The Adirondack North Country Association, also known as ANCA, is a regional not-for-profit corporation founded in 1955 to support sustainable economic development in New York State’s Adirondack North Country. ANCA's headquarters are in Saranac Lake; at one time, its offices were in the Ellenberger Cottage on Broadway. Roger Tubby was a founder of ANCA.
Adirondack Daily Enterprise, October 11, 1982
Stainback elected head of Adirondack Association
By LIZA FRENETTE TICE
SARANAC LAKE — The former president of Paul Smith's College was elected to the presidency of the Adirondack Association here Friday, and he called for some immediate changes in the organization.
Thomas Stainback, who left Paul Smith's this summer, was elected at the association's meeting at the Hotel Saranac.
Although Stainback has been looking for another position since he left Paul Smiths, he told members that he was willing to donate his time to the new presidency as a full time position until he decides on other employment.
Stainback, a Saranac Lake resident, also proposed that the association increase its funding by urging the participation of government groups and private interests in the Adirondack group.
Richard Sehlmeyer of Hadley, outgoing president, said that Stainback was donating his time in hopes of making the presidency an executive position. He said Stainback will work full time making contacts for the association.
“He hopes to elevate (the association) to be in a financial position to have an executive director,” Sehlmeyer said.
To start things off, Stainback will be contacting businesses, industry, local chamber of commerces and so forth to invite them to join the association. Sehlmeyer said
Stainback was “proposing to increase tenfold” the association's present $8,000 a year budget.
Stainback also presented to the members a proposal that the group's name be changed to the Adirondack North Country Association.
The group began with the name Adirondack Park Association, but changed that to its present title because of confusion with the Adirondack Park Agency.
Sehlmeyer said the association was “against the APA any time they take away Adirondacker's rights. We recognize the need for control so the Adirondacks is not raped, but if it (control) is not proper, we are vehemently against it.”
Other officers elected at the annual meeting are William A. Sweeney of Saranac Lake as treasurer, Anne Tubby of Saranac Lake to a three year term on the board of directors, Sue Dyer of Saranac Lake to a two year term on the board of directors, and Paul Maroun of Tupper Lake to a two year term on the board of directors.
Paul Meader of Tupper Lake is also on the board of directors for a one year term.
After electing officers, the association decided to send Stainback's proposals in the mail to members. Members must have a 30-day notice before voting because the proposals involve changes in the by-laws.
In other business, the association heard a report from Richard Nason of Finch-Pryne in Glens Falls concerning the timber harvesting and clear cutting rules recently passed by the Adirondack Park Agency.
Nason, who is in the forest industry, has been working to get the agency to pass regulations that are more workable and easier to understand than its original proposals.
Satisfied with the regulations and guidelines passed at the agency's September meeting, Nason cautioned that “We only won half the battle.”
The wetland regulations the agency is considering have been postponed until spring, Nason said.
In other business, the board unanimously passed a resolution to strongly support the restoration of the Utica-Lake Placid railroad line.
The association was founded so that communities in the Adirondacks could pool their resources for promotional and legislative purposes.
External links: http://www.adirondack.org/
