2017 May In Review: Cuomo Declares State Of Emergency For Communities Impacted By Lake Ontario Flooding

by Steve Yablonski | December 28, 2017 7:30 am

OSWEGO, NY – Here’s a glimpse of the some of the news from the past 12 months.

3 Oswego Faculty Earn Awards For Scholarly, Creative Activity
Kestas Bendinskas of chemistry and Juan Perdiguero of art earned the President’s Award for Scholarly and Creative Activity at SUNY Oswego, while Christopher Chandler of biological sciences received the Provost’s Award for Scholarly and Creative Activity.

The President’s Awards honor tenured faculty for exemplary mastery of subject matter, effectiveness in teaching, and scholarly and creative achievements; the Provost’s Award similarly honors a junior faculty member.

Gov. Cuomo Declares State Of Emergency For Communities Impacted By Lake Ontario Flooding
Governor Cuomo May 2 declared a State of Emergency for the following counties in order to expedite repair to impacted structures and construction of shoreline stabilization projects: Cayuga, Jefferson, Monroe, Niagara, Orleans, Oswego, St. Lawrence, and Wayne. The Governor’s order empowers DEC and other state agencies to issue emergency individual permits for those larger-scale response actions that may be necessary.

Governor Cuomo also announced the deployment of 20 members of the National Guard and a coordinated Lake Ontario Rapid Response Team, including experts from the State Department of Environmental Conservation, the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services, National Guard, State Police and Office of General Services, along with city and county agencies.

At the Governor’s direction, 365,000 sandbags were deployed to the region and are ready for placement in lower elevation areas. The deployments by county are as follows: 60,000 for Niagara County, 30,000 for Orleans County, 115,000 for Wayne County, 50,000 for Jefferson County, 30,000 for Oswego County and 80,000 to Monroe County.

The Governor also announced that the State is formally appealing to the International Joint Commission to release additional water through the Moses-Saunders Dam to lower Lake Ontario water levels and protect impacted communities. The IJC is a bi-national organization established by the federal governments of the United States and Canada under the Boundary Waters Treaty of 1909, regulates Lake Ontario-St. Lawrence River water levels by controlling water releases through the Moses-Saunders Dam located on the St. Lawrence River between Cornwall, Ontario and Massena.

Oswego Health Names Michael Harlovic as President and CEO
In early May, the Oswego Health Board of Directors announced Michael Harlovic as the health system’s new president and CEO.

Harlovic was approved unanimously by the members of the Oswego Health board at its April 24 meeting and officially began working at Oswego Health on July 3.

Harlovic arrives at Oswego Health with more than 31 years of healthcare experience, having started his career as a registered nurse and steadily advancing through the years to the position of president and CEO of Allegheny General Hospital, located in Pittsburgh.

Allegheny General Hospital is one of eight hospitals located in western and Pennsylvania and New York that are a part of the Highmark Health, a vertical integrated diverse health services company, offering insurance and other health-related services to individuals in 50 states.

While serving as president and CEO at Allegheny General, Harlovic developed successful patient experience initiatives, oversaw some $2.3 billion in gross revenues and developed innovative programs that recruited and retained physicians and staff.

“The search committee definitely noted that Michael’s career path is a demonstration of his ability to take on significant challenges and responsibilities,” said Oswego Health Board President and Search Committee Chair Adam Gagas. “He’s been successful at these challenges, as evidenced by an unbroken chain of promotions into increasingly challenging leadership roles. His deep experience in delivering community-based healthcare inside of very competitive markets is particularly noteworthy, and the ability to improve patient satisfaction and employee engagement at the same time make him an excellent fit for our strategic direction.”

Rabid Bat Found in Albion; Cat Must be Quarantined for Six Months
The Oswego County Health Department reported May 5 that a bat has tested positive for rabies in the town of Albion. As a result of its exposure to the rabid bat, a house cat which had not been vaccinated was placed in quarantine for six months.

This was the second case of rabies confirmed in the past week and the third this year in Oswego County.

“Bats are a common carrier of rabies and even cats that are not allowed to go outside can be exposed to rabies if a bat or other rabid animal enters the home,” said Oswego County Public Health Director Jiancheng Huang.

Any time a bat is found in the home, residents should contact the county Health Department as soon as possible. To report a possible exposure, call the Health Department weekdays at 315-349-3564. In an emergency during evenings, weekends, or holidays, call the department’s answering service at 315-341-0086.

Mayor Barlow Initiates Code Enforcement Sweep For First, Third Wards
Mayor Billy Barlow announced the Oswego City Code Enforcement Office and the Oswego City Police Department will team up to conduct a “code enforcement sweep” on the west side of the city from State Route 104 to Lake Street in the First and Third wards.

The sweep comes just as the spring college semester concludes and students begin to move out of their homes and apartments.

The Oswego Police Department will be patrolling the area to prevent trash and furniture from accumulating in front of rental properties while the Oswego Code Enforcement Office will be focusing its resources on the blighted and dilapidated homes specifically in the designated “sweep” area.

“During our Code Enforcement Sweep we will have a zero tolerance policy for multi-day stockpiling of garbage and furniture and I have authorized the Code Enforcement and Police departments to immediately take necessary enforcement action as needed to gain compliance from property owners. We will also focus our code enforcement efforts on blighted properties in our targeted zone and keep the pressure on rental properties and Section 8 HUD Housing registered properties in that area,” Barlow said.

Rabid Raccoon Found in the Town of Volney
The Oswego County Health Department reported May 12 that a raccoon has tested positive for rabies in the town of Volney.

There had been three new cases of rabies confirmed in Oswego County over the past few weeks.

The rabies virus is widespread in Oswego County and across the region, and we are continuing to receive new reports,” said Oswego County Public Health Director Jiancheng Huang. “In years past, the rabies virus has appeared in every town, village and city across the county. People should make sure that their pets are properly vaccinated and take precautions against rabies.”

2 Newcomere and 1 Incumbent gain Oswego BOE seats; Budget Approved
Voters approved Oswego City School District’s budget for 2017-18 school year by an unofficial vote of 1,503 to 700.

They also elected Brian Chetney, Sam Tripp and Brandon Lagoe to fill the three open seats on the board of education.

Newcomer Chetney was the top vote getter with an unofficial tally of 1,484. He was followed by incumbent Tripp with 1,403 and newcomer Lagoe with 1,142.

Rounding out the vote was incumbent Mike McLaughlin with 927 and newcomer John Sheffield with 913. Incumbent Brian Haessig didn’t seek re-election.

Oswego County Historical Society Dedicates Historic Marker Recognizing the Richardson Theater
The Oswego County Historical Society hosted a dedication of a historic roadside marker recognizing the former location of Richardson Theater in the city Oswego, on May 23 at 1 p.m. in front of 120 E. First St.

The community related event was open to the public.

Guest speakers included Mayor Billy Barlow, Oswego City Historian Mark Slosek and Rick Sivers, vice president of the historical society board of trustees.
Sivers successfully applied to the William G. Pomeroy Foundation historic roadside marker grant program.

The foundation initiated the grant opportunity in 2006 to encourage community appreciation and understanding of local history, along with helping to promote heritage tourism.

Pomeroy Foundation representative Susan Hughes shared the benefits of the grant program and how it can development cultural and educational interest.
Sivers gave a brief history of Richardson Theater which opened in January of 1895.

Captain Smith Earns Leadership Award
Army Capt. Catherine E. Smith was named a recipient of the 2016 Gen. Douglas MacArthur Leadership Award.

She was one of 13 active-duty commission officers to receive this honor.

The MacArthur Leadership Award is given to company-grade officers who demonstrate the ideals for which Gen. MacArthur stood – duty, honor, country.
Smith was to receive her award during a ceremony June 15 in Washington, D.C.

Selection was based on the individual’s exemplary duty performance, job knowledge, leadership qualities, teamwork ethic, personal achievements and record of supporting and serving the community.

Smith is serving as a force integrator with U.S. Army North (Fifth Army), Fort Sam Houston, Texas. She has served in the military for 10 years.

She is the daughter of Debra J. and Frederick J. Smith of Henderson, N.C. and is a 2003 graduate of Oswego High School.

Fire Destroys Oswego Businesses
A large fire destroyed at least two downtown Oswego businesses May 27.

The fire was reported to 911 shortly after 9 a.m. by an employee of Paura’s Liquors, at West Bridge and Third streets; other 911 calls were also made.

Bridge Street was closed both ways in that area for several hours.

There were no injuries reported.

Firefighters from several departments battled the blaze.

It reportedly started in a second floor apartment above the liquor store.

The second floor collapsed around mid-morning.

One bystander said he could see the smoke from as far away as Scriba.

Paura’s had been in business at that location since the early 1970s.

Rabid Skunk Found in Minetto
The Oswego County Health Department reported May 26 that a skunk had tested positive for rabies in the town of Minetto.

A dog which came in contact with the skunk was up-to-date on its rabies shots and was given a rabies booster shot as a required precaution.

There was no human exposure.

“The rabies virus is widespread in Oswego County and across the region this spring, and we are continuing to receive new reports,” said Jiancheng Huang, Oswego County Public Health Director. “Historically, in years past, the rabies virus appeared in every town, village and city across the county. People should make sure that their pets are properly vaccinated and take precautions against rabies.”

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