Very good everyone.
[clears throat]
>> Happy new year.
>> Welcome to the Red Hook Town Lord
meeting of Tuesday, January 13, 2026.
Would you kindly join me in the pledge
of allegiance, please?
I pledge algiance to the flag of the
United States of America and to the
republic for which it stands, one nation
under God, indivisible, with liberty and
justice for all.
» Thank you all very much. I hope that you
had a happy and healthy, probably the
most challenging part of that uh holiday
season. And for the folks at home uh
wanting to know what we'll be discussing
uh this evening,
we have two uh public hearings. Uh one
is related to
um or actually both are related to the
rehab of the water district number one
uh storage tank. And um we actually have
a couple of our water board members with
us this evening. Um and we'll start the
evening off with that. We then will move
on to our annual reorganization meeting
uh rather resolution. We'll then um
address two highway related uh matters.
We approve the annual expenditures for
capital uh improvements, road
improvements. We have our highway
superintendent here somewhere. I thought
I saw her right. Teresa. Oh, there you
are. Okay. Very good. Um and uh we'll
then move on to a discussion and
approval of a new EV cargo van for the
highway department. Um we'll then take
up those uh issues related to the
storage tank. Um we have a resolution
approving an amendment to the fire
protection district agreement with the
village of Tivoli. Um, if you've been
following along on many of these issues
in previous meetings, um, the village of
Tivoli and the Tivoli Fire Department
met with us, um, and said that they
needed additional help. We had initially
allocated $250,000
towards the firehouse expansion project.
They needed additional help. Um, we
explained our time constraints with the
ARPA funds that they needed to be
expended this year. And so, uh, we put
our heads together and came up with a
plan to provide, um, additional capital
line funding to, uh, double the support,
first of all, $500,000,
but to do it, uh, pay the debt
associated with the borrowing that
they're going to ensue. And this way uh
both the the fire department village and
[clears throat] also the town wouldn't
be under the gun if you will uh with
time constraints. So um it's our hope
that uh we can be moving that forward
because I know that they do want to go
out uh to bid and that of course is a
critical uh step that they need to take
in order to know whether they're whether
or not they're going to uh move forward
with that project. Um we're going to
discuss but uh not likely decide on um
this year's health insurancey uh health
insurance policy uh for the employees.
Um we have a ministerial act um to do
with assigning a delegate to uh the
association of towns annual conference.
um you uh see your representatives and
by the way congratulations to our new
Ken Miglorelli and Christine. [applause]
We also didn't get a chance because of
the meeting schedule to thank um our
outgoing uh Julia Solomon and Christine
Kaine for all of their work over the
years and we'll be seeing and I'm sure
hearing from both of them uh in the
future. So thank you all to them. Uh but
the point I was getting to uh is that we
do um continuing education
um each and every year uh whether it's
remote courses or this annual conference
where representatives from all the towns
900 plus in New York State uh convene
and uh we get up to speed on what the
latest and greatest and share our
thoughts and ideas with each other. Um
we have a couple of resolutions related
to assessments and then uh we'll discuss
correspondence as it relates to where we
are on um engineering study and uh
reducing speed limits townwide.
With that being said, why don't we very
quickly
um go and do uh supervisor's report for
this month. Uh folks, all I have is the
cash portion as you know. Um we uh
continue to acrewue
um expenses throughout January. So
you'll get this uh updated
um later on in January. But from a cash
position, we do this the first meeting
of each month. Um I'll report to uh the
folks. We started with an opening
balance of 9,32,000.
We had receipts of 3,971
dispersements of 2,444,000
with an ending balance of 10,828,000.
I won't ask you to accept the
supervisor's report because this is the
only portion of it that we have uh for
tonight. Um Diana, could we uh quickly
do the clerk's report, please?
» No. I didn't I didn't do a vote.
>> Oh, okay.
>> It's just the the brief portion of it.
>> Oh, okay. Um, town clerk's report for
the period of December 1st, 2025 to
December 31st, 2025. Total local shares
remitted remitted, $8,37,947.
Amount paid to New York State
Agriculture Markets for the spayneuter
program, $36. Amount paid to New York
State Department of Health for marriage
licenses, $45. Amount paid to New York
State controller for games of chance
bell jar license $15. Amount paid to New
York State Environmental Conservation
for hunting and fishing licenses $68.3.
Total state, county, and local revenues
$8,543.50.
And there are there vouchers or
>> there are vouchers. I hereby certify
vouchers numbered 3236
34236
to 34386 totaling 77 757,1944
processed in the month of December 2025
are an accurate reporting of the
abstracts approved for payment by the
town board.
>> Very good. Thank you very much Diana. Is
there a motion to accept a parks report?
>> I I have a few questions.
>> Okay. So looking at this, so we're
charging trailer park fees.
>> Oh, it's um the the license is their
licenses for a year. $15 a year to have
a trailer park.
It's like a license.
>> Yeah.
>> So we it looks like it's $75 a year to
have a a trailer.
>> Where? Oh, I'm sorry.
>> There's five. online. There are that's
only um there's actually
um I think there's six parks, but we um
we only we got paid I think we did one
last month, too. Like in November, we
had a payment for one.
>> Can you just explain what that is?
>> Yeah, I I think Diana just did. There
are five trailer park fees. There's a
$15 annual fee associated and there's
five total of 75
>> for for for
a park
>> a park of
collective any amount of
>> Yes. So so the like for instance the
trailer park up on Mountain View
um they pay $15 a year for a license to
have the park
>> and what and why do we charge trailer
parks? That's a New York state.
Comes from the state.
» There's a state mandated fee for
trailer.
>> I believe it. I believe it's um I'd have
to look that up, but it's definitely a
mandated fee to have. It's $15.
>> It's like a registration.
>> Yeah. Every year annually. So,
I just send out a quick letter and then
send them a license with a seal on it
once they pay the $15.
» Um, yeah, it seems strange to me that
we'd be that we would be allocating fees
towards trailer parks.
I'd like to understand more about that.
>> I'll look into it and give it give you
more information on it. And then the
other the other thing that stuck out to
me was the dog licensing fees.
>> Yes.
>> Um
I mean obviously this is a minority of
people that choose to participate
in licensing their dogs, but we've got
we've we've we've got pure breads or
discounted fees. Like where where do
these fees come from?
>> Um so the fees are are set by New York
State. Um, it's the law to license your
dog. People should be licensing their
dogs in town of Red Hook. Um, if we only
have one purebred license or I think the
purebred license was literally I think
we have one in the whole that we have in
our whole
>> there's one that I think we've just done
that. That's the one. Um, but usually if
it's unneutered, the dogs um are $22 a
year and for uh spay and neutered dogs
it's $15 a year. And um New York State I
think it's um 14 and then a dollar goes
to New York State. So 14 for the town, a
dollar for the state.
It's gets split that way but by New York
State.
>> I I'd just like to understand where
these where where these fees come from.
um looking at the report and trying
>> Oh, I can definitely I'll put something
together for you.
>> Thank you.
>> Okay.
Hearing no other questions. Um is there
a motion to accept the corpse report?
>> Thank you. Is there a second?
>> Second.
>> Thank [snorts] you, Jacob. All in favor?
[clears throat]
>> I
>> Okay. Uh, a couple of quick
announcements and then we'll get to our
public hearing. Um,
very good news. Uh, the town was, uh,
awarded a grant that we applied for for,
uh, central sewer. It was the
intermunicipal grant. Um it's a program
that the governor uh to her credit uh
created um to uh help support uh sewer
projects that uh involve more than one
uh municipality.
Um when we created the TND sewer
district, the extension of which is um
from town hall is TND all the way down
to the parcel south of Hannifford.
Um we told the the residents and
property owners there that we would not
uh move forward likely until we receive
some grant funding. We applied for the
full amount, 40% of the estimated
project cost, and that's these
businesses up and down Route 9 on both
sides. Um, we've been uh notified that
we're awarded uh 2.563
million
um towards what was estimated a couple
of years ago as 6.5
6.6 million project. Um if you've been
following along in previous meetings, we
took some of our ARPA allocation
uh 3 four years ago, we felt so strongly
about um helping out the businesses up
and down Route 9 that we allocated over
a half a million dollars as well towards
that.
um together that adds up to nearly $3.1
million towards again what was at the
time estimated to be 6.56.6
million. Uh obviously when when and if
we decide [clears throat] to go out to
bid that number uh could change. [cough]
So at this point we've asked the village
to take a look at um the demand um for
expansion on their portion
uh because the sewer plant which is
modular in nature
um
to understand whether or not they could
begin to uh design a system short of the
full 300,000 gallons a day um in order
to help us out and start on this process
and uh try to get the construction done
before uh the project costs um continue
to go up.
So, uh really good news there uh folks
for uh 2026
um events. So, it's a new year. We'll be
having our usual seven or eight spring
events here in the town. Uh we start off
uh not this upcoming weekend but the
following weekend with our quarterly Red
Hook Repair Cafe um hosted uh as has
been now for some time by the community
center 10 to 1. There are lot lots of
items that you uh can bring and lots of
terrific uh volunteers to help uh repair
these types of uh items that you have in
your house. and other things
10 to 1. That's Saturday, January 24th.
We thank everybody coming here. Um we I
think we have a few folks from Barrytown
here this evening. Um you and others may
in particular be interested. Next
Wednesday night, I've arranged for
Duchess County DPW to come and make a
presentation related to the bridge
replacement project which will be in
Anandale. That's just south of uh the
triangle
um on River Road and uh that's 6:30 here
at town hall. You'll hear about um some
of the thoughts um changes that they're
proposing to make. I believe there's a
three-foot sidewalk on the one side of
the the bridge. They're talking about
potentially having a 5-ft sidewalk um on
both sides of the bridge there. But
you'll find out more. It's here
Wednesday night, January 21st at 6:30.
And lastly, uh, everybody wants to
survey you and Duchess County wants to
survey you as it were, uh, as it
pertains to transportation in, uh, the
county. And it looks like you get a $25
gift card if you do so. And here is the
survey itself. You'll need to go online
in order to do that.
But as we are soliciting your thoughts
and ideas townwide for the comprehensive
plan, it would be great to also get your
input as it relates to getting around
the county. Um, and in particular,
Northern Duchess.
>> Where do you get that?
>> It's online, Duchess County. Um you can
Google moving duchess forward and this
will be uh on our website and you can
link directly there from our website.
This is the hyperlink here.
Moving duchess forward is the
name of the effort. Okay. With that
being said, thanks for your patience. Um
we have our first public hearing and
that is related uh to uh the increase
and improvement of water district
facilities for revenue water district
number one. [clears throat] Diana, would
you be kind enough to read the public
hearing notice?
>> Notice of public hearing on proposal for
an increase and improvement of water
district facilities for Red Hook Water
District number one. Notice is hereby
given that the town board of the town of
Red Hook, Duchess County, will meet on
the 13th day of January, 2026 at 7:35
o'clock PM prevailing time for the
purpose of conducting a public hearing
upon a proposal by said town board to
undertake proposed improvements to the
facilities of the town of Red Hook Water
District number one pursuant to section
202-B
of the town law as here after described
at which time and place said town board
will meet to consider such proposition.
ition and hear all persons interested in
the subject thereof and concerning the
same. The town board is considering a
recommended work plan for improvements
to to Red Hook Water District number one
[clears throat] as described in the
preliminary engineering report dated
August 2022 as amended June 17, 2023 as
further supplemented March 10th, 2025
prepared by Tyenbond Engineering and
Landscape Architecture PC including the
rehabilitation of the existing standpipe
at the Kelly Road Water Storage site and
including original furnishings,
equipment, machinery and apparatus
required therefore the project at an
estimated maximum cost of
$1,6721,672,600
a portion of such cost in the estimated
amount of $400,000 is proposed to be
paid from the water district's existing
SW reserve fund and the remaining
project cost is proposed to be financed
pursuant to the local finance law. Such
engineers preliminary report is on file
in the town clerk's office for public
inspection. The town board hasn't has
determined that such project as
described in the engineers report
constitutes a type 2 action as defined
under the state state environmental
quality review regulations 6 NYCRR part
617 which has been determined under
secret not to have a significant impact
on the environment. All interested
persons will be given an opportunity to
be heard. All reasonable accommodations
will be made for persons with
disabilities. In such a case, please
notify the town clerk in advance at the
above address or by phone so that
arrangements can be made by order of the
town board of the town of Red Hook dated
December 9th, 2025. Deanna Cochran, town
clerk, town of Red Hook.
>> Thank you, Deanna. And for folks before
we open the public hearing, if you've
been following, uh, this agenda item has
been, uh, discussed now for actually a
few years. The water board has been back
and forth trying to analyze the pros and
cons of either replacement or
rehabilitation and has settled, that's
my plan for this evening, has settled on
uh, rehab uh, as the preferred option.
uh under these circumstances, the cost
of which is approximately
um $1.7 million. They proposed to take
$400,000 out of the reserves. Um they
have also we have also made a request to
our college to contribute towards um the
system since they on rare occasions, but
they do [clears throat] use it as a
backup. And uh so that's sort of the 302
version of it. I won't ask the water
board to revisit it, but they are here
to answer any question. So, with that
being said, um may we uh entertain a
motion to open the public hearing?
>> So moved.
>> Thank you, Christina. Second.
>> Second.
>> Thank you, Bill. All in favor?
>> I.
>> Would [clears throat] somebody like to
uh speak on this matter?
» Um I have a question. What is it that
you're going to rehab on the water
tower?
>> It's the tank itself.
>> The whole thing. But what are you going
to do? Are you going to paint it?
>> It's going to be It's going to be
repainted. Exactly. Did Did you want to
address that question? I know you have
previously.
>> Well,
>> you don't have to stand up.
>> That's right. Anyway, um like anything
else that we own,
equipment, whatever. It deteriorates.
Okay. I was thinking about maybe it's
like your automobile. Every once in a
while, you have to either fix it up or
replace it. And that's what we're going
to do with this tank. We have to fix it
up. It's really held up very, very well
since 1989 when it went online. Um
the paint um surfaces are still good,
but
uh if we don't repaint it soon,
[snorts and clears throat]
it'll become very very difficult. And
you know, like anything else, the longer
you let things go, the worse the
problem. So we decided that
given the likelihood
of additional major expenses for the
water district in the next 15 20 years
that we preferred to go with the expense
of rehabilitating this tank rather than
replacing it. The cost of a new tank was
uh
over twice as much. It's just the decision that we recommendation that
we came to that we're better off
rehabilitating this tank
with a loan with a cost ofund or a
million6 or seven or whatever it's going
to be versus probably a total cost of
close to 4 million for a new tech. So
that was our recommendation. And that is
our recommendation and it's just
something that has to be done sooner or
later. So,
>> do you paint the inside of the tank?
>> Yes. Okay.
>> So,
uh we'll have to drain the tank and they
clean up the interior of the tank and uh
you know clean up all rust spots and
little damages and then re put primers
on. Anyway, they repaint it. And while
they do that, um, and probably before
they they paint, we'll inspect to make
sure that the tank is properly cleaned
and ready for paint. And then we'll
inspect again once or twice during the
painting process. So, um, we hope for
good weather because that's important
and that's the way we plan to go.
>> Okay.
Other questions or comments?
>> Rich Rinders,
>> Red Hook on the tank. I get it. The
money you're saying 1.7 million now
uh versus 4 million.
So, if you possibly get 8 5 8 10 years
out of this refurbished tank with what
you're calling paint.
I'm not sure when you say paint, what
you mean by paint.
However,
in 10 years, what would the cost be
then? 15 million. Would it be better off
today to pay the 4 million, put a new
tank in for something that's already
approximately 30 years old, right? Or
you said 1989
89 it went online. Yeah.
>> Okay. So,
>> thing is,
>> so what I'm saying is moneywise,
pay now. put a new tank in now because
10 years down the road you might be at
12 million for this tank the way our
economy is going. I mean that's
something to think about. I don't know
if it's been tossed around. It's just a
suggestion. That's all it is.
>> And while I'm on it, when you say paint,
what is this paint?
>> It's a coating.
>> I know it's a coating, but
>> a real high-end coating that we
>> So obviously since ' 89 it's worn off
and is that getting to our water system?
This so-called paint?
>> No. So since 1989, we haven't had to
code it at all, which is, you know, so
when they tell us 10 years for a
coating.
>> Yeah.
>> You know, it took we're 30 years and
change and and we haven't had to code
it. Um, so we've actually typically a
good coating is 15 years you can get out
of a really good coating.
[clears throat]
>> So that's what we're hope hoping for.
That's what we pushed. We
>> we were back and forth for about four
years on this decision whether to get
>> No, I understand that's a big decision.
I get it. I'm just I'm just putting it
out there. Costwise now versus 10 years
down the road, what will the cost be? If
it was 4 million today is going to be 12
million 10 years down the road. That's all that's all I'm putting out
there.
>> It's true. Uh what we're thinking of is
not just this loan paying off this loan,
but we have a 60 70 year old system.
Water manes don't last forever. We're
going to have to be replacing repairing
and then replacing water manes. Uh we're
having some well work done soon. I hope
one of the wells has uh the output has
deteriorated significantly. So we're
going to try to rehab it. If that works,
fine. Otherwise, they can drill a new
well and whatever. So these extra
expenses coming along, we just wanted to
keep our current, you know.
>> I understand.
>> Yeah, that's all.
>> I was just putting it out there in a
different way so that
>> I agree.
>> It could be tossed around in the salad
that we're up here. Very
good. Um, any anyone else uh for the
public hearing? Any comments or
question?
>> Yeah.
>> Do we have a public hearing? I mean, are
we can we talk about something else?
Just like this.
>> This is a public hearing on this matter
>> and then you'll have
>> we'll have public comments later. Okay.
>> All right. Good.
>> I mean, Robert, I don't know how you
want to conduct the meeting. I have
questions that are I I think are
relevant to what the public is saying. I
don't know how you want to conduct your
meeting, but like
>> we're here. We're here to hear from the
public. It's a public hearing
[clears throat] on this matter. The
agenda item is related to the water tank
rehab.
>> How long will the bond be for?
>> The bond will be for 15 years. She's
sitting up there.
>> The ber that's the maximum that we can
borrow for this length of term for this
type of project.
>> And and you need to borrow for this even
though the town has lots of money.
>> This is only funded by the users. Just
um again uh folks um and I realize not
everybody's been here for all these
other meetings. This is a water district
cost. The only folks that pay for this
are the users, the ones it's it's
referred to as a special benefit
assessment district, which means that
there is a benefit that occurs to those
who get to use the water and they're the
ones who pay for the cost. It's it's not
the town life who pay for this
additional.
>> But but I think that related to the
questions that I've heard and I've
listened to the previous discussions on
this topic. So there was an analysis in 2017
and in 2022.
>> Mhm.
>> So what I would like to understand is
what was the decision was made after
both of those reviews as to why it
wasn't maintained at those periods.
Well,
first of all, there was no immediate
need in at those times. Um, we uh looked
ahead and knew we're going to do have to
refurbish or replace sometime in the
future, but there was no real target
time. And I we reached a point last
year. Wow. I think I think we reached a
point where we realize that we really
have to rehabilitate now or forget about
it because if we let it go, the
repainting, the rehab is just going to
be too difficult and probably not as uh
longlasting. So we chose to go with the
rehab now and uh try to uh avoid the uh
accumulation of multiple large debts for
the other work that's going to have to
be done. And when you look at a rehab
versus a replacement,
um there's there's um there's there's
first costs, there's second cost, and
there's third costs that that are
evaluated, right? So
>> So [snorts] your your your second cost
are your maintenance, and your third
costs are your replacement. And so was
it looked at as to like where that
crossed over into where it it it crossed
over into validating.
We looked out about 40 years. Okay. And
in that 40 years, we would have to rehab
probably twice and be ready for another
rehab. At that time with the the cost of
a new tank appeared to be better than
the cost of the multiple rehabs.
» Okay. Um
>> so then why
>> we we'll have a sorry [clears throat]
>> Carrie did you have a question?
>> You just said the cost of the new one
would be more cost effective
>> if you look out 40 years and that's just
a guess you know.
>> Okay. So that a new tank in 40 years
would be [clears throat] a better deal
than a couple of rehabs. You just said
that, but yet we were going to go for a
rehab, right? That
>> we're concern we were concerned.
>> Yeah, we were at a bare minimum of a
40-year payback, on a system. And we
know we're going to have additional
>> have other costs of if we if we were to
spend the money now on on on a new tank.
We would have no money to do any other
repairs in the system. So we'd be very
vulnerable in our water district. So
that was part of why we
>> Okay. And so so the so the new tank
eaked out two rehabs,
but it gives you it's more cash friendly
now to do a rehab.
>> Yes, it definitely is.
And it's better loan repayments for all
of us.
>> Got it.
>> Okay.
>> Yeah. So, even though if you had the
money, you'd get a new tank right now
because the 40-year payback is better.
>> Not necessarily.
>> Oh, I thought you [snorts] just said
that.
>> I'm not sure. You know, it's
>> Oh, you did say that, but you're not
sure. Okay. I was just I heard that
said,
>> so
>> scary. One thing you didn't that hasn't
been said here is that the [snorts]
mains it cost about a million dollars
right now for a mile to replace a main.
>> 80 [clears throat] years is about as far
as you can go.
>> He he explained that there.
>> Yeah. But we're going to have those are coming.
>> I get it.
>> And so you need to have asyn said you
need to have that the cash ability to
replace. don't have the cash then. But
you know, you did say that a 40-year
payback was better with a new tank, but
because of these other expenses, you
don't have the cash on hand to do it,
>> even though it would be better to do.
>> Well,
that's our guess.
>> The 40 year the 40-year payback we're
talking about is like a worst case
scenario. means we have to paint it
every 10 years and we've already gone 40
years for 30 something years without
painting it one time. So we may not
paint it again for 30 years. It might
really be a 100 years.
>> Everyone's guessing
>> exactly
>> when you decide on your car deal.
My car is 21 years old.
>> You just don't know.
>> Anyway, that's the way it is. We we made
our recommendation. We thought we were
making the the best recommendation.
[snorts]
>> Yeah. Yeah. Who knows?
>> Uh, another question, Emily.
>> Um, how many people does, uh, does the
border district serve? Uh, is it village
of Red Hook or Red Hook?
>> The town of Red Hook. It's basically the
old Lynden Acres and College Park
subdivisions. That's is that's it.
>> So, how many residents?
>> How many residents?
>> 488 connections and five of those are to
the town park.
>> Yeah. So, 500 connections. Two people,
three people per home per guest. Okay.
>> And can you explain the connection to
Bart?
>> Oh, that's um
when we uh built the tank, this current
tank, Bart College was in trouble with
water. They had uh inadequate supply.
They had no storage.
And they suggested that they would
contribute half the cost of this new of
a new tank.
given that we could connect to them and
they would use that storage tank as they
needed it. And for the first
20 years,
>> they uh they did use our water a lot in
2000 I think 2016. [clears throat] They
redid their water supply. Okay. So since
then they use us on an emergency basis
rather than on a regular basis. But they contributed because they needed the
additional water, the storage and the
water. [cough]
>> And so is [snorts] somebody currently
negotiating with Bard about their
contribution to this?
>> Somebody say your table here.
>> An ask has been made of Bart College.
they are going to uh take that up at
their uh meeting at later in the month
um to get approval for a contribution.
We hope that they would consider
something substantive
at least 25%. Now granted they barely
use the the water but still as a backup
that's important [clears throat] thing
to that
>> and I understand the village is also is
also a backup. There's portion of the
village or part of the village that's
connected with this water supply.
>> Yes.
>> Did you want to talk about the
interconnect?
>> The village and the town water district
have a connection [clears throat]
on Willowbrook
U Lane just north of the village.
Um the problem is that our storage tank
the the height is not high enough to
provide adequate pressure for the
village. The village can provide water
to us, but it doesn't work. It should
have, but it wasn't adequately planned,
I guess. So, we cannot
>> provide the village with water unless we
pump. We'd have to install pumps.
» Okay.
>> Go.
>> Any more questions related? Again, once
to the rehabbing of the tank.
>> Hey, [clears throat] I got one question.
>> Yeah. Um, by no means am I a water
expert, paint expert, or a steel expert.
I know you've had divers in there,
you've done assessments from the
exterior. Um, the question I have, do
you feel that the company or, you know,
the outfit that's going to be addressing
this situation? Uh,
let me say this. Sometimes you get into
things, it's more advanced than what you
anticipated. Is there a a point where
they'll be honest with you and say, "You
know what? Maybe we can't rehab this
tower because we got into it and it's
too far."
>> What do you think, Evelyn Glenn?
>> I don't think we're going to have a
problem with it.
>> I don't think so either.
>> It's hard to know.
>> The tank has been inspected every 5
years. Okay. Interior and exterior. And
the most recent inspection
showed that we're in pretty good shape.
There was very little damage inside the
tank. So, it's it's relatively clean in
terms of redoing it, repainting it.
>> Typically, they would have to do like
you've even got pretty extreme pitting.
We'd have to do a resurfacing on it
before we would do a coating, which they
plan to do some of that. Um, but there
isn't an extreme amount of pitting in
this case.
>> We're in good shape.
>> Worst, even if it gets past pitting, you
can still weld in new new steel plates.
But we're we're not in a situation where
we need any of that.
At least that's what the last divers
report showed.
>> The the last two or three, you know, the
last report was
>> barely worse. You know, didn't show much
additional deterioration from the
previous one. We're in good shape.
>> Lisa,
>> what is the anticipated assessment rate
for users in the district with or with and without a bar contribution?
We we haven't run the analysis and again
I want to remind folks what we are
entertaining tonight is the
authorization
um to approve going out to bid and the
financing. So every bond resolution
you'll see uh in any municipality your
resolution has to state the total cost
for the project maximum and the total
maximum borrowing. And so, uh, when and
if we're we're discussing Tiboli
Firehouse, uh, again tonight, and we're
also talking about water storage tank.
When and if you go out to bid, you get
those bids, then you really truly
understand what that cost is and you
contract with that entity to deliver
that service or that construction
project for that price. Um, the water
board has recommended that we once we
understand the difference uh between
um what we will have from both our
college and the $400,000 coming out of
the reserves because the water uh
district has approved reserves that we
look at a combination of raising rates
and um an assessment so that it's not a
large hit but it's also not a large
increase to the water rates.
>> And who's talking to Bard College? Like
what does that look like? Um the request
has I've made a request to Bard College
to make a contribution. We have an
agreement by the [clears throat] way
with Bard College to provide water. So
we're not happy with the contribution.
We don't necessarily have to continue to
serve uh Bard College as a backup
source. Um we've had no issue. They
don't seem to have a problem with making
a contribution. Let's see what that is.
>> But we don't we don't at this date we
don't know what that looks like.
>> We don't at this date know what that
looks like. That's correct. The good
thing is they really need us. Okay? They
don't need us often, but when they need
us, they need us. And for example, last
January, they were hooked into our
system for 3 or 4 weeks using us
full-time. Luckily, their student
population was low at that time. But
they do need us. Okay?
They have fire protection for one thing.
you know when if they need fire
protection they don't have adequate
storage to provide water they need us so
they will contribute
» okay um folks if there are no other
comments at this time I'd like to make a
motion to close the public hearing
>> I'd like to continue the public hearing
if we don't know what Bard is
contributing
>> okay well uh with or without the
contribution We do need to uh move
forward with the project. We have um
some time uh time issues. Uh hey, do you
want to address that because we need the
project conducted you've advised?
>> We really need to get going. We want to
submit put out a request for proposals
[clears throat]
soon, early this year. We'd like to get
the painting the project done
in the summer, early summer, not late
summer.
Um, weather is a concern. Okay. So, the
sooner we get it done, the better
[clears throat] and we'll just do what
we can.
>> Well, I I strongly recommend that we we
go for the new tank. For what I've done
for a living for the last 40 years, I
suggest a new tank. If the town fishes
for some more money, go for the new tank
because what you're doing is a great
idea, but it's a short-term fix. Vote
for the new tank. That's my suggestion.
>> [clears throat]
>> We've been we've agreed with that
>> anyway. Okay.
>> Um can you can you uh speak to just the
timing of
>> because we've got several steps that we
have to have when
>> So try to do this this year
>> with or without Bard. We need we need
the water tank, right? We people who
live there,
>> Bard doesn't want to do it. We still we
still have to have drinking water and
take showers whether Bard wants to
contribute or not. So, the bar thing I
understand is important to us all from a
cost savings standpoint, but we still
need the water. Um, that's that's one
thing. Um, as far as the timing goes, we
still have to, you know, we get an
agreement here. We still have to get bid
documents put together for this, get a
bid bid out on the street. Takes a month
to bid. We would be lucky to get this
out by uh, you know, the June time frame
to try and get them into construction.
Um, you ideally you don't want to paint
when it's super humid. So, you sort of
want to try to get in there before the
humid season or after the humid season.
So, either way, we're we're sort of, you
know, running up against it
to to get out to bid and move forward
with the project.
I I understand wanting to know all the details, costs, and so on and so
forth, but we're not going to know until
we go out to bed. And I don't want to um
the inspection seems to suggest that the
tank's in good shape. But I don't think
we should lose a year, which is really
what it would mean if we delay um to
wait to find out what a contribution is,
which is
>> What do you mean a year? But how do we
wait a year? We meet every two weeks.
>> We do meet every two weeks, but if we
don't have an answer until February and
we lose the bidding process,
>> that was why I asked the question was
who who is so BART is a big for for me
looking at this and looking at the the
financials, Bart is a big piece of it
and that's an unknown
>> and so before I'm ready to take a vote
on this, I would like to know what that
looks like and I think that that's part
of the public process. So, I I don't I
don't feel comfortable closing the
public hearing until we know what BR is
contributing.
>> How come we don't know how much Bard is
contributing already?
>> Because BART has not met with their
board and made the request and done the
appropriation. I will I would please let
me finish answer your question.
>> The decision to move forward happened
only a few months ago. Bard appropriates
its money on a on a different calendar
year than we do. So, it's not in the
budget because they haven't been asked
for a contribution yet because the water
board was still determining how it
wanted to proceed.
>> So, how do so, how do we find a solution
to making sure that this is I mean that
the the points that were made were were valid. I mean, you you can only
tank in certain uh months of the year.
So there's if if it needs to be fixed
this calendar year, there's a time clock
that we're in we're in January and we
meet twice twice a month. So I don't I
don't see a rush in in coming to a
decision. I see a rush in getting
information so that we have completeness
and we can make a decision as soon as
possible.
>> So a question I would ask is like like
BR is clearly a a part of this. How do we get that done?
Well, I I you know, I don't have an
answer for you because I don't know how
BART works and appropriates their
monies. All I know is that we have an
agreement with BART that will have to be
renegotiated and [clears throat] it will
be B for to service them with water and
it'll be based on upon what type of
contribution they make as they did
historically.
Um
>> what happened? Excuse me, please. I
think that was answered. Um, they made a
capital contribution
39 years ago when the tank was built of
50%.
>> How much percent? I just didn't hear
you, Robert, cuz you never talk into
your mic. No,
>> I think Hank uh reiterated as he has in
previous meetings that Bart College
contributed 50% of the capital cost of
construction because back then they were
using the water a lot and that was part
of the agreement is that they would pay
for half of the cost of this storage
tank. Um, they've been asked to
contribute $400,000
towards this rehabilitation
of the tank and they will have to meet
with their board and appropriate those
monies and figure out how they're going
to do it because they've already done
conducted their budget for the year. So,
they will need to figure out how to make
whatever contribution they feel is
appropriate. they could alternative
alternatively just upgrade their
facilities and not need to rely on us as
a backup. It has been a mutually
beneficial arrangement from what I'm
told by the water department because we
do receive a revenue based upon uh usage
from bar
>> and I to me that sounds beautiful but
critical path would be understanding
what bar's contributing before we close
a public hearing and allocate funds
towards those that are taxpayer funded.
>> Okay, I understand that balance. That's
a difficult uh balance to to uh make but
I also don't want to wait. I think we
also heard about waiting. So, so my
question to you, Robert, is is who is communicating with Bard and how did we bring that to
>> I think I've answered that that the
request has been made at Bard and I made
the request came out of my office
$400,000 or 25% contribution and BART
has said that they are meeting with
their board to discuss um what
contribution and it may not happen for
weeks. we may not have here for a couple
of months. I mean, I don't know the
answer to um when we would hear back
from Barn because I'm not uh privy to
those things. I do know what the water
department
>> it sounds like that we that we need to
repair a relationship with Bard if we
don't if this is this is critical and
that they're they're part of this this
water tank
>> and if if that's critical to them then we need to establish a relationship
with them that that offers a solution
>> we have in a time frame that works for our con constituents.
>> Okay, Christina, we have a very good
relationship with Barb College. They've
offered to make a contribution and they
need to go through the proper process
like we do to allocate and so um that is
what they are doing. We'll hear back
from them. We've heard from the water
department. Regardless of what that
amount of contribution is, we need to
move forward. Again, the resolutions in
front of us have maximum numbers. They
don't have minimum numbers associated
with it. And so we're hearing that
there's a timing issue. I don't want to
lose a year. As we've heard from other
people in the audience, as time marches
on, sometimes the costs march on. We
have spent four years. Uh the water
board has and we have in public meetings
discussing this. And so I understand I
too would prefer to have that number. I
can assure you, but I don't want the
people of the water district to have to
wait. um and pay more in an ensuing year
because we didn't have a contribution
figure. We also don't have the the
actual amount once we go out to bid, but
yet here we are looking at and hopefully
entertaining resolutions to move forward
because we need to maintain the the
tank. So
>> I do want I do want to make sure we get
all the public comments. Linda, please.
You have a barred employee right sitting
on the board. So why doesn't he become
the spokesperson?
>> He's there every single day working.
>> Yeah.
>> Um if there's a matter involving my
employer, I would recuse myself from
that matter.
>> Oh, okay.
>> Yeah.
>> Um and then we're going to take a couple more comments and then we're
going to entertain. Go ahead. So, um I
mean say we we you say, "Okay, let's
move forward with bids." And then say
you find out that Bard says, "You know
what? We're going to we don't want to do
400,000." And the bids come in more. Is
there another public comment hearing
before you vote to move ahead with this?
>> This is only an authorization to allow
us to possibly move forward so that we
can develop the bids. go we can develop
the specs go out the bid if we don't
like the bids or we don't like where the
money stands or if it exceeds the
authorization and we have put those two
figures that I've told you we do in
every resolution then we can just reject
them and we can go back and and do it
again. Okay.
>> Okay. So
>> but you didn't answer my question. My
question is once all of this
information, how much Bard is paying,
blah blah blah, will there be another
period for the public to say, "Hey, we
like this or we don't like this." Is
there another like we could close this
public comment period as long as there's
another one when the facts come in. So,
would there be will there be
>> there? Yes, there will be because there
are uh other um uh stages along the way
where we have to award and so you can
come back and say I don't think you
should be awarding because you don't
have enough funding the implications of
awarding. I don't think you should move
forward. I think you should go and you
should do a new tank. You can say all of
those things but until we take these
steps we can't get
>> one of those key data points. which I
want to be assured that there is another
period down the road before money is
allocated in which [clears throat] the
public can comment when there's more
information that will happen. Yeah.
>> No, I think that's a great point and
that so so we understand what the total
cost is because we've had consulting
engineers estimate what the total cost
of the situation is and the unknown is
how much Bard is contributing which
could be significant. So the question is
should the should the public comment
period be be closed
and and Robert I'm looking at you for
affirmation like should the public
comment be closed while this is while
this is an open item
>> and I think everyone is trying to
understand what the what the metrics are
of what that looks like. So
>> So I I do think if you're asking me a
question I do think it's important that
we move forward. We're hearing from our
waterboard that we move forward in part
because we need to get perhaps the most
important number which is going out to
bid [clears throat]
how much is somebody or a firm willing
to conduct the work for. We can't answer
your net question until we have the
gross question.
>> And what would be the benefit of closing
the public hearing tonight
>> is that we don't we will not be
authorizing them to go ahead and move
forward. And so there'll be a delay. We
don't know how long that delay will be.
We don't know when we're going to hear
back from Bart. We
>> So they can't authorize until
>> So we can't we can't move forward and
get the information
>> and and but but on the contrary, if we
do close the public hearing tonight,
then we restrict ourselves to
>> we don't restrict ourselves to anything
because we don't have to accept
>> we don't have a time frame in which
we're supposed to act.
we don't close the public
>> if if we close a public hearing tonight
are are does that start a time clock in
which the matter has to be closed
>> uh you know it's I can only speak for
myself it's my desire that we not only
close the public hearing but we start to
move forward with this project so we can
get the information and then we can take
a look once the
>> No that's that's not my question my
question is my question my question is
if you if we If we choose to close the
public hearing tonight without knowing
what Bard is going to contribute, does
that or does that not start a time clock
in which the [clears throat] matter has
to be closed?
>> No, it does not. It's not like a zoning.
matter.
>> It's unlimited.
>> Yeah, it's not.
>> Good question.
>> Okay. Um, anything else in the public
hearing before?
>> One quick question. Will you be getting
estimates for a new tank and the
refurbishing? We have already done that
and I'm sorry I apologize. I know you're
all asking uh these questions. Again, I
just want to remind you this has been on
the agenda for nearly four years. We
have had broad discussions
putting this out.
>> Are you putting it out to bid for both?
>> And we are not putting it out to both.
>> We have had estimates. Uh did you want
to address uh
>> let me just let me just mention yeah
>> um I bond put together an estimate
>> cost for both approaches rehabbing and
replacing.
>> Yes.
>> So we've had those numbers. Okay.
>> Yes.
>> Numbers for replacing just as good as
the numbers for rehab. They're best
guess educated guesses.
>> So we've had numbers
>> and sir. Yes. I I reviewed them, but but
part of part of my issue is that if Bart
isn't involved, then the tank would be
smaller, then the circumstances would be
different, then the engineering would
shift. So, it's it's all kind of kind of
one movement.
>> That That's true. It's all tied
together.
>> The tank height is kind of determined by
a pressure zone in the district that's
outside of Bard. So, the height of the
tank wouldn't matter. I suppose you
could make an a narrower tank.
>> Yes.
>> Of some sort, but
>> yes, our original plans back in the
1980s were to have a tank the height of
the current tanks but smaller in
diameter. We could still do that if Bard
did not join us. But that would that
>> we estimated that tank too and it was
still more quite a bit more money than
uh paying the tank. I think Robert is correct that uh this is an
authorization to proceed to the next
step and if the next step is not
appropriate we just have to change our
plans we would have to
decide probably to use this tank and run
it into the ground and then replace it
because the longer we wait the less
feasible is the rehab approach.
So, we want to proceed step by step and
um I think that's where we are.
>> Emily, uh
>> I just have a question. you you've been
saying and you've repeated it that you
have worked on this project for four
years and it sounds like Robert you just
contacted Fars last week and asked for
400,000 like have they have that's the
feeling I'm getting anyway because you
it sounds like you sent a letter you're
like hey they already finished their
fiscal year so we're kind of hoping on
Hail Mary here for 400k
um I I'm it's I'm surprised that they
wouldn't have said we are going to
pledge x amount towards this project,
especially if it's something that you
all have been very concerned with for
four years. Like has bar been contacted
about this within the last four years or
is it just been recently that they are
on the
>> I haven't had a specific plan. Okay. We
knew we were going to have to do
something but we hadn't really decided.
We hadn't made a solid recommendation to
the town board. They hadn't decided. It
was last year that we decided we it's
time to go and then it was time to talk
to fire.
>> So, it's been a little about a year that
B has known that we need
>> it's been it's more than that. As I
said, um the water department only a few
months ago um decided which approach
that they thought would be better given
and I think you all know this in Tivoli
anticipation of other infrastructure
expenses coming down the pike. They're
looking to incorporate their thinking uh
with that distribution system that may
need substantial [clears throat]
uh repairs. But I I mean I'm trying but
to Emily's point, I'm trying to
understand why we're looking at
four-year-old engineering and trying to
make a decision before a meeting in two
weeks and close a public hearing. Like
let's My suggestion would be leave the
public hearing open. Let's negotiate
with Bard. Let's get all the information
and then we'll make a decision in
appropriate manner.
Um, I'm just thinking that people don't
understand the process of the bidding
process and needing to have an
authorization to go out to bids to
understand how much money you have to
spend. You have to know how much money
you have to spend in order to ask for
money.
>> So,
>> I think people don't quite understand
that this is only an authorization to go
out for bids.
>> That's it. It's not to do the project.
>> And it can be changed later. Yes, I can
all change later.
>> Yes, he's trying to pressure
authorization.
>> Authorization.
>> This does not Yes. We have no We have no
ability to move forward with rehabbing
the tank until we take these steps. And
I think we've heard from the water
department. We need to take these steps
regardless of whether Bard contributes a
dollar or a million dollars. We need to
go ahead and do that. how that affects
the contract moving forward with BARD to
provide water to them in a backup uh
situation or not. Um obviously there'll
be impact uh on on that. So there's not
a contract uh renewal in front of us um
to understand uh what the implication on
their uh per gallon fees are. So, with
that being said, if there are no other
comments, I would like to make a motion
to close the public hearing
understanding your concerns about it.
Christina, thank you for your
contribution
uh to that. Um, but also understanding
the time constraints and the desire of
the water department and that we have
been discussing these alternatives for
uh quite some time.
[snorts] So, who would like to make a
motion to close the public hearing?
Bill.
>> Okay.
>> I will second that motion. Is there
further discussion?
>> My vote is nay.
>> Okay. All in favor? There's a nay. Jacob
>> I.
>> Myself.
>> Jacob must concluse himself. He already
said that earlier.
>> Please.
>> This is not a bar. This is not a bar
related matter. Please don't interrupt.
I generally I'm going to ask you to
please not interrupt. we don't interrupt
the meeting with Bill.
>> Your vote.
>> Thank you very much.
>> Okay. Uh we have and I apologize for
those of you waiting for the village of
uh Tivoli, the amendment to the
contract. Um Diana, would you be kind
enough to read that public hearing
notice?
» Notice of public hearing. Town of Red
Hook. Please take notice that a
concurrent public hearing will be held
by the town board of the town of Red
Hook on January 13th, 2026 at 7:40 p.m.
local time at the town hall, 7340 South
Broadway, Red Hook, New York to hear all
interested persons regarding a proposed
amendment to fire protection district
fire service agreement between the town
of Red Hook and the village of Tivoli
for 2025 and 2026. Such agreement
relates to the existing Red Hook Fire
Protection District embracing the
territory outside the villages of Red
Hook and Tivoli. All interested persons
will be given an opportunity to be
heard. All reasonable accommodations
will be made for persons with
disabilities. In such a case, please
notify the town clerk. Please take
notice, further notice that copies of
said proposed agreement are available
for review at the town hall, Red Hook,
New York. By order, the town board of
the town of Red Hook dated December 9th,
2025. Deanna Cochran, town clerk, town
of Red Hook.
>> Very good. And the uh what the amendment
is is to change the capital line of the
Tivoli uh uh fire service agreement with
the town um to 60,748.
I'll get to that in a moment.
Um we did in the budget initially have
this as the tent in the tentative
budget. We then, if you recall, uh,
Jacob and Bill who were here, we then
changed it to 53,000 and and put the,
uh, additional 7,000 in the operations
line because we assumed given the time
frame that the village would not be
going out to do borrowing until probably
second quarter of 2026.
Um, so that you would only have approval
of debt associated with the half million
dollars starting on on or about April.
And it it looks like you're tracking at
the very least April and maybe even late
later for for your borrowing. You you
have not yet gone out to to do bids yet.
Um, from what I understand, but you're
waiting, from what I understand, you're
waiting for us.
>> Yes. to change this contract so that
your uh funders, your other funders um
can see our commitment um in order to do
that. And so
I will get there. I know I will get
there.
Okay. Um, at this time, and I'll get it
up on the screen, I'd like to make a
motion that we open uh that public
hearing to make the amendment. We also
would have to then approve a budget
adjustment to take that 7,000 and put it
back in the capital line so that their
funding partners can see that we are
committing at that level uh ongoing. And
then if for some reason you don't move
forward with the project, you would
still have the $60,000 in there. there's
no shortage from what I understand of
capital needs for the village civically
fire department equipment and so on and
so forth. Um moving forward you'll be
able to use it for that for for 2026.
It's a reimburseable amount folks. Um
just so you know.
Okay. Um and there it is. And I
apologize. Motion to open the public
hearing. Is there a second?
>> Second.
>> All in favor? Hi.
>> All right. Thank you very much. Okay.
Um, who would like to speak on this
matter?
>> Yeah, I would just go I'll go to the
mic. Okay. Go to the mic.
>> Bill, if you'd be kind enough to come to
the mic and just state your name,
please.
» Bill Schilling, Deputy [snorts] Mayor
Tiboli. And uh this
is a very important piece of Tibble's
ability to get a [clears throat] new
firehouse and to serve the uh the town
and the village. So uh it's very
important that you guys are able to move
this forward and I want to thank you on
behalf of the village. Thank you very
much.
>> Thank you. I appreciate it. And uh as I
say to the fire departments each year,
this is the easy part. It's not always
easy finding the money, but it's the
easy part because you all answer the
calls at 2:00 in the morning
when most of us are asleep
and doing
what is really an incredible service for
this community. Um, without local
volunteer fire departments, the finances
of your small municipality would look
very different. So to all of you who
serve, for all of you that help um in
these efforts, [cough] getting grants,
for um supporting the fire departments
in any way. Thank you.
Okay.
Anyone else want to speak about it? I
think you'll all join me and Oh, Sarah,
thank you.
>> Hey, Sarah [clears throat] Bowden. I'm
also a village trustee in Tivoli. Um,
and I want to thank you for um, bringing
this matter before your board. Um, you
know, you've you've said before, uh,
that you, you know, it sounded like you
didn't really want to go over some of
the details of the previous project. But
the thing about public meetings that is
both a, you know, a tiresome thing, but
also a really important thing is that
because we serve the public and the
public doesn't always come to every
meeting or watch every meeting on
campus, sometimes you have to go over
some pretty obvious things. So, I'm just
going to state for the record a couple
things. So, um, I want to say the mayor
would have been here, but she had to be
away on family travel. Um,
[clears throat] so I'm bringing, you
know, Emily's, uh, thanks as well as
mine and the rest of the boards. Um, and
I want to say, you know, the thing about
Tibble's fire department that's special
is that our department is a is a
municipal, it's a village fire
department, which means that it's very
closely entwined with the village um,
government. um compared to the Red Hook
Fire Company which is a private company.
It's a different contract process. Um
because of that it means that a lot of
our fire company is supported or one
might think it was supported because
it's a Tiboli fire company by the
village of Tivoli. But our our fire
department and maybe some of you will
speak to this I don't know is very it's small but mighty, right? And it's
actually not very small. It's one of the
largest and most vibrant in the area. Um
and so it makes a lot of sense that the
town is going to support through a
contract um um you know as you've as
you've laid out here not just our
expansion but also just the the fire
service in general that's provided
because it's provided way beyond the
borders of the village of Tivi. So, I
just want to point those things out
because I think it's important to state
it for the record. [snorts] And um I
just want to say thank you to all the
Tibet fire uh department volunteers that
are here tonight and who aren't here
tonight. Um and to Mark for his Mark
Hildenbrand for his um leadership. U
Thank you.
>> Thank you, sir
comments to this public hearing.
Okay, very good. Um, at this time I
would like to entertain a motion to
close this public hearing.
In fact, I'll make the motion. Is there
a second?
>> Second.
>> Thank you, Bill. Any further discussion?
If not, all in favor?
>> I Thank you very much. Okay.
>> Um, and I imagine we'll be back next
year talking about the operating budget
line because there's probably some needs
there as well.
Um, and probably talking about the RER
Fire Department and their capital needs
because there will be some needs there
as well.
Okay. Uh, very good. Why don't we
do we think we can uh take the water
board action? Can we do that? Jump
around the agenda a little bit, folks.
Is that something we can let Hank go
home at a reasonable hour? Would that be
all right? Jump back to public comments
after that.
>> Sure.
>> Is that okay?
>> Okay. So, I would like to go ahead and
uh go to agenda item number four.
Okay,
» this is a resolution. What number would
that be on?
» Number one.
>> True.
>> Capt.
Um, approving.
Sorry. Um
the first resolution related to this
is resolution order after public hearing
approving the water facilities
improvement project for the water
district number one pursuant to section
202B of the town law. Whereas the town
board of the town of Red Hook,
the county of Duchess on behalf of the
water district requested that TB and and
TMB engineering
duly licensed in the state of New York
prepare report. The report um dates back
uh to 2022 and updated in 2023.
There was a tank in inspection in 2024
and a sediment removal project in 2024.
And a further report update was made in
March of 2025 describing the rehab
project and providing an opinion of
probable cost which is uh deemed to be
approximately 1,672,600.
Um the engineer uh completed such report
and filed the same with the town board
and the town board thereafter adopted an
order describing in general the terms
[snorts] of the proposed improvement of
facilities specifying the estimated
total cost thereof and stating that the
town board would meet to hear all
persons which we have today. Um, under
seeker, we've deemed it a type two
action
and
the town board and the town have
complied in every respect with all
applicable federal, state, and local
laws under seeker comprising article 8
of the environmental conservation law.
Now therefore be resolved by the town
board of the town of Red Hook on the
basis of the information given at such
hearing. It is hereby determined that it
is in the public interest to improve the
facilities of the district as here and
above described and referred to at the
estimated total cost of $1.672
million.
It is hereby ordered that the facilities
of the district shall be so improved.
Definite plans, specifications, and a
careful estimate of the expense of the
improvement are hereby directed to be
prepared, and the attorneys for the town
are hereby directed to assist in the
preparation of a proposed contract and
to submit the same to this town board
for examination and approval.
This resolution shall take place
immediately.
Um, who would like to move this
resolution? Well, as the leaison to the
water board, I would
>> Okay, very good. Bill, um, who would
like to second that?
>> Well, could we talk about it for a
second? So, just to
>> just to understand what what the
mechanics of what we're doing here,
>> Christina, if I may, just and you you'll
get this with the newly elected train.
Um, it's a motion and then a second and
then there's discussion in between the
second and the and the vote.
>> Okay.
>> Thank you.
>> No worries. Um,
is there a second?
>> Second.
>> Thank you, [clears throat] Jacob. Okay.
Um, now, uh, further discussion on the
matter, Christina.
>> So, so um, so this is a a 1.7,
um,
contract. We have 400,000
and we're looking for a $1.3 million
loan.
I want to make sure that I I'm
understanding correctly.
>> That's that's uh in rough terms.
>> In rough terms correctly.
>> Correctly. Yes.
>> And then and then do we have do we have
reserves if it's more than 1.7?
>> The $400,000 is moved from the reserves
and has been allocated and was uh so at
a previous meeting um just a couple of
meetings ago. we appropriated uh those
monies from the reserves. So that's how
it gets down to $1.3 million.
Um
yeah, and so [snorts] once we develop
the specs, we go out to bid, we get the
amount of the project that um we will
contract. At that point, we we should
know hopefully from Bard College what
their contribution is. But as far as
assessing the water district, the budget
has already been determined whether it's
the fire district or the water district
or the townwide taxes
or a town uh village uh tax uh portion
as well that has already been determined
for 2026.
So when uh the finances are finalized on
this project and a determination is made on how much will
be an assessment versus how much will be
recouped by the increase in the water
rates that will be done for 2027.
When you borrow in a particular year you
don't actually make payments whether
it's a bond anticipation note or a bond
on the same year that you borrow. It's
very different than when you get a
mortgage for your house and you do that
in in a month. [clears throat] You
borrow, it's a 12 month bond
anticipation note or a multi-year bond,
serial bonds, and you pay the following
year. So, we will know all the numbers.
>> Well, I I no that I mean to me that's
understood. I actually do this every
day. So, this is the engineers probable
cost. So, their total came out at 1.2
1.207.
they added a a 20% contingency which is
reasonable for construction costs. So
that came out at at 1.449
and [snorts] then on top of that we had
we have soft costs engineering costs
>> and that's getting us to 1.7.
>> That's correct.
Yeah. [snorts]
>> Any anything more? Any others? Any
additional discussion? Okay.
>> If not, I would like to uh have a roll
call on the vote, please. Um, all in
favor? Kenny.
>> I.
>> William.
>> Hi.
>> Myself. I.
>> Jacob.
>> Hi.
>> Christina. Thank you very much.
>> Uh we have the uh followup uh resolution
to that
which would be resolution number two
authorizing the increase
and improvement of water district
facilities for water district number one
at an estimated maximum cost 1.672 672
million with the uh a borrowing uh
aggregate principal amount not to exceed
1.272,600
and um this is the bond authorization
resolution. Who would like to move this
number two of 2026
>> as the lead to the water district? I
will move this to you.
>> Okay. And I'd be happy to second it. And
I want to thank you all on the water
board for the folks at home. Um we have
a lot of dedicated volunteers and a lot
of committees and they really make
things happen for this community. We are
very fortunate. We have a lot of people
with a lot of expertise on our water
board. I think it's really unusual their
background. if you knew what they did um
for a living and their their history and
their expertise, you really benefit from that even when it's a difficult
weighing of the rehab versus replace. Um
and if anybody has that crystal ball,
please let us know. We'd like to borrow
it. Um
all right,
we have a motion and a second. Is there
any uh discussion further discussion on
that resolution number two? If not, it's
a bond resolution like that. A roll
call. Uh all in favor of Kenny
>> I.
>> William.
>> Myself. I Jacob.
>> Hi.
>> Christina.
>> I.
>> Thank you very much.
Okay. And thank you all. Is Tiffy still
here that they were?
>> Yeah, we're all here.
>> You're welcome. The bill is left.
» Okay. Well, look, can we quickly do that
so that the fire department I already
heard a little bit of something there.
Um, can we do that quickly and let's get
to public comments. I also don't want
the public to have to wait um much
longer, but we do have resolution
number can we call it three on the fire
department, please? And folks, I want to
just um ask you to please, you'll notice
in your packet there is that $7,000.
Now, that needs to move back from
operating to capital
um so that we can show their funding
partners that the capital line is
60,748.
Could I ask you to please entertain that
uh budget approval, please?
>> Are you making a motion?
>> I'm making a motion, please. Is there a
second? Second.
>> Thank you, Jacob. Um, any
[clears throat] discussion? If not, all
in favor?
>> I thank you very much. Okay. Resolution
number three, approving amendment number
one to the town of Redook Fire
Protection District Fire Service
Agreement between the town of Red and
the V Village village of Tivoli for 2025
and 2026.
Whereas proposed terms of an amendment
entitled Town of Red Fire Protection
District amendment number one to the
fire service agreement. We do two-year
fire agreements by the way. We contract
for fire services the town. Um this is
the second year 2026.
Um the town of Red Hook Fire Protection
District amendment one to the fire
service agreement village of Tivoli. A
public hearing has been duly called and
held this evening. The amendment between
the town of Reik and the village of
Tivoli regarding the fire ser service
agreement for 2025 and six for fire
protection is hereby approved. That's
what the resolution says.
Can I move this one? Would you mind?
Is there a second? Who would like to to
second this? Anybody who's had the need
of the Tivoli Fire Department in the
last 5 [clears throat] years, would he
or she like to solot?
[clears throat]
>> Okay.
>> I think you'll find a lot of us have had
the need of one fire department or
another in this community. and you don't
know, you will find out who these
dedicated volunteers are when you do
have a situation and they are there for
you uh day in and day out leaving their
jobs in order to come to do their
volunteer.
With that being said and with uh endless
gratitude
a vote, I think there's a motion.
There's a second by Kenny. Thank you,
Kenny. Any further discussion? If not,
all in favor? William,
>> hi
>> Jacob.
>> Hi.
>> Three of us eyes. Yes. Christina,
>> Robert, and Kenny, thank you very much.
And thank you all.
>> You fingers crossed.
>> Fingers crossed. We'll be doing the
paper next month.
>> Yeah, next month. We'll see what that
comes in and you'll let us know. Yep.
>> You keep us informed. Okay. Thank you
very much again. That's the easiest
part.
>> Thanks for getting us out of here.
>> All right.
Thanks guys.
Water department. Thank you.
>> All right. We have a very patient
highway superintendent.
>> But we do need to do what?
>> We need to do public comments though. Um
Teresa, if you can hang in, you'll be
next.
>> I know.
>> It's a loose loose. Uh folks, um we have
15 minutes for public comment tonight.
We still have uh a few items to get to.
Is there somebody who would like to
[snorts] speak for public comment?
>> Okay. Roxan, if you'd be kind enough to
just say your name for the record,
please. As always.
>> Roxan Fischer from Barrytown, New York.
First, I want to extend a warm welcome
to our new council members, Christina
and Ken. You both ran on platforms
opposing the use of eminent domain
against the Red Hook Boat Club,
emphasizing the need for greater
transparency and genuine dialogue to the
community. Your election reflects the
clear voice of the voters on this issue
and many of us are hopeful that your
presence on the board will bring fresh
perspective, accountability, and a
commitment to listening to residents.
Second, I want to inform everyone here
in the room and those watching on Zoom
that on January 6th, 2026,
I filed a third supplemental submission
to my ongoing complaint with the New
York State Controllers Office regarding
fiscal concerns in the town's eminent
domain proceedings against the boat club
property.
This update highlights expenditures
approaching a4 billion dollars with no
results, improper use of the B fund to
shift the tax burden, and the complete
absence of any funding details for the
1.25 million plus project which should
have incur been included in the 2026
budget. The controllers's office is
already reviewing this matter and costs
continue to rise amid a growing docket
of pending litigation.
Finally, a reminder to the board. The
original eminent domain resolution
passed on a 3-2 vote. Any member who
voted yes can still move to resin that
vote. Doing so would immediately halt
this extremely expensive process and end
the wasteful drain on taxpayer money.
that could be better spent on true
community priorities. I hope the board
will choose fiscal responsibility and
the unity of the community moving
forward. Thank you for your time.
>> Thank you.
Roxan.
Yeah, it might do
toward a new water tank 100%.
>> Yeah.
>> Hi, Carrie Kitner, Merrytown, New York.
Um, I also want to welcome Kenny and
Christina and
uh the main thing I wanted to say was
that it was so nice to actually have a
conversation. Um, I got a a email from
Christopher Man about that meeting next
Wednesday and it was like, "Oh, you can
come and ask questions and people will
give you answers." And I'm going to just
say it every time I come to these
meetings, I say, "Can we please have a
forum about the boat club?" Okay? like we would love to have that same
kind of questions and answers
um for a topic that's like been roing in
this community. So that's my request.
Maybe our two new members could push
towards having a forum. We had a public
comment period in which supposedly we
were listened to, but uh what we said
didn't seem to move any of the board
members. Well, none of two of them
silently said no, but it was silently.
And I just really appreciate if
Christina is speaking up tonight because
um you know, I think these water guys
know what they're doing, but it's really
nice to be able to ask questions and
really understand what's happening. As a
citizen, I I really like to understand.
Um, and in that on that note,
um, you closed the public comment period
on the water tank thing and then there
were two motions and the first motion
seemed to be to move forward with
bidding, but the second motion seemed to
be to approve the bond as long as it
didn't go over this certain amount. So,
I had asked earlier if the bids came in
whether there would be another public
comment period, but it sounds like if
the bids come in
below this maximum amount, then you're
just moving ahead with that. That's a
question and I'd really like an answer
right now on that.
>> Okay, Cara, we need to get Don't answer
questions. I'm going to give you an
answer.
Just like
we told the folks in the newly created
TND sewer district that we would not
move forward until we got some grant
funding, we have told you that we will
not move forward with the water tank
till we get those other two key
questions. What what is the acceptable
bit and what if any contribution will be
coming from Mark Holl? So, but we had to
do a bond resolution
for the TND sewer district a couple of
years ago in order to move forward so
that we could apply for grants and so on
and so forth. So we have those grants
because we approve the authorization and
again I think somebody in the audience
said it well until you get authorization
to begin the process you can't ever
>> but wasn't that the first resolution was
to authorize to begin the process. The
second thing of approving the bond,
>> we do have to approve. We would never go
ahead and expend substantial funds to
develop specs if we
>> Okay. So, it's not the full amount of
the money that you're approving. It's
the amount of money to find out how much
it's
>> and Carrie and my objection to closing
the public hearing was that it it's not
that I disagree that the total amount is
going to be what it is. I just think
that there needs to be public input and
how do we get to that place? It's going
to cost what it costs and my my personal
opinion is I I do agree with the total
number,
>> but we're in a negotiation with the
village and
>> with Bard and so who's going to pay for
this? And I think that the public is
part of that process. And that was my
objection to closing the public hearing,
right? Not to agreeing to the to the
final amount of of what that looks like.
>> And as long as there'll be more public
comment, no matter what the bids come in
at, then I'm going to just go sit down
>> and and hope that we can have a forum
that questions are answered on this
really divisive topic of the book club.
So putting another
>> any anybody else like to make public
comments. We have about eight more
minutes for public comments.
>> I'm going to be very quick. Susan
Quasha, Darytown, New York. And I just
want to say that this is 2026 now. And
I'm really hoping that you will all
follow good governance, which means
being clear about things, understanding
them, letting the public understand
them, and that there is less
divisiveness and more bringing everybody
together. That's what good governance
is.
>> Thank you, sir.
>> Thank you.
>> We have time for another another speaker
or two.
>> Lisa Polo, town of Red Hook. Uh, Robert
McKeon continues to assert without
evidence that the eminent domain action
has widespread support and Jacob, you
concurred with that on July 15th and
also stated that the opposition would be
a short-term discomfort. Almost a
quarter of a million dollars has been
spent through October. That's not a mere
discomfort. We don't yet have the
invoices for November and December in
which there were continued court
hearings in an attempt to circumvent the
court ruling with new zoning laws. In
December, we received the letter from
the supervisor warning of fiscal
challenges on the horizon. And tonight's
board packet includes the amendment for
the Tiboly fire service agreement
discussion on rising health care costs
and the notification that the town's
grant application for the Red Hook Trail
Link was not selected for funding. Um,
and yesterday the Daily Catch reported
on the Red Hook Fire Chief and the
financial challenges facing the
department. If you were to open those
window shades in the back, you'd see
across the street the graphic showing
the amount spent so far. An amount that
could have been used for any of those
real needs that I mentioned, not wants.
But the closed shades are symbolic
because like your eyes and ears, if you
don't open them, you don't have to face
the truth. The fees will acrew at a
similar pace this year. And for those
interested, go online and search for Red
Hook Boat Club versus Town of Red Hook
and find the link to PACE monitor. That
provides a publicly available summary of
the most recent federal court
proceedings. And you'll see that there
are motions, depositions, discovery, and
conferences scheduled through July of
2026. At minimum, seven more months of
unnecessary wasteful spending. What will
the total be by then? This level of
discomfort far exceeds short-term. Ken
and Christina, involve yourselves in the
planning and conversations with the
attorneys. Don't allow one person to
call the shots and make binding,
expensive decisions. Ask the questions
we cannot get answered. Request and
review the legal proceedings to learn
what has been proposed and what has been
declined. And I think you'll learn a
great deal. Each January presents an
opportunity to reflect, recalibrate, and
if necessary, redirect. We began that
process with the swearing in of two new
board members. Bill and Jacob, you both
have an opportunity to rewrite your part
in what is arguably the most unpopular
and now most fiscally wasteful decision
ever made by three people but impacting
so many. Either of you can move to resin
the eminent domain action and if you do,
you will have the votes to pass it.
Every additional dollar spent on legal
fees is now your choice to prolong this
mess. So, please re-evaluate and
redirect the taxpayer dollars to the
more critical issues that have come up
tonight. And it's time for you to open
the shades and confront the truth.
[applause]
We'll take one more speaker, Linda
Stoddard.
>> Linda Stoddard.
>> Thank you, Linda.
>> I Robert, I just have a question about
um
>> Linda, we Yeah. Go ahead. Make your
remarks. We have to get to our agenda
items tonight. [cough]
>> Don't let her speak.
>> Yeah. Um I'm wondering when you do reorg
are you going to be um redistributing or
reassigning liaison
because there are five board members and
right now there is a great imbalance
um on the liaison
and a majority of the liaison of the
committees is you and it should be
distributed equally amongst the board.
So, I was just wondering if that's going
to be done in New York.
>> Thank you, Linda. Yes, that's all all of
the ones that were previously Christine
or Julia have been whited out so that we
>> Okay. But even with them, you are still
the liaison for more than anybody else.
>> Thank you for your your thoughts on
that.
>> And that's not the way it's supposed to
be.
>> Okay. Uh, anybody else? If not, okay.
Uh, we're going to move on to our next
item.
>> I do think we should open a window
shades. It's actually been bothering me
cuz it's like
>> traffic moving forward and distractions.
» We need to we need to get on with our
meeting. All right. Um, let's please go
to the highway uh department issues. Uh,
Teresa has been very patient not only
this meeting but the previous meetings.
Um
>> there we are.
» Number item number three.
» Oh yeah.
I'm going to start marking the stage.
33.
» Yeah.
>> All right. Uh folks, so we have the 284
agreement. Um for the folks at home,
each year uh or previous to the year,
the highway superintendent proposes
roads for capital improvements, which
are to be repaved. what material is
going to be used, whether or not it's
asphalt or whether or not um it's chip
sealed. Um you should know
um that the roads that are proposed for
this year 2026
are Starbar for paving, Bosper,
and uh Chipsilio for uh the Tivoli area.
Stony Brook Road, Middle Road down here,
Sankst Stack and Kid Lane,
and the chip ceiling is to preserve the
roads to get uh longevity out of them. And so the
budget uh this conforms with what we
have budgeted for 2026. Estimated cost
for Starbucks and Vosberg is 320,000.
Um for the chip ceiling project
um
2026 budget is $90,000.
There's currently a balance of 82,000 in
the 25 chips fund which will roll over
to the calendar year. We don't find out
um funding until the state's budget is
passed. Most of the funding that goes
towards these capital improvements comes
from the state. Okay. Um, any questions
on which roads, the amounts,
uh, anything or
>> I don't have any issues with it. I don't
have any issues with it. It as long as
it confirmed conforms with the budget.
I'm I'm interested though in in how in
terms of like what like what that
overall plan looks like. Um I'm sure you have metrics and how you figure um
and so the first thing to understand is
this agreement. It's a living document.
So um we are asked to designate which
roads based on our observations before
the winter um we would like to pave. Uh
many things can change in between. So
once we sign this 284 agreement, if we
find that there are roads that need more
attention or if something, [cough]
you know, catastrophic happens,
>> and what time of year, like what time of
year do you do you [snorts] look at it
versus
>> So we look at it all year and we keep a
record of how old the roads are, when
they were last paved. Um there's two
parts to this. The resurfacing is the
major expenditure and then the uh um
chip seal is the maintenance part of it.
So you want to chip seal your good roads
within 5 years of paving to keep them
good. It extends the life past the
average 15 years. If you do it every so
often, it's a lot less expensive. And
then you take the bulk of the um ship's
money and put it into major repair. So,
this is kind of a guess
>> because we don't know what roads will
look like after what type of winter we
may have. There may be a flooding issue
and one of the roads gets blown apart.
So, we come back and say, "Okay, we
can't spend the money on this road
because we have to spend on that road."
It's an amendment to this document. It
comes back to the town board. We put the
reasons in there and then we ask for the
expenditure again. Same point, the state
doesn't pass its budget till April. So,
we don't know until we go out to bid for
these roads and the state passes its
budget if it's all going to fit. So, we
may have to dial back or we may get more
money from the state if we go up and
lobby for it and then we can add. So,
it's a living document. It's sort of
this is what we plan on doing. If
everything works out, this is what we
will do. Um, but if it doesn't, we'll
let you know ahead of time and it has to
come to a town board meeting again.
>> Thank you.
>> Seems to be a recurring theme about we
have estimates we need to authorize to
move forward. We then finalize the
amounts and then we can go ahead with
>> we'll go out to big for the contracts
and bring them back to the board for
approval.
>> Yeah.
>> Right. I'm And so there's no sort of
like master document of all town roads
and you're grading them a through
whatever.
>> Well, we we do, but anything can change
at any time.
>> Sure. And the winner the winner comes
through and then it's all it's all
changes.
>> You just never know. Yeah,
>> you never know. But we have um each road
is uh supposed to have a 15-year life
before resurfacing.
um we don't have the budget to do that
on a regular basis. So we choose the
best roads that we think the worst roads
that we think will benefit
>> highly traveled roads over lower
traveled roads. It's all [snorts] kind
of put all the information in and see
what comes out at the end. So this is
what we propose for this year. Um and
again it can change depending on funding
and road conditions after the winter.
>> Thank you. I I appreciate the
explanation. You're welcome.
>> Thanks, Teresa. Any uh further
questions, the board members?
Okay. Um I'd like to make a motion. Um
to approve the 2026 284 agreement for
highway expenditures.
>> So moved.
>> Well, I have the two copies.
>> Yeah. Um,
>> Christina, would you be the second to
that motion?
>> Okay.
>> Uh, any further discussion? If not, all
in favor?
>> Thank you very much.
>> Okay.
>> So, Diana has the copies and they're
signed at the meeting and then at the
end I'll sign them.
» Thanks. We'll we'll tackle that. Um,
next up is the electric van. Um the
highway department has requested a
replacement of the how old van 20
40 22 years something like that two
decade old van right Teresa um
>> they had it written in the document it's
pretty old
>> yeah
um
we are uh it's it's been
>> it's a 2008 van
>> 2008 okay so almost two decades old um
it's a cargo van to move equipment when
they go and do uh work on the roads. Um
it has been the desire of uh at least
the previous board for all vehicles when
possible to be electric for both
environmental and for uh financial
sustainability.
Um there's uh very little maintenance on
electric vehicles
and we have the infrastructure here
because of all the work that we've done
and the grant funding we've received. We
also have on our highway department, we
have a solar system that produces more
electricity than the highway department
uses. And so we're able to have this van
plugged in um and uh excess energy can
be allocated towards the charging
stations for these purposes. So there's
savings associated with that. Um Teresa
has looked into different makes and
models and come up with the
recommendation for um the Dodge Ram
truck uh or EV cargo van that's
recommended here. Um and we've worked
together on identifying that there is uh
still some funding. We could at least
get about 10% um grant funding for the
purchase of the van.
So what you have is a resolution that
includes um sort of the gross amount of
$78,000.
Um
we would hope to receive at least the
$7,500 rebate for the acquisition then.
So, what would the what would it cost
for the same van and and gas?
>> Um
58,000
but no rebate.
>> 58,000 but no rebate. And so we're at
Sorry, the number was
>> So we're about 70 with the rebate.
>> 70 with a
>> with a rebate. Yeah. And then
[clears throat] you have to do the
savings versus the electric which is in
theory free because it's it's being
remote and metered from the highway
garage and the maintenance. Um and
there's also um our policy of when we
can to continue our electrification.
Any further questions?
>> The uh the current ban, how many miles a
year do you put on that?
>> I don't know off the top of my head,
Ken.
» But I can tell you what we use it for.
>> Oh, okay.
>> Um, we use it for sign installation. So,
it has like a um uh equipment inside and
all the nuts and bolts and it can carry
the signs and the poles. And we also use
it for carrying stuff that has to be
undercover because the rest of our
equipment is pickup trucks that are open
to the weather. So, if we have to go
pick up parts or something, we can use
the van. Um, if you have to drop off a
vehicle like one of the big uh dump
trucks up to Hudson or or anywhere else,
Albany, uh, the van can follow and then
take a person back.
>> So, it's like a multi-purpose um,
vehicle. It's very handy,
>> right? But it sits idle quite a bit, it
sounds like.
>> Well, I guess if you look at it that
way, a lot of them sit idle quite a bit.
It just depends on what you're doing,
right, at that particular time.
But uh
>> well my concern is there's been some
issues with electric vehicles. So if it
was something that was really we really
dependent on you know and obviously we
are but it's not going to
>> No it's not an emergency response
vehicle
>> right
>> and with this particular vehicle um we
have to go out to bid.
>> So so far I've seen 2025s. I haven't
seen 2026s to build yet. But if there's
going to be any issues, the manufacturer
will let us know.
>> Right. Okay.
>> So, um this is the first step in the
process just like the other items. We
have to follow a protocol set by New
York State in order to go out for a mini
bid. So, this bid will go all over the
state and if people have them, they'll
give us a price and if they don't,
they'll let us know why. So, again,
we'll come back with the bid results and
say, "Do you want to buy this or not?
So, it's just we have to get approval to
go forward in order to use the state bid
system.
>> Right.
Thank you.
>> Thank you, Teresa. Anything else you'd
like us to know before we entertain
motion to approve that resolution?
>> Nope.
>> Okay.
Uh this is now resolution four. here.
>> Five.
» Authorizing procurement of bids for EV
cargo van for the highway department
purposes. Whereas the town of Red Hook
and this also has been discussed in
previous meetings. Just for the folks at
home, uh has recommended the purchase of
a utility van for highway department
purposes. Uh the town board requested
the consideration of an electric vehicle
in accordance with the town's purchasing
and procurement policy which was updated
to reflect our desire to uh OE
um uh investigate
um environmentally friendly uh products.
Um whereas the highway superintendent
has identified a type of vehicle with
the specs determined to be necessary for
the department's use being a Dodge Ram
ProMaster electric cargo van the
equipment available through New York
State OS state contract number 231 166
to be acquired through the mini bid
procedure in accordance with the terms
and conditions of such contra uh
contract and our purchasing
policy. Highway superintendent is hereby
authorized to proceed with procurement
of bids for the equipment in accordance
with the contract terms and conditions
with an estimated cost not to exceed
78,000. The town supervisor and town's
other officers are hereby authorized and
directed for a name to do all acts and
things necessary in convenient in
furtherance of this resolution. Number
five, who might be a liaison to the
highway department? Who would want to
move that?
>> So moved.
>> Thanks, Jac.
Uh, is there a second?
Electric. May I second that resolution?
Further uh discussion?
>> Thank you, Teresa.
>> Thank you.
>> Very good. All in favor? Hi,
>> Christina Kenny.
>> I Bill.
>> Hi.
>> Thank you very much. Okay, that was
number five. Resolution number five.
Agenda item number three
um gun water district. Uh we did fire
district. Let's go to the first item on
the agenda which is the resolution
[clears throat]
organizing resolution.
Don't look at the screen. You'll get
dizzy.
» The annual reward.
There we go. Um, we do this annually
where we state where when our meetings
are. This will serve as the public
notice for all our town board meetings
by the way um for 2026. any changes then
nor uh necessitate a change in the uh
public meeting notice
be it resolve the town board of the town
of Breok as follows meeting dates
regular meetings of the board will take
place throughout the year 2026 and the
following days in each month 7:30 at
town hall second Tuesday and fourth
Wednesday it has been such for many
years now additional special meetings
may be scheduled and announced by
posting the announce announcement at
town hall as required by chapter 22 of
the vote with notification to the press
as required by public officers law.
Number two, the official newspaper of
the town for 2026 shall be the Gypsy
Journal depositories. Uh these are the
banks that um we have uh funds with.
In addition, the town is a member of a
of New York class pursuant to New York
class mean cooperation agreement amended
and restated. That's where we have our
funds that we are not using immediately.
If you think of it in terms of a money
market fund where we get um better
interest and uh keeping it in the bank.
Um this is a cooperative of many
municipalities.
The following officers are authorized to
maintain a pettic cash to conduct um
day-to-day business. The following
amounts not to exceed $500 per officer
or $1,000 for the receiver.
Salaries, the salaries uh below are the
salaries that were adopted uh the budget
for 2026.
mileage reimbursement rate for town
business uh the IRS rate of 72
cents per mile who incur official
mileage when they are obligated to drive
their own vehicles on town business or
when a town vehicle is not available
and then as a reimbursement undertaking
the town board of the town of hereby
authorized the execution of a blanket
bond in lie of individual undertaking
pursuant to section 112 of the public
officers law for the purpose of covering
all officers and employees who collect
money including in the list of these
positions here in town hall.
The town board hereby authorized the
following to sign bank checks for all
town business. That would be the town
supervisor in his absence or her
absence, deputy supervisor William
Hamill. And three, in the absence of the
supervisor and deputy supervisor, any of
the town board members, Christina
Duchar, Ken Migerelli, or Jacob Taup,
the annual financial report, the town
board of the town of Red Hook, hereby
authorizes and directs the supervisor to
submit to the town clerk within 60 days
after the closing of the fiscal year or
such later date as may be required for
such filing with the state controller, a
copy of the supervisor's report to the
state controller and the town clerk
shall cause a summary of such report to
be published within 10 days of that
filing in the official newspaper
procurement. Um, and that's uh uh for
Penny and for Christina. Uh, we'll, if
you have not had a chance, we'll send
along to you. Um, those various policies
you'll want to review them um in the
future should we decide to u make any
changes to them. Procurement investment
policy, ethics policy. I know that the
ethics board I think is looking to do
another training session. Is that right?
>> Yeah. There will be um we're working to
schedule an inperson training next
Friday here in Pon Hall for all town
employees and
>> next Friday
>> and then not this upcoming but next the
23rd
>> 23rd
>> um and then there will be an a second
one that'll be held virtually the
following Tuesday in the evening for
those who can't attend the first Friday.
>> I have a number of comments. I thought
we were we had to get through it and
then make a motion before we discuss it
but apparently that's not true.
>> Sure. Okay. before we we can get through
it. Did you want to make
>> Well, so I mean I mean if we're going to
talk about it, let's let's talk about it
as we're as we're going because I think
it's I think it's more relevant.
>> I think I think we're finished. Did you
have comments?
>> I I do. So So the the meetings the 7:30
meeting time and the and the Tuesday and
the fourth Wednesday. Um I I would
propose an earlier meeting time and a
consistent day. I think that's very
confusing for the public and um honestly
for ourselves to to have have that kind
of a schedule. So I I would propose we
meet at at 6:00 instead of 7:30.
>> Okay. Um uh my understanding these times
are predate uh boy they predate not only
my being town supervisor but when I was
on the town board way back in 2009
my understanding was the times were set
so that uh folks could have dinner with
their family and come here and the uh
choice of having two separate days. My
understanding, Christina, was that if
you chose, say, a Tuesday and a
Wednesday, that if somebody had a
standing Tuesday thing that um they
could at least come to one meeting a
month, they could come on the Wednesday
or vice versa. That was the rationale.
I'm not saying that has to continue that
way, but
>> I mean, I'm I'm putting it out there as
a as a um as a discussion item. I think
that I think that it's rather late and I
think that that historically there's
been there's been a lot of interest and
that's a positive thing for for the
board. Um and um you know I think I
think families are flexible and there's
7:30 is is rather late in the evening as
a start time. Um, so I I I we've I've
had this discussion on other other
committees that we've been on that
historically have met later in the
evening and the consensus has been to
move it earlier and and that's I've seen
that overall to be a positive change.
>> Okay. Um,
anyone else?
>> Yeah, I like to agree with that.
[laughter]
>> Okay.
>> Uh,
yeah, I go to bed kind of early. I wake
up early uh and I do and I mentioned
this to you Robert um I'm on a two three
four other committees and the t this
Tuesday is the uh committee which I've
been on down in New York City for green
market
so it is a conflict uh especially with what's going on with green market I
need to be involved in that committee so
it would be nice if they were the second
and fourth Wednesday
Uh that would be good for me and I
understand. I don't know what I'm going
to do if if I can't and uh the I would
like to see the meetings earlier also.
Uh
>> but I think if he would be earlier on
Tuesday, that'd be worse for you, not
better.
>> Is that right?
>> Y' worse for me.
>> But then I only uh uh the those meetings
go exactly three hours. They don't go
over. So, um,
>> when do they start?
>> Six.
>> So, I would only be able to sit in on it
for an hour and a half.
>> Okay.
>> So, is there you're saying Wednesday
would be a conflict for other people?
>> Well, second Wednesday here town hall is
taken up by both the ZBA. We would have
to if we were to move to Wednesday, we'd
have to move the ZBA out of there.
Second Wednesday, that's this room. And
then the CAC takes the conference room.
So, it wouldn't just be us having to
change our schedule to accommodate that.
It [clears throat] would we would have
to move other boards and then
>> we, you know, we don't have the ability
tonight certainly to know that
>> whether or not they could or would want
to
>> change early, one late, one late. Um,
Jacob, I'm sorry you started to say
Tuesdays, um, Thursdays, I have a
commitment earlier in the evening that I
wouldn't be able to get here until after
like 7:30 is about the earliest we can
get over here.
>> So you can't do earlier if it's Tuesdays
and Thursdays.
>> We can't do a second Wednesday right now
because of ZBA um and CAC here.
>> Well, I think that's an overall
discussion. I think there's there's a flexibility amongst amongst
many committees. I mean, when other
committees I've been on, we've talked
about it. And it's not to say that there
maybe this is something that can't be
resolved right now, but we should we should we should have an open
discussion. And 7:30 is very late. Um
>> and and you know, we've had we've had
meetings that have gone on until until
midnight, and that certainly affects
people.
>> Um and that's that's really not an
accessible time
>> um for the public in general. So
>> yeah,
>> um
>> we've also had many meetings that were
over in an hour, but I hear your point
that it does we we run that risk when we
start a meeting that if we want to
accommodate or get all the work
conducted that evening. We did stop one
meeting. It was the first time in my 10
years we stopped a meeting before we
finished all the all the work. And maybe
that's what we need to consider if we
are stuck um meeting at 7:30.
>> And I also think the switching of the
days is confusing. I think that it's
that, you know,
town board is is is a a commit, you
know, an entity that that should take
precedent and and consistency of meeting
on the same time, the same one day a
week at an earlier time um would be what
I would press for. Yeah, I hear you
ZBA switch on uh
>> Well, I'll not I we we'll need to
approach the ZBA if that's what but I I
do uh I do think we need to give it some
consideration. Uh Christine and Kenny.
>> Okay. Um I think we do um
uh and and I do agree we're not going to
solve it tonight, right? Um, so we'll take a look uh at this and see
what uh what options exist and look at
the pros and cons of of switching one
or time or or or what have you. We have
to all look in our schedules because we
all have different hats that we wear
>> um in addition to to these roles. So I
appreciate that and maybe we can um try
to get our calendars together and see
what the holes are. maybe start with
what you absolutely can't do and then
we'll work from there and see how the
puzzle comes together. We will have to
at least for now stick with what we've
got um so that we can have our meeting
uh on January 28. That would be the
fourth meeting if you want to make a you
know subsequently we can make amendments
to the meeting schedule but we do need
to publish
>> on the notice. Okay.
>> So there's that. Anything else on this?
Uh
>> I I did have another comment on item
number five was confusing to me. Um so
the the salaries that were laid out for
um for town board. Uh
is this all inclusive?
Because reviewing the budget, there were
other line items that seem to be
allocated to certain members.
>> These are for these positions and that's
the way that the resolution must read
the position. Um yes there are other
budgetary lines but the these are the
ones that need to be um put in the uh
>> what do you mean what do you mean this
is the way it must read doesn't you
explain
>> you need to state the salary for the
supervisor role you need to state the
salary for the town uh council member
role you need to state the salary for
the town clerk role and the town
justices these are um
>> and you're not able to so there there's
other there's other um supplementary
roles that
>> this is elected officials.
>> Yeah, I'm trying to give you I'm trying
to give you the answer that to your
question. You need to state the salary
figure for the elected officials. These
are are the elected official lines.
Okay. So if there's if the supervisor is
also the budget uh officer as statutoily
he or she is unless they declare someone
else to be that role that is not
included because that is not the elected
official salary. But wouldn't it be
clear wouldn't it be clear to state in there even if even if those roles
weren't assigned like what
>> there are other other supplementary
um salaries that are
>> no applied to no
>> certain people within these roles.
>> No no Christina it is the following
salaries for elected officials. That's
it. So it must read that one. Okay,
the budget spells out all the various
lines.
» Okay, so that's the reorg resolution.
It's number are we lucky? Number seven,
>> six. We're at six.
>> And then we can get to the liaison
roles.
um
try to tackle some of those tonight. So,
a resolution number six, it's relating
to annual reor.
Who would like to move that?
>> So, moved.
>> Thank you, Jacob. Is there a second?
>> A second. Thank you, William. Uh any
further discussion? If not,
>> sorry.
>> Annual reorg. So, so I I need to
understand what we're voting on in this.
The what we just reviewed, we had a
number of revisions to it.
>> I'm sorry. What?
>> I don't think we have any revisions.
>> What were the revisions to it?
» We're just voting on this resolution
>> on on this resolution. So we're saying
that the meeting dates are are set
understood for the next meeting but we discussed that that might be
like what what would be the mechanism of revising that if if we chose that in
the future amendment
>> yes we would need to create a new
resolution to set the town board
meetings for a new date and time we
would then need to publish that we have
to publish all our meetings.
This is the mechanism for publishing
them to say as of now they are still
second Tuesday and fourth Wednesday.
>> So would we be able to say that they're
second
uh Tuesday and fourth Wednesday for the
next for for January and then and then
we'll revisit this for February and
beyond.
Um, I'm not sure that that would be
prudent of us to do that because we can
make the change right now.
Once we approve this, we don't have to
republish each and every meeting.
If we go to make a change, then we will
do a new publishing.
If we go ahead and say it's only good
for January, then we're looking at
additional costs and time and
expenditure to do the republishing of
the notices. We are also um
not laying out the meeting schedule for
um you know a significant period of time
and right now I don't hear that we have
any consensus on any changes yet. So
>> well can that's fair. Can we can we
agree that we'll discuss it at the at
the next meeting and we'll we'll commit
to to
>> sure
>> potentially reorganizing with other
>> other um committees and boards.
>> Sure.
>> Okay.
>> All right. So, uh seeing no changes.
Sorry, Kenny. Did you want to say
>> No, I just voted I. That's [laughter]
» I is good. Um, so we have a motion, a
second. We have an I at this end.
Williams an I. I'm an I. Jacob's an I.
Christina
>> I.
>> Um, very good. Why don't we
jumping around a lot tonight? I
apologize.
» We have to go.
>> Let's do uh
Sorry.
amount on the registar to appoint so
that I can submit that
>> uh
what
>> registar as a register I need to be
appointed
>> I I think you're still a hold over
though
>> yeah you still are the registar
I'm sorry I don't I I didn't we weren't
going to make any specific appointments
>> yeah but you signed it I just want to
get that to the county and get that to
the city
>> okay um park has been register register
of vital statistics.
>> This time I'd like to make a motion that
for 2026
that we appoint and continue
uh our town clerk Diana Cochran has the
register
finals.
>> Second that.
>> Thank you.
>> Any discussion? If not, all in favor? I
>> I
>> Thank you. Okay.
>> Thanks.
>> All right. Uh
let's go to
number eight. Jumping around. I
apologize. Um just assigning the
delegate to the Association of Towns
meeting.
>> What What happened to the um town board
appointments?
>> Yeah, we're going to get to that.
>> Okay.
>> We're going to get to that. That that
maybe be just a longer conversation. We
want to get to a couple of items. Um,
» somebody's trying to pair their phone to
the TV.
» Yeah, let's not do that.
>> Okay,
we would
um All right.
» Okay.
I think I mentioned there's an annual
conference that happens every February.
There are
uh votes that are conducted at the
Association of Towns. There are over 900
towns in New York State. I think it's
Red
House. I believe it's Red House that is
the smallest town in
state of New York. [clears throat]
Something like 3740 people. I believe I
have that right. And then you have towns
like Brook Haven which are several
hundred thousand. They all convene and
they have policy uh positions. They do a
fair amount of lobbying on our behalf,
the Association of Towns. They also have
some uh recommendations for changes to
their bylaws that they would like us to
look at. Um, we're looking for no action
tonight
or discussion on the policy
positions, but they are here. Many of
them are either repeat
um asks of Albany or [snorts] related to
previous asks. Uh, oftentimes they are
funding related.
So for the new board members, if you
would kindly take a look between now and
our next meeting,
>> I'd be happy to volunteer to go in
February.
>> Okay. Well, thank you. I appreciate
that. If you'd like to go um to do the
training, that's great. Um typically the
supervisor is the one who does the
voting on behalf of the town. Um, I do
intend to be there in order to uh do
that and to convey um any thoughts at
the annual meeting on behalf of the town
board.
So, you can look at the registration
information, Christina, and we can take
a look at the budget and make some uh
budget adjustments to accommodate
u you to go get that training.
>> Sounds great.
Okay. Um, that's it. So, we
[clears throat] just need a motion uh to
designate
and I'll offer myself up as I have
previously
as the uh person to conduct the voting
on behalf of the town.
Who would like to make that motion to
designate the town supervisor? Bill,
you've been down there.
>> Yep, I'll do it. It's a ministerial
process.
>> Okay. So, you're making the motion to
designate me. Okay.
>> And would you be available in my absence
then?
>> Not for this meeting.
>> Okay.
>> Who else would be available?
>> I'm available in your absence.
>> Great. Great. Excellent.
>> Okay. Um,
>> good training.
>> So, that's a motion to appoint the town
supervisor as the designate and we'll uh
say Christina as
the alter.
>> The alter.
>> Very good. Bill's made the motion. Is
there a second?
>> Second.
>> Thank you, Jacob. Any further
discussion? If not, all in favor?
Christina? I
» All right.
health insurance policy options. Not
looking for action tonight, but I'm just
continuing this because we do need to
pick a policy
uh preferably at our next meeting
because
enrollment starts in February, the plan
year is March. What's different this
year uh although they did try to come
into the
uh in the area is United Healthc Care is
making um progressive proposals to
provide um health insurance. This is
sort of the menu of various options.
>> Can you can you just clarify who this
applies to? This is this is
>> to whom in our
>> Yeah. Anybody who is eligible for health
care, any full-time workers,
>> would the health care come under a union
negotiation
um
thing because the guys have health care
through the union and it has to be a a
comparable product? Does the union have
to get involved with this? I I have the
understanding that it has to be
negotiated before it can be changed and
you're operating on a really short
window. Um there is there are comparable
plans here for us to look at and so
that's what we're taking a look at is
what are the options. We haven't made
any decisions.
>> But does the union have to take a look
at what the plans are in order to
determine that they're comparable.
>> Um the union can look at whatever plans.
We haven't even proposed any plans yet.
>> Well, we have the base plan right now.
So you're proposing that you may be
changing the plan
>> and if you do propose to change that I
had understood that the union had to be
involved in order to make sure that it
was a comparable plan for the guys. the union is always welcome to be
involved um in in the determination of
the plan, but the town board needs to go
ahead and assign
um a healthcare
plan for 2026.
>> So, you can assign health care plan
before taking the options to the union
that you want to do.
>> We haven't chosen any options yet. We're
not at that point very soon. Right. I
understand. But we have a healthcare
plan. You're proposing perhaps a
different plan. It should be reviewed by
the union in order to make sure
>> that we haven't reached that point,
Teresa. You're making assumptions. We
haven't reached that point where we're
even contemplating other plans.
>> Okay. I just want to make sure that if
there's a proposed change
for the level of funding or the um
amount that they're going to pay um that
the union be brought in before you make
that decision to compare the plans and
make sure that it um meets with what the
contract says.
>> Yes,
it will meet what the contract says. We
will make sure of that.
But will you make sure that the union
will be able to review it before you
change it?
>> We we we will send to the union what we
are contemplating if we make a change.
Yes.
>> What what what's the time frame that
we're looking at?
>> Well, March 1st
>> ideally. Yes. March 1st. They need to be
enrolled and enrollment period actually
starts. The coverage is March 1st.
Enrollment period starts beginning of
February. So tonight, what I was hoping
is we could narrow down three plans,
four plans, and then we can take a look
at them, including our existing one, try
to get more information, share with the
union, understand because if we are able
to find a comparable plan that does save
the taxpayer money, but gives the same
type of coverage to the employees that also could be in a benefit to the
employees because they pay into that
plan as Well,
>> has this been shared with the union yet?
>> Not yet. This is there are hundreds of
This is what our our healthcare uh uh
broker provides us with is sort of a a
sampling for this Hudson Valley region,
what's available, knowing that the type
of coverage um that we're interested in
having for our employees and trying to
keep the same level of coverage for
them. And each of the various uh
companies offer, you know, their version
of that type of coverage. We're looking
at silver plans and bronze plans. Um but
we're looking at, you know, uh ideally
we want the same type of coverage where
they get 100% coverage on just about
everything. Um what what's different
about each uh plan is often times what
the deductible amounts are. There's a
slight difference. Like for example,
we'll go to the first page here.
If you notice our existing plan, which
is the MVP
silver 8, and then the next column is
what our plan would be [clears throat]
if we were to stick with it. Um the
premium increase is just under 16. It's
rounded up to 16. I think it's 15.8%.
We pay for 100%
of uh the HRA. So when we think in terms
of the deductibles and um any payment
that the employee would make know that
we pay as the town 100% of that um up
until those uh limits. So right now the
employees pay a percentage of the um
premium.
>> That's correct. They pay 21% for 2025.
>> As part of the contract they would pay
22%.
>> So any savings that we could derive from
a comparable plan that gave them
comparable coverage could also extend to
them if we were to um want to entertain
changing of the plans. So everything
that we're looking at, are there plans
on here that that aren't comparable to
what the union employees are currently
getting?
>> Yes, there are some that I don't believe
are comparable.
>> So So why are we even looking at this
before we eliminate Obviously, we're
going to pick a plan that that is
comparable. We have a union,
>> right? Exactly. That's what what we're
going to do tonight is isolate all of
those out that we shouldn't consider and
see what's left. But but that but that's
like a that's like a like like the
insurance agent could have done that for
and and presented four plans that seems like a waste of time to me.
>> So I just wanted to clarify
um before you go into the deeper
discussion is that the plan that they
have now they pay 21% and it will be 22%
of um the premium. They don't pay any of
the deductible and they don't have
co-pays.
So, they have a fixed amount out of
their paycheck that they can count on
each pay period and it stays that way. A
lot of times when you go to um a lower
premium, which they may benefit from
bi-weekly, it may not benefit them in
the long run because with a lower
premium, you often have to then pay an
out-of pocket deductible. So the town
takes care of the high deductible 100%.
But the employees pay 21 now 22%
and if the plan changes
where they have to pay then a co-ay
also takes more money out of their
pocket. One of our guys who has had his
raise and the um higher uh percentage
his net this coming year is $154.
So any change that affects
beyond what they're paying will then
affect their bottom line. So my question
would be why wouldn't since we have a
union, why wouldn't we forward this
document to the union the second we
receive it have and and receive the
feedback and then narrow it down and then take a
vote.
>> Okay. We're not going to take a vote um
tonight. And again, we can narrow it
down. There's no reason to present the
union with a menu template of all these
choices when we can clearly look at a
whole bunch of these and know that
they're not comparable. And so all we're
doing tonight is just trying to narrow
it down and then we can forward the
three or four that are even uh looking
at and get questions from the broker.
And so let's do that exercise if we
could tonight and you'll understand why
it's valuable first step so we can get
to where we can assign. So hearing about
the coverage and the 100%. You can take
a look on the first page here. There's a
whole bunch of silver three which used
to be something we did here. The second
one here has a whole bunch of co-pays.
This is not something that we would deem
to be comparable
um to the kind of coverage that
employees currently have. The same is
true with the next column which is uh
exchange certified silver. You see the
co-pays, some of them are insignificant,
some of them are significant. That would
not be comparable to what the employees
have. um HDHP, Silver 3, HSA, and again
I'm sticking with MVP for a time. Um you
see they have in many cases small
co-pays, but then you look at inpatient,
there's a $500 co-pay after uh the
deductible is exhausted. It's a real
question whether or not that be
comparable coverage. Then you go to this
next one, the bronze six. Okay. So, this
has very similar, if not um even better
coverage than the uh silver 8. The
tradeoff, however, is the annual
deductible limits, which are higher.
Again, remember that the town is paying
for
um those deductibles. It's 100%.
So, on the one hand, the coverage is
terrific. It's 100% all down the line
here. You see, I don't know if you can
see my cursor for the folks in the
audience.
The premium is less.
>> There's another big issue though is that
the coverage between carriers has been
very volatile. I personally experienced
this with with um with my firm that we
were on a premium plan, it just got
cancelled by
major carrier locally which is like
the conglomerate that does everything.
So like it's it's it's hard to say even
between like MVP and United and CDPHP
like what
I I don't feel like this is a decision
that we that we should make. I mean the chart is already narrowed down. It's
only three pages and the people that are
on these plans are already know what
their comps are and who their doctors
are. [clears throat]
>> Yeah. That's a big thing too is that um
the their MVP is very local.
So I I hear that United Healthc Care is
not taking on um like Optum and
different places. So they may have to
travel further to and change their
doctors and go through you know
reenrollment with other health care
facilities and at this point um I don't
see that as being fair especially since
now they are going to pay another
percent. Okay, Teresa, I'm sorry to
interrupt you, but we need to get
through to do do our work. You know, I
appreciate these contributions, but
we're talking about MVP plans now. And
so, I I'm trying to get the board to
focus on the plans that are comparable
so that we can ask more questions so
that we can make a more educated
decision. I understand the concern.
>> I'm just giving the background and
knowledge for the bulk of the people who
use these plants. I appreciate that. But
right now, we are talking about an MVP
plan. So, there'll be no change in the
network and who they could um go to see.
It's just a change between this MVP plan
versus that MVP plan. And if that's
something that we want to get more
questions about and would there be a
benefit not only to the town, the
taxpayer, but also to the employees. The
premium on this brown bronze six, okay,
is a 7% increase. Where they make it up,
and they always do find a way to get it,
is in the higher deductible. So, if we
were to try to project what the
utilization is, right? And here, um,
they always run for us 100% [snorts] or
60%.
Okay? If we were to use a more typical
60% utilization that we would end up
with a 6% increase and then we'd want to
understand what if any changes or
differences in the coverage between
these two plans because the basics that
are put on this menu plate look like
it's just as good if not better coverage
for them. So, we could ask of our our
health uh broker to compare and contrast
these two and to dive deeper into it.
>> Well, if we're if we originally said
we're trying to narrow it down to four,
why don't we just give them the p this page that has all of the MVPs
compared to the current
>> because there may and get union there
may be other options. It's important for
us to understand the pros and cons also
of different characters. My point is I
don't think we can understand the pros
and cons because I think it's dependent
on the families that are involved and
who their doctors are. So e like either
give them all three pages or or if we're
going to narrow it down to four are we
saying we're narrowing it down to four
MVPs or we're narrowing it down to four
of different choices.
What I'm saying is that if we could
narrow down to a handful
instead of the three pages worth and
then we can inquire from our health
insurance brokers to contrast the plans
including our existing plan. Then we
could have a better idea. Some of this
we can do ourselves. We can simply look
at the ones that have these larger
co-pays and we can throw them out,
narrow it down. We can make a better
educated decision. We could ask about
the other providers including United
Healthcare, CDPHP. We used to be with
CDPHP
and contrast
um what's what's available right now on
page one unless anyone else sees uh
another option. I don't think that we
should explore any other option except
for our existing one and this bronze 6
HSA and uh because it does give the
level of coverage that they have. The
risk is that if there were to be 100%
utilization, it could conceivably be
perhaps a little bit more expensive, but
it's rare that the entire covered
employee pool uses 100% of the HR.
That make sense?
Okay, that's the first page. So maybe we
could ask for a verb to contrast bronze
six with silver eight. [clears throat]
Okay.
Agree. Yes.
>> I I I don't agree. I don't I don't I
don't feel like I have enough
information to to make this decision and I feel like it's only three pages. I think I would rather get feedback from
the employees that are using this rather
than narrow it down for them.
>> Okay, we can do that, too.
All right. On the second page, we have a
United Healthcare, their silver choice
uh option has lower uh deductibles,
8% increase, but there are um some
co-pays. Some are low. Don't that
doesn't look like comparable to me. The
next column, HD, HP, EPO,
a little higher on the deductibles.
coverage looks somewhat comparable.
Uh the specialist visit
need some clarification on that.
» I mean that's a good point. These are
also summaries.
>> Yeah. These are not like all the
details. So, so in a particular family,
if you have a certain need and you need
to research it and come back with
feedback, it's like this is a small
community. This is like
>> Well, that's what I'm saying. If we can
narrow it down, we can get greater
details and we can
>> it's already narrowed down. It's only
three pages,
>> but we don't want the employees to have
to go through 20 options. we can trim it
down to the things we know that are
comparable and then ask for more
information then present.
>> I mean in my opinion in my opinion the
chart is very is is is presented in a
very reasonable way. It's understood
what the current plan is and what the
other options are and it would be good
to get feedback and then make a decision
knowing the feedback of who it's
affecting.
>> Okay. So why don't we do both of those
things then we can send this entire
thing to the employees and to the union
to get their feedback and perhaps we can
narrow down for our own thinking and get
from our health insurance broker um some
more specifics. You know what I think
would be reasonable to your point,
Robert, is to say to to have a an an
intro when you send this to say, "Here
is our opinion that this looks like the
same coverage that you're getting, but
here are the options that are available.
What do you think?"
Okay.
Um, so on United Healthcare, the uh one
the only one that I see that looks
comparable would be the silver
EP3Z, but we'd want to get more
information from our healthcare broker.
Um, I did discuss with her. She
mentioned that United Health Care is
making an aggressive play for the region
and is coming in with um some really
good rates. Um but yes, we would want to
understand who covers United Healthcare
before we were going to go ahead and
make that switch. Okay.
So, uh, on this page, um, others there
are smaller co-pays,
but it doesn't look comparable to me.
So, so far, unless you all disagree, the
only ones that I see worthy of further
explanation uh exploration of the bronze
six and the
uh silver choice open access
we'd want to get more information on or
comparable. And then on our third page
would be the CDPHP which was the one we
did have previously
100% coverage.
>> So are we agreeing that we could send
this these three pages and highlight
those plans that you just mentioned and
say
>> well I don't think we're finished going
over them yet Christine
>> that's fine but I want to agree on what
we're doing. Okay, let's get through
this and then we'll agree on what we're
doing. Okay. Um, this will be the third
one.
>> Oh, shoot.
Is the CDPH
plan
EPO,
right? 100% coverage,
higher annual deductible. So, but there
I'm not sure there's a lot of savings to
be had.
But these things, Robert, these things
are these are summaries and these depend
on like you got to really go through the
details of what's of what's covered. It
it's very complicated and and and it
can't be simplified in a chart. And I
think that our best move is to highlight
a few of them and say this is this is
our best assessment based on the summary
that we're looking at.
>> Christina, I think you've made that
point.
I I I think you've already made that
point and and we can entertain that to
send it and highlight the three. I think
I've reiterated that that would be
advisable. If we want to send all all of
the plans to them to look at even though
many of them aren't comparable coverage,
we can do that. But I think we need to
narrow down for our benefit what we want
to get additional information on because
I don't want to get additional
information on you know whatever this is
20 different plans or 15 different
plans. It's too much wasted time. I
don't need to know the details of a plan
that doesn't provide them the
appropriate coverage.
So with that being said, can we uh is do
those three make sense for further
exploration or compare our existing?
>> So you're saying so you're saying the
silvery so the existing is the
highlighted blue which is which you're
saying next to that the renewal plan cuz
the current plan doesn't exist anymore.
The the one that's highlighted in blue.
So we're saying the comparable renewal
plan is the one to the directly to the
right of that.
>> That is the existing plan. Each year you
find that there are changes like the
deductible amount has gone up um as it
often does each year. That is the same
plan.
>> The most comparable plan, but it's not
the same plan.
That is
>> it has the same name silver eight but
it's not it's not the same
>> right.
>> So you're saying you're saying
>> this year's iteration
>> this year's silver eight.
>> Yes.
>> You said this year's bronze six and what
was the third one?
>> Uh the bronze 6 and then the only one
with United Healthcare that looked
somewhat comparable
>> is the EP3Z.
Silver.
>> Uh,
sorry.
>> No. Was the silver choice open access?
>> Yeah.
>> Also highlighted dark flow.
>> It's EP3Z,
>> right?
>> Open access. And and and why that one
versus versus the uh the other United?
>> It's the only one that's comparable that
has the coverage after deduction.
>> It has the 100%
>> after.
>> Got it. Okay. Right,
>> that makes sense.
>> Okay, so we would do um that one, that
one, and then the last one would be the
CDPHP one. Also highlighted blue. I
imagine that's why they highlighted that
dark photos. They wanted to highlight
for us that these look
comparable.
>> So you're So you're So primarily what
you're after is 100% after deductible
because the town covers the deductible.
>> That's right. So we would like to
provide them with that important cover,
take away some of the surprises.
They would know and
>> I I I think that makes sense. I I I
still would present them with the whole
chart because I I think it's important.
>> I think we can do that.
» Okay.
Um, any others that we should ask for
more drill down on?
» No, I don't think so.
>> Okay. So, I'd like to make a motion that
we go ahead and uh ask of our insurance
broker to contrast those four plans to
pass on the uh uh menu that they
initially provided to both uh the union
and the employees to take a look at. And
then once we get the information on the
contract back from our uh health
insurance brokers that we could also
then provide that to both the union and
the employees so they can take a look at
and then we should be prepared on our
January 28th meeting. you know, if we
can to make a decision. Um, we'll
receive that input on which plan, maybe
we could run some
scenarios so that, uh, folks can get a
sense of what the implications are
because I think as Teresa alluded to, we
want to make sure that they're not just
running in place, um, when they get an
increase in their salary. Um and then
the health insurance increase eats most
if not all of that up. Um that said that
um certain employees that have overtime
in 2025 and and uh ongoing
um have benefited from that uh provision
in the tax code that does not tax uh
over time. So, um there is thankfully um
that to help offset
as well.
>> Okay. Um sound like the plan.
>> Yes.
>> Okay.
>> Yep. [cough and clears throat]
>> All right. Let's go on.
>> You made a motion.
>> Well, I I made a motion. Yeah. Let's go
ahead and move to do so.
>> But we're not actually It's not actually
a motion. We're We're not deciding
anything. We're just We're just
>> sort of being clear with the public that
we're doing.
That's all.
>> Sure. Okay.
>> Should we do an all in favor of that?
>> All in favor?
>> I
thank you. Um
got a couple of article seven
resolutions.
Um let's go back to annual reorgarch. So
tonight what I would hope we could
accomplish is to assign
um the le liaison roles [clears throat]
uh for the various board members to
the departments of the committees.
And then the next step is for
uh that liaison to reach out to the
committee chairs and ask them to reach
out to their members to see who's
interested in staying on um in the
committee and then we can publish once
we get those findings we can publish the
vacancies and then people can send their
email of interest to the town clerk's
office and uh typically what happens is
an interested an individual meets then
with the chairperson of that committee
and they discuss what you know what the
committees are like and whether they're
interested and we get a recommendation
from the chair of that uh board or
committee to include them um as a member
>> I'm going to just interrupt for a moment
I'm going to be leaving Thank you
everyone I left two copies of the 284
agreement with Deanna
>> and if you sign tonight then I'll come
into the office tomorrow and get it and
sign it and do what we need to do with
the copies. But thank you very much
>> Teresa.
>> Okay. Um
so town board appointments. This is a
draft dated on the 9th. Um this draft
includes the previous council members um
emergency interim successors. Uh
typically the supervisor, highway
superintendent. [clears throat] Um and
then it was three uh town board members.
Uh Bill as deputy supervisor be
appropriate that you be there. Jacob,
anybody else want to be an emergency
inter room successor?
So, you know, Kenny.
>> Yeah.
>> Okay. So, let's uh put Kenny in that
space if that works.
All right.
Um
All right. The date we have for Cheryl has been reappointed probably
should reflect 2031
on this draft.
>> Yeah. Got it. Okay. Um, animal control,
dog control officer. We had Patricia
who's our dog control officer. Now we
had two in that role. We now have one.
That's a change from previously.
[clears throat]
Um, the supervisor's appointment. So,
there are appointments that only count
clerks make and appointments that only
supervisors make. Um,
the deputy supervisor is Bill Hamill. It
says budget officer and myself, but it's
not really appointment. I don't appoint
myself. I I am the budget officer unless
I appoint somebody else, but that
doesn't stay there. It makes no matter.
Um secretary part-time Kathleen Flood,
town historian, or as I like to tease
her, town hertorian, Emily Major, who um
is also the village of Tivoli Mayor.
>> Um town clerk's appointments. Any
changes there? Deanna. Okay.
um highway superintendent appointments.
I asked the Teresa I know she's left but
um she's uh appointing again for 2026
John Gardner as deputy. Um other town
employees are listed [clears throat]
here. Uh we made uh changes to the strap
just based upon the maintenance and
grounds for crew
contracts and consultants. Um, there's a
new name.
I think it's official. Uh, Professional
Computer Associates will want to make
the change. Uh, Deanna, maybe on this
list at our next meeting. I think it's
in
>> Yeah, I don't know how to spell it.
>> GX or something like that.
>> Yeah, I don't know how to spell it. I'll
have to
>> Did PCA change believe so they bought
it?
>> The name of it. It's a new company name.
Oh, okay.
>> I think had or had or having or had a
replic
um town CPA, custodial services, police
and court attendants, that's all the
same. Um there's a notation from 2014. A
lot of the
protocols are based upon
historic.
Um we have the meetings. We've discussed
that and uh we'll continue to discuss
that monthly and annual reports to the
town board, heads and committee chairs,
minutes report. Um like to get them the
noon before Friday so we can put them in
the packet doesn't always happen. Um
there's annual reports by recognition
and the CAC
town board organizational responsibility
that's the uh chain
If you will
stop me if uh you have any questions
mileage that's the IRS rate town
department head deputy supervisor town
board.
>> So here we go to our alias on roles. Um
>> wasn't Christine on planning board or
was that you Bill?
>> We both were.
>> Okay.
>> So when she dropped off I I took it.
>> I see. Okay. Um,
>> can can we just go in in the order that
it's on the list, please?
>> Um, animal control uh, Bill, uh, you
you've been very kind to do animal
control all these
>> for six years.
>> Is that how long? Six years. Okay.
>> Um, are you willing to stay on doing
that?
>> I would prefer not to.
>> Okay.
>> Yeah.
>> What kind of animals?
>> Just dogs. So, just it's just dogs.
by law they call animal control.
>> Occasionally there's something else in
the report. It's mostly dogs.
>> And and when the contract was with the
SPCA, it truly was all animals.
>> But by law, we only are responsible for
dogs because we licensed them.
>> Okay.
>> Um but the issue was when the SPCA about
two and a half years ago decided they
were no longer going to do animal
control for anybody in Duchess County. A
lot of a lot of towns got uh were left
flatfooted.
We all had to figure out a way to stand
up the dog control situation. So, we
partnered with Reinbeck
to not just have animal control
officers, but they actually have a
kennel at their highway department.
And so, we partnering isn't technically
legally the right way to describe it,
but we because we share the same animal
control officer or dog control. It's a
DC, a dog control officer. And the dog
control officer actually resides in
Rankliffe.
Things have been and it's taken a while
to get up to speed, but we finally have
a
um something in place that seems to be
working. There's still some things to
work out, but um it was a lot of work
getting it stood up and I'm
>> So you do a lot of you do a lot of
coordinating with the
>> the village police, right? Because a lot
of times they get the first call.
>> Yeah. Often often Pat's um staff are the
first ones on the scene and they pick up
the dog and they actually have the key,
the code to get into the kennel. So
sometimes they actually just bring the
dog to the kennel and then notify the
dog control officer who then goes and
right
>> does what needs to be done.
>> So you whoever does this would be
coordinating with that or at least be in
touch with that.
>> So how much time does this take?
>> Well in the past
>> there's a lot sounded like a lot but
>> but now it's it's it's more under
control and the only time that there's a
situation um the dog control officers
getting up to speed I mean these are
people that never did it for a living
before but now they are. And so they're
learning all the rules is we had an
unusual circumstance um that happened
recently in which there was a number of
dogs that all belong to one person
>> that got loose.
>> Um but
we worked it out and and the village PD
did a great job of helping get them
getting them coralled and taken to the
kennel,
>> right?
>> And then we worked on a project to find
a way to get them adopted out. So that
was an anomaly.
Um, you know, the issue that you get
calls on is we're only authorized to pay
a vet a certain amount of money and say
a dog was hit by a car and abandoned,
>> right?
>> You know, we still have an obligation to
pick up the dog and then make a decision
what we're going to do,
>> right?
>> It doesn't happen very often.
>> So, Patricia Wayne is the dog
>> is the dog control officer.
>> So, you're in contact with her?
>> Yeah. She calls me when there's an
unusual circumstance and I can tell you
she has a lot more business south here
in Rinbeck than they than they do have
here. But but you occasionally get a
call um saying you know what do you
think about this?
>> Okay.
>> And then there are some things that have
to go to the supervisor um you know it's
an [snorts] emergency and you know do we
take the dog to the hospital in Kingston
or does it have to be euthanized? I
mean, I had to make that decision once,
>> right?
>> So, um, but that it's infrequent.
>> Um, and I'm I feel I'm setting up
myself.
>> Kenny, you you would be making a phone
call to Pat. Maybe you have his number.
>> Yeah.
[laughter]
>> This may be an easy one.
>> Yeah, I'll I'll take it on.
>> Okay.
>> Thank you, Kenny.
>> But I wanted to be on some other ones.
>> Thank you. I'd end up adopting all of
them, so that's better.
Um,
>> and the like I got to tell you, the only
animals that I I'd like to have are the
ones you eat.
>> Okay.
>> I don't want any.
>> Not at this time. Maybe you want I don't
drive anymore.
>> Anyway,
>> all right.
>> I appreciate that, Kenny, very much.
>> Yeah. Next.
>> And and I listen, I'm more than happy to
help you.
>> Okay.
>> Get acquainted to how this process
works.
>> Okay. Thank you. think you can um uh
assessor um you'll notice that the town
supervisor typically is the less on to a
lot of the positions that are in town
hall for obvious logistical reasons. Um
so was I have assessor attorney um I am
the leaders on the bark college um I
have you know been for many years now um
bookkeeper is a is actually a position
that is
for the town supervisor um building
inspector
um to build
>> I'm I'm happy to keep it or if somebody
else is interested
>> I'm happy to take I mean that's that's
in my wheelhouse So, Bill, I'm happy to
take it on if you if you want.
>> Yeah, it's actually a very um there's no
heavy lifting
uh to be that liaison. You get a the
only the only heavy lifting is the
report is the biggest report every month
that we get. It's like
>> a half an inch thick.
>> Okay.
>> Um but there's really [clears throat] um
not much. So, if you want, it's
important for the public to know and
certainly for our new town board members
as well. There's a wall. There's a wall
between the boards. There's a wall
between the independent offices. That's
the assessor. That's the building
department. There's the planning board.
There's the town clerk's office. There's
the highway superintendent. They're all
independent uh offices. and um they have
a role to play Korean uh fear of
influence of of decision making. That's their their job to do. Um so, you
know, when it comes to building
inspector, when when you're liazing with
it, it's not you're not really
[clears throat]
um influencing anything that building
inspector does. You're getting reports
and seeing if they you know, you'll hear
and you'll hear from the building
department. We actually are now trying
to figure out a bigger space and
reconfiguring the town hall for example.
Those are the kind of liaison things.
They're not related to
>> but if you have questions if you have
questions just send an email
or call and they'll be happy to happy to
do it.
>> So we'll make that change. Building
inspector Christine Duch
uh fire companies. I have been doing the
fire companies. Um I'm happy to do it.
um
would like to do it, continue to do it.
Um it's been a passion of mine. I think
I started out as a citizen
campaigning for the LOSA program in 2007
doing mailings because I felt so
strongly about our fire companies and I'
I'd be happy to continue that work. Um
highway Jacob
>> happy to continue doing it.
>> Okay.
Recycling
uh who could or could not continue with
that. What? Whatever. Anybody have a
strong passion for that? Well,
>> you were there a lot.
>> I'm there twice a week.
>> You want this? You want to change it?
>> Yeah, I can take that. Um, you know, TJ
has traditionally come to me anyway.
>> Yeah, cuz you're there.
>> Cuz I'm there if there are issues, you
know. So,
>> not on an operational basis. That's you
like if they have to close for weather
or whatever, but um
>> on other issues. Yeah. Yeah.
>> Uh, Red Hook Central School District.
No, I've already forgotten who was the
le if it was Julie or Christine.
>> I have a question on that one. And the
village of Red Hook,
>> are those do the liaison need to go to
each meeting?
>> Um, so for these, no, but for the board
and committee ones, yes. But for these,
no. This is who's the person who is
going to help communicate between the
various uh entities in the community. So
um in answer to your question, no, but
there's no point of being the liaison if
you're if you're not engaging on some
level, right? Does that make sense?
>> Yeah.
>> Okay.
>> I mean, if we're splitting this up, I I would prefer to do the village, but
I'll do either. Um,
>> I mean there's like I mean I'm looking
at the list. We're
>> Yeah.
>> Right.
>> Yeah. Um,
anybody else wanted to develop?
>> Oh, right.
>> Yeah.
>> Okay. Uh, sure. Right. [snorts]
>> You want to do both?
>> I mean, I I'll do both.
>> Well, careful what you wish. I mean,
[laughter] the one thing I would say
>> I will do both. I will do both. Yeah.
>> I mean, the only thing I would say,
Christine, I don't I don't want to fight
you for this the the school district.
Um, but I am in monthly meetings with
them.
>> Yeah.
>> I'm happy.
>> Is that something you can do?
>> Um, if you're in monthly meetings with
them, then then you should probably do
it.
>> Okay. I was more looking at Kenny and
saying if like I don't want to I don't
want to cut him out, but I think
>> the village
>> we want to make sure Penny
>> gets lots. [clears throat]
>> Well, I've got three four on the bottom,
>> right? Okay.
>> Yep.
>> So, all right. So, I think we've
established Robert will do school
district. Christina will do village of
Red Hook.
>> Yes.
>> Okay. And you have a business in
village. That's great. Um, agriculture
and open space advisory board.
>> Yeah.
>> Kenny, do you have a background in
agriculture and open space? Okay. Uh,
board of assessment review. Again, that
has been me. Uh, board of ethics. Jacob,
you'll continue with that. You haven't
continued with that. CPF PDR advisory
committee.
>> Okay. Anybody else want that? Okay.
Kenny, thank you.
>> Um,
>> CAC, Jacob, you're doing that. Design
review is from time to time. Bill,
you've been doing
>> I've been doing it. They don't meet I
don't think I've they've had a meeting
since I've been a while. They get
referred.
>> They get an occasional referral.
>> Be nice if they meet, you know, once a
year.
>> I mean, I'll just say when we're going
down this list, the two that I would I
would have the most interested in would
be Design Review and LWRP.
But I'm happy to fill in as needed.
>> Okay. Well, why don't we uh
>> Well, if you want design review, I I
don't have a problem.
>> Okay. Okay.
>> Um but because I'm the liazison for the
planning board, which is the LWRP.
>> True.
>> It it makes sense.
>> That does make sense
>> that I would do that. So, if you want if
you want design review.
>> Okay.
>> Um
>> Right. Okay. So can we make that
interesting for design review
>> disaster preparedness committee?
>> Is that
>> we need to get that up and running
again?
>> Is that in case like an EMP hits and uh
you know we lose we lose power for like
two months.
>> We have issues with
>> anybody read the book one second after.
>> Yeah.
>> So
>> something to think about. Well, we're
talking about we're going to be talking
about battery storage best battery
energy, although it's not been a fun topic over in Nolster
right now and it's, you know, again
very sight specific. Um,
>> right.
>> So, uh,
disaster preparedness, we need to get
that back up and running.
>> I'll think about
>> You'll think about Okay. Yeah. We don't
have to do this right this second. Okay.
>> As leaison.
>> So, yeah, as liaison. Yeah. Um, energy
committee. I want to stick with that.
We're still the only town I know that
has the energy one
when I started.
Um, Greenway and Trails. Who was that?
Julia?
>> So, it was Christine. Okay.
>> Although I think the committee always
emailed me because they thought that I
was the
>> and I'm happy to take it on. Um,
>> okay.
>> You know, I've attended a meeting before
and
>> Okay. You guys work well with that.
>> I I attended a few meetings also.
>> Okay.
>> Um, well, what? Uh, Jacob, can we can we
scissors?
>> Yeah. You guys want to rock, paper,
scissors, Jacob?
>> And Kenny, do you feel really strongly
that you want to do it? You're welcome.
>> About trails, screaming trails. Okay.
Yeah, [laughter]
>> I'm happy to do it as well,
>> but I might I might go to those.
>> Yeah, and I think that's a good point.
We're all welcome to I mean, it's nice
to attend these meetings even if you're
not the leazison just to get to know
what they're working on.
>> I just want to remind you some of you
mentioned good nights and bad nights.
There's a lot of nights on your calendar
that are filling up right now with with
your yes uh indications.
>> Um
housing checkup, you going to stick with
that? Okay, Bill, you've already asked
for LWRP and your rationale for that.
Fine. Planning board bill. Uh,
recreation committee. Yes, I'm here with
the rec director every day. Uh, Red
Church Cemetery Committee, that's sort
of a once in a blue moon, although we
will be hopefully um doing some events.
Uh, it's uh Rev 250, 250th anniversary.
There is no more
um
struggling for words but primitive
church
in our immediate area than the beautiful
red church.
We have civil
>> revolutionary war
>> and we have warrior
>> I think what did they identify 13
>> I think it was 14
>> was it [clears throat]
>> they're still identified
um okay uh
>> who's going to take
>> I'm going to take that cuz I'm going to
have to coordinate events and all that
stuff and the schedules with John and
whatever that's okay I take that all
right
Jacob still speak for the trees.
>> Sure.
>> Okay. And then water and ZBA
bill you are existing here.
>> I know there's one um that's not on this
list that is below I think
>> um for the comp plan revision or the
comp plan uh
>> okay
>> committee and I talked to um Julia who
was the chair of that committee and I've
worked as leazison for the housing
committee for the past few years.
>> Okay.
>> Um and she expressed interest in having
me as leazison for that committee.
>> Okay. Um, so I just wanted to put that
out there. It's something I'd be happy
to do. Um,
>> yeah.
>> Okay.
>> Um, I'm fine with that. Anybody else?
>> Bill, are you okay with that?
>> Yeah, I'm fine.
>> I mean, I was sitting in on those some
of those meetings also.
>> You still can.
>> I will.
Christina. Yeah, I'm I making a a
deliberate point not to participate or
sit in any of those meetings. I don't
want to
>> I don't want to in any way, shape, or
form have any kind of, you know,
influence over how the recommendations
is. The whole point of it is to get the
public's input and to have that plan to
be shaped because if you're an
implementtor, the last thing uh you want
to do is be involved in the developing
of the plan. Um [clears throat]
we often say to people occasionally when
they come here and they say why are you
doing something? We say well because it
was in the adopted plan and so want to
be able to say that that plan is you
know free and
influence of the
[cough and clears throat] implementation
board and represents the public's
desire. Okay,
>> I'm not going to go through them all,
but anybody anybody [snorts] that's 26,
they're still on.
>> Okay. Um,
>> to those members and asking
>> the last thing we could get to, I I
don't want to be here too too late
tonight. We've heard about saying too
late, but can we do the layers on for um
the committees, excuse me, so that you
can then reach out to the chair of those
committees and ask the chair to reach
out to the members, right, as we
discussed and find out
where when vacancies exist. What we'll
do is in my office, we'll put together a
master list and we'll put a notice out
to the public. Here are the for the
vacancies if you're interested in
joining. Send your letter of interest
which can be in the email for Okay. Uh
we did we already figured out
agriculture and open space system review
climate smart. Well, that's a task
force, right? Um, so I don't think we
need that CAC.
>> That's a subset of the CAC because it's
comp conservation design review. Is
there anything we haven't covered here?
No, I think that's it.
Okay.
So that's what we have for annual reorg.
Thank you all very much. Um we have uh
let me do other business
uh which is really correspondent. Um I
mentioned this earlier if you've been
following along the last three or four
years the town and the uh
other municipalities. Uh we're a member
of the supervisors mayors association.
And we've lobbyed Albany uh and our
colleagues in Austin County and other
counties to have home rule uh ability to
lower speed limits in our own
municipality. Somehow in this home rule
state DOT decides the speed limit on
roads, small town roads. Um unless of
course you live within 15 miles of a
municipality with 50,000 time. It's it's
rather convoluted. But uh needless to
say, we were successful uh less than two
years ago in getting the legislature to
allow town road speed limits to go down
to 25. Um and again, I apologize if I'm
repeating myself. Um but back in the
1980s, the folks who sat at this table
said, "Let's raise the town speed limit
to 35." And that's why the townwide
speed limit is 35 miles an hour. Um and
so um we have endeavored to try to lower
the speed limits in certain suburban
subdivision neighborhoods. College Park,
Forest Park. We were successful. We made
some speed changes uh speed limit
reductions with DOT's approval.
Everything is DOT approval. River Road
9G, a portion of that um Buds Corners.
We had the help of our county
legislature in that uh effort to slow
those speeds down there. That's a county
road. Um
so uh we uh positioned ourselves
um to go ahead and do a townwide
engineering study. um they are in the
middle of that and they will um uh send
us a list of classifications once they
get the data collected from the various
roadways. They won't do it during the
winter because of snow for obvious
reasons and then they will make a
presentation to us on a draft
application which goes to DOT. Then
their engineers review it um after we've
seen it and approved it and then they
make it a decision um on that town
lights application all to say to manage
expectations. You should look for us to
have a document summertime. you should
look for us to perhaps submit something
to the state late summer, early fall,
and then the state, which is probably
understaffed as it historically has
been, would then render a decision
sometime in 2027. So, I feel hopeful. I
always do. We have had enormous success
in efforts to reduce where people said
Bui never would. Um and so I maintain
that optimism, but it will take time.
>> And is there a study available for what
happened in Forest Park?
>> Yeah. So I'll send you what what
documentation we have. It's been a a few
years. I think we got approval for that.
A verbal approval. I got written
approval. It literally took 6 months
just to get a piece of paper that says
we aford
>> cuz in the in the inter room I'd be
interested in looking at at what that
looked like what we submitted to lower
in Forest Park and I was there another neighborhood
>> park we did it as a joint application
>> because they were similar you know
there's uh neighborhoods with a lot of
study short roads um so it wasn't it
didn't require the kind of analysis
necar that this will because you've got
connector roads, collector roads, you've
got that that type of
>> Isn't the issue of this something like
AOT? It's the kind of thing AOT
>> we we continue to lobby for each
if you see your state representatives
just ask them please to give us home
rule authority. We know our roads
>> um and we want our roads to be safe but
we also want them to be used. For
example, Forest Park is a is a great
example of a place where kids should be
able to ride their bike on a road. It's
a suburban subdivision, and it's ideal
for that. And so, there's no reason why
anybody needs to go 35 on the tiny
little road. So,
>> we need a four-way stop on uh Wells and
Rockefeller and Bud Corners.
>> You know what I'm talking about?
>> At the Steiner Farm. Yes.
>> Yes. I've been in touch with uh I've
been with in touch with the county for
years on that intersection. They are
going to make improvements, what they
call improvements to that intersection,
I'm told.
>> Right.
>> Um
>> and I will let you know when they're
doing the install.
>> Okay.
>> Yep.
» Okay. Uh last but not least, we have um
uh
we discussed uh in attorney client
session proposed settlements of
oh uh all this to say I never got to the
actual point of the correspondence. We
received correspondence from a gentleman
on uh who lives on Elm Street requesting
that we lower the speed limit. I both
wrote to him and spoke with him at
length on the phone. um is very happy to
hear that we're already on it and um
uh he provided rationale
um in his argument. He in his profession
must know something about these and
consulted apparently with uh New York
State on these types of matters in a
previous life. Um
so all right uh in attorney client
session we discussed proposed
settlements as it relates to assessments
on two properties.
We have those properties
>> 172
>> sorry
>> 172.
>> Thank you J.
>> So we have to approve those.
>> Yeah.
>> Yes we have to approve those. Penny and
I appreciate you uh weren't involved in
the discussions or the whatever.
>> I mean, was this approved by the
assessors also?
>> Yes, this is the Yes, this is in
consultation with the with the assessor.
It is the town board's role to approve
or disapprove of these. So, it's it's a conversation or discussion that
>> Which page is that on?
>> 172.
>> Thank you.
>> Um discussion with
>> of the final final.
>> Yes.
02 um one property initially assess
more than one
>> 172 is a resolution author authorizing
the settlement it's a small difference
between what was the assessment level
560 and um 515
and this is settlement of article 7
proceeding Susan Kirchoff and Helen
uh property. The parcel number is
indicated here. Um it's a settlement
as discussed.
>> So what so so what is separating these
two properties?
What what's the precedent here?
All right, president. Um, folks, you you
should know if you have a property that
you feel is over assessed or unequally
assessed, unfairly assessed, you are
encouraged to first reach out to the
assessor's office. The assessor, as I've
mentioned before, is an independently
appointed office. Um, and the assessor
will uh
take your information and and make uh in
this case her determination whether or
not a change in assessment is warranted
and why it would be. If you don't feel
um [clears throat]
that you are happy with that, you should
come to grievance day. That's in May.
And so that is typically the fourth uh
Tuesday in May. And uh you will then
present your hopefully your rationale
and your comparables
um to the assessment for review board
and then our next meeting we'll be
hopefully reappointing one of them and
entertaining
um you know additional members to the
assessment review board. And if you are
not satisfied what they make a
determination then you can take a legal
action which is called uh somebody
mentioned legal fees here. Um the town
of Red Hook spends funds um on legal
matters and so you can take a legal
matter um
>> and that's what they that's what they
did
>> and that's what they did and the other
ones did. And so, um, often times you
are deciding on, um, you're doing your
best to work with the assessor and with
the attorneys and the comparables to
understand whether or not um, any
adjustment
is appropriate and there's a negotiation
that ensues. And so in this case, we
have resolution number seven.
>> So we've reduced one. So, one is is
being reduced by 45,000 and one is being
reduced by by 200,000. But is there like
is this does this potentially apply to
other properties? Like what like what
was
>> it does not
>> what was the justification?
Um
I'm trying to understand what
>> why we why we assessed them for more
than they than they were ultimately
valued for.
>> Well, Um you asking a rather broad
question um about uh the the assessor
um anytime a property for example
transacts
um anytime a property is enhanced
anytime the uh community values
um uh trend upward um an assessment uh
level uh can change and so they're
various reasons why a property is
assessed for what it is. um a discussion
and uh happens with the attorneys and
with the input of the assessor on the
property and why it should or should not
be adjusted and then in a negotiation
ensues and in this case looking at
comparables
um they felt that this was a fair
settlement right
>> and so that's why we have um in this
case it's a reduction of about 8% and I
think in the other one it's it's perhaps
similar
It's about 10% on the other one. A lot
of
>> Yeah, it's about 10% in the other one.
Um
>> Christina, when it comes to values,
uh there's a it's not black and white.
It's a gray area. I mean, I've dealt
with a lot of appraisals,
you know, with uh conservation
easements, and
there's always a gray area. So, it's uh
you know, and I'm sure they got comps to
look at other homes or, you know, size
of, you know, lots and that's what they
had to do. I mean, they paid money to
they had to pay somebody to do this.
>> Um, and I'll I'll just tell you on the
second one, um, just to give you an
example, Christina, is on the second
one, the settlement level is essentially
what that property was purchased for.
um during the period of time where it's
to be valued.
>> And that's kind of that's that's the
basis of my of my question is is not why
these two folks argued to have their
assessment lowered, but more like why
did we get it wrong? Why why were we 10%
over? Is this is this is this something
that because I mean that's that's
significant. That's a significant amount
of money and
>> [clears throat]
>> It's that gray It's that gray area
speaking. I wouldn't necessarily make
the assumption that it's wrong.
>> Yes. I think that's a a really that's
bad to even suggest that when you are
trying to value a property. This is a
good example of the property. This was
owned by Mary Gadeski for decades and decades. So you have no idea
what for example the condition even
though it's in the property card of the
house like how much work does that the
house need. So you you go and you look
at this large uh property with you know
over a 100 acres of unprotected land and
so you think it's just it's got to be
worth tons of money. But then if you're
if you gets put on the market as you
know because you're involved in real
estate heavily the market is what the
market is. It's not what the assessor
says the value is. The assessment does
its best to look at comparable
situations and place that assessment
level on. often times when either
townwide uh reevaluations for when a
property transacts, you get a better
sense of right a better sense of another
example is a house that I think you were
involved in a project over on Garden
Street there. A nice beautiful
extension, right, for Will and Katie,
right? That property was purchased
like 300 something thousand just five or
six, right? Course
>> big improvement,
right? So how does an assessor you
figure out you go the square foot, you
look at the condition of that
improvement on I I would bet that that
house was not assessed for the $1.4
million that it got when it sold this
year. That little red bird house on
street with that. How many of these do
we get in a year?
» We do get them every year.
>> We do. We get them every year. We get
more than more than one and less than
10.
>> What? Less than 50.
>> Less than 50. That's fair.
>> Yeah.
>> So, um,
>> but anybody anybody can file one
>> for sure.
>> And it's something it's a it's a part of
the process of what we have to do.
>> Yeah. And in this case, it's a really
good, you know, in that second one, that
larger one, it's a good example, the
purchasers reported, you know, being
surprised at how much work the condition
of the house. And I can attest, and I'm
sure you've been involved in in this
business. Um,
>> I feel if Cheryl is okay with this, I
>> make a motion.
>> It's not it's not it's not always the
case that theor,
but you know, you have
>> I would make a motion to accept these.
All right. Well, let's uh Penny, I uh
embrace that. But we have resolution
number seven authorizing
article 7 settlement reducing property
with the 767017
from 56500 to 515,000.
And can we move that resolution?
>> I'll second. [clears throat]
Any further discussion? If not, all in
favor?
>> I I five eyes. Okay. Um this other
property
um which is parcel number ending in
215250
uh currently assessed for 2,185,100
reduced to 1,965,000.
» The names on both of those are the same.
>> Oh, there was a typo. Should have been
corrected. Um,
>> correct. I think
>> my copy is fine. It's correct.
>> That has been that has been corrected.
Thank you, Rich.
>> That was in yesterday's.
>> It's different on on what I'm looking
at.
>> Yeah, it corrected.
>> Yeah, there was a typo there and that typo was corrected. Yep. The
resolution we use as a template.
We use templates, don't we all?
because it makes it easier until we do
something like forget to change the
name.
>> Um okay. Uh
>> I make a motion.
>> I'll second.
>> Okay. This is uh
>> eight.
>> Your your motion is to prove approve a
resolution.
>> Okay. Thank you. I like it. Um further
discussion.
>> If not, all in favor?
>> I I
>> Thank you very much. Thank you folks.
It's almost 11:00.
I want to thank you for sticking with us
again. Um and
once again to wish you a very healthy
and a happy 2026.
There's a lot of stuff going on around
many many uh many places near and far.
Um there are viruses going around. I
hope you get to dodge them. Some of them
have not been pretty. Um, but also that
you get a chance to take a minute to
enjoy where you do live because it's a
very special place.
>> With that being said, good night
everyone.
>> Make a motion.
>> A motion to adjourn the meeting. Second.
>> All in favor? I thank you.