August 7, 2026 — While Gov. Kathy Hochul was warning the public about extreme heat in early July, PEF members and their developmentally disabled clients working and living in secure housing at the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities’ Sunmount facility in Tupper Lake were dealing with indoor temperatures that soared above 80 degrees.
VIDEO: President Spence, VP Giddings share Sunmount tour experience
Since PEF went to the media with the story, OPWDD has taken some steps to mitigate the problem, bringing in six portable air conditioners and shifting programming to cooler parts of the facility.
“The safety and comfort of people who receive services from OPWDD is a priority,” OPWDD said in a statement requested by PEF about progress. “OPWDD has been working to fix issues where central air conditioning is either failing, which amounts to about 4 percent of the Sunmount campus’s total air-conditioned spaces, or is not feasible on campus due to aging infrastructure. Programming in the affected areas has been adjusted to take place in cooler spaces during heat spells, and interim portable units have been installed as we continue work on a replacement system to resolve this issue.”
“We appreciate OPWDD’s movement on this, but it shouldn’t take a union going to the media to effect change,” said President Wayne Spence. “The aging infrastructure needs to be overhauled, and we will continue to monitor the state’s progress with this project.”
During a tour of the facility on July 1, President Spence and Vice President Bruce Giddings learned the central air conditioning system serving residents at the facility has reportedly been inoperable for nearly three years.
“These are some of New York’s most vulnerable individuals—people with developmental disabilities who depend on the State to provide safe, humane, and dignified living conditions,” President Spence said. “It is unacceptable that a critical infrastructure issue affecting the health, comfort, and quality of life of these residents has remained unresolved for such an extended period.”
RELATED: Albany Times Union reports on ‘oppressive heat’ at Sunmount
“Our most vulnerable citizens deserve better,” VP Giddings said. “They should not have to endure another summer without a functioning air conditioning system because of bureaucratic delays or a lack of urgency.”
After the walkthrough, President Spence immediately contacted Director of State Operations Jackie Bray to demand answers.
“New York State must explain why this problem has persisted for years, what steps have been taken to address it, and, most importantly, when residents and staff can expect a permanent solution,” President Spence said.
