Saturday, May 15 was annual clean-up day in Hillsdale. Residents brought their loads of unwanted stuff to the town garage and disposed of them for free. Town employees helped unload cars. Richard Jennings, Rick Miles, Richard Briggs, Ralph Shufelt and Ben Damgaard in the loader, made quick work of anything that came their way. Pictured, Mr. Jennings throws an old air conditioner into the back of a dump truck. Photo by David Lee
HUDSON—Apartment upgrades, builder shortages, roaches and Zoom problems received attention at the Hudson Housing Authority meeting May 12. The Hudson Housing Authority (HHA) runs the income-restricted 135-unit Bliss housing complex in Hudson, which consists of the high-rise Bliss Tower and three low rise buildings.
The HHA Board of Commissioners approved an agreement to get about 50 new refrigerators for apartments via the Clean Energy Communities Program. Each new refrigerator will consume less electricity than the one it replaces. In addition, the roach-attracting odor from the replaced aging refrigerators will go away. However, “There’s a national shortage of refrigerators,” reported Commissioner Marie Balle. She has spoken with Lowe’s about this.
HHA Executive Director Tim Mattice reported that several recently-empty apartments have been leased, but 20 apartments remain offline, kept empty pending rehabilitation. Fourteen are in Bliss Tower and six are in the low rises. One issue is finding qualified builders to renovate apartments. Another is future plans versus current needs. Read more…
CANAAN—The Canaan Town Board had its first in-person meeting in over a year on May 10 at Canaan Town Hall on County Route 5. The full board and three local residents attended. Everyone wore a mask.
The board unanimously approved renewal of a vision plan with Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield and appointed new resident Jillian Kasov, an Albany attorney, as Planning Board clerk.
The summer swim program was approved and will run from July 5 to August 15. The board also approved the request of local artist, Danimarie Jones, to conduct a Summer Art Program at Stoddard Park. Read more…
HUDSON—Property tax payments, police, in-person activities, teacher mentors and a Questar III BOCES presentation highlighted the Hudson City School District (HCSD) Board of Education meeting May 4.
Currently district property owners get their school tax bill in July and must pay half by mid-August and the rest by mid-October. Wayne Francis of Hudson asked whether taxpayers could have the option of paying in more, smaller installments.
Business Administrator Jesse Boehme replied that the option is not available because the school district needs the money at the start of the school year. But said he would continue looking into the matter. Read more…
Here is the Roeliff Jansen Central School photographed in Spring 1999, on the last day of school, before all students moved to the new Craryville campus. A new report suggests it should be market as a hotel. Photo by David Lee
COPAKE—Will future travelers to Columbia County someday book their reservations for a stay in luxurious accommodations at the Roe Jan Resort Hotel?
That’s the aim of the Copake Economic Development Advisory Committee (CEDAC), which has formulated a detailed plan to get a qualified developer to buy and fix up the former Roeliff Jansen Central School and make it into “destination or resort hotel property.”
CEDAC Chairman Thomas Goldsworthy came before the Town Board at its May 13 meeting to unveil the proposal and get the board’s okay to move forward. Read more…