Red Hook Village Climate Action and Language Access Grant Project Update — June 2026

Red Hook Village Climate Action

June 1, 2026

Red Hook Village Participation with the Cornell Cooperative Extension in the Climate Action Plan.

On Friday, May 29, I met via Zoom with Michelle Gluck of the Ulster County Department of the Environment and Scott Kleinberg of the Cornell Cooperative Extension to discuss Red Hook Village’s plans to participate once again in the CCE’s Climate Resilience Partnership. Following last year’s completion of the climate planning tool, the main project for 2026 is to complete the Climate Vulnerability Assessment for the village, which will aid in an overall goal to gain certification in the climate action program. Thanks to Michelle Gluck, Red Hook has already completed the Climate Smart Resiliency Planning tool, and the assessment will move us further towards certification.

The overarching goal of the project is to ensure the village is prepared for changes related to climate such as heat waves, severe cold, flooding, storms, and other climate-related events. Materials in development include evacuation plans, access to preparedness, clear roles of authority in emergencies, and other contingencies for climate related events.

This year’s project, as mentioned, is the vulnerability assessment, which will identify risks and mitigation for the village. The assessment will look at waste management, infrastructure, energy use, water use, green initiatives, and community action. Together with the planning tool, the assessment will aid in the development of an area-specific Climate Adaptation Plan.

Michelle Gluck has been the village’s point person for the planning tool. She will resume her lead role in tasks related to the assessment, which will directly ask local residents, via survey, about climate and related issues. I will function as board liaison and will assist Michelle as and when needed. Scott Kleinberg will continue to work with us on CCE’s side.

The project is funded externally, with no cost to the village. Subsequent to the 5/29 meeting between myself, Michelle, and Scott, Mayor Smythe confirmed Red Hook’s enthusiastic willingness to partner with the CCE in this endeavor.

_____________ Craig Rothstein Village of Red Hook Board of Trustees

Village of Red Hook Language Access Grant Project Update

In 2022 the Village of Red Hook partnered with the Red Hook Public Library to apply to Dutchess County for a MIG (Municipal Investment Grant Program). The Village of Red Hook & the RHPL were awarded $42,755 for “ Implementation of a language access plan to provide translation services and on-demand interpretation services for non-English speaking individuals to communicate with various Village departments, including a 24-hour interpretation service and web applications to provide accessibility. ” Since 2023 the Language Access Grant has been used for the following accessibility improvements:

1. 4 years of Recite me (an accessibility add-on for both the Village & Library websites)

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Fig 1. Recite Me Toolbar / Contractual Consulting

2. Language Line on-demand interpretation services (RHPD, & all Village Hall Clerk’s offices)

3. Language Line on-demand translation services for items such as Sewer Information signs and packets, “What does the Village do for you” Brochures, Interior Building Signage, & Abrahams Park Survey

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Fig 2. Language Line Interpretation Services / Contractual Consulting Fig 3a. Language Line Translation Fig 3b. Language Line Translation / Contractual Consulting / Contractual Consulting ----- End of picture text -----

4. Printed Materials: ‘What does the village do for you’ Brochure printing and brochure holders

in English & Spanish

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Figure 4a. Brochure / Supplies Figure 4b. Brochure Holders / Supplies

6. Event in-person interpretation for Kidscrabble 2024, High School event

7. Village interpretation Booth Equipment

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Fig 5. Event Interpreter Fig 6. Interpretation Booth Equipment / Contractual Consulting / Equipment & Supplies

7. Way Finding Signage inside the Village Hall

8. Chromebooks provided to Trustees at Monthly Board Meetings to allow access the meetings virtually (and to support Zoom assisted Live Interpretation of Meetings as-needed)

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Fig 7. Wayfinding Signage / Equipment Fig 8. Trustee Chromebook for Meetings / Equipment

The Initial Budget included having a consultant, Hudson Valley Interpreters Collective (HVIC) draft a Language Access plan for the Village and Library. After several meetings to explore the scope of variations of Village Services and Departments, the consultant shared with us that they did not anticipate having availability to draft a plan as extensive as we needed (although they still were eager to contribute to any ongoing in-person translation needs). The Village then applied for a budget adjustment to adjust the budget lines in the MIG.

The Mayor and I also met with community organizers Sam Rose (formally of Cultivar Community Farm) & Martha Tepepa (Red Hook Ofrenda Project) in pursuit of how to best reach community members who may need assistance with Interpretation and/or Translation.

In our conversations we realized that people will only interact with the Village if they know what the Village does, and how it is useful to them. It was out of that realization that the concept of the Village Brochure took shape. The Brochure explains what the departments do, and how an end user can interact with the services they provide.

In April of 2026 The Village put out a communications survey which identified possible improvements such as notification signage in front of Village Hall, and an exterior Notice Board. With $25,616.94 left in equipment, signage can be purchased with the MIG grant as long as it also incorporates translation as part of the design and/or implementation.

The most rewarding part of this project were the ways in which interpretation and translation have become part of all Village offices in a systemic and sustainable way. Each of the clerks have access to Language Line, as do the RHPD Officers. Each clerk has a laminated guide ready for anyone who approaches them that cannot speak or understand English. Recite me is an operating ADA accessibility add-on we have had on our website for 4 years now. The Village Clerk is able to order translations for text as needed through a simple interface on the Language

Line website. The brochures and signs throughout Village Hall are in both English & Spanish, signaling that Village Hall will make deliberate efforts to serve the public regardless of a language barrier and that the Village has implemented systems, procedures and services to do so. The remaining budget will be used to print updated brochures, pay a final round of the annual Recite me fee & order bilingual exterior signage for Village Hall.

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Fig 8. Proposed Exterior Marquee Sign / Equipment

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Fig 8. Proposed Exterior Letterboard Sign / Equipment

Source Links to items mentioned in my summary:

https://www.dailyfreeman.com/2023/01/10/village-of-red-hook-to-use-nearly-43k-for-translation-services/ https://www.languageline.com/

https://reciteme.com/

https://www.dutchessny.gov/Departments/Planning/Municipal-Investment-Grant-Program.htm