Summit Neighbors
Working Together to Restore and Beautify Our Community
PO Box 187 Summit, NY 12175
Annual Report December 2020
Neighbors,
We hope this message finds you healthy and happy. The Summit Neighbors Board of Directors wishes all our community friends a joyful and prosperous new year. It is appropriate at this time to report some of what has been accomplished this past year and what projects we are planning to undertake in 2021. To remain informed of developments you can find us on Facebook.
The Blighted Properties Project begun in 2019 has had significant success over the past year. Two properties, one on Sawyer Hollow Rd., the other on Rt. 10 in Summit village, were razed by their owners, many thanks to these good neighbors who took action to improve their properties. Two additional Rt. 10 properties in Summit village, #2854 and #2882 have been transferred to the Greater Mohawk Valley Land Bank by Schoharie County and will be razed in coming year. Next year Summit Neighbors will continue working for remediation of the other properties which have been identified as blighted. One significant example is 2845 Rt. 10, the yellow house directly opposite the Summit Cafe’. The property has undergone changes of ownership over the past two years. County records now indicate the present owner lives in California. This complicates our work but we plan to seek cooperation of the Town, NY State and the Land Bank to remediate this eyesore. Additional progress with the Blighted Properties Project will be reported when possible.
We will continue our community beautification efforts next year. Decorative plantings at the base of the welcoming signs at Rt. 10, Summit and Charlotte Valley Rd., Charlotteville are planned, and we will continue to maintain the Steps Garden at the corner of Charlotte Valley Rd. and Rt. 10. Another project under consideration is tree plantings along the main roads throughout town. This project, if undertaken, would likely be a multi-year effort and would require cooperation of property owners and NY State Department of Transportation.
The enclosure we had constructed over the old gas pump in front of the Summit Cafe’ was taken down to allow the pump to be removed. The unused fuel tanks were removed as well. In the spring the base of the enclosure surrounding the sign post will remain as a flower bed. Also at the Cafe’ we have erected and will maintain a Community Connections Bulletin Board. We hope the bulletin board will serve as a community resource for civic organizations and local businesses. Your assistance in populating the board with relevant information is invited.
This past fall several Neighbors came together to clean up the Old Summit Cemetery on Creamery Road. Over two days a fun-loving group of us labored to mow the high grass and clip saplings which obviously had a few years head start on us. The result was a much more attractive resting place for some of the early residents of our community.
And finally, Summit Town has begun work on revision of the Comprehensive Plan. Summit Neighbors is represented on the review committee and will keep you advised of developments there. Your opinions concerning the future of our town will be solicited with a survey sometime in the near future. In the meantime don’t hesitate to share your thoughts about what you would like your community to be on the Summit Neighbors email list.
In community,
The Summit Neighbors Board of Directors
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Summit Neighbors Inc. Bylaws Effective 9/19/2019
ARTICLE I. NAME OF ORGANIZATION
The name of the organization is Summit Neighbors Inc.
ARTICLE II. CORPORATE PURPOSE
Section 1. Nonprofit Purpose
Summit Neighbors Inc. is organized exclusively for charitable purposes, including the making of distributions to organizations that qualify as exempt organizations under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or the corresponding section of any future federal tax code.
Summit Neighbors is a 501(c)(3) non-profit community service organization EIN 30-1277123. Donations are deductible to the extent allowed by law.
Section 2. Mission
Summit Neighbors Inc. is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, community service organization committed to making our home place, the Town of Summit, Schoharie County, NY, a beautiful place to live and a community of which to be proud. We are committed to improving the appearance and vitality of our community as it presents to residents and visitors.
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1/31/2019 mailing to Summit Hamlet residents
We write today to ask for your help to improve
Recently we spoke with the Summit Town Council asking them to consider how important the Summit Country Store is for the identity and vitality of our community, and to suggest the town take some action to support this sole remaining hospitality enterprise in the hamlet. We asked the town to include a community survey in the newsletter to assess the community’s interest in preserving this important community asset. Disappointingly, The Town Council did not adopt the survey suggestion. Store Survey
Enterprises such as the Summit Country Store serve an important role in community cohesion. Economic vitality experts consider such facilities essential for a satisfying quality of life. The existence of such businesses, and the services they provide, improve population retention, attract new residents, and help preserve community property values.
Concerning property values, there are some actions we can take to improve conditions. NY State economic development funding is available for blighted property remediation. Schoharie County has signed on to participate in the Mohawk Valley Region Economic Development Council Land Bank program. Community groups are encouraged to assist their town to identify such properties. We might also undertake community beautification projects. Just a couple of ideas we could consider, and perhaps undertake, to make our community better. We will discuss these possibilities.
If you share our concerns please discuss it with your family, neighbors and friends. Please pass this appeal on to anyone who might not have received this mailing. Most importantly, send an email to the address below to join the Summit Neighbors contact list so you may be notified of the upcoming organizational meeting and to be advised of any future developments.
Considering the Summit Country Store:
We have witnessed the repeated ownership turnover or failure of the Country Store. There have been extended periods of closure as such as that we have recently experienced. Each closure usually preceded by reduced services or hours of operation resulting in failure. We can assume a new proprietor risks similar misfortune unless the community acts to protect this important community asset.
Establishments such as the country store serve an important role in community cohesion. This is especially important in rural areas where neighbors might not encounter each other in their daily activities. Economic vitality experts consider such facilities essential for community quality of life. The existence of such facilities and services helps to retain population, attract new residents and enhance community property values.
If you share my concerns please contact me. Discuss this with your family and neighbors and contact the Town Council members to let them know your thoughts.
My letter to the Town Council can be accessed here.
Wayne Stinson 518-287-1463 or stinson@midtel.net
Update: On 12/20/2018
I attended the Summit Town Council meeting and attempted to engage the Council in a discussion of the points made in my previous letter and my proposal to survey the community concerning their wishes for the now closed Summit Country Store. I had hoped the survey could be included in the planned Town Newsletter mailing. That possibility was foreclosed by the newsletter having been mailed prior to the meeting.
Additionally, the Council, including Supervisor Vroman, made it clear that the Council would not be part of any such effort, demanding that the survey, if I proceeded to circulate it, could not be returnable to the Town Council, can not reference the Town Council in any way, and that the store can not be identified as the "Summit' Country Store. The rejected Survey.
I will not attempt to characterize the Council's response or reasoning. You can consider that for yourselves. I have not decided whether to proceed with the survey as originally conceived. Instead some other community organizing effort might be undertaken, probably attending to local economic vitality, main street renewal and property values.
I invite all Summit neighbors to comment here or at stinson@midtel.net
Wayne
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