What Might Have Been

Three years ago, the plan to relocate Lil' Deb's Oasis to 735-737 Columbia Street, the distinctive pitched roof building constructed in 1935 as a Pure Oil gas station, was presented to the Planning Board and the Historic Preservation Commission for review.   

The HPC granted a certificate of appropriateness to the project in April 2023, one month after its initial presentation. The review by the Planning Board continued on through all of 2023 and well into 2024, and site plan approval was never granted.

In April 2024, Carla Perez-Gallardo, the chef/owner of Lil' Deb's Oasis, announced they would not pursue Restore New York funding because they did not want to compete with the Hudson Housing Authority, which was seeking Restore New York funding for its redevelopment project. (Restore New York refunding requires sponsorship from the municipality, and a municipality can sponsor only one project each year.) As it turned out, the HHA project did not qualify for Restore New York funding, and Lil' Deb's sacrifice was in vain.

Last December, Perez-Gallardo announced she was stepping away from the restaurant at the end of 2025 and was seeking a buyer for the restaurant, which would continue to operate at 747 Columbia Street under the management of its current staff. At the time, Gossips wondered what would become of the plans to relocate the restaurant to 735-737 Columbia Street. 

Today, Gossips learned that Lil' Deb's Oasis has withdrawn its application for site plan approval, first presented in January 2023, from the Planning Board, because the project was determined to be no longer feasible.

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Of Dormers and Historic Preservation

At last Friday's Historic Preservation Commission, the HPC effectively approved the demolition of the house at 309-311 Union Street and denied a certificate of appropriateness for the addition of dormers at 26 Warren Street, currently operated as a hotel called The Hudson Mariner. The dormers, along with an addition at the rear of the house, were part of a plan to increase the occupiable space in the building. The hotel currently has five suites.

The house was built in 1810--just twenty-five years after the founding of Hudson in 1785. Back in 1970, in the early days of Urban Renewal, the house was one of the contributing structures in the first Hudson Historic District listed in the National Register of Historic Places. In 2010, when Eric Galloway was stripping 211 Union Street, the birthplace of General William Jenkins Worth of its Italianate details, 26 Warren Street was used as a model for what was imagined 211 Union Street might have looked like in 1794 when General Worth was born. 

During the public hearing on the proposed alterations to 26 Warren Street, Matt McGhee had this to say about the building and its significance:

Let us start with the Roman arch surrounding the fanlight over the front door of this Federal five-bay brick house. Its unadorned roofline is highly visible along Warren Street. The very plainness of this house is a major, significant feature of its historical character and nature. Basically, the state of this building as seen from Warren Street is unchanged, excepting the coating of paint. The need for calling out its brickwork for protection cannot be overstated. It should not be treated with any abrasives (sanding, etc.) to remove paint, or coated with damaging finishes.

A lack of dormers is a feature of five-bay Federal houses below Third Street on Union and Warren Streets. This absence of dormers is a feature of the neighborhood; in fact, few houses of any period in this neighborhood have dormers.

Now to end with a statement on the nature of Federal architecture. Its plainness refers to the Roman Republic as a basis for our new Republic—and the famously understated design and ornament of republican Rome’s buildings.

One might say they were as billboards advertising support for our new form of government.

When the HPC began deliberating on the proposal, Walter Chatham, representing the owner of the building, made an effort to sway them. He read a passage from the city's new comprehensive plan, explaining that this paragraph from the Executive Summary (page 8) was the only mention of historic preservation in the entire 277-page document.

This plan is also not a "refresh" or an "update" of an existing effort. The foremost goal of the previous 2002 Plan was to "Protect the Traditional Character of Hudson's Downtown and Neighborhoods," with objectives focused on historic preservation, design, and waterfront access. Over the course of this new plan's development, residents consistently expressed concern with housing affordability and the overall cost of living. This observation bore out for residents new and old and across a range of socioeconomic backgrounds. Whereas the prior plan chose to center historic preservation and design, the imperative of Hudson 2035 is to ensure that the benefits of a resurgent and thriving Hudson are shared among all community members.

What the new comprehensive plan does not acknowledge, although, to his credit, Chatham did, is that the "resurgent and thriving Hudson" is based on the successful efforts of preservation advocates over the past thirty or more years, and historic preservation and the historic character of the city is essential to the economic survival of the city. Chatham referred to himself as "a bridge between this commission and the business community" when arguing for this change to a historic building to accommodate a business interest.

It was not immediately clear how the HPC would vote on the question of the dormers. John Schobel stated at the outset that he was opposed to the dormers. Paul Barrett, the historian member of the HPC, also expressed the opinion that the addition of dormers was inappropriate. Phil Forman, who chairs the HPC, said, remarkably, "We're here to help people get their projects done," and also said, "I don't think we are doing our job if we can't tolerate a few windows that are totally appropriate." Cara Cragan, the architect member of the HPC, who is not actually a preservation architect, said, "The dormers make sense and benefit the business." Jeremy Stynes admitted he was "pulled in both directions" but was "leaning toward saying no." 

In the end, Stynes did say no, and the proposal was denied by the smallest of margins--four to three, with Schobel, Barrett, Stynes, and Miranda Barry voting against, and Forman, Cragan, and Hugh Biber voting in favor.

A little background: The owner of 26 Warren Street (The Hudson Mariner) is also the owner of The Hudson Whaler (542 Warren Street), where the too narrow shutters which were installed "in error" five years ago have yet to be corrected; The Hudson Navigator (251 Allen Street), where it was proposed to put an illuminated sign on the side of a house on a residential block in a historic district; and the hotel proposed 10-12 Warren Street.  

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PSA: It Was Satire

It has come to Gossips' attention that some people may have been misled by an item published by Hudson Common Sense in its satirical feature "The Shallot"--"The Shallot" being "the small-town cousin" of The Onion. The article, which appeared soon after the Columbia County Democratic Committee's endorsement meeting last Thursday, announced:

Despite failing to get the endorsement from either the Dutchess County Democratic Committee or the Columbia County Democratic Committee, Sam Hodge has not ended his campaign for the New York State Assembly. His campaign continues. His website can be found here.

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What the HPC Should Never Have to Do

Last Friday, the Historic Preservation Commission did something that runs counter to their expressed mission. Persuaded by photographic evidence that the condition of the building's foundation rendered it beyond reasonable efforts to salvage it, the HPC agreed to not to prohibit the demolition of the house that stands at 309-311 Union Street and two outbuildings behind it. 

During the public hearing that preceded the HPC's deliberation and decision, Matt McGhee made this statement, in support of the building's preservation:

The house, from all appearances, could be an early building, at least from the later 18th century. Its saltbox form, the five-bay front, centered doorway, and the second floor windows right up against the roofline, make this a typical building style of New England and, in particular, Nantucket from the early days of English settlement and up into the 19th century.

There are two unusual features, visible from the outside, that are of special interest. The large dormer on the back roof and, even of more interest, the window in the dormer, which has a very unexpected division of 16-over-2 windowpanes. On the interior, a cistern is another feature of note, along with the brick infill to slow the spread of fire and to retain a given temperature, either warmer or cooler. These features could suggest an early date.

This house is most likely an important survivor from Hudson’s past. The house was originally a single-family home, and the 1880 date given is nothing more than a placeholder on the part of the City. The actual records were lost in a fire.

The motion made by HPC chair Phil Forman and approved by the commissioners was that "contingent on the approval of the proposed design [for the replacement buildings], the Commission will not oppose demolition." The renderings below show what was initially proposed--for the two-family house facing Union Street and the carriage house behind it on Partition Street.

The architect for the project is Roger Langer of Greater Living Architecture in Rochester. A little exploration on its website reveals that the company appears to specialize in "stock designs." 

We treasure the Terry-Gillette Mansion, which was built from a design by Richard Upjohn found in A. J. Downing's The Architecture of Country Houses (1850). When waiting for the light to change at Green and Fairview, we admire the house built from a Sears kit that stands across the street. But somehow this feels different.

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A Tempest in a Teapot

Facebook has been blowing up, as they say, with allegations and outrage surrounding a minor accident Margaret Morris, Common Council president, had in a municipal parking lot eleven days ago. Today, Morris issued this statement about the incident.

On February 20, I was involved in a very minor accident in a parking lot on Warren Street. As I pulled into a parking space, my car slid on the ice and the left front of my car tapped the building in front of me. I got out to inspect and saw no damage to my car and no damage to the building. My car does not have even a scrape on it. The building owners came into the parking lot. They asserted that I had damaged the building. I found the encounter uncomfortable and did not want to get into a confrontation. They indicated that they would call the police. I decided to leave the situation–leaving my car where it was–until the police were present. When HPD came, I cooperated fully, providing my driver’s license and other documents requested. At no time did I ask for nor did I receive any special treatment from HPD. I did not identify myself as an elected official, which would have been wholly inappropriate. The officer at the scene was professional and courteous. I consider this matter to be resolved.

I do not post on social media and have recently been made aware of various Facebook posts about this minor incident. I apologize if my desire to avoid a confrontation has caused concern in the community.

Parking: Something You May Not Know

Back in the days of meters and quarters, when you had errands that took you to different blocks of Warren Street and you didn't want to walk from one place to another, you might, say, park in the 600 block to pick up a prescription from CVS, park again in the 500 block to renew your dog's license at City Hall, park again in the 300 block to have Jonathan diagnose your laptop, and finally park in the 200 block to get a baguette at La Perche. Each time you parked, you would put a quarter or two in the meter, and each time you moved your car, you would probably leave some time on the meter for the next person. 

With the new parking system, things work differently. The payment you make is not for a specific space but for your car's right to park anywhere within the zone--the zone being all of Warren Street. So, if you think all your errands will take about an hour, you use the app, or a kiosk if there happens to be one nearby, to purchase an hour of parking. Then, during that hour, you can park your car in as many different spots as you need to.  

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Jennifer, We Hardly Knew Ye

Ellen Thurston, who was known and admired by all of Hudson, died on January 5. A memorial celebration of her life is being planned for Saturday, May 9, at Hudson Hall. 

What many readers may not know is that her great niece, Jennifer Thurston, who moved to Hudson six years ago to care for Ellen, died just twelve days after Ellen's passing. Ellen was 94. Jennifer was 55. In her devotion and determination to care for Ellen, Jennifer ignored her own health, with tragic consequences. 

Photo: David Voorhees

Jennifer left Colorado, a place she loved, to spend the last six years of her life in Hudson, a place she didn't particularly care for, to ensure that Ellen's waning years were the best they could be. Although she lived among us for six years, few of us knew her very well. For that reason, as a tribute to this exceptional woman and her extraordinary act of love, I share the link to her obituary, which appeared in the Telluride Times: "Jennifer Erin Thurston." 

Meetings and Events in the Week Ahead

We made it to March! Tomorrow, Punxsutawney Phil's prediction of six more weeks of winter will be four weeks old, leaving just two weeks to go. At the end of this week, in the night between Saturday and Sunday, Daylight Saving Time returns. As we move ever closer to the end of early darkness and this dreadful winter, here is what's happening.

• On Monday, March 2, the Hudson Industrial Development Agency (IDA) meets at 2:00 p.m. The meeting is a hybrid, taking place in person at 1 City Centre, Suite 3o1, and on Zoom. Click here to join the meeting remotely.
• At 5:30 p.m. on Monday, March 2, the Common Council Safety Committee (Police and Fire) holds its monthly meeting. The meeting is a hybrid, taking place in person at City Hall and on Teams. Click here to join the meeting remotely.
• Also on Monday, March 2, Mayor Joe Ferris holds a town meeting for the First Ward--his fifth and final town meeting in this round. The meeting takes place at The Spark of Hudson, 502 Union Street.

• On Tuesday, March 3, the Conservation Advisory Council meets at 6:00 p.m. The meeting is a hybrid, taking place in person at City Hall and on Teams. Click here for the link to join the meeting remotely.

Update: The CAC meeting has been canceled and will be rescheduled.

• On Thursday, March 5, the Common Council Services Committee (Youth Dept. and Senior Center) meets at 5:30 p.m. The meeting is a hybrid, taking place in person at City Hall and on Teams. Click here to join the meeting remotely. 
• Also on Thursday, March 5, the opening reception for the exhibition Patriots of Hudson in the Revolutionary, observing the nation's semiquincentennial, takes place at 6:00 p.m. in the Community Room at the Hudson Area Library, 51 North Fifth Street. Registration is required; email brenda.shufelt@hudsonarealibrary.org.

• On Saturday, March 7, the annual Oakdale Plunge, to benefit the Hudson Fire Department, the Hudson Youth Department, and Perfect Ten After School Program, takes place at noon at Oakdale Lake. (Plunger check-in begins at 11:00 a.m.) 

2024 Oakdale Plunge  Photo: Valerie Shaff

• Before you go to sleep on Saturday, March 7, be sure to set your clocks ahead an hour. At 2:00 a.m. on Sunday, March 8, Daylight Saving Time returns.

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A Taste of the Semiquincentennial Exhibition

The opening reception for Patriots of Hudson in the Revolutionary War, an exhibition commemorating the 250th anniversary of the founding of our country, takes place on Thursday, March 5. As the event approaches, Gossips shares another sample from the exhibition--two panels that tell of Dr. John Talman, who served in the 2nd Regiment, Orange County Militia, and his son John Thurston Talman. (Click on the images to enlarge. The main text of each panel is transcribed below the image.)

Dr. John Talman

Giant in Hudson History, 

"Beau Ideal of a Gentleman," Enslaver

By 1785 Talman resided in Hudson, where he married Heroine Jenkins (1767-1836). He was a physician, and one of the founders of the Columbia County Medical Society in 1806. He was twice mayor of Hudson. He was on the official committee to welcome General Lafayette on his 1824 visit to Hudson, while the eminent Frenchman was touring the United States. He was one of three people on the building committee for the 1818 almshouse, which still stands at the north end of 4th Street on State Street.

He was involved in the founding of Christ Church in Hudson, and was its first vestryman, and later a church warden. In 1803 he served on the board of The Episcopal Sunday Charity School, the second Sunday school founded in the State of New York.

He was also an enslaver of two persons.

Forty years after his death, he was remembered by Dr. P. B. Collar in a talk at the Columbia County Medical Society: "Dr. John Talman, of Hudson, was in the early days of the Society, one of the most popular physicians in the city. He was a skillful practitioner, and a man of very pleasing address. Of fine form, tall and well proportioned, with rare social qualities, he was the 'beau ideal' of a gentleman. He generally presided at the dinners, and his ready wit and sparkling repartee, made him the spirit of the company."

 

The Talman Family: From Enslaver to Abolitionist

Dr. John Talman is listed in the 1790 census as living with three white females (presumably his wife, Heroine Jenkins, and their first two children) and two enslaved individuals. We have not found any record of the enslaved persons or their situation.

The Talmans would go on to have eight more children including their son John Thurston Talman (1795-1850) who became an abolitionist.

John T. Talman married Mary Eleanor Fitzhugh, from the Fitzhugh family who helped found Rochester. John and Mary moved to Rochester around 1820. He served as cashier at the Bank of Rochester then at the Bank of Monroe. He was involved in the promoting of Rochester as an industrial center. He served as a trustee of the Rochester Female Academy (1842) and School District #3 (1846). Talman was a member and vestryman of St. Luke's Episcopal Church.

He also managed the Fitzhugh Estate including the commercial buildings on the Fitzhugh’s 100-acre tract in Rochester. After John’s death, one of the buildings was named the Talman Building.

Rochester was a hotbed of abolitionist activity. Mary Eleanor and her sisters, Elizabeth Potts and Ann Carol, were all active in the abolition movement as were their husbands. Ann and her husband Gerritt Smith’s home in nearby Peterboro was a station on the Underground Railroad and she had an enclosed carriage in which she would travel with veiled fugitives to Canada.

Frederick Douglass moved to Rochester with his family in the late 1840s. Mr. Douglass’s North Star printing office was on the second floor of the Talman Building.

The Story of the Furnace

On Thursday, February 26, the Common Council held a special meeting to pass a resolution amending the budget to take $5,600 from the general fund to replace a furnace in a residential property in Hudson. This was the conclusion of a sequence of events that seems to have started with a post that appeared on the Facebook group "Unfiltered Hudson" on Sunday night, February 22. That post is reproduced below. (Click on the image to enlarge.)

The post, written by the daughter of the homeowners, describes the problems encountered with a furnace installed through the Housing Rehab Community Development Block Grant program administered by Housing Justice Director Michelle Tullo. The following description of the program appears on the City of Hudson website:  

In 2022 the City of Hudson received a $500,000 grant to perform critical health and safety housing repairs. Repairs included but were not limited to replacing roofs, electrical and plumbing repairs, remediating lead-based paint in low- or moderate-income houses in the City of Hudson. This grant was completed in 2024 and is no longer taking applications.

According to the account on Facebook, the furnace, which was installed in 2024, stopped working properly on January 20, 2025. It would run for five minutes and then shut off. A technician called by the family to assess the problem determined that the furnace had not been installed properly and warned that continuing to use it created a safety issue.

On Tuesday, February 24, Jeffrey Yeh reported on "Columbia County Morning News" that the furnace had been a topic of discussion when he met with Mayor Joe Ferris that day.

According to Dominic Merante, Common Council Majority Leader, who learned about the problem from the family on Monday, February 23, the problem was 90 percent resolved when Yeh had his meeting with the mayor.

The resolution states that "the City's Code Enforcement Officer inspected and approved the installation" of the furnace, and hence the City was assuming the responsibility to remedy the issue. At the meeting on Thursday, Councilmember Henry Haddad (First Ward) asked: "Who did the work? Who chose the vendor? And who approved the plans from the vendor?" Before those questions were answered, Council president Margaret Morris said she was recommending that Nick Fox, the City's new code enforcement officer, reinspect the work done by the vendor who installed the furnace "to ensure there aren't any issues that we don't know about." Fox, who was present at the meeting, told the Council that the vendor was KR Construction from Schenectady, which mainly does carpentry. They had "subbed out" the HVAC work, but he did not know to whom. Regarding who chose the vendor, Fox reported that Michelle Tullo told him "she sent these grants out to be bid to multiple, multiple different contractors, and they got very few responses." KR Construction was one of the few companies that responded. 

Fox also explained that the new furnace had been installed in exactly the same way as the previous furnace had been, and because it was like for like, a building permit was not required for the installation. According to Fox, the installation of neither the old furnace nor the new furnace conformed to code, but, there wasn't a problem with the old furnace because it didn't have the sensors that caused the new furnace to shut itself off. 

There are two similar programs now being offered through the City's Housing Office: NYS Access to Home, for people with disabilities; and HOME Repair Program, for which the City has received a $520,000 grant. At the regular meeting of the Common Council on February 24, two resolutions were passed authorizing contracts for engineering services related to these two programs. At that meeting, Merante asked Tullo who selected the contractors to carry out projects funded by these grants. She explained, "It is a bid process, so it's advertised. So, we usually try to do like info sessions and like postings and get a pretty wide range. And if the contractors meet the requirements, then they are eligible to bid. So far as like insurance, references, eligible like work experience, stuff like that. And then the homeowners select the contractor. If the homeowner wants one that's not the least affordable, then they can get a difference. . . ." The people with the furnace problem have denied that they chose the contractor who installed the furnace.

At the Council meeting on February 24, Hudson resident Matt McGhee called for transparency in how the grants for individual home improvements are administered. At the special meeting on Thursday, Merante said, "We need to put a plan in place of corrective action so that it doesn't happen again. We need a layer of barrier that protects the homeowners and the City to make sure that something like this doesn't happen."

Tullo has defended the apparent lack of transparency around these grants, saying the names and addresses of the people receiving funding cannot be revealed for privacy reasons. That is perfectly understandable, but there is no reason to withhold information about the nature of the projects being funded, the process of selecting the contractors, or how many projects are completed with each grant. Since it seems it becomes the responsibility of the City, i.e., the taxpayers, to remedy the situation when work is done incorrectly and there are problems, it seems appropriate for the process be open to public scrutiny.

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A Fundraising Initiative for FOPS

The Columbia County Chamber of Commerce has launched a partnership with Friends of the Public Square (FOPS) to encourage local employers to support the restoration of Hudson's historic park.

Left to right: Jonathan Spampinato, FOPS; Katherine Kanaga, FOPS; William Gerlach, Chamber of Commerce CEO; Mark Taylor, Chair of Chamber Board of Directors 

"We are delighted to contribute $500 toward the renovation of Seventh Street Park," said William Gerlach, president and CEO of the Chamber, "and we challenge our members to join us and support this important community investment."

Hudson's historic Seventh Street Park, originally known as the Public Square, is a central gathering place for residents, families, and visitors. Its renovation will strengthen Hudson's downtown, enhance public space for community events, and contribute to the vitality of Warren Street and the entire downtown business district.

Recognizing the park's potential for the economic and social life of the city, the Chamber is calling on its members to match or exceed the Chamber's gift and help accelerate the fundraising needed to complete the improvements.

"Vibrant public space is essential to a vibrant local economy," said Mark Taylor, Chair of the Board of the Chamber. "By investing in Seventh Street Park, we're investing in Hudson's future--and we invite our business community to stand with us."

Through the Business Challenge, Chamber members can make contributions of any size directly to the Friends of the Public Square (FOPS), with all funds dedicated to the renovation effort.

Participating businesses will be recognized publicly for their leadership and community commitment. Donors who contribute $500 or more will be recognized on the FOPS website and social media channels. Donors contributing $1,000 will also be recognized with a 5' x 6' banner ad. Donors who contribute $2,000 will receive a 5' x 12' banner ad, and $3,000 donors will receive a 5' x 18' banner ad. The banner ads will be displayed on the construction fence around the park during the renovation work.

The Chamber encourages all local employers--large and small--to take part in this effort to strengthen Hudson's downtown and create a more welcoming, accessible, and beautiful public space for everyone.

For more information about Hudson's historic Seventh Street Park, visit fopshudson.com.

For more information about supporting the renovations to Seventh Street Park and donating to the Business Challenge, visit fopshudson.com/chamberchallenge or contact Gary Purnhagen at the Chamber of Commerce (518) 828-4417 or Jonathan Spampinato at jonathan.spampinato@gmail.com.

Our Hudson Waterfront and the Dock

Last week, the Register-Star published an article by Spenser Walsh about a proposed amendment for clarification to Section 325-17.1 of the city code: "Hudson resident proposes law to limit Colarusso dock operations." The article contained misinformation and errors, only two of which have been acknowledged in an afternote. Donna Streitz, the Hudson resident referenced in the article's headline, has written a letter to the editor of the Register-Star--her second--to correct the inaccuracies in the article. At Streitz's request, I publish the letter below lest the Register-Star declines to publish it.

Dear Register-Star Editor,

I am writing to correct several factual inaccuracies in the Register-Star's 2/20/26 article Hudson resident proposes law to limit Colarusso dock operations. I'm disappointed that you saw it only fit to correct two inaccuracies, as per your Editor's Note posted at the bottom of that article on 2/27/26.

For the record, my previous request for corrections submitted to you on 2/23/26 follows. I respectfully request that you publish this Letter to the Editor.

To begin, the title of the article implies that the proposed law targets a specific owner. It does not. The clarification concerns the dock and its permitted uses, regardless of ownership, Similarly, Our Hudson Waterfront's advocacy regarding the haul road and dock permits was centered on compliance with zoning and environmental requirements, not on the identity of the owner.

Second, I am not the "founder" of Our Hudson Waterfront (OHW). I have been a member since its formation in 2019 and currently serve as its lead.

Third, OHW has not opposed the issuance of a conditional use permit for the dock. Rather, the group has consistently advocated that any dock permit approval comply fully with all applicable provisions of the City Zoning Code--including protections for public health, safety, and welfare, and the prohibition against intensifying industrial activity beyond the level lawfully existing in 2011 under § 325-17.1.D.

Fourth, while the article correctly states that the annual limit is "5,382 truck round trips," it may help readers to understand what that means in practical terms. A "round trip" represents one truck delivering a load and returning. In total, 5,382 round trips amount to 10,764 individual truck trips (to and from the dock) each year.

Fifth, the article states that the permit grants Colarusso a maximum of 284 daily truck round trips (142 truck loads delivered). This is incorrect. The Planning Board imposed no limits on truck volume in the dock conditional use permit. The 284 daily round-trip limit applies to the previously approved haul road permit.

Finally, the claim that the Board placed a "host of noise- and pollution-monitoring conditions" is inaccurate. Despite public requests for air-quality and noise measuring and monitoring, the permit requires none. While it includes limited mitigation measures aimed at reducing noise and dust, it contains no provisions for measurement, monitoring, reporting, or objective verification of compliance.

Accurate public reporting on matters affecting Hudson residents is essential. I appreciate the opportunity to correct the record.

Respectfully,

Donna Streitz

Hudson Resident

More Opportunities to Meet the Mayor

Last night, Mayor Joe Ferris held his fourth town hall meeting, this one for the Fourth Ward, at the Hudson Area Library. The final town hall meeting in this round is for the First Ward and will take place on Monday, March 2, at 6:30 p.m. at The Spark of Hudson, 502 Union Street.

Today, City Hall announced another of Ferris's initiatives to stay in touch with his constituents: Meet the Mayor--open office hours at City Hall. What follows is the press release issued today:

 

The Ferris Administration announces the beginning of the mayor’s open office hours program at City Hall. The Meet the Mayor series will take place the third Thursday of every month at 520 Warren Street from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m.

The open office hours schedule for the initial slate of events is as follows:

• March 19
• April 16
• May 21
• June 18

“City Hall is the people’s seat of government, and these open office hours are a reminder of that fact,” said Mayor Joseph Ferris. “I’m excited to build off the momentum of the first round of town halls with the launch of the Meet the Mayor series. I’m eager to sit down with constituents and neighbors for one-on-one conversations about the issues they are facing and what they would like to see city government do for them. I invite everyone to attend and look forward to the start of this series.”

The open office hours are part of a three-pronged outreach strategy by City Hall. In the coming weeks, the City Hall e-newsletter will be launched. The next round of town halls to be held in May will be announced at the end of March.

For more information about these community outreach efforts, please email Mayoral Aide Tiffany Martin at mayoralaide@cityofhudson.org.

Gossips has been advised that, for the sake of privacy, Ferris will meet with constituents in his office on the second floor. However, he will come downstairs to meet with anyone who cannot manage the stairs to the second floor.