Visitors, occupancy tax fund community projects in North Elba

Lake Placid, NY –  The Town of North Elba is pleased to announce the North Elba Local Enhancement and Advancement Fund (LEAF) is awarding funds to several local organizations.

North Elba LEAF is a dedicated and ongoing fund available to nonprofits, local governments, and public sector organizations within the Town of North Elba. Monies for the fund are derived from a dedicated 2% Essex County occupancy tax that was implemented by the Essex County Board of Supervisors in June of 2020. The mission of North Elba LEAF is to provide funds for programs, activities, and facilities that will have direct benefit to the community and improve the quality of North Elba for both residents and visitors.

“The funds available from LEAF will improve the quality of place for both residents and visitors,” North Elba Town Supervisor Jay Rand said. “The LEAF Committee went through a very detailed process of reviewing projects and programs, and we feel those approved best reflect the mission of LEAF.”

The projects recommended by the LEAF committee and approved by the Town of North Elba were submitted by the following 19 nonprofits, local governments, and public sector organizations: Lake Placid Community Beautification Association, Inc.; North Elba Park District; Adirondack Medical Center; Homestead Development Corp.; North Elba Youth Commission; Shipman Youth Center; Digital Abraham Inc.; John Brown Lives!; Lake Placid Middle/High School; Lake Placid Volunteer Ambulance Service; American Legion Post 326; Adirondack Mountain Club; Cornell University Uihlein Maple Research Forest; Town of North Elba; Village of Lake Placid; Lake Placid Municipal Electric; Friends of Moody Pond; Lake Placid Land Conservancy; and Lake Placid Sinfonietta. 

Total funds awarded was $740,553.53 for the following projects:

Organization NameAmountProject Lake Placid Community Beautification Association, Inc.$50,000.00Holiday Decorations part 1 and Water Conserving Pots part 6North Elba Park District$39,352.59Purchase of a Kubota RTV multi purpose vehicle with attachmentsAdirondack Medical Center$39,135.00Continuing our legacy of serving world-class athletes and our communityHomestead Development Corp.$125,000.00Fawn ValleyNorth Elba Youth Commission$7,000.00North Elba Youth CommissionShipman Youth Center$39,807.00Attract more students to Shipman Youth CenterDigital Abraham Inc.$2,700.00Roof Project CompletionJohn Brown Lives!$12,000.00All Welcome Here! Engaging Children & Families at the John Brown FarmLake Placid Middle/High School$50,000.00Cafeteria ImprovementLake Placid Volunteer Ambulance Service$147,000.00Vehicle Replacement ProgramAmerican Legion Post 326$5,000.00Hometown HeroesAdirondack Mountain Club$50,000.00Improving Accessibility on the Mt. Jo Long TrailCornell University Uihlein Maple Research Forest$5,897.00Developing a Self-Guided Tour and Nature Trail for the Education of Maple Syrup ProductionTown of North Elba$9,500.00Virtual Meeting Streaming Equipment Village of Lake Placid$150,000.00Mirror Lake Beach DockLake Placid Municipal Electric$2,730.00Banner Bracket System UpdateFriends of Moody Pond$7,500.00Removal of Eurasian Watermilfoil from Moody PondLake Placid Land Conservancy$2,681.94Tools of EngagementLake Placid Sinfonietta$2,750.00Music Library Catalog Project

“The LEAF Committee was fortunate to support multiple projects in this grant round that will add significantly to the experiences of residents and visitors in North Elba,” said Matt Donahue, LEAF committee member. “People of all ages will benefit from the work that grantees will do to furnish cultural, educational, and recreational offerings for the community. These LEAF grants are also great investments in infrastructure needs that will help people enjoy this special place.” 

North Elba LEAF prioritizes projects that meet the mission of the fund and are catalysts for new programming or offerings for the community. LEAF grants are not intended to fund current iterations of programs for eligible organizations.

For those considering applications in the future, details on how to apply and the scoring criteria is available at www.RoostADK.com/Leaf. The next round of applications will be accepted no later than February 1, 2022 and approved by the town board no later than May 10, 2022.

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