Past Workshop Presentations

Many of our recent trainings and webinars are available on the commission’s YouTube channel.

* denotes session with quiz for Planning/Zoning Board of Appeals members

February 29, 2024 || “Red Flags for Fraud – Fraud Prevention and Detection and Prevention” || by Ingrid Otto, Office of the NYS Comptroller || Handout, Slide Deck, and Click Here for Training Videos on the OSC Website including Fraud Prevention and Detection.

February 29, 2024 || “NYSERDA’s Clean Energy Communities Round 3.0 Webinar” || Presented by the Adirondack North Country Association, NYS Tug Hill Commission, Mohawk Valley Economic Development District, and the Central NY Regional Planning and Development Board || Clean energy Communities ProgramYouTube Video, Slide Deck

February 20, 2024 || “Tug Hill Winter Wildlife Webinar Series Part 2: On the Doorstep: Could American Martens Recolonize Tug Hill?” || by Paul Jensen, NYS Department of Environmental Conservation || YouTube Video

January 16, 2024 || “Tug Hill Winter Wildlife Webinar Series Part 2: Fisher” || by Tim Pyszczynski, NYS Department of Environmental Conservation || YouTube Video

December 6, 2023 || “Newly Elected Officials Training” || by Sarah Brancatella and Lori Mithen-Demasi, Association of Towns of the State of New York || YouTube Video || Slide Decks

December 4, 2023 || “Forest Carbon Workshop for Small Landowners” || YouTube Video || Healthy Forests for Our Future Slide Deck || Family Forst Carbon Program Overview

November 14, 2023 || Lake-Effect Electrification || by Dr. Scott Steiger || YouTube Video || Slide Deck Handout

October 28, 2023 || The G & W Railroad || by Charley Sweredoski and Matthew Smith || YouTube Video || Slide Deck Handout

August 23, 2023 || “Highway Departments and Town Budgets” || by Laird Petrie || YouTube Video from Adams, NY Training in May || Slide Deck Handout

July 28, 2023 || “Michi Saagiig Nishnaabeg Nation – Friends of The Black River Presentation” || by Chief Laurie Carr and Professor Chad Cowie || YouTube Video || Slide Deck Handout

May 30, 2023 || “Highway Departments and Town Budgets” || by Laird Petrie || YouTube Video || Slide Deck Handout

May 19, 2023 || “Cemetery Workshop” in partnership with the Lewis County Historical Society || YouTube Video Playlist || Presentation Slides and Handouts:

Governance, Maintenance, Conservation – Typical Cemetery Issues by Peter Hayes

Tug Hill Abandoned Cemetery Presentation by David Fleming

Cemetery Basics by Cindy Craig
Table of Consanguinity Handout
Hazardous Monument Application Handout

Historic Cemetery Preservation by Joe Ferrannini

 

February 28, 2023 || “Knowledge Transfer: How to make sure you know what you don’t know when you experience staffing changes” || by Khristopher Dodson and Averi Davis || YouTube Video|| Slide Deck Handout || Position Knowledge Inventory Tool

January 29, 2023 || “Snow Ridge: Through the Years” || by Nancy Grisham, Tom Smith, Nick Mir, Jerry Britton, and Bronny Davis || YouTube Video || Slide Deck Handout

November 30, 2022 || The Constable Chronicles – Part 6 || “Into the Adirondack Wilderness” || by Martha Constable Murray || YouTube Video

October 18, 2022 || “Regulating Private Speech: Sign Regulations and the First Amendment” || by Mark Cuthbertson, Cuthbertson Law || YouTube Video || Slide Deck Handout

September 17, 2022 || “A Century Gone By: Revisiting Swancott Mills” || by James Burke, Leigh Portner and Robert Sauer || Slide Deck Handout || Playlist of Music ||

July 28, 2022 || “The Castorland Journal” || by Dr. John Gallucci || YouTube Video ||Slide Deck Handout

March 10, 2022 || “50 Years in a Hunting Club on Tug Hill: Brandy Brook Sports Club” || by Jack Thoden || YouTube Video || Slide Deck Handout

December 15, 2021 || “Newly Elected Officials Workshop” || by Sarah Brancatella and Lori Mithen-Demasi || 2021 Newly Elected Overview Slides || 2021 Ethics Slides (AOTSNY) YouTube Video

December 7, 2021 || The Constable Chronicles – Part 5 || “William Constable, Spirit of the North Country” || by Martha Constable Murray || YouTube Video

November 9, 2021 || The Constable Chronicles – Part 4 || “Anna Constable: From Socialite to Suffragist” || by Andrew Reid || Slide Deck Handout || YouTube Video

November 3, 2021 || “PILOT Agreements, Valuation Issues, and Renewable Energy Projects” || by Dylan Harris || Slide Deck Handout || YouTube Video

October 28, 2021 || “Comprehensive Planning” || by Matt Johnson || Slide Deck Handout || YouTube Video || Take a Quiz to Receive a Certificate of Attendance

October 26, 2021 || “Agriculture and the Lewis County Experience” || by Joe Lawrence || Slide Deck Handout || YouTube Video

October 21, 2021 || “The Code: What Every Local Official Should Know About the Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code” || by NYS Department of State || Slide Deck Handout

October 19, 2021 || “The American Rescue Plan Act: What Your Board Needs to Know” || by Sarah Brancatella || Slide Deck Handout || YouTube Video

September 28 and October 5, 2021 || “Town Budget Workshop” || by Laird Petrie || Slide Deck Handout || Contingent Account Worksheets for Towns

September 21, 2021 || “Gould’s Logging on Moose River Plains in the Early 1900’s” || by Ernest Leigh Portner || YouTube Video

June 24, 2021 ||”A Well-Perfected Organization: The Underground Railroad in Oneida County, NY” || with Oneida County Freedom Trail Commission members Judith Wellman, Historian, and Jan DeAmicis, Mary Hayes Gordon, Deirdre Sinnott || YouTube Video

* June 23, 2021 || “Regulating Short-term Rentals” || by Charles Malcomb and Alicia Legland, of Hodgson Russ, LLP ||YouTube Video || Slide Deck Handout || Take a Quiz to Receive a Certificate of Attendance

June 16, 2021 || “Technical Solutions and Things to Consider for Broadband Expansion” || by David Wolf, Development Authority of the North Country || Slide Deck Handout || YouTube Video

June 10, 2021|| “The Underground Railroad:  Routes Through the North Country” || by Jackie Madison, President, North Country Underground Railroad Historical Association || YouTube Video

June 1, 2021 || “The New Cannabis Law: Considerations for Towns and Villages” || by Wade Beltramo, New York State Conference of Mayors and Municipal Officials and Sarah Brancatella, Association of Towns of the State of New York || YouTube Video || Slide Deck Handout || Sample Opt-Out Local Law || Q&A from Webinar || MRTA Summary – April 15 2021

May 26, 2021 || “Ice and Snow Best Practices: Communication and Consensus” || by Tim Hunt, Lewis County Highway Superintendent || YouTube Video

May 20, 2021 || “The Rise and Fall of the Florence Settlement” || by Jessica Harney, Camden Central School, Charles Vandrei, NYSDEC and Matthew Kirk, Hartgen Archeological Associates || YouTube Video

May 19, 2021 || “How Can Broadband Be Delivered:  The Southern Tier Network” || by Joe Starks and Andy Lukasiewicz, ECC Technologies || Handout || YouTube Video

May 12, 2021 || “Broadband: Statewide Perspective” || by Scott Rasmussen, Innovation & Broadband Empire State Development || YouTube Video

* April 29, 2021 || “Open Government Issues in Planning and Zoning Decisions” || by Mark Schachner || YouTube Video || Handout || Take a Quiz to Receive Certificate of Attendance

April 27, 2021 || “Five Steps to Jump Start Your Cybersecurity Program” || by Steven Gravel, NYS Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services || YouTube Video || Five Steps to Jump Start Your Cybersecurity Program (Presentation PDF) || Informational Posters:  USB Security || Web Browser Security || Ransomware || Multi Factor Authentication || Phishing || Know Normal Activity

April 15, 2021 || “Local Regulation Enactment Procedure” || by Christopher Eastman and Patricia Burke, NYS Department of State || YouTube Video

March 25, 2021 || “A New Climate on Both Large and Small Scales” || by David Eichorn || YouTube Video

March 24, 2021 || “Letters from a Tug Hill Logger Part 3” || by Leona and Peter Chereshnoski and Jackie Hobbs|| YouTube Video

March 18, 2021 || “Ditch to Ditch: A Primer for Highways” || by Lori Mithen Demasi, Association of Towns of the State of New York || YouTube Video || Handout

March 10, 2021 || “Forest Conservation” || by Neal Bungard, USDA Forest Service and Jason Drobnack, NYS Department of Environmental Conservation || YouTube Video || USDA Forest Service Handout || NYSDEC Handout

February 25, 2021 || “Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure” || by Ron Semp, PlugIn Stations Online || YouTube Video || Handout

February 24, 2021 || “Letters from a Tug Hill Logger Part 2” || by Leona and Peter Chereshnoski, fiddle by Jackie Hobbs || YouTube Video

February 10, 2021 || “Farmland Conservation” || by Jeffrey Kehoe, NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets, Erica Goodman, American Farmland Trust and Linda Garrett, Tug Hill Tomorrow Land Trust || YouTube Video || PowerPoint

February 9, 2021 || “Strong Cyber Security Practices in 2021” || by Lisa Atkinson, Zelvin Security || YouTube Video

January 28, 20201 || “Right-Sizing Stream Crossings for Fish, Wildlife and Resiliency” || by Corbin Gosier, NYSDEC || YouTube Video || Handout

January 27, 2021 || “An overview of the new local government retention schedule: The New LGS-1” || by Michael Martin, NYS Archives ||  YouTube Video

January 25, 2021 || “Letters from a Tug Hill Logger Part 1” || by Leona and Peter Chereshnoski || YouTube Video

January 13, 2021|| “Conservation 101: Fact vs Fiction” || by Linda Garrett, Tug Hill Tomorrow Land Trust || YouTube Video || Handout||

December 29, 2020 || “NYS Public Employer Mandatory Emergency Planning” || by Tim Riecker, Emergency Preparedness Solutions || YouTube Video || Plan Template PDF

December 2, 2020 || The Constable Chronicles – Part 3 || “The Evolution of Constable Hall in the 1900’s” || by Martha Constable Murray || YouTube Video

October 29, 2020 || “Planning Board Basics” || by Matt Johnson and Alaina Mallette, NYS Tug Hill Commission|| YouTube Video || Handout

* October 29, 2020 || “Floodplain Regulation for Local Review Board” || by Paula Gilbert and Patricia Burke, NYS Department of State|| YouTube Video || Handout || Take a Quiz to Receive Certificate of Attendance

October 28, 2020 || The Constable Chronicles – Part 2 || “Constable Hall and Every Day Life in the 1800’s” || by Martha Constable Murray || YouTube Video

* October 27, 2020 || “Renewable Energy and Land Use” || by David B. Geurtsen, Esq. and James A. Burrows, Esq. with Conboy, McKay Bachman & Kendall, LLP || YouTube Video || Renewable Energy Powerpoint Slides ||  SAMPLE Decommissioning Bond || SAMPLE Road Use Agreement || SAMPLE Wind Law  ||  Take a Quiz to Receive Certificate of Attendance

October 14, 2020 || “Remote Public Meetings and Hearings” || by Paula Gilbert, NYS Department of State, Division of Local Government Services || YouTube Video || Handouts

* October 1, 2020 || “Zoning Board of Appeals: Basics” || by David B. Geurtsen, Esq. and James A. Burrows, Esq. with Conboy, McKay Bachman & Kendall, LLP || YouTube Video || PowerPoint Presentation || Take a Quiz to Receive Certificate of Attendance

* September 29, 2020 || “Evaluating and Amending Your Zoning Law” || by Matt Johnson || YouTube Video || PowerPoint Presentation || Take a Quiz to Receive Certificate of Attendance

September 22, 2020 || The Constable Chronicles – Part 1 || “Construction, Renovation and Restoration of Constable Hall” || by Martha Constable Murray || YouTube Video

May 15, 2020 ||  “QGIS NY 2020: Getting Started with QGIS” || by QGIS NY 2020 Planning Committee || YouTube Video

December 4 & 5, 2019 || “Newly Elected Officials Training” || Handout || Workshop Flyer

November 2019 || Confusing Zoning Concepts Presentation || by Phil Street || Handout || YouTube Video

October 29, 2019 || “Fundamentals of Water and Wastewater for Municipalities” || Link to view and download presentations and materials

April 22, 2019 || “Subdivision, Site Plan and Special Use Permit Review Process” || YouTube Video || PowerPoint Presentation || Handouts

December 4, 2018 || “Complete Streets” || by Mark Fenton || YouTube Video || W.Carthage & Carthage Workshop PowerPoint Presentation || Lowville Workshop PowerPoint Presentation

September 24, 2018 || “Lake-effect Research at SUNY Oswego” ||  PowerPoint Presentation

June 5, 2018 || “Rise of Cemetery Abandonment” ||  WebEx Video

May 31, 2018 || “Rx for Your Zoning Law” at JCC

November 7, 2017 || “Solar Energy Seminar” at JCC

November 2017 || NYS Tug Hill Commission 2017 Annual Dinner || PowerPoint Presentation

April 2017 || “Planning and Zoning Considerations for Wind Power” at JCC:  Handouts

November 2016 || “Local Capacity Building Using the Circuit Rider Approach: Planning and Justice Court Solutions” presented at the Rockefeller Institute of Government || PowerPoint Presentation

November 2016 || NYS Tug Hill Commission 2016 Annual Dinner || PowerPoint Presentation

November 14, 2016 || “Article 10” at JCC || PowerPoint Presentation || Handouts || Video || Guide to Intervenor Funding || For More Information || Article 10 and the Siting of Major Electric Generation Facilities in New York State by Paul Agresta.pdf  Reprinted with permission from: Government, Law and Policy Journal, Summer 2013, Vol. 15, No.1, published by the New York State Bar Association, One Elk Street, Albany, New York 12207.

April 19, 2016 || “Comp Plans & Your Bottom Line” at JCC || PowerPoint Presentation  ||  Handouts

November 30, 2015 || Agricultural Districts training session at JCC ||  Handout