Solar, water bottle savings
The solar electricity system at the Saugerties Senior Center produced 6,089 kilowatt hours in 2020, recreation commissioner Greg Chorvas reported at the Saugerties Town Board meeting on February 3. “That resulted in a carbon offset of 9,127 pounds, or the equivalent of saving 109 trees.”
Since that system has been installed, “our savings, based on average kilowatt hour cost from Central Hudson, has been $6,602,” he said.
Chorvas also reported that as of January 31, the town’s water filler station at the ice arena saved nearly 25,000 16-ounce water bottles from going into the environment.”
Master Plan nearly complete
The town and village of Saugerties master plan update is nearly complete, Councilwoman Leeanne Thornton reported at the regular Town Board meeting on February 3. The committee has incorporated many of the public comments and comments from the county planning department, “which reviewed the document and made suggestions. By March 1 we should have it ready to be adopted by the Village Board and the Town Board,” she said.
Police committee meeting conflict
Saugerties Councilwoman Leeanne Thornton said the Police Reform and Reinvention Committee has been meeting on Wednesday nights, the same night as the Town Board meeting. The board can sit in on the first 20 or so minutes of their meetings, but “we’re totally closed out of what the community is saying because it’s on the night we have the town board.”
The Town Board will have the task of reviewing the findings of the committee and possibly amending town laws to conform to those findings. In general, Thornton said, boards and commissions reviewing town matters should not schedule meetings on Town Board meeting nights. Councilman John Schoonmaker said he will try to get recordings of the meetings, so board members will have the full background of the recommendations the committee presents to the board.
Schoonmaker asked that Highway Superintendent Douglas Myers and Police Chief Joseph Sinagra be asked to attend the next Tow Board meeting. Supervisor Fred Costello said both have been especially busy – Myers with snow removal following two storms, and Sinagra with the police reform committee.
The Police Reform and Reinvention Committee should have recommendations for the Town Board by early March.
Costello said he expects the committee to meet with the board to go over the recommendations.
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