Hudson Studio Manager
WGXC 90.7-FM
Term: Full-time, 1-year contract (with opportunity for long-term renewal)
Salary: 1,650/monthly (19,800 annually) + benefits
Website: http://www.wgxc.org

WGXC 90.7-FM: Hands-on Radio is a creative community radio station serving Greene and Columbia counties in New York’s Hudson Valley. WGXC launched its FM signal February 2011, and transmits 3,300 watts to 78,000 potential listeners in the two counties, and southern Albany County. WGXC is a creative community media project, re-envisioning radio as an innovative platform for local participation with special exhibitions and events, media training for our community's youth and adults, a news blog, and a community calendar of events. WGXC operates out of studios in Hudson, Catskill, and Acra, and is a program of the nonprofit arts organization free103point9, whose mission is to define and cultivate Transmission Arts: creative and experimental use of airwaves.


In addition to managing WGXC’s most active studio location, the Hudson Studio Manager is a leadership position that will play a major role in the day-to-day operations of the station-at-large. The Hudson Studio Manager works closely with a small passionate staff. The position will include the following responsibilities:

Operations
· Oversee the day-to-day operations at WGXC's Hudson Studio
· Manage WGXC communication and contacts
· Work with Council Coordinator to prepare council agendas
· Manage FCC filings, compliance, and Public File
· Manage WGXC reporting calendar, and budget working with staff to ensure compliance
· Ensure station policies are followed; manage proposed revisions to the policy handbook
· Coordinate weekly staff meeting

Fundraising
· Coordinate two annual pledge drives, with staff participation and support
· Assist Executive Director with development work
· Manage station memberships and merch sales

Volunteers
· Organize monthly volunteer meetings & orientations
· Maintain current volunteer information
· Connect volunteers with appropriate committees and events
· Track required programmer volunteer hours

Programming
· Assist programmers who visit the Hudson studio and need support
· Serve as emergency Day Contact on specified days

Qualified candidates will have experience in community media. Training in radio, non-profit organizational management, strong writing skills, and enthusiasm for experimental media art is desirable. Candidates must be highly organized, energetic, passionate about community and creative radio, and able to work well with a diverse range of personalities and perspectives.


Please submit a cover letter, resume, and references to info@wgxc.org.
Please reference the position title in the subject line.
Resumes will be accepted until December 23, 2011.
Only qualified candidates will be contacted. No calls please.

free103point9, WGXC’s parent organization, is an equal-opportunity employer.



*****




Employment Availalble:Archivist

Pacifica Foundation, North Hollywood, CA

The Pacifica Radio Archives is looking to hire a regular full time Archivist who will oversee the preservation and cataloging activities of a collection of 55, 000 reel-to-reel tapes.

Responsibilities include cataloging current archival holdings. Performing in-house preservation tasks including, but not limited to re-boxing and re-spooling tapes, preservation transfers, and creating derivatives from master tapes.

Required: ALA-accredited M.L.I.S. degree or a related M.A. with a specialization in audiovisual preservation with at least two years archival experience.

Preferred: Experience handling a variety of audio formats, especially ¼" reel-to-reel analog audio tape, in an archival context, experience with cataloging, including file-naming conventions; demonstrated grant writing experience; familiarity with the PBCore metadata standard; experience with word-processing and database systems (Word, Excel, etc.); Demonstrated interpersonal skills and the ability to work both as part of a small team and independently.

Please send resume to pacarchive@aol.com fax to 818-506-1084.

Brian DeShazor
Archives Director
Pacifica Radio Archives
3729 Cahuenga Blvd. West
North Hollywood CA 91604
800 735 0230 ext. 263

Lynn Sloneker at Unmuffled reports how the Audra Jornov-penned story in the Register-Star posted Monday evening falsely reports that a Hudson principal's racial discrimination complaint against the Hudson City School District and its Board of Education was "unfounded" according to the New York State Division of Human Rights. "In fact, the Division of Human Rights rendered no such opinion, and the process of adjudicating the complaint has barely begun -- the district has yet to file a formal answer to Spicer's allegations, according to statements made by HCSD Superintendent John F. Howe, Monday," Sloneker reports. The report that Jurnov says comes from the Division of Human Rights is actually from Delmar attorney Ira Lobel. "Lobel was contracted November 14, upon the recommendation of the district's labor attorney, Stuart S. Waxman, of Donoghue, Thomas, Auslander & Drohan of Hopewell Junction," Sloneker writes. "He was brought in to sort through the ongoing dispute between district administrators that led to allegations of racial discrimination, and the filing of a formal complaint with the Division of Human Rights.... At the [school] board meeting Monday [Dec. 12], Howe acknowledged the report was completed. He said Lobel's findings would be 'incorporated into the board's formal response [to Spicer's complaint]....' and subsequently filed with the Division. The district has until Friday to file that response, Howe said," Sloneker writes. So, the district is clearly still preparing a response to the lawsuit. In the Register-Star, Spicer is quoted saying: “With the exception of the pay issue and the district’s response to my receiving offensive e-mails, the report did not deny that any of the acts of discrimination happened. Mr. Lobel, the writer of the report just found the acts more of a result of 'sloppy administration,' than racially motivated discrimination,” Spicer wrote in an e-mail with Jornov, reported in the original story, which WGXC reported first without Sloneker's corrections. Read the the Register-Star story here and Unmuffled's correction here.

UPDATE: At 11:42 a.m. Tuesday the Register-Star retracted the story:

"EDITOR'S NOTE: An earlier version of this story stated that New York State Division of Human Rights declared Steven Spicer's complaint of racial discrimination unfounded. This is incorrect. It was the Hudson City School District's internal investigation that was completed. The results of that investigation were that Spicer's complaints were unfounded. The state's investigation is still ongoing. We apologize for the error."

Diane Valden in The Columbia Paper reports that over 100 residents turned out at a Dec. 1 Ancram Planning Board meeting, many opposing a plan to build a 150-foot-tall cell tower near the Gallatin town line. The tower, proposed by Mariner Tower II, LLC, a co-applicant with AT&T, would at 2259 State Route 82, property owned by Stephen Tucker and Heidi Baldwin. To build the tower for the cell antenna, a waiver from the western setback requirement of 150 feet would be needed from the Planning Board. "Chris Ciolfi, Mariner Tower's representative, said that Mariner would be willing to move the tower site 200 feet south of its current proposed location to reduce the number of trees that have to be removed and lessen the visual impact of the tower on the nearest house, about 430 feet away," Valden wrote. Trouble with that plan is, they would then need two waivers, and would be closer to the Gallatin town line. Many residents speaking at the meeting said they would like better cell phone service, but do not want to live near its source. Gallatin holds a public hearing about the project 7 p.m. Dec. 19 at at the Gallatin Town Hall, Columbia County Route 7, Gallatin. Read the full story in The Columbia Paper.

Andrea Macko in The Greenville Mountain View Pioneer (no website) reports that former Cairo Town Board member Gerry Aprea filed a lawsuit against the Greene County Board of Elections and other election officials, claiming the party committee system is corrupt. Aprea, who filed the suit with John Vidurek of Dutchess County, is seeking, "declaratory judgement, arising from a disenfranchisement of plaintiffs' right to choose our elected representatives and run for elective office as guaranteed by the New York Constitution," according to the article with the headline "Corruption at county Board of Elections?" Aprea and Vidurek are representing themselves in the case, and claim, "we have documented at least 27 cases whereas the Board of Elections has lied, deceived and even changed the titles of people running for the elected office of committeeman to the appointed positions of town committeeman."

Watch DEC's Martens on Hydrofracking on PBS. See more from NEW YORK NOW.

Barbara Reina in the Register-Star reports that the Columbia County Historical Society has come into a trove of historical documents, dating back to the 18th and 19th Century. The Society's curator Diane Shewchuk said the archive of 160 yellowing documents includes records of local mills and taverns, in Kinderhook, Chatham Center, Hudson and Valatie. A collector in Albany apparently notified local historian Ruth Piwonka that the archive was available. The Columbia County Historical Society then purchased the material with a small grant from the Kinderhook Bank. Read the full story in the Register-Star.

Weather right now
Hosts: Please announce the current temperature in Hudson, which is in Studio A in Hudson. Please properly credit any other local temperatures you announce on the air.

Please credit the above temperatures: From the Hawthorne Valley Farm Weather Page; and from Cairo and Catskill Weather Underground pages.
On the Hawthorne Valley Farm Weather Page, when the computer at Hawthorne Valley is turned on, the Hawthorne Valley Farm Weather Page reports weather information live from Harlemville. Check dates and times at bottom of image to see whether reports are live or from when the computer was last turned off. Please properly credit any other local temperatures you announce on the air.

Local weather forecast
Today's forecast is specific to Craryville.
The National Weather Service says the weather in Craryville Tuesday will be sunny, with a high near 42. Tuesday night should be mostly cloudy, with a low around 28. The forecast for the rest of the week:
• Wednesday: Partly sunny, with a high near 41.
• Thursday: Freezing rain likely before 10 a.m., then rain likely. Cloudy, with a high near 45.
• Friday: Partly sunny, with a high near 42.

Gas prices in Greene County
The Greenville Mountain View Pioneer compares Greene County gas prices, and here are the cheapest:
• Slater's Smart Shop, Cairo, $3.46/gallon
• Cumberland Farms, Cairo, $3.47
• Milk Run, Durham, $3.49
• Stewart's, Cairo, $3.49
• Race Track, Westerlo, $3.52

Town meetings today
This is the second Tuesday of the month.
CAIRO The Town of Cairo Planning Board holds a public hearing on the application of Ewald, Edward, and Peter Maassmam (Country Club Estates) for approval of a Site Plan Review, and also for approval of Preliminary/Final Subdivision plats. Said subdivisions and said site plan review is located on Bald Hill Road North, Round Top; and also on the application of Stewart’s Shop for approval of Site Plan Review. Stewarts is replacing their gas storage containers, while also erecting a new canopy with new dispensers. Said site plan review is located on 3041 County Route 23B, Cairo. Public hearing at 7 p.m. at Acra Community Center, Old County Route 23, Cairo. 518-622-9898
CHATHAM Planning Board meeting, 7 p.m. at 488 Route 295, Chatham (392-3262).
COPAKE Board of Ethics, 7 p.m.; Comprehensive Planning Comm., 7:30 p.m. at Town Hall, 230 Mt. View Road, Copake (329-1234)
COXSACKIE Town board at 7:30 p.m. at Town Hall, Reed St., Coxsackie (731-2727).
GALLATIN The December Gallatin Town Board meeting has been rescheduled to tonight at 6:30 p.m. at Gallatin Town Hall, 1643 Jackson Corners Road at the intersection of the Taconic State Parkway in Gallatin.

The skies above
SUNRISE/SUNSET 7:11 a.m./ 4:29 p.m.
MOONRISE/MOONSET 7:42 p.m. / 9:20 a.m.

WGXC Program Notes
Special Programming Tue. Dec. 13:
• "Conversations on a Tight Rope," 2 p.m.: Joan Geitz's monthly talk show looks at the holidays.
• "Social Graces," 3 p.m.: Dick Sabol, a retired Broadway actor and is living in our area will be on WGXC's etiquette program, hosted by Nan Marron.

Audio clips for WGXC programmers
This information is not meant to be read on-air.
The information below are options of pre-recorded material hosts can choose to play.

Audio clips to play


New PSAs/STATION IDs
• A OFF PSA 20111217 Camphill Shepherds Play
• A OFF PSA 20120120 Anna Friz and Emmanual Madan Joy Channel on WGXC

Audio headlines for top of the hour
• 5 a.m.: WGXC News 7:32 PLAY CLIP also International Network News (INN), through Audioport 3:09
• 6 a.m.: WGXC News 7:32 PLAY CLIP also International Network News (INN), through Audioport 3:09
• 7 a.m.: WGXC News 7:32 PLAY CLIP also International Network News (INN), through Audioport 3:09
• 9 a.m.: WGXC News 7:32 PLAY CLIP also International Network News (INN), through Audioport 3:09
• 4 p.m.: International Network News (INN), through Audioport
• 5 p.m.: Free Speech Radio News headlines, through fsrn.org
• Midnight: International Network News (INN), through Audioport

Elaine Fernadez on her Wii the People blog, interviews Kathleen Cullen, who lives at the Hudson River Lodge in LaGrange in one room with her two teenage sons and fiancee. Hudson River Lodge is a welfare hotel for homeless people. They landed there after her apartment building was sold and the lease expired. Fannie Mae, a national mortgage finance company, bought the foreclosed building, and tenants were not given the option to stay. According to Kathleen, Fannie Mae plans to renovate the building. This is the second time in the last five years that Cullen and her family lost their home to a foreclosure. Before their most recent building was sold, the building they lived in also was foreclosed. Cullen receives Section 8 housing assistance, which allows her to pay about 30% of the monthly rent with the federal government subsidizing the rest, but ended up homeless because she was unable to find a place before her lease expired on September 30. Read all about Cullen's story at Wii the People.

The Greenville Mountain View Pioneer (no website) tracks taxes and budgets each town in Greene County, and lists which raised or lowered next year's budgets. Five towns -- Ashland, Catskill, Durham, Greenville, and Halcott -- exceeded the new two-percent state property tax cap next year. And, the unbylined story also notes, that while the county has been slashing its spending to meet budget restraints, spending rose in two departments: the Probation department added $34,845 in its personnel budget and new County Administrator's office added $29,269 to its budget. The breakdown by towns:
• Ashland: 5.6 percent tax increase
• Athens: 1 percent increase
• Cairo: .3 percent decrease
• Catskill: 4.7 percent increase
• Coxsackie: 1.2 percent increase
• Durham: 4.8 percent increase
• Greenville: 2.8 percent increase
• Halcott: 5.6 percent increase
• Hunter: .9 percent decrease
• Jewett: 1.8 percent increase
• Lexington: .6 percent decrease
• New Baltimore: 1.2 percent increase
• Prattsville: 1.2 percent decrease
• Windham: 1.9 percent decrease

The DC Circuit Court of Appeals on Friday, Dec. 9, rejected the Portland Cement Association’s attempt to weaken Clean Air Act standards, in a suit filed on behalf of Friends of Hudson, a local environmental group, and national groups such as the Sierra Club. Susan Falzon of Friends of Hudson commented in a press release from Earthjustice. “With this decision concerned citizens, particularly those in host communities, can finally breathe a little easier,” she said. Law360 reports:

"The D.C. Circuit on Friday ordered the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to reconsider part of a rule regulating emissions from cement kilns, the third-largest source of mercury emissions, but otherwise largely rejected the cement industry's challenges to the rule. The court did not, however, stay the rule pending reconsideration, finding that "it is unlikely that significant changes will be made to the standards upon reconsideration."

[caption id="" align="alignright" width="240" caption="From Windham Mountain's website."][/caption]Greene County's ski resorts got the season started this weekend, with Hunter Mountain opening Sat., Dec. 10, and Windham Mountain skiing starting Sun., Dec. 11 at 9 a.m. Catamount Ski, in Columbia County, is not open yet. "We are planning a tentative opening day of December 17 based on the current forecast, check back for updates," according to their website.

Film director Josh Fox heralds the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)'s recent report tying hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, to contaminated water in the small town of Pavillion, Wyoming in Friday's Guardian. Fox included the testimony of several Pavillion residents in his 2010 Oscar-nominated documentary "Gasland." In The Daily News, Glenn Blain writes about how New York's anti-fracking activists are drawing strength from the EPA report. But DEC spokesman Emily DeSantis told Blain the EPA report was "specific to Pavillion." “New York would require rigorous casing and cementing standards and a minimum of 1,000 feet of separation between the high-volume hydraulic fracturing activity and the deepest ground water,” DeSantis added. Read the full story in The Daily News.

WGXC Town Recorder Sam Sebren reports from the Greene IDA public meeting about the proposed New Baltimore water park:

Close to 150 people attended a 4 hour long public presentation and question-and-answer session at the Catskill High school last night for the proposed Great Wolf Water Park to be situated near the thruway exit in New Baltimore. First there was a presentation given by the Greene Industrial Development Agency, which is coordinating the deal, and representatives from Great Wolf who will operate the park, and MAR Holdings, the developer of the project. What was unusual about this meeting was that all Greene County Legislators were in attendance and were given the chance to ask questions. After the legislators, the public asked questions. The $115 million dollar project, which requires a great deal of additional infrastructure and would be an enclosed, indoor resort with a 400-room hotel, is controversial for residents and business owners in the area and is strongly opposed by the Kerrigans, owners of Zoom Flume who recently built a million dollar addition to their outdoor water park in East Durham. The IDA has created a website, www.greenewaterpark.com with more information about the project.

Here is a clip of the public comment period. PLAY CLIP

Here is a clip of the Greene County legislators asking the IDA questions about the project. PLAY CLIP

Tune in at 9 a.m. Sat., Dec. 10, and WGXC will air some of the public comments on 90.7-FM.

Some Hudson residents have raised concerns about the ongoing demolishing of a building on the corner of Columbia St. and North 3rd, where Columbia St. is blocked. The city has posted signs warning about asbestos nearby. WGXC’s Noah Reibel found Hudson’s Code Enforcement Officer, Peter Wurster, at the site and asked him why the City felt the building, at 255 Columbia St., had to come down now. PLAY CLIP

Local weather forecast
Today's forecast is specific to Catskill.
The National Weather Service says Monday will be sunny, with a high near 43. Monday night should remain mostly clear, but cold, with a low around 23. The forecast for the rest of the week:
• Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 43.
• Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 44.
• Thursday: A 50 percent chance of rain and snow. Otherwise, cloudy, with a high near 48.
• Friday: Mostly cloudy, with a high near 45.

Weather in Harlemville

From the Hawthorne Valley Farm Weather Page. When the computer at Hawthorne Valley is turned on, the Hawthorne Valley Farm Weather Page reports weather information live from Harlemville. Check dates and times at bottom of image to see whether reports are live or from when the computer was last turned off.
Hosts: You can also read current temperature in Hudson, in Studio A in Hudson.

Town meetings today
This is the second Monday of the month.
ASHLAND Town Board meeting at 7:30 p.m. at Town Hall, Main Street, Ashland (734-3636)
CATSKILL Village meeting at 7 p.m. at the Firehouse, 1 Central Ave. (behind Walgreens) (943-3830).
COPAKE Environmental Committee meeting at 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 230 Mt. View Road, Copake (329-1234).
GREENE COUNTY LEGISLATURE holds Buildings & Grounds, Conservation, Public Safety, Highway, Government Operations, and Finance committee meetings at 6 p.m. at County Building, 411 Main St., Catskill (719-3270).
GREENVILLE Board of Education meeting in the Greenville High School library at 7 p.m.
HUDSON Common Council workshop meeting at 7 p.m., City Hall, 520 Warren Street, Hudson (828-1030).
HUNTER Village meeting at 8 p.m.
NEW BALTIMORE Town meeting at 7:30 p.m. at 3809 Rt. 51, Hannacroix (756-6671)/
PRATTSVILLE Town meeting at 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 14517 Main St., Prattsville (299-3125).

The skies above
SUNRISE/SUNSET 7:10 a.m./ 4:29 p.m.
MOONRISE/MOONSET 6:38 p.m. / 8:41 a.m.

WGXC Program Notes
Special Programming Mon. Dec. 12:
• "Women's Health Show," 3 p.m.: Nancey Rosensweig's as-yet-untitled women's health show debuts at 3 p.m. today on WGXC. It airs the second Monday of the month at 3 p.m.

Audio clips for WGXC programmers
This information is not meant to be read on-air.
The information below are options of pre-recorded material hosts can choose to play.

Audio clips to play
• WGXC News 12:54
• WGXC Important Events this Week 3:19
• Sam Sebren's recordings of selected public responses at Greene IDA meeting about New Baltimore water park 4:51
• Noah Reibel's interview with Hudson’s Code Enforcement Officer, Peter Wurster, about demolition of building at corner of Third St. and Columbia St. in Hudson. 1:50
• Sam Starr, who runs Truck Pizza, discusses his Warren St. restuarant on wheels that just opened in Hudson. 11:55

New PSAs/STATION IDs
• A OFF PSA 20111217 Camphill Shepherds Play
• A OFF PSA 20120120 Anna Friz and Emmanual Madan Joy Channel on WGXC

Audio headlines for top of the hour
• 5 a.m.: WGXC News 12:54 PLAY CLIP also International Network News (INN), through Audioport n/a
• 6 a.m.: WGXC News 12:54 PLAY CLIP also International Network News (INN), through Audioport n/a
• 7 a.m.: WGXC News 12:54 PLAY CLIP also International Network News (INN), through Audioport n/a
• 9 a.m.: WGXC News 12:54 PLAY CLIP also International Network News (INN), through Audioport n/a
• 4 p.m.: International Network News (INN), through Audioport
• 5 p.m.: Free Speech Radio News headlines, through fsrn.org
• Midnight: International Network News (INN), through Audioport

The Nation's Katrina Vanden Heuvel credits several major unions, the Working Family Party Citizen Action, NYCC (the ex-ACORN group), AQE and scores of other organizations large and small for reviving the millionaire's tax in Albany. But, the Occupy movement, it's actions on Wall St. and Park Ave., led "Governor One Percent" to propose a tax plan that taxed the state's highest earners and emphasized fairness over austerity, according to Heuvel. Read the full story in The Nation.

Mark Read, a WGXC volunteer who works on the "To Be Determined" show on the second Sundays of the month at 6 p.m. on WGXC, is now Coordinating Producer for "Occupy Pacifica," a new pilot series on the Pacifica radio network. "I am currently seeking content in the form of produced segments covering the #occupations near you. If you are aware of any material, or any producers that have been covering #occupations, please let me know, and/or put producers in touch with me," Read writes. Read also recently coordinated the video projection on the side of a large building in downtown Manhattan visible from the Brooklyn Bridge, during a major "Occupy Wall Street" protest there. Following that, Read was interviewed on WGXC, "The Rachel Maddow Show," and other media outlets. WGXC will air "Occupy Pacifica," though not yet at a particular time.

The broadcast schedule and themes for "Occupy Pacifica" as follows:

December 14th- "#Occupy: Movement or Moment." What started as a relatively small protest and encampment in the financial district of New York City quickly spread as a meme across the country and around the world, and thus the #occupy phenomenon was launched. But is it accurate to characterize this as a movement? Is the distinction meaningful or anachronistic? How would a phenomenon develop into a movement and would that be a good idea? These are some of the questions that the first program of #Occupy Pacifica will tackle.

December 28th- "The Culture of Resistance." What are the cultural commonalities amongst various #occupations, and what are the differences? How does culture impact the political aspirations and identity of a community? How open and accessible is the culture of #occupy? How can art and culture be used to "redistribute the sensible" and prepare the ground for radical change? Learn about the culture of #occupy in this second episode of #Occupy Pacifica.

January 11th- "Beyond #Occupation." What visions and dreams is #occupy fighting for? What would be considered a "win?" What do various #occupations see as the next steps for this nascent movement? What will we see 6 months from now? One year from now? Five years? Listen to the voices of #occupiers from around the world as we try to piece together the visionary elements of this uprising and discuss how we begin to walk towards those horizons.

Climate justice activists blocked the corridor at UN Climate talks in Durban, South Africa Saturday, as little substantive results have emerged from the conference. WGXC's Kelly Benjamin provides this video report.

"In North America, skywatchers located in western Canada and the United States should have a great view of the eclipse, which will start at around 7:45 a.m. EST (1245 GMT), when the Earth's shadow begins to creep across the lunar disk. By 9:05 a.m. EST (1405 GMT), the moon will be fully engulfed in a glow that could range from light orange to blood red."

Governor Andrew Cuomo on Friday signed a law giving $50 million in additional relief for areas devastated by Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee. Cuomo also gave out $1 million to businesses in Broome and Tioga counties as part of the second round of grants from the Main Street Fund; $1.3 million in Agricultural and Community Recovery Fund grants to 143 farms in 21 counties to help cover the costs of lost livestock feed and damaged crops; and an additional $3 million for communities in the Southern Tier to hire unemployed New Yorkers as part of the Neighborhood Rebuilding Corps program. "The new law leverages tens of millions of dollars in funding for communities that are still recovering from the devastation of Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee," Governor Cuomo said. Read more about the flood aid after the jump.
Sen. James Seward's statement on flood aid. Seward represents Greene County in Albany.



Flood Recovery Grant Program

This week, the state legislature passed Governor Cuomo's $50 million flood recovery grant program to continue recovery efforts in regions of the state hit hard by Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee.

The new law includes the following support for communities recovering from the storms:

· $21 million for small businesses, farms, multiple-dwellings and non-profit organizations that sustained direct physical flood-related damage costs not covered by other federal, state or local recovery programs, or any third party payers. Grants are limited to a maximum of $20,000 and will be provided to applicants that demonstrate the greatest need, based on available flood damage assessments provided by relevant federal agencies.
· $9 million for county flood mitigation or flood control projects. The grants for each county range from $300,000 to $500,000; however, counties can jointly apply. Eligible counties must be included in federal disaster declarations.
· An additional $20 million included in federal disaster declarations distributed on an as needed basis.
· Permitting local government to let taxpayers impacted by the storms to pay their property taxes in installments.


The new law also enacts a job retention credit for businesses harmed by a natural disaster. The credit is available to firms with at least 100 employees that have retained or expanded their workers' roles during this time. The credit equals 6.85 percent of the wages of retained jobs and is targeted towards employers in financial services, manufacturing, software development, new media, scientific development, agriculture and other sectors.

Senator Tom Libous said, "I'm excited that we'll be closing out 2011 with another bipartisan agreement on flood relief. I thank Governor Cuomo for his leadership in making sure communities affected by the flooding have what they need to get back on their feet. Together, we can show that government can work for the people."

Assemblywoman Donna Lupardo said, "When the flooding brought so much damage and destruction to the Southern Tier, I introduced several pieces of legislation to make sure our communities had the resources they need to recover. I thank my colleagues in the legislature for taking up the bills this past week, and this funding will help businesses, families, and towns and villages get back on their feet and return to life as normal. It is remarkable what can happen when those in government work together and I thank Governor Cuomo and his team for their leadership in the storm recovery effort and for coming here today to sign this important law."

Main Street Fund

In November, Governor Cuomo announced that up to $3 million had been made available through the New York State Agricultural and Community Recovery Fund to provide money to Main Street businesses in some of the hardest hit areas.

A first round of these awards was announced on November 28, for Greene, Schoharie and Delaware counties, which received $1.5 million combined. Today the Governor announced the second round of these funds, in the amount of $1 million. Broome and Tioga counties will each be awarded $500,000. This funding will address the unmet capital needs of businesses and building owners in municipalities, including: Binghamton, Endwell, Vestal, Conklin and Owego.

The funding was requested by counties on behalf of businesses and building owners to help revitalize local economies. Eligible costs include: rehabilitating buildings for commercial and main street residential use, repairing and replacing permanent fixtures and equipment, as well as for inventory and working capital.

NY Works: Neighborhood Rebuilding Corps

Governor Cuomo today announced that, as a part of his Neighborhood Rebuilding Corps program, an additional $3 million has been set aside to assist communities in the Southern Tier rebuild from damage caused by the recent floods. The Governor has tasked the Department of Labor to work directly with localities in the region to identify projects and provide assistance in the clean-up and repair.

In September, Governor Cuomo launched NY Works: Neighborhood Rebuilding Corps to provide temporary work to several hundred unemployed New Yorkers for a three month period to assist in rebuilding and reconstruction efforts. This program was designed to build upon the Governor's successful "Labor for Your Neighbor" initiative where more than 2,000 New Yorkers heeded the call and signed up to help victims of the storm clean up during Labor Day Weekend.

The Neighborhood Rebuilding Corps program is funded by up to a $16 million emergency grant from the U.S. Department of Labor and provides temporary employment that will enable individuals to reenter the workforce by doing disaster recovery work. Temporary workers will be trained to perform demolition, cleaning, repair, renovation, and reconstruction of damaged and destroyed public structures, facilities, and property that are located within designated disaster areas. The work may include both indoor and outside work. Further, funds can also be used to provide equipment for workers.

The program not only functions to rebuild communities, but also to reemploy workers who are temporarily or permanently unemployed as a result of the storm. Under this program, New York State will hire part-time workers for approximately 20 weeks at an average wage of $15 per hour. Job seekers interested in the program can apply by calling the Department of Labor at (888) 469-7365. The Department of Labor is tasked with directly contacting the localities affected. Local governments may also obtain more information about this funding by calling the Department of Labor at (212) 775-3371.

Aid for Farmers

Governor Cuomo today announced that the Farm Operation Match program of the Agricultural and Community Recovery Fund (ACRF) will make $1.3 million in grants to farmers who sustained damage from Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee. The grants will go to 143 farms in 21 counties. These funds will assist with the costs of lost livestock feed and crops damaged by the storm.

The Farm Operations Match Program provides a 50 percent match for the cost of replacing livestock feed, up to $50,000. It also provides a 50 percent match, up to $10,000, to help cover the purchases of fruits, vegetables, bedding plants, nursery and flowers needed to replace storm-damaged produce to maintain retail operations. The program will accept a second round of applications for costs incurred between November 1, 2011 and December 31, 2011.

Darrel J. Aubertine, Commissioner of the Department of Agriculture & Markets, said, "Many farmers lost crops that would have fed their livestock this winter. Others lost crops they would sell at their farm stands. This program is intended to help them with some of the costs they incurred because of that loss."

The Governor also announced that the fourth component of the ACRF, the On Farm Capital Program, will begin accepting applications. This program will help pay for capital losses. Eligible costs include certain minor structural repairs, permanent fixtures and equipment. This program will be administered jointly by the Department of Agriculture and Markets and NYS Homes and Community Renewal. Farmers interested in receiving funding should contact the Department of Agriculture and Markets.