BY SAM CAPUANO
sam@theballstonjournal.com
As 2010 draws to a close, it is once again time to do one of those obligatory Year In Review stories.
For those unfamiliar with my rules, I am again mostly going to keep to within the confines of the 12020 ZIP code, and/or stories I covered or commented on this year. I started the 2009 version of this review off on a sad note, noting the Charlton Tavern building, which dates back to 1787, caught fire, and was a total loss. So, let’s start off on a happy note this year. The rebuilt Tavern opened up to the general public again this January, and is as good as ever. It is still the best place to have a Guinness by a fireplace.
A company that made the news in January, as in almost every other month this year, was GLOBALFOUNDARIES (and, yes, they continue to tell me this is the correct spelling, in all caps.) GLOBAL, and contractor M+W Group held their first neighborhood meeting to taut their building progress. It was pretty well received, and even Malta resident Carol Henry, chairwoman of LFTC, a citizen’s response board seemed pleased, although she peppered the GLOBAL and M+W representatives with questions on traffic sign postings, etc.
With February came the news of the planned closing of Fisher’s Variety Store on Front Street. Owner Joe Carter mentioned competition from Ocean State Job Lots, and parking issues as his reasons for shutting down. Either way, downtown now is without a Five and Dime store, and has a big empty storefront in its business district.
Later on that month, a huge gathering took place at BrickYard Tavern and Grill, just around the corner from Fishers. The occasion was to watch local athlete Trevor Marsicano on NBC television, as he competed in an Olympic speed skating event. No words can describe the reaction of those of us there when the announcer mentioned “those watching back in Ballston Spa at the BrickYard.”
At March’s Friends of Kayaderosseras annual meeting, Agenda Item No. 1 was to honor FOK’s founder and past president Ruth Dibelius. Everyone in the Gideon Putnam Room at the Saratoga State Park Administration Building had nothing but praise for the women who started to put it all together six years ago.
On a cold Saturday morning in April, members of the business community, teachers and local residents interested in learning about and promoting “fair trade” crammed the Ballston Spa High School for the 2nd Annual Ballston Spa Fair Trade Coalition Conference. The “fair trade” movement continues to grow in Ballston Spa, New York’s first “fair trade” town. Trevor Marsicano was responsible for another large gathering in May, as a parade was held for the smiling Olympic Silver Medalist. The Journal staff even marched in this one, but we were no match for the speed skater in the red Corvette, holding his medal for all to see, to a thunderous applause.
There was another parade that month, the annual Memorial Day event. US Rep. Scott Murphy, D-Glens Falls, was there and told me he felt the Ballston Spa community was faring well when compared to some of the others in his congressional district. Also in May, the Ballston Spa Central School District budget passed, with a much quieter campaign than in the prior year. Board members Daniel Cramer and Kathleen Jarvis were reelected as well.
With June, came the stunning news Angelica planned on closing their Ballston Spa plant. The ultimate fallout of this, both in terms losses of jobs and tax revenue remains to be seen.
July also saw the possibility of an even longer tenured employer in the Village moving out, at least partially, as Ballston Spa National Bank made their presentation to the Town of Ballston Planning Board for their new headquarters, outside of the Village limits. Later on that month, a business moved into the village, as Mango Tree Imports showed off their spiffy new locale on Washington Street, providing Art Alley with another key player.
For the third year in a row, the first weekend in August brought widespread local media coverage into town, as the Ballston Spa Film Festival took center stage for a few days. Films were submitted from local and international talent. The festival, an event courtesy of the Ballston Spa Business & Professional Association, has grown substantially in just a few years. A few weeks later, after a sometimes emotional discussion, the Town of Milton unanimously passed the draft of its long awaited ethics code.
During this time, there was other news in Milton- which anyone driving around the vicinity of Milton Center could easily see- scores of trees around the Saratoga County Airport were felled by the County. The official reason was to bring the airport in line with Federal Aviation Administration airspace guidelines. The landscape of Rowland Street, Geyser Road and Stone Church Road was drastically changed (read: made uglier), and many homeowners filed formal complaints. Also during this busy month, GLOBALFOUNDARIES appealed its $160 million property tax assessment.
September means back to school, and just a week or so into the academic year, one of the defining games of the football season took place at Ballston Spa High. In a contest dubbed, “The Battle Of Route 50”, the Scotties scored an emotional win over Saratoga Springs. A stunning block by Jeremy Defibaugh of an extra point try sent the home crowd into a frenzy, as Ballston avenged its only two losses from the year before.
Another battle took place in September, this one between developer Frank Rossi and the Brookside Museum. Rossi was proposing to add six new buildings to the Mohican Hill Apartment complex on Fairgrounds Avenue. When/if the additional apartment buildings are constructed, they will be right next to Brookside, and would change the atmosphere of the backyard of the historic building. Despite several emotional pleas and testimonials from museum officials and other locals, it looks as though the development will eventually take place.
Another BSBPA event growing larger each year highlighted October. The Way We Were Car Show somehow managed to squeeze 400 classic cars into downtown, along with thousands of spectators. This wonderful contest now only seems to have a problem of where to put the ever increasing number of entrants each year.
A short time later, after 18 months of discussion and development, the first proposed Ballston Spa Central School District Facilities Improvement Referendum was passed by voters by 113 votes. The $49.3 million bond will address the most urgent and critical renovations and repairs for the school district’s buildings. This will include a new building to replace Milton Terrace South, and long awaited, and much needed, substantial repairs to Malta Avenue School.
While this vote was not a surprise, news coming from New York state that same month was. The Empire State Development Corporation announced plans to foreclose on the Luther Forrest site, home of the GLOBALFOUNDARIES Fab 8 project. More to follow on this one for sure, but suffice it to say, the announcement sent local officials scurrying.
There was some disturbing news in October as Ballston Spa’s Justin Taylor was charged with allegedly beating his girlfriend, and killing her pet Chihuahua dog. The latter offense would be a violation of Buster’s Law. A November court date was postponed until at least this month.
In November, the Ballston Spa football team fell short of their goal of returning to the big game, as they were defeated by Shenendehowa in the semi-final. Shen overcame an 11 point deficit in the playoff game. Another sports related event was held that month, this one at the Factory Eatery. It was to honor Ballston Spa’s only Major League Baseball player, Ira Felix Thomas. Thomas played for a number of years, including being a member of the 1910 World Series champion Athletics.
In December, Saratoga County announced plans to take down even more trees around the airport, and to extend a berm to replace the trees that have already been removed. Both moves are sure to further infuriate already honked-off residents.
Speaking of honking-off residents, so did the announcement from Canadian Pacific Railroad, owners of the railroad tracks in Ballston Lake, that they are requesting the New York State Department of Transportation’s help in closing three crossings. This would subsequently cut access to Route 50 for scores of residents who are literally on the wrong side of the tracks. Local residents are organized in this battle, which will see further clarification at hearing scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 6 at 10 a.m. at the Ballston Town Hall.
Another topic was debated in Ballston Town Hall in December, one involving providing water for Saratoga Hospital’s proposed medical facility in Malta. Ballston lost out, as the Hospital decided to go with Clifton Park instead. Councilwoman Marybeth Hines criticized Supervisor Patti Southworth in the aftermath. The latter has since said she will create a committee to address future water concerns.
And, there you have it, 2010 in a nutshell. Until next time, when I list my 2011 resolutions and predictions sure to not occur, happy new year to one and all.
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