Fireworks in Catskill

Dick May practiced some citizen journalism at the April 26 Catskill Village meeting, forcing the town trustees to go on the record with their decision to move the July 4 fireworks from the Hudson River waterfront to downtown Catskill. He writes, “the Trustees of Catskill Village almost made a controversial decision by stealth. And they made a decision without making a case.” And then recalls the manner the decision was announced.

“After that business had been well under discussion, a spectator (this correspondent) ventured to ask whether the Board had made a decision on the fireworks launch site. Mr. Seeley acted surprised—as if the answer was evident from the trustees’ remarks. The Trustees then proceeded to resolve formally that the July 4, 2010, fireworks shall be launched from a “downtown” site, ‘yet to be determined.’ That resolution did not stem from anything remotely resembling a systematic or comprehensive cost-benefit analysis. The Trustees acted without affirming, much less determining, that the change of launch sites would be popular, would be economical, would produce a net gain of public safety, would enable the fireworks to be more spectacular, would make the viewing population bigger, or would produce an increase in local business. Read the entire story in Seeing Greene.

Hudson school notes

Lynn Sloneker’s Unmuffled keeps the closest eye on the Hudson school system. Several recent items:

From “Rumor Patrol: Rees running?: Board member Patricia Abitabile – re-elected to a second term in 2009 – submitted a letter of resignation from the board, effective June 30, during a closed door session, April 27. Abitabile’s decision to quit was announced to the public in the Saturday edition of the Register-Star. The matter will be discussed at the meeting of the full board 7 p.m., May 10 in the cafeteria of Hudson High School.

From “On the agenda…”: The Claverack building and the former Greenport School were concurrently declared surplus property by the BoE on March 31, 2009, and a proposal to sell the buildings was approved by taxpayers in May 2009. Despite the 2009 voter directive, the board continues to approve funding for the renovation and repair of the Claverack building, as well as for instructional use.

From “Rumor Patrol: Rees running?: Former Hudson City School District Board of Education President Frank Rees may be a last-minute addition to the field of candidates vying for two open board seats in the district’s annual election set for next week….According to several sources, Mrs. Rees was actively soliciting signatures in support of her husband’s candidacy from school faculty and staff last week.

Columbia County assesments online

From Carole Osterink’s The Gossips of Rivertown:

Assessments–the actual assessments for 2009 and the tentative assessments for 2010, for all properties in Hudson as well as the rest of the county–are now available online, accessed from the Columbia County website. Starting today, May 11, Garth Slocum, assessor for the City of Hudson, will be available at the Central Firehouse, 77 North Seventh Street, to meet with people to discuss their assessments. He will be there every weekday except Wednesday up until Grievance Day on May 25. Today he’s not expected to be at the firehouse until 11. I have been told that henceforward he will be there from 9 to 12:30 and again from 2:30 to 5. No appointments are necessary.

NY Environmental Facilities and Cancer Map

New York’s Department of Health’s Environmental Facilities and Cancer Map shows the number of people diagnosed with cancer (cancer counts) for the years 2003-2007 in small geographic areas of New York State. Locations of certain environmental facilities can also be viewed.

Catskill school candidates meet tonight

Catskill School Board candidates Michael Bulich, Catskill; Carthette Burnett, Catskill; Francesca Daisernia, Leeds; Ronald Frascello, Palenville; Randall Griffin, Leeds; Matthew Leipman, Catskill; Tracy Powell, Palenville; Carol Schilansky, Leeds; Christopher Van Loan, Catskill; and Lisa Warner, Catskill will answer questions at 7 p.m. tonight at Catskill High media center, according to The Daily Mail’s Jim Planck. The ten candidates compete for three three-year terms to the three highest vote-getters, and the fourth place seat is a two-year unexpired term of a seat vacated by resignation. The Catskill School District website says, “The candidate forum will be streamed ‘live’ on the Catskill website.”