be altered. 7) D. Site plan amendments: Site plan review shall be required for amendments to an approved site plan. However, site plan review shall not be required if the proposed action does not result in an increase in the required number of parking spaces, as set forth in Article XI, or not increase the building and or impermeable coverage by more than 2% 200 square / or 1, feet, whichever is Tess, from the coverage that existed on or before July 7, 1971, or unless such building and or impermeable coverage increase was / authorized by an approved site plan. Nothing in this section shall allow the conditions of prior approved site plans to be altered. An eligible applicant for site plan review must be the owner, lessee or purchaser under contract for involved parcel. A lessee and purchaser under contract must have the permission of the current property owners to submit an application for site plan review. 240 5. SKETCH PLAN REVIEW - 3 A. Any owner or lessee of land may, prior to applying for site plan approval, shall submit to the Planning Board at least 21 days prior to the regular meeting of the Planning Board, 12 copies of a sketch plan of the proposed site plan for purposes of preliminary discussion. 1) The submission of a sketch plan is an option available to the applicant. It is a pre -application procedure. The applicant may exercise this option for a pre -application discussion for the purpose of seeking advice and direction. 2) Pre -application does not require formal application to the Planning Board or the payment of a fee. B. The sketch plan submittal should include: " 1) A statement and rough sketch (24 x36 ") showing the locations and dimensions of principal and accessory structures, parking areas, access signs (with descriptions),existing and proposed vegetation, and other planned features; anticipated changes in the existing topography and natural features; and, where applicable, measures and features to comply with flood hazard and flood insurance regulations; 2) A sketch or map of the area which clearly shows the location of the site ARTICLE V - PAGE 3 �CITY OF SARATOGA SPRINGS / ARTICLE V —SITE PLAN REVIEWAPPROVAL with respect to nearby street rights ofway, properties, easements, utilities - and other pertinent features; and 3) A topographic or contour map of adequate scale and detail to show site topography. C. The applicant, or his duly authorized representative, shall attend the meeting of the Planning Board to discuss the requirements of this Article for street improvements, drainage, sewerage, water supply, fire protection, and similar aspects, as well as the availability of existing services and other pertinent information the Board deems necessary. D. Except for unusual circumstances the applicant will be limited to 2 pre -application discussions before the Planning Board. 240 5. - 4 SITE PLAN REVIEW FORMAL SUBMISSION (amended 9/ /8/ /5/5/ 92,99,01, 8 3 1 07) 6/9/ 1 A. Any owner, purchaser under contract or lessee may file a completed application for site plan review with 12 copies of the site plan, SEQRA forms, and any supporting documents to the Planning Board at least 21 days prior to the regular meeting of the Planning Board. A New York State licensed professional engineer, landscape architect, or architect shall prepare all plans unless waived by the Planning Board. The Chair of the Planning Board, or designated staff, has the right to reject any application submitted if it fails to meet the minimum submittal requirements. B. The official time of submission of the site plan shall be considered to be the date of the first meeting of the Board for which the site plan is scheduled for discussion. C. The applicant, or his duly authorized representative, shall attend the meeting of the Planning Board to discuss the site plan. D. Fees. The Planning Board shall collect a fee with all applications, which shall be determined by fee schedule set forth in Section 13. . 6 The Planning board may also collect costs from an applicant for costs incurred by the Planning Board for consultation fees, special studies or other extraordinary E. expenses in connection with the review of a proposed site plan. The site plan submitted shall be 24 x36"drawn to a scale of not more than one " inch equals 50 feet and shall include the following information, unless waived by the Planning Board or its agent: 1) All existing and proposed property lines, building setback lines, easements and rightofway lines, with dimensions, azimuths or angle data and curve - data. 2) All existing zoning, special permit or variance information. ARTICLE V - PAGE 4 �CITY OF SARATOGA SPRINGS ARTICLE V - SITE PLAN REVIEW/ PPROVAL A 3) All plans shall be based on a survey prepared by a New York State licensed professional land surveyor unless waived by the Planning Board. The Site Plan shall be at the same scale as the survey and shall not be more than I inch equals 50 feet. The surveyor shall establish all monuments and property corners, identify any existing ( ound) pipes or f other survey markers, and shall tie all topographic information into the Saratoga County Geodetic Survey, 1929 Datum. 4) The tax map sheet, block and lot number of parcel and the names of owners of all adjacent properties. 5) Street names. 6) A North arrow and a scale. 7) A title block identifying project name, address and applicant and property owner. 8) Site location map (key map)A portion of the City of Saratoga Springs map shall be affixed to the site plan with the project area or site shown and labeled. 9) Vicinity map A map at an appropriate scale shall be submitted which shows in a generalized manner all properties, structures, utilities, subdivisions, roads, and easements within 300 feet of the project site. 10) Existing and proposed contour lines and spot grades as required to demonstrate grading, drainage, and required earth work cuts and fills). ( Also, all spoil and borrow areas should be identified. 11) Watercourses, marshes, State or Federally designated wetlands, significant rock outcrops and other important land or geological features. 12) The location of proposed outdoor storage, if any. 13) Provision for pedestrian access, sidewalks and bike paths, if any. All plans shall show provisions for designing for the physically impaired. 14) The location, design specifications and construction materials of all existing or proposed site improvements including drains, culverts, retaining walls, berms and fences. 15) The location of fire and other emergency zones, including location of fire o hydrants. Existing fire hydrants must be shown ( r the distance to and location of the nearest hydrant must be noted). 16) Existing water and sewer utilities servicing the property must be shown including sizes, inverts, valve locations, structures, etc. A description of the method of providing potable water and sewage disposal must be shown. Proposed locations, design specifications and calculations, and construction materials must be provided showing their adequacy for ARTICLE V - PAGE 5 �CITY OF SARATOGA SPRINGS ARTICLE V - SiTE PLAN REVIEWAPPROVAL / serving the proposed project. 17) Vehicular circulation shown providing adequate turn around area for emergency vehicles, safe accessibility to all required off street parking, onsite loading and maneuvering space, trash garbage pickup area, and / eliminating standing or waiting traffic within the public right ofway. - 18) If on site parking is required, a parking plan showing the demand calculations, number of parking spaces and the parking arrangement, including parking and pedestrian walkways for physically impaired persons. It shall also show the location, design and construction materials of all parking and truck loading areas. 19) All buildings, sidewalks and lighting, as well as the location of any signs, heating and air conditioning units, trash bins and any other outdoor storage or machinery, shall be shown on the plans. 20) Location, design, type of construction and materials, proposed use and exterior dimensions of all buildings. The storage of any potentially hazardous materials should also be identified. 21) Existing streetlights and all existing area lighting must be shown on the plan. A proposed lighting plan showing the type and location of all exterior lighting with the anticipated lighting level in foot candles shown. 22) A landscape plan delineating the existing and proposed plant material shall be provided. Existing wooded and or natural landscaped areas shall / be shown and noting whether they shall remain or be removed. Existing specimen or individual trees, shrubs and all shrub masses shall be shown and labeled with the botanical and common name and noting whether they shall remain or be removed. All trees and shrubs to be removed are subject to the provisions of Chapter 240 12. 3 Soil Disturbing Activities) - 2 ( and must be approved by the Planning Board prior to any clearing and grubbing of the project site. This plan shall include a planting schedule listing all proposed plants (trees and or shrubs), their size at initial / planting, their ultimate maximum size at maturity and the quantity of each plant material specified. 23) Site Grading Drainage Soil Erosion Plan showing existing and finished / / grade contours and spot elevations where required. This plan shall incorporate the location and design for the proposed storm water management facilities. A storm water management report shall be submitted providing certification of the design to show that there is adequate disposal capacity for the drainage water and surface runoff. The storm water management report shall include all off site watershed influences including existing storm sewers, streams and or tributaries and / downstream watercourses. ARTICLE V - PAGE 6 �CITY OF SARATOGA SPRINGS ARTICLE V SITE PLAN REVIEWAPPROVAL / 24) Record of application for and approval status of all necessary permits from state, county and local officials. 25) Identification of any state, county or local permits required for the project's execution. 26) Location and design for storm water management facilities. / 27) Location of at least I central point for trash garbage pickup. This facility shall be located either within a building or outside of a building in a totally enclosed container, obscured from view from parking areas, streets, and adjacent uses or zoning districts by a fence, wall, plantings or a combination of the three. If located within the building, the doorways may serve both the loading and trash garbage collection functions. / 28) Other elements integral to the proposed development as considered necessary by the Planning Board. ( 29) The estimate of annual increase in water consumption measured in cubic feet or gallons)for all the proposed uses on the property. F. The Planning Board's review of the site plan shall include, as appropriate, but is not limited to, the following general considerations: 1) Location, arrangement, size, design and general site compatibility of buildings and signs. Adequacy and arrangement of area and security lighting in both on site and off site illumination. 2) Adequacy and arrangement of vehicular traffic access and circulation, including intersections, road widths, pavement surfaces, dividers and traffic controls. 3) Location, arrangement, appearance and sufficiency of off street parking and loading. 4) Adequacy and arrangement of pedestrian traffic access and circulation, walkway structures, control of intersections with vehicular traffic and overall pedestrian convenience. 5) Adequacy of storm water and drainage facilities. 6) Adequacy of water supply, including pressure and quantity. If supply is other than that provided by the City, information as to the quality of the water shall be provided. 7) Adequacy of sanitary sewer including size and inverts; or adequacy of sewerage disposal facilities, including, if applicable, soil borings, perc tests, soil characteristics and certification as to proposed system adequacy as a permanent system. 8) Adequacy, type, size, and arrangement of trees, shrubs and other landscaping constituting a visual screen and or buffer between the project / ARTICLE V - PAGE 7 �CITY OF SARATOGA SPRINGS / ARTICLE V —SITE PLAN REVIEWAPPROVAL site and adjoining properties, including the maximum retention of desirable or specimen existing vegetation. Parking, service areas, and loading and maneuvering areas shall be reasonably landscaped and screened from view of adjacent properties and from within the project site. 9) Adequacy of fire lanes and other emergency zones. Location and arrangement of fire hydrants, stand pipes, and or drafting or pumping / facilities. 10) Special attention to the adequacy and impact of structures, roadways and / landscaping in areas with susceptibility to ponding, flooding and or erosion. G. If appropriate, prior to taking action on a site plan of real property specified in Section 239m of the General Municipal Law, the Board shall make referrals to the county planning agency or, in the absence of such agency, to a metropolitan or regional agency having jurisdiction in accordance with Section 2391 and m of the General Municipal Law. 1) If within 30 days after receipt of a full statement of such referred matter, the planning agency to which referral is made, or an authorized agency of said agency disapproves the proposal or recommends modification thereof, the 2) Board shall not act contrary to such disapproval or recommendation except by a vote of a majority plus one of all the members thereof and after the adoption of a resolution fully setting forth reasons for such contrary action and shall transmit said resolution to the County within 7 days. If such a planning agency fails to report within such period of 30 days or such longer period as may have been agreed upon by it and the referring 3) agency, the Board may act without such report. In unusual circumstances, prior to receiving comments from the County, the Planning Board may approve a project contingent upon a favorable decision by the County. The Board's contingent approval will be void if unfavorable comments are received from the County. The Chairperson shall read the report of the county planning agency at the public meeting on the matter under review. H. The Planning Board may hold a public hearing on any site plan. The determination of whether a hearing shall be held shall be made by the Chairperson of the Planning Board upon receipt of the application. The Chairperson may seek the opinion of the Planning Board as a whole, and such opinion, as determined by a majority vote of the Board, shall be binding upon the Chairperson. The decision of the Chairperson may also be reversed by a majority vote of the Planning Board. Such hearings shall follow the same procedure as for Special Use Permit hearings found at Section VI 240 6. .Hearings on site plans -3 may be combined with other hearings, such as those held for Special Use ARTICLE V - PAGE 8 �CITY OF SARATOGA SPRINGS ARTICLE V - SITE PLAN REVIEWAPPROVAL / Permits. Prior to granting any approvals relative to the proposed application, the Planning Board shall conduct a SEQRA review and determination in accordance with NYS Environmental Conservation Law 6 NYCRR Part 617. J. Within 45 days from the date of official submittal, the Planing Board shall act by roll call vote on the site plan. The Planning Board shall either approve, conditionally approve with or without modification, or disapprove the site plan. The Board shall specify in writing its reasons for any such disapproval. If the Board fails to disapprove the site plan within the 45 days prescribed above, the site plan shall be deemed approved. The 45 days during which the Planning Board must take action may only be extended by mutual consent of the applicant and the Planning Board. K. Upon approval, I reproducible set of mylars and 2 paper prints 24 x36 ") of the ( " site plan shall be provided by the applicant. In addition, if the site plan has been computer generated, the applicant shall provide the city with a disc copy of such plans. Each plan shall bear an original seal and signature of the professionals responsible for the preparation of the site plan. Amended 6/ / 15/ ( 93, 7 6/ 04) 1) Each plan shall include the following form: Approved under authority of a resolution adopted by the Saratoga Springs Planning Board. Date Chairperson: 2) The Chairperson shall sign the site plan and it shall be filed in the office of the Planning Board. 3) The official signature of the Board must be placed on the site plan no later than 12 months from the date of the Board's authorizing resolution or motion. The approval shall expire if the official signature is not placed on the site plan within 12 months. 4) If final approval is granted with conditions, the Planning Board shall empower the Chairperson of the Planning Board to sign the site plan upon compliance with such conditions and requirements as may be stated in its resolution of conditional approval. 5) Before the site plan is signed by the Chairperson of the Planning Board, it must be accompanied by a performance guarantee as set forth in Section 5. . The site plan shall provide that in the event that the applicant 8 defaults, the City shall possess a license and be entitled to enter upon the applicant's property and complete construction in accordance with the site plan approval. 6) Before the Chairperson of the Planning Board signs the site plan, it must ARTICLE V - PAGE 9 �CITY OF SARATOGA SPRINGS ARTICLE V - ITE PLAN REVIEWAPPROVAL S / meet all construction standards adopted by the office of City Engineer and or as set forth in Chapter 240. / L. Applicant should have a technically complete application prior to the expiration of the original application or first extension. M. Failure to file the site plan mylar prior to its expiration may render the approval void. 240 5. EFFECT OF BOARD ACTION -5 A. B. The building inspector shall refuse any building permit application where site plan approval is required but disapproved by the Planning Board. A certificate of occupancy shall not be issued by the building inspector until inspection procedures as set forth in Section 5. have been met. 8 240 5. EXPIRATIONS & EXTENSIONS - 6 amended 4/5/6/5/4/ / 19/8/ / 97, 1 06, 1 04, 5 6/ 07) 07, 7 Unless otherwise specified or extended by the Planning Board, site plan approvals shall expire after 18 months of the approval filing date if the applicant A. has not started actual construction. Actual construction is defined as the fastening or placing of construction materials in a permanent manner, the excavation of a basement or the demolition or removal of any existing structure. If a building permit for the site is obtained within the 18 month period, the site plan approval shall be valid for 2 additional years from the date of the permit issuance. Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, for all applications for Senior Housing which received site plan approval prior to September 19, 2006 such site plan approval is hereby extended for an additional 18 month period, commencing from the effective date hereof. B. The Planning Board may grant up to two 18 month extensions for an approved site plan provided that the application was properly submitted prior to the expiration date of either the original site plan or the first extension. Such submitted applications must be technically complete. Effective May 1, 2006 any site plan that has expired, and that has not been extended by actions of the Board prior to May 1, 2006, shall not be eligible for further extensions under this section. However, an applicant may file a new application for the original approval. It is the applicant's responsibility to prove that there have been no significant changes to the site or neighborhood, and that the circumstances and findings of fact by which the original site plan was granted have not significantly changed. ARTICLE V - PAGE 10 ��������July 17, 1986 ef) POINT OF INFORMATION This will be the last Meeting of the Saratoga Springs Urban Renewal Agency. Enclosed please find a Resolution authorizing the issuance of a Certificate of Completion for Carroll Auto Sales. R. F. Mullaney will give a report on the status of British American LTD. I will give a complete status report on the Agency. 00011 40 I �RESOLUTION OF THE SARATOGA SPRINGS URBAN RENEWAL AGENCY AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE OF A CERTIFICATE OF COMPLETION OF IMPROVEMENTS FOR DISPOSITION PARCELS 4, 5 AND 6 IN THE SPRING VALLEY NORTH URBAN RENEWAL PROJECT WHEREAS, Agreement on 1984, a Land Disposition July 2 hereinafter referred to as the " Disposition Agreement ") was entered into between the Saratoga Springs Urban Renewal Agency ") and Carroll Auto Sales hereinafter referred to as the " Agency hereinafter referred to as the " Redeveloper Agency to the Redeveloper of Disposition Parcels 4, 5 and 6 collectively after Valley ") for the sale by the referred to as the " Property North Urban Renewal Project, herein- ") in the Spring NY R 254 for the total negotiated - purchase price of Twenty Eight Thousand Two Hundred and 00/ 00 1 00) 28, 00. Dollars, which Disposition Agreement was recorded on 2 New 1984 in the Office of the Clerk of Saratoga County, 5 July York, in Book 1058 of Deeds at Page 267 ; and WHEREAS, pursuant to the terms of the Disposition Agreement, dated the 1058 the Agency conveyed the Property to the Redeveloper by Deed July 1984, and recorded 2 Office of of Deeds the at Clerk of Saratoga Page 345 on County, July New 5 1984 in York, in Book and WHEREAS, Section 4 of Part I of the Disposition Agree- ment and Section 305 of Part II thereof provide that the Redeve- loper would commence and complete the redevelopment of the Property by constructing Improvements thereon; and �WHEREAS, Section 307( a)of Part II of the Disposition Agreement provides that promptly after completion of the Improve- ments in accordance with those provisions of the Disposition Agreement relating solely to the obligations of the Redeveloper to construct the Improvements including the dates for beginning and completion thereof),the Agency will furnish the Redeveloper with an appropriate instrument so certifying; and WHEREAS, the Agency has caused the Improvements con- structed by the Redeveloper on the Property to be inspected by the City Building Inspector in order to ascertain whether they were completed in conformity with the approved Construction Plans, the Urban Renewal Plan for the Project and the Disposition Agreement; and WHEREAS, the report of the City Building Inspector which has been submitted to the Agency states that the Improvements constructed by the Redeveloper on the Property were completed in con- formity with the for Project the approved and the Construction Plans, the Urban Renewal Disposition Agreement; WHEREAS, Section 3( ) of Part I of d ment provides that the Plan and the Disposition Agree- Redeveloper's Deposit as specified in the Disposition Agreement) shall be returned to the Redeveloper within thirty 30) days after the issuance by the Agency to the Redeve- loper of a certificate of completion evidencing completion of the Improvements on the Property; and 2- �WHEREAS, Section 3( ) of Part I of the Disposition b Agreement provides that any interest payable on the Deposit shall be paid to the Redeveloper; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the Saratoga Springs Urban Renewal Agency: That the Redeveloper has fulfilled all of its 1. agreements and covenants in the Disposition Agreement dated July 1984 and in the aforesaid Deed dated July 2, 2 1984 with respect to its obligations to construct the Improvements on the Property and the dates for the beginning and completion thereof. 2. with the That the Improvements were completed in conformity approved Construction Plans, the Urban Renewal Plan for the Project and the Disposition Agreement. 3. That the Chairman and the Secretary of the Agency are hereby authorized and directed to execute and deliver to the Redeveloper a Certificate of Completion of Improvements for the Property pursuant to Section 4. That the Executive Director of the Agency is hereby authorized and 30) 307( )of Part II of the Disposition Agreement. a directed to refund to the Redeveloper, within thirty days after the execution and delivery to the Redeveloper of the Certificate of Completion of Improvements, the amount deposited by the Redeveloper to insure the faithful performance of its obligations under the Disposition Agreement, together with any interest payable thereon. 3- �PLANNING BOARD City of Saralo! a Springs, N. Y. Edward Levine Chairman Remigia Foy Gordon Boyd Thomas Ilealy John Hay,City Engineer Randy Martin C. R. Murrdy Vaughn Woodworth Consultant Febtuany 28, 1975 Ma yon Raymond Watkin City Halt Y i Saratoga Spn-ngz, N. . SUBJECT: 12866 The Houw.ing and Community Deveeopment Act 06 1974 Dean Mayon wathi.n: On Febkwv y 24, 1975, The Saratoga Spn, . ngz Planning Board heed a Speeiae Meeting i bon the putpoz e 06 reviewing the Community Deve eopmen t Act and eistabtizhing ptt i. ti.4 ofl e bon the City 06 Saratoga Sptuing. were In addition to the Planning Boated membeu , Commizz. onen2 Connolly and Mc Tygue i w ptezent and part - cipated in the di6c. m ons. It 4is the unan mouz opinion 06 thiz BCand that the 6ottowLng ptimit. a ate L nandatony at thin time: Ateev,ation 06 the dna. nage pu beem in the " i c V, UJage Brook" area, Atom the B' coadway entrance o6 Congtes4 Panl2 to; and including the ouu6aee. 1. 2. City wide ate. v- . on o6 z- dna% e 6 cowing into zanitany o ewer £ ne4 . e atc. totm nag 4 3. bshmen. Eztab. t o6 e- a cornpnehenzive path4 and ne. eneationaL anea4 ptognam. 4. Eztablizhment o6 a pnognam bon how ing nehabieitati. on. 5. Updating, in depth, the Ci ty' Compnehenzive Maz- et Development Pan. 4 t With Utban Renetvae being phased out, the Sptti. g VaPJey project hou. d be caAt ed on n , e on cornp. eti. with 6unding .through the new Community Development Pnognam. 46 4tated in e Item 1 06 page 4 06 .the. Schedule 06 Ptocedwtes Gott Review and A 6ifs" tanee ", az ptepahed t by the Capital Diz. ict Regional Planning Commisis,ion, dated January 29, 1975, " he T to Community Development bock grant ptognam ttepeaceo the 60tiowing ptogtamz conso. idated.. e by the Act: Hou4.ing 1. Act Utbat Renewa.e and nei. gltbothood development pAogAamz undet TLtee 106 the 06 1949; �PLANNIIP,: G BOARD City of Sarato r Springs, N. Y. + 1. 23GG Edward Levine Chairman Remigia Foy Gordon Boyd Thomas Ilealy Randy Martin C. R. Murray Vaughn Woodworth 2. John Ilay,City Engineer Consultant h--- The P-Canning Board s tlongty ne(ommends that the engineen,i- entvte _ ng jon the V- . U Lage Bnooh" d7a-nape system be .mpteme. ted i n teey. irnme. Ua, The ( c 6orc .thiA pha6e showed come. Prom the 6.us, yec) ' t s comrni- nt o{ the. Commun.i. apmen t Pundd. 0 t ttmc. j ty Vevef'_ P/ tiotity numbe'r t santitcvty iseweh. y6.em, County Sewell. Sy6,em. t Pn ian i aitea4 3, at t eviat ion o% b- dita, the un nage-ng into the to' i 6tow. L 425 mandaton and must be comp. e.bef one eomp. e t- o6 the ted t - Lon ty nunrbeA 4, pnogn. m cowed be, a e3 tabt i/- 06 5hmen.t accomp. ished t at a rni. i a compne.Ire mum 06 i ve panhzs and keelr. nat tA. a, o e cost to the City. Tibbs d hou, . e be incon. on.ted in the updating o6 the Cornpnehens-ve Mcvs ten Ptan. a p e . tab. oltrnen. t; pnognam bon housing iLehab,iitation i. o6 a i ce housing and the inveu ony of the many o. s- tuh. 6 in Saratoga tden uc e th. onity. Pn; i nwnbelt 5, the need { which are Spu nga, based on t e ty bas.cat. ound and centtaPey . oca. d. i PAiwzLty nurnbeh 6, upda. ting 06 -the. Comprehensive Development t Plan and zhou, d t be the bas Ls bon. wet pug/ ams son the continuing .mprovement o6 -the Commu L i The PZanru.ng Boattd n.ly nequestz a meeting ass / soon az po.& w,%t-he t6u.spee, C e ee, th ib. ew i. in detaie, the neasoning and motive-s Marc ng ez. tabU- h ing the stated pntion- ti. . ' es i.- ty C. . CouncL. bon. tile purpose L - o Vehy .tarty youtt -, Cdwand Levine CI iautman EL: a d �GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE It will be the policy of the Saratoga Springs Urban Renewal Agency to inform all displacees during the initial relocation conference of their right to appeal the decision of the Relocation Officer, under the Uniform Relocation Act of 1970. When the situation arises, the following procedure will take effect: 1. The claimant will notify the Urban Renewal Agency through the Executive Director, in writing, that he has a grievance and that he would like to have an informal discussion with the Director in an effort to resolve the difference. 2. The conference will be held at a time and place designated by the Director. 3. Said conference must be held within ten working days after the written request is received by the Executive Director. 4. If, after the informal conference with the Director, the claimant still is in disagreement with the decision or ow findings, he may then ask for a formal hearing. In the event a formal hearing is requested by the claimant the following procedures will prevail: 1. Claimant will notify Agency of his request for a formal hearing in writing and send such request to the Executive Director. 2. Said hearing must be held within 15 working days after receipt of the written request, at a time and place designated by the Director. 3. The Grievance Board shall consist of a. The Chairman or Vice-hairman of the Urban Renewal C Agency. b. 4. At least two other members of the Agency. Neither the Director, Deputy Director nor the Agency Counsel may sit on the Grievance Board. 5. The claimant may be represented by Counsel, as well as presenting witnesses on his behalf. ow 6. After hearing all the evidence presented by the claimant, the Director or his representative shall present their case to the review board. �000.- 2- 7. The hearing shall be held behind closed doors and only those acceptable to both the Agency and the claimant will be given access. 8. All documentation submitted by the claimant to substantiate his claim will be inserted in his file at the Urban Renewal Office. 9. After hearing all the evidence, the grievance board shall dismiss the claimant, the Director and their representatives and review the said evidence presented. 10. It shall be up to the Grievance Board to decide if it wants to rule on the grievance at the time or to wait and render a decision within five working days after the hearing. 11. The Grievance Board will, in any case, give to the claimant a written copy of it' decision and also send to the Urban s Renewal Director a written copy to be put into the Claimant's file. 000. 12. All information furnished by the claimant shall be held in the strictest confidence. The testimony presented by the claimant and the Agency shall be at the claimant's disposal should he decide to appeal his case to a higher source. 13. The Agency shall, 14. If the findings at the formal hearing are not acceptable to the claimant then he may appeal his case to such a higher source as may be available to him. 15. The higher source in all cases being the New York Area Office of the Department of Housing and Urban Development. if requested by said claimant in writing, furnish the claimant with a copy of the Uniform Relocation Law. �RESOLUTIfl APPCTVING AND VZON( 114G FOR 1 RAT TME EXECUTMs CF A Matti AmENOATORY 1 CONTCT Y BY 041 CenTRACT„ A BETWEEN 0 4 A EJA. H7 t' A AcptiCY IT OE CLV SY The SARAToaA SPRINGS URSA'S RENEWAL CENCI', AS FOLL043: N SU: I, 1. T HEREIN Co. THE PENDING PROPOSED THE " AMENDATORY CALL kAIENDATOnY FOURTH C: ONTRACT TO AMEND TWAT CERTAIN LOAN AND CirNANT CONTRACT_ 0, 127( Y, V• R* H. DATED 144E 44111.' 10T00 DAY SpRimg, URSAN 5ENEWAL AN3 la 4tRcor IN ON ANO armAtr TO or DIRECTED Tmg 2, EXECUTE T4? TO HEREIN CALLE) TNE *GRANTEE") HMERICA Au. RESPECTS SECTk4 DIRECTED AGENCY STAtc5 or UNITED THE 1966, BY ANO autilitch 4ARA;(, 41k 4ARCH OF HEREIN CALLED THE 4ilovvitomcNT ° ). ", APPROVED., CHAIRMAN THE HERESY AUTHORIZEO,, AND HMENOATORY ' k.. IN OmYRACT NANTIrr IMPRESS OS APO THE . 4ECRETARV AND * MIST THE TWO is OFITICIAL COJAITERPARTS mtagay stAL or AiirmoRmto THE GRANTEE ON EACH ' NCR COuNTERPART ANO TO FOR* RD SuCH COLIWJEROARTS A TO THE DEPARTmENT Of HOUSING AND URSAN tArticLoAmixi roR EXECUTION oh atmnr RcLATivt MAY er or re THE ' 110VERNmENT, T$ REUSED SECTiCN APPROVPL. AND AY 3. THE THIS rOSETHEA wIT0 SUCH ormtA txtekotom Of SUCH ocicwArhTO COUNTERPARTS AS OVEIIINNENT. RESO‘ TION SHALL U TAKE crrEcT im, AoJATELY. �HUD 3155c - 11- 0) 7 SECTION 1. The proposed Contract, designated " oan and Capital Grant Contract; L Contract No. _ -R- LO' consisting of Parts I and II,and providing for the making by the N Y 5 Government of a Project Temporary Loan, a Project Definitive Loan, and a Project Capital Grant under Title I of the.Housing Act of 1949, as amended, in connection with the project described y therein and designated Project No.Y . R 2 5,s hereby in all respects approved. 4 SECTION 2. is hereby on The SJRATOCA, SPR i ' ; authorized and directed to execute said behalf of the Local Public Agency, and the 3 URBN RENENIAL AGENCY'S CHAIRMAN proposed Contract in. Two - counterparts SECRETARY is hereby authorized and directed to impress and attest the official seal of the Local Public Agency on each such counterpart and to forward such counterparts to the Department of Housing and Urban Development, together with such other documents relative to the approval and execution thereof as may be required by the Government. S E C, TAR Y R SECTION 3. With respect to said Project, the is hereby authorized to establish separate and special accounts on its books of account designated 2 P Project Expenditures Account; Project No. NAY 4R- 5 ",and " roject Temporary Loan Repay 1Y • R = N ment Fund; Project No. The moneys which, by the terms of the Loan and Capital 54 ." Grant Contract, are required to be recorded in said accounts shall be promptly deposited and maintained in a bank or banks which are members of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation: Provided, That the Local Public Agency may establish and maintain a consolidated bank account or accounts into which shall be deposited the moneys debited to the Project Expenditures Account for any or all urban renewal projects now being carried out or to be carried out by the Local Public Agency under Contracts for Loan and Capital Grant with the Government and a consolidated bank account or accounts into which shall be deposited the moneys debited to the Project Temporary Loan Repayment Fund for any or all urban renewal projects now being carried out or to be carried out by the Local Public Agency under Contracts for Loan and Capital Grant with the Government; SECTION 4. The SECRETARY is hereby authorized to file with the Government requisitions together with necessary supporting documents, in accordance with the Loan and Capital Grant Contract, requesting payments to be made on account of the Project Temporary Loan, Project Definitive Loan and Project Capital Grant provided for in the Loan and Capital Grant Contract, and to perform all other acts required to be performed in order to obtain such payments. SECTION 5. 255196 P - This Resolution shall take effect immediately. HUDWash., D. C. J4 �HUO310110 11- 0) 7 RESOLUTION APPROVING AND PROVIDING FOR EXECUTION OF PROPOSED LOAN AND CAPITAL GRANT CONTRACT, NUMBERED 254LL ) BETWEEN SARATOOA — . CONTRACT NO.N. _. I Y SPRIXGS URBAN RENEWAL AGENCY THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, TO RENEWAL PROJECT NO. AND ID IN FINANCING URBAN R_ N. 5. 2 Y t' AND ESTABLISHING A PROJECT EXPENDITURES ACCOUNT AND A PROJECT TEMPORARY LOAN REPAYMENT FUND WITH RESPECT TO SAID PROJECT, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES WHEREAS, under Title 1 of the Housing Act of 1949, as amended, the United States of America ( Government ") has tendered to " SARATOGA SPRINGS Local Public AorNCv URBAN RENEWAL 1 Agency ") a proposed Loan and Capital Grant Contract, pursuant to which the Government would extend certain Federal Financial assistance to the Local Public Agency in connection with the urban renewal project described therein; and WHEREAS, under said proposed Contract the Local Public Agency is required, among other things, to establish, with respect to said Project, separate and special accounts on its books Project No.. 254 of account which shall be designated Project Expenditures Accou t; " and " roject P Temporary Loan Repayment Fund; Project No. 258 4 and to deposit and maintain the moneys recorded in said account in a bank or banks which are members of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation: Provided, That, the Local Public Agency may establish and maintain a consolidated bank account or accounts into which shall be deposited the moneys debited to the Project Expenditures Account for any or all urban renewal projects now being carried out or to be carried out by the Local Public Agency under Contracts for Loan and Capital Grant with the Government and a consolidated bank account or accounts into which shall be deposited the moneys debited to the Project Temporary Loan Repayment Fund for any or a all urban renewal projects now being carried out or to be carried out by the Local Public Agency under Contracts for Loan and Capital Grant with the Government; WHEREAS. the Local Public Agency has given due consideration to said proposed Contract; and WHEREAS, the Local Public Agency is duly authorized, under and pursuant to the Constitution and laws of THE STATE Of NEW YORK y to undertake and carry out said Project and to execute said proposed Contract: BE IT RESOLVED BY SARATOGA SPR1 NGS URBAN RENEWAL AGENCY AS FOLLOWS: PREVIOUS EDITION IS OBSOLETE V: �Y7L 577,; PLANNING BOARS x. City of Saratoga Springs, N.Y. 12866 Donald Connolly Edward Levine Chairman Kenneth E.King Wm. Van Bunschoten Thomas Healy Randy Martin John Hay, ity Engineer C Consultant Vaughn Woodworth Minutes of PURPOSE: Special Meeting To discuss April 25, the Parks & 1972 Recreation Program for Saratoga Springs. PRESENT: Edward Levine - Chairman Randy Martin Thomas McTygue William Van Bunschoten Vaughn Woodworth John City Engineer Mr. James Van Dervort; District Director, Hay - Office of Planning Services, State of New York Mr. Levine opened the informal meeting and introduced Van Dervort. Mr. Levine explained that the Planning Board, Mr. James in its efforts to plan and initiate programs to benefit and improve the Community, was attempting to follow the Comprehensive Master Plan as adopted by the City. The first item adopted was the Capital Improvements Program, including a Capital Projects List. The next item was the updating of the Sub - division Rules and Regulations and the updating of the City Zoning Map. Mr. Levine explained that the next item under discussion was a Parks and Recreation Program and what steps should be taken to develop the Program with the assistance of Federal and State aid. �2- April 25, Special Meeting of Minutes 1972 Mr. Van Dervort explained that there were funds that could be available from Federal and State to match City funding. The made share would be Federal 6 City 1/ . At 2/ 3 the of cost; the State 1/ and the 6 the present time, funding is extremely tight; with the greater part of the funds going to the larger cities. Mr. Van Dervort stated that there were funds available under Community Development Service Program 701 Program). Under this the Program, grants to local governments for the preparation of a detail Program Plan would be six thousand dollars 6, 00) 000. maximum. Application would have to be made in time for approval before July 1, 1972. There is at present a program of 41 million dollars 000. 41, 00, in Congress. However it is expected that most of 0 0 0) this money would be going to the larger cities. There is a possibility some funds would be available after July. Mr. Van Dervort suggested that if the City were to make application it would be advisable to have a Planning Consultant. Planning Consultants could be existing employees of local government with qualified staff or private Consultants or a combination of both. If private Consultant a with the Federal and State the Consultant. agencies If a City Planning Agency is performing part of or all of the work, the agencies contract with the City Staff. State funds are used to pay the necessary bills until the scope of work is accomplished. The State than invoices contract the Federal Agency for two thirds of the cost and the City for one sixth for the of the Mr. Van cost. Dervort Planning explained Consultants there proposed Consultant would be required identification of and that if the City has are who could be to no precise qualifications retained. submit his However resume, the credentials resources. the staff Mr. Van Dervort further stated, including a qualified planner, the City could perform the work and thereby decrease the City's share of the cost. The City would be the one to apply for Federal and State aid. Planner or When the Planning Board decides on the Consultant private, a representative of the Office of Planning Services would advise and work with the Planning Board and Consultant to ensure satisfactory performance. Mr. Van Dervort stated that once work proceeds the Planning Board is involved all through the Program. �3- Minutes of April 25, Special Meeting 1972 , Program is decided on, the Planning Board is required to 7 file FORM A95, letter of intent. This states that the " 01" Program This form is distrifunds is for a Parks and Recreation Program. When a buted with local government and anyone can make their feeling known. Mr. Van Dervort indicated he would be happy to meet with the City Council if the Council so desired. The Planning Board unanimously agreed to prepare resolution with recommendations to present to the City Council. A discussion followed regarding the inclusion of having the School system cooperate in developing this program. next The at 8:0 0 On Planning Board meeting will be held on May 4, 1972, P. . M a motion duly made and seconded the meeting was adjourned. �Iaa., I REGULAR MEETING OF THE SARATOGA SPRINGS URBAN RENEWAL AGENCY HELD TUESDAY DECEMBER 21, 1971 CHAIRMAN THE PRESENT AND CALLED ABSENT WERE MEETING THE AS TO AT ORDER 7:0 5 IN CITY HALL ON AT 7:5 P. . 4 M P. . M THOSE FOLLOWS: JAMES E. BENTON, CHAIRMAN JOHN J. CARUSONE, VICE - CHAIRMAN PRESENT: MAYOR SARTO J. SMALDONE DR. LEO W. ROOHAN ROD 0. SUTTON RICHARD F. MULLANEY, COUNSEL DONALD L. VEITCH, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR PRESENT: ALSO EARL F. HETTRICH, RELOCATION OFFICER THE ON MOTION AND MINUTES THE OF PREVIOUS THE CHAIRMAN ORDERED MEETING WERE ACCEPTED AND APPROVED THE MOTION WAS SECONDED BY MR. SUTTON MR. CARUSONE. OF THEM PLACED ON FILE. THE LIST OF DISBURSEMENTS FOR THE PERIOD NOVEMBER 12TH THRU 10TH DECEMBER WERE eow AND ACCEPTED THEY WERE WAS AS WAS FOR THE AND THE WORK BILL WAS AND READ PLACED MR. VEITCH ON READ. MOTION THE OF MOTION MR. SUTTON SECONDED WAS THE BY DISBURSEMENTS MR. CARUSONE, ON FILE. EXPLAINED SEVERAL PERFORMED LANG BY OF THE ITEMS; THE BROTHERS IN DEMOLITION JANUARY OF 1971 JUST SUBMITTED. MR. HETTRICH READ THE PROPERTY MANAGEMENT AND RELOCATION REPORT AS FOLLOWS: PROPERTY MANAGEMENT: RECEIVER OF IN TAXES - 1,9 3 LIEU DRAKE 29 - BUS 29 BOYCE & n TERMINAL - FAUCET HOT WATER HEATER SNOW PLOWING ORTON GRATTON'S PAINT & HARDWARE - FENCING LEROY ECHOLS 64 NIAGARA MOHAWK - 1,9 3 4.2 0 ADVELOREM $ 12. 5 6 138. 2 5 125. 7 8 50. 0 0 THOMAS REAR AL' S BARBER SHOP 7. 5 66 1, 647. RELOCATION: LOSS CARL MANGANO JOHN G. FREEMAN EDWARD RICE PROPERTY & SMALL ARP 35. 7 1 ARP 40. 8, 3 OF BUSINESS DISPL. 00 5, 544. 75. 5 5 5, RENTS COLLECTED SINCE LAST MEETING $ 615. 0 0 �2- MR. HETTRICH THE OF EXPLANATION AN GAVE AMOUNT PAID MR. MANGANO. MR. VEITCH DREW ATTENTION TO THE $1, 74 THAT WAS PAID 396. LIEU IT WOULD TO TAXES OF IN MR. VEITCH EXPLAINED NECESSARY BE CLEANING, AS THE FOLLOWING No. 256 - THAT DUE INCREASE TO JANUARY OF MR. CARUSONE OF THE CITY. TO THE OUR ENLARGED AMOUNT FACILITIES PAID FOR OFFICE FOR THE ADOPTION 1, 1972. READ, INTRODUCED AND MOVED RESOLUTION: DUE RESOLVED: JANUARY TO EXPANDED OFFICE SPACE AS OF 1, 1972 THE SARATOGA SPRINGS URBAN RENEWAL AGENCY WILL PAY $25. 0 PER MONTH TO 0 & Co J. CLEANERS FOR OFFICE CLEANING, AS PER CONTRACT. THE WAS MOTION WAS: ALL SECONDED AYES, NO MR. VEITCH DR. ROOHAN BY AND CALL ROLL UPON THE VOTE NAYS. READ A LETTER FROM THE TARANTINO REALTY CORP. REGARDING DISPOSITION PARCEL 6, APPROVING THE DOCUMENTS AND THEIR TO PAY $ 60, 00. FOR DISPOSITION PARCEL 6. THERE WAS A 0 WILLINGNESS DISCUSSION. MR. SUTTON THE FOLLOWING READ, INTRODUCED AND MOVED FOR THE ADOPTION OF RESOLUTION: No. 257 • RESOLUTION OF THE SARATOGA SPRINGS URBAN RENEWAL METHOD OF DISPOSITION AND RULES FOR THE SELECTION OF A SPONSOR FOR DISPOSITION PARCEL 6 - TARANTINO REALTY CORPORATION AGENCY RE: RESOLUTION ATTACHED) THE MOTION WAS SECONDED BY DR. ROOHAN AND AYES, NO NAYS. UPON ROLL CALL THE VOTE WAS: ALL MR. VEITCH SAID THERE 1S TO BE A MEETING OF THE PLANNING BOARD ON JANUARY 13TH AND THE STATE BANK PEOPLE HOPE TO APPEAR AT THAT OF THE TIME FOR APPROVAL MR. CARUSONE FOLLOWING No. 258 • THEIR OF PLANS. READ, INTRODUCED AND THERE WAS MOVED FOR A THE DISCUSSION. ADOPTION RESOLUTION: RESOLUTION OF THE SARATOGA SPRINGS AGENCY APPROVING THE NOTICE OF URBAN RENEWAL PUBLIC DISCLOSURE, AUTHORIZING ITS PUBLICATION, AND DESIGNATING STATE BANK OF ALBANY AS QUALIFIED AND ELIGIBLE TO PURCHASE TION PARCEL 1B AND DEVELOP DISPOSI- RESOLUTION ATTACHED) THE MOTION WAS SECONDED BY DR. ROOHAN — MR. BENTON ABSTAINED �I 117 3ON ROLL NO THE VICE - CHAIRMAN, THE VOTE ALL WAS: AYES, NAYS. OF THE CALL BY MR. CARUSONE READ, INTRODUCED FOLLOWING RESOLUTION: THAT RESOLVED: No. 259 - SPRINGS AS READ THE BY - AWS L OF FOR THE THE ADOPTION SARATOGA FOLLOWS: THE SPRINGS MOVED URBAN RENEWAL AGENCY BE AMENDED TO AMENDMENT THAT AND No. 2 EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE SARATOGA URBAN RENEWAL AGENCY IS HEREBY AUTHORIZED AND EMPOWERED TO EXECUTE AND FILE REQUISITIONS FOR FUNDS WITH ALL GOVERNMENTAL AGENCIES. THE VOTE WAS MOTION ALL WAS: BY SECONDED MR. SUTTON AND UPON ROLL CALL THE AYES, NO NAYS. THE CHAIRMAN REQUESTED EXECUTIVE SESSION AT 8:5 P. . 1 M THE MEETING THERE BEING RECONVENED NO FURTHER AT 8:0 2 BUSINESS P. . M TO ALL COME PRESENT BEFORE THE MEETING, IT WAS DULY ADJOURNED UNTIL THE NEXT REGULAR MEETING ON MONDAY JANUARY 24TH AT 7:5 P. . 4 M SECRETARY �TZ5 RESOLUTION OF THE SARATOGA SPRINGS URBAN RENEWAL AGENCY RE: METHOD OF DISPOSITION AND RULES FOR THE SELECTION OF A SPONSOR FOR DISPOSITION PARCEL 6 - TARANTINO REALTY CORPORATION WHEREAS, the Saratoga Springs Urban Renewal Agency hereinafter referred to as the " Agency ") has received a pro- posal from Tarantino Realty Corporation for the purchase and development of Disposition Parcel 6 in Urban Renewal Project No. 1, NY R 127 for commercial use; and WHEREAS, Tarantino Realty Corporation owned property in the Project Area, which property has been acquired by the Agency; and WHEREAS, the Agency desires to dispose of Disposition Parcel 6 to Tarantino Realty Corporation on a negotiated basis; and WHEREAS, Tarantino Realty Corporation has submitted a Redeveloper's Statement for Public Disclosure and Redeveloper's Statement of Qualifications and Financial Responsibility Form HUD - 6004);and WHEREAS, a Land Disposition Agreement and Deed of Con- veyance for the sale and conveyance of Disposition Parcel 6 have been prepared and have been approved by Tarantino Realty Corporation; and �4) 0 WHEREAS, 40/o) 7/ the disposition price of 60, 00. for Dis00 $ 0 position Parcel 6, based on independent re use appraisals, has been recommended and is not less than the minimum disposition price approved by the Department of Housing and Urban Development; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the Saratoga Springs Urban Renewal Agency: 1. That the proposed Land Disposition Agreement and Deed of Conveyance for the sale and conveyance of Disposition Parcel 6 to Tarantino Realty Corporation are hereby approved and found satisfactory. 2. That the use of a negotiated method of disposition for the sale of Disposition Parcel 6 to Tarantino Realty Corporation is determined to be the most appropriate method of disposition, and such method of disposition is hereby approved. 3. That the Redeveloper's Statement for Public Disclo- sure and Redeveloper's Statement of Qualifications and Financial F Responsibility ( orm HUD 6004) - submitted by the Tarantino Realty Corporation is hereby found satisfactory. 4. That based upon an examination of the aforesaid Redeveloper's Statement for Public Disclosure and Redeveloper's Statement of Qualifications and Financial Responsibility ( Form 2- �4 4i a/ ) 1 0 HUD - 6004),it is hereby determined that Tarantino Realty Corporation possesses the necessary qualifications and financial resources and is hereby found to be qualified and financially responsible to purchase and develop Disposition Parcel 6 in accordance with the Urban Renewal Plan for the Project. 5. That the disposition price of 60, 00. for Dispo00 $ 0 sition Parcel 6 is found to be satisfactory and not less than the fair value of the land for uses in accordance with the Urban Renewal Plan for the Project. 6. That the Executive Director of the Agency is hereby authorized and directed to forward certified copies of this resolution to the Department of Housing and Urban Development and to the New York State Division of Housing and their review and concurrence. 3- Community Renewal, for �44 RESOLUTION OF THE SARATOGA SPRINGS URBAN RENEWAL AGENCY APPROVING THE NOTICE OF PUBLIC DISCLOSURE, AUTHORIZING ITS PUBLICATION, AND DESIGNATING STATE BANK OF ALBANY AS QUALIFIED AND ELIGIBLE TO PURCHASE AND DEVELOP DISPOSI- TION PARCEL 1B WHEREAS, State Bank of Albany has submitted to the Saratoga Springs Urban Renewal Agency (hereinafter referred to as the " Agency ") a Redeveloper's Statement for Public Disclo- sure and Redeveloper's Statement of Qualifications and Financial Responsibility ( orm HUD - 6004),which the Agency has caused to F have reviewed, and by resolution adopted. May 24, 1971, has found same satisfactory; and WHEREAS, the Agency has found, by the aforesaid re- solution, that State Bank of Albany is qualified and financially responsible to purchase and develop Disposition Parcel 1B (hereinafter referred to as the " Property ") in Urban Renewal Project No. 1, NY R 127; and WHEREAS, in accordance with current Federal require- ments, the Redeveloper's Statement for Public Disclosure has been submitted to the Department of Housing and Urban Development for review and concurrence, and said concurrence has been obtained; and �0 has 7/ et- WHEREAS, the Agency contemplates the execution of a Land Disposition Agreement with State Bank of Albany for the sale by the Agency, and the purchase by State Bank of Albany of the Property for the negotiated purchase price of 40, 00. and 00; $ 0 WHEREAS, the Agency is selling the Property to State Bank of Albany by negotiation in accordance with Section 507( d) 2)( of the General Municipal Law of the State of New York, as amended, which method of disposition has been approved by the Department of Housing and Urban Development and by the State Division of Housing and Community Renewal; and WHEREAS, as amended, provides contract Section 105( )of the Housing Act of 1949, e that no understanding with respect to, or for, the disposition of land within an urban renewal area shall be entered into by a local public agency unless the local public agency shall have first made public in such form and manner as may be prescribed by the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, the name of the redeveloper, together with the names of its officers and principal members, shareholders and investors, and other interested parties; and WHEREAS, a Notice of Public Disclosure has been prepared; 2- �a5 00. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the Saratoga Springs Urban Renewal Agency: 1. That, in accordance with the provisions of Section d) 507( 2)( of the General Municipal Law of the State of New York, as amended, State Bank of Albany is hereby designated as a qualified and eligible redeveloper to purchase and develop the Property, in accordance with the established rules and procedures prescribed by the Agency. 2. That the Notice of Public Disclosure is hereby found satisfactory. 3. That the Secretary of the Agency is hereby authorized and directed to publish the Notice of Public Disclosure in a news- paper having general circulation within the City of Saratoga Springs, on a date at least ten ( 10) days prior to the execution of a Land Disposition Agreement with State Bank of Albany. 4. and directed to That the Secretary of the Agency is hereby authorized have, during the period of advertising, a copy of the Redeveloper's Statement for Public Disclosure and a copy of the proposed Land Disposition Agreement with State Bank of Albany available for examination by the public at the Office of the Agency, City Hall, Saratoga Springs, New York. 3- �1119 hi 14, 1971 JANUARY 1970 GENERAL REVIEW SARATOGA SPRINGS URBAN RENEWAL ACAENCY THE COMPLETION NEAR AWARDED THESE BROS.( LOW BIDDER) LANG IN THE YEAR IMPROVEMENT 00 612, 67. SITE 6 THE $ or THE OF ACCOMPLISHMENT SIGNIFICANT MOST NO. 1 PROJECT WAS THE CONTRACT AREA, IMPROVEMENTS PRIMARILY CONSISTED OF NEW STORM DRAINAGE INSTALLATIONS ALONG WEST CIRCULAR STREET, SEWER AND SANITARY NEW SOUTH FEDERAL CONGRESS STREET, STREET, HAMILTON STREET, BROADWAY, LONG ALLEY AND WOODLAWN AVENUE. THE 3, AND INSURANCE AGENCY PURCHASED DISPOSITION PARCEL TARANTINO ERECTED A NEW INSURANCE AND REAL ESTATE OFFICE ON THE SITE, FRONTING DIVISION STREET ONE BLOCK FROM BROADWAY. NEW CURBS TARANTINO AND WALKS INSURANCE WERE OFFICE INSTALLED AND ALSO FRONT IN WERE OF INSTALLED THE ALONG WOODLAWN AVENUE AND PART OF HAMILTON STREET FRONTING THE GASLIGHT SQUARE LONG ALLEY WAS COMPLETELY DEVELOPMENT. REPAVED. THE NEW MUNICIPAL PARKING LOT WAS COMPLETED 8Y THE CITY. THE AGENCY PAID A TOTAL OF 91 18, 53. IN SCHOOL, CITY, 5 COUNTY AND WATER TAXES. A TOTAL Of 31 BUILDINGS WERE DEMOLISHED AT A COST OF 25 ACQUISITION THE AGENCY THE ON EXPENSES PAID HIGH- ISE R DISR. PARCEL IN THE AMOUNT OF $40, 00. WERE EXPENDED. 0 IN RELOCATION OUT $ FOR SUILOJNG 410. THE THE ELDERLY METROPOLITAN LIFE IS EXPENSES. NEARING INSURANCE COMPLETION BUILDING 4111 " IN GASLIGHT SQUARE THE SPRING IS VALLEY ALSO URBAN NEARING RENEWAL COMPLETION. PROJECT'S PART 1 WAS �4- RAJ. b SARATOGA SPRINGS URBAN RENEWAL AGENCY DISBURSEMENTS FOR 1970 PROJECT EXPENDITURES ACCOUNT PROPERTY MANAGEMENT RELOCATION ACQUISITION - 88 27, o6. 4 66 19, 51. 9 ACQUISITION COSTS DISPOSITION SITE IMPROVEMENTS NEGOTIATIONS DEMOLITION LANG BROS - NEWMAN & DOLL) 40 ' 186.50 291. 6 4 85 429. 293, 157. 0 0 00 25, 65. 0 35 406, 88. 4 INCLUDED IN PROPERTY REAL ESTATE TAXES SCHOOL TAXES WATER TAX MANAGEMENT: 70 10, 20. 2 11 6, 913. 10 1, 420. 91 18, 53. 5 R 127 Y REVOLVING ACCOUNT N. . - & - R 254 N. . Y SALARIES HEALTH 31 26, 90. 4 94 1, 136. INSURANCE TRAVEL ACCOUNTANT LEGAL OFFICE SUPPLIES RENT OFFICE CLEANING N. Y. TELEPHONE CO. HARTWELL & SHACKELFORD( OND B 58 1, 241. 00 2, 200. 00 1, 800. 25 1, 017. 00 1, 500. 255. 0 0 62 1, 271. RENEWAL-W.OMP, C INJURY AUTO, ERS. INS.) P SOCIAL SECURITY PHOTOS, PRINTING, 551. 0 0 09 1, 148. ETC. 159. 8 5 37 38, 71. 8 SSURA - S. & P. R 254 N. . Y CANDEUB, FLEISSIG & ASSOC. PLANNERS) 00 67, 00. 5 JOHN HIGGINS 1ST RE USE APPRAISAL) 00 3, 000. LARRY SMITH & ASSOCIATES TRANSIENT HOUSING STUDY) 750. 0 0 LARRY SMITH & ASSOCIATES LAND USE & MARKETABILITY) 6, 00 500. DONALD BAILEY 1ST ACQUISITION APPRAISER) 00 22, 30. 8 RICHARD MULLANEY OWNERSHIP DATA) 00. 3, 500. 104, 080. 0 0 GRAND TOTAL: 72 549, 39. 0 ( �p 2- TO SUBMITTED GOVERNMENT THE COMPLETION ESTIMATED STAGE TO PROJECT NOW GRANT THE OF THE MEET WILL THE NOW SPRING VALLEY CONTINUING TO IP"" REJECTED FOR 000. 6, 000, GRANT SPRING TWO IN PROJECT HAD TO A AND WILL AND SPRING VALLEY SOLIDIFY SPRING VA' LEY NORTH FIGURE OR I G I NALL Y THE A OF REPLANNING THE FIGURE. SE CLASSIFIED RE• PLANKING SOUTH. NORTH RESULT IN GO $ 000. 6, 000, GRANT PHASES AT STAGE, THE 000. 13, 00, AS 0 VALLEY DONE PLANNING WAS $ GOVERNMENT'S BE THE OF EXCESSIVE ESTIMATED APPROXIMATELY $ PHASE FIRST 000.GRANT 6, 000, THE $ 8E TO GOVERNMENT FINDING THIS REGIONAL OFFICE, BUT WAS THE ORIGINAL SURVEY AND PLANNING APPLICATION COST. AS THE IN ORDER ESTIMATED. TO IS MEET �REGULAR MEETING OF THE SARATOGA SPRINGS URBAN RENEWAL AGENCY HELD IN CITY HALL SARATOGA SPRINGS, N. Y. ON MONDAY DECEMBER 21, 1970 AT 5:5 P. . 1 M THE CHAIRMAN CALLED PRESENT AND ABSENT WERE TO MEETING THE AS ORDER AT 1 5: 5 THOSE P. . M FOLLOWS: PRESENT: JAMES E. BENTON, CHAIRMAN JOHN J. CARUSONE, VICE - CHAIRMAN DR. LEO W. ROOHAN ROD O. SUTTON ABSENT: MAYOR SARTO J. SMALDONE ALSO THE APPROVED MINUTES ON OF MOTION BY DR. ROOHAN EARL F. HETTRICH, RELOCATION OFFICER RICHARD F. MULLANEY, COUNSEL DONALD L. VEITCH, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR PRESENT: AND THE OF PREVIOUS ROD MEETING WERE THE O. SUTTON. THE CHAIRMAN ORDERED ACCEPTED MOTION WAS AND SECONDED THEM PLACED ON FILE. THE LIST OF DISBURSEMENTS FOR THE PERIOD NOVEMBER 13TH THRU DECEMBER MOVED 11TH THAT SECONDED BY HIS PROPERTY THERE READ. BE JOHN MR. EARL READ WAS THEY ACCEPTED J. CARUSONE F. HETTRICH BEING AND NO APPROVED AND THE OBJECTIONS, DR. ROOHAN AS READ. THE MOTION WAS CHAIRMAN PLACED THEM ON RELOCATION AND PROPERTY MANAGEMENT OFFICER REPORT: MANAGEMENT: NIAGARA MOHAWK POWER CORP: • AVENUE 2 7 64 CONGRESS Sr. 2 - 0 TEMP 1 GEORGE MORRISON * 11 44. 5 9 91. 8 9 00DLAWN 76 ON SITE IN J. FUREY - MILLIMAN & HALL LIEU 27 - FUEL 5 14 - OIL LORMAN ARROW ROOFING CO. 6 1 FALLICK 50. 20. 11 WOODLAWN 27 60. Bus TERMINAL 2_ 9 2 10 DUNHAMS C. A. E A.EXTERMINATING - DUNHAMS SNOW REMOVAL CHARLES JAMES - BOYCE & 6 DRAKE • 136. 3 9 MOVE HATTIE SAUNDERS) 2 7 FURNITURE JOAN SNYDER • 4TH QUARTER RECEIVER OF TAXES ADVALOREM CHARLES FILE. 391. 0 0 40. 0 0 CITY TAX 781. 6 2 79 1, 838. 05 2, 620. 193. 3 5 13. 1 0 130. 0 0 21. 5 6 6.0 0 35. 0. 0 17 3, 587. �2- RELOCATION: MULLEN• AYFLOWER • M PINN 6 12) • MALCOLM PINN • DIRECT LOSS OF PROPERTY 6 12) • F. & E. MASTROPASQUA 3 55. 0 0 17. 9 6 HAMOAN HAZAIL 75. 0 0 41. 6 6 PRESTON JONES MARIE MILLER JOHN G. FREEMAN GEORGE SHERVINGTON Z. MARY EVANS 36. 5 2 35. 7 1 41. 6 6 41. 6 6 292. 0 1 422. 0 1 RENTS COLLECTED SINCE LAST MEETING $ 00 1, 440. MR. HETTRICH REPORTED THAT THE LORMAN FAMILY SHOULD BE THEY ARE PURCHASING THE HOUSE EFFORTS OF HIMSELF THRU THE AND MR. LOUNSBURY AND THE MR. MULLANEY WILL HANDLE THE CLOSING ETC. GLOVERSVILLE BANK. THE HOUSE IS LOCATED ON WALWORTH ST. EVERYTHING IS FORMALIZED. ALL PARTIES ARE GOING TO MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO HELP THE FAMILY. THE AGENCY MEMBERS AGREED IT WOULD BE A VERY GOOD THING FOR THE FAMILY. DR. ROOHAN SAID HE THOUGHT A GOOD DEAL OF CREDIT WAS HERE WAS A DISCUSSION. DUE MR. LOUNSBURY. JANUARY ABOUT MOVING 15TH. MR, VEITCH SAID HE RECEIVED A CALL FROM JOHN CASSIDY FOR PERMISSION TO DUMP THE CITY SNOW ON DISPOSITION PARCEL # 6.` AGENCY HAD NO OBJECTION TO THE CITY USING PARCEL 6 FOR THIS PURPOSE. MR, VEITCH OF REPORTED TRANSPORTATION ARTERIAL WANT GOING TAKE TO VEITCH WAS SAID FELT HE HAVE TO ROUGHLY THAT ALBANY IN TO ON HE WENT FIND TO THE STATE THE OUT DISPOSITION 10' MORE, MOSTLY THAT IT SHOULD BE FOR DEPARTMENT EFFECT THAT THE 8. PARCELS 7 WORKING SPACE. AND DISCUSSED WITH THEY MR. HUD THE OFFICIALS. STATE THE MAYOR OR CITY ENGINEER WILL SET LATER ON FOR CITY OFFICIALS. MR. VEITCH THE DEVELOPMENT EMPHASIZED PRESENTED FEELS VERY PROPOSED THE THEY THE A SHOWED OF STRONGLY MINI ESTIMATED PRELIMINARY THAT WE ABOUT SHOPPING COST THE WOULD A MEETING WITH PRELIMINARY DISPOSITION PARCELS WERE FACT MEMBERS THE UP 7 PLANS AND AT 8. THIS THE CONCEPT ON MR. VEITCH TIME AND HE HAVE A DEVELOPER FROM BUFFALO WHO DISPOSITION PARCELS 7 AND 8. HE HAS AREA WITH BE ENCLOSED MALL ABOUT $ 000. 2, 500, AND THERE PLAZA, WAS A DISCUSSION. THERE IT ON WAS DULY JANUARY BEING NO FURTHER ADJOURNED 25TH, 1971 AT BUSINESS 6:0 0 TO P. . UNTIL M COME THE BEFORE NEXT THE MEETING, REGULAR MEETING AT ':45 P. . M Yr.)deV, 72/ SECRETARY I 7 �a4 11( 3 REGULAR MEETING OF THE SARATOGA N IN SPRINGS URBAN RENEWAL AGENCY HELD f 91° CITY HALL ON MONDAY JANUARY 26TH ( 7:5 P. . 1 M CHAIRMAN THE PRESENT AND THE CALLED ABSENT WERE AS TO MEETING 7:0 3 AT ORDER THOSE P. . M FOLLOWS: E. BENTON, CHAIRMAN CHAIRMAN CARUSONE, VICE- JAMES PRESENT: J. JOHN LEO ROD W. ROOHAN O. SUTTON SARTO J. SMALDONE MAYOR ALSO F. MULLANEY, COUNSEL DONALD L. VEITCH, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR EARL F. HETTRICH,, RELOCATION OFFICER RICHARD PRESENT: FRED PAUL EATON ROULLIARD DONALD LEE HOWARD DEFREITAS ROBERT KETCHUM DAVID CARR J. C. BEARDEN RICHARD SWANTEK RICHARD C. MURRAY JACK BERKOWITZ V. JOHN O' CONNELL DANIEL C. SUTTON DENTON S. LAYMAN MR. BENTON INTRODUCED MR. ROULLIARD, CHAIRMAN OF THE DOWNTOWN MR. ROULLIARD EXPRESSED APPRECIATION TO BE DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE. THIS COMMITTEE INFORMALLY ABOUT A CONCEPT WHICH TALK ABLE TO COME AND HAS IN THAT MIND. THIS ROULLIARD SAID OF THE AGENCY THEN MR. ROULLIARD FEELS THAT BROADWAY IS MERGING BOOK WOULD SHOP THE BE IT THE NEEDS THROUGH NEGATIVE WESTERN AUTO FOR DOWNTOWN TO READ CLARKt, LEAVING LIKE THE MAJOR, DRASTIC ARE MR. THE THOUGHTS COUNCIL. ACTION: OF CHAMBER THE LOSING LOC,'` 10N. GET AND FEEL OF COMMERCE SURGERY. HELPRIN'S. NONE ANOTHER IDEA AN OF AND SECTION. CITY PLAN TIME SOME DOWNTOWN THE PRESENT COMMITTEE ACTION, WE AND WITH TO FOR MEETING FOLLOWING DEVELOPMENT DOWNTOWN THE DONE BE PRESENT WOULD THEY AND TO HAS MAJOR SOMETHI'G BEEN HAS COMMITTEE THREE THESE OF TWO ARE DOWNTOWN STORES STORES IS CLOSING, HELPRIN'S MENGES & WITH CURTIS.( ALTHOUGH NOT RELATED, TOM THUM IS ALSO CLOSING). ADVENT OF POSITIVE ANY SHOPPING REASON FOR CENTER PROBABLE ON THE OTHER OUTSKIRTS LOSSES TO OF THE DOWNTOWN. CITY �II)-( o 170 2- THE MUST OUR BE DONE -- LAST THERE DOWNTOWN CHANCE ISN' T WHAT DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE FEELS THAT SOMETHING MAJOR AND ANY DONE SAME TO TIME COMMITTEE OUR SOON AS WE POSSIBLE. DOWNTOWN BUSINESS FEEL SECTION THIS MAY BE BROADWAY. OF LEFT. BE SHOULD AS THE DONE? HAS COME UP A WITH CONCEPT FOR A PLAN OF ACTION. OUR PROPOSED PLAN WOULD - ALL FOR THE REDEVELOPMENT OF A SECTION C ON EAST THE EAST AND WE NUMBER NEW BROADWAY -FROM STARBUCK'S NORTH TO LAKE AVENUE PRACTICAL, POSSIBLY TO HENRY STREET. THAT THIS BE A PROJECT WITHIN URBAN RENEWAL PROJECT SIDE AS FAR OF AS PROPOSE TWO, AND THAT GENERAL YORK DESIGNATE AND THE OF RIGHT IT IMPLEMENTED BE MUNICIPAL A CONDUCT LAW, WHICH NON— ASSISTED CONDEMNATION ARTICLE UNDER GIVES URBAN A 15 OF THE MUNICIPALITY RENEWAL AND THE RIGHT TO PROPOSING TO BE LAND FOR TO INCLUDING PROJECT, RESELL ARE POWER PRIVATE REDEVELOPMENT. IF WANT IT THIS PROJECT WE URBAN ASSISTED RENEWAL PROJECT TO COMPATIBLE BE RENEWAL URBAN FOR WITH PROJECT CARRIED OUT AS A NON — ARTICLE 15, WE NATURALLY WOULD PLANS OF THE URBAN RENEWAL AGENCY UNDER THE No. 2. IN PROPOSING THIS PROJECT WITHIN A PROJECT, SO TO SPEAK, THE DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE IS PREPARED TO DO THE FOLLOWING: 1 TO CANVASS DEVELOPERS TO SEEK MAJOR TENANTS. 2 -TO DETERMINE THE REQUIREMENTS OF DEVELOPERS AND TENANTS FOR 3. --TO SPACE, MEET INCLUDING WITH THE PARKING. PROPERTY OWNERS INVOLVED RELATIVE TO ACQUISITION. 4 -- TO WITH MEET STOREKEEPERS BUT TEMPORARILY, OBTAINING TO 5 -- NEW IN ASSIST BRING OUR AND IN HAVE AND ORDER SINCE A AN WOULD NEED PROVIDING SUBSTANTIAL AS OF YOU AN ECONOMIC ADOPT URBAN OVER OUR MOST OF IN TRY ITS ALL TO HELP INCLUDING THE URBAN ONE WE AND THE CITY WE ARE THE RENEWAL OF WE PROJECT PROJECT CONDEMNATION. PRESENTLY TOWARD PROVIDED AND DEMOLITION DEMANDS, UNDERTAKE RIGHT PROJECT, HAS OR DEMAND, SCHENECTADY OF COMMERCE IN AREA. NATURALLY WOULD HAVE TO AGENCY AND THE CITY COUNCIL. THE DESIRED PROPERTIES MIGHT NON — ASSISTED CITY RELOCATE 1972. OF COUNCIL STUDY IS WHICH WORKING THE MUCH ASSISTANCE STUDY AND BY PLANNING. UNDERWRITTEN THE WORK WITH COST PROPOSING. AND PLAN, THOUGH URBAN CITY RENEWAL COULD WE PROJECT, PRICE ACHIEVING ARE WE BACK MONEY ARE WILLING TO SCHENECTADY, IDENTIFY RENEWAL PROJECT, IT TO THE URBAN RENEWAL MIGHT THAT SPRING ACQUIRE A TO PRIORITY REDEVELOPED FUNDS REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT WE UNDERSTAND FROM TO THIS AGENCY RENEWAL URBAN THE TOWARD ECONOMIC DOWNTOWN COMMITTEE HAS OUR KNOW, WAY HAVE PROMISED FRUITION. THE THE AS THE OF IN WOULD BE OBJECTIVES, WE URBAN RENEWAL HAVE URBAN SCHENECTADY CHAMBER OF BE TO THUS THAT NON — ASSISTED TO UNREASONABLE TO AND UNDERSTAND THE AREAS THE 15 ARTICLE OUR OF EFFORTS BY DESIGNATING WE ON PRIVATE STYMIED BE UNDER WOULD ACHIEVE TO COOPERATION PROBABLY BY COMPLETION CONSTRUCTION, THE WELL FOR TARGET NEW OTHER PLAN WHO WOULD LOCATIONS ANY A SUCH WHO COULD NOT FROM THIS CITY A WE BE AS A TO PROJECT WERE NON— ASSISTED OF UNDERSTAND, ABLE THE THE COUNCIL FOR ADMINISTRATION -- PROJECT GET THE THE PART CREDIT PROJECT CITY OR UNDER RENEWAL ANY TO PRESENT PROJECT NUMBER 2. CASE, WE'D LIKE TO DISCUSS ABOUT PROPOSED FURTHER, OF THIS THE CLOSELY BRING THE IF AREA TURN SURE TO TRY THAT THE AGENCY. TO ARRIVE TO THE AT A CITY POSITIVE COUNCIL APPROACH AS SOON OUR THAT AS CONCEPT VVE WITH COULD POSSIBLE. YOU TONIGHT RECOMMEND AND AND a �MR. DEFREITAS AND MR. LAYMAN THIS SAID IT A MR. B € NTON MR. VEITCH SPRING THE CITY THE IN I IT. DOES FELT THE HE FEELS IS HE THAT THAT NEW WAS VERY GOOD SARATOGA IS THAT FELT SPRI` GS d SHOULD TO HELPFUL BE COULD WANTED AND BLOOD SARATOGA A STORES. IS QUESTION THE BUT AGREE, PLAN LIFE THE FELT DEALING WHETHER THE ABOUT BEFORE INTO GOING AND WHETHER TIME. TAKES CONCERNED BE WOULD EXECUTION FAMILIES THE WITH INTO GO TO EXPECT NOT OUT, JUST IT CLEANING AND AREA ALL WE DO WE SAID 1972. OF HE IT. HE BE DONE FASTER THAN URBAN RENEWAL. COULD IT NOT OR THAT SAID SAID WITH THE MALL IT MIGHT BRING SOME AND KIND THIS OF DEVELOPMENT MR. DAN IF ASKED AND COMMITTEE DOING AND MERIT MUCH WAS CONCEIVABLE. FORTUNATE TO HAVE DOWNTOWN THE AREA. DOWNTOWN ITS TO AND TREMENDOUS HAD IDEA THE LOOK DOWNTOWN MR. SUTTON MR. ROULLIARD DONE BE COULD CONSIDERING' WERE AND WERE WE COMMUNITIES IT COULD RENEWAL CREDITS. VVE T Y THEY RENEWAL URBAN THEY URBAN DISCUSSION. WHY ASKED FIGURE FELT HE THE OF CITY EXCITING VERY SAID MANY WERE THERE LENGTHY THINK WE YEAR TWO THE VIEWS. HIS EXPRESS AND EXPEDIENCY QUICKER, AND FELT MR. ROULLIARD SUTTON AS A MEMBER TO A TO COMING OF INSTEAD FOR WAS WAS CANDEUB, FLEISSIG OF TECHNIQUE AND THERE TOGETHER. WORK TO WANT I N R EP A I D TH I S THE C I TO OVER PROJECT OF I4OST GET TO ABLE BE THAT UNDERSTANDING THEIR THIS OF ADMINISTRATION THE TURN AGENCY WAS IT SAID IT DO WE AMOUNT OF AN OR CREDIT. WOULD WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT HUD DID APPROVE BEFORE DOING ANYTHING. I WE IS SAME THAT ALONG MR. EATON EXPLORING THE MR. ROULLIARD WE WOULD HAS WORK SOME SAID WITHIN SECTION BUT LINE, DEVELOPERS MAJOR ATTRACT STARBUCKS FROM THE ACQUIRING DISCUSS DID PAST TWO ENOUGH HAVE NOT BEEN STARTED CAROLINE, TO IN THAT FELT ORDER WHICH TO ROOM. AND THEY HAVE BEEN WEEKS. THERE WAS A DISCUSSION ABOUT WHAT COULD BE DONE WITH THE SOME 35 DURING BUSINESSES MR. CARUSONE INTERESTED IT SAID IT BUT TIME, INTEREST POINTS SAID IN THAT NOTHING HAS THAT MOVED WAS BEEN JAMESWAY BROADWAY ABOUT DONE OVER IT HAS LENGTHY A CRISIS. COME TO ALLOWED WAS IN BEEN A HAVING DISCUSSION IN. LONG OF MORE VARIOUS THE ELEMENT TIME IS CHAIRMAN THIS SUM IMPORTANT THE AND UP THING. THAT THE MR. CARUSONE THOUGHT THE DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT GROUP DESERVES OUR HELP WAY POSSIBLE. INDICATED MR. BENTON AND AND IDEAS. DR. ROOHAN IS THE WHEN LABELED WAS IT WHY KNOW NOT DID HE MR. ROULLIARD HAS TAKEN THERE FOLLOWED ANOTHER SHOWN. AND HE ANY PHASES SEPARATE IN IT SINCE MR. CARUSONE AGENCY AGREES THE SAID DOING SUGGESTED PREDICTABLE WAS AGREED WAS DEVELOPMENT. IN HOW MUCH WE WOULD LOSE FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. MR. BENTON HE THE ASSURED UNANIMOUSLY THAT THE IN THE FAVOR PROPOSAL PROJECT MUST COMMITTEE THAT THE OF HERE HAS NO IN DONE THE ON 100% COOPERATING TONIGHT, BE MAJOR AGENCY RENEWAL URBAN ANY PHASES. ITEM OR AT ANY UNSOLVED WHATSOEVER. MR. ROULLIARD THANKED THE AGENCY FOR THEIR TIME AND TIME CONFLICT THEIR t �4 ASSURANCE OF COMMITTEE THEN COOPERATION. ALL l - MEMBERS OF THE DOWNTOWN CANDEUB, FLEISSIG & AND THE INTO GOT ALSO SPECIFICS EXPLANATION DISCUSSED OTHER OF BUILDINGS. THOROUGH REHABILITATION MR. VEITCH THE AND ON MINUTES SPECIAL THE MOTION ORDERED THE OF ON THE THE MEETING DR. ROOHAN PLACED ON DISBURSEMENTS MOTION PLACED WAS HIS TOLD THE SHOULD MOVED SECONDED FOR AGENCY A A THE BY MEETING WERE ROD HE GAVE OF SOME TO DO CONFERENCE ON THE RELOCATION MASTROPASQUA — DECEMBER OF APPROVED SUTTON AND FOR THE THAT BY PERIOD CHAIRMAN JANUARY 1 THRU JANUARY 16TH WAS BE ACCEPTED AND APPROVED AS READ. MR. CARUSONE AND THE CHAIRMAN ORDERED THEM OFFICER, MR. EARL HETTRICH, READ THE FOLLOWING 36. 5 3 17. 9 6 41. 6 6 MILLER ARP HATTIE MOSELEY — SMALL BUSINESS DISPLACEMENT MULLEN — MAYFLOWER — FLORENCE SHARP MOVE ft n RAY STEADY — ANTENNA 36. 5 2 MARIE 00 2, 500. 70. 0 0 30. 0 0 MANAGEMENT: OIL — 11 WOODLAWN WASHINGTON ST. BOYCE & DRAKE — 6 5 CHAS. MILLER L. J. FARONE — 11 WOODLAWN — FURNITURE PERCY TAYLOR — 2 WEEKS @ $ 41. 0 5 NIAGARA MOHAWK — 76 CONGRESS FUEL — 52 475. 4 0 95. 0 3 148. 0 1 60. 0 0 83. 0 0 89. 8 9 951. 2 4 COLLECTED: ETC. 22ND THEY ARP ARP JONES UP ACCEPTED THE AND SET FILE. ARP RENTS THE FILE. HAMDAN BRUNDIGE THEY OF PLANNING RELOCATION: FUREY A MORE REPORT: PROPERTY NEWARK FOLLOWED. DISCUSSION 13TH THE TO BOULEVARD. EXPECTED MID — PLANNING REGULAR SECONDED AND THEY DISCUSSION HAVE JANUARY AND TOLD BACK REHABILITATION THOROUGH PREVIOUS OF STREETS ON SURVEYS. ASSOCIATES THEM, HE WENT VALLEY PROJECT. WITH SPRING IDEAS HAVE A. MORE MR. SUTTON READ. THE OF THEM HE SAID ',`' E AND ON MEETING POSSIBILITIES BROADWAY WITH HUD SOON DEVELOPMENT LEFT. MR. DENTON LAYMEN OF AGENCY THAT AFTER THE LAST LENGTHY ic 1 7° CHICKEN SHACK $480. MOSELEY CIGAR STORE 75.) BACK RENT 555. �5- RENT MR. HETTRICH EXPLAINED IT WAS MR. LEROY ECHOLS DUE TO A DR. ROOHAN THE FOLLOWING INTRODUCED READ, RESOLVED: THAT WATER PIPES LEROY BLOCK 6 AT ECHOLS, THAT AS DUE TO DECREASE THE CONDITION. MOVED FOR THE ADOPTION OF KNOWN HEREBY JANUARY OF CONDITION OF OCCUPIED THE BY PROPERTY 5, IS IT TO THE TENANT AT 78 CONGRESS STREET, A FROM $40. PER OF AND THE PARCEL PROPERTY, THE WATER RESOLUTION: No. 182 - THE NECESSARY FOR MONTH AS 1, 1970 THE RENT BE TO $ 20. PER MONTH. MR. CARUSONE MOTION WAS SECONDED BY WAS: ALL AYES, NO CHARLES MILLER BY THE AGENCY THE ORDERED CHANGED NAYS. VOTE MR. VEITCH GAVE DISBURSEMENTS FOR DIRECTOR'S THE THE YE : R AND HE REPORT: 1969 TO EACH OF UPON ROLL CALL DISTRIBUTED THE MEMBER'S A COPY OF THE AGENCY, TOGETHER WITH A BREAKDOWN OF ACTIVITIES. THERE WAS A DISCUSSION TARANTINO INSURANCE REQUESTED PERMISSION AND LOAN CO. TO ASSOCIATION MR. SUTTON FOLLOWING 500. REGARDING FOR THE $ DISPOSITION DEPOSIT IN IT DEPOSIT PARCEL # 3. MADE BY MR. VEITCH THE NEW GLOVERSVILLE SAVINGS MOVED FOR THE OF BANK. AND INTRODUCED READ, ADOPTION No. 18 RESOLVED: SPRINGS WE THE UNDERSIGNED OFFICERS OF SARATOGA URBAN RENEWAL AUTHORIZATION ON IN SET AGENCY PURSUANT FORTH TO PROPER THE ISSUANCE AFFIXED ACT BELOW OF AND WITHOUT BEARING HAS AND OF EACH BEEN FURTHER TOGETHER SUCH THE FURTHER UNTIL IT EVIDENCE OF MEMBERSHIP IN THE SPECIMENS OF OUR SIGNATURES ARE FORM. WRITINGS SIGN, HEREBY BEHALF APPROVED TO AS APPLY HEREON, FOR MEMBERSHIP AND A SAVINGS ACCOUNT GLOVERSVILLE FEDERAL SAVINGS & LOAN ASSN. AND ITS FOR 2 OF ASSOCIATION INQUIRY SUCH NOTIFIED A IS HEREBY AUTHORIZED ACCORDANCE WITH SIGNATURES OF AUTHORIZATION WITH IN ANY FOR SPECIMEN OF UNLESS CHANGE OTHER THE OF AND OFFICERS INDIVIDUALS SIGNATURE INDIVIDUAL. SIGNATURE OFFICE CHAIRMAN SIGNATURE OFFICE VICE - CHAIRMAN OFFICE SECRETARY SIGNATURE / THE RESOLUTION: i A" OF TO �PO" 6THE VOTE THE WAS: MR. SECONDED WAS MOTION ALL VEITCH NO AYES, A SAID MR. CARUSONE BY UPON AND ROLL CALL NAYS. AMEND TO NECESSARY WAS RESOLUTION THE CONTRACT OF AMERICAN APPRAISAL CO. MR. CARUSONE FOLLOWING THAT THE RESOLVED: CONTRACT BE AMENDED MOVED AND FOR THE ADOPTION RESOLUTION: No. 184 - OF THE INTRODUCED READ, AMERICAN TO APPRAISAL TOTAL THE CO. AMOUNT OF 1, 250. THE VOTE THE SECONDED WAS MOTION WAS: ALL NO AYES, MR. SUTTON BY MR. VEITCH REQUESTED PERMISSION HETTRICH, RELOCATION OFFICER TO ATTEND MEETING ON FEBRUARY 19TH. OF THE DR. ROOHAN READ, INTRODUCED FOLLOWING RESOLUTION: 185 - AND AND NYSAURO LUNCHEON MOVED MR. HETTRICH PERMISSION CALL THE VOTE TO WAS BE DULY HELD SECONDED WAS ALL WAS BEING NO ADJOURNED ON AT FEBRUARY MOTION THERE IT MEETING N. Y. ON FEBRUARY AYES, FURTHER THE TO FOR BE THE ADOPTION GRANTED THE TO MR. NYSAURO ATTEND GOLDEN FOX IN ALBANY, 19, 1970. BY MR. CARUSONE NO NAYS. BUSINESS TO COME 9:5 4 4 M 23, 1970 AT 7:5 P. . AT EARL HIMSELF THAT LUNCHEON THE CALL THE RESOLVED: AND ROLL FOR VEITCH No. UPON AND NAYS. P. . M UNTIL THE AND UPON BEFORE NEXT ROLL THE REGULAR MEETING, MEETING SECRETARY �I aP0 Regular Meeting of the Saratoga Springs flow Urban Renewal Agency held in City Hall on Monday December 22, 1969 at 7:5 p. . 4 m The Chairman called the Meeting to order at 00 p. . $: m Those present and absent were as follows: Present: James E. Benton, Chairman Rod 0. Sutton Dr. Leo W. Roohan Absent: John J. Carusone, Vice -Chairman James A. Murphy Also Present: Richard F. Mullaney, Counsel Earl F. Hettrich, Relocation Officer Donald L. Veitch, Executive Director The Minutes of the previous moved that they be approved and meeting accepted read. Dr. Roohan read. The motion was were as seconded by Rod 0. Sutton and the Chairman ordered them placed on file. The List of Disbursements for the period November 14th thru 12th was read. There being no objections they were December O approved as read on motion of Rod O. Sutton and the motion was seconded by br. Roohan and they were placed on file. Earl F. Hettrich, Relocation and Property Management Officer read his report: Property lanagement: Percy Taylor - 2 wks L $ 51. 0 and 5 L. J. Farone - Rent of furniture 2 wks L $ 41. 0 5 - 11 Woodlawn 00 1$. 6 60. 0 0 Niagara Mohawk: 27 1 5- 11 Woodlawn 52 Washington 5$. 93 20. 0 7 64 76 Congress 2)92. 7 0 Receiver of Taxes: In Lieu - 4th Quar. 1, 1$ $ 914. 11 Advalorem 613. 0 6 E. A. C. A. Exterminators - 2 mos. Dunham's) Chas. J. Furey - 11 Woodlawn Brundige Fuels - 52 Washington Robert A. VanWagner - 2 3 Howard House) Boarding - 171. 0 7 78 2, 527. 12. 0 0 122. 6 9 76. 4 7 up 20. 0 0 1$ 3, 177. �1144/49 2- A RELOCATION: JALBRIDGE SETTLEMENT COSTS FRANK MASTROPAS UA ARP HAZA I L HAMOAN - ,=; RP ARP PRESTON JONES JAMES CARR ^ N 95 39 HAMILTON ST.FIXED RELOC N PAYMI. T ROBERT C. HERMINA DERBY ADTITI^ AL SALES HOUSING N 9.0 9 36. 5 3 17. 9 6 41. 6 6 98. 0 0 00 4, 800. 5, RENTS COLLECTED SINCE PAR. VEITCH DATE HAVE NE EXPLANATION A HAS NEW THE ABOUT JIMMY'S MEETING $ DIRECTORS ALMOST REALTY READY HAS GASLIGHT BAR A AN) ON NEW GRILL HOPES TAXES GAVE TO AN PERCY SITUATION. CLINTON ME BACK MR. VEITCH TAYLOR PLACE. RCHITECT SUARE. IN REPORT: x37, COLLECTED TUTTON BUILDING GAVE NOW PLACE IN 50 1, 723. LAST TO TO FINISH GET UP INTO THE FOURTH CONSTRUCTION THIS BUILDING ; JILL FACE HAMILTON ^ STREET. GREG FERENTINO THIS BUILDING COULD ACCOMMODATE 5 OR 6 TENANTS. ARCHITECT. IT CAME UNDER THE M. BENTON ASKED IF ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW. MR. VEITCH SAID NO, RUT IT WILL BLEND IN ' KITH THE OTHER BUILDIr, GS SOON. IS THE IN CASLI 'HT O DR. ROOHAN THE THERE SjUARE. FOLLOJINC VAP DISCUSSION. INTRODUCED READ, No. 191 RESCLUTI RTV OF L AUM'C 1' . THE I TH 1 THE MOTION VOTE THE CHAIRMAN THE MEETING MR. BENTON REGARDING THE THERE IT VAS 1?( AT 7 DULY SECONDED WAS WAS: ALL AYES, FOR THE ADOPTION OF EXLCU I Sr' I ';: a3 URBAN id,),'; TCRY N.) GCLER AND OF 7 . v` . c ATTACHED C. SUTTON BY ROD NO NAYS. AND UPON ROLL C .LLE`)FOR EXECUTIVE SESSION AT 8:5 P. . 1 M RECONVENED SUGGESTED PLANNED BEING V 1' H 'iLP` i i\ 70 RESOLUTION THE MCVE! D SARITOO fl Y AGRLr _ NT ALL AND RESOLUTION: NO ADJOURNED AT THAT 9:0 2 YR. V : ITCH DISPOSITION FURTHER UNTIL OF NEXT PRESENT. ONTACT PARCEL BUSINESS THE ALL TO R 8 COME GULAR TO HARRY SNYDER ST. PETER'S. BEFORE MEETING THE MEETING JANUARY 26TH 7:5 P. . 1 M 470 SECRETARY �aio RESOLUTION OF THE SARATOGA SPRINGS URBAN RENEWAL AGENCY APPROVING AN AMENDATORY AGREEMENT WITH HALPRIN AND GOLER AND AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION OF SAME WHEREAS, the Saratoga Springs Urban Renewal Agency hereinafter referred to as the " Agency ") has previously entered into an Agreement with Henry S. Halprin to render certain professional services in connection with the Saratoga Springs Urban Renewal Project, NY R 127; and - WHEREAS, Henry S. Halprin and Donald S. Goler have formed a partnership known as Halprin and Goler for the practice of law; and WHEREAS, the Agreement entered into between the Agency and Henry S. Halprin, dated December 6, 1967, has by its terms expired on November 30, 1969, and the Agency and Halprin and Goler desire to extend the term thereof for a period of two years, under the same terms and conditions; and WHEREAS, the Agency, on November 24, 1969, voted to extend the Agreement under the same terms and conditions; and WHEREAS, Halprin and Goler have agreed to the extension of the Agreement under the same terms and conditions as aforesaid; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT DULY RESOLVED by the Saratoga Springs Urban Renewal Agency: 1. Goler are That the services to be rendered by Halprin and necessary to assist the Agency in carrying out the �14PC1 ( Saratoga Springs Urban Renewal Project, NY R 127. 2. That it is in the best interests of the Agency to extend the term of the Agreement dated December 6, 1967 for an additional period of two years, to November 30, 1971. 3. Than an Amendatory Agreement extending the term of the aforesaid Agreement dated December 6, 1967 for a period of two years, to November 30, 1971, is hereby approved and found satisfactory. 4. That the Executive Director is hereby authorized and directed to execute said Amendatory Agreement on behalf of the Agency. 2- �Regular Meeting of the Saratoga Springs Urban Renewal Agency held in the Office of the Agency in City Hall on Tuesday January 21, The Chairman called the Meeting present and absent were as follows: Present: to 1969 at 7 :45 p. . m order at 8 : 0 0 p. . m Those James E. Benton, Chairman John J. Carusone, ViceChairman Dr. Leo W. Roohan Rod 0. Sutton Absent: Mayor James A. Murphy Also Present: Richard F. Mullaney, Counsel Donald L. Veitch, Executive Director Ellsworth Jones, Relocation Officer The minutes moved that they be of the approved previous meeting as read. read. were Mr. Carusone Dr. Roohan seconded the motion and the Chairman ordered them placed on file. The List of Disbursements for the period December 6th thru was read. Mr. Sutton moved that they be approved as The motion was seconded by Dr. Roohan and the Chairman ordered January loth read. them placed on file. Mr. Veitch gave the Director' s Report: He reported that at Monday night's City Council meeting they approved the purchase of the Lot ( Disposition Parking Mr. Carusone read, the following resolution: No. 144 - Parcel 2A) from us. introduced and moved for the adoption of RESOLUTION OF THE SARATOGA SPRINGS URBAN RENEWAL AGENCY APJ ROVI'vG THE NOTICE. OF Y AVAILABILITY FOR PUBLIC EXAMINATION OF THE DEED OF CONVEYANCE FOR DISPOSITION PARCEL 2A AND AUTHORIZING ITS PUBLICATION Copy of Resolution attached) The the vote in the motion was: seconded by Rod 0. Sutton and upon roll call all ayes, no nays. was There was a discussion regarding the amount of money specified resolution. Mr. Benton said it should be stressed as being part of the 000, 00. 0 Mr. Veitch distributed a sheet of statistics of our disbursements for the year and everything to date that we have done. He said that probably during the coming year we will spend considerable on our Project Improvements, etc. Mr. Veitch reported on the meeting held in this office on January 7th regarding the City Parking Lot. Representatives of the Niagara Mohawk Corp., Newman & Doll, City Engineer, Comm. of Public Works, Deputy Comm. of Public Works and Mr. Benton attended �at169 gi the meeting. Minutes. present of All the Each member of the Agency will receive a copy of the plans indicate a July finish date. We expect to plans to HUD by March. Mr. Hay thought the finishing Woodlawn Ave. at this time wouldn't be prudent until the last of the development was finished. Dr. Roohan read, introduced and moved for the adoption of the following resolution: No. 145 - RESOLUTION OF THE SARATOGA SPRINGS URBAN RENEWAL AGENCY APPROVING THE CuNSTRJCTION PLANS AND EVIDENCE OF FINANCING OF SARA CON DEVELOPMENT COHPOR: TIO1\J FOR DISPOSITION PARCEL 13B(ECCND DELIVERY PARCEL) AND S AUTHORISI SIG : T U EXECt. TIO :, ND DELIVERY OF THE DEED OF CONV Y' N:` FOR DISPOSITION PARCEL 13B( 10E A S COND DELIVERY PARCEL) Copy of Resolution attached) 11r. Veitch told the members of the Agency that he has the honor of hosting a luncheon at the Holiday Inn on Tuesday Mr. Wolf of January 28th for the Capital District NYSAURO. Federal Housing Administration will give a talk on Section 235 of the 68 Housing Act. There will also be a speaker on Housin, and Code Enforcement from Syracuse. Mr. Ellsworth Jones gave the Relocation and Property Management report: Property Management: Furey Oil Brundige Oil Rapelje Fuel Oil On Farone rent - 43260. 9 0 191. 1 9 34. 9 1 00 00. furniture Bec' r Taxes 4th cluar. Baptist Church - Margaret RAP Marie Miller 1st Mason - 241. 0 2 55. 0 0 337 218. 5 8 286. 0 0 92. 0 8 Niagara -Mohawk Percy Taylor Charles Woodruff Al Thompson Trash AACE Exterminators Total Relocation Payments: Mullen -Mayflower Univ. - Rents Total collected from 16 properties 296. 0 2 00 1, 644. 46. 0 0 6.0 0 4, 570. There was a discussion regarding the Lorman family conditions. the Negotiator' s report: He said there We closed the Chattertonnegotiations at the present time. We picked up almost 42, 00. in back taxes. 5 Rison property on Monday. The Walbridge property is in trial. They have never submitted an appraisal. We have a meeting scheduled with Walczak. There was a lengthy discussion. Mr. Mullaney gave were no The Chairman asked for Executive Session at 8:0 p. .. 3 m The meeting reconvened at m 9 :15 p. . All present. �3- There being no furtner business to come before the meeting it was duly adjourned until the next regular meeting to be held on February 25, 1969 at 8:0 p. . 6 m a4 Adr 00' Secretary �RESOLUTION OF THE SARATOGA SPRINGS URBAN RENEWAL AGENCY APPROVING THE NOTICE OF AVAILABILITY FOR PUBLIC EXAMINATION OF THE DEED OF CONVEYANCE FOR DISPOSITION PARCEL 2A AND AUTHORIZING ITS PUBLICATION WHEREAS, the Saratoga Springs Urban Renewal Agency hereinafter referred' to as the " Agency ") contemplates the execution and delivery of a Deed of Conveyance to the City of Saratoga Springs hereinafter referred to as the " ity "), C conveying title to and possession of Disposition Parcel 2A hereinafter referred Project No. 1, to NY R 127, as the " Property ") in Urban Renewal to the City for the approved purchase price of $ 2,or purposes of constructing a municipal park00, 00. 5 f 4 in accordance with the Urban Renewal Plan for the lot ing Project; and WHEREAS, the proposed method of disposition, purchase price and Deed of Conveyance have been approved by the Regional Office of the Department of Housing and Urban Development and by the State Division of Housing and WHEREAS,in Article XV - Community Renewal; and accordance with the provisions of Section 556( )of 4 of the General Municipal Law of the State of New York, as amended, the proposed Deed of Conveyance, the method of disposition and the proposed sale of the Property to the City have been 20, approved by 1969, and the City Council by resolution adopted January �WHEREAS, a Notice of Availability for Public Examination of the Deed of Conveyance has been prepared in accordance with Federal requirements and has been approved by the Regional Office of the Department of Housing and Urban Development and by the State Division of Housing and Community Renewal; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the Saratoga Springs Urban Renewal Agency: 7.. That the Notice of Availability for Public Examination of the Deed of Conveyance is hereby found satisfactory. 2. That the Secretary of the Agency is hereby authorized and directed to publish the Notice of Availability for Public Examination of the Deed of Conveyance in a newspaper having general circulation within the least ten ( 10) City of Saratoga Springs, on a date at days prior to the execution and delivery of the Deed of Conveyance to the City. 3. and directed That the Secretary of the Agency is hereby authorized to have, during the period of advertising, a copy of the proposed Deed of Conveyance available for examination by the public at the Office of the Agency, City Hall, Saratoga Springs, New York. 2- �RESOLUTION OF THE SARATOGA SPRINGS URBAN RENEWAL AGENCY APPROVING THE CONSTRUCTION PLANS AND EVIDENCE OF FINANCING OF SARACON DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION FOR DISPOSITION PARCEL 13B SECOND DELIVERY PARCEL) AND AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION AND DELIVERY OF THE DEED OF CONVEYANCE FOR DISPOSITION PARCEL 13B SECOND DELIVERY PARCEL) WHEREAS, the Saratoga Springs Urban Renewal Agency hereinafter referred to as the Agency " ") and Saracon Development Corporation ( ereinafter referred to as the Redeveloper "), h " executed a Land Disposition Agreement dated as of March 11, 1968, and recorded on April 3, 1968 in the Office of the Clerk of Saratoga County, New York, in Book 827 of Deeds at Page 1, wherein the Agency agreed to sell and the Redeveloper agreed to purchase Disposition Parcel 13 (hereinafter referred to as the " roperty ") P in Urban Renewal Project WHEREAS, the No. 1, NY R 127; and - Property was divided into two ( 2)delivery parcels, referred to in the aforesaid Land Disposition Agreement as the " irst Delivery Parcel" also known as Disposition Parcel F ( 13A) and the " econd Delivery Parcel" also known as Disposition S ( Parcel 13B),and more particularly described in Schedules B and C annexed thereto and made a part thereof; and WHEREAS, aforesaid Land subsection ( )of Section 5 of Part I of the a Disposition Agreement and Section 301 of Part II �of said Land Disposition Agreement require the Redeveloper to submit to the Agency, not later than thirteen ( 3) months from 1 the date of said Land Disposition Agreement, for approval by the Agency, Construction Plans with respect to the improvements to be constructed by the Redeveloper on the Second Delivery Parcel, in sufficient completeness and detail to show that such improvements and the construction thereof will be in accordance with the provisions of the Urban Renewal Plan for the Project and said Land Disposition Agreement; and WHEREAS, the Redeveloper has submitted to the Agency, for approval by the Agency, two sets of Construction Plans for two buildings to be constructed on the Second Delivery Parcel, one set of Construction Plans entitled DISPOSITION PARCEL 13B " FRIENDLY ICE CREAM CORPORATION - SARACON DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION ", consisting of 8 pages, prepared by the Planning Department of Friendly Ice Cream Corporation, dated January 14, 1969, and the other set of Construction Plans entitled SITE PLAN AND DETAILS " GLOVERSVILLE FEDERAL SAVINGS AND LOAN ASSOCIATION BUILDING ", consisting of 8 pages, prepared by Edward Fisher, Architect, dated December 19, 1968; and 2- �WHEREAS, the Agency has caused to have the aforesaid Construction Plans reviewed by the Planning Board of the City of Saratoga Springs, and the Planning Board has approved said Construction Plans; and WHEREAS, subsection ( e)of Section 5 of Part I of the aforesaid Land Disposition Agreement and Section 303 of Part II of said Land Disposition Agreement require the Redeveloper to submit to the Agency, not later than 30 days after the date of written notice to the Redeveloper of approval of the Construction Plans for the Second Delivery Parcel, evidence satisfactory to the Agency that the Redeveloper has the equity capital and commitments for mortgage financing necessary for the construction of the improvements on the Second Delivery Parcel; and WHEREAS, the Redeveloper has submitted ( 1)a letter dated December 17, 1968, signed by its Vice -President, Lynn H. Smith, stating that the estimated cost of constructing the pro- posed improvements on the Second Delivery Parcel is 255, 00. 00, $ 0 that Gloversville Federal Savings and Loan Association has agreed to advance the Redeveloper $ 55, 00. as a construction 00 2 0 loan and as a permanent loan to complete such improvements 3- �consisting of the Friendly Ice Cream Building and the Gloversville Branch Building),and that the Redeveloper agrees that it shall advance any monies above the aforesaid commitment necessary for the completion and construction of the improvements as and when necessary, Federal December 2)copies of commitment letters from Gloversville Savings and Loan Association dated November 21, 1968 and 4, 1968, signed by John C. Wessels, President, stating that the Board of Directors of the Association has authorized a construction and permanent mortgage commitment to the Redeveloper for construction on Disposition Parcel 13B in the amount of 00, 255, 00. and (3)a certified copy of a resolution of the 0 Redeveloper's Board of Directors adopted December 10, 1968 authorizing the Redeveloper to expend any funds necessary over and above the commitment from Gloversville Federal Savings and Loan Association for the construction and completion of the proposed improvements; and WHEREAS, the submission of the aforesaid Construction Plans and evidence of financing and the approval of same are conditions precedent to the obligation of the Agency to convey title to and possession of the Second Delivery Parcel to the Redeveloper; 4- �NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the Saratoga Springs Urban Renewal Agency: 1. That the aforesaid Construction Plans for the pro- posed improvements to be constructed on the Second Delivery entitled DISPOSITION PARCEL 13B " Parcel CORPORATION - FRIENDLY ICE CREAM SARACON DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION ", consisting of 8 pages, prepared by the Planning Department of Friendly Ice Cream Corporation, DETAILS dated S January 14, 1969 and " ITE PLAN AND GLOVERSVILLE FEDERAL SAVINGS AND LOAN ASSOCIATION BUILDING ", consisting of 8 pages, prepared by Edward Fisher, Architect, dated December 19, 1968, are hereby found to be in accordance with the provisions of the Urban Renewal Plan for Urban Renewal Project No. 1, NY R 127, and the provisions of - the aforesaid Land Disposition Agreement, as required by sub- section ( )of Section 5 of Part I of said Land Disposition a Agreement and Section 301 of Part II of said Land Disposition Agreement, and are hereby approved. 2. dated December That the aforesaid letter from the Redeveloper 17, 1968 and the aforesaid letters from Glovers- ville Federal Savings and Loan Association dated November 21, 1968 5- �r 4, 1968, together with the aforesaid resolution of and December the Redeveloper's Board of Directors adopted December 10, 1968, are found to constitute satisfactory evidence that the Redeveloper has the equity capital and commitments for mortgage financing necessary for the construction of the proposed improvements on the Second Delivery Parcel as required by subsection ( e)of Section 5 of art I of the aforesaid Land Disposition Agreement ? and Section 303 of Part II of said Land Disposition Agreement, and are hereby approved. 3. That the conditions precedent to the obligation of the Agency to convey title to and possession of the Second Delivery Parcel to the Redeveloper have been satisfied. 4. That the Chairman of the Agency is hereby authorized and directed, together with the Secretary, to execute and deliver a Deed of Conveyance on behalf of the Agency, conveying title to and possession of the Second Delivery Parcel to the Redeveloper, pursuant to subsection ( b)of Section 2 of Part I of the afore- said Land Disposition Agreement. 6- �Regular Meeting of the Saratoga Springs Urban Renewal Agency held in tow City Hall on Tuesday December 17th, 1968 at 7:5 p. . 4 m The Chairman called the meeting to order at 7:0 p. . 5 m Those present and absent were as follows: Present: Tames E. Benton, Chairman John J. Carusone, Vice-hairman C Rod O. Sutton Dr. Leo W. Roohan Mayor James A. Murphy Also Present: Richard F. Mullaney, Counsel Donald L. Veitch, Executive Director Ellsworth Jones, Relocation Officer The the that Mr. Minutes of the previous meeting were read. Dr. Roohan moved minutes be approved as read. The motion was seconded by Carusone and the Chairman ordered them placed on file. The List of Disbursements for the period from November 8th December 6th was read. Mr. Carusone moved that they be approved as read. The motion was seconded by Rod. Sutton and the Chairman ordered them placed on file. thru Mr. Veitch gave t the ilastropasqua property with the exception of on Director' s Report: We acquired Federal Street. That finalizes the Block 5 City Parcel. The item of $ 24. 0 read 8 3 on the List of Disbursements was the final payment to Bloomfield one Wreckers. Mr. Veitch said a resolution was necessary regarding the Certificate of Completion on improvements to Disposition Parcel 13A. He read the Certificate of Completion. Mr. Carusone rad, introduced and moved the adoption of the following resolution. No. 142 - RESOLUTION OF THE SARATOGA SPRINGS URBAN RENEWAL AGENCY AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE OF A CERTIFICATE OF COMPLETION OF IMPROVEMENTS FOR DISPOSITION PARCEL 13A (FIRST DELIVERY PARCEL) Resolution attached) vote The motion was seconded by James Murphy and upon roll call the was: all ayes, no nays. Mr. Veitch wrote a letter to the members of the City Council informing them the Architect has asked the City to blend the rear of the Drink Hall with Gas Light Square. Dr. Ling want to build called a new regarding the United Methodist Church. They and facility. They would like to discuss Church �1 2- it with the Agency at some future date as to what property available in the 2nd Project. There was a lengthy discussion. Mr. Benton suggested that Mr. Veitch get in touch with the pastor of the United Methodist. would be Mr. Jones and Mr. Veitch met with the Human Relations There in the Congregational Church on November 20th. Committee was a general discussion at the meeting regarding Relocation and Mr. Veitch felt that the Committee now had a better understanding of the Relocation procedures. There was a general discussion. Mr. Veitch announced that Dan Sutton's architect will give the next Planning Board meeting, on the site a presentation at plan for Parcel # 1. 1 Mr. Jones gave the Relocation report: Charles Woodruff 248.; paid a total amount of $ Percy Taylor was ,paid 311. or' $ 1 janitorial services; Receiver of Taxes was paid advelorum taxes of ` 307. 5 and payment in lieu 2, 2 21 School Taxes);Furey Oil 190. 415 Brundige Oil Co. 07. 5; Niagara Mohawk Corp. 82. 7; 7 7 was L. J. Farone for rent of Furniture 60.; Boyce and Drake $ 28.; Premium to Hartwell & Shackelford 474.;RACE Exterminators $ .0 60 Total $ 18. 1, 3, 563. 50 057. was received in rents for 16 properties. We had a visit from our Field Representative and his immediate superior, Bob LaPlante. One of the things they are concerned about is the maintenance of buildings owned by the LPA. They felt that second floor windows should be boarded up. some of the Generally they were very satisfied about the way things were going. negotiations. The Mary Fairest property 6 15) we have obtained an Option and it is owned by ( Mr. Mullaney reported on Mrs. Chatterton and Mrs. Risen. The Chairman requested an Executive Session at 8 : 0 p. . 3 m The meeting reconvened at The following Resolution adoption by Leo W. Roohan: 10 : 5 2 was - all present introduced, read and moved for No. 23 REAS, it appears by the negotiator for the Agency, Richard 1 F. Mullaney, has made diligent and conscientious efforts to locate the owner of premises known as Block 6, Parcel 1 and more commonly known as 60 Congress Street, Saratoga Springs, New York, and premises known as Block 8 Parcel 6 and more commonly known as 10 Cowen s Bakery, Inc., Street, Saratoga Springs, New Fork, Failick' to accept a fair and reasonable price for their property, but that said owner has refused to accept the sum of $ 70, 00., has refused to negotiate, 0 and is demanding the sum of $ and Congress WHEREAS, it appears that said premises known as 60 Street, Saratoga Springs, consists of a two story brick, business and apartment building, and that said premises known as 10 Cowen Street, Saratoga Springs, consists of a two story brick and wood �I a.. frame residence and 6 rooming house, and WHEREAS, it now appears that further negotiations are and would be futile. NOW, THEREFORE, it is RESOLVED, that this Agency acquire said premises known as 6, Parcel 1 and commonly known as 60_6 Congress Street, 6 Saratoga Springs, New York and said premises known as Block 8, Block 6 and commonly known Parcel as 10 Cowen Street, Saratoga Springs, New York by condemnation and obtain an Order of Immediate Possession, all State of in conformance New York in such case with the made and statutes and laws provided, and it of the is further RESOLVED, that the legal proceedings to acquire said premises by condemnation be turned over to Richard F. Mullaney, the duly authorized condemnation attorney for immediate action. The motion the vote was: all was seconded by Mr. ayes, no Carusone and upon roll call nays. There being no further business to come before the meeting it was duly adjourned until the next regular meeting to be held on January 21, 1969 at 7:5 p. . 4 m 6r 41" 6 41111. Secretary �i RESOLUTION OF THE SARATOGA SPRINGS URBAN RENEWAL AGENCY AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE OF A CERTIFICATE OF COMPLETION OF IMPROVE - MENTS FOR DISPOSITION PARCEL 13A (FIRST DELIVERY PARCEL) WHEREAS, ment (hereinafter on March 11, referred to 1968, a Land Disposition Agreethe " Disposition Agreement ") as was entered into between the Saratoga Springs Usban Renewal Agency hereinafter referred to as the " gency'') A and Saracon Development Corporation ( hereinafter referred to as the " Redeveloper")for the sale by the Agency to the Redeveloper of Disposition Parcel 13 (hereinafter referred to as the " Property ") in Urban Renewal Project No. 1, NY R127 for the total negotiated purchase price of Ninety Seven Thousand Five Hundred aad 00/ 00 ($ 1 00) 97, 00. 5 Dollars, which Disposition Agreement was recorded on April 3, 1968, in the Office of the Clerk of Saratoga County, New York, ; in Book 827 of Deeds at Page 1; and WHEREAS, the Property was divided into two (2)delivery parcels, referred to in the Disposition Agreement as the " irst F ( Delivery Parcel" also known as Disposition Parcel 13A) and the Second Delivery Parcel" also known as Disposition Parcel 13B), ( and more particularly thereto and made a described in Schedules B part thereof; and Ind C annexed �WHEREAS, pursuant Agreement, the terms of the Disposition the Agency conveyed the First Delivery Parcel to the Redeveloper by 2, t Deed dated April 30, 1968, and recorded on May 1968 in the Office of t Clerk of Saratoga County, New York, n Book 828 of Deeds at Page 345; and i WHERE S, and Section 305 of Section 0 of Part I of the Disposition Agreement : Part II thereof provide that the Redeveloper would commence and complete: the redevelopment of the First Delivery : Parcel by constructing Improvements thereon; and WHEREAS, Section 307( )of Part II of the Disposition a Agreement provides that promptly after _mpletion of the Improveo ments on each respective Delivery Parcel in accordance with those provisions of the of the Agreement Redeveloper to relating solel1 to the obligations construct such " Improvements including the dates for beginning and completion thereof),the Agency will furnish the Redeveloper with an appropriate instrument so certifying; and WHEREAS, the Agency has caused the Improvements con- structed by the Redevelo on the First Delivery Parcel to be inspected by the City Aiding Inspector in order to ascertain whether 2- �they were completed in conformity with the approved Construction Plans, the Urban Renewal Plan for the Project and the Disposition Agreement; and WHEREAS, the report of the City Building Inspector which has been submitted to the Agency states that the Improvements constructed by the Redeveloper on the First Delivery Parcel were completed in conformity with the approved Construction Plans, the Urban Renewal Plan for the Project and the Disposition Agreement; and WHEREAS, Section 307( )of Part II of the Disposition b Agreement provides that within thirty 30) ( days after the issuance by the Agency to the Redeveloper of a certificate of completion with respect to the completion of the Improvements contemplated on an individual Delivery Parcel, the Agency shall, proVided the Redeveloper is not in default with respect to any of its obligations under the Disposition Agreement, promptly refund to' the Redeveloper that portion of the Deposit that has been retained by the Agency to insure the faithful performance of the Redeveloper's obligations under the Disposition Agreement with respect to the Improvements to be constructed on said Delivery Parcel; and 34 z753,. rL C ` 4, 5 4 4,Lt 1,. WHEREAS, the Redeveloper is not in default with respect : to any of its obligations under the Disposition Agreement; and 3- �j WHEREAS, Section 3( ) of Part I of the Disposition b ` Agreement == provides 'that any i'nterest payable on the Deposit shall be paid to the Redeveloper; IOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the Saratoga Springs Urban Renewal Agency: 1. That the Redeveloper has fulfilled all Cif its agree- ments and covenants in the Disposition Agreement dated March 11 1968 and in the 'aforesaid Deed dated April 30, 1968 with respect to its obligations to construct the Improvements on the First Delivery Parcel. 2. That said Improvements were completed in coiformity with the approved Construction Plans, the Urban Renewal Plan Tor the Project and the Disposition Agreement. 3. That the Chairman and Secretary of the Agency are hereby authorized and directed to execute and deliver to the Redeveloper a Certificate of Completion of Improvements for the First Delivery Parcel pursuant to Section 307( )of Pant II of a the Disposition Agreement. 4. That the Executive Director of the Agency is hereby authorized and directed to refund to the Fedeveloper, 4- �thirty 30) ( days after the execution and,delivery to the Redeveloper of the Certificate of Completion ,of, Improvements for the .First Delivery Parcel, that portion,of the Deposit that has been retained by the Agency to insure the faithful performance of the Rede- veloper's obligations under the Disposition Agreement with respect to the Improvements to be constructed on the First Delivery Parcel, together- ith any interest payable on said portion of the Deport. w 5_ � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Saratoga Springs History Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1706- Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Record Contributor Individual who prepared the item and/or edited it. Jillian Seigel Record Creation Date Day/Month/Year of record creation/edit 43270 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Misc. PDF documents from Saratoga Springs Historian's computer Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource ND Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource et al. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Multiple Sources Provenance A statement of any changes in ownership and custody of the resource since its creation that are significant for its authenticity, integrity, and interpretation. The statement may include a description of any changes successive custodians made to the resource. Saratoga Springs Subject The topic of the resource Misc. Description An account of the resource Colletion of PDF documents Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource text EnvironmentalJustice History SaratogaSprings transportation UrbanRenewal https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/2603c0ef486a38044b9f8a8eed2355dd.pdf bbd2cd203aa3666875fe754ce6e6ee1f PDF Text Text �������������������������������������������������� https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/c25f29d86ffb4e820ac6773b2caa6c1f.pdf bbd2cd203aa3666875fe754ce6e6ee1f PDF Text Text �������������������������������������������������� Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Saratoga Springs History Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1706- Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Record Contributor Individual who prepared the item and/or edited it. Jillian Seigel Record Creation Date Day/Month/Year of record creation/edit 43270 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Misc. PDF documents from Saratoga Springs Historian's paper files Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource ND Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource et al. Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Multiple Sources Provenance A statement of any changes in ownership and custody of the resource since its creation that are significant for its authenticity, integrity, and interpretation. The statement may include a description of any changes successive custodians made to the resource. Saratoga Springs Subject The topic of the resource Misc. Description An account of the resource Collection of PDF documents Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource text EnvironmentalJustice History SaratogaSprings transportation UrbanRenewal https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/baa112ccebf975a7fcf8b9fbc3aa394f.pdf 260ea771ea26bb40c1c8020183381253 PDF Text Text , \ SARATOGIAN, FRIDAY, APR. 24, 1*64 6ARATOOA 8PBINO6, N*W BERRTS'WOBID In Our Opinion m % Negro greats sang in city *J Clifton Park leads population boom (Third to a aeries on great music) There are few precedents in the Capital District irta for the rate of growth of the Town of Clifton Park in the last few years. In that period, the town has increased its population 35 per cent. If this rate were to continue for the rest of the decade, growth would approximate 88.7 per cent for the 1960-1970 period. One Saratoga County towns and two in Albany County grew at somewhat comparable rates from 1950 to 1960. Charlton more than doubled its residents in that time, as did Guilderland in Albany County. At the same time, Colonie swelled from 29,500 to 52,700. In terms of people, rather than percentages, Charlton's growth was about 1,800, while the two Albany towns went up 9,500 and 22,200, respectively. Clifton Park is likely to be someplace in between, with t projected increase, if the same rate continues, of some 3,500. There is no safe way of estimating how the rite will go. It is likely that it has actually accelerated in the last two of the four years measured in the special census and it may continue to accelerate for a while and then level off. But it is safe to estimate that the normal pattern will see this growth spill over into towns bordering Clifton Park, with the spillover coming more rapidly than before because of the Northway. Thus, Malta can expect an early population growth which could well, by the end of the decade, approach that of Clifton Park. Saratoga Springs, as a natural crossroads and business center, should experience greater growth than has been normal. Charlton and Ballston have already expanded considerably. Halfmoon grew a lot between 1950 and 1960 aid will continue to grow because of three factors: Northway spillover, proximity to Troy and spillover from Mechanicville, which has no place to grow as a community. Moreau, which became the second largest community in the county between 1950 and 1960 (over 8,400) may be more stable for a while, but as the Wilton School for the retarded is built, it and Wilton will have new impetus. These are not just statistics, they are people. Nor ire the projections overoptimistic. Realist as Fred Droms, supervisor of Clifton Park, is, he underestimated his own town's growth by 5 per cent and we could be underguessing, rather than overdoing it. So the figures are running ahead of the projections. The character of our county is changing. Governmental, social and educational problems, almost unprecedented in the county, appear to lie ahead. They mean that old ways of doing things aren't enough, that we must be ready to adjust to new needs, new people. We hope the warning is not lost on the community leaders of the county, both in and out of government. it looks fflce ff flice place to visit, bat / woafaart wxaef Roscoe Drummond Johnson takes complete Washintgon—The most significant fact in Washington today is that transitional government is at an end and that Lyndon B. Johnson is completly in charge. It has been accomplished more competently, more smoothly, more rapidly than anyone would have believed possible. The Johnson administration is now on its own—making its own decisions, creating its own initiatives, and cultivating its own image in its own way. • The one thing which to me stands out above all others is this: Johnson has not merely acceded to the Presidency; he has seized the Presidency with unequalled energy. Johnson is not merely presiding over his administration; he is operating the Presidency as if he had been in the White House at least five years. He is no longer looking back at the tragedy which robbed the nation of President Kennedy. Johnson is looking ahead. He is no longer appealing to Congress or to the country to accept his measures as a tribute to the memory of the late President. He is asking that everything be judged on its own. Seed of lawlessness • One of the most trenchant public utterances to be made in a long time has come from the man who next August will become president of the American Bar Association. He is Lewis F. Powell Jr. and every American might well listen carefully to what he said in a recent luncheon address. "One of the root causes of lawlessness in this country," he declared, "is excessive tolerance by the public in accepting substandard, marginal, immoral and unlawful conduct. "This tolerance has reached the point of moral sickness." Among the things he believes are excessively tolerated, Mr. Powell listed juvenile drinking, flagrant violation of traffic laws, flouting of obscenity and pornography laws, illegal gambling, cheating on claims against insurance companies, circumvention of divorce laws, condoning of violence, and disregard of laws in general. Those among us who are completely innocent of any of the tolerances mentioned by Mr. Powell can, of course, forget what he has said. The rest of us can thank him for saying it—and make sure we remember and heed it. I . i m Remember when? Apr. 24 1939 — The City Council at last night's meeting voted to give parking meters a six months trial. An eloquent plea for the Citizens of Saratoga Springs "to do something about a terrible situation where our city's population has practically stood still for 60 years at 13,000 in spite of all our natural advantages," was made by Samuel Goldberg of the Ro-Ed Mansion, at last night's open meeting of the Chamber Of Commerce. Apr. 24,1949 — The federal government has intervened in New York Power and Light Corporation plans to build a big power dam on Sacandaga River at Stewart's Bridge in Saratoga and Warren counties. "Pull study" will be given to the power company's proposal to contruct an earth dam, 1,400 feet long and 112 feet Paul R. Rouillard recently f Chronicle! of Saratoga TORJC received the gold medal for winning the 100 yard free style race in the inter-fraternity swim meet at Hanover. We will row No. 1 in the Dartmouth crew against Amherst next Saturday and also in the Dad Vail regatta of nine colleges at Poughkeepsie on May 21. April 24, 1959 ~ Thousands of members of the Daughters of the American Revolution from all parts of the country this week are seeing and admiring their national organization's tribute in Washington, DC. to its four founder*, incuding Ellen Hardin Walworth, who was a Saratogian. Included in the throng are Mrs. Walter Moore, regentelect of the Saratoga Chapter, and Mrs. R. C. Lamb, its chaplain. John A. Simone Jr., has opened an office for the practice of law at 384 Broadway. • THIS IS NO TIME EVEN to atempt to judge where Lyndon Johnson will rate as a President. But it is amply evident that he brings a special combination of qualities rarely present in one man at the same time. He is the most politically resourceful President since Franklin Roosevelt and the most zestful President since Theodore Roosevelt. He has just addressed both the American Society of Newspaper Editors in Washington and the Associated Press in New York. (Most Presidents address either one or the other.) He has just held three press conferences in the past week, including one big, live televised press conference in the State Department auditorium a la JFK. It went well. The nation's newspaper editors meeting in Washington — mostly Republican — thought Johnson would win re-election. The publishers meeting in New York— • • • ON THE BASIS OF HIS first five months in office, it is clear than Johnson is not disposed to delay, to postpone, to run away from hard decisions. He dared to take the railroad negotiations, which plagued both President Eisenhower and President Kennedy, into the White House—and this was no small political risk. He ventured upon a personal correspondence with Premier Khrushchev which led to the uranium production-cut agreement announced a few days ago. He listened to conflicting advice within his Administration over whether he should give his support to the anti Goulart military coup in Brazil before one could tell how democratic or undemocratic it was going to prove to be—and Johnson took the risk of supporting it, rejected the wait* and-see counsel. • • • I AM NOT SUGGESTING that the record is all rosy. The Panama negotiations were fumbled in the early stages. Our stake in Viet Nam needs much more persuasive Presidential exposition to keep public and Congressional support for what needs to be done. What is most visible, as transition government comes to an end, is that a very skilled politician and a massively do-it-now man is filling the Presidency to near bursting. Those who constantly compare President Johnson with President Kennedy will continue to be disappointed. He will never look and act like Kennedy. He will always look and act like Lyndon B. Johnson. © 1964 Publishers Newspaper Syndicate Stop reading word by word You can skip, skim or savor By THE READING LABORATORY INC. Written for Newspaper Enterprise Association (Time your reading of this column and compare your speed with that indicated at the end. The expected speed assumes a daily 5 per cent improvement.) many ways. He will read for information AND to evaluate. He'll read critical, opinionative writing alertly; he'll be on the lookout for poor reasoning, for invalid premises when he reads political comment. You read that a stateman gave a speech about this or that; your father will want to know why the statesman took that position, why the change in attitude, what he is really after. Your father will analyse that talk, bring his whole reading background to judge the content. Your father will get a lot more out of each development hecause he wants more, and it will take him more time. e • o WE'VE COVERED THE FOUR reasons for reading: 1. For information, and here you read at top speed, making use of all the steps. 3. For relaxation, and here you read fast but not so fast as for information. 3. For self-enrichment, and here you read more slowly because you don't want to miss any of a classic's beauty. 4. For critical evaluation, .and here you are not a passive observer, but an alert and questioning judge and jury. This is your slowest pace,' hut it should not be a slow pace after putting these columns into practice. (You should have completed this reading in 61 seconds.) (NEXT: Some Notes on Notes.) DIFFERENT KINDS OF reading require a different pace. Let's say you're given an assignment tonight in the appreciation of two poems by Robert Frost. Will you preread it, write down searching questions, skip and skim your way through it? Certainly not. Frost is meant to be savored for his style, his imagery, his choice of words. Furthermore, Frost is meant to be enjoyed; he wrote to delight you, to move your heart, not to give you facts. The same would be true with Dickens. His personal purpose in writing his classic novels may have been sociological, but what a mistake to dash through his books as you might a reference work in sociology. The simply peerless character delineations, the matchless descriptive passages all would be lost. You would mist the very heart and genius of the man. No, don't zigzag through Frost or Dickens. That technique has a place, but not here. • DID «W KNOW THAT THE "VAN" IN U0WI6 VAN BEETHOVEN DIDN'T MEAN AN</TruN6? mostly Republican — thought Johnson , would run even stronger than President Kennedy would have run. Few politicians or political writers would have held this view before Nov. 22 —that if the Vicepresident were compelled ' to take over he would be as strong, or stronger, politically than his. predecessor. This is further evidence of how quickly and completely Johnson has come to occupy the Presidency. • • BUT NOW YOUR ENGLISH literature assignment is finished and you can curl up with that mystery novel your friend loaned you. Your purpose now is altogether different; you're not looking for self-enrichment, you just want to relax. You know you can gloss over the author's prose without insulting a great master. Just the clues and the story is all you want and you're eager to see how the book ends. So speed makes sense, but don't skip and skim to the extent that you miss til the clues and spoil the fun. • • • AFTER DINNER YOU PICK up the paper. All you want is information. What'i happened around the world, In your home town, at last niht's sporting event. This you can read in about 15 minutes because your purpose called for top speed. Instant information instantly. Now your father reads the newspaper, hut his purpose If different from yours » Quick quiz % Q—How many different products come from trees? A—The products from trees are almost countless—it is estimated that than are more than 9,000 uses for'paper and paper pulp alone, s e e Q—Where was the birthplace of tilt naturalist John J. Audubon? A—Audubon himself thought ho was born near New Orleans, La., when Louisiana was still French territory. Many historians, however, believe that he was born In Haiti. -...-».• Untitled Document Thomas M. Tryniski 309 South 4th Street Fulton New York 13069 www.fultonhistory.com By EVELYN BARRETT BRITTEN City Historian Saratoga Springs has always been on the alert to recognize talent, whatever the race or creed. Two of the greatest artists of all time, who wore introduced to Saratoga Springs audiences were Negroes—Caesexette Jones, called familiarly "Black Patti," and Harry Thacker Burleigh, famed soloist whose arrangement of "Deep River" is immortal. o e • THE SARATOGA STORY of both makes interesting history. Cesaeretta Jones, whose rise to fame was swift, possessed a voice resembling that of the famous Adeline Patti, who had made several American tours, and was received by huge audiences. So like the famed Patti's voice was that of Miss Jones, that she was known throughout her singing career as "Black Patti". In the 1880s and lttO's, her magnificent voice was heard as a soloist at various concerts held in Congress Psrk, and shortly after the completion of Convention Hall in 1894 she sang there, -receiving one of the greatest ovations accorded by the 5,000 people from near and far who jammed the hall to hear her sing, Marguerite in Gounod's opera "Faust." This was the role in which Adeline Patti had scored her greatest success. e e • THERE ARE FEW STORIES more intriguing than the discovery of one of the greatest of all Negro lingers, Harry Thacker Burleigh, here in Saratoga Springs. In the summer of 1880 Burleigh was a wine boy serving in the Grand Union Hotel, and was attracted to attend classes at Bethesda Church which the late beloved rector, the Rev. Dr. Joseph Carey, was holding in the church afternoons for a group of boys from many cities who were working in the great hotels. Dr. Carey .organized one of the most worthwhile choirs ever assembled in our resort. To this service one afternoon in the 1880's came Burleigh, having an inner craving for music. He was singing with the choir one afternoon, all intent on his music, when suddenly he became quite embarassed and confused to find himself singing alone. All the other boys, thrilled by his voice, were silent, listening intently. His voice died away at the end of a hymn. Dr. Carey urged him to go on. The memory of his beautiful singing was recounted by the youths to many visitors they served at the various hotels. The services at 4 p.m. began to attract such crowds there was not room for all to hear. To one of the services that year also came the mother of the famous American composer, Edward C. MacDowell. She was Mrs. Frances Knapp MacDowell, a guest at the United States Hotel. Like the others she was entranced and came again and again to hear the Negro youth. ' at • • m^__^^__^^__ IN 1892, MBS. MAC DOWELL made it possible for Burleigh to attend the National Conservatory of Music in New York, where another of his friends became ton Dvorak, American composer, a MacDowell's son was Burleigh's ideal ana so there was little wonder that he chose on many occasions in his concerts to sing, the song for which Edward C. MacDowell became doubly famous, "to a Wild Rose." Burleigh for 52 years was the baritone soloist in St. George's Protestant Episcopal Church in New York City, and it was a tradition on every Palm Sunday, that ho should sing The Psalms, his audience coming from many other parishes to hear this. • e • WHEN THE GREAT SOLOIST observed the golden anniversary of his career, some years before his death, a reception was given him in St. George's Parish House, which was thronged to capacy by the great and the lowly, the wealthy and thq poor. Harry Thacker Burleigh never forgot Sartaoga Springs. He told some Saratogians who attended the reception, "I have a warm spot in my heart for Saratoga Springs and for its people. I'll never ferj • get the start I received there. It gave me encouragement to strive higher." v.0 • • • WHEN BURLEIGH DIED several years ago, the New York newspapers gave him credit as being the moving spirit in saving the beautiful Negro spirituals for th world, some 5Q of which he arranged personally. He had sung them before the, kings and heads of many European countries. It was Burleigh's arrangement of "Deep Rixer," which featured the last Saratoga Festival given in Congress Park in 1959 and was sung by the late John Blanchard, a local soloist of real ability and talent, whose untimely death cut short a musical artist. • • • SARATOGA SPRINGS had the honor of of organizing the developing one of the first churches in this area for the colored race, the African Methodist Episcopal Church in Maple Avenue, founded in June, 1863. The Civil War was then in progress, and greater religious opportunities were sought for the Negroes, many of whom came here summers as the employes of visitors. The first church stood in Willow Walk, now Spring Avenue. In November 1866, the first little church was destroyed by fire. Rebuilt the following year, the church was dedicated by Bishop J. J. Clinton. In 1888, this first church was so badly in need of repairs, that, with money given by Mrs. Benjamin J. Dyer, the present edifice was erected in Maple Avenue, and named in honor of Mrs. Dyer then owner of the Vermont House, corner of Grove and Maple Ave., and called, the Dyer Memorial A. M. E. Zion Church. In 1900 the name of Phelps was added in memory of a summer cottager who gave $500 for improvements to the church. In this church many important soloists were heard in a half century, and the Negro spirituals reached their perfection as sung by many of the soloists who ca o cajttfK here summers. U.S. anti-gambling statutes Pressure closed Hot Springs (Second of Two Articles) By JAMES W. CANAN Gannett News Service Washington—The closing of a big-time gambling operation in Arkansas last year illustrates the power that has accrued to federal lawmen under the 1961 anti-gambling statutes. The Justice Department tried two years ago to indict the gamblers who ran the games in Hot Springs, but failed. It lacked enough evidence that the games were "interstate." But the department kept trying, and doggodness prevailed. With the help of the local press, the federal men pressured the state into closing the gambling enterprise to avoid future trouble. Without the anti-gambling laws, the Department would not have been in a position to keep up the pressure, much less seek indictments in the first place. • e e SEVERAL OTHER CASES whore indictments ware lacking hut where gamblers voluntarily took cover demonstrate the difficulty of measuring the impact of the laws on a ease-by-ease basis. But where the impact can he gauged that way, the laws Mem to have served well Items: o The breakup o! a dice game in Reading, Pa., and indictment of IB men involved in it. They had made the mistake of "lugging" several players across the New Jersey line. Agents found $26,000 on the table. e The arrest and indictment of Harold Konigsberg of New Jersey and Angels Bruno, allegedly the top Philadelphia-area racketeers, on conspiracy eharges stemming indirectly, from the laws. e The imprisonment of Frank Zizzo, a Hammond, Ind.. gambler suspected of fronting for the Chicago "Cosa Nostra." He wasn't caught crossing the Djdiaaaniinois line, but he was tied to two henchman who had. • The indictment of William Gearhart, owner of a casino at White Sulphur Springs, W. Vs., on a charge of crossing into Ohio to bank his receipts. e The conviction of Marvin P. Kabase, • renowned Alabama gambler. He had used telephone company credit cards to phone out-of-state bookies. o The imprisonment of Joseph Manieri and several others operating a New York. New Jersey-Connecticut numbers racket described as on* of the very biggest. The FBI said they collected bets averaging more than $20,000 a day. e The voluntary closing of several racing-news wire services, including the Noli Now* of Louisiana, one of the most e The arrest of 10 "turf tiottors,r in New York, one of whom did a $60.ooo-aday business. They waft safe from the FBI just being touts, but not whoa they used Western Union money orders to distribute winnings. e The closing of a big "monte" game at Myrtle Beach, S.C., on the evidence that one of the players had paid up with a check from a bank in another stato> * \ ALL TOLD,, THE JUSTICE Department has used the 1961 laws to conduct 14,524 investigations in fields it couldn't have touched without them. Among the investigations have been—and are—224 in New York (mostly in the New York City area), 60 in Connecticut and 40 in New Jersey. Eighty-one indictments have been re* turned. Of the 264 defendants charged, 118 have been convicted. There are 31 indictments outstanding, involving 97 defendants. Except for Bruno, and possibly Konigsberg and Zizzo, the quarries caught under the 1961 ststutes hardly seem worth the attention of the FBI and the federal courts. But the Justice Department contends that this attitude of not bothering to crack down on the journeyman has served, over the years, to fatten the kingpins the most. , e e o TO SHOW THAT IT IS getting a better grip on organized crime across the board, the department cites its 288 convictions last year, as compared with 138 in 1962, 73 in 1961 and 45 in 1960. Perhaps even more indicative of the department's activity were the 615 organized-crime indictments returned in 1963, nearly double the number of 1962, five times as many as in 1961, and a whopping twelvefold more than in 1960. The indictments and convictions cover mostly operators of casinos, numbers rackets, horse rooms, dice games, handbooks and, in a few cases extortion enterprises. That they fall shy of the big names in narcotics, prostitution, coinvending machines and illegal liquor traffic; is a cause of some gloom at the Justice Department. Yet the crime laws of 1961 have given the department a better chance to chip away at the thrones of the kings of crime and the hope that harder blows are in the making. THE SARATOGIAN SCtmber: The Gannett Group " Founded 1854 » Published daily except Sunday The Saratogian, Inc., Telephone * Saratoga Springs 5844242 Robert D. Wilkinson General Mgr. Fred G. Eaton . . . Editor John V. Hannigan ....'.. Business MgaW Member: Audit Bureau of Circulation!^ Second-class postage paid at Saratoga Springs. The Associated Press is entitled exclusively to the use for republication of all local news printed in this newspaper. Gannett Advertising Sales, Inc.' National Representative, 1271 Avenues of America New York 20, N.Y. New York, Syracuse, Detroit, .• Chicago, San Francisco SUBSCRIPTION carrier . . . ; B One iSS RATCI 4*0 per wee* Tew $1300 Mn*itns Three Month* One Month 7 0O «.....»,.,».,»,, S.7| 1.35 Mall rates apply only where Met* li n o > delivery •errlce. M a l i »ub•cription mult be accompanied tw WHlanw to cover � https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/63923982ea7f17114d2460442dbbf8a5.jpg 91f148bb09baaa31934eca5a2dd603fb Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Harry T. Burleigh 150th Commemoration Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2016 Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Text Any textual data included in the document Saratoga Springs has always been on the alert to recognize talent, whatever the race or creed. Two of the greatest artists of all time, who wore introduced to Saratoga Springs audiences were Negroes—Caeserette Jones, called familiarly "Black Patti," and Harry Thacker Burleigh, famed soloist whose arrangement of "Deep River" is immortal. o e • THE SARATOGA STORY of both makes interesting history. Cesaeretta Jones, whose rise to fame was swift, possessed a voice resembling that of the famous Adeline Patti, who had made several American tours, and was received by huge audiences. So like the famed Patti's voice was that of Miss Jones, that she was known throughout her singing career as "Black Patti". In the 1880s and lttO's, her magnificent voice was heard as a soloist at various concerts held in Congress Park, and shortly after the completion of Convention Hall in 1894 she sang there, -receiving one of the greatest ovations accorded by the 5,000 people from near and far who jammed the hall to hear her sing, Marguerite in Gounod's opera "Faust." This was the role in which Adeline Patti had scored her greatest success. e e • THERE ARE FEW STORIES more intriguing than the discovery of one of the greatest of all Negro lingers, Harry Thacker Burleigh, here in Saratoga Springs. In the summer of 1880 Burleigh was a wine boy serving in the Grand Union Hotel, and was attracted to attend classes at Bethesda Church which the late beloved rector, the Rev. Dr. Joseph Carey, was holding in the church afternoons for a group of boys from many cities who were working in the great hotels. Dr. Carey .organized one of the most worthwhile choirs ever assembled in our resort. To this service one afternoon in the 1880's came Burleigh, having an inner craving for music. He was singing with the choir one afternoon, all intent on his music, when suddenly he became quite embarrassed and confused to find himself singing alone. All the other boys, thrilled by his voice, were silent, listening intently. His voice died away at the end of a hymn. Dr. Carey urged him to go on. The memory of his beautiful singing was recounted by the youths to many visitors they served at the various hotels. The services at 4 p.m. began to attract such crowds there was not room for all to hear. To one of the services that year also came the mother of the famous American composer, Edward C. MacDowell. She was Mrs. Frances Knapp MacDowell, a guest at the United States Hotel. Like the others she was entranced and came again and again to hear the Negro youth. ' at • • m^__^^__^^__ IN 1892, MBS. MAC DOWELL made it possible for Burleigh to attend the National Conservatory of Music in New York, where another of his friends became Anton Dvorak, American composer. MacDowell's son was Burleigh's ideal so there was little wonder that he chose on many occasions in his concerts to sing, the song for which Edward C. MacDowell became doubly famous, "to a Wild Rose." Burleigh for 52 years was the baritone soloist in St. George's Protestant Episcopal Church in New York City, and it was a tradition on every Palm Sunday, that ho should sing The Psalms, his audience coming from many other parishes to hear this. *** WHEN THE GREAT SOLOIST observed the golden anniversary of his career, some years before his death, a reception was given him in St. George's Parish House, which was thronged to capacy by the great and the lowly, the wealthy and thq poor. Harry Thacker Burleigh never forgot Sartaoga Springs. He told some Saratogians who attended the reception, "I have a warm spot in my heart for Saratoga Springs and for its people. I'll never ferj • get the start I received there. It gave me encouragement to strive higher." • • • WHEN BURLEIGH DIED several years ago, the New York newspapers gave him credit as being the moving spirit in saving the beautiful Negro spirituals for th world, some 50 of which he arranged personally. He had sung them before the, kings and heads of many European countries. It was Burleigh's arrangement of "Deep River," which featured the last Saratoga Festival given in Congress Park in 1959 and was sung by the late John Blanchard, a local soloist of real ability and talent, whose untimely death cut short a musical artist. Abstract (& Historical Note) Natural language description of the map itself, providing a general summary of the map and noting significant features. This is the place to introduce keywords and proper names that might be of interest to researchers, but do not warrant a separate subject heading of their own. Inset maps should also be described here, with their full titles given. Whenever historical or explanatory information is available, it should be included here as well. This includes information about items or events that are larger than just the map itself; for example, information about cartographers, a description of the map's historical significance (for example, "This is the first printed map of Saratoga Springs"), notes on the laws leading to a map's creation, descriptions of changes in state or county lines, information about the organization that created the map, how often maps were updated, and information about the map's creation and publication. Many State Archives maps have historical information in the catalog record -- that should be captured in this field. This article contains many unproven, unsubstantiated assertions about Burleigh's time in Saratoga Springs starting in 1880 and his discovery by a New York City socialite. While the story may be true, the documentary record has not yet provided evidence to confirm it. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Chronicles of Saratoga: Negro greats sang in city Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 24/04/1964 April 24, 1964 Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. The Saratogian Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Evelyn Barret Britten Britten, Evelyn Barret https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/a0a0c419be18ef876fb998866387592e.jpg f8c359acd2e2ad8afc0228d6c54e9406 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Car Organization Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource March, 2018 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Adele Fantasia Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Photograph https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/8ce7cb2c27227addc9100b025d5ff560.jpg f1a7c053bdaca10f0f60560d3b916325 https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/fe413cf691d5793a0ccbdc2089dbdc76.jpg 31da29fe5326f6128c17759a74a1e2e4 https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/6f767c788230190d1bc3baff231bd0e7.jpg d4dbcf6b47f66c7bcd70ea792486d2e8 https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/2b51d12a906dff8580f913926c6a81a2.jpg b9e75bb78f24bb920688e3920b836f2f https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/fa19d1692d6186bdc6c6ff4b18be0897.jpg 2de737833228f0f3b9174ff7385535da https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/6375e26e34b500ae42eed2e2cbbcf08c.jpg 2f39a05ad4043cd0c909070e8ab622bf https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/edf5194ec444f06fb156a63e8cb860b9.jpg b6399da2f697c954ece2a0688365454f https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/b11194aaea865bd1797e0a1089d3d439.jpg d83d9d8ce3daabed40bc97e36784fa09 https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/43b41d882ab2b6f9dda1a44867f479c3.jpg 932731f50e3597275a27440c352cb838 https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/b6b8ed35aae2a1d6d519ea51120258ea.jpg 66f69eacbf88d77ae11a15d01f573312 https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/aa1a1d40d8722e4df1db202ad4bcd537.jpg 662af4b233bccc34a2f02c3dfd9973ef Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Religious Hills Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 3/18 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Adele Fantasia Medium The material or physical carrier of the resource. Photograph https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/d2e3ef6acfd085d6bcdb29586fc285e6.jpg fd5efe36701e0e7558930b2477156a09 https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/87b89b054ac38ebe19cc0ca3325c6eff.jpg b50daa94ee94e42630cfc5469585589c https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/c6c9b03096799cbf62ffe9dd368d81e8.jpg c6360509d652fc3a653ae840c96edca3 https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/fb2d245f120b8a6fd4dbd05ab09cb94d.jpg 06576ee799785227b5575e9f2e7e0c8f https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/c47ac050b2430ff902a394d33b280bd7.jpg 6fdc19d5174e1b21bcfbdce558e4cfd4 https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/57e6c0616fccd0a245e246475c55f0ae.jpg cc3877fd5b487c4a72150f510f89a427 Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Record Contributor Individual who prepared the item and/or edited it. Adele Fantasia Record Creation Date Day/Month/Year of record creation/edit April 19, 2018 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Guadeloupe Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2018 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Fantasia, Adele Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Digital photograph Adele Fantasia Guadeloupe Hike MDOCS Principles of Documentary Spring 2018 Spring Break This Place Volcano https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/dfd31d50a086753e127c13ffe2fcd603.jpg 145eee58b8b2cd73299e088a7c833744 https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/b0fa12e175582d807aae0e02510da5b0.jpg 8358ec820835a2008568b5ca90131312 https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/d1abb643f6bfbd18c5e30cdc10059399.jpg ddca71f02b153c3d27138806f3c756aa Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource "The Cage" Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Fantasia, Adèle MDOCS Principles of Documentary Spring 2018 This Place https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/e036e69ab3513f77c1fc25d7eee64b5c.pdf 96aba695cad30ca16dae8c3ec19dddd1 https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/d3a2ba3eaee4d4cfb43fb31f42dbca93.png 4104c99455171c9fb244dd0d02bf3d4c Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Saratoga County Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Saratoga County Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2005 Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. The Encyclopedia of New York State Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Syracuse University Press Language A language of the resource eng Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Field Horne Subject The topic of the resource Saratoga County (N.Y.) https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/c3ceed610fb5ec1522264f1baec77cee.JPG b09e8d5053efd0335f5137dfb8ce55ac Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Saratoga Springs History Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1706- Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Record Contributor Individual who prepared the item and/or edited it. Jillian Seigel Record Creation Date Day/Month/Year of record creation/edit 43270 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Geyser Crest plan OK subject to new rec area Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2/12/70 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Folwell, Dick Provenance A statement of any changes in ownership and custody of the resource since its creation that are significant for its authenticity, integrity, and interpretation. The statement may include a description of any changes successive custodians made to the resource. Saratoga Springs Subject The topic of the resource Urban Renewal Description An account of the resource The Saratoga Springs Planning Board approved a 65-home development in Geyser Crest subject to Clifford Kolakowski, developer, increasing the size of a recreational area to meet new subdivision requirements. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource text SaratogaSprings UrbanRenewal https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/cdf9dfeb0f729c8b9e9dde50388fe498.jpeg 1142c67b529cc1e284cff6f5d3ffbd81 https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/055d13ba36dbe7d4c90813dc4a6fb1ae.mp3 491bae90f41d96840b5a326c549dd208 https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/9f4be88a5fee31f2c8d017ee1b34dd05.pdf eaf5469b75cc4b30ad1fd2bcd6167453 https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/f0203c88a444d9455a8195fe1238bcc9.pdf 644f2d47ccf5b0671e4cb1eaf401353c Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Skidmore College Retirees Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Interviewer The person(s) performing the interview Frederick Nelson Interviewee The person(s) being interviewed Steve Otrembiak Location The location of the interview Media Services, Skidmore College Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data audio recording Record Contributor Individual who prepared the item and/or edited it. Frederick Nelson Record Creation Date Day/Month/Year of record creation/edit 4/26/2017 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Interview with Steve Otrembiak Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 4/6/2017 Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. The Skidmore Retiree Memory Project Description An account of the resource Former Skidmore College media technician, Saratoga Native, and second generation Skidmore employee, Steve Otrembiak, recalls his extensive, over 30-year career working in a growing and changing community. As someone who has witnessed the college’s evolution from a number of different perspectives over a long period of time, Steve provides an insightful narrative of Skidmore’s challenges and triumphs and its ability to keep up with a changing world.  Language A language of the resource English Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Frederick Nelson Campus Move Employee Tuition Benefit Program Media Services Staff as Students Tang Museum Technological Changes Transitions in Staff Positions Unionization https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/4875f177a52b0b32cc726828942429a5.jpg ca596a12c10b78fd5cfff4f84de798f3 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Mapping Saratoga Springs Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1700- Map Cartographic document Creator - Organization Company, government agency, or other organization responsible for creating the item (the publisher should not be listed again here unless the same organization had a role other than that of publisher in sponsoring or creating the map). Skidmore College Abstract (& Historical Note) Natural language description of the map itself, providing a general summary of the map and noting significant features. This is the place to introduce keywords and proper names that might be of interest to researchers, but do not warrant a separate subject heading of their own. Inset maps should also be described here, with their full titles given. Whenever historical or explanatory information is available, it should be included here as well. This includes information about items or events that are larger than just the map itself; for example, information about cartographers, a description of the map's historical significance (for example, "This is the first printed map of Saratoga Springs"), notes on the laws leading to a map's creation, descriptions of changes in state or county lines, information about the organization that created the map, how often maps were updated, and information about the map's creation and publication. Many State Archives maps have historical information in the catalog record -- that should be captured in this field. This hand-drawn campus map of Skidmore Colleg’s Scribner Campus (behind today’s Congress Park) drawn by a Skidmore student offers a sense of college life in the 1940s. Details highlight dormitories, administration and academic buildings plus everything from a tea shop and tennis courts to smoking areas. The map points the way to schools where Skiddies might find dates, Union College, Dartmouth and Cornell among them. Saratoga Springs’ Public School No. 4 and Canfield Casino are two city buildings that draw the attention of the cartographer. Repository Name of the repository that holds the original item. Special Collections and Archives, Lucy Scribner Library, Skidmore College (Saratoga Springs, N.Y.) Scope Tiered geographical location (for example: United States, New York State, Saratoga County, Saratoga Springs, Congress Park). This field is here for two reasons: first, to present, at its narrowest level, the scope of the entire item (in other words, not every place name has to be listed here). Second, this field will allow for accurate and helpful narrowing and broadening of geographic searches. Neighborhood/District Type For Maps: This subject field describes the purpose of the map. This is a controlled-vocabulary field using terms developed for this project. It is important to note that Map Theme and Map Type are not hierarchical, thus it is possible to have the two fields overlap or even duplicate each other. In determining the purpose of the map, the cataloger should consider the publisher, and, (if known) original use of the map. For example, a map that shows a wide variety of information might be a candidate for General in the map_type field, however, if it was prepared by the state geologist and contains, in addition to everything else, substantial information about the geology and topography of the state, it would be classified as a Geological map. Multiple terms can be used in this field. City Plan Pictorial maps Theme For browsing purposes, we are borrowing and adapting themes from the Library of Congress's American Memory project. Education Civic Life Publisher Publisher of the item, or of the book or atlas in which it appears. Skidmore College Place of Publication The city (and if necessary) state or country of publication. [Saratoga Springs, N.Y.] Physical Dimensions The actual physical size of the original image 22 x 28 cm. Record Contributor Individual who prepared the item and/or edited it. J.Dym Record Creation Date Day/Month/Year of record creation/edit 3/29/2015 URL Skidmore College, Digital Collections, Scribner Library, <a title="1944, Campus Map" href="http://cdm15968.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/singleitem/collection/p15968coll2/id/35/rec/16">http://cdm15968.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/singleitem/collection/p15968coll2/id/35/rec/16</a> Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource [Scribner Campus Map, 1943-44] Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1944 Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. Skidmore Alumnae Quarterly. Vol. 22, no. 2, Winter 1944 (January). Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Skidmore College Language A language of the resource eng Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Gerish, Phyllis Olga, '44 map https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/2769111e15fa79f1f2fe13da847824f1.jpg 1750af56e9218d41cc20b772c58aa4ca Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Digital Photography Physical Dimensions The actual physical size of the original image 2448 × 3264 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource The Radio Description An account of the resource Green crank radio, on a dark table. Subject The topic of the resource A unique device, with a unique story. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Gersh, Luke Abstract A summary of the resource. This crank radio is more than just an outdated radio. To anyone else it looks like a normal outdated object. But when I look at it, it is like i'm time traveling. Every time I look at it, I get to relive my past summers at my job on the beach. Normally I would be impatiently cranking away, waiting for the radio to power up, but since I was on the beach enjoying the sun I was not in distress. When I crank this radio in any other setting it does not seem right and I usually do not continue. I have this in my dorm almost as a symbol of my past great summers in high school working on the beach. I remember packing for college and seeing it. Realistically why would I need a crank radio? I have the internet. I still wanted it in my dorm, to remind me of warm times and good vibes. art goods Leisure object POD Spring 2016 Sound https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/8849ef0156ff3f66083e1935ae0fffff.png 744cfdb674a11197dd1a2bf29d1babeb Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Saratoga County Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data color photograph Record Creation Date Day/Month/Year of record creation/edit 5/6/2021 Date Depicted (Display) Text version of the date field -- can handle non-numeric characters (ca. 1850s, [1844]). This is the content date field that will display. 2020s Abstract (& Historical Note) Natural language description of the map itself, providing a general summary of the map and noting significant features. This is the place to introduce keywords and proper names that might be of interest to researchers, but do not warrant a separate subject heading of their own. Inset maps should also be described here, with their full titles given. Whenever historical or explanatory information is available, it should be included here as well. This includes information about items or events that are larger than just the map itself; for example, information about cartographers, a description of the map's historical significance (for example, "This is the first printed map of Saratoga Springs"), notes on the laws leading to a map's creation, descriptions of changes in state or county lines, information about the organization that created the map, how often maps were updated, and information about the map's creation and publication. Many State Archives maps have historical information in the catalog record -- that should be captured in this field. Spa - Gideon Putnam Hotel - Roosevelt Baths Spa URL https://www.gideonputnam.com/roosevelt-baths-and-spa Record Contributor Individual who prepared the item and/or edited it. Miles Herman Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Waiting area at the Roosevelt Baths and Spa, Gideon Putnam Hotel Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2021 Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. Gideon Putnam Hotel Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived https://www.gideonputnam.com/roosevelt-baths-and-spa/salon-services Description An account of the resource A waiting area at the Roosevelt Baths & Spa, Gideon Putnam Hotel. The Roosevelt Bathhouse is the only original bathhouse left from when Saratoga became a center for water treatments in the 1930s, thanks fo Dr. Simon Baruch and President Franklin Roosevelt. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Gideon Putnam Hotel https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/4d4a934d45ef57ffb7c77cc4142fffcf.m4a 1d7f730fe4a69ab116210955eff1b861 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Miguel Hoyos Motherland https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/73566b79492128180df16eb63a961c6a.m4a 246b076fb519898d5c1b818dc1197cf7 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Miguel Hoyos Catalina Experiences https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/faf421308355a1540c5ecad95467c2d5.m4a 16d6daa301127608480c5b09e59dc5f6 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Miguel Hoyos No al Hambre https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/2081469fdd31a51a782a1d3bed9c1822.m4a 6a56994a9e1a45f455f4d473a5eb3414 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Miguel Hoyos Racetrack Family Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Latinx Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Interviewer The person(s) performing the interview Gloria Peters Interviewee The person(s) being interviewed Miguel Hoyos Record Contributor Individual who prepared the item and/or edited it. Gloria Peters Record Creation Date Day/Month/Year of record creation/edit 04/26/2016 Location The location of the interview Saratoga Springs, NY Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Miguel Hoyos Interview Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Gloria Peters Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 04/07/2016 Description An account of the resource Miguel Hoyos is an artist living in Saratoga Springs, New York. He spoke with Gloria Peters on April 7, 2016 about his memories of Colombia, his experiences in the United States, and the way Latinxs' experiences of discrimination and suffering are present in his art and his own experiences. artist Colombia Colombian community ethnicity family immigration Latinx oral history paintings race https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/5abc5ed0e63181b7e8d4255967b847fe.JPEG 891f5ec8d2c4eaf3e59515070013cda6 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Working Independently Together Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource February 2018 Language A language of the resource English Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Goldfarb, Lauren Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Photograph https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/e0c9f7685c3ec25310e46926be8499f6.JPEG f970b6f9455efe7e91d5e9b0c90af8ab Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Student's Eyes Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource February 2018 Language A language of the resource English Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Goldfarb, Lauren Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Photograph https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/01ae093b60f601f8d8e750403e2c52d9.JPEG d88b220cf525cb86ed1fe9447f3a6b98 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Wishing to be Anywhere but Here Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource February 2018 Language A language of the resource English Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Goldfarb, Lauren Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Photograph https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/c7efa16204c0bd5d60ee810647bcf8d1.JPEG 5a39d886275326b4c13d71ff2f7e2c11 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Focused on the Current Task Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource February 2018 Language A language of the resource English Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Goldfarb, Lauren Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Photograph https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/f5561c5dcf2ef3217f791dcaab417b75.JPEG eb86e5b5b1de4bb728903d12d4c19587 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource The Staircase to Home Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource February 2018 Language A language of the resource English Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Goldfarb, Lauren Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Photograph https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/21af3b0d0ab46d10b3fc10a7985bf945.jpg 62d37db8ab25fe7f0e411d21c7512558 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Ended Life Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2/18 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Angelos Billis Medium The material or physical carrier of the resource. Photograph Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Record Contributor Individual who prepared the item and/or edited it. Lauren Goldfarb Record Creation Date Day/Month/Year of record creation/edit 19/4/2018 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Social Isolation Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2018 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Digital Photograph Abstract A summary of the resource. A look at Skidmore students in the Lucy Scribner library. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Goldfarb, Lauren Goldfarb MDOCS photograph Principles of Documentary Skidmore College Spring 2018 Students study This Place https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/0cbc01fa1fef6abb0c3178b9200a7212.png 740dfc89572f85af180f34610ca6792c Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource March, 2018 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Goldfarb, Lauren Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Digital photograph Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. Cabo San Lucas Title A name given to the resource Sweeping Stratus https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/65c14bfc03586c9928b1addf4e273abc.png 0d2ba6320b0acc1087ab38050183196b Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource March, 2018 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Goldfarb, Lauren Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Digital photograph Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. Cabo San Lucas Title A name given to the resource Cirrus Sky Over Desolate Desert https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/50f9e948937f5bf15dbe7d5117b40a0a.png 5812401854d1765e2d20f9d173d1abc0 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource March, 2018 Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. Cabo San Lucas Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Goldfarb, Lauren Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Digital photograph Title A name given to the resource Cohabiting Cactae https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/9ceed80ec93b6c1f45e21d0547d2ff84.png 74d35e2547ea81dd2bf74cff6c8536a5 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource March, 2018 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Goldfarb, Lauren Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Digital photograph Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. Cabo San Lucas Title A name given to the resource Forsaken Footprint https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/5ea17757313afd9869e1d8bfa473cdbd.png 647887133eceb4a5fc5546fa144458f4 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource March, 2018 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Goldfarb, Lauren Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Digital photograph Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. Cabo San Lucas Title A name given to the resource Fresh Flora https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/de5801396c9983c6bcb4a34515f371c6.png 7a648b67f4ecdd0274fdbf1402a3fde6 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource March, 2018 Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. Cabo San Lucas Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Goldfarb, Lauren Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Digital photograph Title A name given to the resource Heaping Harvest Bustling Business Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Digital photograph Record Contributor Individual who prepared the item and/or edited it. Adele Fantasia Record Creation Date Day/Month/Year of record creation/edit April 19, 2018 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource March, 2018 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Goldfarb, Lauren Title A name given to the resource Cabo San Lucas Description An account of the resource Photographer Lauren Goldfarb delves into the authenticity of Cabo San Lucas, Mexico through a nature series that focuses on the raw beauty of a place devoid of its human inhabitants. This piece contrasts the typical representation of Cabo San Lucas as a spring break party destination, and instead offers an astoundingly refreshing look at the variety of its natural elements within which traces of humanity can be discerned. The vibrant versatility of the landscape allows viewers to challenge and redefine previous conceptions of Cabo San Lucas. Cabo San Lucas Lauren Goldfarb MDOCS Mexico Principles of Documentary Spring 2018 Spring Break This Place https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/8c15bad8938626c04ba54ef1fb84de1b.jpg cef25b581ab69d5abe5a8f34d7e992e4 https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/f6b46ece5afbd488d7a5e01bdab0b14a.jpg 9280ca3453f224aa7b053d1899d4878c https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/768b9788a7d837bf3b6448cffd24b3a9.jpg 071e9a9ed4229c56df8a82c7c1fe24ac https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/cf5d4103c29e6cb898fd4f1bf6575db6.jpg 9ea2605789bb0eae4abfa4e8c883efaa https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/1d7b03c950f7ad1e62185020dfbe6a54.jpg f423c9b5a9927699d72f7cbaa2c9908e https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/66c36046231a0b53e2c2e3a83e2efb84.jpg ae07331857ee720fe0f0f7d7cf7f48ee Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Record Contributor Individual who prepared the item and/or edited it. Gordon, Emily Record Creation Date Day/Month/Year of record creation/edit 19/4/2018 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Palamountain 200 Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2018 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Gordon, Emily Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Photograph books education department Gordon MDOCS Principles of Documentary projects Skidmore College Spring 2018 This Place https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/e2425b9e90ff34ab4cc4776b75d1c9a1.mp3 f91e4007edf2afbbd2edb20d3e82d5fa https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/964c8d924ad235110cf1d7424e1c6d6d.pdf e30086912c1fda5fd852668d9062b97e Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Saratoga County Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Interview with Dr. Joseph Bruchac Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource April 28, 2021 Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. Saratoga County History Project in Collaboration with the Brookside Museum Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Zoom Interview Language A language of the resource English Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Grace Beneke '22 Mattie Saulnier '21 Subject The topic of the resource Native American History Abstract A summary of the resource. Interview with historian and storyteller Dr. Joseph Bruchac of Greenfield Center, New York, conducted by Grace Beneke and Mattie Saulnier. Dr. Bruchac shared his knowledge on northeastern Native American history, focusing specifically on the Mohawk, Mohican, and Abenaki peoples, whose true presence and influence on Saratoga County history has been obscured by politics and scholarship. Some key topics covered include Native involvement in the Revolutionary War, local industry, and transportation, as well a traditional Mohawk story about Saratoga Lake. Abenaki everyday life industry Mohawk Mohican native american people transportation https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/66d78282e516c17bed92217d09080729.JPG a5996cfff9bb6b6494d6274acac3efe6 https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/3f2c6e5fa63d455d52855844564d0bd2.JPG 71af46bbe4aecaaa3e84e869a27be03a Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Record Contributor Individual who prepared the item and/or edited it. Krystle Nowhitney Hernandez Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Gustavo Adolfo García Title A name given to the resource El Camino de la Vida/The Journey of Life Alternative Title An alternative name for the resource. The distinction between titles and alternative titles is application-specific. Gustavo Adolfo García_2017_1.jpg Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2017 Subject The topic of the resource NY, USA Description An account of the resource Vías que te llevan buscando un nuevo futuro, experiencias y destinos que se tornan emocionantes por descubrir, recorriendo caminos puedes descubrir lo hermoso de la vida y apreciar la maravilla que tiene el mundo para quienes pueden emprender una nueva aventura en su camino. Routes that lead you looking for a new future, experiences and destinations that become exciting to discover, walking ways that allow you to discover the beauty of life and appreciate the wonder that the world has for those who can embark on a new adventure along their way. License A legal document giving official permission to do something with the resource. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Digital Photograph, JPEG art bilingual Estamos Aqui immigration Latinx race track Saratoga Race Course Spanish https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/0c1678198f66bf6ff2bd537dccf04199.JPG d229e0b0a05b3dc5145db38dd3e07cbe https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/7b52804e74bcabefe12b04aa743c1a76.JPG 71af46bbe4aecaaa3e84e869a27be03a Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Record Contributor Individual who prepared the item and/or edited it. Krystle Nowhitney Hernandez Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Gustavo Adolfo García Title A name given to the resource La Casita del Puente/The Little Covered Bridge Alternative Title An alternative name for the resource. The distinction between titles and alternative titles is application-specific. Gustavo Adolfo García_2017_2.jpg Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2017 Subject The topic of the resource NY, USA Description An account of the resource Tan triste, sola y llena de recuerdos como yo, me transporta con mi familia, mi niñez y ahí mismo me regresa a mi presente asegurándome que he crecido, me he convertido en un ser fuerte y valiente, es tan fácil que esta casita me transporte en mis dos mundos sin frontera. Sad, alone and full of memories like I am, it takes me back to my family, my childhood, and suddenly it returns me to my present reassuring me that I have grown, that I have become strong and brave, it is so easy for this little covered bridge to hold me in my two borderless worlds. License A legal document giving official permission to do something with the resource. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Digital Photograph, JPEG art bilingual Estamos Aqui immigration Latinx race track Saratoga Race Course Spanish https://www.ssmp.mdocs.skidmore.edu/files/original/8440d5248503a7347edf893e1f536862.png 687d8506e5f43c7594625b5186af0013 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Saratoga County Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Photograph Record Creation Date Day/Month/Year of record creation/edit 5/7/2021 Date Depicted (Display) Text version of the date field -- can handle non-numeric characters (ca. 1850s, [1844]). This is the content date field that will display. August 1935 Abstract (& Historical Note) Natural language description of the map itself, providing a general summary of the map and noting significant features. This is the place to introduce keywords and proper names that might be of interest to researchers, but do not warrant a separate subject heading of their own. Inset maps should also be described here, with their full titles given. Whenever historical or explanatory information is available, it should be included here as well. This includes information about items or events that are larger than just the map itself; for example, information about cartographers, a description of the map's historical significance (for example, "This is the first printed map of Saratoga Springs"), notes on the laws leading to a map's creation, descriptions of changes in state or county lines, information about the organization that created the map, how often maps were updated, and information about the map's creation and publication. Many State Archives maps have historical information in the catalog record -- that should be captured in this field. Bicycle - Rickshaw - Saratoga - Town - Historical Society of Saratoga Springs - Health - Wellness URL https://www.timesunion.com/sports/article/Historical-photos-Saratoga-Springs-through-the-1469618.php#photo-1121838 Record Contributor Individual who prepared the item and/or edited it. Miles Herman Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Rickshaws in Saratoga Springs Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource August 1935 Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. The George S. Bolster Collection of the Historical Society of Saratoga Springs. Photo 247 of 291 in "Historical Photos: Saratoga Springs through the years." https://www.timesunion.com/sports/article/Historical-photos-Saratoga-Springs-through-the-1469618.php#photo-1121987 Description An account of the resource "An August 1935 photo. For a couple of years, people could take Rickshaw rides around town." Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource H.B. Settle, photographer