April 20th Town Board meeting (cont’ed)
In New Business, items on the resolution section of the agenda were noted for the Board.
Citizen Advisory Committee news
Citizen Advisory Committee chairs review of recent activities included work in progress, with updates on the following:
The Climate Action Committee–continued habitat mapping in certain areas of the Town, including at the Alan Devoe Bird Club in Old Chatham.
The Invasives Committee– is planning for the tree planting on April 22nd at 5 PM at Crellin Park to commemorate Earth Day, and is organizing the implementation of the recent grant from DEC to remove/address invasives at Crellin Park.
The Zoning Code Review Sub-Committee met for the first time with newly appointed members. They heard a presentation from Planning Board Chair Gabriella Sperry on the role of the Planning Board, with special attention to the special use permit review process. Committee members were asked to review the Subdivisions and Zoning sections (Chapters 170 and 180) of the Town Code).
The Traffic Safety working group continues to work on speed monitors and signs in the hamlets of Chatham, with one recently installed on Albany Turnpike in East Chatham. Supervisor Collins said he continues to encounter additional steps in the approval process that slow down the Town’s ability to add additional monitors on NYS roads.
The Financial Planning and Economic Development Committee has been in contact with Chatham Area Business Alliance and is working to collaborate with that non-profit and other local stakeholders to build collaborative relationships. The committee is focused on placing signage highlighting points of interest in the Town and Village of Chatham. They have drafted a “Discover Chatham” initiative that will be used to approach cultural organizations to potentially share signage costs.
The following events were announced:
Town Clean Up week, April 20-26, 2026–bags available at Town Hall for roadside cleanup
Crellin Park Earth Day Tree Planting Ceremony, Wed., April 22 at 5 pm
Housing Resources in Columbia County, Tuesday, April 28, 7 - 8 pm at Columbia County Pathways to Recovery, 1 Taconic Place, Ghent, NY
Tri-Village Fire Company Blood Drive, Saturday, May 2, 2026 from 9 am - 1 pm
Crellin Park Summer Camp Registration (town residents), May 4, 5:30 - 7 pm at Town Hall
Crellin Park Summer Camp Registration (non-residents), May 5, 5:30 -7 pm at Town Hall
Town of Chatham Clean Up Day, May 16, 2026
Friends of the Tracy: “Chatham…In Our Words”, screening at Crandall Theater, May 2, at 11 am
Survey: Resident Kate Butler updated the Board and public on her work with the Chatham Voices Project and the grant she and the community of Chatham received from Partners for Climate Action. The grant supports six Hudson Valley fellows to conduct listening campaigns in their communities. From those listening campaigns the Chatham Voices Project has gathered twenty-seven community proposed project ideas. Chatham residents are being asked to vote on three of the ideas proposed by their neighbors. All Chatham residents over the age of ten are eligible and encouraged to vote by May 15th. Voting is available In person at the North Chatham Library or online HERE. Additional information on the project is available at: https://sites.google.com/view/chatham-voices/home
In formal resolutions, the Board unanimously:
Approved Town Board minutes of its February and March meetings, accepted the Town Accountant’s Financial Supervisor’s Report for March, and accepted the financial abstract as presented to pay Town bills.
Approved renewal of the Town’s contract with the Chatham Village Police (CVP) that pays for CVP patrols within Town boundaries to address speeding and traffic safety.
Authorized a retainer agreement with the Hinman Straub Law Firm to allow for as-needed legal consultation on matters related to labor and employment matters, including contract negotiations, related grievances, PERB matters, disciplinary matters, and labor and insurance matters.
Appointed Travis Mitchinson to the Town Planning Board.
Established a revised procedure and timeline related to the publication of Town Board minutes on the Town website. The revised procedure requires the Town Clerk to produce a draft of meeting minutes for Town Board approval within eleven (11) days of the date of a Town Board meeting and posting of said minutes to the website within five (5) days of Board approval.
The next Town Board meeting is scheduled for Thursday, May 7 at 6:30 at Town Hall.
Interested parties can attend in person or online.
A video of the April 20th meeting summarized here is available here.