An unsigned story in the Register-Star says Hudson Mayor Rick Scalera endorses Republican Mayoral nominee William Hallenbeck to replace him in next month’s election. “Why? Well if there is one thing I have learned as the most important duty of a mayor, it is to respect people of all walks of life,” Scalera wrote in a press release. “Bill just didn’t arrive on the scene…. As a lifelong resident I have watched him work and retire from law enforcement in Hudson and the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office and he has always treated people fairly. He has worked in the [Hudson City] School District for some time now working closely with our kids.” Scalera has been Mayor of Hudson off-and-on since the 1990s. Hallenbeck is current Third Ward Supervisor in Hudson. Scalera is running unopposed for Fifth Ward Supervisor. Another former Hudson Mayor, Dick Tracy, also endorsed Hallenbeck, the report says. Nick Haddad is Hallenbeck’s Democrat opponent. Read the full story in the Register-Star.
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Tags: elections, Rick Scalera, William Hallenbeck
Wilhelm denies collusion in Columbia DWI case
Jamie Larson in the Register-Star reports that Greene County District Attorney Terry J. Wilhelm released a statement Tuesday, for the first time commenting on accusations that his office somehow colluded with Columbia County District Attorney Beth Cozzolino to reduce the sentence of Timothy McEachern. McEachern is Cozzolino’s brother-in-law, found to be driving drunk with two children in his vehicle and the first person in New York State charged with violating Leandra’s Law which made it a felony to be found driving under the influence with children under 16 in the vehicle. Cozzolino recused herself from the case, with Wilhelm’s office assigned as special prosecutor. The Albany Times-Union recently ran a story about how McEachern’s sentence was reduced to a misdemeanor DWI, and until now, Wilhelm did not explain his decision. The statement he released Tue., July 26:
“Neither D.A. Cozzolino nor anyone else from her office had any input whatsoever with my office or any influence upon my office in the handling of this case. D.A. Cozzolino did exactly what she was legally and ethically required to do in this matter and any criticism of her is entirely unjustified. The facts of this case are that Mr. McEachern had no prior criminal history, no prior DWI or DWAI arrests, there was no accident, no property damage, no personal injury and his blood alcohol content was a .10, which is slightly over the .08 DWI threshold. Had it not been for the Leandra’s Law charge, the standard operating procedure in such a case would have been to offer a plea of guilty to DWAI, which is a traffic infraction and not a crime. Because of the Leandra’s Law charge, my office required a plea of guilty to DWI, which is a crime, to satisfy this case. Mr. McEachern now has a criminal record for the rest of his life, his driver’s license was suspended and he had to pay a fine and perform community service. Notwithstanding the reckless and baseless comments of political candidate Gene Keeler, my office treated Mr. McEachern exactly as we would have treated anyone else facing these charges under the same circumstances. As with every case with which my office is involved, politics played absolutely no role in this prosecution. For this year and a half old case which was handled properly in all respects to be publicized now clearly shows only political motivations, not the realities of the law.”
Read the entire story in The Daily Mail.
Landlord evicts outspoken tenant
Jamie Larson in the Register-Star reports that Hudson landlord Phil Gellert, of Northern Empire Realty, is evicting Katherine Pierce, after she spoke out against the condition of the apartment she rents from him in an article published in the Register-Star weekend edition July 23. Pierce owes Gellert $152 in back rent, which he said Tuesday is why he is evicting her. Pierce called Gellert Monday, July 25, to tell him she could get up to date by the end of the month. “I said, ‘if I pay you, can I stay?” Pierce told Larson. “He said, ‘no, I’m sick of it. We don’t need people like you.’ I knew eventually I was going to move anyway,” she continued. Asked if she would take Gellert to court she said, “if I don’t have a place I will, but if I find a place I want to get out. I’ve had it.” Hudson Mayor Richard Scalera told Larson he has heard more complaints about Gellert than any other landlord over the course of his 14 years in office. “The true Phil Gellert is coming out,” said Scalera, saying Pierce could report Gellert to the New York State Attorney General’s Office. “I’d be more than happy to assist her. Nobody should have to live like that…. absent of Gellert coming out and giving a darn good excuse, it has to be retaliatory.” Read the full story in the Register-Star.
Post office considers closing Lanesville, Coeymans Hollow branches
Post offices in Lanesville, just outside Hunter in Greene County, and Coeymans Hollow in Albany County, are on a list of branches the Post Office is considering closing. The U.S. Postal Service announced Tuesday that it will study 3,653 local offices, branches and stations for possible closing.
Tags: Beth Cozzolino, Phil Gellert, Rick Scalera, Terry Wilhelm, Timothy McEachern
Group pickets Saland’s home over marriage vote
The Mid-Hudson News Network reports in The Daily Freeman that New York State Senator Steve Saland had protesters in front of his Poughkeepsie home Sunday complaining about his deciding vote to allow same-sex marriage in New York. Saland, a Republican, represents Columbia County in the New York State Senate and had previously voted against same-sex marriage. “Mr. Saland was elected to stand up for the values of his constituency. We put him in there with a certain understanding he would vote in a certain manner, and on this issue he caved,” said Jeff Mahoney, of Hyde Park, in front of the senator’s driveway with a flag that said, ‘Don’t Tread on Me.’ Read the full story in The Daily Freeman.
Cairo sewer improvements going out to bid
Doron Tyler Antrim in The Daily Mail reports that construction could start in August or September and would last about a year on Cairo’s sewer system, which will satisfy requirements to lift a consent order not allowing any new hook-ups in the town. The project costs almost $3 million, funded mostly by a grant from the state Environmental Facilities Corp., increasing Cairo’s capacity to 150,000 gallons of water per day. Alan Tavenner of Delaware Engineering said bids for the project will go out this week and be presented at the next Cairo Town Board meeting Aug. 3. Read the full story in The Daily Mail.
Tonight at City Hall
Carole Osterink in The Gossips of Rivertown blog writes that at Hudson’s informal Common Council meeting Mon., July 11, First Ward Alderman Sarah Sterling reintroduced her resolution authorizing Mayor Rick Scalera to enter into negotiations with Holcim to buy the company’s properties in Hudson’s South Bay including a deep-water port. Sterling first introduced this in January, Holcim told city attorney Cheryl Roberts no, they did not want to sell. This time, Osterink writes, Sterling wants to “get serious and put this on the record.” Council President Don Moore then referred the resolution to the Legal Committee, while Fifth Ward Alderman Robert “Doc” Donahue called it “ludicrous” and “a waste of time.” Read the full story in The Gossips of Rivertown.
Stop high unemployment among military veterans, Sen. Gillibrand says
Lore Croghan in The New York Daily News reports that Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand is pushing to pass legislation to help military veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan with jobs. “They have an unrivaled work ethic – but too many do not have a road map … to help them leverage their skills,” said Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), who is co-sponsoring the Hiring Heroes Act of 2011, which would require military members receive job-search skills training through the Transition Assistance Program. Currently, participation in the program is voluntary – and up to one-third of military personnel leaving the service do not get any job training. Read the full story in The New York Daily News.
Tags: Cairo sewer, Cheryl Roberts, Kirsten Gillibrand, Rick Scalera, Robert Donahue, Sarah Sterling, veterans
Hudson street stories
Hudson is making it easier to park in town on the weekends this summer, but perhaps more difficult for anyone with several parking tickets. Hudson Common Council President Don Moore announced Thursday that the City of Hudson is suspending alternate side of the street parking regulations on weekends from 8 p.m. Fridays to 8 p.m. Sundays beginning July 1 and lasting until October 31, 2011. Moore says that since the reason for alternate side parking is to clean the streets, and since the city does not clean the streets in the summer on weekends, why not eliminate the regulation. In the winter months, crews often do plow on weekends, so the policy will be revisted after Election Day. Thursday at 4 p.m. Hudson holds a public hearing to consider a new law, “authorizing the installation of a boot security device on vehicles with unpaid parking tickets.”
Police, city dispute pay for snow day
Jamie Larson in the Register-Star reports that the city of Hudson and the Hudson Police Department are in arbitration to settle a contractual dispute over pay for two snowy winter days in December. “On December 27, 2010, a county-issued winter weather state of emergency resulted in the closing of City Hall and a day off for “nonessential” city employees. The same situation occurred on February 2 of this year, during a Columbia County-issued snow emergency. HPD officers did not receive either day off, and now they would like to be compensated two additional days worth of pay for working on days other city employees had off,” Larson writes. Hudson Mayor Richard Scalera does not agree; hence the arbitration. Read the full story in the Register-Star.
Berkshire Taconic awards Hudson Opera House $10,000
Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation announced Wed., June 29 that it is awarding the Hudson Opera House $10,000 as part of its Berkshire Taconic Capitalization Initiative to address the economic challenges facing arts and cultural organizations. The Opera House also gets to work with the consulting firm TDC to create long term strategic financial plans (valued at $43,000) that, “link the organization’s mission to the realities of the environment.” “The Capitalization Award comes at a vital moment for the Hudson Opera House,” said Opera House CEO Gary Shiro. “Despite some funding reductions, we have successfully expanded our programs and are poised for our greatest leap yet as we finish the restoration and move toward opening the second floor auditorium. I know the expert guidance that will come our way through this award will help insure that HOH is an arts center that is sustainable for the long term.”
DEC alters Hudson River baitfish rules
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) announced Wed., June 29 changes to state regulations that formerly banned the overland transport of uncertified baitfish by anglers, including baitfish that were personally collected. The new rules allow for the overland transport of personally-collected baitfish within three specified transportation corridors, including the Hudson River from the Federal Dam at Troy to the Tappan Zee Bridge. The baitfish must be used in the same water body from which they are collected. New York’s current fish health regulations were established shortly after Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia (VHS) was first confirmed in New York waters in May, 2006 in Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River. VHS is a disease that causes hemorrhaging of the fish’s tissues, including internal organs. There is no known cure for VHS. In June 2007, DEC finalized regulations to help prevent the spread of VHS and other fish diseases into New York’s inland waters. See the new rules on the DEC’s website.
Empire State Baseball League
13U Coxsackie Owlz 12 – N. Colonie Shakers 2
The 13U Coxsackie Owlz (9-1, 11-3) beat the N.Colonie Shakers 12-2 Tue., June 28. Caleb Davies went 3-4 with a two-run double. Also for the Owlz, Seaver Martin went 2-4 with an RBI double. Zach Girvin pitched his fourth win, giving up two runs on one hit, five walks with five strike outs.
Tags: alternative side of street parking, baitfish, Berkshire Taconic, Cocksackie Owlz, DEC, Don Moore, Ellis Richardson, fishing, Hudson Opera House, Hudson River, parking, Rick Scalera
Hudson Democrats held a fundraiser Sunday evening at Helsinki Hudson, announcing their nominations for fall elections too. Here’s the least well-kept secret in town:
City-wide offices
Mayor: Nick Haddad
Treasurer: Don Moore
Common Council President: Sarah Sterling
First Ward
Aldermen: Larissa Parks and Timothy Rodgers
Supervisor: Michael O’Hara
Second Ward
Alderman: Abdus Miah
Third Ward
Aldermen: John Friedman and Chris Wagoner
Supervisor: Ellen Thurston
Fourth Ward
Supervisor: William Hughes
Fifth Ward
Supervisor: Rick Scalera
The Democratic committee will hold its next meeting on Tue., April 12th. at which time the second round of endorsements will be taken up.
Tags: Abdus Miah, Chris Wagoner, Don Moore, Ellen Thurston, Hudson Democrats, John Friedman, Larissa Parks, Michael O'Hara, Nick Haddad, Rick Scalera, Sarah Sterling, Timothy Rodgers, William Hughes
Hudson Mayor Rick Scalera is now looking to run for the Columbia County Board of Supervisors
Tags: Art Baer, Bart Delaney, Board of Supervisors, local audio, Rick Scalera
Hudson trolley buses, seen here in a recent Register-Star photo, will be running into March according to the latest word from city Mayor Rick Scalera.
The Register-Star story reports that the state Department of Transportation is being blamed for the holdup of a newly planned, and announced, city-county consolidated bus service, which was scheduled to begin on Jan. 1 but has yet to materialize. But it also seems the buses themselves will not be deliverable by owner Coxsackie Transport until late February or March.
Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: Coxsackie Transport, Rick Scalera, trolley
Artists' rendering of proposed restaurant for the Hudson waterfront. Photo by Tom Roe.
http://www.wgxc.org/media/uploaded_files/2010/12/HudsonCommonCouncilmtg_WGXC_122110.mp3
Read Lindsay Suchow’s story about this meeting in Register-Star.
Read Carole Osterink’s account at The Gossips of Rivertown.
Tags: Eric Galloway, Hudson waterfront, local audio, LWRP, Rick Scalera, town meetings
This Greenport Wal-Mart is empty since the new larger store opened down the street last year. Photo by Tom Roe.
“This afternoon [Tuesday, Nov. 30], Columbia County Planning/Economic Development Commissioner Ken Flood, the CEO of CRC [Capital Resource Corporation], presented the proposal to the Board of Supervisors Space Utilization Subcommittee, and what’s being proposed is that all county offices — 300 county employees — be consolidated in the old Wal-mart building. Only the agencies and offices that are required by law to be located in the county seat would remain in Hudson, and those offices would be moved to 325 Columbia Street, putting 401 State, 610 State, as well as 25 Railroad Avenue ‘out of commission.’ The proposal also involves leasing the leftover space in the vast old Walmart building to not-for-profits and start-up companies that cannot afford to lease commercial space, to create a business incubator or, as Flood called it, a ‘job growth center.’ Flood talked about the ‘synergies’ created by having all county offices under one roof. Responding to this talk of synergy, Fourth Ward Supervisor Bill Hughes asked ‘Why not put DSS [Department of Social Services] with a homeless shelter?’ and made the point that this seemed to be an obvious synergy. When the meeting had been adjourned, Mayor Rick Scalera reiterated the idea that combining DSS with a homeless shelter in the building seemed obvious and would solve a lot of problems. Social Services Commissioner Paul Mossman responded, ‘You expect the county to own and operate that?’ Why not? It makes more sense than the way the concept of “congregate housing” is now being implemented. A meeting to solicit public comments about the proposal will be held next Wednesday, December 8, at 5 p.m. at the Elks Club. More details of the proposal are provided in the Register-Star article: ‘County mulls new home for DSS.’”
Tags: Bill Hughes, Col. Cty. DSS, Columbia County government, development, Ken Flood, Paul Mossman, Rick Scalera
Joseph Costa, George Lagonia, Jr., Ronald Morales, Superintendent Mark Sposato, and school employee.
Clifford Campbell, Harvey Weber, Donald McComb, Robert McComb, Kevin Maisenbacher, members of Taconic Hills School Board.
Taconic Hills School Board holds entire meeting in executive session
The Taconic Hills School Board held an entire meeting in executive session to fill a usually-elected open seat on the board. The meeting in the conference room inside Taconic Hills High School Wednesday evening was held entirely in executive session, except for the pledge of allegience (pictured), unanimous votes to open and close the meeting, and another to go into executive session. The vote to go out of executive session, happened in executive session, according to the board. Previously that day in a story in the Register-Star, John Mason called executive director of New York’s Committee on Open Government Robert J. Freeman and asked if the board is violating the state’s open meetings law by doing everything in regard to filling this seat behind closed doors. Freeman quotes the Gordon vs. the Village of Monticello, Supreme Court, Sullivan County, Jan. 7, 1994 case: “The matter of replacing elected officials,” states the decision, “should be subject to public input and scrutiny.” Freeman said he has advised school boards that, “they conduct executive sessions [for this purpose] at their peril.” The Taconic Hills board insisted on meeting privacy and would not even reveal the names of potential candidates for the seat to replace John Mastropolo, who resigned in September. As the board began interviewing Christine Perry for the post — she told this reporter and Mason her name in the hallway outside the executive session — the board finally released the list of who sent letters of interest: Tom Bailey, June Simons, Kim Czyzewski, Gail Wheeler, Scott Decker, Annie Christensen, Sally Williamson, Perry, Kenneth Dow (withdrew today), Robert Garon (withdrew Oct. 21), and Joan Spencer. Perry, Williamson, Spencer, Dow, and Decker were granted interviews in executive session, though Dow withdrew today and Decker never arrived and could not be reached by school officials. The board also told the media — not the public — the seven questions they were asking of candidates inside the executive session: general items such as what budget cuts should be made, and “What are the most pressing issues facing school boards today?” The board will decide who fills the seat at a meeting next Wed. Nov. 17 at 7 p.m. Voters won’t have any input on who holds this seat until it expires May 17, 2011.
Three bat species see 90 percent population drops in NY
Little Brown, Northern, and Tri-Colored bats suffered 90 percent population declines in New York since the first appearance of the “White-Nose Syndrome” began plaguing the hibernating animals in their caves in 2006, according to a recently completed survey by the state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). Indiana bats have declined about 60 percent and “White Nose Syndrome” has now been documented in 32 caves and mines in New York. “Caves and mines that avoided infection in the early years of the disease, perhaps by chance, are now infected,” said Acting DEC Commissioner Peter Iwanowicz. “This year’s survey included hibernation sites that had not been visited by DEC in decades. What we found was disturbing. We now have sampled sites that represent the full range of environmental conditions across the state – and none have been spared. It is likely the sites not yet inspected are infected as well.” DEC is asking members of the recreational caving community to avoid any caves or mines known to house hibernating bats. Population numbers have held steady after steep, first-year declines at Howe Cave and Haile’s Cave (located in the greater Capital Region) at roughly 10 percent of their pre-disease count. “Infected animals were present at these two sites, so it’s too early to say the decline here has halted,” said DEC bat biologist Carl Herzog, “but these two caves represent the most hopeful results in an otherwise negative report.”
Hudson city budget
Carole Osterink in The Gossips of Rivertown reports on Wednesday night’s Hudson Common Council meeting where Mayor Rick Scalera revealed the 2011 city budget. Her analysis:
“The mil rate (the tax per $1,000 in assessed value) is 12.198420, down from 14.770500 in 2010–a 17 percent decrease. The total taxable value of properties in Hudson increased from 303,174,231 to 373,232,346, so the taxes on a hypothetical property assessed at $150,000 in 2010 and $250,000 in 2011 will increase from $2,215.58 to $3,049.61–an increase of 38 percent…. There will not be salary increases for elected officials, Department Heads, PT 40-hr employees as well as PT hourly employees. The Police Union has previously negotiated a 3% increase for 2011 and CSEA is currently in contract discussions with the city.3. In the Assessor’s office the part-time clerk position was cut and added was $68,000 toward the overall cost of a professional revaluation…. The city bus operations will be changed over in early January as we now will work within a Cooperative Agreement with the county. The Bus will continue to provide transportation from the City to the surrounding retailers in Greenport and back with expanded hours from the current schedule…. A public hearing on the budget will be held at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, November 17.” Read the entire story here.
Lindsay Suchow’s take on the proposed budget is here in Register-Star.
EPA subpoenas Halliburton, seeking fracking secrets
Environment News Service reports:
The U.S. EPA has issued a subpoena to Halliburton, requiring information about the chemicals used by the energy and engineering company to fracture shale rocks, releasing the natural gas they contain. Halliburton was subpoenaed after failing to voluntarily meet EPA’s requests for information needed for a congressionally mandated hydraulic fracturing study to investigate the potential adverse impacts of the practice on drinking water and public health. EPA’s Office of Research and Development will conduct the scientific study to examine the possible relationships between hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, and drinking water quality. Halliburton has been given until December 1 to submit the requested information. The agency is under a tight deadline to provide initial results by the end of 2012 and the thoroughness of its study depends on timely access to detailed information about the methods used for fracturing. EPA expects to begin the study in early 2011. On September 9, EPA asked nine national and regional hydraulic fracturing service providers – BJ Services, Complete Production Services, Halliburton, Key Energy Services, Patterson-UTI, RPC, Inc., Schlumberger, Superior Well Services, and Weatherford – for information. The agency is seeking information on the chemical composition of fluids used in the fracking process, data on the impacts of the chemicals on human health and the environment, standard operating procedures at their hydraulic fracturing sites and the locations of sites where fracturing has been conducted. Except for Halliburton, the companies have either fully complied with the September 9 request or made unconditional commitments to provide all the information on an expeditious schedule, the EPA said. Halliburton responded only that it would use its “best efforts” and “endeavor to complete its response” by the end of January 2011, according to a letter written by Peter Silva, the EPA’s assistant administrator for water to Halliburton Chairman and CEO David Lesar accompanying the subpoena. “EPA believes that Halliburton’s response is inadequate and inconsistent with the cooperation shown to date by the other eight companies,” Silva wrote.
Long Island company buys old Ceramaseal building in NL
Paul Crossman in Chatham Courier reports that RISA, “a metal fabrication company that makes and installs various products from iron, steel and other metals and turns them into products like staircases, railings and doorways,” is attempting to get permits from the Planning Board, and finish their State Environmental Quality Review application before buying the Ceramaseal building in New Lebanon. The company representative claims up to 50 new jobs for the area within a year. Read the entire story here.
Veteran’s Day
Schools are closed today.
Birthdays
Nov. 11 is the birthday of Stanley Tucci, Dave Alvin, and Kurt Vonnegut.
Tags: bats, business, hydraulic fracturing, Rick Scalera, schools, town meetings, white-nose syndrome
Gibson names Saratoga’s Stallmer as chief-of-staff
Kinderhook’s Congressman-elect Chris Gibson named Steve Stallmer as his chief-of-staff. Stallmer graduated from Saratoga Springs High School in 1994, worked as an intern and staffer for the late Congressman Gerald Solomon, and on the staff of Congressman Jack Quinn. Since 2004 he was the Vice President of Government and Public Affairs for the Associated General Contractors of New York State. Stallmer has a degree in political science from Marymount University in Arlington, VA.
Meetings tonight
The Register-Star’s John Mason reports the Taconic Hills School Board is secretly choosing a new member tonight, and they will not reveal the names of any of the candidates, and are holding all deliberations behind closed doors. Mason calls the executive director of New York’s Committee on Open Government Robert J. Freeman and asks if the board is violating the state’s open meetings law by doing everything in regard to hiring in executive session. Freeman quotes the Gordon vs. the Village of Monticello, Supreme Court, Sullivan County, Jan. 7, 1994 case: “The matter of replacing elected officials,” states the decision, “should be subject to public input and scrutiny.” Freeman said he has advised school boards that “they conduct executive sessions [for this purpose] at their peril.” Then Mason lists similar recent local situations:
On Jan. 11, members of the Hudson City School Board went into executive session to discuss four candidates for an open board seat. But Board Member Elizabeth Fout refused to join them, saying it was against Open Meetings Law. On Oct. 5, members of the Ichabod Crane School Board heard presentations in a public meeting by five of eight candidates for an open board seat — the other three had already made their presentations. Members then went into executive session and made their decision. In both cases, names of all candidates were public knowledge. Read the entire story here.
Carole Osterink reports Hudson Mayor Rick Scalera will present the budget to the Common Council at a special meeting tonight, Wednesday, November 10, at 6 p.m. at city hall. The budget will be online for public review at the City of Hudson website after that, with a public hearing on the subject Wednesday, November 17, at 6 p.m.
Birthdays
Nov. 10 is the birthday of Saxby Chambliss, Neil Gaiman, and Ann Reinking.
Tags: Chris Gibson, Rick Scalera, Steve Stallmer, Taconic Hills School Board
Carole Osterink and her “The Gossips of Rivertown” blog‘s coverage of the city of Hudson waterfront development LWRP battle currently raging between environmental and business interests has been the best in town. Osterink’s latest entry, covers Thursday’s symposium sponsored by the Hudson River Environmental Society and organized by Scenic Hudson took place at Space 360:
The symposium was entitled “The Ecology of Hudson South Bay: Understanding the Past, Looking to the Future.” The presenters were from the NYS DEC Hudson River Estuary Program, the Hudson River National Estuarine Research Reserve, Hudsonia, and the Cary Institute for Ecosystem Studies. Gathered around the table were a group of people with disparate hopes and plans for the South Bay. Mayor Scalera was there, with City Attorney Cheryl Roberts. Common Council President Don Moore was there, along with Aldermen Ellen Thurston (Third Ward), Sarah Sterling (First Ward), and Geeta Cheddie (First Ward). George Super from the Greenport Planning Board was there. Kenneth Faroni, Director of Planning and Permits for O&G Industries was there, with Holcim attorney Donald Stever. Linda Mussmann, former chair of the Waterfront Advisory Steering Committee was there, and so was Bonnie Devine, the Department of State staff member who worked with the WASC to develop the 2009 draft LWRP. Participants also included Peter Paden and Ellen Jouret-Epstein from the Columbia Land Conservancy; Sam Pratt and Peter Jung from The Valley Alliance; all the members of a citizens’ research group calling themselves the LWRP Task Force (Patrick Doyle, Chris Reed, Meg Carlon, Timothy O’Connor); Susan Falzon from Friends of Hudson; Michael O’Hara from Sustainable Hudson Valley, as well as several staff members from Scenic Hudson: Seth McKee, Jeff Anzevino, and Mark Wildonger. There was also a representative from Congressman Scott Murphy’s office, who stayed for only part of the two-and-a-half hour meeting.
Tags: Don Moore, environment, Friends of Hudson, Geeta Cheddie, Linda Mussman, Patrick Doyle, Rick Scalera, Sarah Sterling, Scenic Hudson, Susan Falzon, town meetings
Ellen Thurston started the Hudson Pride ceremonies at Promenade Park. Hudson Pride organizer Victor Mendolia is also pictured. Photos by Tom Roe.
Click here to listen to an mp3 recording of the entire Hudson Pride event June 20, 2010 at Promenade Park. Speakers and performers included Victor Mendolia, Ellen Thurston, MC Trixie Starr (in photo above), Lady Moon, Hudson Mayor Rick Scalera, Isis Vemouth, William Hallenbeck (pictured below, next to Rick Scalera photo), NRG People, Charlie Ferrusi and Timmy Howard, Liv Carrow, Kathe Izzo, Albany Drag Queens, Bindlestiff Cirkus, Charmed and Dangerous, NY State Senate candidate Didi Barrett, NY State Assembly candidate Susan Tooker (photo below, next to Barrett), and many others.
Rick Scalera at Hudson Pride.
Keith from the Bindlestiff Cirkus performed at Hudson Pride.
NY State Senate candidate Didi Barrett at Hudson Pride.
NRG at Hudson Pride.
You can paste the following url into your computer’s media player to listen to the recording:
http://archive.free103point9.org/2010/06
/HudsonPride_WGXC_061910.mp3
Tags: Bindlestiff Family Cirkus, Didi Barrett, Ellen Thurston, Lady Moon, local audio, music, Rick Scalera, Susan Tooker, town meetings, Trixie Starr, William Hallenbeck
One of the best results from the recent redesign of the web sites of The Daily Mail and The Register-Star has been the increase in reader participation through online comments. Lately, the politicians and officials at the heart of many stories on the paper’s web sites are writing their own comments. Or are being carefully impersonated in the largely unregulated world of online comments. First, Hudson Mayor Rick Scalera, or someone posing as the mayor, responded to a Feb. 11 Register-Star “My View” opinion column by Taghkanic-based activist Sam Pratt. Three days later, State Assemblyman Marc Molinaro, or an online simulacrum, commented on a Register-Star article about his recent vote against making it easier to cast an absentee ballot. Bob Sacks, or someone claiming the identity of the Copake Town Councilman, also commented on that article. And if The Daily Mail mentions the Cairo Planning Board, you can bet board Chairman Dan Benoit will comment. In a Feb. 11 “My View” column by Leeds-based businessman Bob Nappa, Benoit pipes in once the chatter in the comments section gets around to Cairo. In each case, officials leave e-mail addresses and phone numbers for constituents to get in touch about whatever issue getting is being discussed. Bravo!
Tags: Bob Sacks, Marc Molinaro, Rick Scalera
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MxLnudRhWOo&hl=en_US&fs=1&]
Interview with Hudson, NY Mayor Rick Scalera by members of Hudson High School Video Generation Club. Uploaded by Dan Udell.
Tags: local audio, Rick Scalera
The Hudson City Democrats and the Columbia County Common Sense message board both mention a public meeting at 7 p.m., Thur. Sept. 24 in the community room at Bliss Tower, that concerns redevelopment of Bliss Tower. The message board guesses that Hudson Mayor Rick Scalera; Exec. Dir of HHA Jeff First; 4th Ward Supervisor William Hughes Jr.; Omni housing developer, COO Duncan Barrett; a member of Congressman Murphy’s staff Benedict MacCafree; and others will attend the meeting about the housiing project between N. 2nd and N. 3rd Sts. and Columbia St. in Hudson. Anybody want to make a recording and upload it here?
Tags: Rick Scalera, William Hughes
Proposal leaves DSS in Hudson
From The Register-Star
HUDSON – Columbia County Board of Supervisors Chairman Art Baer (R-Hillsdale) and Hudson Mayor Rick Scalera stood together at a press conference Tuesday and announced a new proposal that would keep the Department of Social Services in Hudson. The county would buy the One City Centre building on the corner of State and Green streets in Hudson; departments currently in the County Office Buildings at 401 and 610 State Street would move to City Centre. The total square footage of 401 and 610 State Street is 36,000 square feet, 24,000 at 401 and 12,000 at 610 State Street. DSS would stay in its current building on Railroad Avenue for the duration of its lease, which ends in 2011; and then move to One City Centre. Baer called the proposal “a great solution for a difficult problem” and said “I’m looking forward to implementing it.” “The logistics of the planning — there’s a lot to discuss,” said Scalera. “The commitment to keep DSS in the city of Hudson is what we’ve been working for.” Baer previously opposed such a plan, but switched positions because of falling real estate values. The Register-Star says One City Centre was going for $5 million last year, but now is selling for $2 million. “This is not a done deal,” Baer said. “We are only in discussion with the bank. There are still many pieces that have to be put together in the puzzle.”
Copake Green project set to sprout again
From CCScoop
COPAKE – Large developers bring big projects to small towns in this area, and often get special treatment. Like in Copake last week, where Housing Resources Executive Director Kevin O’Neill got to re-introduce his 139-unit Copake Green project to a Copake Planning Board meeting even though he was not on the agenda. From the CCscoop story:
“Although O’Neill did not request to be put on the agenda ten days in advance of the meeting — the Planning Board requirement — [Planning Board Chairman Marcia] Becker explained that, because there was a light agenda in July and because Housing Resources owns land in the town, she believed allowing O’Neill to make his twenty-minute presentation was the right thing to do.’It caused an uproar that we let him speak. . . . So from now on we are adhering to the ten-day rule,’ Becker said.”
Medical center, bank storage get green light
From The Daily Mail
CATSKILL – The Catskill Planning Board approved site plans for the 3,000 square-foot Urgent Care facility proposed for Grandview Avenue and for a Bank of Greene County storage facility on Windsor Street after hearing brief presentations on each proposal. The medical facility used Architect Josh Pulver, a relative of planning board member Michelle Pulver. She recused herself when it came to the vote, but as an anonymous reader commented on the story, “Nothing assures the approval of a project better than hiring the relative of a judge and town planner as your architect, and paying him astronomical fees.”
Copake opts for outside budget review
From The Columbia Paper
COPAKE–The Copake Town Board hired a second accountant to make sure the first accountant’s figures of a estimated $175,000 budget shortfall are correct. “We all agree that our first course of action should be an independent audit to verify the numbers or find out if they are not correct. We have to know where we are,” Town Supervisor Reggie Crowley told the audience at the Town Board’s regular monthly meeting July 9.
Court Sides With GOP On Ravitch, Paterson Vows To Appeal
From The Daily News’ The Daily Politics
ALBANY – State Supreme Court Justice William R. LaMarca granted the Republican Party’s motion for a preliminary injunction that prevents just-appointed Lt. Govenor Richard Ravitch from “exercising any of the powers” of the LG’s office, pending a final judgment, noting there is no provision in the Constitution that allows the governor to appoint a replacement LG when a vacancy occurs in that office.
Tags: Art Baer, business, Col. Cty. DSS, development, Rick Scalera
New Department of Social Services proposal?
From The Register-Star
“There will be a press conference at 4:30 p.m. today in the Supervisors’ Chambers at the county office building on 401 State St., Hudson, on the future placement of the county Department of Social Services. Board of Supervisors Chairman Art Baer, the Board of Supervisors, the Hudson Common Council, and Mayor Richard Scalera will discuss the future of a new home for the DSS staff and facilities.”
Nonprofit’s report cites lack of slaughterhouses in New York
From The Register-Star
Andrew Amelinckx writes an excellent story based on a report by Washington D.C. based consumer watchdog group Food and Water Watch that finds not enough slaughterhouses in New York state and blames federal policies that, it says, favors larger operations. There are two USDA certified slaughterhouses in Columbia County, Van Wie in Stockport and Hilltown Pork, Inc. Robert Beckwith of Hilltown Pork says he is backed up with animals until 2010. “People want to know where their meat is coming from,” he said. “There aren’t enough USDA facilities to meet the demand.”
Murphy plans steps to help dairy farmers
From The Columbia Paper
With milk prices falling to 1979 levels and New York dairy farmers expected to lose $650 million this year, new U.S. Rep. Scott Murphy plans to introduce legislation to help. The proposed legislation would further subsidize dairy farmers, and create a herd retirement program meant to curtail supply. “This proposal works two-fold, by providing immediate relief to our struggling dairy farmers today, and stabilizing the dairy industry for tomorrow. Before more small farmers are forced out of business, we need to bring fast relief and stability to the industry.”
Lates poll: Maloney 33% Gillibrand 27%
From Rasmussen Reports
In a very early poll, New York City congresswoman Carolyn Maloney leads appointed Senator Kristen Gillibrand with 33 percent of the vote to 27 percent and nine percent preferring some other candidate. Thirty percent are undecided.
Tags: agriculture, Art Baer, Col. Cty. DSS, Kirsten Gillibrand, Rick Scalera, Scott Murphy
Register-Star reporter Jamie Larson claims Columbia County Board of Supervisor Chairman Art Baer, “asked the Register-Star to get [Hudson Mayor Rick Scalera] to sit down with him today to reopen the discussion about [using the] Charles Williams [School] or other sites as possibilities.” The story begins with the Columbia County Chamber of Commerce holding an emergency economic forum Thursday at Hudson’s Stageworks Theater. Larson gets Baer on the phone to comment on all the outrage from the Hudson business community about his plan to move the homeless into the city’s St. Charles Hotel. “Baer said St. Charles wouldn’t be on the table if Hudson Mayor Rick Scalera hadn’t ‘stiff-armed’ talks two years ago to use the old Charles Williams School as a homeless shelter,” the story says. Scalera, reached by the reporter, agrees to meet Baer anytime. Scalera says talks to use the Charles Williams School for the homeless broke down when Baer began pushing for the Department of Social Services to move out of Hudson to the Ockawamick school in Claverack. Baer then calls this typical political dealing “blackmail,” clearly raising an even bigger fight instead of trying to solve an issue. Linda Mussmann from TSL and the Bottom Line Party says Baer’s actions are, “the dismantling of Hudson as the county seat.”… Baer also visited Washington D.C., according to the Register-Star, to lobby New York representatives for federal stimulus funding for $4 million in improvements to the museum and visitor center at the Olana State Historic Site; $3 million for an emergency communications system; $9 million for the Greenport water and sewer system; $200,000 to study a countywide broadband initiative; and $1 million to extend wastewater and sewer systems to Hudson Park on Route 23 in Livingston…. U.S. Rep. Scott Murphy put in a $15 million federal funding request on behalf of the Greene County Industrial Development Agency for “transportation infrastructure improvements to State Route 9W” and an “expansion of Exit 21B/New York State Thruway, a flyover Bridge connecting 9W, and an internal public road system connecting the flyover bridge and Kalkberg Commerce Park,” according to the Daily Mail…. The Kinderhook Republicans endorsed Patrick Grattan as town supervisor, Patsy Leader and Glenn Smith for seats on the Town Board, and Lisa Mills for town justice and cross-endorsed Democrat incumbent Highway Superintendent John Ruchel Jr. for a second term in office, according to the Register-Star….While the New York State Senate Republicans and Democrats can’t agree on anything else to start working, they can agree to keep taking your money. From the Albany Times-Union’s Capitol Confidential blog, Marissa Shorenstein, spokeswoman to Gov. David Paterson is quoted:
“The Governor’s office earlier today looked into the question of whether or not members of the Senate are eligible to receive their salaries with no presiding officer agreed upon to authorize payment. It turns out that both conferences have come together and signed appropriate documentation to continue receiving their salaries. So there is a power sharing agreement — but it only includes getting paid. If the leadership of the Senate can agree on a way to keep getting paid, they can reach an agreement to get back to work for the people of New York.”
LIVE TONIGHT:
Multimedia work by Fawn Potash and Pat Horner at Oriole 9, 17 Tinker Street, Woodstock, 5-7 p.m.
Tags: Art Baer, Linda Mussmann, Pat Grattan, Rick Scalera
While Hudson city officials and activist continue to fight to keep the Department of Social Services in the city, Board of Supervisors chairman Art Baer has a new plan to move the main DSS offices to Ockawamick, The Register-Star reports. Yesterday the Board of Supervisors’ Human Services Committee approved a plan to put homeless housing and a satellite DSS office in the 139-year-old St. Charles Hotel on 16 Park Place. The arrangement could save the county $400,000 a year, Social Services Commissioner Paul Mossman said. In the Register-Star, Hudson Mayor Rick Scalera criticized the county for “deliberating and negotiating over something that’s going to take place in the city without including city officials. It isn’t done anywhere.”…The Daily Mail reports that Catskill town planners approved an “Concept Site Plan” for urgent care center medical facility, Urgent Medical Care, for 10 Grandview Ave. A public hearing for the Site Plan is set for 7 p.m. July 6….The unmuffled blog reports that Hudson City schools New York State Education Department test scores dropped in 2006-07 and 2007-08:
According to the recently released data, mean scores increased modestly for students in grades three through six, while scores for seventh and eighth grades increased by 10 and 18 points, respectively (see below). [Students are graded on a scale from the 400's to the upper 700's; 650 is the cut-off between Level 2 and Level 3 (meeting the learning the standards).]
Republicans press for judicial ruling
http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=810313&category=REGION
ALBANY – The battle for the state Senate entered a new phase Monday after Sen. Hiram Monserrate officially returned to the Democratic fold, leaving the chamber deadlocked, 31-31, with less than one week left in the scheduled legislative session. After a long day of back-and-forth at the Capitol and the state Supreme Court, both sides sat down to discuss the notion of power sharing — only to emerge less than a hour later with Republicans insisting that no progress could be made until a judge had decided whether last week’s dramatic coup on the Senate floor had been legal and binding. “I have always been clear about my loyalty to the Democratic party,” Monserrate said at a midday news conference, where he was joined by Senate Democrats. It came a week after he joined breakaway Democrat Pedro Espada Jr. and the 30-member Republican conference in a shocking coup that ousted the Democrats from their brief majority. Senate Democratic Leader Malcolm Smith began the news conference by introducing Brooklyn’s John Sampson as the new “conference leader” who will run its day-to-day operations. While Smith will retain his current title, Sampson is widely acknowledged as the new leader of the Senate Democrats.
TU employees reject company offer
http://albanyguild.wordpress.com/2009/06/15/tu-employees-reject-company-offer/
ALBANY – By a more than three-to-one margin, employees of the Times Union voted today to reject a contract offer that would have given the company the power to outsource any and all jobs and lay off employees regardless of how long they had worked at the newspaper. Publisher George Hearst had insisted on the vote and strongly encouraged members to participate. The members rejected the proposal by a vote of 125 to 35. “Had the membership approved the company’s proposal, we would have respected their decision and been bound by it,” said Guild President Tim O’Brien. “The publisher sought this vote, told members how important it was to him that they vote and he needs to respect their decision. Our members were quite clear on what they found unacceptable in the company’s offer and they have been telling us what changes would make it acceptable. We intend to seek new bargaining dates and to go forward with a renewed spirit of flexibility.”
Central Hudson cuts back, files austerity plan
http://www.midhudsonnews.com/News/2009/June09/16/CH_aust-16Jun09.html
POUGHKEEPSIE – Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corporation Monday filed a mandated austerity plan with the New York State Public Service Commission. The agency in May ordered all utilities to present cost cutting plans. The plan outlines cost cuts proposed by Central Hudson through reduced capital expenditures and operating expenses that will provide savings to customers without causing immediate impacts to service, safety or reliability. Measures include temporarily postponing approximately $20 million, or 20 percent, of planned capital expenditures for the year to reduce the associated carrying charges; lowering research and development expenses by $350,000; and freezing executive base salaries.
LIVE TONIGHT:
Informational meeting about Task Force on Student Academic Performance 6 p.m. in the Hudson High School Library.
Tags: Art Baer, Rick Scalera
On The Air
WGXC is on 90.7-FM now, at full-power, 3300 watts. We cover all parts of Greene County except parts of the mountaintop, and all of Columbia County except for a bit of Western Columbia County south of Germantown. WGXC also covers a large part of southern Albany County. We have heard reports that the signal is getting from Delaware County to Great Barrington, from Selkirk to Saugerties, from Pine Plains to the I-90 extension.
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