Town of Saugerties will charge for electricity at car charging stations

The Town of Saugerties has maintained several charging stations for electric vehicles, where drivers can charge their batteries for free. Over the past few years, the Town has received grants that covered the installation and operation of the charging stations, as well as a portion of the cost of the electricity, Supervisor Fred Costello explained at the Town Board meeting on April 6. “As these grants have expired, the Town must charge for the electricity,” he said. The Town Board voted to charge a fee of $1.50 per hour for the use of these stations. “We don’t want to create a burden to our residents with this program, so this nominal amount will allow the Town to capture the cost of the energy that is being dispensed through the charging stations,” said Costello. “We believe that this modest charge will not provide any deterrent to those folks who use electric vehicles.”