THE HAPPENINGS TO PAY ATTENTION TO

Help the town get funding to eradicate invasive species!

The Invasive Species Awareness Committee needs your help!

We have more invasive species creeping up everywhere, and if we're going to eradicate them, we need to know the true depth of the problem.

The following are the invasive species to be aware of: 

• Toringo crabapple (tier 2 invasive species) - see images here.
• Honeysuckle (tier 4)
• Oriental bittersweet (tier 4)
• Phragmites (tier 4)

One thing the Capital Region PRISM Crew Assistance Program wants us to provide is a map of our area, showing where the invasive species are. This is where you come in. 

Learn how to help!

How is Artificial Intelligence Doing?

One of our group's volunteers has requested, via FOIL, a copy of the audio recording of the latest Communications Committee meeting, as well as the A.I. summary of that meeting.

Our goal is to witness for ourselves how A.I. is doing in creating accurate and helpful summaries prior to the Committee recommending this service to the Town Board to use to create summaries of the official Board meetings.

We have many concerns about the Town using A.I. for official communications with the public.

Accuracy matters, and we've yet to see an A.I. program deliver accuracy.

Town Board Workshop Meeting Summary: 

First, why is fiduciary duty so important? 

The role of an elected official is to put the citizens' needs ahead of their own. 

If they take actions that are potentially illegal or reckless, those actions open the town up for a lawsuit, which costs the taxpayers a lot of money ... and time away from the actual governing of our town.

We expect our leaders to follow the law.

Concerns:

• Not understanding Open Meeting Law
• Voting for resolutions they are aware might be illegal
• Ignoring the law of advisory board composition

Read the full report here.

Put the people of Chatham first. 

That's all we ask. 

Town Board Organizational Meeting Summary: Transparency and Communication appear to be an issue on Day 1.

99% of the meeting was rubberstamping and simple, but two concerning issues arose: 

- The Councilpersons want to conduct business via email instead of in public at Board meetings or Workshop meetings, which is a potential violation of Open Meeting Laws.
- The Board proposed to terminate the Communications Committee.

We created as short a summary as we could, as well as included a shorter version of the video recording so you could see the highlights. 

Please read and watch here.

If you have thoughts, contact Town Supervisor Donal Collins.

Office: (518) 392-0044
Email: supervisor@chathamnewyork.us

A new short-term rental law was passed by the Town Board.

Permits are now required.

Existing short-term rental owners have a 120-day grace period from the November 2, 2023 adoption date to register.

Grace period ends around March 1, 2024.

Short-Term Rental Info

PERMIT APPLICATION

Template for "Good Neighbor" Document

Contact Town Supervisor Donal Collins, if you have questions: chatham@chathamnewyork.us.

OR CLICK HERE
OR PRINT A HARD COPY

Contact Councilwoman Destiny Hallenbeck at dhallenbeck@chathamnewyork.us or 518-821-0978

The Town Board successfully adopted a new budget for 2024.

- Purchasing multiple pieces of heavy equipment for the Highway Department
- Expanding the traffic safety budget
- Continuing our investment in Crellin Park facilities
- Expanding the Children’s Summer Camp
- Securing significant wage increases for our bargaining and non-bargaining employees

Click Here to view the budget.