Road Rally, Grants and Farming on Stamford Town Agenda

HOBART –  Stamford Town Board members heard a presentation about road rallies slated for the upcoming summer along the Catskill Scenic Byway and Community Development Block Grants for a microenterprise program to help businesses with fewer than five employees, during their regular meeting last Wednesday.

Robert Selkowitz, an artist and antique car enthusiast, made the presentation for a series of road rallies, one of which will make a stop in Book Village on September 20. 

The 8th annual Catskill Conquest Rally commemorates the 1903 Auto Endurance Run and follows the Catskill Mountain Scenic Byway.  They will visit the Cauliflower Festival in Margaretville, Woodchuck Lodge in Roxbury and then travel over the mountain to  Hobart Book Village, where they will stop for lunch before going on to the Franklin Railroad and Community Museum in Franklin. On the return trip they will stop at the Polar Bear Ice Cream and visit Hanford Mills Museum, a working sawmill.

He said he altered the route a bit because Book Village has garnered national attention. He is hoping to  connect to a local organization, like the Hobart Rotary Club, to host a fundraising luncheon for the touring group. He said it will give people an opportunity to see the variety of interesting cars participating in the rally.

As automobiles began showing up in 1903, there were transcontinental auto drives and endurance runs. The runs featured cars from all of the American automakers. The Catskills were included in those runs and Selkowitz holds a series of rallies, which started in 2017.

"I'm looking for positive support from the community," he said. The cost is $100 per car to join the rally and they hope to arrive in Hobart around 12 or 12:30 for lunch. 

There are also rallies for Saratoga, the Schoharie Turnpike and the Catskill Covered Bridge Rally.

Information about the rallies and their routes is available at www.1902autorun.com.

Simona David, community and business development manager at the Western Catskills Community Revitalization Council (WCCRC), was present to introduce board members to a Microenterprise program, available in grants of $100,000 to $300,000, providing money for qualifying businesses. She said this is the first time the WCCRC has done this program and has a list of interested businesses. To be eligible for the grants, businesses must have fewer than five employees. The objective is to create median income jobs and with grants of $5,000 to $35,000 available.

She was asked if farmers would be eligible for the grants. She said she will gather more information and return to the board next month. Board members were holding the decision until Councilman Dan Deysenroth was present.

Ayhan Dorgin, a new member of the Hobart community, who purchased the Coleman farm on Main St., was present to introduce himself and to ask if there was  access to his land other than along the Catskill Scenic Trail. He said he is trying to bring the farm back to life. He has attended a workshop to learn how to keep the barns standing and make use of them. He is also interested in what people are doing in various areas related to farming. He is a beekeeper and is starting a chicken business. He said he has also purchased some goose chicks and is in the process of renovating the barn and barnyard.

Dorgin said he was also getting to know people by attending various events. He is originally from Turkey and has been in the U.S. for 17 years. He believes there is a reverse exodus from the cities to the rural areas where people can grow and produce their own food, milk and eggs. 

"I am here to learn, but also to contribute. I am good at beekeeping."

The highway crews have been busy plowing and sanding. They did have some damage and breakdowns during the recent storm, but nothing excessive.

Board members went into an executive session to discuss personnel.