Credit: Patrick Grego
At the Ancram Town Board meeting on Aug. 15, members unanimously passed four resolutions after hearing reports from the supervisor, highway superintendent, clerk/tax collector and clerk of court. The resolutions included:
- Approving an audit of the court records and dockets, year-to-date;
- Encouraging the court to apply for state funding through a Justice Court Assistance Program grant for supplies, including a new laptop, printer, and shredder;
- Appointing Joe Giovannelli as a new member of the Ancram Affordable Housing Committee; and
- Appointing Sarah MacArthur as deputy planning board and zoning board clerk, as recommended by the chairs of those boards and the Town Board liaison, Colleen Lutz.
More than 25 members of the public attended the meeting, raising questions and comments about noise issues — expected to be addressed by an updated ordinance — and the intersection of Routes 7 and 82, where an engineering report approved by the town in June is anticipated by late October.
Citizen Jim Stickle introduced John Parsons, director of operations for the Hudson-based nonprofit Galvan Housing Resources, who offered the firm’s help in addressing affordable housing issues.
The Town Board preceded its August meeting with an hour designated as a workshop, open to the public, to discuss upcoming issues. During the workshop, board members worked through the schedule for the building department, planning board, zoning board, highway department and general town fees; an updated noise ordinance; and a new town email policy. Each of these topics is expected to be on the agenda for board action at the next meeting, on Sept. 19, when there will also be another pre-meeting workshop.
Both the board and several members of the public expressed satisfaction with the new workshop plus regular meeting format, noting it added transparency to the board’s deliberations.