“We’re trying to be as helpful as possible when they approach us because most municipalities couldn’t afford to pay for fire services,” said Albany county legislator Mark Grimm.

The Community Hilltown Action Team, or CHAT, offers Berne residents a monthly meeting space to discuss local concerns and brainstorm ways to solve them, bypassing the sometimes-suffocating rules and personalities of the town board.  

The town published its 2022 water quality report on its website this week. It shows that, while better than last year’s report and below state requirements on average, the town is still struggling to regulate the levels of TTHMs and HAA5, which are potentially toxic byproducts of the disinfection process. 

CanCode founder and Chief Executive Officer Annmarie Lanesey said that the 30 or so people in attendance at Knox’s broadband focus group represented “probably the biggest turnout” she had seen at such an event, and was useful as CanCode works to funnel rural data to New York state so it can direct connectivity funding more effectively.

Legislator Jeff Perlee, of Altamont, says that Albany County should have an especially active role in celebrating the American Revolution, since it was home to many prominent figures of the time, and was also the scene of a battle that could very well have allowed for the colonies’ eventual victory. 

The Sierra Club released a report this month detailing the widespread use of fertilizer that contain highly toxic PFAS chemicals on farmland in New York State, and the state’s apparent failure to properly control this use. 

Joseph, a Democrat, had been denied his party’s line after a court ruled that many of the signatures on his Democratic nominating petition were invalid. He will nevertheless appear on his own party line, Hilltowns First, along with the Working Families line as he challenges incumbent Chris Smith, a Conservative with GOP backing. 

Berne Planning Board Chairman Joe Martin will be running for town board to replace Deputy Supervisor Anita Clayton, who is not seeking re-election. Town board member Al Thiem is hoping to secure his first full term on the board, and Jeff Harvey is aiming to replace Justice Al Zuk. 

The St. Peter’s Hospital Dental Center is scheduled to close on June 30, after more than 50 years in operation, due to poor reimbursement rates for Medicaid patients. Although plans have not yet been finalized, Whitney Young Health Center is expected to take on at least some of the clinic’s patients. 

RIC Energy is proposing to build a 4.4. megawatt solar farm on Thompsons Lake Road in Knox, but faces pushback from residents who live nearby and fear the potential impact of the project, despite the company’s assurances and modifications.