By JOSHUA THOMAS

and LINDA KELLETT

he year 2012 was a relatively quiet year locally, with no catastrophic events (such as the flood of 2006) forever marking it as the year when (fill-in-the-blank) took place. Unlike 2011, it was blessed with a scaldingly hot summer, and a significant snowfall just in time for the holidays, which even seemed to please some of the people who didn’t miss it in 2011.

The year began with an addition to the Fort Plain community, as members of the Fort Plain Free Library Board of Directors appointed Whitney Hubbard to fill the post long held by Director Laura Flynn, who stepped down during the summer of 2011 because of illness. Hubbard’s first day was Jan. 30.

The environment was on peoples’ minds, with a number of local municipalities, including the towns of Minden, St. Johnsville, Palatine and Root, and the village of St. Johnsville passing or considering the adoption of hydrofracking moratoriums in February, beginning the important process of gathering information about the act and its ramifications.

Also in February, members of the state Mandate Relief Council, meeting at Mohawk Valley Community College, got an earful from those present for a public hearing moderated by Lt. Gov. Robert Duffy. Each of the local speakers, including Minden Supervisor Thomas Quackenbush, Fort Plain School Board member Ronald Kardash and Amsterdam Mayor Ann Thane, voiced concerns, made suggestions, and appealed for help in the face of almost catastrophic financial burdens stemming from unfunded state mandates.

In March, Roughly 80 area artists, writers, photographers, painters, musicians, actors, and artisans turned out for the inaugural reception of western Montgomery County’s newest arts organization, The Arts Factory of Montgomery County. The fledgling organization was established to support local artists, artisans, and art venues in the towns of St. Johnsville, Palatine, Minden, Canajoharie, and Root, giving them an opportunity to meet, discuss ideas, and see how they can help each other.

The Arts Factory went on to hold two successful events in September, including a tour of artists’ work spaces and a sidewalk chalk art installation surrounding Haslett Park, Fort Plain.

In mid-March, early morning flames destroyed what local business owners had taken years to build, tearing through and decimating Blooming Dale Farm in Nelliston.

Despite their losses, however, Robert Dettmer Jr. and his wife, Christine, owners of the Blooming Dale Farm greenhouse and former bakery at 27 East Main St., were thankful no one was hurt or killed in the fast-moving blaze.

After a herculean clean-up effort, they were able reopen one greenhouse for sales in the spring.

In Canajoharie, The CG Roxane company announced plans to build a 245,000-square-foot plant in the town of Johnstown, not far from the 30-acre chunk of watershed property that it had originally proposed to buy from the village of Canajoharie.

In late-November 2011, village officials signed a multiple-year agreement with the company to supply it water — up to 310,000 gallons of spring water per day.

The weather continued to be a focus in April, as the unusually warm and drier-than-normal winter conditions were a mixed blessing for area farmers. A lack of snowfall and above-average temperatures in March helped dry out farmers’ fields, giving them a head start on spring planting. Area apple growers were disadvantaged by the balmy temperatures, though, as trees budded out three weeks ahead of schedule, which made them susceptible to freezing temperatures.

Additionally, maple producers who didn’t get an early start also experienced a disastrous season.

Also in April, controversial regulations proposed by the U.S. Department of Labor that could have had a devastating affect on agriculture were withdrawn, much to the relief of local ag producers.

The late-April withdrawal was regarded as a victory for farmers but criticized by those who supported the adoption of more ag-related safety laws for children.

Closing out the month, in recognition of its unique history and architecture, the Margaret Reaney Memorial Library and museum was named to the New York State Register of Historic Places and nominated to the National Register of Historic Places.

Kicking off May was St. Johnsville’s Springfest celebration, which featured many new events, including a monster truck crush, wherein a monster truck repeatedly rolled over a helpless, stationary car to the gathered crowd’s delight. The Springfest parade, which saw village officials waving from vehicles, clowns on bikes, and the High School Band marching in unison, was a highlight of the event.

Also in May, tragedy marred the traditional opening of Wintergreen Park with the Memorial Day death of a Schenectady County man who was killed while jumping into the pool at the base of the treacherous Canajoharie Creek falls.

Three Amsterdam men were charged in connection with the incident.

A Hamilton College student swept over the rain-engorged Canajoharie Falls in mid-May was lucky to be alive — escaping its cold and turbid waters and treacherous rock ledges with what were believed to be non-life-threatening injuries. It took area firefighters and emergency personnel several hours to rescue her and her six college companions from the Canajoharie Creek gorge.

These incidents caused the Canajoharie Village Board to research whether it’s feasible to charge for the materials used during rescues from the posted Wintergreen gorge, and led to enhanced police presence in the area, leading to several summer arrests.

By a nearly 2 to 1 margin, Canajoharie School District residents in early June rejected a special library-funding proposition in support of programs and services offered by the Canajoharie Library. The measure sought community-based funding in the annual amount of $100,000.

Early June, Words of praise, hope, celebration and encouragement rang out during a special service at St. John’s Lutheran Church honoring the Rev. Kenneth Dingman and his family.

After 40 years of service to the congregations of St. John’s, St. Paul’s of Fort Plain and, more recently, St. James of Starkville, the familiar figure left the pulpit, embarking on a new chapter as he retired.

June also saw the start of a community effort to save the West Hill School, which had been sold at a county foreclosure auction. The winning bid was rejected, and members of the Montgomery County Board of Supervisors subsequently turned the property over to the village for rehabilitation. The Historic West Hill School committee has since been formed, holding numerous volunteer clean-up days, also inviting the public into the long-closed structure to view its condition.

On July 3, hundreds of residents, and those from outside the area, gathered in Wiles Park for the Fort Plain Community Activity Council sponsored 4th on the 3rd celebration, which, as in previous years, welcomed new events, bands and vendors, including live animal and reptile exhibits. The event was capped off with bang, as the hills and lawns surrounding the Wiles Park pavilion filled to the brim with spectators excited to see the fireworks display by Alonzo.

Establishing connections between village residents and local law enforcement officials and fostering citizens’ involvement in their community were among the goals of a community policing initiative launched in St. Johnsville in mid-July.

The inaugural meeting outlined program objectives and established a developing partnership among citizens, school officials, local police and fire department personnel.

In August, St. Johnsville village officials approved the sale of the village’s long-vacant 23.1 acre industrial park to Christopher M. and Shelly A. Arduini for $40,000.

August closed with a bang, as it does every year, when the St. Johnsville Fire Department held their fireman’s fair, featuring rides, games and fireman-made food, including their locally beloved clam chowder. The fireman’s fair closed with two nights of impressive fireworks displays, the second night’s display doubling the first for a truly grand finale.

Late September, almost unintelligible, the sing-song chant of an auctioneer could be heard from the Moyer Street end of Floral Avenue as furniture, tools, equipment, and fittings from the 112-year-old Traudt family floral business were auctioned off, and the business closed its doors for good.

State auditors in a report released in early October criticized Fort Plain School Board members and district officials for levying more real property taxes than necessary because they failed to “adequately use surplus fund balance or reserves as spending sources,” exceeding the amount of surplus funds allowed by law.

They called upon district officials to “develop realistic expenditure and fund balance estimates for the annual budget; develop a plan for the use of surplus fund balance identified in [the] report in a manner that benefits district taxpayers; and [d]evelop a plan for the future funding and use of reserve funds.”

October closed with festive Halloween celebrations held in each village, with the St. Johnsville and Canajoharie fire departments awarding prizes for the best costumes, and Canajoharie and Fort Plain fire departments holding parades through each respective village.

Fort Plain village officials in mid-November adopted a local law that should make it easier for code and law enforcement officials to address issues diminishing residents’ quality of life in the community.

The law established a nuisance abatement program that gives enforcement officials some clout in their dealings with the owners of deteriorating properties. It also helps address problems with individuals charged with or convicted of drug-related activities or engaged in patterns of behavior like loitering or disorderly conduct.

In Palatine Bridge, A decade after Ames — the former anchor store at the east end of the Dutchtown Plaza — closed its doors for good, Big Lots corporate officials in mid-November celebrated the grand opening of their 23,900-square-foot store.

The Flander family hosted their annual Thanksgiving dinner at the H.C. Smith Benefit Club, St. Johnsville, attracting a larger crowd than usual, also serving more takeouts, as need has increased. Despite the fact that the family was mourning the loss of one of their own, Tammy Flander, they were out in full force, sharing comfort with the community they welcomed through their doors.

Fort Plain resident and Minden Supervisor Thomas Quackenbush was defeated in his attempt to secure a 111th district assembly seat. Quackenbush trailed his Democratic opponent, Angelo Santabarbara, by just under 9,000 votes.

December kicked off with numerous holiday events, spread out over the course of December’s first two weekends. Events took place at the VanAlstyne Homestead, Fort Plain Museum, and Fort Klock. Village tree-lighting ceremonies, including St. Johnsville and Fort Plain’s, both held the first Sunday in December, were moved inside because of inclement weather, although both events were still well-attended by those seeking to confer with Santa Claus.

Canajoharie’s Elves Night Out took place the second weekend of the month, sending elves running wild through the village, which, for the first time ever, hosted a “ringing of the bells”, wherein village landmarks rang their bells in a pre-determined order.

Fort Plain Senior Center President Guy Barton and Director Steven Goldberg were on hand at the 204 Canal Street senior center with John Kirkpatrick in mid-December to acknowledge a $9,500 grant from the Adam and Nellie Horn Foundation. The funding made the purchase and installation of an automatic 20-kilowatt standby generator possible there.

Canajoharie residents, and all who knew Canajoharie businessman and former village trustee Thomas Grainer, were saddened to hear that he passed away unexpectedly in late December. Grainer, 69, served as a village official for a total of 14 years, starting with a one-year unexpired term in the mid-1970s. He also served a four-year term in the early 1990s, another one-year term in 2000-2001, and two full terms ending in 2009.

Closing out the year and ushering in what will become the final six-month stretch in either school district, St. Johnsville and Oppenheim-Ephratah School officials held a joint meeting to lay the groundwork for a new school district on the heels of a successful merger vote.

The year closed with Last Night, the literal final local event of the season. The celebration, sponsored by the Fort Plain Community Activity Council, saw about a dozen local venues hosting music, crafts, comedy and more. The event was capped off with the lowering of a mayan sun, signifying that since the world didn’t end as some predicted, we should embrace new beginnings, which many of us have begun to, and will continue to do, in 2013.