PUBLIC NOTICES

PUBLIC NOTICE
TOWN OF TAGHKANIC

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that the Town Board of the Town of Taghkanic will be accepting letters of interest to fill the following open position:

Town Board Member

All letters of interest for the above position should be sent to Cheryl Rogers, Town Clerk, 483 County Route 15, Elizaville, New York 12523 or emailed to crogers42857@gmail.com. NO LATER THAN December 29, 2025.

Cheryl Rogers
Town Clerk

---

KEEPING IDENTITIES OF SENIORS SAFE

• Date: 12/08/25 — 12/19/25
• Time: Tuesday 2-5pm, Wed 9-noon;Thurs & Fri 9am - 3pm
• Location: Taghkanic Town Hall

What Documents Should I Shred?

Bank Statements - Copies of Birth Certificates - Pay Stubs - Canceled/Voided Checks - Credit Card Bills/Receipts - Credit Reports & Histories - Expired Credit Cards & Identification Cards - Expired Passports & Visas - Legal Documents - Insurance Documents - Tax Forms - Medical & Dental records - Utility Bills (phone, gas/electric, water, cable) - Transcripts - Investment, Stock & Property Transactions - Employment Records - AND: ANYTHING with your Account Numbers, Passwords, PINs, Signatures, Social Security Numbers and your Date of Birth !

Download Flier

Sponsored by the Columbia County Clerk’s Office,
Holly Tanner, County Clerk

---

LEGAL NOTICE:
ANNUAL ELECTION OF Taghkanic Fire District

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Annual Election of Taghkanic Fire District in the Town of Taghkanic, County of Columbia will take place on Tuesday, December 9, 2025 between the hours of 6:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. at the Town of Taghkanic Town Hall located at 909 Route 82, Ancram (Town of Taghkanic), NY 12502 for the purposes of:

1. electing one commissioner for a five (5) year term commencing on January 1, 2026 and ending on December 31, 2030;
2. electing one commissioner for a four (4) year term commencing on January 1, 2026 and ending on December 31, 2029; and
3. electing one commissioner for a three (3) year term commencing on January 1, 2026 and ending on December 31, 2028; and
4. electing one commissioner for a two (2) year term commencing on January 1, 2026 and ending on December 31, 2027.
5. electing one commissioner for a one (1) year term commencing on January 1, 2026 and ending on December 31, 2026;

And for the purposes of voting on the following Propositions:

1. Proposition Number 1 to establish a Capital Improvement Capital Reserve Fund pursuant to General Municipal Law Section 6-g; and
2. Proposition Number 2 to establish an Equipment Capital Reserve Fund pursuant to General Municipal Law Section 6-g; and
3. Proposition Number 3 to establish an Apparatus Capital Reserve Fund pursuant to General Municipal Law Section 6-g; and

Candidates for the office of Fire District Commissioner shall file their names in writing with the Secretary of the Taghkanic Fire District at the address below, postmarked no later than November 19, 2025 or emailed to the District Secretary at tagh.fire.secretary@gmail.com no later than 11:59 PM on November 19, 2025.

Only those persons who are residents of the Taghkanic Fire District on or before November 10, 2025 and who are registered to vote with the Columbia County Board of Elections on or before November 17, 2025 shall be eligible to vote in this election.

November 4, 2025
Renée Nostrand, Secretary
Taghkanic Fire District
631A Old Route 82
Taghkanic, NY 12521

---

NOTICE OF PUBLIC REFERENDUM

Please take notice that pursuant to General Municipal Law Section 216, a public referendum of eligible residents of the Town of Taghkanic in the former Churchtown Fire Protection District (fp281) will take place on December 9, 2025, between the hours of 1:00 pm and 7:00 pm at the Taghkanic Town Hall, located at 909 Route 82, Taghkanic, Columbia County, State of New York for the purpose of voting upon the following proposition:

THE TOWN BOARD OF THE TOWN OF TAGHKANIC ADOPTED A RESOLUTION ON NOVEMBER 10, 2025 AUTHORIZING, PURSUANT TO ARTICLE 11-A OF THE GENERAL MUNICIPAL LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, A PUBLIC REFERENDUM OF ELIGIBLE VOTERS OF THE TOWN OF TAGHKANIC IN THE FORMER TAGHKANIC FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT #1.

THE RESOLUTION SEEKS APPROVAL TO ABOLISH (TERMINATE) THE DEFINED BENEFIT SERVICE AWARD PROGRAM, WHICH WAS ESTABLISHED EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1, 2006, AND IS ADMINISTERED BY THE TOWN BOARDS OF TAGHKANIC AND CLAVERACK FOR ACTIVE VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER MEMBERS OF THE CHURCHTOWN VOLUNTEER FIRE COMPANY. THE ABOLISHMENT OF THE FORMER TAGHKANIC FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT #1 SERVICES WAS EFFECTIVE DECEMBER 11, 2023, LEAVING ONLY DISTRIBUTION OF PAYMENTS TO BE MADE.

ALL PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS WHO HAVE EARNED SERVICE AWARDS WILL RECEIVE A ONE-TIME LUMP SUM PAYMENT FROM THE ACCUMULATED ASSETS OF THE PROGRAM TRUST FUND AS OF JANUARY 1, 2025. THE PROGRAM’S FUNDED RATIO WAS 81%, ACCORDING TO THE ACTUARIAL VALUATION REPORT PREPARED BY THE PROGRAM ACTUARY. THE MARKET VALUE OF ASSETS IN THE TRUST FUND AS OF DECEMBER 31, 2024, WAS $637,150.

PARTICIPANTS SHALL RECEIVE A ONE-TIME LUMP SUM EQUAL TO A PROPORTIONATE AMOUNT OF THE ACTUARIAL PRESENT VALUE OF THEIR ACCRUED MONTHLY SERVICE AWARD, TO THE EXTENT FUNDED BY TRUST FUND ASSETS. THIS AMOUNT SHALL BE REDUCED BY ANY SERVICE AWARDS PREVIOUSLY PAID. THE ACTUARIAL PRESENT VALUE CALCULATIONS WILL BE BASED ON THE ACTUARIAL ASSUMPTIONS USED IN THE JANUARY 1, 2025 ACTUARIAL VALUATION REPORT.

THE TOWNS OF TAGHKANIC AND CLAVERACK WILL ALSO PAY A ONE-TIME COMBINED ADMINISTRATIVE FEE OF $8,700 FROM PROGRAM ASSETS TO PENFLEX ACTUARIAL SERVICES, LLC, THE ADMINISTRATOR OF THE SERVICE AWARD PROGRAM FOR ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES. THE TOWNS WILL ALSO PAY $750 FOR LOSAP AUDIT PREPARATION SERVICES.

THEREFORE, SHALL THE RESOLUTION TO ABOLISH THE CHURCHTOWN SERVICE AWARD PROGRAM BE APPROVED AND PAY PARTICIPANTS THEIR EARNED SERVICE AWARD?

Please take further notice that a copy of the aforesaid resolution is available for inspection at the Taghkanic Town Hall, and that every person who shall be a registered voter and who shall have resided in the former Churchtown Fire District for a period of thirty days immediately preceding the referendum shall be eligible to vote upon the proposition.

---

Temporary Closure of Gallatin Station

The Public Works Committee met on Wednesday, November 19th, and recommended the temporary closure of the Gallatin Station from December 1, 2025, through April 10, 2026.

This decision is necessary due to a severe staff shortage, which has made covering Saturday shifts increasingly difficult. For several months, the station has been operating with only one attendant, which is unsafe and unsustainable.

The Solid Waste Department has added this closure to its website. Please contact me if you have any questions or concerns.
Thank you,
Wendy

Wendy S. Madsen, Director
Columbia County Department of Public Works
Solid Waste Division
401 State Street
Hudson, New York 12534
518-828-2737 Phone

---

Legal Notice
ANNUAL ELECTION OF THE CRARYVILLE FIRE DISTRICT

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Annual Election of the Craryville Fire District will take place on December 9, 2025 between the hours of 6:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. at the Craryville Fire House located on County Route 7, for the purpose of electing one (1) Commissioner for a five (5) year term, commencing on January 1, 2026 and ending December 31, 2031. All voters registered with the Columbia County Board of Elections on or before November 17, 2025 shall be eligible to vote.

Candidates for District Office shall have filed their names with the Secretary of the Craryville Fire District, no later than twenty days before the election, November 19, 2025.

Barbara L. Scutt, Secretary
Board of Fire Commissioners
Craryville Fire District
P. O. Box 154
Craryville, N. Y. 12521

---

PUBLIC NOTICE
TOWN OF TAGHKANIC

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that the Town Board of the Town of Taghkanic will be accepting letters of interest to fill the following open positions:

• 1 Planning Board Member term ending 2032
• 1 Alternate PB Member 1 year term
• 1 PB Clerk secretary
• 1 ZBA Member term ending 2030
• 1Alternate ZBA Member 1 year term
• 1 ZBA Clerk Secretary
• 1BAR Member term ending 2028

All letters of interest for the above positions should be sent to Cheryl Rogers, Town Clerk, 483 County Route 15, Elizaville, New York 12523 or emailed to crogers42857@gmail.com. Letters should be delivered or emailed that the Town Clerk receives them no later than December 5, 2025.

Cheryl Rogers
Town Clerk
Dated: November 10, 2025

---

Town of Taghkanic
Columbia County, New York
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Tentative Budget of the Town of Taghkanic for the fiscal year beginning January 1, 2026, was presented to the Town Board by the CFO on September 15 2025 and was filed in the office of the Town Clerk located at 483 County Route 15, Taghkanic, New York, where it is available for inspection by all interested persons during the regular hours of the Town Clerk.

The Town Board reviewed the Tentative Budget, made adjustments and approved it as the Preliminary Budget on Monday October 20, 2025 at its Budget Workshop at 6:30 p.m. in Town Hall, located on Route 82, Taghkanic, New York. It has been filed in the office of the Town Clerk at 483 County Route 15 Taghkanic, New York where it will be available for inspection during regular office hours.

Pursuant to Section 108 of the Town Law, the proposed salaries of the following town officials are hereby specified as follows:

• Supervisor: $ 12,000.00
• Town Board Members: 4@ $ 3,000.00
• Town Justice: 2@ $ 9,128.00
• Town Clerk/Collector: $ 55,167.00

FURTHER NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Town Board of the Town of Taghkanic will hold a public hearing, at the Taghkanic Town Hall, located on Route 82, Taghkanic, New York, at 7:15 p.m. on the 10th day of November 2025 at the Town Board’s Regular meeting. At such hearing any person may be heard in favor of or against any item or items in the Preliminary Budget as compiled.

By order of the Town Board,
Cheryl E. Rogers
Town Clerk
Dated: October 20, 2025

---

New Hunting Regulations at Lake Taghkanic State Park

Lake Taghkanic State Park has introduced two major changes to its hunting regulations.

1. We will now allow shotgun for BIG GAME HUNTING ONLY (Deer/Bear) (muzzleloading will be allowed starting in December) in the northern section of our park above the campground and the front and rear entrances of the park (See Map).
2. We will not be allowing the 10/11-10/13 youth hunt since our campground is still open.
3. We will also be opening waterfowl hunting specifically at the former Cloud property off County Rt. 8. Vehicles will need to park at trailhead and will not be allowed to drive down to pond.

A hunting free hunting permit is required from our park office, open 8am-6pm daily through 10/24. Winter hours will then be Mon-Fri 8am-3pm.

Please contact christopher.rickard@parks.ny.gov if you have any questions.

Thanks!
Christopher D. Rickard

---

Taghkanic Community Forest

In 2023 the Columbia Land Conservancy initiated talks with a local landowner to purchase a large forested property in Taghkanic, with the idea of protecting the land from development through the creation of a community forest. The purchase was completed in early summer 2025 and was highlighted by a tree-planting event at which scores of local volunteers spent a Saturday with the aim of planting 1500 native trees. The goal is to open the forest to the public in 2026.

(See a video overview of the forest and the planting event here)

The forest is to be managed by the Community Forest Committee made up of members of the CLC, relevant experts, and local community volunteers. This will serve as the primary stewardship oversight body, accountable to the Columbia Land Conservancy Board of Trustees, to conduct stewardship activities and update the management plan as necessary or required.

Individuals interested in serving as a volunteer on the committee should use the QR Code in the image above or click here to learn more. You may also request additional details by emailing TaghkanicCommunityForest@gmail.com .

---

Reservoir Road Closed Due to Safety Concerns

Taghkanic Highway Superintendent, Eric Gaylord, is closing the crossing of a culvert on Reservoir Rd effective immediately.

A recent inspection of the culvert under Reservoir Road that directs water from the reservoir spillway downstream revealed structural problems. Town Engineer Patrick Prendergast, brought in for consultation, indicated "The headwalls are in poor condition. The east wall is severely undermined from erosion. One of the down-stream wing walls has fallen in the stream." He concluded, "The culvert should be repaired or replaced but should not be lift in service as is."

As a result, Reservoir Road has been closed to through traffic. The town board will discuss plans to address this situation at the monthly board meeting, Monday, March 10 at 7:00pm at the Taghkanic Town Hall. Interested parties may attend in person or via Zoom (see link above in Meetings Calendar).

---

DID YOU KNOW? The Highway Dept can accept metal for recycling throughout the year. Please e-mail Highway Superintendent Eric Gaylord at taghkanichighwayone@yahoo.com to arrange a time to drop off your recyclable metal waste at the town garage. Items for metal recycling must be at least 75% metal.