The Ancram Town Board’s final meeting of 2025, held Dec. 18, again exposed internal divisions, with debate centering on a proposed deputy supervisor appointment and broader questions about consistency in board decision-making.
A draft resolution for 2026 town appointments, which will be voted on at the board’s Jan. 2 organizational meeting, lists outgoing board member Bonnie Hundt as a prospective deputy town supervisor. While the position does not need to be held by a sitting board member and is unpaid, it has traditionally been filled by someone currently serving on the board.
Board member and current Deputy Supervisor Dave Boice objected to the proposal, noting that a similar appointment had drawn criticism in January 2024. “Double standards have been going on for quite some time, and I don’t like it,” Boice said.
During public comment, Rowan Moloney urged the board to consider appointing outgoing Supervisor Jim MacArthur instead, citing his experience and connections. “Taking advantage of his existing connections,” Moloney said, would benefit the town.
Supervisor-elect Colleen Lutz updated the board on efforts to redeploy existing solar panels. She said the town received only one bid, which included options to place panels on the town hall roof—where panels had previously been installed—or on the pavilion roof. Lutz recommended issuing new requests for proposals seeking separate pricing for stand-alone panels, a motion the board approved.
Lutz also reported that she is assessing the cost of replacing the electric vehicle charging station in the town hall parking lot so users would be required to pay. The current station cannot be converted to a pay-to-use system, and replacement costs could reach $16,000, with ongoing operating costs of about $1,200 per month from Central Hudson.
Lutz said she is exploring funding through the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation that could potentially cover both installation and operating costs for five to 10 years.
During public comment, board member-elect Jen Boice asked whether the town had records showing how much the existing charging station costs to operate. Lutz said she would obtain that information. Boice also cautioned that installation and long-term operating costs could become a burden once any state funding expires.
Ancram resident Jim Stickle said he had filed a Freedom of Information Law request seeking records related to construction of the town pavilion and a $125,000 grant awarded through the office of state Assemblymember Didi Barrett. While some documents were provided, Stickle said he did not receive information detailing the grant’s compliance requirements.
Stickle later told the Herald he is concerned that the use of nonunion, out-of-state labor and the payment of expenses without explicit board approvals could jeopardize the grant award.
Steve Olyha, the volunteer who led the pavilion project and who was not present at the meeting, confirmed in a subsequent interview that he contacted five or more potential builders. He said Pennsylvania-based Lancaster County Backyard was highly recommended and submitted the lowest bid.
Olyha said the town hired Craryville-based Shadic Builders as general contractor to oversee the project and provide insurance coverage for the town and workers. In his role as Ancram’s volunteer budget officer, Olyha said all bills and warrants are shared monthly with board members and require board resolutions for payment.
In other business, the board unanimously approved a resolution recognizing Teamsters Union Local 294 as the exclusive collective bargaining representative for full-time highway department employees. The resolution does not apply to the elected highway superintendent or a deputy superintendent and does not alter existing employee contracts.
Board member Amy Gold reported that the town has received two bids to redesign its website and improve online communications. The town hopes to receive a third bid next month before selecting a firm.
The board also discussed a potential partnership with the towns of Copake and Hillsdale to seek New York State Department of Transportation support for a regional rideshare program serving seniors and residents without access to cars in the Roe-Jan area. Town Clerk Monica Cleveland said that while the county Office for the Aging offers transportation services, those trips are largely limited to medical needs rather than shopping or social activities.
Before the board entered executive session to discuss a personnel matter, Hundt reflected on her years of service in Ancram.
“I’ve been on Ancram’s Comprehensive Plan Committee, Ethics Committee, Zoning Board of Appeals, and, for the past eight years, on the board,” she said. “It has enabled me to meet so many wonderful people, and, most important, to strive for community. Going forward with whatever roles I can have in public service, I hope there can be an end to divisiveness. I hope to continue to work for the betterment of Ancram.”
I believe the people of Ancram spoke in November’s election that they didn’t want Hundt on the town board so why would she be considered as a deputy supervisor. The deputy supervisor should be chosen from someone currently sitting on the board who the people of Ancram elected.