Meeting Looks to the Future
by Michelle Van Horn
Transfer Station
Councilmember Bill Jennings reports that 10 extra households have purchased Transfer Station permits this year to date jumping from 350 to 360 permits sold in 2020. Superintendent Larry Eckhardt asked Jennings if that number included senior permits, which were believed to be free-of-charge. Jennings educated the online group that the Transfer station actually charged seniors $10 this year, which did in fact include the number of extra households to have purchased permits. Eckhardt acknowledged the many trash bins that are seen around town for pick-up service that Stephentowners use instead of the Transfer Station. Eckhardt admitted that he himself has a waste pick-up service, and uses the Transfer Station as well. Jennings surmised that weekenders probably have waste pick-up service since the Monday morning Transfer Station hours have been null and void. “Perhaps out-of-towners aren’t to credit for the full increase of permits after all..we’ll credit them and COVID-19 for the increase in purple bags purchased!” Sidebar-still no update on changing/adding Monday morning hours yet. With 1,200 homes in Stephentown, roughly 30 percent of households utilized the transfer station in 2020. Maybe the other 70 percent of Stephentowners will consider supporting their local dump in 2021.
Library
The Stephentown Memorial Library held the last blood drive of the year this past December 14 from 1-6 pm at the Fire Hall, which was held by appointment only. Library Director Kim Roppolo requested both volunteers to help with the event, and donors to give blood. Participants received a free t-shirt (Eckhardt requested them to save him a triple-x) and the warm, fuzzy feeling of offering to those in need.
The Wooden Ornament Project was kicked off in early December, which was inspired by the Halloween Jack O’ Lantern carving and display project. Anyone wanting to decorate a wooden ornament was to call the Library and request one, and then return it when complete-by appointment only. The wooden ornament, brushes, and paints were supplied by the library to Stephentown artists. Ornaments were displayed December 24, 25, 31, and perhaps you’ll be lucky enough to catch the very last day of display on Friday, January 1, 2021.
Is It Time For A New Survey?
Councilmember PJ Roder reports that a survey is being created in the form of a postcard for town residents to complete online regarding their experience with Stephentown organizations. Key Stephentown organizations include the library, veteran’s services, historical society, food pantry, fire department and rescue services, and senior services. The small business organization, which is up and coming, is also being added. The biggest hurdle is getting the funding to send out the postcards, with the largest portion of funding going toward the online survey. Out the door, the total cost of the survey is around $3,500, and the board is being asked to help fund the cause. On their own, each Stephentown organization would need to come up with around $600 plus to fund the survey and both Roder and Eckhardt acknowledge the challenge that would pose for all organizations listed. Roder is asking town board members to weigh in on the relevance of the survey. Board members will determine if the survey is similar to the last one conducted 4-5 years ago, and consider the length of time since the previous one. Considering that some of the potential funding could come from Stephentown’s fund balance, Roder wants board members to think about the value of collecting newer, up-to-date information to better support the needs of its community, or recognize the previous survey’s adequacy for the current day. Eckhardt also poses the question of how COVID-19 has played into the need to collect more data, and how organizations were able to support or not support during this challenging pandemic year.
After witnessing Stephentown organizations over time, Roder alludes to realizing the need for more unification among organizations in Stephentown. He says, “It would be good to get all the organizations on the same page,” referring to members fighting to get funding for their own organization’s cause, rather than focusing on the needs of the entire community as a whole. That way, each organization would “at least start pulling in the same direction,” says Roder. To Roder’s point, Kim Roppolo from Stephentown’s library recognizes that the survey seeks to do just that-get organizations working with each other, and to inform the community of all the goings-on happening in Stephentown.
Once the discussion was opened to board members, Councilman Jennings mentioned that the $3,500 lump sum seemed high for such an online survey. He suggested that the organizations consider Survey Monkey, a professional online survey company, which has reasonable rates and is one of the go-to online survey companies. Look for more discussion on Stephentown organization’s survey funding request in 2021.
Editor’s Note: We would like to thank Michelle Van Horn for the time she has spent reporting for The Eastwick Press. Michelle has been a pleasure to work with, and we wish her all the best as she turns her attention to her own business venture.