Town of Jay Supervisor Matt Stanley

09/04/2026

Weekly Update:

Event-Packed Labor Day Weekend
Labor Day weekend is packed with live music, local art, family entertainment, and time-honored traditions across the Town of Jay, NY and the Town of Black Brook. Festivities kick off Friday evening with gallery previews and grand opening art receptions before rolling into an action-packed Saturday filled with workshops, live performances, and community cookouts. Whether you are looking to browse local artisan crafts, catch live music, or grab a chicken BBQ dinner, there is something happening around every corner.
Sunday starts with the annual Labor Day Parade through Au Sable Forks. The celebration continues through the afternoon and evening with family-friendly activities, live entertainment, and food vendors, culminating in a spectacular fireworks show at dusk.
Friday, September 4th:
• Art Gallery Openings: Art Exhibit at the Ausable Art House at 8 Grove Road from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm, and at the Au Sable Forks Free Library from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm.
Saturday, September 5th:
• Art in the Forks Festival: Daylong arts festival, music, workshops, and vendors across downtown Au Sable Forks from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm.
• Black Brook Community Day: Free cookout, yard sales, train rides, and ice cream sundaes at River Park from 12:00 pm to 3:00 pm.
• Knights of Columbus Chicken BBQ: Holy Name Parish Center from 4:30 pm to 6:30 pm.
• JEMS - Jay Entertainment & Music Society Summer Concert Finale: Replay performing classic hits at the Jay Village Green Gazebo from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm.
Sunday, September 6th:
• Labor Day Parade: Steps off at 1:00 pm from Church Lane, with lineup starting at 11:30 am.
• River Park Celebration: Post-parade games, food, live music, and fireworks at dark.

A Reminder on Campaign Signs
As election season approaches, campaign signs are appearing in yards and along roadsides throughout our community. However, town officials have recently received multiple reports of political signs being defaced, damaged, or stolen.
Regardless of candidate or party affiliation, political signage is protected under free speech rights. In New York State, stealing or vandalizing a campaign sign is a crime, classified as a Class A misdemeanor under state law, which can result in fines or charges for theft and criminal mischief. Please remember to respect your neighbors' property and their right to support the candidates of their choice. If you witness anyone tampering with or stealing signage, please report the activity to local law enforcement. Let us keep our local elections fair, civil, and respectful for everyone.

Holiday Closure Notice
Please note that the Town of Jay offices and the Community Center will be closed on Monday, September 7th, in observance of Labor Day. Normal business hours will resume on Tuesday morning.

I hope you have a safe and happy holiday weekend,
Matt

08/28/2026

Weekly Update:

Live Music in the Town of Jay: Summer Finale and Upcoming Fall Series
As summer winds down, there is still plenty of live music to enjoy across our community. The JEMS - Jay Entertainment & Music Society Summer Concert Series, presented in collaboration with the Town of Jay, NY, is wrapping up its season at the Jay Village Green. Concerts run from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm, with refreshments available to benefit JEMS and the Amos and Julia Ward Theater serving as the rain location:
• Saturday, August 29th: Knotty Paddy
• Saturday, September 5th: Replay
The music does not stop when summer ends. Building on two wonderful shows this past spring, the Town of Jay is partnering with the
Upper Jay Art Center (UJAC) for a free Fall Concert Series. Hosted at the Recovery Lounge, all fall performances begin at 7:00 pm and are completely free to residents of Jay and surrounding towns:
• September 24th: Dawn Tyler Watson
• October 1st: Charlie Millard Band
• October 8th: Bad Penny Pleasuremakers
A final performance will wrap up the joint town series in December. To RSVP or learn more about the fall lineup, visit: upperjayartcenter.org
Both programs are proudly funded through our town's allocation of Essex County Occupancy Tax funds.

Art in the Forks Coming to Au Sable Forks Next Saturday
Join us in Au Sable Forks next Saturday, September 5th, from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm for the inaugural Art in the Forks Festival! This new annual, daylong event celebrates our local arts community in an inclusive environment designed to foster community pride, support our creative economy, and assist with Main Street revitalization in Au Sable Forks. Attendance is completely free, and the schedule features local arts and crafts, music and dance performances, and interactive workshops for all ages.
To help support the event and our downtown commerce, attendees can purchase a $5 Collector's Button. Buying a button unlocks special discounts at participating local businesses throughout the day, including ADK Mountain Spirits, Inc., Lance’s Place Pizza Kitchen, Black Brook General Store, Young's Studio & Gallery, The Forks Blend & Brew, and more. Make sure to stop by downtown Au Sable Forks next Saturday to enjoy the festivities and support our local creators and small businesses.

Business Grant Opportunities and DRI Momentum
Active business grant programs are building great momentum for our upcoming NY State DRI/Forward application, as highlighted in recent coverage by WCAX-TV: https://www.wcax.com/2026/08/21/jay-eyes-state-funding-au-sable-forks-streetscape-overhaul/
Local business and property owners in the Town of Jay can currently apply for two impactful funding opportunities:
• Town of Jay NY Main Street Program (North Country Rural Development Coalition - NRDC): Offers grants up to $50,000 (covering up to 75 percent of project costs) for Au Sable Forks building facade upgrades, interior renovations, and site improvements. Apply by emailing: [email protected]
• Microenterprise Grant Program (Essex County Industrial Development Agency- IDA): Provides $5,000 to $35,000 for Town of Jay businesses and startups with five or fewer employees to cover rent, payroll, equipment, marketing, and inventory. Learn more by calling the Essex County IDA at: 518-873-9114

Farewell to Summer and Back to School
As August comes to a close, I want to wish all of our students, teachers, administrators, and staff a safe, exciting, and successful school year ahead. With buses returning to our roads and children walking to their stops, please keep traffic safety top of mind by obeying posted speed limits in school zones, stopping for school buses, and remaining extra vigilant during peak morning and afternoon commute times. Let us all do our part to support our schools and keep our children safe as a new academic year begins.

I hope you have a great weekend,
Matt

08/21/2026

Weekly Update:

Town of Jay Updates
We are actively preparing our town's application by issuing a Request for Proposals (RFP) for a consultant to assist with application development and community engagement for the New York State Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI) and NY Forward grant programs. This effort aims to secure transformative funding for local economic growth and public infrastructure upgrades this fall. In the meantime, our official Summer 2026 Newsletter is now live! You can stay informed on current town projects, departmental highlights, and seasonal updates by reading the full newsletter on the town website:https://www.townofjayny.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Summer-News-2026.pdf
Looking ahead, mark your calendars for the 3rd Annual Sustainability and Energy Fair on Saturday, September 12th, from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm at the Jay Village Green. Co-hosted by the Town of Jay, NY and Town of Keene, this family-friendly event features live entertainment, food, children's activities, and short educational seminars throughout the day. We are still actively seeking vendors, non-profits, farmers, artisans, and clean energy businesses to participate at no charge. If you would like to set up a table or support the fair as a local sponsor, please review the attached flyer or reach out directly to Knut Sauer at 914-309-9057 or [email protected]

Septic Savvy: Enhancing Your Property and Protecting Water
Proper septic system maintenance is essential for protecting residential investments and safeguarding our shared regional watershed. To help local homeowners keep their systems running safely and efficiently, experts from across the region are hosting "Septic Savvy" on Wednesday, August 26th, from 5:30 pm to 8:00 pm at the AuSable Valley Grange (1749 Main Street, Keeseville). Proactively managing home septic infrastructure helps prevent costly failures on private property while protecting local lakes, rivers, and groundwater from contamination.
This free community event brings together professionals in engineering, environmental policy, and conservation to equip residents with practical maintenance strategies, guidance on system upgrades, and actionable details on navigating replacement funding. Hosted in partnership with the Adirondack Council, the Ausable Freshwater Center, CWICNY, Augur Lake, and the Essex County Soil and Water Conservation District, the evening will also feature complimentary pizza and light fare for all attendees.

2026 Sunburst Award Applications Open
The Essex County Arts Council (ECAC) has officially opened applications for the 2026 Sunburst Awards, offering grants between $500 and $1,000 to help local artists take the next step in their creative careers. These awards are open to Essex County creators of all ages, disciplines, and experience levels, ranging from painters, filmmakers, and musicians to artisans, educators, and traditional folk artists. Funding can be used for a wide variety of career-expanding projects, including purchasing equipment and supplies, attending training workshops, producing new work, or marketing your art.
The application process is intentionally straightforward, requiring verification of your Essex County residency and up to two work samples. Submissions are due by October 15th, with awards announced in November. I encourage all of our local creators to take advantage of this grant opportunity. Visit https://EssexCountyArts.org to complete your application, or contact ECAC Arts Administrator Casey Galligan at [email protected] with any questions prior to October 1st.

I hope you have a great weekend,
Matt

08/21/2026

This is great news for the Town of Jay, NY!!!

Thank you to North Country Rural Development Coalition and the Essex County Land Bank for working so hard for programs like this. They have been awarded another round of this funding.

If you have vacant rental apartments, apply for this program to get those rentals back online today!

Another housing success in downtown AuSable Forks with Town of Jay Supervisor Matt Stanley! 🏡

With investment from New York State Homes & Community Renewal, two previously vacant upper-floor spaces have been transformed into bright, modern affordable apartments that are now ready to become homes.

Year-round, affordable rentals are critical to the health of our communities. Workers, young families, seniors, and local residents need quality places to live close to jobs, schools, services, and the people they know. Bringing long-vacant spaces back into use also helps remediate blight, stabilize downtown buildings, and strengthen entire neighborhoods.
And when people live downtown, they support downtown. More year-round residents mean more customers for local restaurants, shops, services, and small businesses, helping create a stronger local economy throughout every season.

A huge thank you to New York State Homes and Community Renewal, Sophia (our NRDC Program Manager), the property manager & owner: Terry and Jaimee, Thwaits Construction, and Rodger with Code Enforcement for the partnership and commitment that made these apartments possible.

We are so grateful to see another downtown building brought back to life through the Vacant Rental Program. ❤️

08/07/2026

Weekly Update:

Meeting with AVCS Leadership
On August 6th, I met with AuSable Valley Central School District (AVCS) leadership and neighboring Town Supervisors to discuss long-term financial planning. A recent facilities study presented to the district recommended an eventual consolidation to a single campus. The initial proposal suggests relocating the 5th grade to the Middle/High School and moving lower elementary grades to Keeseville Elementary. While district leadership emphasized that no final decisions have been made, this preliminary proposal opens critical discussions about the future of our local elementary schools and community resources.
During the meeting, I strongly advocated for our community, raising concerns about the severe economic and social impacts a school closure would bring to the Town of Jay, NY. I urged the district to focus on retaining families through accelerated academic programming, exploring alternative instructional models, and seeking operational savings before considering facility closures. Moving forward, Town of Black Brook Supervisor Douglass and I are exploring an independent economic impact study, while the district awaits a fiscal feasibility report in November 2026. AVCS has committed to holding quarterly meetings with local officials to keep the community informed.

Upcoming Town Meetings
On Wednesday, August 12th, the Town of Jay Planning Board will host two public hearings for upcoming projects starting at 5:30 pm, followed by their regular monthly meeting at 6:00 pm at the Community Center.
On Thursday, August 13th, the Town Board will hold its regular monthly meeting at 7:00 pm at the Community Center. Deputy Supervisor McDonald will run the meeting in my absence, as I will be out of town moving my daughter back to the University of Florida for her junior year.
Both meetings offer a virtual attendance option, which can be accessed via the respective board pages on the town website: https://www.townofjayny.gov/. Video recordings will also be available on the site next week.

Events Happening Around the Area
Summer events continue across the region this weekend:
• The JEMS - Jay Entertainment & Music Society Summer Concert Series continues tomorrow night, Saturday, with the band Alice’s Fault performing on the Jay Village Green at 6:00 pm.
• The annual Oozeball Tournament takes place at the Upper Jay Fire Department, running from tonight through Sunday.
• The Beat Authority Dance Party will be hosted at the Upper Jay Art Center on Saturday from 7:00 pm to 11:00 pm.
• Check out the Jay Community News Calendar of Events for a complete view of everything happening around town this summer: https://jaynews.org/events/

I hope you have a great weekend,
Matt

08/04/2026

Please be advised of the following Public Safety Advisory.

NYS Police have confirmed that incident on Carey Road was an isolated incident and there is no ongoing threat or danger to the general public.

08/01/2026

Tonight at the Village Green at 6pm, hope to see you there!

See you tonight on the Jay Village Green!! 😎☀️🎶

07/31/2026

Weekly Update:

NRDC Board Appointment
I am pleased to announce my appointment to the Board of Directors for the North Country Rural Development Coalition (NRDC) this past Monday evening. NRDC is a driving force behind regional growth, spearheading Ticonderoga’s Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI) and guiding the Town of Jay, NY along that same revitalization roadmap as we prepare to submit our NY Forward/DRI application this fall. In addition to administering Jay’s active $300,000 CDBG Home Restoration Grant, NRDC runs the Essex County Landbank, which is advancing key local housing initiatives, including a new home in Upper Jay in 2024, two new Move-In NY Cross Mods in Jay later this summer, and a home rehabilitation project in Au Sable Forks over the upcoming winter.
NRDC is currently administering our $315,000 Main Street Grant program, with initial awards set to be announced soon. Applications remain open on a rolling basis for property and business owners in Au Sable Forks, offering grants covering up to 75 percent of project costs (up to $50,000) for facade upgrades, signage, interior renovations, and site improvements. If you have an eligible project in mind, please fill out the application at: https://form.jotform.com/260533632652151 or reach out directly to Katie at [email protected].

Additional Public Wi-Fi & EV Chargers Operational
Town of Jay Public Wi-Fi is now live at both the Jay Village Green and the new Upper Jay parking lot. This infrastructure upgrade provides free, reliable connectivity for residents, remote workers, and visitors enjoying our public spaces. This expansion builds upon the public Wi-Fi already available at the Grove Athletic Facility, the Community Center, and Riverside Park.
Bringing this network online has also unlocked full functionality for our electric vehicle infrastructure. With the Wi-Fi connection now established, the EV charging stations at both new locations are officially fully operational and ready for public use. We are bringing these modernized amenities to the Town of Jay as we continue working to upgrade local facilities, support sustainable energy, and better serve our community.

Locally Grown Community Event
The Essex County, NY Health Department and BHSN Healthy Families North Country are hosting "Locally Grown," a wonderful community-wide baby shower. Designed to support expecting parents and families with infants under one year old, this year’s event takes place on Thursday, August 6th, from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm at Edgemont Barns in Moriah. The event features valuable local resources, car seat safety checks, lactation support, a photo station, and consultations with public health nurses.
This is an impactful program for growing families, and I am actively working to bring a "Locally Grown" event directly to the Town of Jay next year. In the meantime, I encourage all of our local expecting and new parents to take advantage of this August gathering. You can register using the QR code on the attached flyer or by contacting Liz Terry at 518-873-3857.

Thank You to AVCS!
A huge thank you goes out to Kyle Roberts and Randy Pray from AuSable Valley Central School District for helping line our soccer fields at the Grove for the upcoming Youth Soccer season. This task usually takes a few people an entire day or more to lay out and mark manually. However, in partnership with AVCS and their GPS-enabled lining machine, we were able to complete the initial setup in just a couple of hours. Moving forward, the machine will allow them to re-mark both fields in under an hour. Thank you for offering your time and resources to help!

I hope you have a great weekend,
Matt

07/24/2026

Weekly Update:

Art in the Forks
The Art in the Forks Committee is busy preparing for its inaugural event on Saturday, September 5th. Created to showcase one of the Town of Jay, NY’s greatest strengths, our vibrant arts community, this festival encourages residents and visitors alike to spend time on Main Street.
The day will feature live music, artist workshops, and a vendor fair spread across several venues throughout the hamlet, including the Community Center, the Au Sable Forks Free Library, the Tahawus Center, and the Ausable Theater. Event maps with detailed schedules and locations will be available soon.
To help keep the event free, the committee is selling event buttons, which unlock exclusive discounts at local participating businesses like Lance’s Place Pizza Kitchen, The Forks Blend & Brew, ADK Mountain Spirits, Inc., and Young's Studio & Gallery.
Vendor applications are still being accepted through August 1st. If you are an artist or vendor interested in participating, please email [email protected]. You can also read more about the festival in a recent feature by Sun Community News & Printing: https://suncommunitynews.com/news/126778/local-artists-to-host-arts-in-the-forks-festival/

Essex County CDBG Wells and Septic Program
The Essex County, NY Government CDBG Wells and Septic Program is actively accepting applications to assist residents with critical home infrastructure needs. Administered in partnership with the North Country Rural Development Coalition, the program provides financial aid for private well replacements, septic system installations, public water or sewer connections, plumbing repairs, and lead water service line replacements. Funding is limited, but additional grant awards are scheduled to begin within the month for waitlisted households and new applicants.
To qualify, applicants must own and occupy a home year-round in Essex County, maintain valid homeowners insurance, remain current on property and school taxes, and meet household income limits set at or below 80 percent of the Area Median Income (ranging from $52,750 for a one-person household up to $87,450 for a six-person household). Eligible homeowners are encouraged to apply immediately to secure a spot on the waitlist by visiting northcountryruraldevelopment.org or contacting the office directly at 518-585-6366 or [email protected]

Events Happening Around the Area
Summer is in full swing, and there are plenty of great events happening in and around the Town of Jay:
• The JEMS - Jay Entertainment & Music Society Summer Concert Series continues tomorrow night, Saturday, with the band On 3 performing on the Jay Village Green at 6:00 pm.
• The ESSEX COUNTY FAIR in Westport opens on Wednesday, July 29th, and runs through Sunday, August 2nd.
• The Essex County NY 4-H Alumni Meetup takes place at the new Essex County Youth and Agriculture Building in Westport on Friday, July 31st, from 4:30 pm to 6:00 pm.
• Check out the Jay Community News Calendar of Events for a complete lineup of summer activities: https://jaynews.org/events/

I hope you have a great weekend,
Matt

07/22/2026

The Town Board is holding Public Hearings and a Special Meeting tonight starting at 6:30 PM. These Public Hearings are for the Au Sable Forks, Jay and Upper Jay water districts to discuss the bonding for water meters and water system upgrades. The special meeting has been called to discuss the Public Orders and Bond Resolutions. These meetings are open to the public and we invite you to attend.

If you would like to join virtually, please visit: https://meet.goto.com/455178293