Town of Hillsdale Newsletter

For starters, it's great to have the diner reopened and so nicely renovated. Welcome to O's Hillsdale Country Diner. And congratulations to Boxwood Linen, now relocated downstairs to a very pretty space below the Hillsdale General Store.

At the February Town Board meeting, we discussed the development of a three-year economic development plan. The project will be driven by two six-person teams. One team will focus on generating ideas to help existing businesses. The other will identify new businesses and services that will find a welcome home in Hillsdale.

The first meeting for these groups will be on Sunday, March 10. Anyone wishing to serve should contact Supervisor Baer or Town Clerk Ruth Dodds.

Read more about the plan in the Register Star here, not to mention some very good news about and Hillsdale's General Fund.

In case you missed it, here's a visual sampling of some of the great things that have happened around town in 2012. View slideshow.

The Hillsdale Town Board: Art Baer, Peter Cipkowski, Augie Sena, Jill Sims-Elster and Steve Tiger

PS: Please note that some e-mail servers cut off the end of the calendar and the newsletter. So if yours does not end with a little note from us, go to the very end and click on "view entire message.

NEWS

NOMINATE SENIOR CITIZEN OF THE YEAR

The Columbia County Office for the Aging has announced that nominations for 2013 Senior Citizens of the Year are being accepted.

Nomination Deadline: March 8. In May of each year, the Columbia County Office for the Aging recognizes one or more senior citizens who have made significant contributions to the community. More information here.

A WEEKLY FARMERS MARKET

The Hillsdale Farmers Market is entering its eighth delicious season. Local farmers and merchants-and lots of supportive customers-have worked tirelessly to make it a success. This year, the market will occur weekly, from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm, under the cover of a barn in the beautiful and accessible Roe Jan Park. The fun runs from June 1 through October 12. Look for more details in the next newsletter. New vendors are welcome and can learn more here.

2012 ANNUAL REPORTS

Several department and committee reports are available and can be found here. Once they are all compiled, the complete 2012 report will reside on this page.

PRESERVE THE FURNACE

Having completed the construction of a protective cover for the Copake Iron Works furnace, the Friends of Taconic State Park are now addressing the urgent task of stabilizing the furnace itself. Long years of exposure to the wind, rain and snow, as well as the ravages of weeds and scavengers, have severely weakened the four arches of the furnace, as well as its interior. To save this important structure, the work of stabilization must begin immediately. More here.

DOWNLOAD HABITAT SHEETS

Habitat Fact Sheets (prepared by Hudsonia Ltd.) offer brief descriptions of some of the common and less-common habitats that occur in Hillsdale, how to identify them, some of their ecological values and associated plants and animals of conservation concern and some recommendations for conservation. The Hillsdale Conservation Advisory Council encourages landowners, developers, town agencies and others to view and distribute these to others who may be interested in learning more about the natural areas all around us. Find them on the CAC webpage.

LOCAL SERVICES LISTED HERE

Though this list isn't complete, we'd like it to be as comprehensive as possible. If you want your local business included, email us at hillsdaleny@gmail.com. Provide your website or telephone number. Feel free to suggest an appropriate category.

EVENTS

Anti-Bullying Novelist to Speak

Sunday, March 3

3:00 pm

Roe Jan Library

Elaine Wolf, author of CAMP and Danny's Mom will speak and sign copies of her book at Roeliff Jansen Community Library on March 3 at 3:00 pm. Wolf is on a mission to make our schools and camps kinder, gentler places for all kids. More here.

Benedict Arnold: The Traitor Within

Sunday, March 10

3:00 pm

Roe Jan Library

David King, author of Benedict Arnold: The Traitor Within, will speak at the Roeliff Jansen Community Library on Sunday, March 10. King has written more than 70 books on American history, most for young adult readers, but many have been "crossovers" designed for an adult audience as well as young adult.

Winter Explorations with Farmscape Ecology Program

Saturday, March 16
2:00 pm - 4:00 pm

High Falls Conservation Area, Claverack

All Ages Free

Take a leisurely, guided walk through the winter landscape to learn winter botany. Handouts and optional indoor sessions following the walk will help participants delve deeper into the mysteries of identifying trees and weeds in winter. All levels of knowledge are welcome. The event is co-sponsored by the Columbia Land Conservancy.

Lincoln's Secret with Novelist Ed Peck

Sunday, March 17

2:00 pm

Roeliff Jansen Historical Society Museum

Edward Peck will speak at Roeliff Jansen Historical Society Museum in Copake Falls about his novel Lincoln's Secret. In this dramatic Civil War novel, shocking new information about the nation's president is uncovered that throws the Union's entire military effort into doubt, as well as Abraham Lincoln's legal right to hold office. What's worse, the incriminating documents are in the hands of a desperate adversary. Learn more about Peck's research and story here.

March 19 Town Board Meeting

Tuesday, March 19

7:00 pm

Town Hall

All welcome. Agendas for past meetings here; corresponding minutes and videos are here.

Heirloom Gardening, From Seed to Seed

Saturday, March 23

2:00 pm

Copake Grange Hall

Third Annual Welcome Spring Benefit for Friend of Taconic State Park with Ken Greene, co-founder of the Hudson Valley Seed Library. A reception will follow the presentation; before and after Ken's presentation, heirloom seeds will be available for sale, along with gardening advice from Ken, experts from Turtle Tree Seed and local gardener Margaret Roach along with gardening goodies from Matthew White's Hillsdale General Store.

Palm Sunday Brunch

Sunday, March 24

8:00 am-1:00 pm
Hillsdale Fire House

Don't miss the Palm Sunday "all you can eat" Brunch on March 24. Everything is made and served with love by the Hillsdale's Fire Company and Ladies Auxiliary. All proceeds, including the huge raffle and simultaneous bake sale, benefit the Heat and Power Fund. Your continued support is crucial to our successful volunteer efforts. The Easter Egg Hunt follows for the kids!

Easter Egg Hunt

Sunday, March 24

Hillsdale Town Park

1:30 pm

Immediately following the Palm Sunday Brunch at the Firehouse, be sure to bring the kids to the Hamlet Park behind the old town hall. In addition to the kids, you'll want to bring along your own basket or bag for all your goodies. Hillsdale's Easter Egg Hunt is open to kids of all ages from all towns.

Using the New SEQR Environmental Assessment Forms

Saturday, March 30
9:30 am - 12:30 pm
Columbia-Greene Community College
Adults Free

Attend a workshop held by the Columbia Land Conservancy for Municipal Board training credits on using the new NYSDEC Environmental Assessment Forms for State Environmental Quality Reviews (SEQR) and learn about GIS mapping resources available to help municipalities with the process.

Meredith Trede, Poet and Editor

Sunday, April 7
4:00 pm
Roe Jan Library

Reading followed by Q&A. Trede is the founding editor of Toadlily Press. Reports Thomas Lux, "Her collection, Field Theory, is a book of grown-up poems written by and for grown-ups: unflinching, tender, original, and deeply skilled."

April Town Board Meeting

Tuesday, April 16

7:00 pm

Town Hall

All welcome. Agendas for past meetings here; corresponding minutes and videos are here.

Earth Day Reflections by Brian Bloom

Saturday April 20

2:00 pm

Roeliff Jansen Historical Society Museum

Brian Boom, Director of the Caribbean Biodiversity Program at the New York Botanical Garden, presents a lecture on the diversity of Cuba's flora. Call 518-966-2730 for more information.

The Edna Project Concert

Saturday, April 20

5:00 pm

Roe Jan Library

The Edna Project sets the poems of Edna St. Vincent Millay to music, with introduction by Peter Bergman, Millay Society-"Musicians Liz Queler and Seth Farber denote from the mind of Millay an emotional experience that sings to the very heart of human connections." - Peter Bergman. As one listener put it: "It was as if Edna herself were there whispering to us all night long. Whispering first in a jazzy way, then switching to a teasing Cajun tone, then a high lonesome bluegrass, and back again to a wild rock and roll."

Berkshire-Taconic USDA Development Program

Thursday, April 25

3:00-5:30 pm

Roe Jan Library

A representative from the USDA department of rural development will talk with municipalities, small business owners and nonprofits about funding options available to them through the USDA.

Workshop with Abigail Wender: Poems as Translations

Saturday, April 27

10:00 am to 1:00 pm

Roe Jan Library

We'll explore how our own stories become poems, using parables, classic and contemporary prose and poetry. We'll write and read aloud, trying various syntactical movements, repetitions, rhythms and imagery, and perhaps, see what is involved in turning a foreign language poem into a poem in English. Advance registration required.

SAVE THE DATE

SAVE THE DATE: PARK BENEFIT

Save the date for the Fourth Annual Luncheon to Benefit Hillsdale's Town Parks. We'll enjoy a presentation from Margo Mullein from Hawthorne Valley Farm who will tell us all about herbs -- how to grow them for their beauty, their medicinal value, their culinary uses and more! We'll also feast on a delicious catered lunch and have fun bidding on our silent auction items. The proceeds from this year's event will be used to expand the playground in Hillsdale's parks. More here.

SAVE THE DATE: LIBRARY GALA

Save the date for the Roeliff Jansen Community Library's 2013 annual fundraising gala will be a celebration of the 100th anniversary of the library's founding in 1913. The event will take place on Saturday, June 8, from 5:00 to 7:30 pm, at Camp Pontiac in West Copake. More information here.

Your Event Could Have Been Here

With more than 500 subscribers, the Hillsdale Newsletter is a great place to promote your upcoming event. Give us all the details and we'll post them here.

The goal of this newsletter, issued by Hillsdale's Town Board, is to provide a brief summary of all the cool things that are happening in our community. Please email us if you have any suggestions or questions at hillsdalecalendar@gmail.com.

Best Regards,
Peter Cipkowski, Communications Chair, Town Board

Vivian deGeorges, Editor

The Town of Hillsdale, New York

www.hillsdaleny.com