Waite: Where issues addressed in these lines stand

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This marks my 33rd column – just about a third of the way to 100.

What’s the significance of that? Nothing. But as humans, we’re fond of round numbers and milestones, and this week in particular is one during which we look back and reflect upon the year that was.

So I’m taking this time to check back in on some of the topics I’ve covered since beginning this columnist role in October. I’ll do this kind of stock taking on occasion – including during weeks that have far less importance than the final week of the year – because this role is about being part of community conversations that can lead to change.

And that work involves tracking progress.

WESTERN TOURISM COULD BE A FORK IN THE ROAD
Montgomery and Fulton counties have gone their separate ways on tourism. After Fulton County’s commissioners made the first move in mid-October to bring tourism operations in house, Montgomery County quickly followed suit.

Shortly after, former Fulton Montgomery Regional Chamber of Commerce leader Mark Kilmer, who had lobbied for Fulton County to continue its tourism partnership with Montgomery County and the chamber, was replaced by tourism director Anne Boles.

Boles, now the chamber’s executive director, has a strong reputation.

Still, my worry remains about the lasting impact that the tourism split could have on the regional chamber and the Mohawk Valley counties’ longstanding kinship. Time will tell if the recent fork in the road on tourism ultimately leads to divergent paths for both counties.

NO NISKAYUNA PAY RAISE – FOR NOW
Niskayuna Supervisor Jaime Puccioni backed off of a $4,700 salary raise for her position. The proposal would have boosted the supervisor’s salary from $53,800 to $58,500 next year.

I argued in favor of the raise because the salary is lower than some supervisor salaries in nearby communities – and hasn’t been raised for many years. Mostly, I believe increasing salaries for local leadership positions encourages talented and younger professionals to pursue the jobs.

I stand by this reasoning, and I’m glad Puccioni plans to bring the issue up again next year, when the Niskayuna Town Board and members of the community will have more time to study the issue and discuss it thoroughly.

SARATOGA SPRINGS HAVING MANY CONVERSATIONS ON PUBLIC SAFETY
A late-night shootout in downtown Saratoga Springs ahead of Thanksgiving has generated a lot of discussion – and prompted some very lengthy City Council meetings. In its latest action, the Saratoga Springs City Council approved a resolution, 3-2, that requests the city attorney send a letter to the New York State Liquor Authority acknowledging the city’s stance on a 2 a.m. bar closure time for every new liquor license that is applied for, as well as renewals.

The city’s bars – with some exceptions – are currently permitted to stay open until 4 a.m.

The recent measure is an attempt to get bars to close earlier, since police say the risk for violence increases after 2 a.m. Members of the business community have pushed back against earlier closing time – and there isn’t the appetite for change at the county level. As a result, the City Council has resorted to, shall we say, more creative approaches to encouraging bars to close earlier.

I’m not holding much hope for the effectiveness of the kinds of workarounds like the one recently passed. I am, however, trying to be optimistic about the recently formed Downtown Advisory Committee, which is made up of members of city leaders, emergency response officials and representatives of the business community.

But if this committee is really going to make progress, it can’t be distracted by kerfuffles like a recent one to do with whether Saratoga Springs Accounts Commissioner Dillon Moran has any sort of conflict of interest in serving on the committee as a result of Moran’s minority stake in Druthers Brewing Co. The committee must focus on actual issues at hand.

And, if the city is truly serious about improving safety downtown, stakeholders will focus on measures that can prevent firearms from being in the mix during late-night arguments downtown.

CLIFTON PARK EXPECTED TO FILL SEATS SOON
The Clifton Park Town Board will likely be appointing two new board members early next year. That’s after two members – Councilwomen Amy Standaert and Amy Flood – resigned in November after one of my columns exposed that town resources were allegedly misused to fabricate controversies — including an allegation of physical assault against Supervisor Phil Barrett and an allegation that Barrett had not properly followed COVID-19 rules after testing positive.

Let’s hope politics in Clifton Park – and elsewhere – aren’t quite so ugly next year.

TIME MARCHES ON
Many readers have written and called to generously say how much they appreciate some of my more personal columns. So, here’s a family update:
My daughter, who turned 5 in December, still doesn’t love soccer. But she’s found a nice balance between gymnastics, crafts projects and schooling me in games of Memory and Connect Four.

Meanwhile, my son doesn’t just walk now – he runs. And he runs nonstop. Honestly, he’s become something of a menace.

But, as the parents among us know, we’re grateful for the chaos of life with young kids, even if part of us longs for the days when they’re grown. The years pass all too quickly, and we’ll close the book on another one in the next few days.

So in that spirit, a happy New Year to all. It’s informative and fun to look back on where we’ve been, but I’m very much looking forward to the year ahead.

Columnist Andrew Waite can be reached at [email protected] and at 518-417-9338. Follow him on Twitter @UpstateWaite.

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