The best source for local news from Marbletown, Rochester & Rosendale
Published the 1st and 3rd Friday of each month | Vol. 27, Issue 22
Rondout alum scores big goal at NCAA UAlbany game
November 18, 2022 | $1.00
Parents respond to fellow parents' concerns PAGE 3
BSP Holiday Section starts in this issue PAGES 17-25
PAGE 12
Rosendale households must upgrade water meters
Expenses, salaries are up
Michelle Mcauliffe Vitner BSP Reporter The Rosendale Town Board meeting on Nov. 9 at Rondout Municipal Center was attended by town supervisor Jeanne Walsh, councilmembers Joseph Havranek, Christopher Pryslopski and Carrie Wykoff; councilmember Ernest Klepeis was not in attendance. The meeting covered a few items of business: Environmental Committee goals, Water and Sewer Department updates, police report, Highway Department updates and a few resolutions up for vote, including a community solar project. It was noted by the board that Park Heights residents submitted a petition about reducing the speed on Route 32. New water meters continue to be installed by town staff, and for those who have not done so yet, it is advised that they reach out to schedule this upgrade. Havranek said they are wi-fi capable and will help people note any leaks by accurate measurement of water use. The Water Department can see the measurement and communicate it to homeowners, which can be a helpful feature if people are away from home. There will be a reminder letter mailed out by the end of the year (second notice) that if households don’t comply with the new meter install, a possible $75 dollar-per-quarter charge to read the meters manually may be put in place. Also, a resolution was approved to submit a High Falls Water Department list for delinquent water levies to Ulster County tax records . The next Water Commission meeting,
See Rosendale, page 8
Residents speak out about town tax burden at TOR budget hearing Ann Belmont BSP Reporter
Back Home Cannabis Co. has grown approximately 800 pounds of sun-grown cannabis this season to sell to storefronts across New York. As of Nov. 17, New York has yet to open a legal storefront for cannabis. See the full story on this issue's Business Page. Pictured above is Will Leibee of Back Home Cannabis Co. with cannabis that has been cured and is ready for sale. Below, an aerial view of the planted crop earlier this season. The photo of Leibee was taken by Thomas Childers.
Town of Rochester’s regular Town Board meeting for November was preceded by a public hearing on the preliminary town budget for 2022. The state tax cap is being exceeded by $168,000. The reason, town supervisor Mike Baden said, is the ambulance district property tax created to fund the Kerhonkson-Accord First Aid Squad (KAFAS), which recently hired a paid staff. Someone asked for clarity on how much the overall tax increase would be in 2023. Baden explained, “Between the general, the highway and the ambulance, it’s about a $50-$55 tax increase on a $200,000 house." There were five or six comments from people who believed that the board, and in particular Baden, were asking for too much of a salary hike as proposed in the budget. One woman complained about the cost of fuel and utilities, as well as food and gas. Another said that Rochester is too sparsely populated to afford a bigger supervisor salary. Acknowledging that Baden works full time although the job is officially part-time, another commenter said that the raise seemed reasonable, but asked that the process would include board approval and public input.
See Rochester hearing, page 8
Duchess Farms wins case against ZBA decisions Town plans to appeal BSP Staff Reports Duchess Farms, a 19-lot residential subdivision in High Falls owned by previous Marbletown supervisor Michael Warren, largely won an Article 78 appeal
in the Supreme Court of New York, Ulster County, against the town’s Zoning Board of Appeals [ZBA]. An Article 78 proceeding is used to appeal the decision of a New York state or local agency to the New York courts. In this case, the Article 78 sought to annul the February 2022 violations issued by the ZBA. These violations stem from the 2007, 2010, 2011 and 2018 site plans
approved by the planning board for the Duchess Farm subdivision. On Oct. 21, Justice Mott, Ulster County, annulled all but one of the eight violations, and in the one violation not annulled he decided “the record was insufficient to conduct a meaningful review,” though Warren said that documents were submitted on that one violation during a court conference on Nov.17.
Rich Parete said that the town “board members spoke with our attorney yesterday [on 11/15] and we agreed to appeal the judge's decision. We are confident the town will prevail as we work through the legal system.” In a nine-page decision Mott gave reasoning as to why he granted annulment to
See Article 78, page 15