Gallatin Board Appoints Jack Gomm to Vacant Seat

The Gallatin Town Board on Tuesday, April 21 appointed Jack Gomm to fill a vacant board seat, approved emergency court clerk coverage and continued its review of proposed revisions to the town’s zoning ordinance.

Gomm, who is unregistered with any political party, stepped down as Gallatin’s highway superintendent in December 2025 after 15 years and has long been a member of the Milan Volunteer Fire Department.

“There is great satisfaction in fixing something,” Gomm said. “As Superintendent I often told the town board what I thought they needed to know, not what they wanted to hear. That’s what I bring to the table.”

The seat has been vacant since Tara Silberberg was appointed town supervisor on March 24 after former Town Supervisor John Reilly stepped down. Gomm will face reelection in November for a two-year term. The board discussed the appointment in executive session before the public meeting.

“The board selected Jack based on his deep knowledge of the community,” Silberberg wrote in an email to the Herald. “We’re pleased he was willing to step in and serve, and expect he will bring a practical, service-oriented perspective.”

The board also approved a request from Town Justice Eric Mortenson to budget for emergency court clerk coverage, setting aside up to 12 hours a year at $20 an hour for an on-call clerk to assist with arraignments or other urgent matters.

Mortenson said the request followed a recent arraignment in which Gallatin’s court clerks were unavailable and Jesica Myers, a court clerk from the Town of Ancram, was called in to help. Emergency arraignments are not common in Gallatin, he said, but the town should have coverage in place for future judges. He said the funding would not be used for regular office work.

For Myers’ work in that case, the board agreed to pay her at her Ancram rate of $23 an hour, for a total of $39.83.

Madelin Dafoe is currently Gallatin’s only court clerk following Shaye Witkus’ recent resignation and is now serving both town judges, Mortenson and Gold. The board tabled a decision on Dafoe’s final salary pending clarification of her hours. Dafoe also serves as town clerk for Pine Plains.

Board member Jeff Jorve discussed a draft schedule of uses listing which residential and commercial activities would be permitted and which would require a special permit as part of the town’s ongoing zoning revisions. The project also includes updated overlay maps prepared by Hudsonia Ltd., which are nearing completion, according to Jorve.

The proposed zoning law would allow residents to build on their property based on lot size without requiring specifications on buildable area. Under the current zoning ordinance, Jorve said, steep slopes or wetlands can disqualify a subdivision even on a large parcel.

Jorve said he plans to present about 14 key differences between the old and new zoning documents at the board’s next meeting, scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 19.

Highway Superintendent Todd Coons received board approval to pay A. Colarusso & Sons $15,000 to pave the remainder of Mill Hill Road. The town previously repaved the section leading to the county-owned Mill Hill Road bridge, which is nearing the end of reconstruction. Silberberg said she would ask whether the county could cover part of the cost.

Assessor Rene DeLeeuw told the board about two pieces of state legislation concerning property tax exemptions that were discussed at a recent assessors meeting. One would increase the exemption amount for disabled veterans, and the other would raise the maximum income allowed for the senior citizen low-income exemption from $42,000 to $52,800. The county is conducting an impact study, and if the legislation passes, it would not take effect until 2027, he said.

Carol Smillie updated the board on work by the Conservation Advisory Committee, including the possibility of opening repair cafés, events where community members volunteer skills such as furniture repair, vehicle repair and sewing. Smillie said the town might consider partnering with neighboring communities such as Ancram or the Taconic area given Gallatin’s small size.

Smillie also told the board that the committee is seeking new members and continuing work on the town’s natural resource inventory. She said she is collaborating with the town historian on a chapter about land use.