The views and opinions expressed in our letters section are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Hudson Valley One. Submit a letter to the editor at deb@hudsonvalleyone.com.
Letter guidelines:
Hudson Valley One welcomes letters from its readers. Letters should be fewer than 300 words and submitted by noon on Monday. Our policy is to print as many letters to the editor as possible. As with all print publications, available space is determined by ads sold. If there is insufficient space in a given issue, letters will be approved based on established content standards. Points of View will also run at our discretion.
Although Hudson Valley One does not specifically limit the number of letters a reader can submit per month, the publication of letters written by frequent correspondents may be delayed to make room for less-often-heard voices, but they will all appear on our website at hudsonvalleyone.com. All letters should be signed and include the author’s address and telephone number.
Call the coup a coup
Let’s call it what it is: a coup. Our nation is caught flatfooted. An unelected Musk and his team of twenty-something digital footpads stealthily steal our data and sabotage the financial portals that keep society functioning. A criminal sycophant is slated to take over the FBI (we see the FBI fighting back), and a bizarre (google “RFK Jr. animal carcasses”) hypocrite (incredibly, the vaccine conspiracist’s children are vaccinated) may be given the levers of national health policy.
Nearly 90 million Americans did not vote in the presidential election, more anti-votes than votes for the candidates on the ballot. Seventy-seven million, filled with the “passionate intensity” William Butler Yeats warned us about, voted for Donald Trump. 75 million, naïvely thinking that 250 years of precedent in which people of good will would outnumber those with a wrecking ball, voted for Harris.
The ceremony of innocence is drowned. The federal government is in the hands of a criminal organization whose brazenness is as novel as Fort Sumpter in 1861. Republicans are shown to be either traitors or cowards. None of them stands up to their party’s leader.
The most illuminating event of the last week, not as structurally dangerous as Musk’s invasion of the nation’s servers but instructive of his would-be boss’s mentality, was Trump’s declaration that the United States would “take a long-term ownership position” in Gaza and turn it into “the Rivera of the Middle East.”
Trump’s concept of a plan provides insight into how his mind works and why he has gone bankrupt six times. He gets an out-of-the-box idea with an enormous, narcissistic upside and plunges ahead. If it works, he’s a stable genius, a potential winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, the fifth head on Mount Rushmore and the most important real-estate developer in the world, with three, all-gilt-and-no-glow Trump Gazas, aka Ozymandias on the Mediterranean. If it doesn’t work, there’s always Fox, X and the New York Post to explain it away.
Because he succeeds in life by wielding a psychopathic cruelty, he’s surrounded by yes-men, the purely power-mad and women who get his attention by attending to their cleavage and their hair. He has no one to challenge him when he’s hitting his fantasy groove, no one to tell him that you can’t move two million people without their permission, no one to explain that ethnic cleansing is both immoral and lawless (what’s a mere law to the court-anointed king), no one to explain that the nations he proposes as Palestinian storage facilities will topple when their citizens rampage in the streets?
What are the first steps toward salvaging a situation that has been years in the making?
William Weinstein
New Paltz
Not “super bowl” health insurance benefits for TSwift’s boyfriend’s teammates
The NFL was the world’s most lucrative sports league in 2023 with almost $20 billion in estimated revenue, topping both the NBA and MLB by approximately $8 billion each.
Combined FY-24 budgeted costs for the Village of New Paltz’s general, water and sewer funds were $8.1 million.
Health insurance for our staff is a significant expense. Over the last ten years, health insurance premiums for our staff’s most commonly selected plan — NYSHIP’s family plan — that’s offered per the union contract have risen 86.2%. For 2025, a NYSHIP family plan costs $40,414 per employee. In 2015, it cost $21,706.
We have tried to manage these increases by having employees contribute a percentage of the premium cost. For instance, active employees hired before June 2008 contribute 0% to their annual family plan cost and those hired between March 2018 and May 2023 contribute 15% or $3,000, whichever is less.
Our retirees hired before June 2007 with at least five years of service contribute 0%, in perpetuity. Once a retiree has 15 years, if they were hired between April 2018 and May 2023, they will contribute 15% or $3,000, whichever is less.
Proudly, these retirement benefits are provided to staff and their family for life.
In comparison, “vested” former NFL players are only eligible for health insurance for five years after retirement. Depending on different collective bargaining agreements, vested might mean three or five years of playing. The average NFL career is only three years.
In sharp contrast, an MLB player is eligible for lifetime health benefits after being on a roster for a single day. NBA players with at least three seasons receive health benefits.
I appreciate the athleticism, but do not ordinarily root for NFL teams. However, I wanted to see the Chiefs do better than they did simply to balance the misogyny vibe from those annoyed that Taylor Swift goes to games. Maybe she’ll do a song about single-payer healthcare?
Mayor Tim Rogers
New Paltz
Setting the record straight
I want to provide an update on several key initiatives and correct some recent misinformation. Transparency and ethical leadership are central to my service, and it’s essential to set the record straight.
Human rights resolution
On Tuesday, February 11, I will introduce a human rights resolution with two key goals.
• Ensure Woodstock remains aligned with the United Nations and New York State standards as they evolve.
• Formally reference our 2017 unbiased policing policy, which I helped negotiate alongside the Human Rights Commission, supervisor and chief of police. This policy remains a cornerstone of our police operations, ensuring fairness and preventing undue targeting.
Police Reimagination Task Force
As chair, I’m excited to work with a dedicated group on the Police Reimagination Task Force. I’m confident we will provide thoughtful, effective recommendations for our community.
Warming/cooling center update
There has been confusion regarding the warming/cooling center:
• There was never a vote on this issue. The decision to shut it down was made solely by the supervisor and explained to the town board beforehand.
• I was the only councilperson who visited the center late at night to check on those in need, bringing them something warm to drink.
• I’m now working with the community to evaluate future options.
Union negotiations
I’m actively participating in multiple union negotiations to ensure fair and transparent labor practices for our town employees.
I remain committed to ethical leadership and serving Woodstock with transparency and integrity. Please reach out with any questions.
Anula Courtis, Town councilperson
Candidate for Woodstock town supervisor
Common sense always wins
Too many Democratic governors, senators, congress members and mayors are making it clear that they want no changes from the disastrous last four years.
I’m sure many Democratic politicians have daughters and granddaughters who participate in wholesome athletic competition in many sports against other girls/women. However, in their supreme cowardice and failure to stand up for their daughters and granddaughters, these politicians instead chose the path of supporting their woke party’s backing of allowing biological males, pretending to be women, to compete against their own REAL women family members, injuring some while demolishing long standing hard-earned women’s records.
And, the vast majority of the “leaders” of all high school and collegiate athletic programs also couldn’t find their spines, which would have enabled them to stand up for ALL women’s sports teams. They, too, decided to succumb to the woke DEI world and gloat as they watched it all unfold before their eyes — all for the purpose of pandering for votes, no doubt. It took an executive order to immediately halt this grossly unfair nonsense. This common sense presidential action was sadly needed to force biological, medical and scientific reality down the throats of ALL the woke pinheads. Can you imagine our parents and grandparents rolling over in their graves asking “how in the world did it ever become necessary for a president to have to sign executive orders to tell us that there are only two sexes/genders, two pronouns and that boys/men couldn’t join girl’s/women’s teams allowing them to unfairly compete against REAL women?”
Switching gears, the same Democrats are now having a meltdown over Elon Musk’s assignment to identify and eliminate the fraud and abuse in our country’s spending and budget. Cries and screams are now being led, by among others, California’s bubble brain Maxine Waters, the slightly more intelligent Chuck Schumer, squad member Ayanna Pressley and last but not least Cory Booker, our favorite left over “Spartacus” from the Cavanaugh confirmation hearings. They rally with “who elected Elon Musk?” Well, no one, you dopes. He was simply appointed to do an important job just as Biden appointed people to various posts in his administration to do what they thought was right.
Why do Democrats oppose reducing our budget and spending, making our government much more efficient? Why do Democrats oppose law and order which would enable them to protect the safety of their constituents by deporting dangerous illegal criminals? Why would the Democrats oppose ANY measure intended to meet the needs of ALL Americans, made obvious by the recent election? It’s simply because all these proposed fixes come from Republicans. This is the Democratic playbook, in action!
John N. Butz
Modena
Lesson learned
One thing I’ll say for Trump: deciding which country to invade is teaching him geography!
Sparrow
Phoenicia
Neck deep
Last night, I watched a PBS special about Pete Seeger, but by the time it ended, I was weeping for the one man in the whole mix that I trusted.
When I was 16, Pete Seeger’s voice was a map I didn’t even know I needed. I’d sit in my room, plucking away while his banjo tape taught me chords while his words planted seeds I didn’t yet dare to water. He wasn’t just a musician; he was something closer to a lighthouse, shining a steady beam through the fog of all the half-truths and contradictions I’d grown up with.
When Vietnam became my reality, I woke up to the truth he’d been singing about all along. “We were neck-deep in the Big Muddy, and the big fool said to push on.” That line wasn’t just a song anymore — it was the marrow in my bones. It didn’t matter if you were on a river or in a jungle; the fool was always there, waving you forward, no matter how deep the mud got.
Pete’s music was my rebellion and salvation after Vietnam. I was stationed on the Norfolk Navy base with my Marine helicopter squadron. In the barracks, I’d play Pete’s albums cranked up loud enough to echo over the base, the banjo’s twang cutting through the static of war. It was my way of reminding myself there was a world beyond the uniforms and orders. Pete’s voice wasn’t a command but a challenge — a question. Are you paying attention?
And now, decades later, I’m sitting here with those words circling back like an old song on a scratched-up record. “Neck-deep in the Big Muddy.” Isn’t that where we still are? The fools change their faces, but the mud feels the same. Last night, watching that Pete Seeger documentary, I let the tears come. They weren’t just for him — they were for every time I pushed on, for every truth I ignored until it became impossible to unsee.
The funny thing about Pete is that he never let you off the hook. He’d sing, and somehow, you’d feel your heart crack open just wide enough to let the light in, whether you wanted it or not. And that light — it’s still here, even if the world seems darker now. I think that’s why I cried. Because he was right. And because I know he’d still be singing, even now. Even neck deep.
Larry Winters
New Paltz
We support Alexandria Wojcik for the position of Ulster County Clerk
As proud owners of Manny’s Art Supplies in the heart of Ulster County, we are writing to express our enthusiastic endorsement of Alexandria Wojcik for the position of Ulster County Clerk. Alexandria is a remarkable individual who has tirelessly supported our community and stood up for the residents of the Hudson Valley. Her dedication to public service and her deep understanding of local and federal law make her an invaluable asset to our county. Her commitment to public service and her passion for social justice make her the ideal choice for this important position.
Throughout the many years we’ve known her, Alexandria has demonstrated unwavering support for the LGBTQIA+ and other marginalized communities, ensuring that everyone feels valued, heard and represented. She has been a fierce advocate for fair and affordable housing, tirelessly fighting for tenant rights and working to create a more equitable and safe living environment for all. Alexandria understands that housing is a fundamental right, and she is committed to making it accessible to everyone in our community — and empowering people with resources to both attain and remain in their homes.
Moreover, Alexandria is a strong voice for peace, advocating for an end to war and conflict. She can often be found actively participating in movements that call for peace. Alexandria’s presence at these events is not just symbolic; it reflects her deep-seated belief that we can create a better world through dialogue, empathy and understanding. She embodies the true spirit of activism and is a beacon of hope for those who seek a more peaceful future.
There is no better person to work for our county than Alexandria Wojcik. She has dedicated her entire life to advocating for and supporting individuals, providing them with the resources they need to address any issue they face. Her compassion, integrity, and commitment to our local people are qualities that will undoubtedly benefit Ulster County as she takes on the role of county clerk.
We wholeheartedly endorse Alexandria Wojcik for Ulster County Clerk and urge you to support her candidacy. Together, we can ensure that our community continues to thrive under her leadership.
Zachary and Amanda DelFavero
Owners of Manny’s Art Supplies
New Paltz
Benefit of the doubt
As a U.S. veteran, I have always given the benefit of the doubt to my country. The millions killed in Korea and Vietnam in the 1950s and 1960s just could have been the fault of US weapons makers, eager to trade body counts for corporate profits.
And then there were the millions slaughtered in the misguided U.S. invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan. Like the previous conflicts, the invasions were all based on dirty little lies about defending our country or spreading freedom to the Third World.
But America’s unrelenting butchery in Gaza has nothing left to cover its war crimes. The Palestinian children are dying with no food, no water and no shelter from the storm. The empire has decided it needs these human sacrifices for some arcane geopolitical advantage. And the savagery is now going into its second year.
We are finally coming to realize that the empire and its grubby, bloodstained ally, Israel, are the true impediments to world peace. Most countries already know this, judging by the huge numbers of UN member states that castigate the US and Israel for their ongoing war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Only the American people stand in the way of the worst genocide since the Third Reich. It is a simple choice: demand an end to our country’s mass murdering of children or become part of it. Insist that our venal Congress stop accepting millions in Israeli bribes, blood money that supports this most grotesque of all apartheid colonies.
Fred Nagel
Rhinebeck
Walking on Tinker Street
I remember walking on Tinker Street
without so many cars
No giving way to well-dressed groups
of tourists, crowded bars
I remember when just being here
was all you could ask for
It’s still a slice of heaven
but it’s not Woodstock anymore
I remember knowing people’s names
and where they lived before
Most from New York City
some small room, a padlocked door
We were searching for a spirit
once imagined, now ignored
It’s still a slice of heaven
but it’s not Woodstock anymore
Now it’s all about the land
and prices set to soar
What was paid two years ago
should double now in four
They come here now, only because
East Hampton costs much more
It’s still a slice of heaven
but it’s not Woodstock anymore
They come here not for mountain views
or crystal streams and lakes
They come here to develop land
and take and take and take
And when the market crashes
they’ll be first ones out the door
It’s still a slice of heaven
but it’s not Woodstock anymore
New money in old families
makes feelings very sore
Brother holds the deed
now he and sister speak no more
He’s just a paper millionaire
same bills he had before
It’s still a slice of heaven
but it’s not Woodstock anymore
Escalating prices make
the children shake their heads
Imagining a better life
when mom and dad are dead
Their parents better off, no doubt
when they were young and poor
It’s still a slice of heaven
but it’s not Woodstock anymore
Robert Wanker
Brooklyn and Woodstock
Support for March Gallagher
I am writing to express my support for March Gallagher as Ulster County Comptroller.
I served as the insurance officer for Ulster County for two years alongside March as comptroller. March takes the job of stewarding the taxpayer’s money seriously. She brings an independent look at all county operations. Her work has identified millions of dollars in savings and earnings. I found her to be diligent and professional in her approach.
I urge the voters to keep March Gallagher as Ulster County comptroller.
I will vote for March in November!
Brian MacGregor
Kingston
My favorite as a kid — a true Valentine
Beneath the hum of NYC streets, in a candy store, magic greets, an alchemist with hands of skill, crafted joy, a heart to fill. In glassy depths, a swirling dream, no egg, no cream, just a seltzer’s targeted stream, milk cascades in a gentle dance, and Fox’s U-Bet chocolate, [all together] it’s a syrup’s joyful bro-mance. A childhood sip, a fizzy song, echoes of laughter, where we belong, a frothy tide, sweet nostalgia swirls, in each chocolatey taste, our innocence unfurls. An immigrant’s gift, a legacy sweet, uniting souls in a simple treat, with every bubble, a story we share, of joy found in moments, tender and rare.
So, raise an effervescent fizzy glass to the past, with memories we beam, to the foamy elixir, a childhood dream, in every sip, the world feels right, “The Egg Cream” shines, a tasteful delight, and most importantly … within the corner candy store’s lyrical sight. And for good measure, let’s not forget the pretzel rod’s call, crunchy and salty, a bite that enthralls, like climbing a ladder to heaven above — in the gulp, and each munch, we ignite a reminder of a simpler love. Yes, in the corner candy store, a kid’s story unfolds, in each welcomed slow sip, and each savory crunch lies the magic of youth in an always-everlasting punch — “ooznozz.”
Neil Jarmel
West Hurley
The question is why
One would have to be blind not to see McKenna’s end game by his forming of the police re-imagination task force. He makes it seem our local police department only deals with local issues — “dogs and traffic and speeding and parking and telling people where Magic Meadow is” making it appear that Woodstock’s police department is not needed. What McKenna does not mention are incidents that require a police officer presence, such as the 100’s of incident calls relating to burglaries, suspicious persons, traffic complaints and property checks. Nor does he mention, to name a few, the serving of warrants or the number of calls relating to shots being fired, disputes and trespassing.
If there is no end game, why is he disregarding the 2021 Woodstock Police Reform and Reinvention Committee’s 76-page report, that included recommendations put together just four years ago by eight town residents?
Howard Harris
Woodstock
An endorsement letter for Tim Rogers
I understand that Tim Rogers, now mayor of the Village of New Paltz, will run for Town of New Paltz Supervisor in order to unite the village and the town. I do hope that he will make it and make New Paltz greater.
Niimi City, Okayama, Japan, which is sister city to the Village of New Paltz, consolidated with the four other towns around Niimi City 20 years ago and we are about to celebrate the 20th anniversary this March.
Kiyoshi Yamauchi, Professor
Niimi University
Legal advice
I know an immigrant who lives here in New York. He’s managed to figure out how to avoid getting picked up by ICE. He told me that all he had to do was not rape or kill anybody, forgo human trafficking and drug smuggling, not steal or commit other felonies and immigrate here legally.
He also thinks the criminal aliens here illegally should find really good hiding places like Mexico or Venezuela.
Tom McGee
Gardiner
Whaddya gonna do with being a miracle?
whaddya gonna do with being a miracle?
and never doubt that you are a marvel
in the seemingly cold dark empty of infinity
that you collected into a clump of cells
that organized around your being
and presented here in this reality
with vision thought soul and spirit
a rainbow of emotion creation and you-ness
was there ever anything like you before
will anything like you ever happen again
in the infinity of time
the endlessness of space
how is that not a phenomenon
how are you not a anomaly
whaddya gonna do with being a miracle?
Tim Hunter
Gardiner
Is there a moral imperative?
We all agree there is a biological imperative: the reflexive instinct to ensure one’s own survival. But is there a “moral imperative,” a principle that compels a person to recognize and act for the greater good? As life under the new president gets grimmer and grimmer for so many, that question becomes louder and louder in my ears, warring against my impulse to shut out as much of it as I can for the sake of my own emotional well-being.
In pursuing this question, I was influenced by a 19th-century essay, which I’ve ruthlessly abridged, and the author of which his great-great-great-granddaughter has implored me to keep under my hat, or at least close to my vest, in one of which two locations he now resides:
“Because man is human — and thus, constantly and in myriad ways evolving — he excels in the creation of progressively more sophisticated artifacts. And since man — albeit possessed of higher intellectual (if lower instinctual) faculties than his planetary coinhabitants — is, at bottom, just another animal struggling for survival, his store of items has always included in its inventory ever-more-refined instruments, whose avowed purpose of ‘self-protection’ invariably ends in the infliction of harm, if not annihilation, upon members of not only other, but of his very own species, thus endangering all species’ survival.
“This is where the moral imperative must needs stand outside — nay, above — the fray; must needs somehow to emerge from the shadow of its bigger and older but less wise sibling, the biological imperative, and from that vantage point morally arbitrate a solution to each of the sundry impediments to survival: most of them — ironically, shamefully, tragically — man-made.
“But as even a cursory glance at one’s surrounds makes clear, no such moral imperative finds residency within mankind’s majority. What, then, is the obligation of the relatively few in whom it does dwell? Is it their duty to attempt to effect the ascendancy of their own evolved moral imperative over the universal biological one? After all, is it not inarguable that artistic, charitable and other generally selfless endeavors result not in ever-more-refined artillery, but in ever-more-refined sensibility — inevitably leading to a higher, clearer moral purpose, which leads in turn to an enhancement of our odds of survival?
“So what are we to make of a morally evolved life spent in contented ease or morally neutral pursuits? Is the person who wastes his time blind or indifferent to life’s value? And who among us so ably husbands time as to dictate the meaning of ‘waste’?”
I don’t know if there’s a “moral imperative.” And no one’s asking us to [wo]man the barricades. But I hope there’s some little thing, however seemingly insignificant, each of us will do to stop the madness, before it’s too late.
Tom Cherwin
Saugerties
Marcel Nagele for Woodstock Town Board
Marcel Nagele just officially announced his candidacy for a seat on the Woodstock Town Board. This is a game-changer, a gift to our town. Marcel is well known for his knowledge, integrity, hard work and commitment to the truth. He has worked diligently to raise public awareness of the potential health threats posed by both the Shady dump and the PFOS contamination, challenging the misinformation and misguidedness of the present town board with documentation and persistence. In his statement, after sharing a little of his background to explain the values instilled in him by his mentors and experiences, he laid out his campaign platform as follows:
“1. Reinstitute professionally operating environmental and human rights commissions, advisory bodies that would speak to power rather than collaborate with it.
“2. Require enforcement of our zoning and solid waste laws, and move toward remediation of the Shady dump through the necessary enforcement of the law, assuring that the cost will ultimately be paid by the property owner.
“3. Establish a fully independent and professional quarterly municipal water testing plan and implement a professionally-advised source tracing plan to determine where the PFOS or other potential contamination is coming from.
“4. Shed light on how the dissemination and archiving of information is currently handled and offer a much-needed fix to continual problems.
“5. Work to institute necessary policy changes regarding personnel issues to assure a discrimination and harassment free workplace, and establish a designated protocol for proper independent investigations of all allegations of abuse of policy.
“6. Institute a new, fair and proper employee performance review program to assure efficiency in our workforce.
“7. Be a strong, unyielding voice in representing all Woodstockers, especially the most needy and vulnerable among us.
“In my life,” he concluded, “I have worked with and built relationships with people of all backgrounds and social status. I can relate to the challenges any of you may be going through, and will always be approachable, empathetic and responsive. I’m a problem solver, and I’m committed to doing the work to heal divisions, restore trust, and put the town we love back on the right course.”
I urge you to vote for Marcel in the Democratic primary in June, and to look out for the “meet and greets” and the petition drive coming soon.
Alan M. Weber
Woodstock
Highly qualified and uniquely suited for leading New Paltz into the coming years
I would like to share some qualities about Amanda Gotto, who has been a friend of mine for many years. When she became supervisor, Amanda inherited a veritable hornet’s nest of projects and budgetary conundrums. She has tackled them all with wisdom, equanimity, diligence, foresight, concern for the environment and a remarkably fair hand. I appreciate how she has taken her professional engineering skills and used them with overseeing development projects, making it a point to genuinely listen to the citizens affected by them! She has been at the center of many remarkable community projects, served diligently on the town planning board, and has cultivated a working and supportive relationship with both the village and town employees and officials. She is not one for self-promotion, which has made her a quiet leader in the realm of social and local media. Amanda is the kind of steady and intelligent leader we will need in the coming years, and she is uniquely suited for it.
In an era where questions about integrity and goodness-of-fit for public service are in the headlines, I strongly endorse Amanda Gotto for re-election in the coming primary and for New Paltz town supervisor in the November elections.
Kathleen Caproni
New Paltz
The rusted trowel
It takes courage now
to resist, to be happy.
It takes courage to live,
watch, be in protest by
being still in the stillness
of inside while walls grow
more damning by the
crafty builder who holds
the rusted trowel. I try
to live within calmer walls,
hope my simple agitating
does some good.
Patrick Hammer, Jr.
Saugerties
In response to Marty Martin’s letter of February 5
In response to Marty Martin’s letter (2/05), YES! Citizens for a Beautiful Saugerties is indeed “one-sided,” as are the supporters of the proposed rezoning of Winston Farm. We are well aware that the Winston Farm property is zoned for residential development. What we oppose is the (disingenuous) plan to rezone it as proposed, on the grounds that the environmental destruction would be unconscionable at any time but particularly at this time of devastating global climate change, biodiversity loss, threatened ecological zones and endangered fresh water supplies. This is the way the planet dies, 850 acres at a time.
Mr. Martin says that people who support preservation, either the Town of Saugerties or some non-profit, could have purchased the property themselves but missed the boat. If another group without deep pockets had been able to get the fantastic deal that the current owners got on the property, it might well have been purchased and preserved long ago.
The current owners (and their investors, who are implied by “Winston Farm LLC”) have been offered more than double the purchase price for the property by a non-profit. They turned it down flat. The smell of really big bucks is in the air — a possible return of 15 times what they paid. Smart business, bad ethics.
Mr. Martin says that Winston Farm must be rezoned to be able to create growth (the very concept of which needs to be reexamined in the 21st century) in Saugerties. If it’s jobs and housing that local supporters of Winston Farm LLC really want, there are plenty of spots in Saugerties already zoned for residential and commercial development. No need to trash Winston Farm to achieve those goals. And why do local supporters imagine that any housing built or jobs created would be for them/us? They will go to the highest bidders and most qualified applicants from wherever. More newcomers! Be careful what you wish for!
The support for this boondoggle project comes from Ulster County Chamber of Commerce, NOT our local branch, and Ulster County Economic Development, again a group whose plans for the future do not include the well-being of the residents of Saugerties in particular. And we have no idea who the investors represented by the “LLC (Limited Liability Corporation) are or aren’t. It’s unclear and unlikely that the pockets to be lined are all in the trousers of Mr. Montano, Mr. Richers and Mr. Mullen.
Finally, Mr. Martin claims that we’re just darned lucky that the owners haven’t already sold the property off in parcels. But under the current zoning, they can’t! That would only be possible if it is rezoned as a planned development district, and that is also the only way to make the big bucks off Winston Farm.
The application to rezone the property as purchased (zoned as residential) reeks of opportunism, anyway. You don’t buy environmentally sensitive property zoned as residential and then try to change it so you can make huge profits, any more than you marry someone and then send them to the plastic surgeon to make them look the way you want.
I have just addressed Mr. Martin’s stated concerns, but I have yet to have the concerns I raise (and have repeatedly raised) addressed by anyone, from full-on supporters to well-meaning but confused advocates of compromise before the specifics of a negotiation have even been proposed. The Beautiful Saugerties website (beautifulsaugerties.com/winstonfarm) lists a number of specifics we would want addressed should any development occur at Winston Farm. Please take a look if you’re interested in a responsible approach to this issue.
Janet Moss
Citizens for a Beautiful Saugerties
Saugerties
Phony reform
I recently had the privilege of listening to our New Paltz Town Highway Superintendent Chris Marx describe the nuts and bolts of his department’s operations. He and his crew are dedicated public servants whose work routines can certainly be difficult in challenging conditions. Even a matter seemingly as simple as spreading salt on the roads involves complicated calculations and predictions about the mixing of compounds, with obvious implications for budgeting. We residents rely on their work.
Does he demand loyalty to his political allegiances from his employees — whatever they might be? No, only that they work hard to serve the public.
For the Trump/Musk administration, with its slash-and-burn approach to government services, workers and the people they serve don’t matter. They are pawns in a political putsch. Empty the CIA and FBI of its workforce and replace them with loyalists sworn to Trump. Offer buyouts to many thousands of government civil servants with vast experience who staff departments that likely serve a majority of Americans, in one way or another. Medicaid, heating assistance, food safety, air travel safety, programs providing food to children and seniors, medical experts to track dangers to our health, just to name a few.
What quality of services can Americans expect from a new work force whose fitness hasn’t been tested with civil service exams and interviews, and arrives with no experience? Our complaints about lengthy phone delays will seem trivial in this new landscape.
What the Trump administration is attempting is not reform. It is revenge. Under the banner of greater efficiency in government and the bureaucracy, Trump/Musk will in fact purge efficiency and replace it with chaos. They think they will get away with it because “government” and “bureaucracy” are abstract. Residents who depend on their local departments and offices will see results that are brutally concrete. A lame duck Trump has no reason to care about the consequences.
Tom Denton
New Paltz
Take my leachate, please
The article in the February 5, 2025 issue of Hudson Valley One inaccurately states that “McKnight points her finger at John Perry.” In fact, I was never contacted by the reporter who included that quote. Unfortunately, I’m not surprised by the journalistic dishonesty. It’s something I have become accustomed to having been repeatedly misquoted and maligned in the press thanks to the nefarious agendas of power-hungry politicians and sociopathic representatives of certain non-profit organizations.
Regarding the problem of leachate disposal, it is clear that Mr. Boms, Mr. Shultis and Mr. Perry each lacks understanding of the leachate collection system. If they did, they would know that the part of the system that is supposed to collect stormwater (rain, snow) is not working. As a result, the town is literally harvesting clean stormwater and pumping into the leachate collection system. That water is then contaminated and must be disposed of properly. Therein lies the problem. Now that PFAS has been designated a contaminant, treatment is both necessary and costly.
The most responsible course of action for the taxpayers of the Town of Hurley is as follows:
1) Repair the broken system of PVC pipes designed to direct the surface stormwater that comes off “the blanket” (a four-foot-thick membrane that covers the waste mass). That drainage system has been broken for quite some time (before Supervisor Perry was in office). Once repaired, the stormwater will drain into the stream on Collier Road.
2) Cover the berm with an impermeable membrane and install a sump pump on top of the membrane to pump any rain or snow melt into the stream.
3) Install on-site treatment. An online search of on-site treatment of PFAS contaminated leachate provides options — activated carbon or reverse osmosis systems to name just two. This approach will certainly be costly but much less so than continuing to fund the never-ending cycle of pumping, transporting and paying for water treatment and disposal.
Melinda McKnight
West Hurley
X marker on passports is a civil and human right
As a queer, sometimes gender-fluid local elected leader who proudly uses she/they pronouns, I call upon the community to join me in calling-out the US State Department and Secretary of State Marco Rubio for enacting a new policy to remove the X gender marker on passports. I’ve reached-out to the Secretary of State, but I’m just one village trustee, just one county clerk candidate, just one voice and thus I urge others to add this issue to your action tool kit in the coming weeks.
Transgender, intersex, nonbinary and other gender nonconforming people deserve dignity, privacy and the right to travel, just as all people do. In fact, these rights are protected under the US Constitution and the NYS Constitution. That is why I am urging Secretary of State Marco Rubio to rescind the policy to remove the X marker on passports. This decision to remove the X marker is unconstitutional, arbitrary and dangerous. Requiring people to have a sex designation on their passport that conflicts with their identity potentially outs them to others. This not only hurts the passport applicants, but puts undue burdens on government employees tasked with issuing these important documents.
This new policy did not comply with requirements to provide notice and public comment for changes to government forms. The State Department’s actions violate transgender, intersex, nonbinary and other gender nonconforming people’s rights under the Due Process Clause of the U.S. Constitution by unlawfully restricting our freedom of movement, as well as our rights under the Equal Protection Clause by unjustifiably discriminating against people on the basis of their sex. The attacks on the LGBTQIA+ community are coming at us at hyperspeed, and so I call upon my fellow elected leaders to join me in not only reacting and responding just as fast, but to become more proactive in protecting people and defending democracy. Our lives are literally on the line.
Alexandria Wojcik
New Paltz
How do homeless people die in Woodstock?
It’s been three weeks now, and the decision made by the Woodstock supervisor to shut down Woodstock’s only warming center along with attached public bathroom during one of the coldest winters in quite some time still stands. I am, thus, reminded of how fickle, shallow and heartless our Woodstock Town Board has become.
You will never find “homelessness” written as “cause of death” on a death certificate or anywhere else, whether they died, never officially of neglect or indifference, but of illness or accident. The average age of death for a homeless person in the United States is 56 versus 74 for the housed. Here in Woodstock, we honor our homeless; unfortunately, we do so only after they die. We turn them into creatures of myth, saying that “they contributed to our town in a special way.” We tell ourselves and each other stories that make us feel better, stories about the deceased person’s eccentric but unique character and their untapped artistic potential.
In recent years, one such person was Donald P. Hanson, otherwise known as “Puppy John.” Anyone who’s lived in Woodstock for 15 years or more would have seen Puppy John as he slept outdoors for years in all type of weather on various benches throughout Woodstock. Puppy John died in a hospital in the Bronx on August 6, 2020, and, as an indigent person, was allocated a plot at Woodstock’s artist graveyard. The plot was paid for by an anonymous person belonging to “Friend of Woodstock Characters.” One must ask, what kind of friend waits for another to die before helping? It seems that here in Woodstock we bury our characters before praising them. In the exact same month and year that Donald Hanson died, a 26-year-old beautiful man named “Zachary Smith” died. Zachary was amongst Woodstock’s homeless, and, just like Puppy John, was a very popular person who had fallen on hard times.
Geoffrey Paturel otherwise known as Jesus Geoff was 36 years old on April 10, 2020. I celebrated that occasion here in Woodstock with him. Geoffrey never got to celebrate his 37th birthday because in mid-September 2020 he died in a tragic vehicle accident. Geoffrey was a long-term resident of Woodstock and had also fallen on hard times, becoming isolated and homeless in the months leading up to his death. Geoffrey, Puppy John and Zachary died in the first year of the Covid pandemic, when neither bathroom, warming center or cooling center was available to them here in Woodstock. Back then just as today the powers that be in Woodstock refused to give our homeless a place to stay warm in the winter or cool in the summer. All three men died in neighboring towns and just as today’s homeless people here in Woodstock are forced to seek refuge in bordering towns, Puppy, Zac and Geoffrey were forced to leave their community where they died amongst strangers unbeknownst to the Woodstock Town Board or the Woodstock supervisor. It seems that homeless people have their place in Woodstock but it’s not in our place.
Chris Finlay
for Woodstockers United For Change.
Marty, I think you need a reality check
Marty, I think you are seriously misinformed about the impacts this project [Winston Farm] will absolutely have on our community and surrounding area. Allow me to ask: exactly what benefits do you envision? What consideration have you given to the reality that this project is a horrendous assault on your community, how do you think you (or anyone not associated with financial interests) will benefit? Reality is: Potentially, and irreversible, pollution of the aquifer that supplies our fresh, clean potable water. Whatever can you be thinking? You and all those who seem to think destruction is in the best interest to our homes? Our quality of life? To preserving one of the only large parcels of land remaining? The environment that surrounds us? Displacement of the wildlife that exist there? The trees that help purify the very air you breathe? This is environmentally one of the most destructive undertakings any municipality can support! And once embarked upon, humanity has already pushed us to a point where we are facing environmental changes that have already negatively impacted us. What’s a bit more destruction you might ask. If you have children or grandchildren, their future is already on unsteady ground.
Marjory Greenberg Vaughn
Saugerties
Magnificent historical article on transition of Kingston Route 9W/Hudson Valley Mall
I had to write this compliment to Hudson Valley One’s January 22, 2025 Almanac article titled “Consumed.”
This is truly a breathtaking article about the modern Kingston historical article of Route 9W subtitled, “The Hudson Valley Mall, once a mecca of shopping and culture is now a ghost town.”
I am age 84 and traveled from my hometown of Grahamsville, passing through Ellenville from Route 55 and up 209 to the big city. I witnessed the growth of the City of Kingston, its slow but steady move uptown to the Route 9W shopping and entertaining mecca. Then its modern deconstruction, but I never understood why: the glory of growth and then the cost and result of evolution. It reminds me of my once favorite newspaper the Woodstock Times.
The story was simply written with the effect of a contemporary local thriller. It should be made into a pamphlet and distributed to local libraries.
Congratulations!
William Brenner
Grahamsville
One size never fits all
One identical looking pill in an Rx bottle of commonly prescribed alprazolam (Xanax) can be tainted with a tiny bit of quick killing fentanyl.
The Chinese are the world’s biggest exporter of this killer — and it targets the young, the experimenters, the mistake makers we love when they start going to parties with friends.
Fentanyl shipments come in through Mexico and Canada, and Trump demanded more help protecting our 5,000 miles of border from our two largest trading partners. He threatened $25 billion in tariffs and one day later both countries promised more help sealing our borders.
The media mostly left out the stated goal of the threat and talked about it being inflationary. ‘Hostile tariffs’ would cause pain to our “good neighbors.”
“Good fences make good neighbors.” Canada and Mexico are now acting like better neighbors. We’ll see.
I did not do well in school. Lots of reasons. The school system did not help. When Trump pulls some stunts on improving our crappiest schools, please do not fall for the tenured teacher’s indignant screams. Some of them stink. We have a lot of talented kids like me who are not learning. Schools need to experiment to improve results.
Let’s try new ideas; the second half of my life includes massive homework, and I love my work. Probably I found ‘real work’ rewarding — my good luck! I regret hating school.
Share your good luck by giving more kids true learning alternatives.
One size never fits all.
Paul Raymond
New Paltz
In support of the Hudson Valley Power Authority Act
As ratepayers face the unsustainable consequences of a for-profit energy system, Central Hudson workers are at the frontline of receiving wrath from frustrated customers. The Hudson Valley Power Authority Act (HVPAA), a state bill that would replace the corporate monopoly with a public benefit state corporation, would protect not just ratepayers, but also Central Hudson workers.
Under the current system, everything the workers need — whether that’s wage increases or new equipment — has to be funded through a rate increase, which unnecessarily pits workers against the ratepayers. Under the Hudson Valley Power Authority Act, the profit motive would be eliminated and the public utility would be able to access low-cost capital, meaning there would be savings to put towards worker needs without necessarily increasing rates. Not only that, the bill explicitly gives Central Hudson workers new protections and power they currently don’t have. First, the union gets a seat on the board of trustees and two seats on the governing board of the oversight body. Second, the hiring of short-term contractors over union workers in order to save money is prohibited. Third, workers keep their private-sector status and do not lose their current pensions and the right to strike. Fourth, the hiring of workers transitioning off fossil fuel or living in the service territory is required to be prioritized.
Overall, the workers would be in a much better position to do their job and protect their needs. In Massena, New York, where the town took over its share of the corporate utility, the workers were initially opposed to a public takeover, but once it happened, they joined the public utility union and remain there today with a better quality of life, running a utility that has one of the cheapest rates in the country. We can do the same here in the Hudson Valley.
Charlotte Royer
Kingston
A plea to the Woodstock Town Board majority
More than three years ago
you first heard the complaints
of such nature and quality
it would thoroughly taint
our town, our reputation
and the process you follow
appointing yourself to investigate
perpetuated this sorrow
at learning the words
Sinagra said to the rest
you once again failed
to do your best
why was he kept on
despite this disgrace
where was the hearing
to get him out of that place
PAUSE
In 2023 we found out more detail
and you continued to allow this embarrassment to prevail
you used our taxes so he could be paid
he got to sit on his ass thanks to the damage he made
and yet now he’s back
a threat to us all
when is the hearing
To stop this snowball
Sinagra’s return to duty
perpetuates this scene
the taint continues to grow
continues to be obscene
PAUSE
why is he kept on
despite this disgrace
where is the hearing
to get him out of that place
you tell us the hearing is coming any day
but this is just another thing you say
it’s been over three years
this has to end
to restore faith in our police
and in justice my friend
so tell us the date
for the hearing you’ll hold
so he is no longer kept on the town’s payroll
tell us the date for the hearing to begin
tell us the date
put an end to this sin
tell us the date
when you’ll do your job
tell us the date
tell us the date
tell us the date
Stephanie Kaplan
for Woodstockers United for Change
Join in
Keeping us distracted until our heads fall off is their strategy. Stay focused on what good people are DOING to fight this COUP. And join them!
Karen Cathers
New Paltz
Join the family! 
