SUPERVISORS REPORT FOR WEEK ENDING 4/5/2024
Hello Everyone!
Hope all is well and that everyone shouldered the snow well enough and is now braced for the Eclipse.
Next week’s report will, I hope, be the last to cover the Eclipse (pun intended).
April 8 th —What to Expect (?)
Many have already heard blasted everywhere that if you don’t need to go anywhere on Monday,
don’t—stay at home.
Of course, no one knows how many visitors Wilmington will have. Saw an estimate for day tripping
visitors to the Adirondacks—100,000. 2 people per car means 50,000 cars. For NYS as a whole estimates
ranged wildly-97,000 to 390,000.
When you see this wide of an estimate, it shows that no one knows. They are guessing.
But it is best to be cautious and the total eclipse in 2017 provides a good example.
[W]hen the last total solar eclipse crossed the United States in 2017, some places experienced
apocalyptic traffic jams after the celestial show ended and drivers started returning home en masse.
Some bottlenecks stretched for 70 miles. Drivers reported being stuck in their cars for more than 10
hours for trips that usually took a fraction of that time. (Washington Post, April 2, 2024, “What’s keeping
New York’s ‘eclipse czar up at night”)
A couple of my friends were there for the eclipse in 2017 and that is what they told me. Loads of people,
tons of cars.
Living on a state road that leads from town to the Northway, I will see what Monday brings based on
traffic, or if they end up parked next to the house because they can’t get any closer to the center of
town.
We live in a magical landscape and only have two lane roads. Many people might think the extra bother
to get to and from Wilmington totally worth it.
Prepping for the Eclipse—Town Efforts
Wilmington expects to open its restrooms at the beach, Festival Field and the Youth Center. A number
of port-a-johns will be more or less strategically placed, including one at Santa’s Workshop. The town
garbage receptacles will be out and we ask visitors to be courteous and use those.
The Fire and Rescue squads have been updated by county and state emergency teams. Essex County
issued a state of emergency as a precaution in case it is difficult on Monday to get the board of
supervisors together to issue a resolution declaring one when the need arises. Wilmington and the other
towns were given draft states of emergency orders as a precaution as well, depending on what issues a
particular town may face. With this snow, the forests and mountains are again very sloppy and it is
hoped visitors will listen to the warnings from everyone to stay out of them for the Eclipse. But if they
decide to ignore those warnings, there may be many calls.
After the Eclipse, we may ask the community for help with the clean-up. Earth Day (April 20) is the
customary date for town clean ups, but if it is “apocalyptic” as the Washington Post reporter luridly put
it, Wilmington will need help sooner than April 20 th .
It looks like Monday will be lovelier than the past few days—so please, fill up the car today or this
weekend, avoid the roads Monday and enjoy the rare astronomical event.
Favor