Board Members Present: Supervisor David Helsley, Deputy Supervisor Austin Sullivan, Councilmember Kaare Christian (via Zoom), Councilmember John Kukon, Councilmember Sarah Suarez
Staff Present: Town Attorney Corinne Smith, Town Clerk Joyce Vale
Others Present: Adam Hurwitz, Planning Board appointee; Tom Shannon, Town Historian (via Zoom), Eric Garland, County Traffic Safety Representative; Community members
Local Law No. 1 of 2026: Change of Grievance Day
Following a public hearing at which no public comments were offered, the Board unanimously adopted Local Law No. 1 of 2026, changing Germantown’s Board of Assessment Review Grievance Day to the first Thursday in June.
Background: The change is authorized under New York State Real Property Tax Law, which allows a town board to adjust the standard Grievance Day when the town’s assessor serves multiple municipalities — as is the case in Germantown. The new date will remain in effect until the board passes another local law to revise or revoke it.
Zoning and Subdivision Law Update
The long-running effort to update Germantown’s zoning and subdivision codes continues to move forward. The town’s Code Enforcement Officer (CEO) recently completed a detailed review, and Supervisor Helsley confirmed that his consolidated comments — including input from the CEO and the Board’s own review — have been sent back to town planning consultant Matthew Rogers of LaBella Associates. An updated draft will be circulated to the town’s Planning Board, Zoning Board of Appeals, and ultimately Columbia County, before returning to the Town Board for a public hearing and formal adoption.
New development: Councilmember Kaare Christian noted a letter received from a community member concerning the regulation of artist studios. Under current zoning, artists who hold open studios or make sales may technically be in violation of home occupation code provisions. The Board agreed this is a legitimate issue to address in the current revision cycle.
Background: Germantown’s Zoning and Subdivision Laws are being revised to align with the town’s 2021 Comprehensive Plan. The revision process, underway for more than two years, has been guided by a committee that included representatives from the Planning Board, Zoning Board of Appeals, and community members. Key changes in the draft include provisions for expanded housing types, rules on commercial signage, regulations for short-term rentals, and protections for historic character.
Theodore Robinson Community Forest
The filing of the revised survey map with the Columbia County Clerk completed the legal requirements to establish the Theodore Robinson Community Forest.
Councilmember Christian noted that significant work remains to be completed by the town: trails must be built, signage installed, and — importantly — the paperwork completed to recover the remaining portion of the state grant.
The official public opening of the forest is scheduled for Sunday, April 26, 2026, with activities running from 10:30 AM to early afternoon and a ribbon cutting at 11 AM.
Background: With a grant from the New York State DEC Community Forest Conservation Grant Program, Germantown purchased a 23-acre parcel located north of the historic parsonage from Bard College. The town plans to build a trail network through the property and connect it to Palatine Park.
Salt Shed Solar Array: Installation Complete, Connection Pending
Hudson Solar has completed the installation of the solar array on the town’s salt shed. The final step — connecting the system to the power grid — requires digging a trench, which the town’s Department of Public Works (DPW) is expected to complete now that the ground has thawed. Supervisor Helsley expressed optimism that the system will be fully operational and online in time for the April board meeting.
Cable Franchise Agreement: Archtop Meeting and Public Hearing Set
Supervisor Helsley and Town Attorney Smith met with representatives from Archtop (formerly Hilltop Communications), the cable television provider serving Germantown. Archtop proposed a short-term franchise extension through the end of 2026, which would allow time to negotiate a longer-term agreement. The town also received overdue franchise fee payments covering both 2024 and 2025 — a matter the Archtop representative acknowledged with apologies, attributing the lapse to administrative disruptions following the company’s recent acquisitions.
A public hearing on the proposed franchise extension has been scheduled for April 14, 2026 at 7:00 PM.
Background: Germantown’s cable franchise agreement with Hilltop Communications (now Archtop) dates to 1995 and had a ten-year initial term. The agreement has been extended periodically since then. Archtop is now part of a larger regional telecom company, and the upcoming negotiation will be the first opportunity in many years to update the terms of the franchise agreement to reflect changes in technology, service offerings, and industry standards.
Hamlet Traffic Safety
The Board voted to appoint Eric Garland as Germantown’s representative to the Columbia County Traffic Safety Board. The appointment formalizes the town’s participation in county-level efforts to address traffic safety issues, including those related to the hamlet area.
Kellner Community Activities Building: Rental Procedures Update
Councilmember Suarez reported ongoing challenges with the heating systems in the Kellner Community Activities Building, particularly the large main hall. Renters have been overriding or inadvertently turning off the thermostat, causing the building to lose heat between uses. Councilmember Suarez will draft a rental operations guide to be distributed to renters and shared with the town clerk.
Independence Day Celebration: Sunday, July 5, 2026
Supervisor Helsley announced that planning is underway for Germantown’s Independence Day celebration. Santore’s World Famous Fireworks has been booked for the evening of Sunday, July 5th, and the band Guilty Pleasure has been engaged to perform. Additional details on scheduling and programming will be announced.
Ice House Landing: Hudson River Greenway Water Trail Site Designation
The board passed a series of resolutions to formally request that Ice House Landing be designated a Hudson River Greenway Water Trail Site.
Background: The Hudson River Greenway Water Trail runs the length of the Hudson River, from the Adirondacks to Battery Park in New York City, with designated access points, day-use sites, and campsites. Water Trail Site designation would make Ice House Landing an official stop on this statewide recreational resource and, importantly, would open new grant funding opportunities for the town through the Hudson River Greenway program.
New Business
Palatine Park Invasive Species Pull – April 17, 2026
The Board approved the annual invasive species removal event at Palatine Park, to be held on Friday, April 17, 2026. The event is coordinated by community volunteer Molly Marquand.
Board Appointments
Adam Hurwitz was appointed to the Planning Board to serve a seven-year term concluding December 31, 2033.
Craig Dorian was appointed to the Board of Assessment Review (BAR) for a five-year term concluding December 31, 2030. The board noted that one BAR seat remains open and will advertise to fill it.
Big Towel Sauna Agreement Renewed
The Board renewed the agreement with Big Towel for the Fall 2026–Spring 2027 season at Palatine Park. The board expressed enthusiasm for the program and noted its success in activating the park during the off-season. Before finalizing the updated agreement, Supervisor Helsley plans to review utility usage data to ensure the base amount in the contract accurately reflects actual costs. Big Towel’s last day of the current season will be May 17, 2026.
Parsonage Archaeology: Hartgen Assessment Authorized
The Board authorized Supervisor Helsley to execute a contract with Hartgen Archaeological Associates to assess the archaeological artifacts collected from the Parsonage site, currently held at Bard College. The assessment will cost $4,800 — which will be fully covered by a donation from the Friends of Historic Germantown, at no cost to taxpayers.
Town Historian Tom Shannon explained that the assessment will determine the size and composition of the collection, recommend which artifacts may be returned to the earth after cataloging, and provide a blueprint for long-term care of the remaining items. The first practical question is whether Bard will allow Hartgen to conduct the assessment on-site; if not, the artifacts would need to be returned to Germantown, with the town records room identified as a potential temporary storage location.
New Town Court Clerk Appointed
The Board appointed Cassandra Owen as Town Court Clerk, effective March 11, 2026, at an hourly rate of $25.
Other Items
AIS Watercraft Steward at Lasher Park Boat Launch: The town received notification that an Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) Watercraft Steward will again be stationed at the Ernest R. Lasher Memorial Park boat launch during the 2026 boating season, under a multi-year agreement the town signed previously.
Municipal Website ADA Compliance: Supervisor Helsley alerted the board that New York State will require all municipal websites to be ADA compliant by April 2027. Board members noted that this is likely achievable with a web accessibility widget and that the town’s web hosting service is probably already aware of the requirement. The topic will be revisited in future meetings.
Next Meeting
The next regular Town Board meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, April 14, 2026 at 7:00 PM. A public hearing on the Archtop franchise extension will be held at that meeting.
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