The Ancram Town Board met on June 19 to advance several ongoing initiatives, including the pavilion under construction at Blass Field, and to approve a series of personnel and procedural resolutions.
Supervisor Jim MacArthur opened the meeting by thanking Board members Colleen Lutz and Bonnie Hundt for securing $125,000 in funding for the pavilion through Assemblymember Didi Barrett’s office. He also acknowledged Steve Olyha, who has championed the project since it was first proposed by the town’s Strategic Investment Committee in early 2022, and who has been responsible for coordinating contractors.
The foundational concrete slab, laid by Dave Douglass Poured Concrete of Stanfordville, was completed this week. Pavilion materials are scheduled to arrive on July 11, with a construction crew from Lancaster, Pa., set to begin work three days later. The crew expects to raise the structure within 72 hours, with work planned to avoid disrupting summer camp activities.
Town Clerk Monica Cleveland noted she had already received an inquiry about hosting a birthday party at the site. Hundt said she is working with Lutz, Olyha, and a small committee to establish rules around parking, trash collection, maintenance, and scheduling. A posted set of regulations is in development.
Board member Dave Boice raised concerns about alcohol use and town liability. Cleveland said she would reach out to other towns with pavilions for guidance on best practices.
Among the resolutions passed were the renewal of Assessor Rene DeLeuuw’s contract through September 2031; the appointment of Susan O’Sullivan to the Conservation Advisory Council, recommended by Lutz; renewal of the town’s Inter-Municipal Cooperation Agreement with Columbia County for highway services; the creation of a new budget line for postage to reflect a shared postage meter across departments; and authorization for MacArthur to sign a contract with CityScape, a consulting firm that will advise the Planning Board on a proposed cell tower along Route 22.
MacArthur also announced that Columbia County has begun collecting occupancy tax from short-term rentals through Granicus, a monitoring firm. Ancram will receive a share of these revenues, along with county-administered sales tax. Granicus will notify the town of any unregistered short-term rentals it identifies.
Board member Amy Gold updated the board on her inquiry into installing a crosswalk across County Route 7, connecting Blass Field with the Post Office and Little Store parking lot. The county would require an engineering study, but the town will instead explore alternatives within its authority. Cleveland cited a precedent in “Camp in Session” signage. Gold is also beginning research into vendors that could assist in upgrading the town’s website.
Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation has opened applications for a guaranteed income pilot, offering $500 per month for two years to single parents with children aged 6 and under in each Columbia County town. Lutz said she would assist applicants ahead of the July 1 deadline. Recipients will be selected by lottery.
Lutz also expressed appreciation to Hundt and Olyha for their work on the pavilion, and to Boice and his wife, Jen, for preparing the town pool for the season. Boice, who has worked on the pool for over 40 years, confirmed it is on track to open on July 1.
Regarding the 15-year-old solar panels recently removed from the Town Hall roof, Lutz said she would present reuse options next month. She is also reviewing the town’s historical electric bill savings from the system. Boice expressed skepticism about whether the panels had ever recouped their cost, even with substantial state aid provided in 2010. MacArthur noted the importance of safely storing the panels, which are currently on the ground, to protect summer campers using the playground near Town Hall.
The board agreed to hold a special session at 6:30 p.m. on July 17 — just before its regular meeting — to discuss whether the town should opt out of a state tax exemption for a proposed solar farm on 10 acres of farmland owned by Jim Miller. Legal counsel will attend to offer advice and answer questions.
SUNY student and Ancram resident Melvin Mathers provided technical support for the meeting’s Zoom broadcast and audio-video recording. A resident attending remotely praised the improvement in online clarity and asked about patchy surface work on Wiltsie Bridge Road. Highway Superintendent Jim Miller explained that asphalt repairs are underway and that the road will be resurfaced with oil and stone by the end of August.
The next Ancram Town Board meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. on July 17.