Climate Smart Gardiner
Recent accomplishments: We helped coordinate a Green Living Expo at the Ulster County Fair and the Town completed the prerequisite actions and became a NYSERDA Clean Energy Community, accessing a $5000 grant for green projects which will support the maintenance of Gardiner’s EV Charger. The town’s LED streetlight conversion agreement with NYPA will result in lower costs and decreased Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions. Our upcoming Community GHG Emissions Inventory will inform our recommendations for the town’s GHG mitigation efforts. We are also planning green audits for local farms/municipal buildings, recruiting interns, and working on Gardiner’s Emergency Plan. For more info: www.facebook.com/climatesmartgardiner
Fire & Rescue 20th Annual Gardiner 5K Classic
As usual, it was a scorching day for the Gardiner 5K Classic held at Majestic Park on July 21st. Despite the weather, everyone had a wonderful time. There were several water stops for participants along the route, and some of our thoughtful neighbors along the route even took out their hoses and sprayed down any runners willing to get wet. All were happy to see the return of the BBQ and the Kid’s Fun Run since both had been suspended during the worst of Covid. The summer heat didn’t deter the participants from giving it their all: Jack Wilson was the top finisher, winning the overall male category with a time of 16:07, and 2nd place went to Riley Brutvan (16:40). 1st place in the female category went to Heather Weigand (21:22), with 2nd place to Lydia Brutvan (22:12).
Many thanks to the sponsors, runners/walkers, and volunteers who gave their time and resources to help make this beloved community event a real success. Some volunteers parked cars or worked the registration desk, others gave out water to participants and/or set up/cleaned up, and all cheered on the participants with gusto. The proceeds from this race will be used to make improvements to the interior of the Gardiner Fire & Rescue’s firehouse. A very special thanks go to the members of the Gardiner 5K Classic Committee: Barbara Clinton, John and Landon Fracasse, Bernadette Koonz, Terri Colucci, and Luke and Donna Lyons, who worked tirelessly with the Gardiner Fire & Rescue team to make this event such a huge success. The Gardiner Fire & Rescue is a volunteer organization made up of volunteer firefighters and EMTs, so this outpouring of love from the community was greatly appreciated. If you would like to join the Gardiner Fire & Rescue, please visit our website at www.GardinerFireAndRescue.org and complete an application. We are always looking for volunteers. Next year’s 21st Annual Gardiner 5K Classic is scheduled for July 20th, 2023. See you there!
Gardiner Open Space Commission (GOSC)
GOSC is happy to report that after a lot of hard work, the Gardiner Community Preservation Plan (CPP) is now complete. To view the plan: https://bit.ly/GardinerCPP22, and the interactive map: https://tognri.maps.arcgis.com/apps/MapSeries/index.html?appid=316635524fec43afa6367bb21c2c10c4
It’s one thing to conserve land and another to keep that land in good condition over the long haul, free of trash or intrusion. To accomplish this, GOSC has assisted the Town of Gardiner in establishing a monitoring program for the preserved parcels it owns and conservation easements it is responsible for. To this end, GOSC brokered a monitoring agreement for the town with the Wallkill Valley Land Trust (WVLT), and this Fall, WVLT will begin to monitor all of these important parcels. This practice will put our town’s preservation efforts on par with the standards for conservation followed by the Land Trust Alliance, the Open Space Institute, and other large conservation organizations. We couldn’t be prouder of this accomplishment or more grateful to the WVLT for agreeing to work with our town. For now, GOSC will be responsible for reviewing and maintaining the information that is produced from these monitoring visits.
GOSC’s ongoing public information program includes a Fall series focusing on preserving agricultural lands in Gardiner. Speakers from organizations, such as Scenic Hudson and the New York Department of Agriculture and Markets, will share information on their respective roles in preserving farmland in and around the Hudson Valley. All farmland owners should tune in to see how they can preserve their land. The first in the series can be attended in person at Town Hall or via Zoom on Monday, October 24th, 2022 at 7 p.m. For more info: gardineropenspace@gmail.com.
Highway Department
The Highway Department continues to upgrade and maintain the drainage throughout the town. Clove Road paving is completed, and we are working on Trapps Road. McKinstry Road Bridge is under construction and is projected to be completed by the end of this year. Stay ALERT – for Construction Workers, Pedestrians, Motorcyclists, and DEER!! Please remember – Don’t tailgate Large Trucks – If truck drivers don’t see you in their mirrors – they won’t know you’re behind them!
Now, about that four-letter word SNOW: Place all garbage cans for pickup in the driveway – NOT in the road. Do Not Shovel or Plow Snow onto the Roads. All rural mailboxes must be secure and meet Town Code.
Library
Second Annual Haunted Library
Haunted House
Mark your calendars for the second annual Haunted Library event on Saturday, October 29th from 4:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. at the Gardiner Library. Experience the library as you never have before! Last year’s visitors witnessed a flying saucer and a Martian, a mummy inside an Egyptian tomb, slippery snakes, flying bats, dolls riding bikes, a haunted typewriter, howling wolves, an overflowing glowing cauldron that the wicked witch flew into, a fortune teller, a corn maze, and live spooky, violin music. Who knows what you’ll see…. hear…. feel…..or touch! This event is for children and adults alike; choose your path based on how spooky you like it! Costumes are encouraged, and there will be treats for everyone. We welcome volunteers of any age to assist with prop making, decorating, and set-up, or why not volunteer to be an actor or guide? Prior to the event, join in the Halloween Parade and Pumpkin Walk through downtown Gardiner starting at 3:30 p.m. For more info or to volunteer, contact Nicole at nlane@rcls.org.
414 Budget Proposal on Ballot
QR code for 414 Budget Proposal
NYS law allows voters the right to determine their library’s budget. On November 8, the Gardiner Library Board is asking residents to vote on a new library budget (Proposition 414) on the back of the ballot. The proposed 2023 budget from the town is $294,331. This is a budget increase of $19,255 with the last budget increase in 2019. The annual increased cost to each household is less than the price of one paperback book. The new library budget will benefit the community by increasing the number of programs, events and resources offered. It will also help to provide a reserve for emergency repairs as the building ages into its 15th year. Use the QR code to learn more about this proposition and how libraries are more popular than ever, even as they have never been more expensive to operate.
Parks and Recreation
The Gardiner Parks and Recreation committee is proud to have collaborated with Gardiner Trail Alliance to host our First Annual Gardiner Dump Run (& Walk) this past September 25th. Many thanks to our local sponsors, volunteers, and race participants!
Zoning Board
The board met several times over late spring and summer to consider area variances for people to build garages or get a permit to remodel. When Zoning §220 went into effect, many properties immediately fell into pre-existing/non-conforming status. The zoning board of appeals reviews applications for area variances as well as use variances.