News from Town Hall
Greetings!

I have the pleasure of visiting from time to time with Helen Hall, a life-long resident of Hillsdale, whose house is located across the street from Town Hall. During the summer months, she enjoys sitting on her porch greeting friends and neighbors and watching the comings and goings in our busy hamlet. On a recent visit, Helen presented me with a poem about Hillsdale that she found in a review of old files. The poem, entitled HILLSDALE and written anonymously, appears below:

Always more lovely than my thought of it,
the actual field, the mix of grass and clover.
I always forget how sky and mountains fit together
in space and nothing is left over -
How sounds, come single,
also make a whole of areas filled by cricket, frog and bird;
I forget that a place can be so beautiful;
I remember only part of what I heard.

This ode to the beauty and tranquility of our Town is one we can all relate to, especially during this fall season and the fast approaching holidays. We are privileged to call Hillsdale home, and home is where the heart is.

My best wishes for a joyous Thanksgiving!

Sincerely,
Chris Kersten
Town Supervisor
November Town Board Meeting on Zoom
The October Town Board meeting will be held on Zoom on Tuesday November 9 at 7 PM. For the two Public Comment sessions during the meeting the Zoom moderator will ask attendees if they want to be unmuted in order to make a comment or ask a question. Zoom attendees will be muted at all other times.

On the agenda will be approving the 2022 Town Budget and a discussion of whether retail cannabis dispensaries and on-site consumption facilities should be permitted in the town. Over 35 people participated in a public hearing on cannabis in October. The public can comment during either of the two Public Comment sessions.
Town of Hillsdale November Town Board Meeting
Time: Tuesday November 9, 7:00 PM
Dial in: 646 558-8656 Meeting ID: 850 2012 1223
COVID Update
Columbia County's COVID-19 rate remains high. As of Saturday the 30th there were 96 active cases and three people were hospitalized. Two were in ICU. Since the start of the pandemic Columbia County has had 5,433 cases and 104 deaths.
Board Votes to Create a
 Climate Smart Community Task Force
The Town Board at its October meeting voted to establish a Climate Smart Community task force and to appoint Howard Van Lenten as task force coordinator.
 
Climate Smart Community is a NY State program run by the Department of Environmental Conservation. Its goals are to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, adapt to a changing climate and provide support and incentives for municipalities to pursue these goals. 
 
According to Van Lenten, “the task force’s immediate goal is to document the positive climate-related steps the town has already taken – like the electric vehicle charging station at Town Hall -- and actions we might take in the future – like installing solar panels on the Town garage. Aside from the environmental benefits, participating in the Climate Smart program and achieving various levels of certification gives Hillsdale a leg up when applying for grants from the state.”
 
In addition to Van Lenten, initial members of the task force include Tom Carty, Paul Duerenberger, Barbara Pascale, Gretchen Stevens, and Robina Ward.

The Task Force is eager to expand its membership to include a cross section of the community. Anyone interested in volunteering to serve on the Task Force should contact Howard Van Lenten at hvanlenten@gmail.com.
Are You As Smart As an
1889 Eighth Grader?
One horse eats 19-3/7 bushels of oats in 87-3/7 days, how many bushels will 7 horses eat in 60 days? Expand 52, 63, 72 and 84, and indicate the process. Can you answer these questions? Could you have answered them when you were an eighth grader, without a calculator or smart phone? If you were an eighth grade student at Hillsdale School in 1889 apparently you were expected to figure out these and about 60 other challenging questions on an arithmetic exam. Test yourself ! Read the Hillsdale Historians blog.
Volunteers Rake, Wash, Weed and
 More for Seniors
The Hillsdale Safe at Home Committee’s first Senior Chore Services Day, on Saturday, October 16, sent volunteers to the homes of nine Hillsdale seniors to help get the homes ready for winter. Twenty volunteers worked on outdoor home and yard maintenance projects. Lawns were raked, windows washed, screens removed and replaced with storm windows, outdoor furniture was moved, and gardens were weeded. “What was most important to the Committee was being a part of neighbors helping neighbors,” said committee chair Joyce Lapenn. “Some of Hillsdale’s seniors live alone and need a helping hand and Hillsdale’s volunteers responded.”
Consolidated Joins
 Emergency Broadband Benefit Program
Consolidated Communications, a major internet service provider in Hillsdale, is now participating in the FCC's internet cost subsidy program. The Emergency Broadband Benefit, which provides a discount of up to $50 per month toward broadband service for eligible households struggling to afford Internet service during the COVID-19 pandemic, is still available. Eligible households can enroll through a participating broadband provider or directly with the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) using an online or mail-in application. You can learn more about the benefit, including eligibility and enrollment information, by clicking below or by calling 833 511-0311.
Of Note.....
Hillsdale’s payment for the Community Rescue Squad will increase from $107,894 to $128,193 for 2022. The increase is primarily to retain and recruit qualified staff in this challenging employment environment. Hillsdale, Copake and Ancram make annual payments to the Squad based on the number of calls in each of the towns.

The Hillsdale Town Court is seeking a Court Clerk Assistant to print data pages and collect payments during the Court session on the third Wednesday of each month. The job requires approximately six hours a month. Contact BJ Tiso at 518 325-5073, ext 4.

The Roe Jan Library Friends Bookshop will be open on November 6 and 27 from 10 am to 2 pm. The bookshop, which sells a variety of gently used books at low prices, is on the lower level of the Roe Jan Community Library at 9091 Route 22. Book donations are accepted by appointment only. Info is on the Friends page of the Library website and on Instagram @roejanfriendsbookshop.
Farmers Market is Finalist
in Rural Intelligence Reader Poll
Apples at Farmers Market
The Copake Hillsdale Farmers Market is a finalist for “Best Farmers Market” in the "Best Of" poll organized by Rural Intelligence. Voting is allowed daily until November 10.

The market is open on Saturdays, from 9 am to 1 pm, through November 20 so you can stock up on pantry and freezer items for the winter and buy produce for your Thanksgiving dinner.
Voting Information
Election Day is this Tuesday, November 2. Polls in Hillsdale will be open at the Hillsdale Fire Company, 9387 State Route 22, from 6 AM to 9 PM.
Upcoming Meetings

Topic: Hamlet Committee
Time: Sunday November 14, 9:30 AM
Passcode: 383616
Dial in: 646 558-8656 Meeting ID: 828 4776 0653

The next CAC (Conservation Advisory Committee) meeting will be at the Town Hall on Thursday, December 2 at 7 PM.
Follow Hillsdale on our official Facebook and Instagram pages.
Have you seen the Hillsdale Business Directory? From plumbers to galleries, restaurants to inns, businesses have a lot to offer in Hillsdale. 

If you have a business located in Hillsdale you can add or edit your listing online.
Newsletter Editor: Meg Wormley