The budget that is has been revised through two workshop meetings and is still in draft form, can be found by clicking: 20170414143746813.
Another workshop meeting has been scheduled for Wednesday, April 19, 2017 at 6:00 at the Tracy Memorial Hall.
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Public Hearing on the Mayor’s Tentative Budget
PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that there will be a public hearing before the Village of Chatham Board of Trustees to be held on April 3 at 6:30 PM at the Tracy Memorial Hall, 77 Main Street in Chatham, NY. This Public Hearing is being conducted to accept comments on the Tentative Budget for FY2017-18. The tentative budget is available at the Chatham Village Clerk’s Office during normal business hours. Written comments can be submitted to Mayor Tom Curran by email at by close of business on Friday, April 14, 2017.
Workshop meetings on the budget are scheduled for April 7 at 1:00 PM and April 13 at 6:00 PM.
March is once again Shred Month in the Village!
Once again, March is Shred Month in the Village of Chatham!
Certified Document Security has supplied us with locked bins for you to bring documents that you no longer want to keep. Old bills, bank statements, tax filings — anything with identifying information that you don’t want to throw in the trash — can be put in the bins to be safely shredded. CDS supplies companies that reuse the shredded paper to make new products.
The bins are available during hours when Tracy Memorial Hall is open: Tuesday and Wednesday from 9:00 – 4:00, Thursday from 11:30 – 7:00, and Friday from 9:00 – 3:00. We will also be open on two Saturdays, March 11 and 25, from 9:00 – 12:00 to give you access to the bins. The Tracy is also open on court nights — March 7, 8, 14 and 22 — and evenings when there are meetings on March 9 and 20.
This service is open to the general public, not just Village of Chatham residents.
While you are getting rid of old papers, take the time to clean out your medicine cabinet. The Village of Chatham now has a permanent medication disposal box available whenever the Tracy is open. Bring outdated, expired, or no-longer-needed medications and drop them in the secure box located in the hallway across from the ladies room in the lobby
PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD ON WATER AND SEWER RATE INCREASE
FEBRUARY 9, 2017 AT 6:30 P.M. AT THE TRACY MEMORIAL HALL
The Village of Chatham needs to increase water and sewer rates in order to meet the rising costs of providing this service. The increase is scheduled to go into effect March 1, 2017.
Currently the Village rates use a minimum charge for the first 1,000 cubic feet used and a de-escalating charge for each 1,000 cubic foot of water used thereafter. This structure is unfair to those households who use less water, such as 400 – 500 cubic feet, but pay the same as those who use twice that amount. The de-escalating charge provides no incentive for conservation.
We are now proposing a straight per cubic foot usage charge. This means that households will pay a fee based on the actual water/sewer services used, giving you some control of your bill by monitoring use and conserving where possible.
The Village water/sewer rates have been much lower than other local towns and villages and remain so even with the proposed increases. The minimum charge for water/sewer in Philmont is $125.00 per quarter. In Kinderhook, 1,000 cubic feet of water/sewer costs over $150.00 per quarter. With the new rates in the Village, 1,000 cubic feet will cost $110.00.
A great deal of work has been done on the water/sewer infrastructure in order to meet state requirements and ensure that we all have safe water to drink. These projects include a 2 million dollar upgrade to the sewer plant, a quarter million dollar paint job to the existing water tower and an $800,000 water tower to replace our open reservoir currently in the works. In addition, pipeline is being replaced a little at a time throughout the Village.
We have been getting water and sewer services at bargain rates for a long time, but now we have to bring the rates in line with the quality service we receive.
You will find by clicking here – Proposed wsrates2017 and Proposedwsrates2017P2 – a chart that shows the proposed new rate for each category of customer for water and sewer. On the second page is a chart with examples of what new rates might look like depending on your water/sewer usage.
We are asking that residents who have questions and comments attend this Public Comment Period to understand the necessity for this rate change and to ask questions about how this rate change will affect them. We will also accept written comments addressed to the Board of Trustees through February 22, 2017. Letters can be mailed to 77 Main Street in Chatham, NY 12037. Emails can be sent to .
New Interactive Map Site
We are happy to announce our latest update to the Village of Chatham website. If you go to “Community”, you will find a link to our new Interactive Map. This map shows places of interest, municipal buildings, parks, schools, etc. You can also look to see what “Zone” a particular area rests in by clicking on “Zoning”. You have several options to choose, from historic to commercial and everything in-between.
Request for Bids Purchase of Water Main and Other Assorted Hardware/Piping
Sealed bids for the purchase of Water Main Pipe and Hardware will be received at the Village Hall 77 Main Street, Chatham, NY 12037, on or before 1:00 p.m. on May 9, 2017. At that time, the bids will be publicly opened and recorded to be approved by the Board the the next available meeting.
Complete bid documents may be obtained at the office of the Village Clerk, Tracy Memorial Hall in Chatham, NY between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday; 11:30 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. Thursday; and 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Friday or by calling (518) 392-5821 during these hours. They can also be obtained by clicking: Hardware Piping Bid May 2017 ADDENDUM TO BID REF-VOCDPW-04-17
Peddler’s Permit Application
Changes in Garbage and Recycling Pick-Up
The Village of Chatham has a new vendor for garbage and recycling pick-up. County Waste was awarded the contract to be our vendor from July 1, 2016 through June 30, 2018.
For the most part, you should not see significant changes in service with pick-up day continuing to be on Wednesdays between 7 and 1.
One change will be the use of recycling totes that will be provided by County Waste. They will drop off totes at all properties on Tuesday and Wednesday, July 5 and 6. If you do not receive one, please call the Village Clerk’s Office at 392-5821 and we will get one to you. The use of the totes is not mandatory but is recommended.
Another change is that there will only be one truck that makes the rounds through the Village, picking up both garbage and recycling at the same time. The truck will have two compartments, so that garbage and recycling are kept separate in the truck.
Village Wide Clean Up Days
The Village will be having “Clean Up Days” on Monday, June 6, 2016 and Monday, June 13, 2016. The DPW will be collecting household items from Village residents on these days. You are required to schedule the pick up with the Village Hall prior to either of these Mondays. You can either call us at 392-5821 or email at or . You can leave a message with either Barbara Henry or Debra Meyers.
Materials that will not be accepted are the following:
No hazardous waste materials, chemicals, paints, solvents, etc.; no animal carcasses; no firearms; no asbestos; no tires; no household demolition materials; no bagged trash; no appliances with Freon; no electronics, such as computers, printers or monitors; and no microwaves. If you have any questions, please contact us.
You also have the option of bringing your household waste to the DPW where there will be a dumpster set up on Saturday, June 11 from 9:00 – 12:00.
Testing for PFOA in the Village of Chatham
In response to concerns of Village residents about neighboring municipalities finding high levels of PFOA in their water sources, the Board of Trustees for the Village approved having the Chatham water tested. The results have come back and show that there is less than 0.67 parts per trillion of PFOA in the Village water source. The EPA standard is that 100 parts per trillion is an acceptable level. Even applying the more conservative standard of 20 parts per trillion that some states use, the Chatham water supply is well within safe levels. The level of PFOA in the Village water supply is so low it is considered to be “non-detectable.”
The actual report from the testing lab can be found by clicking here: PFOA Test Result
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Keeping Our Sewer System in Working Order
It has come to our attention that items are being flushed down the toilet or poured down a drain and causing damage to the Village sewer system.
The only items that are to be flushed down the toilet are body waste and toilet paper. We have compiled a list of some of the items not to flush even though they may say that they are “flushable”:
We appreciate your attention to this matter. We will all end up paying higher sewer rates if significant repairs have to be made because of flushed items that cause damage.
If there are any questions, please feel free to contact our office.
Village of Chatham Comprehensive Plan Update
The Village Comprehensive Plan Committee has completed the Comprehensive Plan update, which was approved by the Board of Trustees on July 9, 2015. A copy of the approved plan is available at the Chatham Village Clerk’s Office during normal business hours and here: Village of Chatham Comprehensive Plan Update FINAL COMMITTEE DRAFT 6-7-1, Appendix A Stakeholder focus group Committee Approved 6-8-15, Appendix B 1995 Plan Implementation Progress Review 6-8-15 Committee App, Appendix D Market Analysis Committee Approved 6-8-15, Appendix C Existing Conditions Analysis Committee Approved 6-8-15.
Tracy Memorial Hall Existing Conditions Report
In an effort to determine the extent of work needed at Tracy Memorial Hall to preserve the building and continue its use as the center of the Village of Chatham government, the Board of Trustees hired John G. Waite Associates, Architects to do a conditions study. Including in the report are recommendations for how to preserve and repair the building, as well as how to bring the structure into the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance. The full report can be found here: TRACY MEMORIAL VILLAGE HALL EX COND 03-2015
Celebrate Winterfest in the Village!
Chatham’s Winterfest ill be celebrated Sunday, December 8 from 11am to 4pm. Activities, food, and shopping will be the order of the day!
The cookie contest is open to all. Bring a half dozen cookies and the recipe to the Kinderhook Bank between 11:30 am and 12:30 pm. Judging takes place at 12:30pm. The winner will receive a gift card prize donated by the Kinderhook Bank. Bake on!
While at the bank, take time to create an ornament (11:30am-1:30pm). All supplies are being donated by the Chatham Area Business Alliance.
Take a free ride on the horse drawn wagon! This is a great way to view the entire Village. The horses are beautiful and their clip clop up and down the streets adds a fabulous background to the day.
Ted Pugh will be reading “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” at the Chatham Book Store on Street at 11:30am. You won’t want to miss this event! Refreshments will be served.
The annual Parade of Stars steps off from the Morris Memorial at noon. All children and their parents are invited to participate. Bring a musical instrument and make a joyful noise as you march up and down the main streets of Chatham. For additional information, contact Sheila Stumph at 392-2810.
This year’s free movie, “White Christmas,” begins at the Crandall Theatre at 1:00pm. Give a big thanks to the Chatham Film Club and the Business Alliance for working together to make this viewing possible.
Face painting by a local Girl Scout troop will be offered all day at the Beach and Bartolo Real Estate office on Main Street.
The winter Indoor Track Team and a local 4-H Club will be selling home made cookies. Why bake? Just stock up on these delicious goodies for the holidays ahead.
Visit Jolly Old Saint Nick during the afternoon in the hallway outside of American Pie. Parents should bring a camera to capture this iconic moment.
The Chatham Wine Store will be offering a wine tasting during this Winterfest event (adults only please). Think how much fun shopping could be… Wine also make a great gift and local wines from the Hudson-Chatham Winery are available – as are wines from all over the world.
Look for musicians throughout the day. Rumor has it that the Chatham High School Jazz Band will be performing, as will other musicians!
There will be ice skating (weather permitting) at Crellin Park from 1:00-5:00pm during Winterfest. Free for everyone and there will be hot cocoa and cider donuts served. Children under 14 must be accompanied by an adult. Skating will take place near the soccer field pavilion (NOT on the main pond).
Shopping will be at its very best this Winterfest! The shops and boutiques of the Village are stocked with interesting, unique gifts that cannot be found in the big box stores. Shoes, socks, slippers, clothing, toys, jewels, books, calendars, art supplies, movie passes, local food and wine, Native American art, massage, local theatre – Chatham has it all! Free giftwrap is a wonderful bonis. Each nosiness will offer a yummy treat for their customers.
Winterfest is sponsored by the Chatham Area Business Alliance. Snow date is December 15th. If in doubt about the weather, check the CABA website: www.chathamarebusinessalliance.org
Parking Enforcement
Parking Limits: Parking along the Hudson Ave/Main Street corridor is limited to two hours and there is no overnight parking allowed on either street.
Overnight Parking: is allowed in the Depot Square parking area near the Herrington’s warehouse and in the small lot south of the Kinderhook Bank. Overnight parking is also allowed on the following streets: Cemetery Hill (south-east side, from the cemetery entrance to Maiden Lane), High Street (the east side, from Line Street to Austerlitz Street), Kinderhook Street (north side, from Central Square to Shore Road), Library Place (east side), Maiden Lane (north-east side) and Woodbridge Avenue (west side, from Hoffman Street to Church Street). The Village law states also”No Overnight Parking” on streets from 3:00 a.m. to 6:00 a.m. for all other Village Streets.
CSX Parking Lot Behind Main Street: As you can tell, the Village of Chatham and the Town of Ghent recently worked on improving this area. Cars should pull in head first, towards the railroad ties that are lined up and facing the railroad tracks. Eventually, we may begin to charge for parking here, because we do have to plow snow, maintain the area, etc.
Snow Emergencies: Snow emergency signs will be posted by the Department of Public Works and will be enforced.
Parking Permits: Parking permits for the municipal lot on Main Street are available from the Village Clerk’s office at a of cost $25 per month. If you would like more information, please contact Village Clerk Debra Meyers.
If you have any questions, please contact: Village Court Clerk Victoria Hill or Chatham Police Chief Peter Volkmann at 518-392-3451.
FilmColumbia film festival 2013
October 22-27. Welcome to our friendly village, film lovers!
For complete film festival schedule and information on ticket purchasing, local eateries, parking, and more, visit: www.filmcolumbia.org