Spare time? Chatham needs help

CHATHAM – The Town Board is looking to fill a few vacancies at the town meeting in October. At the September 15 meeting, the board approved accepting applications for a sole town assessor and a member of the Zoning Implementation Committee. Board members also plan to start putting together a Conservation Advisory Council in November.

The board is going from a three-person panel of assessors to a sole appointed assessor. Applicants interested in the job must submit a resume and letter of interest to the Town Clerk’s Office, 488 Route 295 by 4 p.m. Friday, October 14. Supervisor Jesse DeGroodt said applicants will be interviewed before the October 20 meeting.

The board is also looking for applications for a Zoning Implementation Committee (ZIC) position. Chairman Jim Temple is resigning and the board plans to fill the vacancy on ZIC and appoint a new chair. Applicants for that position should also have their letter of interest and resumes to the clerk’s office on October 14. The person applying for the position may be appointed chairman, said Mr. DeGroodt. He said the Town Board will decide whether the new appointee or a seated member of the committee will become the chair.

Mr. DeGroodt told the board that in accordance with the town comprehensive plan, new zoning rules reviewed by ZIC must be adopted by the board by the end of February for full implementation by end of 2012.

The board is also looking to create a Conservation Advisory Council. According the a hand-out from the board about a Conservation Advisory Council (CAC) in Dutchess County, the council is “an advisory group whose primary function is to advice their municipalities on the management and protection of its natural resources.”

Mr. DeGroodt said he believes the board is conducting too many interviews before the October meeting and asked to push off accepting applications for interested CAC members to November.

There was considerable discussion at the meeting of issues arising from the rain spawned by Irene, and the board authorized the Highway Department to assist with flood cleanup in Greene County. “The county as a whole all reached out (to Greene),” said Highway Department Superintendent Joe Rickert. Mr. Rickert also talked about streams overflowing and cleanup in the town as well.

Next meeting will be Thursday October 20 at 7 p.m. at Town Hall.

To contact reporter Emilia Teasdale email eteasdale@columbiapaper.com.

Countdown of Top 5 Stories of 2023: Number 1

December 31, 2023

Coeymans celebrated a once-in-a-lifetime event — its 350th anniversary — and is our Number 1 story of 2023. File photo

EDITOR’S NOTE: The Ravena News-Herald is counting down the top 5 local stories of 2023. We looked at the top stories of the year, those that drew the highest number of readers to our website and Facebook page, or that had the greatest impact on our community and its residents. Here is the Number 1 story for the year, one that will never be repeated again.

Coeymans marks 350 years of history and heritage

COEYMANS — The town turned out in huge numbers this weekend to celebrate the 350th anniversary of Coeymans, culminating in a parade from the village to Coeymans Landing on Saturday afternoon.

After opening ceremonies at the Landing, it was time for Coeymans to party.

The parade stepped off at 1 p.m. beginning in the vicinity of the railroad overpass and Magnolia Circle, where four divisions of drum lines, marching bands, fire departments, local businesses and community groups waited to step off.

The parade was led by six grand marshals, all of whom also took part in the town’s big tricentennial festivities 50 years ago, back in 1973.

Deputy Town Supervisor Brandon LeFevre, who co-chaired the 350th Anniversary Committee with Town Councilwoman Marisa Tutay, said the grand marshals represented all corners of Coeymans, from the village of Ravena to Coeymans Hollow and Alcove.

“All of these fine people have been lifelong residents of different enclaves of the town,” LeFevre said.

The grand marshals were Nancy Bruno, Paul Caswell, Eugene Datri, Blondie Neri, Ismay Payne and Nancy Travis.

Students from the music department at the Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk Central School District performed the national anthem at the start of the ceremony at the Landing, under the direction of Michelle McLoughlin, RCS High School Choral Director and K-12 Art and Music Curriculum Content Specialist.

U.S. Rep. Paul Tonko, D-20, presented the town council with a proclamation from the House of Representatives in Washington D.C.

“Today is a celebration of community, a celebration of history and heritage and preservation,” Tonko said. “This is the place we call home, or the place we visit as a destination.”

The day was a celebration in honor of the granting of the Coeymans Patent on April 7, 1673, by Gov. Francis Lovelace, and the pride of place continues to this day, Tonko said.

“It is a great rich history of a community of people that have continued along that pattern of Dutch history that was your beginning and has now developed into a diverse area of activity,” Tonko said.

Assemblyman Chris Tague, R-102, and state Sen. Neil Breslin, D-46, were unable to attend the ceremony but provided the town with proclamations honoring the historic day.

Deputy Albany County Executive Dan Lynch presented a proclamation from the county on behalf of Albany County Executive Daniel McCoy, who was also unable to attend.

Town Supervisor George McHugh said town residents live in several communities, from Coeymans to Ravena to Alcove, Coeymans Hollow and New Baltimore, but they are all residents of Coeymans.

“Regardless of where we receive our mail, we are all town of Coeymans residents and we should keep that in mind not just on days like today, but every day,” McHugh said. “We should put aside all high school rivalries and petty differences and remember that we all call Coeymans home. We have much to be proud of as Coeymans residents — Coeymans has endured 103 years longer than our country and our history is deep in tradition, honor, sacrifice and pride.”

Tutay thanked the sponsors of the anniversary festivities and the committee that organized all of the celebratory events.

Tutay and LeFevre co-chaired the committee, which also consisted of Joseph Boehlke, Kelly Castle, Heather Collins, Mark Deyo, Michelle Kapusta, Patti LeFevre, Barb Lisa, Town Clerk Candace McHugh, Rosemary McHugh, Marlene McTigue, Carol McDonald, Steve and Tracy Douglas, Ginny Pearson, Joan Radley and Karen Waddingham.

“They did a tremendous job in helping keep this organized and we are so very grateful to them,” Tutay said.

After the opening ceremony, there were performances by Sugar Skull and The Refrigerators, and an array of vendors were set up throughout the park. The Albany County Sheriff’s Department provided a rock wall for kids to climb and Carver Companies sponsored the carnival rides, fireworks tugboat and a shuttle that ferried people to and from the parking lot at the elementary school and the Landing where the celebration took place.

A fireworks show concluded the day’s festivities at nightfall.

Happy 350th anniversary, Coeymans!

Spare time? Chatham needs help

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