GLENS FALLS BUSINESS JOURNAL • DECEMBER 2025 • 1
GBJ 9 Broad Street #7 Glens Falls, NY 12801
GLENS FALLS BUSINESS JOURNAL
VOL. 37 NO. 10
www.glensfallsbusinessjournal.com
HH The Business Newspaper of Warren and Washington Counties HH
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GLENS FALLS, NY 12801 PERMIT #600
DECEMBER 2025
Mandated Costs Surge in Warren County Debate Grows Over Solar Plan Near Protected Prompting Call for Sales Tax Increase Grasslands County Leaders Raise Concerns
Warren County leaders gathered for a recent State of the County panel discussion hosted by the Adirondack Regional Chamber of Commerce and its president, Tricia Rogers. BY PAUL POST A sales tax hike is inevitable as skyrocketing, unavoidable costs continue to mount, Warren County officials say. Health insurance, retirement, salary and Medicaid increases are just some of the items that caused expenses to rise $6 million this year alone. Also, demand for Emergency Medical Services continues to grow and more funds are needed to keep roads, highways and bridges safe. “What concerns me is that the vast majority of costs are going to be back next year, another $6 million increase,” Budget Officer Frank Thomas said. “I don’t see that slowing up any time soon.” Officials discussed such issues during a recent panel discussion hosted by Adirondack Regional Chamber of Commerce, with dozens of business and civic leaders on hand, at Crandall Public Library.
Courtesy Paul Post
“The biggest challenge for us is that only 25 percent of our budget ($215 million) is discretionary,” county Administrator John Taflan said. “The rest of that is state or federally mandated. That pretty much ties our hands.” Neighboring Warren, Washington and Saratoga counties are the only ones in New York with a 7 percent sales tax. All others are 8 percent or higher except Oneida County (7.75 percent). A one percent increase would generate an estimated $25 million. Under the most likely scenario, half ($12.5 million) would go to the county with the rest dispersed to towns and the City of Glens Falls. “We would prefer not to increase property tax,” Taflan said. “I think it would make sense to do sales tax.” For many people, the additional cost for basic needs and incidentals would be negligible, about Continued On Page 12
An existing solar project may be seen from the Alfred Z. Solomon Grassland Viewing Area where people come to see endangered and threatened bird species. BY PAUL POST Washington County officials are baffled by the state’s apparent undermining of its own environmental program and local economic development initiatives. Montreal-based Boralex has plans for a100megawatt solar project covering 567 acres surrounding a DEC Wildlife Area where rare grassland birds nest and breed in southern Fort Edward. The state is fast-tracking large-scale solar and wind projects with a goal of having all electricity coming from renewable energy sources by the end of this decade. But projects such as this might come at considerable cost. The endangered short-eared owl and threatened Northern harrier are among many species that need wide open grassland to survive. These two birds alone attract large numbers of natural-
Courtesy Paul Post
ists and birding enthusiasts, contributing to the county’s ongoing tourism efforts. The site in question is about two miles from the Alfred Z. Solomon Grassland Viewing Area on County Route 42 where people come to see and photograph scarce species. A separate, fairly large solar complex has already been built just beyond the Viewing Area’s eastern boundary. “It’s absurd,” said county Board of Supervisors Chairman Robert Henke, of Argyle. “We spend all kinds of funds on a Viewing Area where people can set up giant camera lenses. What you see when you look out from there is a big solar facility.” Henke, a former DEC employee, recalled writing an article for The Post-Star about the local sighting of a Northern Hawk-Owl. “Three days later we had license plates from 38 states in Continued On Page 9
Sensory-Friendly Santa Experience Opens Hometown Board Shop Opens To Rebuild At New Kringle Kottage in Lake George Snowboard Culture In Queensbury BY PAUL POST Santa has something extra special for a select group of people this year. At Kringle Kottage, kids and adults alike can enjoy personal one-on-one meetings with St. Nick, telling him exactly what they want for Christmas. The attraction is designed specifically for people with sensory sensitivities or neurological disorders such as autism and attention deficit-hyperactivity. Sound, light and décor may be adjusted to suit each visitor’s comfort level to create the most calm, safe environment possible. Kringle Kottage was developed by Roger Allan, of Hadley, who plays Santa Claus professionally. It’s located on the grounds of Fort William Henry Hotel in Lake George. Allan understands special needs persons because his adult son is autistic, and he wants everyone to experience the joy and excitement of a meeting with St. Nick. “The magic of Christmas should be comfortable, accessible and meaningful for every child, every adult and every family,” he said. “Kringle Kottage was created to fill a gap, a place where the lights aren’t too bright, the crowds aren’t too large and the experience meets each guest where they are.” “Every detail was designed with comfort and care so that every visitor feels seen, supported and included,” Allan said. “This
Roger Allan stands beside the festive tree at Kringle Kottage where sensory-friendly visits happen. Courtesy Paul Post
Kottage is more than a building; it is an affirmation that everyone deserves a holiday experience that feels right for them.” Kringle Kottage was fashioned from a small hunting cabin with overwhelming support from local businesses and financial donors. Continued On Page 7
BY ANN DONNELLY Felicia Lynn launched Hometown Board Shop with the goal of rebuilding the snowboard community she remembers growing up with in Queensbury. The shop operates within Inside Edge on Glen Street, though Lynn said it already feels far more established than its short history suggests. The 2025-26 season will mark its first official winter season. Lynn and her husband, Matt, are Queensbury High School graduates who returned to the area after 10 years of coaching competitive freestyle skiing and snowboarding in Vermont and Minnesota. Lynn said the idea for the business was sparked by a simple question: Where did the snowboard shops go? The name Hometown Board Shop grew from a suggestion by Matt referencing Glens Falls’ “Hometown USA” nickname, with community forming the core of the brand. Lynn brings extensive experience in ski, snowboard and outdoor sports retail. She raced for Queensbury in high school and studied outdoor recreation at Cortland. For a decade, she and Matt coached high-level youth athletes in freestyle skiing and snowboarding. That background now shapes her approach to staff training and mentoring young riders who visit the shop. Lynn said transitioning from coaching to business ownership required her to coach herself through unfamiliar challenges. She worked with SCORE, a Small Business Administrationsupported mentoring organization, and secured a mentor who provided financial structure and
John Jacobs celebrates opening of Hometown Board with Felicia Lynn. Courtesy Hometown Board Shop
guidance during the startup process. Lynn said that perspective shift helped normalize larger long-term financing decisions during the shop’s launch phase. She is also familiar with the location, having worked on and off at Inside Edge and its affiliated business, Reliable Racing, since 2011. HomeContinued On Page 10