Tuesday April 16, 2024 
Van Rensselaer Awardees Honored at Rensselaer County Regular Meeting
RENSSELAER COUNTY – The Rensselaer County Legislature was pleased to present a resolution to the 2021 Van Rensselaer Awardees at their Regular Meeting on September 14, 2021.
Pictured L. to R:
Legislator Mark Fleming, Vice Chair Kelly Hoffman, RC Public Health Director Mary Fran Wachunas, Legislator Carole Weaver, Mike Finegan – St. Peter’s Health Partners President, Acute Care and Minority Leader Peter Grimm.
Legislature Honors East Greenbush K-9 Police Officer Josh Witko
RENSSELAER COUNTY – Vice-Chair of the Legislature Kelly Hoffman and Legislators Rob Bayly, Leon Fiacco, and Tom Grant were honored to recognize East Greenbush Police Officer Josh Witko for bringing back a K-9 program back to 
East Greenbush. Officer Witko took it upon himself to raise nearly $100,000 to fund the cost of the K-9 program.
The K-9 unit in East Greenbush was discontinued in 2007, but thanks to the tireless efforts of Josh Witko, and all of the donors and sponsors, the K-9 unit was made possible once again.
Officer Witko’s father, Ed Witko, passed away tragically in 2010, and had always wanted to revive the department’s K-9 program. Josh followed through on his father’s dream and made it happen.
The East Greenbush K-9 is named “Bear” in honor of Josh’s father who was nicknamed “The Dancing Bear”.
Officer Witko and his partner Bear have been hard at work in East Greenbush and have already participated in several high profile investigations.
The Legislature was proud to welcome Officer Witko, his mother Amy, and Assistant Chief Jon Reickert to the September meeting of the Legislature to thank Josh and recognize him for his efforts to keep our community safer.
Town of Schodack School Tax Collections
SCHODACK – My office will collect School Taxes, for Schodack Central Schools and East Greenbush Central Schools, on all properties located in the town of Schodack. We are encouraging all payments be mailed to: Shawn Masters/Receiver of Taxes PO Box 436 East Schodack, NY 12063 or put in the Locked Green Drop-Box located outside of the Town Hall entrance.
Collection periods are:
Schodack Schools: 9/1/21 to 9/30/21 No Penalty
10/1/21 to 10/29/21 2% Penalty
East Greenbush Schools: 9/15/21 to 10/15/21 No Penalty
10/16/21 to 10/29/21 2% Penalty
A receipt will be returned if the complete bill is submitted with payment. No payments can be accepted after the last due date for each school.
Please contact me at 518-477-7935 with any questions or concerns. Office hours will be Monday, Wednesday, and Fridays 9:30am to 4:00pm during the month of September. – The Tax Office will be open on Saturday, September 18th and 25th, between 9:00 AM and 12:00 PM, to receive school tax payments. The office is located on the second floor of the Town Hall.
Shawn Masters
Receiver of Taxes, Town of Schodack
Poestenkill PFOA Community Meeting
POESTENKILL – A Community Meeting is scheduled in Poestenkill, Rensselaer County to discuss PFOA found in drinking water at local school and nearby homes.
PFOA has been found in drinking water wells at the Algonquin Middle School in Poestenkill and nearby residential wells. The public school has shut off water fountains in the school since learning of this drinking water problem.
PFOA is a toxic chemical that, if consumed, can cause serious health problems. It is the same chemical that was found in drinking water in Hoosick Falls and Petersburg, also in Rensselaer County.
A community meeting will be held to discuss the latest information and what needs to be done to address this problem. The meeting will be held on Monday, September 27 at 7pm at the Poestenkill VFW at 25 Veterans Street, Poestenkill. Everyone in attendance is asked to wear a mask, as doors and windows will be open to aid ventilation.
Speakers include:
Robert Brunet, Poestenkill Water Manager
Representatives from the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, NYS Department of Health, and Rensselaer County Health Department have been invited to participate.
Judith Enck, former EPA Regional Administrator and resident of Poestenkill and Michele Baker, NY Water Project will be presenting as well.
If you have any questions please contact – Poestenkill Town Councilman Eric Wohlleber at ewohlleber@nullpoestenkillny.com.
The Town of Poestenkill is Sponsoring an Electronics Recycling Program
POESTENKILL – POESTENKILL TOWN RESIDENT’S ONLY…. Saturday, October 2, 2021, from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. This event will be held at the Sullivan Jones Post VFW located on Veteran’s Street.
We will be accepting anything with a Board or a Cord and any Scrap Metal
The following items are FREE: Computers, Docking Stations, Tablets, MP3 Players, Servers, Cable/Wiring, Office Equipment, Projectors, Computer Speakers, Radios, Routers, Cell Phones, lead acid & lithium ion batteries (no rechargeable batteries), SD cards.
TV’S ARE NOT ACCEPTED
This service is being provided by Capital Region Electronics Recycling. For more information, please call Sue Horton, Town Clerk at 518-283-5119 or visit crerecycling.com
Town of Sand Lake Planning Board Vacancy
SAND LAKE – Do you want to become involved with an important community function? The Town of Sand Lake is currently accepting applications for an upcoming vacancy on its Planning Board. Please submit a resume and a letter of interest to Town Clerk Barbara Hansen (bhansen@nullsand-lake.us or mail/drop off at 8428 Route 66, Sand Lake, New York, 12153) no later than October 4, 2021. To serve on the Planning Board, you must be a resident of the Town of Sand Lake and be able to attend two evening meetings each month. While in-depth knowledge of the Zoning Code is not required, you should like working with people, be able to make decisions, and possess the ability to comprehend government code.
Town of East Greenbush Fall Cleanup
EAST GREENBUSH – Fall Cleanup will begin Monday, October 25th, 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: October 25th, 2021; November 1st, 2021; November 8th, 2021; November 15th, 2021.
Please be advised that these are the “ONLY” dates the Department of Public Works will be performing Fall 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.
Daniel Fiacco, Commissioner of Public Works
Town of East Greenbush