Councilmen Theodore Lounsbury and Alfred Field spoke about a slim likelihood of natural-gas drilling in town, the wearied process of evaluating the issue, and the state's long-awaited regulations.

In a Court of Appeals decision announced Monday, the towns of Dryden and Middlefield prevailed in cases testing their zoning prohibitions against activities surrounding high-volume hydraulic fracturing.

If the state's Court of Appeals decides not to reverse lower-court decisions, the more than 70 municipal bans and many more pending could prevent gas-drilling well pads from their lands.

Residents during the April town board meeting expressed frustration at town board members' absence at the meeting scheduled in March, which had been postponed from February. Nearly two years ago, the town decided to investigate the gas-drilling process.

Westerlo is part of the the corner of Albany County that sits over the Marcellus Shale formation containing natural gas. The town council had rejected for revision its original report on hydrofracking.

In amassing random viewpoints on hydraulic fracturing, Westerlo's advisory committee has drawn no conclusions. The committee needs to guide the town before the window of opportunity closes.

Once said to have been given a cold-shoulder, Dianne Sefcik is now embraced for her input on the long-awaited document.