- The meeting came to order at 7 p.m. Supervisor Joel Craig, and Board Members Brittany DuFresne, Andrea Foley, and John Kukon were present. The meeting was well-attended, maybe around 30 attendees.
- The November Town Board meeting minutes were approved
- Motion to pay audited bill approved
- No communications from the Town Clerk
- Dept. Reports
Maintenance – Buildings in order for winter, last full treatment of lake, emergency repair of roof, generators all in, grills and picnic tables put away
Highway – cutting trees and brush
Sewer – 17,000 gallons a day and “everything okay”
Police – 1 funeral detail
History – dendrochronology study results: 12 borings, 1721 earliest beam, 1764 the latest beam
- Old Business – Board Member Brittany DuFresne had questions, need for clarification re. Comprehensive Plan, not big questions she said, and suggested sitting down w/some of the committee members to resolve. Had a questions re. definition of burn barrels, for example, planting trees along the sidewalk, and also designation of scenic byway along 9G in Germantown. Pointed out that this is not N.Y. State designated. Steve Reynolds, Planning Board Chairman pointed out the last Comp. Plan included designated scenic overlays . He also mentioned that in the 70’s Germantown had the opportunity to be included in State designated scenic byway along the 9G corridor and the sentiment was to do so, but this didn’t happen.
7. New Business
8. Supervisor’s Report
Blood Drive @Kellner Activity Building – Dec. 23 8:3 to 12:30
Year End Meeting December 28 @6pm
2018 Reorganization Meeting Tuesday Jan. 9 @6pm and first Board Meeting @7pm (moved to 2nd Tuesday of the month)
9. Invitation to the public to address the Board
Arthur Schiff gave a presentation re. possibility of prepaying 2018 property tax bill so we can deduct from 2017 returns (because of upcoming loss of state and local deductions). Ellen Jouret-Epstein said she had read this was not going to be permitted, so was suggested the Town Bd. Look into it and Joel agreed to post on the Town website what he finds out. In the meantime, Robert Beury (incoming supervisor) said he would be in the town office on the 28th between 9 and 1 helping to put the tax bills in the envelopes prior to mailing on the afternoon of 29th. So, if one is interested in prepaying, they can come in, pick up their bill and head for the Bank of Greene Co. to submit their payment.
The next issue which several addressed is the proposed Commercial Event Law. Two from the Church Ave. neighborhood spoke detailing their concerns with such venues – noise, traffic, garbage, lights, inebriated drivers most likely, and a considerable interruption of a quiet rural residential life, and also questioned whether the buildings to be used were up to code. One of the speakers has lived in G’town for several years, taught at the school, raised her children here, owns 16 acres with farm animals. Another speaker was Ellen Jouret-Epstein who corroborated the concerns of the above speakers.
The two who are hoping to hold such events spoke in favor of the venues. Genette Picicci-Oehlke who has advocated several times before the board for such a law was one of these. Interestingly, they have already designed and distributed flyers describing their respective businesses.
The town engineer spoke thanking the board for the opportunity to be the sidewalk engineer.
Stephen Reynolds, Chairman of the Planning Board, had a question about the escrow account
Janet Crawford thanked Joel Craig and Andrea Foley, both who are stepping down from the board, for their service and presented them with a gift and flowers.
The meeting adjourned at 7:50p.m. and was followed by a small party for Joe and Andrea
(Sally Saul took notes)
Germantown NY Democrats Organization 