BERNE — Berne residents were surprised this week when they got their town tax bills: the expected 38 percent hike is closer to 69 percent.

The new supervisor, Joseph Giebelhaus, said that he was surprised as well.

The Rensselaerville Town Board has scheduled a hearing on the matter for 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 22, at the town hall.

He would still be willing to settle with the town, Crosier said.

Supervisor Joseph Geibelhaus said of the many resolutions, “There’s been a request for transparency. With transparency comes accountability.”

As farmland is decreasing dramatically across the United States, Knox has a proposal to preserve its own. As the United States faces a significant housing shortage — particularly of affordable housing — the town of Westerlo made strides this year, streamlining the permitting process for accessory-dwelling units to make it easier for elderly residents who’d otherwise be looking for dedicated senior housing in the suburbs to stay close by. Municipal water problems are frequent in the United States with rural systems prone to the most problems; Rensselaerville has been working to transition its water district away from a surface-water system into a public well system under the guidance of its Water and Sewer Advisory Committee.

Donna Gwin, President, Friends of the Berne Library

Jodi Ebel, First Reformed Church of Berne

“I’m fully disabled and I can’t work, so I put all my time into this,” Savino said of the holiday-meal giveaway.

“We’d be remiss,” Helen Lounsbury said, “if we didn’t give this group — old and new — a big round of applause.” The crowd obliged.