October 2024

Next Town Board Meeting

Thursday, November 14, 2024

7:00pm

Access to virtual meetings can be found on the homepage of the Town of Copake website at townofcopake.org

From the Supervisor's Desk

NY Forward Application

Solar Update

Accessory Dwelling Workshop

Help Wanted

Climate Carnival

Roe Jan Historical Society

Grange Events

Copake Hillsdale Farmers Market News

What's Happening at the Library

Memorial Bricks

Columbia County Health Center

From the Supervisor's Desk            

Budget Matters

As I mentioned last month, we are in the midst of budget season. This is the period during which the town board makes its best, informed guesses about the expenses we will incur next year to keep things running smoothly in Copake. We try to anticipate the revenues we are likely to receive in 2025, and to make sure that we have sufficient funds to cover the town’s expenses.

No matter how carefully we plan, unanticipated things happen and adjustments need to be made throughout the year. These typically take the form of “budget transfers,” by which the town board (with advice from our accountant) moves funds from one budget line to another. To maintain budget transparency, the reason for each transfer is presented, discussed, and voted on by the board. This year, for example, an inspection revealed that the interior of the highway department’s sand and salt storage building had deteriorated significantly. Proper storage of the materials that the department uses to keep our roads passable and safe throughout the winter is critically important. So, the building needs to be repaired and repaired promptly. As always, the town maintains sufficient funds to deal with the unexpected. This enables us to absorb this significant expense – almost $235,000 – without throwing our budget out of whack.

On the other hand, sometimes we are pleasantly surprised, and projected revenues actually exceed expectations. Until recently, the COVID pandemic led to new housing construction, and mortgage tax receipts increased; anticipated decreases in consumer spending failed to materialize, and sales tax receipts remained strong. They’ve recently begun to level off to historical levels.

A new law recently signed by Governor Kathy Hochul will soon provide a fresh source of revenue for Copake. Columbia County has been authorized to impose a 4% occupancy tax on short-term rentals (STRs). The county will retain 70% of the tax receipts; towns will receive 30%. Each participating town will receive its share of the receipts based upon the income generated by STR properties in the town. Copake, with approximately 90 active STR units, stands to benefit substantially from this new law. Projections as to potential revenue have not yet been received from the company hired by the county to collect the tax, Granicus. I will report on the projections when we receive them.

One other consideration: to receive the new tax proceeds, we need to join the county’s agreement with Granicus and perhaps replace our current host compliance company with them. By doing so, we may be able to reduce our costs to operate Copake’s STR program, because the participation of other towns in the county contract should reduce costs for all. It is expected that Columbia County will begin imposing the new occupancy tax sometime in the first quarter of 2025.

Richard Wolf

Town Supervisor

Letters of Support Needed for NY Forward Application

With the submission deadline of Oct. 18, Copake’s application for the NY Forward award program is just about ready. You can help by submitting a letter of support. Please see below for more about how your letter will help make our application successful.

On Thursday, October 10, the second of two public engagement workshops was held at Copake Town Hall. Interested members of the community attended the presentation by Margaret Irwin of River Street Planning & Development, where she outlined the twenty projects that will be included in the proposal. Projects include the expansion of existing businesses; housing; construction of new businesses; public infrastructure and green space; preservation and renovation of private and community-based operations, such as the Copake Grange and the apartment building on Church St. recently damaged by fire; trails and recreation; and signage.

Two awards of $4.5 million will be granted by NY State sometime in the beginning of 2025. Grants are awarded to revitalize compact downtown areas, which is why the application is focussed on the Copake hamlet. This is Copake’s third attempt at gaining this important aid toward making our whole community more sustainable.

The most important thing you can do now is to write a letter of support, and the most effective way to do that is to write from your own experience.

What do you love about Copake? Why should Copake get this grant? What are the projects that you are most excited about? Help us convince NY State that it’s Copake’s turn. For more information about the application and the projects, and to submit your letter of support, please go to copakewaterfronts.com. There you will find instructions in how to write and submit your letter.  Please do this by Oct.16. These letters are an extremely important part of our application. Thank you for participating in this effort!

Solar Update

It is said that “no news is good news." There still is no new Shepherd’s Run application from Hecate for a siting permit to construct a 42-megawatt solar factory on more than 200 acres of mostly prime farmland in Craryville.

We continue to wonder if the developer is waiting to learn whether it again will receive an incentive contract from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA). (For its 60-megawatt proposal, the contract was worth $42 million.)

How ironic! From where does NYSERDA, a NYS agency, get its money? Whether it’s from taxes on our electric bills, or from general tax revenues, one way or the other, it seems we end up paying to encourage Hecate to build something that we don’t want!

One more thing: the bog turtle, an endangered and federally threatened species, is known to be present within the town of Copake. We don’t yet know where. If it is in or near the proposed site for Shepherd’s Run, this could seriously complicate the application process – if Hecate does file again.

Richard Wolf Town Supervisor

Accessory Dwelling Workshop

The Hillsdale Housing Committee, in conjunction with the Roe Jan Housing Task Force and the Towns of Copake and Ancram, is presenting an information session for those interested in creating an Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) on their property. The session will take place from 10am to 12pm on Saturday, November 2 at the Roeliff Jansen Community Library, located at 9091 Rte. 22 in Hillsdale, NY.

Columbia County is now offering cash grants of up to $125,000 per homeowner to help cover the cost of building your ADU if you meet the following qualifications:

·       You must own and live in your own home as your primary residence.

·       Your income must be at or below 100% of the County median income, which varies based on family size.

·       You must commit to maintain an affordable rental rate and not use the apartment for short term rentals for ten years.

RUPCO, a well-established non-profit housing provider, will administer the program. In addition, they will assist program participants to find additional financing where needed, as well as with design, budgeting, contractor selection, permitting, rental screening and other tasks.

An Accessory Dwelling Unit is a separate apartment in your home or on your property, which meets the basic building and zoning code requirements of the town. It can include an attached apartment within the home, such as a second floor or basement, or a detached unit, such as a garage or barn. It can help provide extra Income on property you own and live in as well as additional low cost rental housing for the community. It can provide housing for a caregiver or an elderly relative.

 

Applications are due by December 13, 2024.

For applications and further information, you can contact RUPCO at www.rupco.org/plusone/.

Help Wanted

The Town of Copake Highway Department is seeking a Full Time Laborer that must have a valid NYS Driver’s License and will be required to obtain a Class B Commercial Driver’s License.

Applicant will be required to submit to pre-employment & random drug and alcohol tests. Experience in road maintenance and snow plowing a significant advantage. Applications are available for download on the Town Website http://townofcopake.org.

Please call Highway Superintendent Bill Gregory at (518) 325-4222 with any questions. Position will be filled when suitable.

Help Wanted

The Town Board of the Town of Copake will be accepting letters of interest and resumes for the following positions:

Park Commission Members

ZBA Member



Letters/resumes returnable by October 24, 2024 at 4:00pm, and may be sent to: Town Clerk, 230 Mountain View Road, Copake, NY 12516, or emailed to: copaketownclerk@townofcopake.org.

Copake at the Climate Carnival

On September 14, the Conservation Advisory Councils (CAC)/Climate Smart Task Forces (CSC) for Copake and Taghkanic joined together to present a table at the Columbia County Climate Carnival, which was held at the Columbia County Fairgrounds. 

This was the second bi-annual Climate Carnival organized by the county task force, and featured music, a repair cafe, and many other booths from groups dedicated to climate action.

Copake CAC/CSC members Dan Haas, Cara Boyle and Christine Lema-Foley had a great time chatting with visitors about myriad ways we can positively impact our local environment and try to mitigate the impacts of climate change. They were joined by Taghkanic CAC/CSC members Doug Craig, Betsy Albers and Bob Brush. They look forward to more collaborations with Taghkanic’s CAC/CSC.

For more information about Copake’s CAC/CSC, please see

https://townofcopake.org/conservation-advisory-committee/.

Premier of “Hillsdale in the 1930s - A Swinging Town”

A 22-minute documentary of footage filmed in Hillsdale between 1936 and 1938 will premiere on Saturday, November 2 at 6:00pm at Hillsdale Town Hall (registration full), and on Thursday, November 7 at the Roe Jan Brewery at 6 PM. RSVP Requested: swinginghillsdale@gmail.com

Online, starting November 2, the film will also be available on the Roe Jan Historical Society website: roeliffjansenhs.org and the Hillsdale Town website: hillsdaleny.com.

The original film footage of Hillsdale and its environs, shot by an unknown, talented amateur filmmaker, was given to Palmer Vincent, Hillsdale’s Town Historian at the time. Vincent preserved the film and passed it down to his grandchildren, Doug, Ron, and Sue Vincent. They enjoyed it as children and later recognized the film's value as an important visual record of life in Hillsdale during the "Swing Era.” 

The Vincents shared this virtual time capsule with Hillsdale documentarians Julia Brandi and Marilyn Herrington, who, working with skilled editor Elizabeth Wilder Elm, transformed this silent footage into a a documentary set to a foot-tapping soundtrack of swing tunes written and performed by such greats as the Dorsey Brothers, Bing Crosby, and Irving Berlin. 

The film is a trip back in time to life as it was lived nearly 90 years ago. Automobiles and horse-drawn vehicles still coexisted, farms were plentiful, and passenger trains made regular stops at the Hillsdale station. Scores of school buses delivered students to the new Roeliff Jansen Central School, and the frozen Milk Pond off Anthony Street provided a winter’s harvest of ice for all of Hillsdale. Despite America’s Great Depression, the close-knit community of Hillsdale flourished and the town thrived. 

"Hillsdale in the 1930s - A Swinging Town" was produced by Ron Vincent, Julia Brandi, and Marilyn Herrington, edited by Elizabeth Wilder Elm, and funded and supported by The Rheinstrom Hill Community Foundation and the Roeliff Jansen Historical Society. For more details visit: roeliffjansenhs.org.

Grange Events

Saturday, Oct. 19, 7:00-9:00pm. Wickers Creek Band. This fabulous band performs an eclectic mix of traditional American music, primarily in the Bluegrass tradition. The five-person group sings in close, blended harmonies backed up by fiddle, banjo, mandolin, guitar, dobro and bass. Led by Peter Paden, members include Charlene Paden, Andy Bing, Rob Bradley and Vivian Walsh. Tickets at the door - $20 or pay what you can.

Sunday, Oct. 20 & Nov. 24, 4:00-5:30pm. Jammin’ at the Grange. Come on down to the Grange with your instruments and have a great time jamming with your musician friends and neighbors. Free.

Friday, Nov. 1, 7:00-9:00pm. Open Mic Night. All are welcome to perform - music, stories, skits, readings, poetry, dance, songs, and more. Bring your instruments; we have a piano. Or you can just come to relax and be entertained. This is a great venue for both beginning and veteran performers. Free.

Sunday, Nov. 3, 3:30pm. Movie & Soup Night. “Places in the Heart” Our Classic Film Series resumes. This film, directed by Robert Benton, features an all-star cast including Sally Field, John Malkovich, Danny Glover, Ed Harris, Amy Madigan, and Lindsay Crouse. The film follows the newly widowed Edna, played by Sally field, as she tries to keep her family farm from going under during the Great Depression in Texas. The film won Academy Awards for Best Actress for Field and Best Original Screenplay for Benton along with five other nominations. Film tickets - by donation. Soup, salad and dessert supper afterward - $10. Great films, great food and great company! It’s always an interesting evening.

Friday, Nov. 8, 15 & Saturday, Nov. 9,16, 7:30pm, Sunday, Nov. 10,17, 3pm. “Nunsense.” Presented by The Two of Us Productions, “Nunsense” is the hilarious musical comedy by Dan Goggin that is the second-longest-running Off-Broadway show in history. It involves nuns, Hoboken, New Jersey, the south of France, and death from tainted vichyssoise. Tickets $20 for adults, $15 for students and seniors. For more information and tickets, go to www.TheTwoOfUsProductions.org or call 518-329-6293.

Saturday, Dec. 7, 3:00-5:00pm. Open House. Join us in the spirit of the holidays for refreshments, crafts for kids and adults, music and good cheer!

Saturdays, 11am - 1:45pm. African Drum and Dance Classes with Assane Badji Sylla. Traditional African drumming and dances from a variety of regions. A high energy workout in a safe, fun environment. See poster below for more details. Held most Saturdays - text 518-965-2447 to confirm.

For more information about the Grange and events or to join, go to copakegrange.org. The Copake Grange is located at 628 Empire Rd., Copake, NY 12516. Parking for Grange events is limited - please park at the Municipal Lot on Church St. if the Grange parking area is full.

Copake Hillsdale Farmers Market News

For the second year, CHFM is donating $30 food vouchers to SNAP recipients via the Roe Jan Food Pantry. The vouchers may be used until November 1, and can be applied to any SNAP-eligible products, such as produce, honey, meat, cheese, maple syrup, bread and frozen soups.

Our Lady of Hope has also received 6 vouchers, each for $25, to be distributed to those in need. This year, the funds are sourced from a portion of a 2024 grant from Berkshire Taconic Foundation Fund for Columbia County, for which we are grateful. 

As food insecurity is a real issue in Columbia County, we put together this listing of various food assistance programs available in our area: https://www.copakehillsdalefarmersmarket.com/community-food-programs/

Also, here is a link to a tutorial on how to use a SNAP card: https://youtu.be/pXCBJ7vNdrc?si=LJRqvxAmG0RA4rv.

The "Farm Market Kids" program sponsored by the Roeliff Jansen Community Library has come to its end for the season. We are grateful to the library and in particular, Youth Coordinator Tia Maggio for her inventive ways of teaching children about farms, food and nature.

Our Community Guests share information about local resources and programs. In the coming month, we will welcome Connecticut cookbook author Terry Walters with a book signing for Nourish, her latest publication.

With the 20-year anniversary of the market coming up in 2025, we are looking for a few volunteers to help us plan a season-long celebration. We are not looking for a significant time commitment, just a few people who share our excitement about this milestone. Interested people, or folks with recollections they'd like to share about the market, can email to copakehillsdalefarmersmarket@gmail.com.

What’s Happening at the Library?

Now through October 31, 2024

On Display at Roe Jan Library: Lynne Perrella. The Library is proud to present Threads of History: Suffragette Portraits and Quilts in Mixed Media, an art exhibit by internationally recognized collage artist Lynne Perrella.

Lynne Perrella, a resident of Ancram, New York, is an acclaimed artist and author with five books on collage to her name. Her work, which has been featured in numerous publications and included in the comprehensive collection “Collage Masters” published by Lark, is known for its rich textures and profound storytelling. Perrella also presents workshops across the United States and abroad, sharing her expertise and passion for collage and mixed media art.

The Threads of History exhibit features 15 new works that delve into the legacies and contributions of women involved in the historic “Votes For Women” movement. While the exhibit includes portraits of notable leaders, it also highlights the stories of lesser-known activists from diverse backgrounds. These pieces, often presented as mixed media paper “quilts,” incorporate textiles, stitching, and tactile elements, evoking the tradition of quilting as a form of “women’s work” and its historical significance in movements like the Underground Railroad.

Hatsgiving: October 1 - October 31. The end of the year is traditionally a time of giving—of giving thanks and of giving to others. And this year, the Roe Jan Library will be participating in Hatsgiving as part of our annual October Great Give Back, a day for patrons of libraries throughout New York State to give back to their communities.

What is Hatsgiving? Hatsgiving is a project to collect new, soft hats (store-bought or handmade) sizes newborn to adult for pediatric cancer treatments centers around the country. Started in 2013 by eight-year-old Jeremy Wernick, who realized how important hats were after shaving his head to raise money and awareness about childhood cancer. In that first year Hatsgiving collected 226 hats, which were distributed to children undergoing cancer treatment at the Children's Hospital at Albany Medical Center.

In 2023, 7,973 hats were collected and delivered to over 92 treatment centers. Hatsgiving collects new winter hats, either handmade or store bought, so everyone can participate. We encourage knitters and crocheters to put their creativity to work for a good cause. And if you don’t know what a skein of yarn is, you can still contribute a new store-bought hat or pick one from Hatsgiving’s Amazon Wish List.

Wednesday, October 16, 1:00 p.m.

Adventure Wednesdays. Introducing "Adventure Wednesdays" for homeschool groups and daytime learners! Once a month, we will meet at a local destination for an educational and fun adventure. For our October adventure, we will meet at the Martin Van Buren National Historic Site in Kinderhook for a fun tour! Check back in for future monthly adventures or email Tia at youth@roejanlibrary.org

Thursday, October 17, 1:00 pm.

Book Marks! Book Club. Join our nonfiction book club, Book Marks!, led by Circulation Librarian Robin Gottlieb. Meets the 3rd Thursday of every month. For our October meeting we are reading Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner. Copies are available through the Mid-Hudson Library System and Libby. Email circulation@roejanlibrary.org for more information.

Saturday, October 19, 9:00 - 11:00 a.m.

Riverkeeper Sweep. Join the Roeliff Jansen Park Steering Committee for the second Riverkeeper Sweep of the year on October 19th from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. at Roeliff Jansen Park. This event, part of the statewide Great Giveback Day in partnership with the Roeliff Jansen Community Library, is a wonderful opportunity to help preserve and restore our local environment.

Volunteers will focus on removing invasive species, restoring riparian areas, and cleaning up roadside litter around the Roeliff Jansen Kill. This event is supported by the Hillsdale Climate Smart Committee, Conservation Advisory Council, Riverkeeper, Hudson River Watershed Alliance, American Rivers, and the New York State Department of Transportation.

We are seeking volunteers to help make a positive impact in our community. To participate, please register by emailing Liaison Councilperson Carano Nordenström at: carano.nordenstrom@hillsdaleny.com.

Saturday, October 19, 2:00 p.m.

Cookbook Club. Join our Cookbook Club led by Outreach Library Associate Fran Colombo. Meets the 3rd Saturday of the month. Members choose a recipe and bring the cooked/baked dish to the next meeting, where the group will discuss the book and share in a community meal. For the month of October, we will be cooking recipes from the timeless classic Moosewood Cookbook by Mollie Katzen. Participants can also cook from last month’s selection The Joy of Cooking. All are welcome to join! The more, the merrier! For more information, contact Fran at outreach@roejanlibrary.org.

Thursday, October 24, 2:30 p.m.

Tea Time at the Library. Plan to visit the library on the fourth Thursday of each month at 2:30 p.m. to discuss fun and informative topics. Each month’s gathering will have a different theme; listen, discuss, and enjoy a cup of tea (or coffee if that’s your preference!), and sometimes a fun activity. There will also be plenty of time to chat, get to know your neighbors, and wind down. For our September meeting, we will be joined by local writer Emily Rubin. Come join in and enjoy a cup of Harney's Tea (or coffee) and some fresh baked goods on the house.

Saturday, October 26, 11:00 - 1:00 p.m.

Pumpkin Painting. Get ready for a fun-filled day of pumpkin painting at the library this October! We’re excited to bring you a unique and creative experience that the whole family can enjoy. With a variety of pumpkins to choose from and all the supplies you need, you can let your imagination run wild and create a one-of-a-kind masterpiece. But that’s not all – we’ll also be serving hot cider and apple cider donuts!

Registration is required since pumpkin supply is limited. Email Tia at youth@roejanlibrary.org to reserve your pumpkin.

Monday, October 28, 6:30 p.m. on Zoom

Zoom Around the World Book Club. Join our new online book club, sponsored by the Columbia County Libraries Association!

This club will meet via Zoom on the fourth Monday of each month to read and discuss books by international authors. The second book up for discussion is Malaysian writer Tan Twan Eng’s The Garden of Evening Mist. To join, email columbiacountylibraries@gmail.com

Saturday, November 2, 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Hillsdale Housing Committee Information Session on ADUs. The Hillsdale Housing Committee will be providing information on the PlusOne ADU program for those interested in earning some extra rental income for an unused structure on their property or want to create a separate apartment in their home for family or caregivers.



Columbia County is offering cash grants of up to $125,000 per homeowner to help cover the cost of building an ADU (Accessory Dwelling Unit) if:

●      You own your own home and live it in as your primary residence

●      Your income is below the county median income (currently $106,400 for a family of 4, with higher and lower levels for larger and smaller families)

●      You meet local zoning and building code requirements

●      You keep the ADU rent at an affordable level for 10 years

Sunday, November 10, 1:00 p.m.

Back to Nature: The Indoor Garden - A Discussion of Houseplants. Gardening does not have to stop in the winter! Join Master Gardner Linda Levitt to learn how to care for your indoor garden.

Indoor plants rely on us to meet all of their needs – adequate light, suitable temperatures and correct humidity levels. The winter months may take us inside but there is no reason why we cannot enjoy plants all year round. This presentation will focus on how to choose the right indoor plants for the right space, taking care of those plants and just enjoying plants and flowers indoors. We will also discuss flowering plants that can be enjoyed during the holiday season.

Linda is not a stranger to this area. Many family members owned property here in Copake and Craryville as far back as the 1930s. She spent many days here visiting her grandparents and extended family. She always loved gardening and in 2014 became a Master Gardner Volunteer with CCE Columbia-Greene. She has also earned an advanced certification in horticulture and landscape design from Berkshire Community College in conjunction with the Berkshire Botanical Garden in Stockbridge, MA. She is a member of the Germantown Garden Club. She has designed containers and gardens for clients here in the Hudson Valley.

Wednesdays, 1:00 - 4:00 p.m.

Digital Navigator Office Hours. So many things happen online! If you can’t connect to the internet easily, it can be hard to find a job, housing, pay your bills, schedule appointments, and more. Digital Navigators of the Hudson Valley can help you get online at the library or help you use your personal device to get things done. Digital navigators are trusted guides that can help you with your tech questions for free.

Our communications manager, Kate, is a newly trained Digital Navigator of the Hudson Valley! Kate holds open office hours on Wednesdays from 1:00 - 4:00 p.m. for general tech help and digital guidance. Walk-ins are welcome, appointments are appreciated. Email communications@roejanlibrary.org or call the Library at 518-325-4101 to reserve a time with Kate.