The Salmon Rivers Council of Governments (SRCG) was the second of the five councils of governments to be formed in the Tug Hill region. It was formed in 1976 as the Salmon Rivers Cooperative Planning Board, and later restructured as a council of governments, representing the broader scope of issues participating towns and villages were called on to address. SRCG currently consists of the towns of Albion, Amboy, Orwell, and Parish and the villages of Parish and Pulaski. In its earliest times, it also included the village of Altmar, which dissolved in 2013, and the town of Williamstown, which subsequently affiliated with the Cooperative Tug Hill Council. It includes the Salmon River, Little Salmon River, and Salmon River Reservoir. Albion is home to the New York State fish hatchery, Orwell to the Salmon River Falls, and Albion and Parish to the Happy Valley State Wildlife Management Area.
In addition to concerns common to towns and villages in the Tug Hill region, SRCG has traditionally had a special interest in issues related to the Salmon River corridor, including water quality, water level management, waterfront access, fishery issues, and economic development potential related to being riverfront communities.
SRCG is located along the east central portion of Oswego County, north of Syracuse, New York. The area regularly receives significant amounts of lake effect snow due to their location downwind of the prevailing winds that traverse Lake Ontario. Salmon fishing and winter recreation make up a significant portion of their local economies. The population of the SRCG communities is 7,547, and the area is 168.83 square miles. Major highways include Interstate Route 81, U.S. Route 104, and NYS Routes 13 and 69.
The SRCG consists of the chief elected official of the member town or village, plus an additional representative as designated by that member government. They meet at least twice a year with additional meetings as needed. They annually elect a chairman, a vice chairman, and a fiscal agent. The work of SRCG is largely carried out by their circuit rider, Paul Baxter, in conjunction with Tug Hill Commission staff.
More information is available at www.salmonrivers.org.
Circuit Rider – Paul Baxter (West Monroe, 315-668-8945)