This week promises to bring a definitive end to the question of who will be Hudson's next mayor, although there is little chance the final outcome will be different from what we now believe to be true: Mayor Kamel Johnson lost to Joe Ferris by a very small margin. Here is what else is happening in this drizzling November week.
- On Monday, November 10, the Common Council holds a special meeting at 5:00 p.m. "for the purpose of receiving and considering" the proposed budget for 2026. The Council will not be voting on accepting the budget at this meeting. The meeting is a hybrid, taking place in person at City Hall and on Microsoft Teams. Click here for the link to join the meeting remotely.
- At 5:45 p.m. on Monday, November 10, the Common Council holds another special meeting. The purpose of this one is to vote on the local law to extend (i.e., continue) the city's lodging tax. The meeting is a hybrid, taking place in person at City Hall and on Microsoft Teams. Click here for the link to join the meeting remotely.
- Also on Monday, November 10, the Common Council holds its monthly informal meeting at 6:00 p.m. The meeting is a hybrid, taking place in person at City Hall and on Microsoft Teams. Click here for the link to join the meeting remotely.
- Tuesday, November 11, is Veterans Day, once known as Armistice Day, celebrating the end of World War I on November 11, 1918. The observance of the day in Hudson begins at 9:30 a.m. in Seventh Street Park. At 10:00 a.m., the parade steps off and makes its way down Warren Street to Fourth and then to the courthouse where the observance of the day continues.
- On Wednesday, November 12, the Hudson Industrial Development Agency (IDA) meets at 9:30 a.m. The meeting is a hybrid, taking place in person at 1 City Centre, Suite 301, and on Zoom. Click here to join the meeting remotely.
- At 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, November 12, Mayor Kamal Johnson holds a public hearing in person only at City Hall on three proposed laws:
- Amending the code to make the Superintendent of Public Works the administrator of the flood plain law instead of the Executive Director of Hudson Community Development and Planning Agency (HCDPA), a position that has not been filled since 2018, if in fact it still exists.
- Amending Chapter 305 of the city code to prohibit idling for more than ten minutes.
- Amending Chapter 275 of the city code to make the installment agreement for paying delinquent property taxes more lenient: making the down payment 10 percent of the amount owed instead of 25 percent and allowing 36 months to pay the balance instead of 24 months.
- Also on Wednesday, November 12, the Housing Trust Fund Board meets at 5:30 p.m. The meeting is a hybrid, taking place in person at City Hall and on Microsoft Teams. Click here for the link to join the meeting remotely.
- Wrapping up the meetings scheduled for Wednesday, November 12, is the Planning Board meeting at 6:30 p.m. The agenda for the meeting has not yet been published, but it is not supposed to include the Colarusso dock conditional use permit. The meeting takes place at City Hall and will be livestreamed. Click here to find the link to access the livestream.
- On Thursday, November 13, Hudson Community Development and Planning Agency (HCDPA) holds a special meeting at 5:00 p.m. The meeting is a hybrid, taking place in person at City Hall and on Microsoft Teams. Click here for the link to join the meeting remotely.
- At 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, November 13, the Friends of the First Presbyterian Church invite the public to participate in a discussion about how the historic church can continue to serve the community. The program will include a brief presentation on the history of the building, including its ties to Frederic Church and Louis Comfort Tiffany. There will also be a discussion of what is required to ensure the iconic building's survival. A recent assessment found it to be in need of more than $1 million in structural repairs. As interludes to the discussion and to demonstrate the building's acoustics, pianist Noah Palmer and cellist Ivan Tranbka will perform. Those interested in attending should RSVP to friendsoftheFPC@gmail.com.
- On Friday, November 14, the Historic Preservation Commission meets at 10:00 a.m. The agenda for the meeting includes the continuation of the public hearing on designating the Dunn warehouse as a local landmark. The meeting is a hybrid, taking place in person at City Hall and on Microsoft Teams. Click here for the link to join the meeting remotely.
- On Sunday, November 16, at 2:00 p.m., the African American Archive of Columbia County, in collaboration with the Hudson Area Library History Room, presents "Were There Slaves in Your Cellar?"--a conversation with archaeological historian Walter Wheeler. The event takes place in the Community Room of the Hudson Area Library, 51 North Fifth Street. For more information, click here. To register to attend in person, click here. To register for the livestream, click here.
Why would Hudson law be put in place forbidding idling longer than 10 minutes, when there is already a state law preventing idling more than five minutes?
ReplyDeleteIn New York City, vehicle idling is illegal if it lasts more than 3 minutes or more than 1 minute when adjacent to a school. This includes buses and delivery trucks.
There are a few exceptions:
When the temperature is less than 40 degrees F (for vehicles having a seating capacity of 15 or more passengers, such as a bus)
When the engine is powering a loading, unloading, or processing device
When the vehicle is a legally authorized emergency vehicle, such as an ambulance.
The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) enforces the idling law. Fines range from $350 to $2,000.
New York State Anti-Idling Law:
Under New York State law, heavy duty diesel trucks and buses may not idle for more than 5 minutes in a row unless the temperature is less than 25 degrees F and the vehicle is stopped for 2 hours.
There are exceptions to the law, including:
When the engine is powering an auxiliary function such as loading cargo, unloading cargo, or mixing concrete/When running the engine is required for maintenance
When fire, police, utility, or other vehicles are performing emergency services.
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) enforces this law. Fines range from $250 to $15,000.
Because it’s infinitely easier to do nothing — like passing meaningless legislation that is, per its terms, obviated from conception — than to do actual work. And our council avoids meaningful work at all costs.
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