Jefferson Adopts 2026 Budget, Amends Solar Law

JEFFERSON  – Public hearings on amendments to the town of Jefferson's Solar Energy Facilities Law and the proposed budget saw no one speak during the Oct. 9 meeting of the Jefferson Town Board. The changes to the solar law were approved along with the proposed budget.

In his report, Rich Irwin said the state is proposing new building codes for 2026 in the fire prevention and energy codes. He will be required to take 12 additional hours of training regarding the new codes and he said the town will be required to adopt the new codes.He said the state is proposing all electric appliances for all new residential housing by the year 2029.

Town Clerk Vanessa Irwin said she and the deputy have attended several training sessions regarding the new  Schoharie County website, which is now a more secure .gov site. She said the new website will be much easier to navigate and to maintain. "We will be able to do much of it on our own, without having to rely on a technician from the county." The old website will be removed by the end of the month. She said they have also been receiving training on the new Office 365 program. She said it will save the town $1,000 each in subscriptions and will provide added protection with the new emails. She said she attended a webinar related to local laws.

She also reported a leak in the ceiling of her office in the town hall. A couple of board members will research it and have recommended a dehumidifier may help remove some moisture and could be vented through an existing vent pipe. The generator will also be hooked to WiFi to allow remote monitoring and operation. 

The phone system will be switched over next week, with training for each department on how to operate the new system. It will also provide the cyber security that has been recommended by the town's insurance carrier.

The next monthly meeting will be held on the Thursday following the general election on Nov. 6.

Town Historian Bonnie Bailey said she had a request from the Jefferson Historical Society for the town to consider repairs to the one-room schoolhouse that is open each summer for visitors. She said $500 would cover everything. However, board members questioned if there was damage being cause by termites or  more likely, carpenter ants. The issue was tabled to allow Bill Abbatine and Don VanValkenburg to research it. 

Oil and stone work on town roads has been completed for the season with work on Foot and Campo roads. The seasonal portion of Buck Hill will receive some repair. Highway Superintendent Ray Hendrickson said the state requires a seasonal road must be passable by any car. The crew is working on that and they are working to get plow equipment ready for winter maintenance. Hendrickson said he attended the highway superintendents' conference where he learned a lot of good information from a superintendent roundtable. 

Deputy Supervisor Ken Cole reported that the CRC is holding fall foliage rides on the railride, with work on the tracks now ended for the season. 

Supervisor Peggy Hait said Carol Terk should be thanked for volunteering to come to the town hall and clear out the flower beds and get them ready for the next season. "We need to thank her for doing that."

The town will be sending a letter to property owner Bruce VanZile who has said he has given no permission to anyone to place signs on his property, located at the intersection of state Rt. 10, Main St and Peck St.. The town does not own the signs or have a control of the signs, therefor he should not remove them and place them on town property as he has stated, but should contact the owners of the signs directly to remove them.

Board members again approved a long list of records that may be destroyed according to Karen Cuccinello, who is working to weed out the paperwork the town no longer needs to keep on file.

The town will advertise the seasonal roads, posted from Dec. 1 to April 1 for seasonal passage. The list will be published in the town's legal newspaper and includes portions of Jones Hill Road, Sternberg Road, Buck Hill, Turkey Hill, Fuller District and Morse Hill roads. They will also advertise that vehicles impeding snow removal may be towed at the owner's expense.

Board members approved a  budget  with a tax levy totaling $ 976,598, a 1.9 percent increase over the current budget which falls under the allowable limit by $2,450.  General Fund appropriations total $539, 157, highway totals $1, 064,401 and the water district totals $31, 130 for a total appropriation of $1,634,678. Board member unanimously adopted the 2026 budget.