By JEANETTE WOLFBERG
HUDSON–The Columbia County Board of Supervisors imposed a short term occupancy tax, increased a solid waste tipping fee, released more money for emergency repair of a bridge in Copake, and accepted more opioid abatement funds at its meeting November 13.
The board imposed a 4% occupancy tax on hotels, motels, and short term rentals (including Airbnb), effective January 1, 2025. It will apply to all of Columbia County except the City of Hudson, which has its own occupancy tax. The new tax law exempts “permanent residents” and any organization “operated exclusively for religious, charitable, or educational purposes or the prevention of cruelty to children or animals.” All supervisors present at the meeting voted for the law.
Several stages over several months had to precede the passing of this Columbia County Short Term Rental Occupancy Tax Law. Among these were asking New York State for permission to impose the law and contracting with Granicus to identify and oversee the tax collection on short term rentals. Supervisors Matt Murell (Stockport), Tistrya Houghtling (New Lebanon), and Michael Chameides (Hudson, 3rd Ward) thanked the supervisors and other officials who worked to bring the law to fruition. Mr. Chameides said that work on it had begun around 2018.
Also effective January 1, the Board authorized the Solid Waste Department to increase the municipality tip fee at the Greenport Transfer Station to $128 per ton from $101 per ton. This is the first time the tip fee has increased since 2004. Supervisor Kathleen Eldridge (Greenport) opposed it “because I don’t think the county should be in competition with public commerce.” (All other supervisors supported the resolution, and all other resolutions passed unanimously.)
In a related matter, the board authorized contracting for a new standing seem metal roof on the Greenport Transfer Station’s Solid Waste Administration Building, with Paragon Roofing of Hudson, for $28,000.
On another matter, the board authorized paying up to $35,500 extra for the emergency repairs on the Overflow Bridge on Twin Bridges Road in Copake. Baker Excavation, while conducting repairs, found “unforeseen poor soil conditions.” The bridge’s closure is delaying emergency vehicles’ response time.
The board also accepted the $119,158 that New York State has awarded the county as part of the Opioid Settlement Regional Abatement (OASAS–Office of Addiction and Support Services) program for 2025. The county has used previous OASAS grants to support, among other things, the Mental Health Awareness Gallery, Columbia Pathways to Recovery, and People USA. OASAS grants are in addition to the opioid settlement payout the county is getting ($500,000 by received last November, $2.2 million expected by 2038) as a result of lawsuits.
In related matters, the board also voted to increase the Department of Human Service’s Opioid Abatement petty cash fund from $3,000 to $5,000 and authorized $12,000 for Twin Counties Recovery Services (TCRS) to use as sign-on bonuses for new recruits. TCRS needs more staff to “meet the needs of the community,” according to the resolution.
Also at the meeting, the board:
•Reappointed Anna-Maria Assevero, MD, and Wendell Cook to the County Board of Health for another term, lasting six years, from December 1, 2024, through November 30, 2030
•Authorized an agreement between the Department of Social Services (DSS) and Greater Hudson Promise Neighborhood to train staff for the new Blanche Hotaling Memorial Mission warming center in Hudson. (See article from October 24). The warming center opened November 1, and between then and November 13, lodged an average of eight guests per night, according to Dawn Beaumont of the DSS. The number of guests per night ranged from four to 14.
•Authorized renewing contracts between the County Health Department and several colleges, for “providing practical experience for nursing and public health students, at no cost to the county.” The colleges are: Maria, Mount Saint Mary, Russell Sage, SUNY Albany and its School of Public Health, SUNY Delhi, SUNY Plattsburgh, SUNY Polytechnic, University of New England, Utica College and Western Governor’s University
• Accepted a $25,000 SWIMS (Statewide Investment in More Swimming) grant, “to be used for swimming programs” in Ancram, Austerlitz, Canaan, Chatham, Ghent, Hudson, and New Lebanon
• Authorized the Engineering Department to purchase a large format printer/copier /scanner from Repeat Business Systems for $11,137.37. The department receives and produces large-scale documents — including plans, buildings, bridges and surveys– and “wishes is to archive them for future reference”
•Declared surplus and sent to auction a 2011 Ford Explorer and a 2011 Ford Fusion, from the Office of the Aging, and a 2014 Ford Explorer from the Sheriff.
•Authorized contracting with several companies for constructing the new 911 Call Center, next to the Fire Training Center. These companies submitted the “lowest responsible bid” for their aspect of the work. Supervisor Ron Knott (Stuyvesant) thanked the people who worked to bring the project to this point.
Chairman Murell ended the meeting with a moment of silence for the people of fire-stricken Ulster and Orange counties and the firefighters of Columbia County who have gone there to help.
In total, the board passed 35 resolutions and the short term rental local law.
