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By KIM SMITH DEDAM
PAUL SMITHS — The future of the Visitors Interpretive Center at Paul Smiths dangles over a public-private fiscal gap.
The Adirondack Park Agency opened the educational center in 1987 and expanded it over the years to include child-friendly trail systems and wilderness-experience events.
As part of his budget, Gov. David Paterson proposed to close the facility in early 2011, saying the Interpretive Center here and the other VIC located in Newcomb do not serve APA's core regulatory mission.
Ten jobs will be lost, and so will two introductory access points to the Adirondack Park.
STARTED IN 1987
The APA built the buildings in 1987 on about 2,700 acres of leased forestland from Paul Smith's College.
Last year, the property lease was cut by half, and VIC operations were scaled back from seven to five days a week. Visitor tallies reported by APA reflect the loss of two days of operation, down from 64,295 visits to the Paul Smith's VIC in 2008 to 59,895 last year.
The center operates without admission charge.
TOO COSTLY FOR COLLEGE
Paul Smith's College President Dr. John Mills pulled together a diverse group of stakeholders recently to lay out options for reuse.
He said the college is not willing to take on the project of running the VIC and outlined the financial picture.
Energy and heating costs amount to $12,000 for 17,500 square feet of building space, with a total operational cost of $212,000.
"If the building were to be mothballed and just supervised by someone, it would cost about $10,000 per year," Mills said.
NO TRAIL USE
And Paul Smith's College cannot carry liability insurance necessary to allow public access on the trails.
"Continued trail use onto our property cannot occur without third-party liability coverage."
Any user needs a funding source from the start, he said.
Some two dozen people at the meeting pitched ideas into play.
Assemblywoman Janet Duprey (R-Peru) said North Country lawmakers would do what they can to find new revenue streams.
"But I don't think there is any way to get this back in the (state) budget."
'AN OPPORTUNITY'
Comments from members of the Adirondack Park Institute, a non-profit group chartered to run both VICs in 1989, appeared to form a nucleus for ideas.
Frank Hutchins, a member of the institute and a trustee of Paul Smith's College, said what the public really likes are the trails. He suggested shuttering the buildings to keep trails open.
Brian McDonnell, an Adirondack guide and director of the Adirondack Classic 90-Miler, threw his hat into the ring to form a reuse steering committee.
McDonnell was program partner when the VIC first opened.
"We've had the pleasure of having the state run the facility since. Now we have an opportunity."
SALE SUGGESTED
One local official suggested the college sell the property.
Black Brook Town Council member Howard Aubin warned that public coffers have run dry.
"I just have one suggestion. Put it up for sale. Use the money for the school. At least explore that option, so you have those kinds of figures to use."
SPECIAL SITE
Harrietstown Town Supervisor Larry Miller suggested environmental groups that lobby hard for state land purchases ought to step up with funding.
The Audubon Society was the only environmental group that offered immediately to help finance reuse.
"There are not a lot of places like that in the Adirondacks," said Rich Merritt, director of operations for Audubon New York. "We're willing to think outside the box (and look at) fiscally how do we run it until the state can ever bring them back on board."
Miller also thought a public hearing might prove useful to gauge Harrietstown taxpayers' interest in financing the VIC.
NEWCOMB VIC
Bob Lilly, a member of the Adirondack Park Institute who lives in Newcomb, said they are already working with the Town of Newcomb to forge a plan to keep the VIC open there.
But the Newcomb VIC sits on land owned by SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, which is self-insured as state property.
"(The relationship) is not quite as complex. We feel reasonably confident we're going to be able to keep the Newcomb VIC open."
Sifting between public funding, support from environmental groups and private options, Aubin said, the situation remains the same.
"What you're faced with is the reality the private sector has been faced with: They can't take this drain any more."
TASK FORCE FORMED
Ernest Hohmeyer, Lake Clear businessman and president of the Adirondack Economic Development Corp., suggested a task force to create a short-term action plan while working on a long-term solution.
Paul Smith's College spokesman Ken Aaron said 16 people signed up to participate on the task force.
Members of the Adirondack Park Institute said their board would consider spearheading the effort.
E-mail Kim Smith Dedam at: kdedam@pressrepublican.com
