Copake faces big task as it begins to whittle away spending requests

by DIANE VALDEN

COPAKE–Last week’s release of the 2010 tentative budget by Town Supervisor Reggie Crowley ignited arguments between officials and residents on both sides of the aisle about how much more in taxes people will have to shell out, and who’s right and wrong about the amounts.

Flinging figures for political purposes is typical in an election year, but the acrimony is especially harsh this time around in the shadow of a budget shortfall that led the town board to borrow $100,000. The vote on whether to borrow was split down party lines, the three Republicans in favor, the two Democrats opposed.

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Murphy meets with public at Clermont

by Staff

CLERMONT—Congressman Scott Murphy (D-20th) will hold a Congress-on-Your-Corner meeting with town officials and local citizens in the Clermont Town Hall at 10 a.m. Sunday, October 11.

A press release from his office Friday, October 9, said Congressman Murphy planned to meet with citizens and update them on his efforts in Washington to create jobs and get the economy back on track.

Clermont Town Hall is at 1795 Route 9.

At 3 p.m. Sunday Mr. Murphy will attend the celebration in Hyde Park of the 125th Anniversary of the birth of Eleanor Roosevelt. He will be joined by Roosevelt-Vanderbilt National Historic Sites Superintendent Sarah Olson, the Rev. Charles Kramer and local officials at the Rose Garden of the Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site.  After a ceremony and remarks, a reception will be held in the Henry A. Wallace Visitor Center.

The FDR historic site is at 4097 Albany Post Road.

Child on bike hit on Columbia Street

by STAFF

HUDSON—An eight-year-old girl was seriously hurt when she was hit by a motor vehicle while riding her bicycle, Saturday, October 10 at 10:12 a.m.
Hudson Police Lieutenant Lynne M. Finn reports that a vehicle was traveling east on the 300 block of Columbia Street when the youngster, riding her bicycle, came from between two buildings, lost control and drove into the path of the vehicle.
The Greenport Rescue Squad took the child to a landing zone where she was picked up by a Med Flight helicopter and flown to the Albany Medical Center.
She was listed in critical condition Saturday afternoon. Neither the girl nor the motorist were identified by police.
No charges are pending against the operator of the vehicle, according to a press release.
The investigation is continuing.

Can schools cut costs?

by EMILIA TEASDALE

ICC, Schodack seek state funds to study ‘functional consolidation’

VALATIE–The Ichabod Crane school board formally agreed this week to participate with the Schodack Central School District in southern Rensselaer County on a joint application for a “functional consolidation study” through the state Department of State. Both districts say they are talking about ways to share services, not ways to merge.

On the subject of the memorandum of agreement with Schodack that the ICC board voted Tuesday,  October 6, to approve, Board President John Phillips said the school officials had “a very productive meeting” with their Schodack counterparts last Saturday, discussing how the two adjoining districts could share services. ICC currently shares certain services with the Chatham, New Lebanon and Germantown districts.

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State bans burning garbage in all towns

by PARRY TEASDALE

Local police as well as DEC officials will enforce new prohibition

ALBANY–Burning residential waste anywhere in Columbia County will become illegal beginning next week.

The state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has extended the existing prohibition on open burning of residential waste by prohibiting the practice in all communities statewide, regardless of population. The regulation, which takes effect next Wednesday, October 14, makes exceptions for burning tree limbs and branches at limited times and for certain other types of outdoor burning.

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