Mayor Collins says "Glens Falls has arrived," outlines ARPA spending, housing projects and new task forces

Mayor Bill Collins delivered the annual State of the City address at the Queensbury Hotel, saying Glens Falls has “arrived” and announcing several committees and funding priorities to manage growth and infrastructure needs.

Collins said the city has seen strong sales-tax growth over the last four years and highlighted Downtown Revitalization Initiative projects and a forthcoming ribbon-cutting for several downtown rehabs. “Glens Falls has arrived,” Mayor Bill Collins said, adding that the city will continue to pursue grants and prudent bonding to fund major projects.

The mayor reviewed how the city has used federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds and other grants. He said the city received roughly $12,000,000 in ARPA funding and outlined allocations reported to the council: about $5.1 million for water and sewer projects (including Dix Avenue reconstruction, new sand filters and a remote camera sewer-inspection system); a little more than $2.0 million for parks and recreation upgrades; roughly $800,000 for technology upgrades; slightly more than $800,000 for fire department repairs and equipment; $346,000 for police equipment and vehicle replacements; about $1.3 million toward Heritage Hall improvements and other business development needs; $239,000 for business equipment for the…