Should the village install a publicly funded public bathroom so people don’t have to use bathrooms in village businesses? The Chamber of Commerce thinks so. Last month the village board talked about installing a porta-potty in the municipal lot on South Partition Street, but business owners would like to see it go one step better.
“If we want to be tourist friendly then we should have a permanent facility as well,” said Jeannine Mayer, village trustee and liaison to the Chamber, which represents Saugerties area business interests. She said Saugerties could have a facility like Woodstock’s on Rock City Road.
Mayor William Murphy said such an idea would have to wait.
“We just don’t have the money in the budget for this year,” said Murphy. “While the porta-potty solution would cost $100 a month and be cleaned once a week.”
Trustees agreed to authorize the mayor to look into getting a porta-potty in the village ASAP. The location will be in the municipal lot behind Mirabella’s but not too far back.
Trustee Donald Hackett said the village had one for a number of years in the rear of the lot (until vandals tipped it over) and that location was “too far out of the way.”
The porta-potty would be set up through Labor Day. In the meantime, trustees will try to figure out where to site and how to pay for a permanent restroom next year.
“Our problem,” said trustee Brian Martin, “is finding a place to put it.”
Join the family! 
