Farm markets make mouths water

by DAVID LEE

Seen here on its third Saturday (June 5) of the new season, the Copake Hillsdale Farmers Market has become one of Columbia County’s destinations not to be missed. Three dozen vendors were selling everything from greens and flowers to grass-fed beef, and from milk and cookies to bitters. The market is accepting SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) coupons at double their value, so that each dollar of the coupon’s value buys two dollars worth of fresh produce, dairy or meat. Above, Beth Gordon (l) checks out the bourbon chicken liver pate at Bell Farm’s stand. Bell Farm of Red Hook sells all natural, fresh local chicken. Photo by David Lee

HCSD plans ahead, assessing lessons learned

by JEANETTE WOLFBERG

HUDSON—As the current school year approaches its end, the Hudson City School District (HCSD) is busily planning for the next one, administrators reported at the Board of Education meeting June 1.

The enlarged summer school requires “more challenges than in the past” for both transportation and food services, observed district Business Administrator Jesse Boehme. The HCSD will provide buses to summer school and serve its summer students breakfast and lunch. It will also prepare meals for summer camps.

The board designated its associate principals as principals for the summer school: Amanda Klopott (Montgomery C. Smith Elementary School) for kindergarten through second grade, Ian MacCormack (of the same school) for 3rd through 5th grades, and William Wood (High School) for 6th through 12th grades. Read more…

Chatham takes cram course on ‘Reassessment 101’

by EMILIA TEASDALE

CHATHAM—The Town Board workshop meeting on June 3 started with a presentation by Suzette Booy, the director of the county’s Real Property Tax Service Agency, about the town’s reassessment of properties currently going on. Ms. Booy and the new Town Assessor Kim Smith answered questions from the board and the residents who attended the online meeting.

According to a statement on the town’s website and on the meeting’s agenda, “in 2019 the decision was made by the Chatham Town Board to conduct a 2022 reassessment of all real property in the town of Chatham in order to create fair and equitable assessments at 100% of market value.”

Ms. Booy said at the meeting that the plan was to start the assessment in 2020, but there was a delay due to Covid-19 and the county was trying to do the reassessment at the same time as the reassessment of the Town of Ghent since the two municipalities share the Village of Chatham. She also said the town had contracted with the county for the work. Read more…

Tenants have their say on fate of Bliss Tower

by JEANETTE WOLFBERG

HUDSON—The Hudson Housing Authority (HHA) is interested in redeveloping its property, which includes income-restricted housing with 135 apartments. But to find out what the residents of this housing want from redevelopment, the HHA conducted a survey this spring and held a town hall style meeting May 26.

The tenants’ feedback gave mixed signals on the fate of the current buildings and the possibility of increasing the number of housing units. But it showed an unambiguous preference for stores, gardens, and recreational facilities in the community.

HHA’s property straddles State Street. South of that street stand its residential buildings: the nine story high-rise Bliss Tower and three low-rise buildings. North of State Street are ball courts, a playground and undeveloped land. Read more…

Some towns rethink how to pick highway superintendent

by EMILIA TEASDALE

GERMANTOWN— Germantown will hold a special election June 19 for proposed Local Law No. 1.

The Town Board adopted a proposal for the local law on April 13 “that eliminates the position of elected Highway Superintendent and establishes the position of appointed Superintendent of the Department of Public Works,” according to a statement on the town’s website.

This local law is subject to a mandatory referendum; if the law is upheld by voters, the change will take effect January 1, 2022. Read more…