Think Tank

There were many wonderful ideas and valid points brought up tonight at the Comprehensive Plan workshop at Boulevard Elementary School. Although I've got to say the thing that resonated the most with me is that I was in the room with a group of other individuals that are also passionate about Gloversville. Together we have a wealth of knowledge that should be utilized more often.

Those who want to see progress made in Gloversville need to come together on a regular basis and discuss. Discuss what each individual is doing to bring about change, what their affiliated organization or business is doing and how others can incorporate those ideas into their own community development projects. How can our organizations work together on projects, events and marketing. Our community involvement is there, but it is diluted. We need to come together as a unit and work on the future. I've brought this up before, but I'd really like to see some of those community advocates sit down and just shoot the breeze every so often over coffee. I can only imagine all that we could share with each other!

Article by B. Logan Barclay

Community Coffee Break

   I've been thinking a lot lately about the loss of fraternity organizations over the years and how those organization helped to facilitate the exchange of ideas in a community. Prominent business owners, leaders and volunteers in our community don't get together enough anymore to just "shoot the breeze" and discuss things. That type of non formal "think tank" has dwindled. We discuss many topics on social media sites and blogs, but it is often one or two informed individuals carrying the conversation. Which is good, but it doesn't keep informed all of the other leaders and volunteers in our community about issues that are important to us. I would really love to get to know some of you that have been involved in the community andor held public office over the years. You have a wealth of knowledge that could and should be shared. Wouldn't it be nice if we could all put aside our differences and meet like once a month for coffee or something? Just discuss where we have been and where we want to go. We wouldn’t necessarily need to organize any direct change or make decisions. The man objective would be to discuss local topics and share our ideas. Topics could be anything from the direction of the city as a whole or ideas for community events. The best way to move forward as a community is to involve various leaders and organizations in discussions. We need to have a global plan, if you will, in order to keep moving forward.

   I also think this is a good way to encourage people to get involved in their community and volunteer for various events and committees. What better way to learn what avenues of community service interest you and how to get involved in those areas of the community than to discuss those topics with people who have experience in them?

Article by B. Logan Barclay

Colored Ink Postcards

For those interested you can buy some colored ink postcards of historic Gloversville by Jack Horning at Mysteries on Main Street in Johnstown. I just bought the Gloversville Free Library, United States Post Office and a small panoramic of Downtown Gloversville for 50¢ a piece. I also picked up the enlarged 2 ft by 1ft (poster) postcard of Downtown Gloversville to hang above my book case for $3. Anyone interested in Gloversville history should check these out!

Article by B. Logan Barclay

Press Release: FUSC

PRESS RELEASE

The Fulton United Soccer Club of Fulton County would like to shed some light on events that have been occurring over the last many months regarding the running of the club.

Several years ago, the current Board took over a soccer club that we thought, from a financial perspective, was a thriving and growing organization. What we discovered was that, on one hand, the Fulton United Soccer Club was indeed a vibrant and active organization that provided a well-organized recreation-league based opportunity for the children of Fulton County to learn the ins and outs of playing soccer in a fun, family-oriented environment. Unfortunately, when we took over we also discovered that there were significant issues with regard to the league’s past financial organization. Once this became clear, we immediately sought legal advice and at the same time turned over all of our information and evidence to local authorities including the Gloversville Police Department as well as the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office.

We as a Board have spent countless volunteer hours away from our families and other obligations to try to resolve this issue. We researched the league’s past financial situation and shared all of our information with authorities. That investigation ultimately led to the State Police Financial Crimes Investigation Unit – with whom we also shared all of the information we had available to us.

As a Board we would like to assure all parents in the community at large that formal procedures have now been put in place which were not in place at the time we took over running the organization. These procedures ensure that these financial improprieties cannot occur again. We have been and will continue to pursue the return of all funds that may have been illegally or inappropriately taken from the Fulton United Soccer Club, and we are sure that the Gloversville Police Department and the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office will assist us in our efforts.

With the understanding that this is a current and on-going investigation, and with the goal of being a transparent organization, we will share any and all information that we have that we are able to share with the public.

Equally as importantly, we wish to reassure parents in the community that the Fulton United Soccer Club remains an extraordinarily active and involved community partner. We provide the only County-wide resource for recreational league soccer for all children of Fulton County from ages four years on up.

We will continue to provide information to the public as it becomes available to us and we are authorized to release it. Any other questions may be directed to the Gloversville Police Department and/or the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office.

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FUSC - Fulton United Soccer Club - Fulton County, NY
website: http://www.fusc.info
email: fultonunitedsoccer@gmail.com
P.O. Box 1018
Gloversville, NY 12078
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