I hope you all had a great President’s Week and are getting back to normal with the kids back in school.  This week, at the county level, we had some great discussion about housing in Essex County and here in the Town of Jay.  Essex County Board of Supervisors will vote to submit an application for the creation of an Essex County Land Bank, it passed Ways and Means this week.  As I have mentioned in the past, this is just one tool in our toolbox to help tackle the housing crisis.  Once created, the property at 14 Springfield Road in Upper Jay will be the first property rehabbed with this initiative.  It will be exciting to see the first steps the land bank takes will be right here in the Town of Jay.

Staying on the housing topic, Pride of Ticonderoga, the nonprofit which will administer the Essex County Land Bank, discussed several other housing initiatives and grants that are available to homeowners.  The application period for Essex County’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Home Rehabilitation program is now open!  If you have a need and think you might qualify, you can apply directly online at: https://prideofticonderoga.org/community-development-block-grant-cdbg/.  I will be meeting with Nicole Justice Green, Pride of Ticonderoga’s Executive Director, in the near future to discuss other opportunities for the Town of Jay, including the NY Main Street Planning Grant to help update our revitalization plan to increase our chances for future grants to help revitalize the Town of Jay.  For more information about the Pride of Ticonderoga, you can visit the County’s website: https://essexcountyny.gov/pride-housing-grants-2023/.

A few months ago, during a discussion with the Au Sable Forks Ambulance Service about volunteers and paid staff, the thought arose to offer Per Diem pay to current volunteers.  I brought this idea back to the Essex County EMS committee.  They told me a few years ago that the idea was attempted with little interest.  However, this week, Essex County will once again reach out to the EMS providers in the county to see if there is any renewed interest. If you are a certified EMT, AEMT or Paramedic please reach out to your nearest EMS service to let them know you are interested.

Have a great week,
Matt.