Community Welcoming New Flood Recovery Partner

The Village is proud to report that we will have another VISTA Volunteer to aid us with flood recovery. Starting tomorrow, the secretary of the Business Association and good friend Sheila Donegan will start at the office. She will work for both regional and local development, including coordinating volunteers, grant efforts, and other tasks. She follows Donald Osei-Owusu, who organized business initiatives, volunteer days, and worked with me on a bunch of grant proposals. Sheila is working through SALT, which has been instrumental in this and many other recovery projects in the area.

Middleburgh Welcomes Architect, Engineer

Middleburgh celebrated several big events on Saturday-- its annual Fall Harvest Festival brought hundreds, there was a dedication service for the deer mural on Main Street, and the welcoming of a new business on Railroad Avenue. Stony Creek Architecture and Hudson River Valley Engineers opened their doors last week and held a ribbon cutting today.

Storm Aid Holding Chicken BBQ

The storm recovery Storm Aid, which has been involved in Middleburgh's recovery since Irene is holding a chicken barbecue on Saturday, August 17th. It is being catered by Ten Pin Catering from Middleburgh. From their website:

12-4pm Saturday August 17th at Bellevue Builders in Rotterdam Junction we are selling BBQ chicken dinners for just $10! All are invited. Come and enjoy-- you can buy them and take them home.

Village Partnering for Grants, Economic Development

The Village of Middleburgh is exploring new options to kickstart economic recovery in the aftermath of Hurricane Irene in 2011. Schoharie Area Long Term Recovery has been working with the Americorps VISTA program to provide local governments and organizations with one year volunteers that can assist with facilitating economic recovery at no cost.

Middleburgh's VISTA partner is Donald Osei-Owusu (518-813-1953), a native of Ghana and graduate from Union College. His degree in business has been very helpful since joining the staff at the Middleburgh Village office in August 2012. Donald has been researching local grants to facilitate economic expansion. Recent grant applications that he and Mayor Avitabile have completed recent grant applications for various projects, including for new water mains, new economic development, and flood preparation. He has helped craft many of the cultural projects that are taking shape around Middleburgh. Donald has been working with the newly re-formed Middleburgh Area Business Association on how to attract more businesses while strengthening those already in Middleburgh.


Donald has helped in Middleburgh's search for a grocery store and has worked on compiling a database of local business and available commercial space. He is also revising Middleburgh's overall economic plan while cataloging the needs of flood damaged businesses. He has also aided in plans to buy the Middleburgh Fire Department a new fire truck. He has assisted all of the Village officials and will be staying with the Village through the end of August 2013.

New Flags in Village

Village crews have been placing new flags around the Village of Middleburgh as part of its economic recovery program. Sprucing up the town are dozens of flags bought through the Main Street Block Grant, originally slated for a 2008 completion. This comes after the opening of the new murals and kiosk.

Green Wolf Brewery, Middleburgh Featured on WNYT

The Village of Middleburgh was featured on WYNT tonight for its incoming business, Green Wolf Brewery. Both Justin Behan and myself were interviewed. Check it out here!

 

Village Assists New Businesses

The Village of Middleburgh is pleased to welcome Green Wolf Brewery into Main Street as part of the business development program. Owners Justin Behan and Chuck Manning's microbrewery will brew beer at a 62 gallon capacity each brew day. They will brew once or twice each week. Green Wolf was assisted by the Middleburgh Telephone Company, Middleburgh Area Business Association, and the Village of Middleburgh. The Village provided out of its zero percent loan program and a grant to help repair a flood damaged building. Mr. Behan wrote, "It is fantastic to see the outpouring of assistance from the village of Middleburgh." More information can be found greenwolfales.com. Green Wolf is planning a Fall 2013 opening.

 The Village also assisted Andrew Reightmyer in the opening of Andy's Tire and Alignment on Main Street. Mr. Reightmyer has opened in the former location of Den's Tire. His business is receiving the same loan program and grant. He is planning a grand opening later this year.

 These projects are part of the Village's wider economic recovery program, including over $170,000 in local business repairs through a Main Street Grant, $60,000 in zero percent loans (including those given here), $22,000 in beautification, and assistance from community groups. The grants process has been kickstarted in the last year and will be enough to finish the Theatre on Main Street later this year and the former Railway Depot on Maple Avenue.

New York Announces New Flood Recovery Money

New York State has announced the Smart Home program to offer some additional relief to those affected by recent flooding. More information below:


Recreate NY Smart Home Program

Welcome Back to Four Star Realty Group

Tracy Boomhower, Licensed Real Estate Broker and Lisa Tenneson, Licensed Sales Associate, are proud to announce that they have reopened on Main Street in Middleburgh.

Previously located at 322 Main Street prior to the flood, they have moved just a few doors up to 308 Main Street on the corner of Main and Railroad Avenue and across from the Village offices. “We were fortunate that we were able to work with the owners of the building and design the space to be exactly what our growing real estate company needed.” The new space has individual desks for their agents, a waiting area, a main floor time desk and a small kitchenette area. It also has a conference room that can be utilized for real estate closings or just to offer more privacy when discussing your real estate transaction.

Martha

As Tracy Boomhower explained, “It was difficult after the flood because many of our calls are from out of the area, so although we didn’t have a physical office, the calls continued and we needed to move forward doing business as if nothing had happened. We temporarily moved the office to my home in Greenville, but soon after, we realized that we wanted to be back in Middleburgh. We are so pleased to finally be in our new space. It is great to be back and have an office to call home again!” Tracy and Lisa would also like to offer a huge Thank You to the community for their continued support.

Tracy

A grand re-opening is in the planning stages, but in the meantime, please stop by and visit them, check out the new office, relax and have a cup of coffee.

Lisa

“We have our eyes on the future and we are looking forward to bringing more agents on board and continuing to see our business grow.” Tracy and Lisa, as well as, Martha Crisafulli, a seasoned real estate veteran, at Four Star Realty Group are looking forward to continuing to serve all your real estate needs. Feel free to reach them at 518-702-4194 or check out their listings at
www.FourStarRealtyGroup.com

SALT's Community Thanksgiving Dinner

Coming this month from SALT: It is for the entire county and will be held at the Days Inn and Suites Schoharie, 160 Holiday Way, Schoharie, NY 12157. To RSVP for the dinner, to donate, or to volunteer, please call the Office for the Aging at 295-2001, Monday - Friday 8 am - 5pm. Volunteers are needed on Wednesday, November 21, in preparation of the meal on Thursday. The meal is the 25th Annual Community Thanksgiving Day Dinner

When: Nov. 22, 2012—1:00 PM
Where: Days Inn, Schoharie, NY
(Former Holiday Inn Express)

Storm Aid's Next Event

The flood recovery group Storm Aid is holding its next event soon. It will be the Fabulous Fifties .Saturday, November 17th 5:00—9:00p.m at the Scotia Diner 114 Mohawk Avenue Scotia, NY 12302 (518) 372-9776 The Area’s Only 50’s Retro Diner! Admission: $15 Donation (Includes 50’s Style meal) Thank you for your support!

Rt 30 Welcomes the Natl Bank of Coxsackie

 
The National Bank of Coxsackie opened its newest branch here on Nov 3, 2012.  Gathered outside are, Asst VP Joseph Sinski, Assemblyman Pete Lopez, Bank President James Warren, Sr VP Mark Maraglio, Bank VP Donald Gardner, and Marketing Communications Manager Nicole Nazi.


Inside the bank, Pete Lopez spoke with Jim Warren and Joe Sinski, welcoming them to this area.  Some other branches of the National Bank of Coxsackie, in Greene County, are also in the assemblyman's wide-ranging district.

NYS Senator Jim Seward was on hand, talking with Jim Warren and Mark Maraglio. The bank president said he had been familiar with Middleburgh for years and, after studying the demographics of the area, it seemed to be a good fit for the bank. 



 Mr. Warren went on to say that it is the people who make a community, not the buildings. Senator Seward commented that the National Bank of Coxsackie is a great community bank and would be here for many years.

The bank lobby was very welcoming, festively decorated, and offered a variety of refreshments.  There were many bank employees on hand to answer any questions and several new accounts were opened. During the course of the day, the bank was visited by many residents and local officials.



Middleburgh Mayor Matt Avitabile said it was a step of economic progress for the community.



The ribbon cutting ceremony was scheduled for 1pm, with bank personnel and local officials participating in the moment.

United Methodist Church Continues Flood Aid

From the United Methodist Church of Middleburgh:

The UMC in Middleburgh continues to host volunteer teams from around the country. We are also fielding local volunteers on Mondays and Wednesdays. Site management is done by Jack Hill from the Valley Falls UMC and local volunteer coordination/case management is handled by Pastor Carol Coltrain. There is a six unit shower trailer onsite in Middleburgh for use by volunteers - arrangements for use can be made with Carol. On Nov. 8-10 , 2012 - the Middleburgh UMC will be hosting a Youth gathering with anticipated attendance of 100+ teenagers. They will have a community workday on Nov. 10, hopefully together with SALT.

For more information, please call Greg Forrester at 607-756-7799.