At its annual organizational meeting on Jan. 2, the Ancram Town Board made several key personnel decisions while deferring the appointment of chairs for its Planning and Zoning Boards.
The board retained John Lyons and Elena Defio-Kean as legal counsel, reaffirmed its relationship with the Kneller/Brad Peck Insurance Agency, and confirmed personnel appointments, including David Boice as Deputy Supervisor, Rene Deleeuw as Assessor, Ed Ferratto as Building Inspector, Steve Olyha as Budget Officer, Robert Patterson as Accountant, and Nan Stolzenberg as Planning/Zoning Consultant. All appointees continue in their roles from 2024.
Board member David Boice recommended appointing Steve Olyha as Planning Board chair to replace incumbent Joe Crocco and proposed John Ingram as Zoning Board chair. However, board member Colleen Lutz suggested consulting the Planning and Zoning Boards before making any decisions. The Town Board voted to table both appointments until its Jan. 16 meeting.
The board also addressed the town’s cash reserve policy, which has carried a balance of over $1 million for the past five years. Following recommendations from the Financial Advisory Council, the board resolved to reduce the reserve target to $750,000, down from $1.2 million. This decision, which does not establish a specific timeline for reducing the current balance of approximately $1.5 million, marks a shift in financial strategy under Town Supervisor Jim MacArthur, who took office in 2024.
Planning Board Addresses STR Violation
Following the organizational meeting, the Ancram Planning Board held its first session of the year to address a short-term rental (STR) violation at 96 Long Lake Road.
Property owners Jamie and Hyunjeen Lee applied for a short-term rental permit in October 2024, but Building Inspector Ed Ferratto identified issues with the property in November, resulting in the permit’s denial. Despite this, the property remained listed on Airbnb, prompting the Planning Board to request that the Lees pay $1,500 to the town, to be held in escrow. Escrow is a legal arrangement where funds are set aside to cover potential expenses — in this case, the town’s legal costs to resolve the violation. Since the town’s STR regulations do not specify a fee for violations, the amount was determined to ensure adequate funds for any necessary legal actions.
“The Airbnb listing active in December was an error and an oversight on our part,” Jamie Lee told the Herald in a Jan. 8 email. “Until the [Jan. 2] meeting brought the violation to our attention, we were unaware that the listing allowed fewer than 30 days rentals. We are addressing that issue by delisting the property and paying the required fee.”
Town regulations define STRs as rentals of fewer than 30 days, requiring permits, while rentals of 30 days or more are exempt. Town records show Airbnb reviews for the property between May and August 2024, raising further questions about its prior use.
Lee also acknowledged past noncompliance: “There was a period when we were unaware that a permit was required for such rentals. I acknowledge this oversight and have taken steps to rectify it. We are committed to fully complying with the town’s requirements.”
Neighbors at the meeting raised concerns about noncompliance with STR rules, increased traffic and the high concentration of STRs in the Long Lake area. Planning Board members acknowledged the need for a broader discussion on short term rentals in Ancram, which is scheduled to continue at their February meeting.