Tupper Lake Business Community, Inc. Writing Contest
On Friday, November 19th, the newly created Tupper Lake Business Community, Inc. announced a writing contest that is being submitted to law schools around the country, seeking students who are interested in preparing a brief concerning the influences that have had a negative effect on the Adirondack economy. Full details on the contest are available online at http://tlbusiness.org.
First prize for the writing contest will be $7,500; second prize $2,000; and third prize $500. All brief submissions must be received by April 15th. The panel of judges will be announced in the near future.
Committee Spokespeople Mark Moeller and Beth Johnson told the group of nearly 50 people, that there has been tremendous attention given to the environment in the Adirondack Park, with little regard to the economy. Moeller noted, “the intent of the contest is to have the law students from around the country review the influences on local businesses as well as on the regulatory agencies within the Adirondack Park, by outside parties and preservationist advocacy groups, and to prepare a brief that will be judged by a panel of experts in order to highlight and quantify the impact those influences have had on the economy and the people of the Adirondacks.”
Johnson added, “we believe this group supports the true intent of the Adirondack Park Act, and believes the staff of the Adirondack Park Agency are true professionals that care about the environment and economy of the Park. This effort is not directed at them.” Johnson went on to say, “there are groups who have had an undue adverse impact on our economy, and have used tactics that have come at a great cost to the local economies within the Park.”
Moeller also clarified the difference between this group and ARISE. “The TLBC group has a very narrow focus with donations going for a specific purpose. ARISE has a more broad approach, and they are not set up for this type of advocacy.”
The writing contest will focus specifically on Tupper Lake, knowing that much of the information provided by the students, will have a regional implication.
Attorneys Doug Wright and Kirk Gagnier, have been in contact with top law schools and, gauging the reaction by some of the professors, have reported that there seems to be overwhelming excitement about the project. Gagnier said, “there is a growing trend across the country, that advocacy group influence has come at a quantifiable cost, and this writing contest will offer a legal opinion on the impact felt in Tupper Lake.”
Wright added, “there has been no discussion of this leading to a legal suit against any groups or individuals. This is an educational, research based effort that will be reviewed carefully after the submissions are made.”