Secretary Deb Carhart, Treasurer Chip Kiefer, 1st Vice President Gary Staab, Past President Kelly Noonan-Greene, 2nd Vice Present Dale Heroux, Events Coordinator Laurie Barkauskas, and President Nick Bankert. Photo by Gina Greco.
By Marianne Christy
The Central Adirondack Association (CAA) held its annual meeting at The Old Mill on Thursday, January 22, offering members and guests an opportunity to vote on a new slate of officers and enjoy appetizers and refreshments while discussing business in a casual, social setting.
Laurie Barkauskas, CAA event coordinator, delivered an overview of events sponsored by the CAA in 2014, and ideas for future events were welcomed.
Chip Kiefer, treasurer, briefly discussed the financial report for the past year, citing the annual car raffle, Snodeo, and Snofest as premier fundraising events.
New officers elected were: Nick Bankert, president; Gary Staab, 1st vice-president; Dale Heroux, 2nd vice-president; Chip Kiefer, treasurer; and Deb Carhart, secretary.
“Overall, it was a very good year for the CAA, and we will continue to look for more ways to enhance recreational and transportation opportunities for visitors and residents,” Bankert said.
For example, Bankert said the CAA would like to work with town officials and businesses on improvements to the outdoor ice skating rink.
“The town is doing a great job maintaining the rink on the Joy Tract Rd., but they are constantly working against the elements. A covered facility would be an improvement, and we’d like to work together to help make that happen,” he said.
Another goal of the CAA is to become more vigilant in its exploration of public transportation options—a much needed resource in the Central Adirondacks.
“Currently, bus shuttle service is available when the Adirondack Scenic Railroad is running, but it’s certainly time to come up with a permanent service that will serve visitors and residents alike,” Bankert said.
