WESTERLO — What would otherwise have likely been an uncontroversial and even welcome law drew significant criticism from Westerlo residents before their town board passed it on Tuesday in a 3-to-2 vote. 

Democrat Hébert Joseph, of Rensselaerville, is challenging Conservative Albany County Legislator Chris Smith, of East Berne, for his seat representing the mostly-rural 39th District. A court challenge from Smith centered around Joseph’s nominating petition got the Democrat removed from his own party’s line, though he will still appear on the ballot on at least the Working Families Party line.

Berne resident Kevin Crosier is gearing up to sue his town for violating his civil rights after Supervisor Dennis Palow ordered him removed from a February public hearing without justification. 

Superintendent Timothy Mundell told The Enterprise this week that the skills the district learned from the National Dropout Prevention Center’s trauma-skills institute will help give Berne-Knox-Westerlo students structure, organization, and resilience as they balance personal hardships with their potential for achievement. 

The moratorium is designed to give the town’s planning board some breathing room as it juggles multiple solar projects at once, Supervisor Russell Pokorny said. 

Andrew Gibson was sentenced to a minimum of 10⅔ years in prison and a maximum of 32 years, in accordance with a plea deal, for the death of Berne resident Lisa Sperry in May 2021 and for jumping bail early in 2022. 

After the New York State Coalition for Open Government issued a report decrying the current state of open government in New York, the office of the attorney general — whom the coalition views as essential to enforcing the state’s government transparency laws, which are commonly flouted — suggested that the state is already sufficiently equipped to handle these matters. 

The free, self-guided Arts Around Greenville Studio Tour, on May 20 and 21, will showcase the works of more than two dozen local artists, half of whom will open up their studios to visitors, while the rest will have their art on display at the Greenville Public Library and the Gristmill, which is also in Greenville. 

Having a sole appointed assessor brings Berne up to date with the vast majority of New York towns, and all of its Hilltown neighbors. The sole-assessor system is regarded by the state as superior to the old system of three elected assessors because sole assessors are less bogged down by electoral pressures, among several other reasons.

The town of Rensselaerville has been working to control levels of disinfection by-products in its water, which have exceeded standard minimums frequently enough that the United States Environmental Protection Agency is preparing to issue a formal notice to the town, according to water/sewer advisory committee member Ed Csukas in a report to the town board last month.