Buses will bring city children to Y
Officials detail Gloversville summer programBy KAYLEIGH KARUTIS, The Leader-Herald
GLOVERSVILLE - With the city's summer recreation program beginning at the Fulton County YMCA next week, officials there said they want children and parents to understand how to participate.
The program will begin Monday and last until Aug. 7. Most of the programming is limited to children between the ages of 6 and 14. There will be five hours per week of family activities when all ages are invited.
The Common Council approved spending $11,000 for the program at a meeting last week, favoring it over a swim program at the Gloversville Middle School that was conducted last summer and cost the city about the same amount.
YMCA Chief Executive Officer Steven Serge said the program at the YMCA will offer participants a variety of activities including swimming, sports, games and arts and crafts.
Children who want to participate must fill out an orange registration form and have it with them when they arrive at the YMCA or board a city bus to the Harrison Street facility. Serge said children must live in the city to participate in the program.
Registration forms can be picked up at the YMCA, the Fulton County Chamber of Commerce & Industry, City Hall and the city Transit Department. A city bus will leave the Transit Department on West Fulton Street at 10:45 a.m. and travel to a pick-up stop at the intersection of Fulton and Main streets and then go to the YMCA. A return bus will take children from the YMCA back to the four corners and then on to the Transit Department at around 2:30 p.m.
Serge said children will only be allowed to leave the Y on the city bus or with a parent or guardian. Children may arrive at the facility at any time during the program and can participate as often or as seldom as they wish, as long as they complete a registration form.
Serge said the YMCA is hiring additional support staff for the program, but it is unclear how many more employees will be needed because enrollment is uncertain.
Family activities will be offered in the game room Mondays and Wednesdays from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. and Fridays from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., and family swim times will be Mondays and Wednesdays from 8:30 to 9 p.m. and Fridays from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Transit Manager Al Schutz said children who leave from the Transit Department will be supervised. At the end of the program, the department will evaluate how well the bus route worked and the cost of it, he said.
"I don't think it will be a big strain," Schutz said. "We'll do what we have to do for the kids. I hope we can continue to have recreation in the future, wherever it may be."
Second Ward Councilman John Castiglione, who supported keeping the program at the middle school, said he hopes participation in the YMCA program is high, but isn't sure it will be.
"The numbers won't be like they were with the swim program [at the middle school] because everybody could go [to the middle school program]," he said. "At the YMCA, they're limited."
Castiglione said he is concerned the bus run and the supervision of the children at the transit department will cost the city additional money.
"I think it's a mistake [to pay for the YMCA program] when we had a good program [at the middle school] that everybody could participate in," he said.
Kayleigh Karutis covers Gloversville news. She can be reached at gloversville@leaderherald.com
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JeffreyR
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07-04-09 11:38 AM
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Why should the city use the YMCA since it's own director fires a guy for refusing to disrespect our flag?
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cruella
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07-04-09 10:02 AM
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Mrs. Wentworth, you are no different than Mr. Hughes. Birds of a feather flock together to save there Butts!
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YDirector
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07-03-09 2:28 PM
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Dear MountainMan: You may have been to Saratoga, but must be you didn't look too much past the big white pillars. How many of the following items does the Sara-Y have in their new facility compared to the FCY? Racquetball courts, outdoor basketball courts, ball fields, and hospital staff on-site conducting educational programs? Answer: they have NONE of these in their new building. Also, FCY's day care center is 3X the size of Saratoga's. Compare the two Y's with the two communities, and who has more to be proud of?
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MountainMan
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07-03-09 1:55 PM
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McVitie: "...build a new YMCA that stands up against any YMCA in the North East." You've obviously never been to the one in Saratoga.
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912project
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07-03-09 9:50 AM
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Point 2. Hughes to say you did not have a proposal and were unsure of the numbers is crazy talk. IT WAS IN THIS VARY PAPER and even the Y knew what the numbers were. Not to mention that you needed 2 weeks to review the proposal before allowing it to come to a vote. So if you did not have it, what were you reviewing for 2 weeks?
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912project
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07-03-09 9:42 AM
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Let’s be real Hughes did not write that letter. His little lady friend wrote it. And the day the Mayor can start telling other people that they are full of s*** and think everyone is going to look to him as if he’s Christ, I’ll be going to buy that big bridge in New York City for a buck. I have also heard that Mr. Chaney and Mr. LeFever have secured a grant for recreation which helps cover children in low income families to the tune of $250 for each kid who enrolls. Hey Robin put that in your pipe and smoke it.
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buckeye
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07-03-09 8:57 AM
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lizzie...bfd he paid taxes for 30 years! So have I....does that qualify me to not pay them anymore and decide how to spend yours?
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route66
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07-03-09 7:52 AM
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rachel rae- it's not like anyone can walk to the middle school? You must not have children, because then you would be aware of all the children that do walk to the MS and HS. Bus service is not provided to children who live inside city limits.
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TiredOfTax
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07-02-09 11:06 PM
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So how much money did the GTS LOOSE last year? Talk about not for profit! Why should it matter loosing a few thousand more to bus kids to the Y. It is just one of the costs now associated with living in GLOVERSVILLE!
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Discobulous
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07-02-09 10:54 PM
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Imagine going thru life being named Wiggins.
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McVitie
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07-02-09 9:00 PM
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Lizzie, you are on the money with Lexington. I was refering to community based service agencies, not medical and theraputic such as a hospital or lexington. My bad for not being clear in my statement. I also support Lexington financially, and I do that because once again, THEY DELIVER. They have a clear mission, and they follow it. Flame rocks!!!! As far as kids outside of town, how where they serviced before? I don't think this is a perfect solution by any means, but it does hopefully expose a broad range of kids to the Y, and the incredible services they provide. YMCA membership numbers have skyrocketed in the past 2 years from what the 2 old buildings used to have. People are voting with their feet. I do get very frustrated when we have so many willing to criticize, when the community response has been overwhelmingly positive. Just my 2 cents.
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lizzie
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07-02-09 8:31 PM
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Of course they deliver to their members. There a large portion of students who don't live in the city - what about them? And, as for successful non profits - I think Lexington beats the Y, especially since they are the largest employer in the county. How many jobs did that expensive new facility create?
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McVitie
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07-02-09 8:22 PM
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What is the best managed and fiscally sound non-profit in Fulton County?? Of course the city should loke to partner with the YMCA. What other group or organization has raised MILLIONS of dollars in the past two years and built a state of the art facility in Fulton County? How do they do it?????? Answer - The leadership fo the Y has consistently maintained a solid board of committed directors who volunteer their time, talent and treasure. Thru thick and thin, the Y has managed to survive Gloversille's crushing negativity. They recently put a group of community activists together and raised millions of dollars to build a new YMCA that stands up against any YMCA in the North East. Sound management is why the Y has a beautiful new facility. If people TRUST an organization and its leadership, they will give. Why do so many citizens of Gloversville and Johnstown give to the Y scholarship campaign every year??? We give because we see positive things happening there every day. THEY DELIVER.
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lizzie
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07-02-09 7:36 PM
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A couple things. It's funny this letter never mentions Mrs. Morey being aware of the proposal being passed to the clerk. Or Mr. Semione, or Mr. DeMagristis, or Coach Harrington. Of course, the Mayor wouldn't bother to call them, but that's how they all remember it. Say what you will about Mr. Paul, he WAS and IS known at the board table as the human calculator, and right on a majority of the time. As for the copies, was he at work when he got the proposal? No, he was at the school.
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lizzie
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07-02-09 7:14 PM
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Though he isn't presently, Mr. Wiggins probably paid taxes for 30 years before he became a renter. His wife plans to retire in 2/3 years, and they'll be headed south anyway.
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NoSenseAtAll
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07-02-09 5:07 PM
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great if it works....sounds like a bookkeeping nightmare........
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buckeye
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07-02-09 4:53 PM
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lizzie....I read in posts a week or so ago that your fellow school board member, Harry Wiggins isn't a taxpayer in G-ville. I didn't believe it but have heard it from someone else. Is this true? If so, I'm not real comfortable with someone who doesn't pay taxes making the decision how mine are being spent!
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cruella
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07-02-09 4:45 PM
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Perry Paul, Are you going to let the mayor get away with that letter to the editor? I hope not. He waited until Monday after the talk of the town to talk with all these people including the clerk who he lives with?
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buckeye
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07-02-09 4:43 PM
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The funny thing is, these people think they are big players in politics! They are the stinking laughing stock of upstate NY! I watched the common council meeting and most of the clowns just sit there without saying a word. They'd be doing the city a big favor if they just stayed home with the blinds drawn and doors locked.
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tinbucktoof
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07-02-09 4:42 PM
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The problem lies with the spitting match between Castligne and Wentworthless. Castiligne worked hard with the school district to get this summer program off the ground last year and they had it all set to go this year until Wentworthless decided she would try to ruin Castlignes baby so to speak. So she went to Sarge and they worked out a deal behind closed doors and got her cronies on board with it. Just another shady deal in that wreaks unethically!! This is just my opinion of it as always!!
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lizzie
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07-02-09 4:28 PM
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No one asked the Y about doing a program last year, because no one was PO's politically about being left out of the loop. This whole situation is like Red Carpet. The Y got dragged into a situation that looks less than "above board" because someone has a political vendetta. That part of it is too bad.
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buckeye
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07-02-09 4:23 PM
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lizzie....I'm not shocked that the seniors are upset...seems they are the only one's using common sense anymore! I remember the city whining that they couldn't pay the whole amount at once and the school district was good enough to take it in installments....how quickly they forget! I say, no more Mr. Nice Guy when it comes to the city of G-ville.
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lizzie
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07-02-09 4:18 PM
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Yes, buckeye, there was a deal for the city to repay approx. $200,000 in taxes owed in installments. Whether it's paid or not, it would be tough to get that kind of deal again. What surprises me is the number of seniors who are upset over this decision. I can't count the number of senior church members who have expressed dismay over why the city chose the Y. And, lots of seniors vote!
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lizzie
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07-02-09 4:14 PM
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Plus, it's pretty easy to walk to the MS via the HS. It's not like you have to walk or ride your bike up 29A, though some kids do.
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buckeye
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07-02-09 3:59 PM
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rachelray...how do you know who is and isn't paying taxes? Yes family swim is offered 3 times a week...with Monday and Wednesday only 1/2 hour....wow....bfd! If you are dumb enough to think this is a great deal then go at it! My guess is, you are the zip that lost the written proposal. I have a pretty good idea where you could find it!
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