Wednesday April 24, 2024 
Historic Preservation – Continued
Sand Lake Town Historian Bob Moore’s recent article in The Advertiser reminds us that we live in a very historic place. The original Eastern Turnpike connecting 1700s Albany with Deerfield Massachusetts ran right through town and, at about ten miles from the Hudson River ferry, Sand Lake was a convenient stopover place. The old O’Donnell’s liquor store began as a tavern in the 1700s and has also been a bakery, a coffee shop, a barber shop, and a post office. And now, one of the oldest buildings in our town is gone.
Last month’s “Amazing Graves” presentation by the Sand Lake Center for the Arts at the Union Cemetery illustrated some of the many fascinating people (and a horse!) who have called Sand Lake home. Last year, the Town of Sand Lake, at the urging of residents, established a “history overlay district” encompassing the old Sliter’s Corners (presently the Sand Lake hamlet), Routes 43 and 66 to Glass lake, and Schumann Road. Its purpose is the “recognize not regulate” historic properties in that area of town. Educating us all as to what we have – and what’s at risk – is the key preserving our historic Sand Lake. We have much to be proud of and so much to lose.
As Bob pointed out, the center of Averill Park is steeped in history, too, and, due to the realities of commerce, Route 43 will never be Route 4 in Defreestville or Route 7 in Brunswick. But what it will become is up to us.
Pete Finn, Sand Lake
Highway Superintendent Toby Chadwick Resignation
I was dismayed to learn that Toby Chadwick has resigned as Poestenkill’s elected Highway Superintendent seemingly as a result of unwarranted, severe criticism by a Town Board member.
Poestenkill is a small community with many longtime residents who usually work together for the benefit of their community. Unfortunately some newcomers from suburban communities don’t always understand that our highway department has done a commendable job at maintaining our roads, and that it not a public works department responsible for subdivision residential clean-up.
Toby Chadwick is an exemplary highway superintendent, a caring neighbor, and a fine person. He has served the Town, and served it very well, for the 36 years I’ve lived here. His dedication, good spirit, and remarkable work ethic will be missed.
Owen Goldfarb, East Poestenkill
Sand Lake Planning Board Ignores Community
We watched the November 5th Zoom Planning Board Meeting pertaining to the special use permit for Mr. Bailey’s Event Barn on Barnes Road. We are members of the Barnes Road Neighborhood Association, who have written over 50 letters to the Planning Board, given oral presentations, written many letters to the Advertiser and posted many signs in front of our home in opposition to this Event Barn. Our concerns include traffic, noise, and its lack of consistency with the surrounding community. Yet, when the Board went through the SEQR process to consider the Environmental Impact, the Board rated “no or small impact” pertaining to “will the proposed action impact the character or quality of existing community”, “level of traffic” and “noise”. I would hope you would have discussed our concerns and explained why our concerns were inaccurate or misplaced. Instead, our many concerns were not even addressed. The one possible exception was outdoor amplified music will not be permitted. We are concerned that indoor music and noise will disrupt 20 of our summer evenings as we struggle to relax in our backyards. We think that the noise and traffic from these events will diminish the quality of life on our street and not in keeping with our community. How are we wrong? I think you need to explain these actions, at least discuss them and acknowledge our concerns, and give us a voice at the meeting.
Sincerely, Winston Hagborg and Deborah Dewey