Town Board report 1-20-23

TOWN BOARD REPORT 

Tuesday’s meeting included a short presentation by Michael Allen, of Regrowth Planning, who has worked with the board’s Comprehensive Plan Update Review Committee to formulate an initial draft of a revised Comprehensive Plan for the town.

That draft plan will be posted on the Town’s website ; and hard copies of the plan will be available at the Town Hall, the North Chatham Library and the Chatham Library.

Allen said that there will be an opportunity for town residents to provide online comments on the draft plan prior to a public information meeting scheduled for next month. That meeting will include a presentation of information on the plan followed by a Q&A session. It is scheduled for Saturday, February 11 (snow date is Saturday, February 18) at the Tri-Village Fire Company, located at 111 County Route 13, Old Chatham, NY 12136, time to be announced.

Allen noted that he and the committee hope that this meeting will reengage citizens who participated in the survey and focus groups and engender community participation to refine the initial draft to a final product that can go to the Town Board for review. 

Supervisor Collins updated the board on County and town news:

•  He said that Covid-19 numbers are rising in the county; that KN-95 masks and Covid test kits are available at town hall, and that there is a current recommendation that people use masks in public places in Columbia and Greene counties.  

• He reported that the county is holding vaccination clinics on Thursdays from 3 to 5:30 PM through January at the AB Shaw Fire House67 NY Route 23, Claverack. According to the county Department of Health website, vaccines are available for Covid-19, the flu, and Jynneos (Monkeypox) to walk-ins while supplies last. 

Board member Destiny Hallenbeck announced that the board has approved an expansion of the mission of the town’s Broadband Committee to include a study of cell phone service capabilities in the town to identify areas of limited coverage that could interfere with timely and effective emergency services for residents and visitors in the town.