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Trustee Uku Village Green Report for February 2026

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    Trustee Uku Food Waste Report — February 2026
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    Trustee Uku Village Green Report — February 2026
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    Trustee Uku Village Green Report for February 2026
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Trustee Uku Village Green Report for February 2026

Mar 9, 2026

The Village Green Committee held no meetings in the month of February.

However, committee members are already in the planning process for Spring Planting - Arbor Day 2026. This includes trawling through the tree nursery catalog, canvassing for locations, and updating their content for communications.

Here is the current draft of their updated mission statement:

The Red Hook Village Green Committee is proud to serve as steward of the Village’s Community Forestry Program, enhancing the natural beauty and biodiversity of our urban canopy. We maintain the tree inventory, host public events to maintain the Village's Tree City USA membership, and create a third space where people and plants unite. We act as a bridge between residents and the Board of Trustees, overseeing public bench donations, educational outreach, and beautification projects that enrich our walkable village. Annually, we host four public meetings, two planting days, one big Arbor Day observance in the spring, and provide plenty of volunteer and educational opportunities year-round. Since our founding in 2002, we have cultivated a resilient, welcoming Village landscape, and hope to serve generations of Red Hook residents (like you!) for years to come.

The committee members express their thanks for the updated page on the Village website. They also respectfully request a listing of the current VGC meeting schedule. Their next public meeting will be held on Thursday, April 16, 2026 at 6 PM in the Village Courtroom.

Finally, the design of their canvassing postcard is forthcoming for your approval.

Reminders:

  • I have set up a Village Street Tree Request Form . Ask your Clerk (or a neighbor) if a complimentary street tree is right for you. The form can also be accessed from the Village Green Committee page at https://www.redhookvillage.gov/200/Village-Green-Committee.

  • If you have a little free time and want to meet fun neighbors, the Village Green might be just the place for you. Please contact the Clerk, or email VGC Chair Tara Barrett - hilbarr@gmail.com

As always, it’s my pleasure to serve this hardworking team.

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**Village of Red Hook ’ Mayor’ s Report February 2026** ## VILLAGE HALL Internet: Archtop Fiber made the fiber connection to Village Hall in mid-February. All seems to be operating well. Next step is installation at the Water Treatment Plant. For the Sewer Plant, fiber needs to be installed in the ground which won’t happen until the ground has thawed. Parking Lot Lights: The lights in the municipal parking lot are not working. There is a problem with the wiring that is planned to be fixed once the ground thaws and the electrician can make the repairs. ## SAWKILL WATERSHED COMMUNITY ADVISORY COUNCIL (SKWC) The SKWC had a very busy month! The SKWC met on Eeb. 18[th] at 6:30pm in Village Hall to review the upcoming presentation by Eli Drueker of Bard College. Attendees were Karen Schnelling-McDonald, Sheila Buff, Jen Adams, Henry Woods, Ruth Ford, Amanda Sandor, Karen Smythe, Eli Drueker & Jordan Ayala from Bard College. Eli & Jordan presented their database that was developed with funding from the Hudson River Foundation and includes all manner of data that goes back to the 1920s. The database will be housed on Bard College servers. The plan is for continued input of new data. There is a link on the SKWC website. Data regarding the water testing from the site at Benner Road, downstream of the WWTP discharge starts in 1975. I have a meeting with Eli later in March to discuss how to access this data correctly so we can see the impacts from the plants over time. Details of the February 24[th] event were discussed. The Town of Stanford requested information about the well testing program that SKWC has done in the past. Additional water quality testing and funding was also discussed. At the February 24[th] event at the Elmendorph Inn, the SKWC in collaboration with the Hudson River Watershed Alliance & Bard College, Eli Drueker & Jordan Ayala presented the database and Karen Schnelling-McDonald shared the activities of the SKWC over the last 10 years with a view toward what’s next. At the end of the program, Karen Schnelling-McDonald was honored for her 10 years at the helm of the SKWC as she is stepping down as Chair. I was honored to be able to present a Proclamation to Karen for her work and leadership. The next meeting is scheduled for Wed. March 4[th] at 5:30pm in Village Hall to discuss 2026 priorities and a funding request from the Town. The next meeting after that is scheduled for Wed. March 25[th] at 6:30pm at Village Hall. ## CLIMATE SMART COMMUNITY TASK FORCE The meeting scheduled for Feb. 26[th] had to be cancelled as the majority of the team couldn’t make it. Betsy Brauer has resigned from this committee. Next meeting is being scheduled. ## PUBLIC SPACES/ABRAHAMS PARK The Public Spaces Committee has not met since my last report. Due to the holiday schedules, the next meeting is March 16[th] at 7pm in Village Hall. Barbara Westermann has resigned from this committee. I did meet with Betsy Brauer on Feb. 25[th] in preparation for the next meeting. We discussed possible funding sources and approaches. We also discussed a possible summer internship for the Bard Student working on the Park. We discussed the need for a document reflecting the goals and objectives for the project. ## DUTCHESS COUNTY TRANSPORTATION COUNCIL (DCTC) The DCTC Planning Committee met virtually on February 25[th] . They shared announcements about upcoming reviews, reports and funding opportunities. The team shard the process for updating the County Long Term Transportation Plan for 2026 – Moving Dutchess Forward. We discussed the classification of roads in the County. The Safety Action Plan is in the final stages, the final draft should be available soon. The Annual Traffic Count program will be starting soon. 2025 counts will be added to the DCTC website in March. ## COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT Feb. 5[th] , I attended an open house at Professional Computer Associates (PCA) located at 7401 S. Broadway for their celebration of their new owners and new name – Synagex. Feb. 7[th] I attended the Red Hook Fire Company Installation Dinner where Justice Jonah Treibwasser swore in the new officers for 2026. Feb. 15[th] I attended the State of the Hudson Valley speech by Congressmember Pat Ryan at the Family Partnership Center in Poughkeepsie, NY. Feb. 24[th] I attended the Sawkill Watershed Community event at the Elmendorph and presented Karen Schnelling-McDonald a proclamation for her service to the SKWC and the whole community.

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