Saturday April 20, 2024 
Voting Info on Upcoming Poestenkill Ambulance Taxing District Referendum to Answer Current Questions
POESTENKILL – The Ambulance District Referendum will be held on Tuesday March 30, 2021 from 12 Noon to 8:00 PM at the Sullivan Jones VFW Post on Main Street.
Poestenkill Property Owners/Property Tax Payers are only being asked if they want to create a dedicated Advanced Life Support Ambulance Taxing District to service our Town. If approved, the Town Board will begin the next step of soliciting bids from existing Ambulance Agencies to provide this Service. The chosen Ambulance Agency proposal would then be brought back most probably for a second vote in November. No action can occur, including any impact on Property Taxes, until after this Second Vote is held. If the proposal to establish a dedicated Ambulance Taxing District is defeated, then no further action will occur.
Only In-Person Voting will be allowed. There are NO Absentee or Early Voting Options available. Only Poestenkill Property Owners whose name or names currently appear on the latest Property Tax Records will be allowed to cast a vote. Proper I.D. is required. Only one vote per Property Owner/Owners will be allowed no matter how many Property Parcels are owned. Corporations, LLC’s and/or Associations who own Property are only allowed to designate one person to vote on their behalf with written authorization.
Thank you for your time & interest, Tom Russell
Town of Schodack 2021 Tax Collection
SCHODACK – NYS mandated second notice reminder letters were mailed on March 5th to all property owners showing an unpaid balance. If your property taxes should have been paid through an escrow account, please contact them immediately. All payments received after March 4th MUST INCLUDE the 2% penalty and $2.00 second notice fee to be processed.
Please mail payments to, Shawn Masters Receiver of Taxes PO Box 436 East Schodack, NY 12063 or place in green drop box located by Town Hall entrance door before March 31st. No payments can be accepted through this office after March 31, 2021. Please put a current phone number on your check so we can contact you if there are any issues with your payment.
Past year Property and School Tax receipts for income tax forms may be printed from the town website Schodack.org.
You can contact me at 518-477-7935 with any questions.
Shawn Masters, Receiver of Taxes
Sand Lake FYI
SAND LAKE – I am happy our COVID cases are decreasing. We still need to remain vigilant but it appears that things are moving in the right direction. It Is hard to believe that last year at this time, we were preparing to close Town Hall and our businesses were scrambling with trying to remain open amid restrictions that were changing sometimes daily.
The COVID relief bill has passed the House and Senate. Many thanks to Congressman Antonio Delgado who sent out spreadsheets this afternoon with the projected amounts of monies for the states, counties, cities, towns and villages throughout the United States. Congressman Delgado did a lot of communication with his local governments during this process, and I personally thank him for it. It appears that the Town of Sand Lake will receive $92,000. This is good news for our town!
Our Sand Lake Military Banners program is up and running! If you want to participate, please get your application, picture, and $200 to me as soon as possible.
We will be sponsoring a Summer Camp this year. To achieve efficiencies and in the spirit of shared services, we will be combining our camp with Poestenkill. We will have more information out in the near future. The camp will run for 5 weeks, from July 12-August 13.
We hope we never need the services of our fire departments and ambulance. However, all of us are comforted knowing that those services are there in case we need them. These services do not run for free or without people. Our fire companies and ambulance desperately need volunteers. In the case of the ambulance, we are quickly approaching needing 24/7 professional staff, which is costly. This brings us to a crossroad: Do we decrease service or pay more to provide top-notch response? I am telling you without exaggeration that the Town Budget cannot absorb future increases for too many more years. The Ambulance already comprises a third of our General Fund. Please consider volunteering for our ambulance or fire departments. It is gratifying work and essential to us as a community.
Nancy Perry, Town Supervisor
Town of East Greenbush Department of Public Works Spring Cleanup
EAST GREENBUSH – Spring Cleanup will begin Monday, April 12th, 2021, and resume for the next 4 Mondays. The leaves must be in biodegradable bags and brush must be tied up into 4 foot bundles, placed out alongside of the roadway, but not in the road.
The dates are as follows: April 12th, 2021; April 19th, 2021; April 26th, 2021; May 3rd, 2021
Please be advised that these are the “ONLY” dates the Department of Public Works will be performing Spring Cleanup. If you miss these dates, you may bring these items to the Transfer Station, located at 246 Ridge Road, Town of East Greenbush. Residents must provide proof of residency, or a Transfer Station permit, and are allowed to bring these items all year long at no cost.
Please do not place bags of leaves or bundles of brush on the pavement, in front of culverts, or on top of catch basins. Place all items on the edge of the road.
Sincerely, Daniel Fiacco
Town of East Greenbush Commissioner of Public Works – 69 Gilligan Road. 518-477-6103.
Rensselaer County of the Minority – March 2021 Highlights
RENSSELAER COUNTY – The Legislature unanimously approved an agreement with the Department of Employment and Training to provide employment and training services through the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) to eligible, low income youth. This pilot program and agreement is 100% supported through federal monies and administered through the Capital Region Boys & Girls Club. It aims to reconnect approximately 30 WIOA eligible 16-24 olds to the workforce by offering job training via apprenticeships and certificate programs, teaching standards in job searching, entry level professionalism, and financial literacy. The recruits would also receive stipends to incentivize attendance and completion of program.
Health: Several fiscal year 2020 contracts needed amending due to increased expenses as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Legislature also unanimously voted on a resolution to recognize April as National Donate Life Month. This resolution encourages everyone to register as an organ donor, as we all carry the potential to help save a life.
The Highway Department submitted several resolutions to purchase equipment and other necessary materials in order to be ready for the 2021 road improvement and maintenance program.
NEXT MEETING – Tuesday, April 13 2021 in the Rensselaer County Chambers located on the 3rd floor of the Ned Pattison Government Center, 1600 7th Avenue, Troy.
Residents are welcome to contact our office at 518 270-2890.
www.rensselaercounty.org & follow us on Facebook: “Rensselaer County Legislature – Democratic Team”
North Greenbush Report from Councilwoman Mary Frances Sabo
NORTH GREENBUSH – With warmer weather approaching and ice and snow melting, I’d like to introduce you to North Greenbush’s Stormwater Management Program Plan (SWMP), overseen by Eric Westfall, the town engineer. The term “stormwater” refers to water originating from precipitation, including snow and ice melt. Stormwater becomes a problem when it runs off roofs and driveways and picks up fertilizer, oil, pesticides and pet waste, pushing these pollutants into rivers and streams. If not properly managed, stormwater can flood and damage homes and basements and result in soil erosion. The town’s SWMP has 6 program elements designed to reduce the discharge of pollutants through best management practices. Anyone who wishes to report a stormwater issue or concern is encouraged to email Eric at ewestfall@nullnorthgreenbush.org. He has also created with input from helpful town residents a monthly “stormwater minute” featuring suggested actions that residents can take to minimize stormwater problems. A virtual public presentation on the SWMP is planned for the near future. I would encourage everyone to visit the town’s website to learn about North Greenbush’s stormwater efforts. Thank you, Eric, for your dedication to this important town initiative.
The town’s Climate Smart Committee will be meeting with staff Cornell Cooperative Extension in the near future to discuss the grant funded effort to get the town certified as a Climate Smart Community. Residents will be pleased to learn that the recent switch to LED lighting in municipal buildings, spearheaded by the town comptroller, earned the town points towards this effort.
Although the pandemic has made it difficult to get out in the community as much as I would like, I was able to enjoy a take out fish fry at the American Legion on Main Avenue several Fridays in March. These fish dinners will continue on a take out basis on Fridays until the beginning of April.
Submitted by Councilwoman Mary Frances Sabo