JOIN US ON SUNDAY FOR THE BLUE WAVE BRUNCH!

The Columbia County Democratic Committee (CCDC) announces that its Eighth Annual Blue Wave Brunch will feature Lieutenant Governor candidate Adrienne Adams as the keynote speaker and special guest speaker Congressman Josh Riley on Sunday, May 17. 

“The Blue Wave Brunch brings together community members, local leaders, and

political candidates to discuss issues that matter most to voters and to build momentum heading into November,” said Claire Ackerman, CCDC First Vice Chair and Event Chair.

Attendees will hear from Adams, the former speaker of the New York City Council, who will join Governor Kathy Hochul on the November ballot as part of a historic, all-women team, and from Riley, who is seeking re-election to the 19th Congressional District, which includes all of Columbia County.

“Adams and Riley exemplify what Democrats stand for: looking out for the middle class and workers, expanding affordable housing and health care, and boosting the region’s economy,” said Mike Dvorchak, CCDC Co-Chair.

Adams was a member of the New York City Council from 2017 to 2025 and served as speaker of the City Council from 2022 until 2025. She was the first woman to represent her district on the City Council and the first Black person to serve as speaker.

Riley, a fifth-generation Upstate New Yorker, has served in public and private legal roles, including as general counsel to a U.S. senator. In the House, he has focused on affordability, tackling the lack of lower-cost housing in our district, the steep rise in utility bills, and the decline in rural hospitals.

Added Abbie Hodgson, CCDC Co-Chair, “What happens in Washington and Albany has real consequences here in Columbia County—from costs going up for families to the pressure on our local health care system. This event is about bringing people together to focus on what’s at stake locally and making sure we’re organized to elect leaders who will deliver for our communities.”

Also joining the event are state Senator Michelle Hinchey (SD41), Assemblymember Didi Barrett (AD106), and Assembly candidate Chloe Pierce (AD107).

The Blue Wave Brunch is CCDC’s flagship annual event and its primary fundraiser, supporting efforts to elect Democrats up and down the ballot in 2026.

The event will be held on Sunday, May 17, at the Catamount Mountain Resort in

Hillsdale, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Tickets are available online at

https://bit.ly/bluewavebrunch2026 

For further information or inquiries regarding the brunch, please contact the committee at fundraising@columbiacountydemocrats.org.

The Columbia County Democratic Committee is dedicated to promoting Democratic principles, supporting candidates, and fostering community engagement throughout Columbia County. For more information, visit columbiacountydemocrats.org.

We Showed Up for May Day

Last Friday we turned out. For two hours, upwards of fifty of us stood in front of the Village Gazebo with signs expressing our opposition to a variety of issues ranging from the illegal war with Iran (and war in general), to corruption, the right to bodily autonomy, ICE, and racism. We held signs in support of the immigrants who make this country great. And signs in support of compassion. We showed, with our signs and our presence, how broad the coalition of opposition is in this small town, and how committed we are to making change.

Saturday the turnout at our weekly (12-1pm) protest at the gazebo was smaller than hoped for. Possibly a result of the 2 hours spent on that same stretch of pavement the day before, but still we did turn out about a dozen people (that’s an optimistic count). There was a cowbell, there was camaraderie. But we have to ask: Is this enough?

What will it take for you to join us, if you haven’t already? Democracy is not a spectator sport. That sentiment was on one of the signs carried on Friday, and it is the crux of the matter.

Another saying: “All politics is local.” (Attributed to Thomas Phillip "Tip" O'Neill Jr., the American Democratic Party politician from Massachusetts who served as the 47th speaker of the United States House of Representatives, 1977 to 1987).  

That relates to our Chatham Town Board. Chatham Dems turned out to elect this Board, with a current representation of four Democratic Board members. Electing people to the Board is not the end of the process, it is the beginning. Our elected officials need us to be there, in the room when the discussion turns to regulation of solar arrays in the Town and the formulation of a Town ethics code. If you think that an enforceable code of ethics is important, we need you.

This Saturday – May 16
8 AM - 3 PM

Town Highway Garage
865 County Route 13, Old Chatham NY

Pre-register at Chatham Town Hall

488 Rte. 295, Chatham NY

Bring Proof of residency to pick up your punchcard–

Allows you up to 2 truckloads

(one truck + one 6’ - 8’ trailer = two trucks)

What’s allowed:

• Up to four tires per household

• Steel or tin

• Electronics (old TVs, computers, stereo equipment, etc.)

•  Appliances

What’s not allowed:

• No hazardous materials

• No household trash or recyclables

• No propane tanks

• No brush, leaves, grass clippings, etc.

  For more information, call Town Supervisor Donal Collins @ 518-330-1019

Columbia County Traffic Safety Board
Hosts Rail Trail Bicycle Safety Awareness event focused on bicycle safety and shared trail use.

WHEN:
Sunday, May 17, 2026
12:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

WHERE:

Rothermel Park

Village of Kinderhook, NY

In recognition of May as Bicycle Safety Month, the Columbia County Traffic Safety Board, in partnership with the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office Bike Patrol, will host a public awareness campaign on the Albany-Hudson Electric Trail at Rothermel Park, highlighting the importance of safe cycling and shared rail-trail use throughout Columbia County.

As part of this effort, the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office continues its work through the Bicycle Education and Enforcement (B.E.E.) Unit, launched in June 2025. The unit patrols the Albany-Hudson Electric Trail and Harlem Valley Rail Trail, combining proactive community policing, safety education, and enforcement to improve safety for residents and visitors alike.

With more than 26 miles of paved trail currently available along the Harlem Valley Rail Trail—and plans to expand to 46 continuous miles from Wassaic to the Village of Chatham beginning in 2026—Columbia County remains a destination for cyclists, runners, and pedestrians. The county is also home to a substantial portion of the Albany-Hudson Electric Trail, a 36-mile non-motorized corridor that connects to the larger Empire State Trail system.

MAY 7 BOARD WORKSHOP MEETING HAS FULL AGENDA

the Town that would cover some costs of this project, estimated at close to $3 million. The 35-minute presentation can be viewed in the video of the meeting. Extensive details are provided in the Agenda packet (pp. 7-103). The Board will review available materials, formulate additional questions for CT Male, and decide about whether and how to proceed with the proposed project.

A second presentation by Town Accountant Robert Patterson included a review of the 2025 budget, and a wide-ranging discussion about potential implications if changes in allocations / transfers of funding to various budget funds are undertaken in 2026. Patterson strongly recommended that the Board consider increasing the percentage of the budget lines for fund balances in reserve funds. He said this would decrease risks in the case of unanticipated events (e.g., decreases in expected revenues or unexpected costs to the Town) that would require additional expenditures by the town. He said this recommendation is in line with the NYS Comptroller’s office.

As part of the discussion, Budget Officer Tammy Shaw provided additional information on the budget for Town Board members, and Supervisor Collins highlighted some changes that the Board might make to the upcoming budget. The Board discussion was lively and collaborative, and members plan to address budgetary information on a quarterly basis to keep up on any developments that will impact the 2027 budget.

Old Business

Solar Law Draft to be modified and presented in Public Hearing.

Committee Chair Angus Eaton reviewed comments on the draft solar law that were provided by the law firm Hodgson Russ and supported by information from the NYS Energy Research and Development Authority. Based on Board discussion, there was agreement about how to edit the existing draft of the Solar law, and Eaton will proceed with scheduling a Public Hearing on the final draft. That meeting will allow the public to weigh in on the proposed law and suggest additional changes to the committee and Town Board. 

Updated correspondence protocol. Board member Lisa Simonetti reviewed a final proposal for an updated process for the publication of public correspondence to the Board. The new protocol, which was to be voted on later in the meeting,  requires a statement on the Town website that any correspondence to the Board will be posted on the website within five business days of review by the Town Board members in connection with a regularly scheduled meeting; and that the Board may determine by a majority vote at a regularly scheduled meeting to withhold a piece of correspondence under “exceptional circumstances, such as defamatory, threatening, or harassing content, without revealing the name of the sender.” Further, a list of any correspondence posted on the website will be included in the next Town Board agenda, and will include the date of the correspondence, the name of the sender, and a brief description of the subject.

Simonetti clarified that it is important that there be a dedicated email address for correspondence on the website to ensure that any electronic correspondence is received and reviewed. In response to concerns that correspondence to the town might overreach (e.g., include campaign endorsements for candidates for town board), she urged the Board to approve the protocol and said that any issues that might arise with the new protocol could be addressed once they occur and are seen as problematic. 

Head Groundskeeper Appointee. Supervisor Collins said that he, Recreation Director Mike West, and Board Member / Park & Recreation Committee Chair Wapner had interviewed resident Ryan McPhail for the part-time position of Head Groundskeeper and have agreed to recommend him for the position.

In resolutions, the Board voted: 

• To accept the 2025 Columbia County Median Home Sale Price of $485,000.00 for the exemption to the Supplemental Transfer Tax. The Town charges a 1.5% supplemental transfer tax on any amount of a real property sale over the County Median Sale Price, and those proceeds are paid into the Town of Chatham Community Preservation Fund.

• Appointed Ryan McPhail to the position of Head Groundskeeper, effective immediately.
  

• To adopt the updated process for publication of public correspondence as outlined by Board Member Simonetti and stated in the resolution.

• To rescind a prior contract with Woodworx Tree Removal for 2026 tree service work (based on communication with that company) and to approve the awarding of the 2026 service contract to JB Tree Service.

• To accept the Financial Abstract as presented to pay Town bills.

• Approved expenditures recommended by Highway Superintendent:

  • replacing two trucks with two RAM 5500 Cab & Chassis

  • purchasing two Everest Stainless All Season Body packages (including snowplows, wing plows, sander, warning & work lighting packages) for the total sum of $224,932.00.

  • to accept bids for road materials (calcium chloride and magnesium) as  outlined in the resolution #131-26.
    

In public comment, there was support for suggested revisions to the draft solar law, a request for information on the cost to date for the Town Highway garage proposal, and opinions on certain aspects of the proposal presented earlier in the meeting. Several residents asked questions about an upcoming proposal for a Town Ethics Board and Ethics Code. A proposal on this matter will be on future agendas for Board review, public comment, and a Board vote.  

The next Town Board meeting is scheduled for Thursday, May 21 at 6:30.

Meeting agendas are posted on the Town calendar several days prior to the scheduled dates, and links to join online are found on the calendar under the scheduled date.

Mark your calendar! VOTE! 

May 19, 2026  

NEXT WEEK:
Annual District Budget Vote 
Local School Board Elections 

Polls are open for the three school districts located in the Town of Chatham
Tuesday, May 19. 

Why vote for school budgets? 

For property owners in NYS, the school district tax is a significant annual expense, along with County property taxes. See what your district is doing with the budget, how it’s allocated, and what that says about district priorities for students and the larger community. You have a vote to support that direction or not.

Why vote for School Board members?

School Boards consist of elected individuals who voluntarily serve their communities and ensure quality education of resident students. Some of their roles include setting policy, approving budgets, hiring and evaluating the district superintendent (akin to a CEO), engaging the community in decisions that affect kids, families, and teachers, and ensuring equity across school programs, facilities, and outcomes. How’s your local school board fulfilling these roles?

Chatham Central School District

• Voting hours: 9 AM to 9 PM at MED Elementary School

• Annual Budget Hearing – Tuesday, May 12, at 6 PM, CHS Library

• Budget information here.

• Board of Education member election – Four open seats – information on incumbents and challengers here. 

• Absentee & Early Voting by Mail Ballots – Contact the District Clerk at 518-392-1501 or pottenburghd@chatham.k12.ny.us

Ichabod Crane Central School District

• Voting hours: 8 AM to 9 PM at ICC High School gym

• Board of Education member election – three open seats – information on three candidates here.

• May 11: Meet the Candidates Night, hosted by the High School Participatory Government Class, 6 p.m., High School Library

• Budget information here. 

New Lebanon Central School District

• Voting hours: 12 PM to 8 PM at Walter B. Howard Elementary School Elementary School gym

• Board of Education member election – two open seats, with two incumbents running for re-election, no identified challengers

• Budget information here.

• Newsletter here.

ELECTION UPDATE

2026 Primary Election - June 23, 2026

Election Day Polls are open from 6 am until 9 pm

Please Note: there will be countywide Democratic and Republican Primaries for eligible voters

Sample ballots for the Columbia County 2026 Primary Election:

• 106th Assembly District - Democratic Primary

The following towns and districts in Columbia County are in the 106th Assembly District: Ancram, Austerlitz, Canaan, Chatham Districts 1, 2, 3, & 4, Claverack, Clermont, Copake, Gallatin, Germantown, Greenport, Hillsdale, Hudson (City of), Livingston, New Lebanon, and Taghkanic 

• 107th Assembly District - Democratic Primary

The following towns and districts in Columbia County are in the 107th Assembly District: Chatham Districts 5 & 6, Ghent, Kinderhook, Stockport, and Stuyvesant

• 106th Assembly District, City of Hudson, 3rd Ward only -
  Democratic Primary

• 19th Congressional District - Republican Primary (countywide)

2026 Primary Election Voter Registration Deadline

You may register in person at the Columbia County Board of Elections, by mail, or any state agency participating in the National Voter Registration Act, on any business day throughout the year but, to be eligible to vote in the Primary Election, your application must be received at the Columbia County Board of Elections no later than June 13, 2026.

2026 Primary Election Voter Change of Address Deadline

All change of address forms and notifications received at the Columbia County Board of Elections no later than June 8, 2026, must be processed by the Board for the General Election Sec. 5-208(3).

2026 Primary Election Absentee and Early Mail Ballot Request by Mail or SBOE Portal Deadline

Your Absentee or Early Mail Ballot application or letter of application by mail or online portal must be received at the Columbia County Board of Elections no later than June 13, 2026. June 13, 2026, is also the last day for the Board to receive applications for a Military or UOCAVA ballot for the Primary Election, if not previously registered.

Early Voting Hours for the 2026 Primary Election:

Saturday, June 13: 9 am – 5 pm
Sunday, June 14: 9 am – 5 pm
Monday, June 15:     9 am – 5 pm
Tuesday, June 16: 12 pm – 8 pm
Wednesday, June 17: 12 pm – 8 pm
Thursday, June 18: 9 am – 5 pm
Friday, June 19: 9 am – 5 pm
Saturday, June 20: 9 am – 5 pm
Sunday, June 21: 9 am – 5 pm

Two Early Voting Locations: eligible voters can vote early at either early voting location, no matter where in the County the voter resides.  

Columbia County Office Building:
401 State Street, Hudson, NY 12534

Martin H. Glynn Municipal Building:
3211 Church Street, Valatie, NY 12184