Lawrence Zimmerman, East Berne

Berne Councilman Joel Willsey sent an email addressed to Supervisor Sean Lyons and Deputy Supervisor Dennis Palow requesting that they resign from their positions; Willsey believes they deliberately attempted to mislead the public about this year’s town government appointments.

Rensselaerville’s proposed solar law defines a small-scale solar installation as one that generates no more than 25 kilowatts, or 120 percent of a site’s energy needs. These projects can theoretically be placed anywhere in the town, but may be subject to planning board review.

Supervisor Sean Lyons said the decision to advertise for these positions stemmed from residents’ complaints about the town’s current appointments.

David Erickson, Knox

Joel Willsey, Berne Town Board

Berne has submitted documentation to the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority for three out of the four action-items needed to qualify the town for a clean-energy community designation, which allows the town to apply for certain grants.

The proposal, long-championed by Supervisor Vasilios Lefkaditis, passed by a unanimous vote at the Knox Town Board’s Dec. 8 regular meeting.

Chance Townsend, who has been serving as Berne’s code-enforcement officer for the past year despite lacking state certification, left an order to vacate on a resident’s door one week after The Enterprise publicized his lack of qualification for the role. 

At the Berne Planning Board’s Dec. 3 meeting, town attorney Javid Afzali lost his temper with planning board member Larry Zimmerman, a former attorney who criticized the town board for breaking the law. Afzali told Zimmerman, “You can sit there and yap all you want … There’s nothing you can say that I’m interested in.”