Revved up
Sawyer Motors once again host to an excellent event! My husband, son, and I enjoyed the day listening to excellent music, having fresh squeezed lemonade from the ladies in front of Main Street Restaurant, and my son’s favorite of picking out all of his future cars he anticipates by age 16! Congrats to Artie Falk Sr. on his win of the Sawyer Motor car raffe! It’s always wonderful to see everyone in the community come together and enjoy a well deserved day of rest and relaxation.
Angie Minew
Saugerties
Town government needs fiscal transparency
It’s been said that integrity is doing the right thing when no one is watching. I believe this applies to government and is why improving the transparency of town operations is a main priority of my campaign for the Saugerties Town Board. This past year, I worked with the town webmaster to add more information about town finances to our website.
In recent years, Safety Net and election expenses were removed from the town budget without explanation. When the bills came due, town finances were negatively impacted. The Glasco Mini Park went $163,000 over budget — again without explanation. Money had to be transferred from the Recreation Trust Fund to cover the overage — money that could be used for the new Small World Playground. The current budget had large spending increases and unannounced pay raises for several department heads and elected officials. This is unacceptable.
Once elected, I will work my colleagues to adopt the following policies to promote open government in Saugerties (all available to the public and posted on town website):
Require annual tentative budget submissions to include an Executive Summary and summaries from each department head. Factors impacting the budget, including pay raises, should be mentioned in the summary.
Require budget submissions to include fund balance updates, capital plans and a listing of debt obligations of the town.
Require all meeting minutes of Town Committees, Advisory Boards, etc. be posted on the town website.
I know many Saugerties residents who work two jobs and who are busy with family obligations. We must adapt to changing times and be sure taxpayers have the necessary tools to monitor town operations, whether they can attend meetings in-person or not.
Joe Roberti Jr.
Saugerties
Secret Gardens Tour success
On Saturday, July 11, well over 300 people visited the gardens on the 11th annual Secret Gardens Tour in Saugerties, which benefitted the Boys and Girls Club and the Ulster Country SPCA.
Our sincere thanks to all those involved with the tour. Without question, the biggest and most appreciative thank you goes to the gardeners — Anne and Richard Doring, Ann Krupp, Joe and Amanda Moseley at The Villa at Saugerties, Marilyn and Bill Bucher, Harriet and Paul Tomasko and Greg and Thomasine Helsmoortel, who worked many, many long hours in their gardens to make them as perfect as possible for the day of the tour.
Our thanks and gratitude to the many businesses and individuals who helped by sponsoring the tour – The Board of the Ulster County SPCA, Lazy Swan Golf Course, Methods Tooling and Manufacturing, The Naccarato Insurance Agency, Saugerties Animal Hospital, Sawyer Motors, Sinnott Associates, Betsy and Doug Wilson, Aqua Jet Pools and Spas, Augustine Nursery, Boice’s Farm and Garden Stand, Connie and Michael Catalinotto, The Center of Health, Lynn S. Formica CPA, Stewart and Myra Fox, Helsmoortel Insurance and Realty, Dr. Debra A. Koehn, Leighton’s Water Treatment and Hudson Valley Spring Water Co., Mary Groff Olsen, Red Cedar Farm, Renwick Clifton House B&B, Rip Van Winkle Country Club, RMM and DWM, Leeanne and Larry Thornton, Town & Country Liquors, Awnings Direct, Cherwin Benefit Auctioneers, Croswell Enterprises, LTD – All natural soils and mulches, Nancy and John Dooley, English Garden Custom Framing and Home Décor, Happy Paws Thrift Shop, Nina Postupack, Myrna Sameth, Simulaids and Total Tennis.
Thanks also to those who provided goods or services — Adam’s Fairacre Farms, Paul Backstrom, ColorPage, Donna Dittus, Herzog’s Home and Paint Center, Mirabella Restaurant, Kristen Vale Mosack, Sawyer Savings, Smith Hardware, Staples, Sue’s Restaurant and 9W Car Wash, and Sue Worthman. We also extend our sincere thanks to this newspaper and to Channel 23 Lighthouse TV for publicizing the tour. The tour could not happen without the help of the 32 volunteers who assisted at the gardens and at registration on the day of the tour. Our thanks to each and every one of them. Lastly, thanks to all the people who bought tickets to view the beautiful gardens. We hope you all had a wonderful time.
We couldn’t have done it these 11 years without all of you.
Thank you all!
Jamie Fine
Saugerties
Library Fair thank you
A huge thank you to all our volunteers, supporters, and the library staff, without your tireless effort we could not have succeed.
A huge thank you to all our food providers, Lox of Bagels, Hudson Valley Dessert Co., Giordano’s Wood Fired Pizza and the many people who baked.
A huge thank you to MC Vernon Benjamin and our performers, Triumph Martial Arts, Katie Hofstatter, Harvey Boyer Jazz Ensemble, Kevin McLaren and Friends and Bee Bee the Clown.
A huge thank you to Wendy Weinrich, story teller and her puppets, Rachel and her balloon animals, face painting by Tina, all the Lifespring’s crafters, and the Palm Ent. Photo booth.
A huge thank you once again to the Saugerties Police Department and Diaz Ambulance who provided helmets and safety packets to the children and UCSPCA, Jill Shintone and her four-legged companions on human rights.
A huge thank you once again to the Kiwanis Ice Arena employees, Events Unlimited, Ulster County Sheriff’s Department, Rosemarie for the raffle items, Fiber Flame for their donation and all the many people who donated books and items for this event.
A huge thank you to everyone who attended the Fair, without your participation this event could not happen.
Barbara Kaisik and Elaine White
Fair co-chairs
Join the family! 
