May 21st Town Board meeting (con’t)
Announcements
A REPAIR CAFÉ (“Don’t toss it, repair it!”) will take place on Saturday, May 30, from 10 am to 2 pm, at the Hoag’s Corners Fire House, 7237 NY-66, East Nassau, NY 12062
Correspondence
The Columbia Kitchen is recruiting volunteers to deliver meals to county residents experiencing food insecurity. For more information, contact info@columbiakitchen.org or call 518-751-0764.
The Town received notice from the Yohey Law firm that there is an application for a liquor license within the town. In response to request for more information about the applicant from Town Board member Rick Werwaiss, Supervisor Collins said the applicant is for a site of the former Old Chatham Country Store. Collins clarified that the Town does not approve liquor licenses but is notified of applications by the NYS Liquor Authority.
Subcommittee Reports
Town and County Report. Supervisor Collins began this segment of the meeting with a
20-minute review of news from the County, and an accounting of his activities over the past month. For details, go to the video of the meeting from timestamp “2” minutes to “23” minutes (approximate).
Citizen Advisory Committee reports of note
Parks and Recreation Committee Chair John Wapner announced that the tennis courts at Crellin Park are closed due to poor repair conditions. The committee is exploring if and how to best repurpose the courts, and is considering options, including relocating the basketball court to the tennis court area or building an ice-skating rink in that location. Wapner said that Crellin Park Day Camp is fully enrolled; and announced that the non-profit Chatham Area Recreation Project will sponsor the first Sunday in the Park event on June 14, with a performance by the Chatham Middle High School Jazz Band (See info in this newsletter). Also noted save the dates: July 15—Community Picnic and August 15—Crellin Park Day.
Conservation Advisory Committee Chair Kate Butler said the committee is looking at past efforts to address conservation issues in the town, and potentially resurfacing proposals that were never fully considered (e.g., ridgeline protection and steep slope protection) and to review and approve aspects of a groundwater protection plan that was never formally approved by the Town Board. Board Member Werwaiss joined in to report that Jim Buckley and Brian Staniti, who have been nominated for the CAC, were present at the meeting, and asked them to make short introductions to the Board.
Invasive Species Awareness Committee member Abi Mesick said that Brian Johnson has been working with the committee and is on the agenda for the Board to approve his membership on the committee.
Traffic Safety Working Group Chair Collins announced that DOT has approved a decrease in the speed limit for CR 28 to 35 mph, which runs from Rte. 66 toward Valatie, through the hamlet of Chatham Center.
Solar Law Committee Chair Eaton said there is a tentative plan for a public hearing on the proposed solar law for June 13, details to be confirmed and announced.
Financial Planning and Economic Development Committee Chair John Breault reported the committee is working with the NYS Department of Transportation to get information and apply to install signs directing drivers to sites of interest in the Village of Chatham on the Taconic Parkway. He noted the committee has submitted a formal request to the Town Clerk to release the information she sent to a FOIL request regarding the committee’s work.
New Business
Board member Simonetti suggested that to address the health and safety of town employees and visitors, it is advisable that the Town obtain and install an AED (Automated External Defibrillator) at the Town Hall and at the Transportation Garage. She said training in the use of this life-saving device would be available through Tri-village Fire. This was met with full agreement by the Board and supportive comments during public comment.
A request for renewal of the annual contract with Stonykill Disc Golf that allows that organization use of town property was noted. Comments from the board indicated that the group makes frequent use of the property, and there were no objections to the contract by board members.
New members were identified for Town Board approval by resolution for the following Citizen Advisory Committees: Conservation Advisory Committee, Invasive Species Awareness Committee.
Resolutions
After attending to standard business (approving April Board minutes, and accepting the town accountant’s Supervisor’s Financial Report and the Financial Abstract as presented to pay Town bills) the Board voted unanimously to:
Authorize an annual contract with Stonykill Disc Golf Club to use the land adjacent to Town Hall for recreational disc golf events.
Authorize the use of the jointly owned municipal parking lot in the Village by Chatham Brewing LLC for Oktoberfest 2026 on October 10, 2026, from 11 AM to 9 PM.
Reappoint Abi Mesick and Corey Macfarlane as alternate members to the Community Preservation Fund Advisory Board for a one-year term.
Appoint Jim Buckley and Brian Stranitti to the Conservation Advisory Committee for one-year terms, effective immediately.
Appoint Kevin Johnson to the Invasive Species Awareness Committee.
Authorize the use of Building Reserve funds to pay for roof-mounted photovoltaics in the Town Hall Decarbonization project.
Establish a central e-mail address (chatham@chathamnewyork.gov) for any electronic communications to Town Board Members, so that Town Clerk can manage the receipt and distribution of such communications to Board Members and post such correspondence on the website unless it is considered inappropriate by the Town Board. This centralized email address was requested as part of the newly approved correspondence protocol to promote transparency, consistency, and proper retention of communication directed to members of the Town Board.
Accept the first application for farmland preservation within Town of Chatham boundaries submitted through the Community Preservation Fund Advisory Board and authorize an allocation from the Community Preservation Fund (CPF) for the initial costs of the application (such as appraisals and land surveys) up to but not to exceed $25,000 from the CPF. The application includes three contiguous parcels of land owned by the Starron family that were identified in the Community Preservation Plan as priority lands for preservation. The acceptance of the application does not constitute final approval of funding or acquisition but authorizes the continuation of the review process as stipulated in Town law.
In the only non-unanimous vote of four to one, with Supervisor Collins voting Nay, the board authorized the transfer of funds in the total amount of $13,000 (in the highway budget) to supplement an existing budget of $5,000 in the Equipment Rental budget line to pay for the five month rental of a dirt roller, at the request of the Highway Superintendent.
The next scheduled Town Board meeting will occur on Thursday, June 4 at 6:30 pm at Town Hall. The agenda and links to attend online will be found on the June calendar posted on the Town website.