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The Town Board meets every third
Wednesday of each month at 7:00 PM at Town Hall. Meetings
are televised live on Channel 20. The latest meeting can
be found as streaming audio and video on the
Streaming Media section of this web site. Any special documents
for the meetings will be posted on the
Calendars & Agendas
page and the
Message Board
if available. The Town
Board Minutes will be posted on the Message Board if
available.
Messages can be left for
the councilpersons with the Town Clerk's
office. You can also leave messages or requests/concerns
via e-mail to
the Town Clerk.
Phone: (845) 526-3280
Fax: (845) 526-3961
Town government is run by
the Town Board as the executive, administrative, and legislative
body of the town. The Town Board represents the will and voice
of the people.
According to the Town Law Manual published by the Association of
Towns of the State of New York, the Town Board evolved from the
early days of (our) Nation, many of the colonies established a
form of government intimately conducted and controlled by the
residents of the towns. All important decisions as to the
government, taxes, and other matters were actually decided at a
meeting of the residents of the town, at which meeting a vote
would be taken to determine the proposal at issue. In some
states this procedure is still followed.
In New York State, our towns have been organized with an
elective legislative body, to wit: the Town Board. "..only in
special instances is a vote of the inhabitants of the town
required." The "special vote" is knows as referendum and the
laws governing Town Government in New York State have laid down
specific situations where a referendum is allowed. As explained
in the Town Law Manual:
"Government by representation is still the rule. Direct
action by the people is the exception." "Thus in the absence of
express statutory provision (wording of and within the Law) the
holding of an advisory referendum by a municipality is not
authorized." "Thus, a high personal responsibility rests on
individual town board members. It requires that they exercise
careful consideration in making important decisions which will
affect the lives of town residents and businesses." This is why
the position held by Town Board members and other elected
officials is considered to require a high level of trust by the
public in their officials.
-WILLIAM ZUTT, ESQ.
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