Town of Cobleskill Reorganizes for 2026

By; Elizabeth Barr

COBLESKILL — The Organizational Meeting of the Town Board of the Town of Cobleskill was held on Monday, January 5 at 2026, 3:00 pm, 378 Mineral Springs Road, Cobleskill, New York with Supervisor Hampel presiding.  The council authorized Supervisor Hampel to sign the Insurance and Rick Management Service Agreement for NFP Property & Casualty Services, Inc. The Highway Supervisor was authorized to sign the Shared Service Agreement with NYS DOT.

The following were appointed to one year terms for the Town of Cobleskill. Bookkeeper – Lynnette S.B. Lawyer, CPA, Service and Budget Officer – Werner T. Hampel, Deputy Supervisor – Roger J Mallery, Town Engineer – Daniel Crandell, PT -Code Enforcement Officer – Michael Piccolo, PT -Code Enforcement Officer – Joseph Nelson, Dog Control Officer – Jillian Smith, Town Historian –Pete Lindemann, Safety Committee –  Lisa Wayman, Town Board Liaison to Joint Town and Village Highway Committee –  Werner T. Hampel and Lisa Wayman with alternate -Alan Rubin, Citizen member to the Joint Town and Village Highway Committee – Daniel Schulte with alternate Terry Keller, Town Park – Art Boreali, Highway Superintendent Appointment: (Per Timothy Gallagher) Deputy Highway Superintendent –  Jeffrey Probst, Town Clerk Appointment: (Per Tina Ward) Deputy Town Clerk – Elizabeth Barr.

It was unanimously carried to resolve that theTown of Cobleskill shall meet the second Monday of each month at 7:00 PM; if the Board meeting falls on a Holiday the following Tuesday will be the official meeting night; that the Times Journal and The Mountain Eagle be, and hereby are designated, the official newspapers of the Town of Cobleskill; and that Key Bank NA, NBT Bank, Community Bank, Bank of Richmondville,  New York Cooperative Liquid Assets Securities System (NYCLASS) and Empire Public Investment Cooperative Fund of New York (EPIC)  be, and hereby are designated, the official depositories of all Town funds and accounts.

Designated Holidays be paid to all full time employees: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King’s Day, President’s Day, Memorial Day, 4th of July, Labor Day, Election Day, Columbus Day, Veteran’s Day, Thanksgiving Day, and the following Friday, and half day on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.  Highway Department Employees will be granted a floating holiday for Martin Luther King's Day and President's Day.

Motions were approved that The Superintendent of Highways be authorized to buy and/or rent tools, implements, and equipment according to section 142 of the Highway Law, not to exceed $3,000.00 without prior approval of the Town Board. The mileage rate will be .725 cents per mile for services performed in the duties of Town Officers and Officials. The Town will join the Village in financing the local Youth Program as per the contract. The Town Highway Superintendent was authorized to post Tower Road and the top section of Settles Mountain Road without occupied residents as closing December 1sr and reopening April 1stAuthorize the Highway Superintendent to sign a rental agreement for the use of a Hot Box and Over-the-rail-mower.

 Supervisor Hampel updated everyone on several projects. The Mickle Hollow Bridge NY Project will be breaking ground in the spring of 2026.  The engineering firm is anticipating a $109,000 shortage from the grant funds to the final completion.  The original grant was submitted with the 2023 costs for construction, therefore the estimated shortage.  Supervisor Hampel thanked Elizabeth Barr, Deputy Town Clerk, for her exemplary work on this grant.

The Hotel on Burgin Drive is still being worked on.  They will be starting work on the pool next week, Andre’ Nadeau fixed the sewer issue, and the owners are working on the franchise agreement with Ramada Inn. Several other projects include the College in the spring will start construction on the Pollard Farm, Imperial Baths in the Town of Sharon has received a grant, Amazon in the Town of Schoharie is progressing, Shad Point Road housing project is in the lead agency step, IDA Shad Point Road property parcel size for development has been reduced due to NYS DEC January 2025 new regulations on wet lands.  Schoharie County Board of Supervisors adopted a resolution against these new regulations as it impedes land development.