Much Ado About Very Little

Back in October, Margaret Morris, then a councilmember representing the First Ward, proposed a modest change to Hudson's short-term rental law. 

The law currently allows the owner of a dwelling in Hudson who resides there at least 50 days a year to rent that dwelling as a short-term rental for a maximum of 60 days a year. Responding to requests from property owners interested in renting out their homes when they are away on extended vacations or for work assignments, Morris proposed extending the time owners may rent out their property from 60 days to 120 days. The proposal does not seem unreasonable, but apparently to some it does.

News of this inspired an article by Nora Michanec in today's Times Union: "Hudson wants to change its rules for short-term vacation rentals." The article contains quotes from a spokesperson for the activist group For the Many, which is frequently represented at meetings in Hudson's City Hall.

"Increasing vacation rentals seems like a net negative for Hudson when it's in the throes of a severe housing crisis," said Jenny Kutner, a spokesperson for the Poughkeepsie-based progressive activist group For the Many. "It would exacerbate an already bad situation."

Kutner said the proliferation of vacation rentals "makes prices go up for everyone" across the Hudson Valley while also reducing the amount of available homes on the market. The rentals also circumvent hotels, where workers are often paid more and have more protections, she said.

Presumably, the dwellings that could be rented out 120 days a year if the law were amended are currently being rented out 60 days a year. In the larger scheme of things, it seems the change would have very little impact. 

Still, the proposed amendment is also being used by the Hudson Catskill Housing Coalition to support their demand for a vacancy study in Hudson. An email blast went out this afternoon from Quintin Cross claiming that the modest change being proposed "sends that wrong message about whose voices are being prioritized." The following is quoted from that communication:

We need real data about how many units are actually available, how many are being held off the market, and how short-term rentals are impacting the supply. 

Instead of centering renters' calls for transparency and data, the Morris Council Administration is advancing a proposal to expand the number of days properties can be used a short-term vacation rentals--doubling the current limit.

At a time when:

• Rents continue to rise
• Long-term residents are being displaced
• Working families struggle to find stable housing

The priority being moved forward is increasing the profitability of short-term rentals.

A vacancy study would be a good thing. Perhaps it would bring some clarity to what For the Many and HCHC are calling Hudson's "severe housing shortage." A simple search on Zillow reveals that there are still 47 units available at Hudson Depot Lofts and 34 rentals available elsewhere within the city limits. That's 81 units, and those are just the rentals listed on Zillow. At last count, there were only 67 short-term rental units in Hudson.

The Times Union article reports that the Council will be voting on the proposed amendment to the short-term rental law at its meeting tomorrow night, and Cross in his message urges people to show up for the meeting to "raise your voice for real solutions to the housing crisis in Hudson," apparently believing the amendment will be on the agenda. However, it will not be voted on at tomorrow's meeting. It is not on the agenda, and Council president Margaret Morris has advised Gossips that, since it is Council procedure for all proposed legislation and resolutions to come out of a committee, the amendment will be discussed at Legal Committee meeting scheduled for March 12, and, if the committee decides to move it forward, it will be voted on at the Council's March meeting.

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Meetings and Events in the Week Ahead

The big event in this final week of February is the nor'easter that's expected to begin any time now. But once that's over and done with, there's a lot more happening before February ends and March begins.

• On Tuesday, February 24, at noon, The Olana Partnership presents a webinar titled "The Geography of Color: Frederic Church's Autumn." The webinar, offered in conjunction with Frederic Church 200, presents new research on Autumn, a painting in Olana State Historic Site's collection, and highlights the scholarship of Nicholas Robbins, lecturer in History of Art at University College London and a contributor to the forthcoming publication, Frederic Church: Global Artist. To learn more and to register for the webinar, click here.

• On Tuesday, February 24, the Common Council holds its regular monthly meeting at 6:00 p.m. The agenda for the meeting can be found here. 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.
• Also on Tuesday, February 24, the Hudson City School District Board of Education meets at 6:00 p.m. The meeting, which is described as a "Community Budget Workshop," takes place in the Hudson High School auditorium. It will also be livestreamed on YouTube. 
• On Thursday, February 26, Hudson Community Development and Planning Agency 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. 
• At 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, February 26, Mayor Joe Ferris holds a town hall meeting for the Fourth Ward in the Community Room at the Hudson Area Library, 51 North Fifth Street. This is his fourth town hall for this round. The final one, for the First Ward, takes place on Monday, March 2.

• On Friday, February 27, the Historic Preservation Commission meets at 10:00 a.m. The meeting includes two public hearings: one on the proposal to create more occupiable space at 26 Warren Street by adding dormers to the 1810 Federal house; the other on the proposal to demolish the house at 309-311 Union Street and the accessory buildings behind it and build new structures. The meeting is hybrid, taking place in person at City Hall and on Teams. Click here for the link to join the meeting remotely.

26 Warren Street

309-311 Union Street

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As the Storm Approaches

The storm heading our way is being described as a nor'easter and a blockbuster. As we all wait for what we hope is this winter's swan song, City Hall has issued the following announcements.

All Non-Essential City of Hudson Departments and Buildings Closed Monday, February 23rd

Due to anticipated heavy snowfall and dangerous road conditions tonight into tomorrow, all non-essential City of Hudson departments and buildings will be closed on Monday, February 23rd.

NOTE: It was been confirmed that trash pickup will take place tomorrow, February 23, as normally scheduled.

  

City of Hudson Parking and Shoveling Rules for the Upcoming Storm

With a significant amount of snow expected tonight into tomorrow, and in recognition of the State of Emergency declared by Governor Hochul that remains in effect until Tuesday, please prepare for plowing tonight and tomorrow, with snow removal to follow (details of removal to be provided once the snow event ends and needs are assessed).

By 11:59 p.m. tonight, where alternate side parking is normally in effect, all cars are to be parked on the ODD side of the street. Tomorrow, Monday the 23rd, all cars subject to alternate side parking should be parked on the EVEN side of the street by 11:59 p.m.

The storm is expected to end at 5:00 p.m. Monday. Per City of Hudson code, Warren Street sidewalks are to be shoveled by 5:00 a.m. Tuesday and sidewalks on all other streets by 5:00 p.m. Tuesday. Also per City code, please shovel snow to the curb and not into the street.

Candidates Forum Redux

If you missed the Assembly Candidates Forum on Tuesday, featuring Assemblymember Didi Barrett and her challenger, Sam Hodge, the event can now be viewed on YouTube.   

A Preview of the Semiquincentennial Exhibit

The opening reception for Patriots of Hudson in the Revolutionary War, an exhibition commemorating the 250th anniversary of the founding of our country, is less than two weeks away, on Thursday, March 5. As a preview, Gossips reproduces here two panels from the exhibition. The first tells of Samuel Mansfield, one of the Proprietors of Hudson. The second tells of his grandson, Samuel Mansfield Bay. (Click on the images to enlarge. The main text of each panel is transcribed beneath the image.)

Samuel Mansfield

Soldier, Entrepreneur, Hudson Proprietor

Captain Mansfield was an officer in the Connecticut Line as early as 1776 and, there is some evidence that he served with his sister Margaret’s husband, Benedict Arnold, when Arnold participated in capturing Fort Ticonderoga and later while invading Quebec.

On May 10, 1775, Benedict Arnold, with a commission from Massachusetts, and Ethan Allen, leading the Green Mountain Boys, captured Fort Ticonderoga. Though the fort was not strategically important at the time, when the cannons and ammunition were brought by Henry Knox to a promontory on Boston Harbor, this ended the Siege of Boston by the British. The battle also led to the competition between Allen and Arnold that eventually contributed to Arnold’s betrayal of his nascent country.

Benedict’s wife and Charles’s sister, Margaret Mansfield Arnold, died shortly after capture of the fort in June 1775.

On January 1, 1777 Mansfield officially enlisted as a captain in Colonel John Lamb's 2nd Continental Artillery Regiment remaining through November 7, 1778. Mansfield would volunteer one final time during the war, serving as an aide-de-camp to Georgia governor George Walton in the fall of 1779 during the Siege of Savannah.

Mansfield, a Hudson Proprietor, was among the first generation of Hudson merchants, co-owning Green & Mansfield, dealers in dry goods. He married Elizabeth Greene and they had three daughters. He died suddenly traveling on the road between Albany and New York City.

 

Samuel Mansfield Bay

One of Samuel and Elizabeth Mansfield’s daughters, Harriet, married prominent Claverack lawyer, John Bay, with whom she had eight children. . . .

Samuel Mansfield Bay, the son of Harriet and John, went on to become Missouri Attorney General from 1839-1845.

Bay defended Dred Scott in the 1847 Scott vs. Emerson case at the Missouri State Circuit Court level. Dred Scott and his wife Harriet sued for their freedom and that of their two children, claiming that because they had lived for four years in the territory of Wisconsin, in which slavery was illegal, they were free. The case went on to the Supreme Court in 1857. Deciding against Scott, the Court’s decision was a blow to the anti-slavery movement in the country. The Court decreed that slavery was legal in United States territories, black people had no right to citizenship, and that the Missouri Compromise, which declared all territory west of the Missouri free from slavery, was unconstitutional.

The opening reception for the exhibit takes place on Thursday, March 5, at 6:00 p.m., in the Community Room at the Hudson Area Library, 51 North Fifth Street. Registration is required to attend the opening. To register, email brenda.shufelt@hudsonarealibrary.org.

Ear to the Ground

It was announced on imby.com today that the Dutchess County Democratic Committee (DCDC) has endorsed Didi Barrett as its candidate for NYS Assembly, representing the 106th Assembly District. The endorsement was made at a meeting of the DCDC that took place on Thursday, February 19. 

Gossips has learned that something out of the ordinary happened at the DCDC endorsement meeting. One of the things members of political party committees do is carry petitions for candidates, petition signatures being required to get candidates on the ballot. It is a longstanding policy of the DCDC that only the petitions of endorsed candidates are in the packets distributed to members at the end of an endorsement meeting, but it has been reported that Sam Hodge and Evan Menist, who is running for State Senate in District 39 (Hudson is in District 41)--neither of whom were endorsed by the committee--added their petitions to the packets. It was also reported that, owing to their actions, some members of the committee left the meeting with only the petitions of Hodge and Menist and not the petitions of any of the other candidates, including Pat Ryan. The actions of Hodge and Menist have been described as showing "an incredible lack of judgment and ethics."

The Columbia County Democratic Committee is scheduled to hold its endorsement meeting on Thursday, February 26.

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Enough Already

The return of daylight saving time is a little more than two weeks away, on March 8, and the first day of spring is exactly one month from today, on March 20. Most of us have had enough of this winter, but, alas, the New York Times just issued this warning: "Weekend Snowstorm Suddenly Looks More Serious for the Northeast." 

Here's the likelihood of snow they are predicting for us:

And, unlike the snow we've seen so far this winter, it's going to be wet and heavy.

About the HHA Redevelopment Project

At the Hudson Housing Authority Board of Commissioners on Wednesday, John Madeo of Mountco, HHA's development partner, updated the board on the status of the project, in particular on things that had transpired at the Planning Board meeting on February 10. He reported it as a significant step forward that the Planning Board had declared itself lead agency in the SEQR (State Environmental Quality Review) process. He also reported that Mayor Joe Ferris, who intends to appoint a new engineering consultant for the Planning Board, has agreed to have Chris Bertram from Barton & Loguidice continue as the engineering consultant for the HHA project. This is considered a win for the project, because it will save the time involved in having a new engineer get up to speed with the project. Madeo and HHA are hoping the Planning Board will complete its site plan review in four months.  

 

Madeo also commented on things that were said about the design at the Planning Board, based on the elevation drawings that had been submitted. Those drawings are shown below.

It will be recalled that, on February 10, Planning Board chair Ron Bogle had this to say about the design as shown in the elevations: 

. . . we're not going to talk about the design tonight, because we don't have a lot of information yet. We've seen your elevations. But I will tell you we have work to do, because there's an awful lot of the mid-1960s DNA still existing. We need to look at it, we need to study it, and we need to understand what does it feel like to be a human being and a family living in that space. How do we make it the best possible experience for them? We cannot simply do what we've done in the past, but look at the paths forward in terms of how we think about investing our time, money, in these people's lives and in our community.

Presumably responding to this statement, Madeo told the HHA that the Planning Board had concerns about the design. Madeo reported that members of the Planning Board "did not want the development to look like a stereotypical housing project from the '60s and '70s . . . a big brick building with no character." About this he commented, "I think we all agree on that." 

He went on to speak specifically about the building proposed for Site B, on the north side of State Street.

Of the building, Madeo said, "It's a long building, and you don't want it to read as a big industrial building or a public housing type building, and the way to address that is to create sort of setbacks. As you go along the building you set a portion of it back. It breaks up the building and it gives it more character, and it will make the building look better."

It would seem that Madeo has only the most superficial understanding of what Bogle meant when he spoke of the persistent DNA of 1960s public housing. Nor does it seem there is much concern about the buildings being compatible with the historic architecture of the city that surrounds the HHA site. Staggered setbacks are certainly not a characteristic of the architecture of Hudson and would be yet another way of setting the development apart from the more prosperous part of the city just a block away.

Madeo said the architects were working on renderings to show what the buildings will look like to present to the Planning Board on March 10. They are also working on construction drawings, because, as Madeo said, "We don't see the buildings significantly changing." 

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Time and Again

An accident last year, in which the operator an e-bike ignored a stop sign and collided with a pickup truck, was among the incidents that prompted the Common Council Legal Committee to consider new measures and ordinances to encourage e-bike and scooter safety. 

I was reminded of the Legal Committee's current efforts when I came upon the item below in the Columbia Repiublican for July 6, 1909. E-bikes and scooters may be a new phenomenon, but the problems they cause are the same as those dealt with more than a hundred years ago. (Click on the image to enlarge. Because even when enlarged the the text is hard to read, the most relevant parts are transcribed below.) 

The motorcycles are under fire. They have been abusing their privileges. They have been speeding along the streets and country roads with too little regard for the safety of others. . . .

The need of regulation is becoming more apparent every day. In a case in the municipal court in New York the other day a police captain appeared as an assistant to the prosecution of a youthful motorcyclist arraigned for running his machine at reckless speed. He said that the motorcyclists are more flagrant violators of the law than the automobile speeders and much more dangerous. . . . 

The fascination of the motorcycle appears to make the rider forget the rights of others. As it can be guided between passing vehicles and used in narrow spaces along the roadway by the side of automobiles, street cars, and wagons, it becomes an added menace to the pedestrians. The reports of accidents in which the cyclist is killed because of inability to stop his machine in time to avert collisions increase in number. It is evident that carelessness and recklessness have elements of danger to the rider himself. 

It is a desirable thing to secure some regulation of the motorcycles. They appear to be practical and useful machines for pleasure and business. But it also brings danger to large numbers of other people who have other equal rights in pleasure and life. . . .

There is nothing new under the sun.

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An Addendum for Presidents Day

On Monday, Gossips republished a post, originally written for Presidents Day in 2018, which recounted all the presidents that have visited Hudson over the years--before, during, or after their terms in office. The one whose visit to Hudson remained something of a mystery was William Howard Taft, our 27th president. 

In 2015, Alan Levine contacted Historic Hudson and in turn Gossips seeking information about this photograph, which is labeled "From the Rowles Collection." 

This is a detail from the photograph.

  

In a post published on Presidents Day in 2016, Gossips established that the central figure in the picture is William Howard Taft and the railroad car is his private rail car named The Mayflower. But we still didn't know when and why Taft was in Hudson.

Tonight, Rob Perry sent Gossips the link to an article that appeared in New York Almanack on December 1, 2020, that may explain the circumstance surrounding Taft's appearance in Hudson: "President Taft at Old Ticonderoga." The article reports that on July 6, 1909, Taft traveled from Grand Central Station to Albany and then on to Addison Junction station in Ticonderoga to attend the celebration at Fort Ticonderoga of the 300th anniversary of the visit of Samuel de Champlain to the region. The article recounts this about the journey:

On the way to Ticonderoga on July 6th, the President's train stopped at Poughkeepsie at 9:36 am, observed seemingly by few, other than a local newspaper reporter.

"President Taft looked ruddy with a good, strong coat of tan and was in the best of spirits," the reporter observed. "He had nothing special to say, and thought the press was keeping the public well informed as to his whereabouts and doings."

The President's train was expected to pass through Hudson at 10:40 am.

If this photograph does in fact show Taft on his way to Fort Ticonderoga on July 6, 1909, it is evidence that his train did more than simply "pass through Hudson." It clearly stopped, and Taft appears to have spoken to the assembled crowd, which was much larger than the "few, other than a local newspaper reporter" that gathered in Poughkeepsie.

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Of Interest and Relevance

Hudson Common Sense today published an assessment of the local media landscape: "The Hudson Media Ecosystem: Signal, Noise, and the Cost of Truth." It may seem shamelessly self-aggrandizing and self-promoting to link to it here, but so be it. Hudson Common Sense and The Gossips of Rivertown are completely independent of one another, and who wouldn't want to share a good review?

An Event Happening This Saturday Afternoon

The Hudson Literacy Fund, whose mission is to support literacy development by putting as many books as possible into the hands and homes of Hudson's youth, is holding a fundraising event on Saturday, February 21, at Upper Depot Brewing Co., 708 State Street. 

Use the QR code in the image above or click here to buy your ticket and reserve your spot.

How Many Differences Can You Find?

In the past, some have described Hudson as a Potemkin village because Warren Street seemed much more prosperous and better cared for than the rest of the city. Now, thanks to the magic of AI, it seems there may be some deliberate deception occurring in how Hudson--and undoubtedly other places as well--is being presented to certain audiences.

Lisa Durfee, known for her keen eye for detail, brought this to Gossips' attention. An online listing for 208 Warren Street, now on the market for $1,750,000, shows the exterior of the building, as well as the immediate neighborhood, not exactly as it is in reality. The first picture below accompanies the listing; the second was taken by Durfee yesterday morning.

In the first image, not only has the portico of the building been reconstructed and painted black, but the sidewalk has been widened, the adjacent building has doubled in size, and Second Street seems to have disappeared altogether.

Another image from the same source shows 206 Warren Street (the building next door) with no entrance at all and makes 208 Warren appear as if it were comparable in size to the Brousseau Buildings (202 and 204).

The image below, from Google Maps, shows the actual size of the buildings in relation to one another. 

Most people are aware that staging and photography are important elements in selling real estate, but one wonders if there are any ethical standards governing the use of AI to make a building appear in pictures as it could be rather than how it actually is.

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Parking Woes

People have a lot of complaints about the new parking system in Hudson: I didn't know paid parking extended the length of Warren Street and got a ticket. I tried to use the QR code to pay but still got a ticket. I couldn't figure out what I was supposed to do so I got a ticket. I was running late and didn't want the hassle so I got ticket. I don't have a smartphone so I got a ticket. 

The remedy for most of the problems, except the last one, is simply to download the ParkMobile app. Once you've done that, paying for parking involves just a few taps on your phone. For those without smartphones, the kiosks are on the way. 

Tiresome as it is for those of us who park on Warren Street to adjust to the new system, consider how it has changed the job of parking officer. In the past, the parking officers could walk up and down the street, on the sidewalk, looking for expired meters. When they saw one, they would issue a ticket. Now their job requires that they scan the license plate of every car parked on the street to find out whether or not the parking fee has been paid. On a holiday weekend like this past one, that's a lot of cars and a lot more work for the parking officers than in the past. 

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Opera at the Red Dot

It has often been the case (four times to be exact) that hearing opera at Hudson Hall (a.k.a. the Hudson Opera House) was followed up with dining at the Red Dot. Next Saturday, February 28, opera--arias, as well as show tunes--is coming to the Red Dot.

To reserve your spot for an evening of live music, use the QR code in the image above or click here.

Addenda to Meetings and Events

Two events were unintentionally left out of this week's "Meetings and Events in the Week Ahead." They have since been added, but for those who don't go back to yesterday's posts, here's what was left out: two of Mayor Joe Ferris's town hall meetings.

• On Wednesday, February 18, a town hall meeting for the Third Ward takes place at Creative Legion, 7 Fairview Avenue.
• On Thursday, February 19, a town hall meeting for the Fifth Ward takes place at FASNY, 125 Harry Howard Avenue.

Both meetings begin at 6:30 p.m. and are expected to continue until 8:00 p.m.

Three Projects of Interest Before the HPC

The architects designing the replacement for this accessory building behind 30 Union Street were back before the Historic Preservation Commission on Friday, February 13.

At its January 9 meeting, the HPC expressed concern about the increased height of the new building and also about its design, which was very different in character from the existing building. It was noted that the doors are a distinctive element of the original building, and it was suggested that the design of the new building should somehow harken back to what was there. It was agreed the applicant would consider the concerns of the HPC and come back with revisions. 

The revisions presented at the February 13 HPC meeting, however, consisted only of altering the pitch of the roof to lower its apex. The result is a building that looks even more like a modern generic garage than the design with the more steeply pitched roof that was originally proposed. 

New building as originally proposed on January 9

Revised design presented on February 13

Asked about revisions in the design to make it reminiscent of the historic building and more compatible with its surroundings, the architects they had created such a design, but it had been rejected by their client, the owner of the property. They did, however, show the revised design to the HPC.

The HPC declared the application complete and voted on what had been proposed. It was unanimously rejected by the members of the commission. Phil Forman, HPC chair, requested that the next time the proposal came before the HPC, the owner of the property be present at the meeting, either in person or virtually.

A second proposal of interest involves 26 Warren Street, a true Federal house constructed in 1810, which is now being operated as a hotel called the Hudson Mariner.  

The proposal, which was presented by architect Walter Chatham, is to increase the occupiable space by introducing dormers at the front and building out an addition at the back.

Cara Cragan, the architect member of the HPC, noted the roofline of the house is in actuality much lower pitched than it appears in the drawings. Of the proposal, she opined, "This is a reasonable solution for a business problem, but there is thought that the building should not be touched at all." 

It was determined that Chatham would return with the necessary adjustments to the drawings, and that there would be a public hearing on the project to take place at the next HPC meeting on February 27.

Demolish and demolition are two words you don't like to hear at an HPC meeting, but they are central to the proposal for 309-311 Union Street. The owners wish to demolish everything on the lot--the two-family house and the two accessory buildings--and construct new buildings in their place. 

The owners reported that an engineer's study, recommended by former code enforcement officer Craig Haigh, "advised against even attempting to salvage the house." The renderings below show what they are proposing to build in its place. The first two show the house, which would face Union Street; the second two show the "carriage house" (a garage with an apartment above), which would be behind it on Partition Street.

Cragan acknowledged that the proposed new structure was "in keeping with the building that exists." HPC chair Phil Forman described the proposal as a "loss of history issue not a compatibility issue." Cragan then suggested that the house might be replaced with something contemporary, "to create something that the future wants to preserve as well." Commenting later in the meeting, Ron Kopnicki questioned the principle of contrast, saying that what good contemporary design is has not been determined. He urged that the HPC "have respect for the past and respect for context." 

HPC member Paul Barrett spoke of 34 South Front Street, saying, "It should have fallen down by itself, but it didn't. It was salvaged." (According to Apartments.com, one of the apartments in the building is now renting for $2,800 a month.) Barrett suggested that the owners of 309-311 Union Street speak with the man who salvaged 34 South Front Street about his experience.

34 South Front Street before renovation

34 South Front Street today

Kopnicki noted that the house at 309-311 Union had not been condemned, and, up until the house was sold at the end of 2024, there were people living in it. (According to the assessment rolls, the property is currently owned by Dinally Home Restoration of Hudson LLC, with an address in Bloomfield, NY.) Matt McGhee urged the HPC to request photographic evidence of "the crumbling walls and other things claimed," commenting, "People who don't understand old buildings may not understand that was the way they were meant to be."

For this proposal too, the HPC will hold a public hearing at its next meeting on February 27.

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More Attention to Botstein in the Times Union

The Times Union today has another article about Bard College president Leon Botstein and the revelations of his connections with Jeffrey Epstein: "'S___show': Bard students protest Botstein's ties to Epstein as trustees meet." The explanatory phrase following the headline tells it all: "Anger on campus is mounting amid Bard College's continued silence about its president's relationship with the convicted sex predator." The following is quoted from the article:

Trustees have not censured Botstein for the relationship, which the president has characterized as an unpleasant and ultimately unsuccessful attempt at raising money for the college. None of the trustees contacted by the Times Union responded to questions.

Their silence has spawned rumors and at least one fake press release that duped a local news outlet into falsely announcing Botstein's resignation over the weekend. The phony announcement was sent to reporters from an address that mimicked the name of Bard Communications Director Jennifer Strodl. It remains unclear who sent the email, and the college quickly clarified that Botstein was not stepping down.

The local news outlet misled by the fake press release was Rural Intelligence. Early on Saturday afternoon, Jamie Larson, editor of Rural Intelligence, published this retraction: "CORRECTION: Leon Botstein Resignation Story a Hoax."

Hudson Has a New Code Enforcement Officer

The following announcement appeared this morning on Hudson Hub and the City of Hudson website:

Effective today, at Mayor Ferris' appointment, Nick Fox was sworn in as the City of Hudson's new Code Enforcement Officer. Nick is a seasoned facilities professional with over 20 years' experience building, maintaining, and managing residential and commercial properties. He is skilled in electrical, plumbing, HVAC, structural systems, and groundskeeping, with extensive knowledge of codes, safety regulations, and preventative maintenance. A strong leader, Nick has overseen capital projects with a focus on facility safety and efficiency.

In 2022, Fox was named one of Mayor Kamal Johnson's "Forty Under Forty." At that time, he was the owner of Silver Fox Builds and Renos.