Workshop—Solar law (cont’ed)
Eaton presented maps that highlighted a number of areas in the town that meet these criteria. He said feedback from board members to date has been that smaller solar sites are more desirable. After discussion, the board concurred on a preference for smaller solar developments, and limitations on location. The board identified a concern that was not resolved about battery storage of solar energy, noting local fire companies are not equipped to address / suppress battery fires. The board agreed that a limit on the number of solar projects was not necessary if the two designated areas outlined at the meeting were the only areas where commercial solar is allowed in the town. The SLC will take these comments and suggestions and edit the current draft for future presentation.
In formal action, the Board was split on three out of six resolutions. Board Members Eaton, Werwaiss, Simonetti, and Wapner voted to approve, and Supervisor Collins voted Nay on all of the following resolutions:
Approved changes (and an additional revision) in the Protocol for Citizens Advisory Committee. A stipulation in the original resolution was that full-time and departmental employees may be assigned to these committees as part of their job duties, and would be non-voting members due to a possible conflict of interest. The protocol was amended and removed that stipulation. Instead, a full-time and departmental employee could be selected to participate as a “contributor” to a committee based on special expertise, and would not be expected to attend meetings regularly.
Established a Zoning Code Review Subcommittee as a part of the Zoning Update Committee. This subcommittee’s co-chairs will be Board Members John Wapner and Rick Werwaiss. The subcommittee is tasked with reviewing “issues of site plan reviews, special use permits, and special considerations related to development on dirt roads in the Town of Chatham.”
Authorized the Highway Superintendent to grant paid compensatory time.
This authorization allows the Superintendent to grant compensatory time when, “in the Superintendent’s judgement, such compensation is warranted due to extended work hours, missed breaks, operational demands before or after holidays, or similar circumstances”. The resolution further stipulates that the Superintendent is to record paid compensatory time on time cards and regularly update the Town Board on its use. This authorization will remain in place until 12/31/2026, at which time it can be amended or revoked.
The vote was unanimous on the following resolutions:
Agreed to accept a tree for planting at Crellin Park from Columbia County Soil & Water in celebration of Earth Day, and hold an Earth Day Celebration on April 22, 2026.
Appointed Mason Root as an Alternate Member of the Zoning Board of Appeals.
Approved a Protocol to Utilize Services of an Independent Grant Writer.
Also, a “Special Town Board Meeting” that consisted of an executive session to discuss “the employment history of a particular person or persons” was scheduled for Tuesday, March 3, 2026, but was cancelled due to weather. That meeting was rescheduled for March 5, 2026 as part of the Board Workshop meeting. The board met in executive session at the end of the March 5 meeting and stated ahead of the session that there would be no public announcement after the meeting as to the outcome of that session.
The next regularly scheduled Town Board meetings are:
Regular Board Meeting – Thursday, March 19, 2026 at 6:30 pm
Town Board Workshop meeting – April 2, 2026, at 6:30 pm
FYI, the agendas for these meetings will be posted on the date of the meeting on the Town calendar, available here.
A video of the meeting summarized in this article is available here.