The village of Lake Placid received a grant of $150,000 for the Mirror Lake beach dock from the town of North Elba’s Local Enhancement and Advancement Fund in 2021. The dock is seen here on Dec. 31. Also, the Mirror Lake Watershed Association received a $5,040 LEAF grant for an invasive species study program. (News photo — Andy Flynn)

As we reflect on the stories we covered in the Lake Placid News during 2021, the year’s top issues were obvious: the COVID-19 pandemic, Ironman Lake Placid contract renewal, New York’s cannabis law, construction on Main Street and the state Olympic Regional Development Authority venues, and workforce housing.

But one story, about a program — with a clunky, bureaucratic, long-winded name — probably did more good than anything in the town of North Elba last year.

The North Elba Local Enhancement and Advancement Fund — LEAF for short — was established in 2021 and handed out grants of more than $1.3 million to a wide variety of local organizations in two rounds.

Applications for the third round are due on Feb. 1, and grants will be approved no later than May 10.

A government grant program sounds like good news, but it’s not that flashy. It doesn’t grab the headlines like the words “COVID,” “cannabis” or “Ironman.” And LEAF doesn’t really give us a hint as to what the program is all about. Sounds like something environmental or outdoorsy. Yet when we consider how many local projects were funded in 2021 — by 2% of the 5% Essex County bed tax — it becomes increasingly impressive.

The Lake Placid Volunteer Ambulance Service received grants of $147,000 for a vehicle replacement program and $10,000 to build a new accessible bathroom from the town of North Elba’s Local Enhancement and Advancement Fund in 2021. (News file photo)

Kudos to the ROOST staff for taking the lead on this grant program and for the Essex County Board of Supervisors for approving the raise in occupancy tax from 3 to 5% in 2020 specifically to fund town projects. The county’s other towns will get their share for local projects from the 2% bed tax in their respective towns.

LEAF was created specifically for North Elba. The funds are available to nonprofits, local governments and public sector organizations within the town.

LEAF’s mission is “to provide funds for programs, activities and facilities that will have direct benefits to North Elba communities and improve the quality of place for both residents and visitors.”

Eligible project must positively impact the community and its visitors, using these criteria:

¯ Addresses a significant need of the community

¯ Will be executed by an organization that demonstrates sound administration and financial management

¯ Entails an initiative that will not depend on ongoing funding from LEAF

¯ Will be completed within a defined timeline

LEAF grant approval is a two-step process. The 11-member North Elba LEAF committee first makes recommendations, and then the North Elba town council approves them.

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ROUND 1

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The organizations that received LEAF grants in Round 1 were:

– The Essex County Industrial Development Agency, $225,000 for small business relief

– Lake Placid Center for the Arts, $65,000 for a three-week outdoor summer arts festival

– The village of Saranac Lake, $57,700 for phase one of a Baldwin Park redesign

– Lake Placid Elementary School, $50,000 for the purchase of new playground equipment; plus $5,000 for a summer reading program for students grades 6-12 at the Lake Placid Central School District

– Adirondack Land Trust, $38,850 to establish trailhead and improve signage for the Cobble Hill trail

– Lake Placid Community Beautification Association, $30,000 to purchase a truck and water-conserving pots

– Ausable River Association, $16,378 to fund the first year of a five-year funding commitment for regular water quality and biological monitoring of Mirror Lake

– Lake Placid-North Elba Historical Society, $15,000 to allow the organization to continue collecting oral stories and photos of the town’s history, plus a digital catalog

– The town of North Elba and village of Lake Placid, $15,000 to consolidate and update the town and village websites

– Lake Placid Volunteer Ambulance Service, $10,000 to build a new accessible bathroom

– Barkeater Trails Alliance, $10,000 to expand its trails program season and for signage on the Jackrabbit Trail

– Mirror Lake Watershed Association, $5,040 for an invasive species study program

– The Lake Placid Rotary Club, $5,000 to construct three bus shelters

– Lake Placid Community Day, $5,000 to purchase a tent for events

– Lake Placid Land Conservancy, $3,746 to purchase trail cameras to monitor wildlife

– Zonta Club of the Adirondacks, $3,551.25 to produce domestic violence assistance posters.

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ROUND 2

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The organizations that received LEAF grants in Round 2 were:

– Lake Placid Community Beautification Association, Inc., $50,000 for holiday decorations and water-conserving pots

– North Elba Park District, $39,352 for the purchase of a Kubota RTV multi purpose vehicle with attachments

– Adirondack Medical Center, $39,135 to “continue (its) legacy of serving athletes and the community”

– The Homestead Development Corporation, $125,000 for the Fawn Valley housing development

– North Elba Youth Commission, $7,000

– Shipman Youth Center, $39,807 to “attract more students to the center”

– Digital Abraham Inc., $2,700 to complete a roof project

– John Brown Lives!, $12,000, to “engage children and families at the farm”

– Lake Placid Middle/High School, $50,000 for cafeteria improvements

– Lake Placid Volunteer Ambulance Service, $147,000 for a vehicle replacement program

– American Legion Post 326, $5,000 for the Hometown Heroes program

– Adirondack Mountain Club, $50,000 to improve accessibility on Mount Jo Long trail

– Cornell University Uihlein Maple Research Forest, $5,897 to develop a self-guided tour and nature trail for the education of maple syrup production

– Town of North Elba, $9,500 for virtual meeting streaming equipment

– Village of Lake Placid, $150,000 for the Mirror Lake beach dock

– Lake Placid Municipal Electric, $2,730 for a banner bracket system update

– Friends of Moody Pond, $7,500 to remove Eurasian watermilfoil from Moody Pond

– Lake Placid Land Conservancy, $2,681 for “tools of engagement”

– Lake Placid Sinfonietta, $2,750 for a music library catalog project

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At this time of year, when we think of a leaf, we think about the warmer months, something that comes alive in the spring and represents the health of a tree, a forest, an ecosystem, a community.

Therefore, while LEAF may not be a sexy acronym, this hyper-local grant program represents life. Each LEAF grant is a building block of the community — much as each leaf is an integral part of a tree. Leaves provide food to help plants stay healthy and grow. LEAF grants help the town of North Elba in a similar way.

We encourage organizations to submit applications for Round 3 so this community can continue to stay healthy and grow.

Details are located at roostadk.com/leaf.