To the Editor:

I am a longtime resident of Knox and I am certain we have much to be proud of here in Knox.  Our most obvious asset is the natural beauty of our town.  We have spectacular scenic views from most of our roads, and almost all of our residents can truthfully say they live in a beautiful setting. 

We have a beautiful town park with stately old stone walls and fine walking trails.  We have several gorgeous nature preserves, and we are right next to the stunning escarpment of Thacher Park.  We are fortunate to be in a rural setting that is within close reach to substantial urban markets, entertainment, and services. 

Many people in Knox commute to work at good paying jobs off the Hill, and our youth share that opportunity. There may not be public transportation, but there are car-pooling opportunities for those who are resourceful and committed to making solutions. 

As our new business district is about to be established, there will be opportunities for creative entrepreneurship right here in the hamlet of Knox.  And, for the rest of the town, new public awareness of the benefits of local agriculture and local food is opening opportunities for niche markets in farming. 

Those who are resourceful and committed to making solutions can tap into the urban markets off the Hill.  All Knox residents, in all zoning districts, can operate cottage-industry enterprises as “home occupation” ventures.  The Internet helps to facilitate this kind of business more every year. 

We have a lot of hard-working, creative, resourceful, and capable people in Knox who volunteer to make this an affordable and well served community, including firefighters and other emergency responders, women’s auxiliary members, Scout and other youth-club leaders, senior-citizen advocates, church members, and civic service club members, as well as members of the planning board, zoning board of appeals, and the other local government volunteer boards. 

These organizations offer many opportunities for residents to get acquainted with others and become involved in the community.

We have a history of responsible, fiscally conservative governance that has kept our taxes among the lowest in Albany County and in the state.  We have a beautiful town hall that was built ahead of schedule and under budget.  We have opportunities to make use of this new facility for community events and services. 

Mike Hammond has overseen our town government for the past 40 years and he deserves much credit for keeping our town affordable and neighborly.   And more opportunities exist.  There’s work to do.  We need volunteers to help repair the boardwalk in the wetlands, to help make improvements in the town park, and more. 

This is an exciting time for our town.  We can look forward to building our community in many new ways.  And all of us can be proud of where we live and the many possibilities that are open to us if we can just imagine them and then rise to meet them. 

Amy Pokorny
Knox Town Board member