By DOUG LAROCQUE
NEW LEBANON – When the new town board gathered on January 2 for their yearly organizational meeting, the typical appointments and yearly resolutions took backstage to a couple of issues. One of those dealt with the appointment of the Court Clerk and Deputy Court Clerk. Supervisor Tistrya Houghtling was in favor of keeping those presently in office, sighting their excellent job performances. The town justices, however, appear to have other people in mind, which brought up the question, just who makes the appointments.
Some research came up with documentation that indicates the town board actually makes the appointments, but the justices can veto those appointments if they so wish. Councilwoman Susan Tipograph indicated she would like to have more time to look over this documentation, and the board decided to put the appointments off until its next regular meeting.
When it came to the second public comment session of the meeting, there were several questions raised about who attends the town sponsored summer camp and who pays what. Residents of the town, or those within the New Lebanon School district, can attend at a reduced rate over those from outside the town. It was noted by Supervisor Houghtling the vast majority of those attending are from the town. Children or grandchildren of town employees currently get a free ride. That was questioned, with one of the meeting attendees feeling grandchildren should not be included, and that town employees pay at least 50 percent. There is also a clause where those that pay the registration fee early receive a 20 percent break. It was proposed this be lowered to five percent.
These comments were the result of a discussion about the camp’s cost, and ways to perhaps contain or even lower these expenses. No action on any of these proposals was taken at this meeting.
A couple of appointments of note were former town board member Norn Rasmussen was re-appointed by Ms. Houghtling as her deputy supervisor and the law firm of Gilchrist and Tingley from Troy was re-appointed the town’s legal counsel.
