by Thaddeus Flint
The Town of New Lebanon’s 2012 budget was unanimously adopted by the Town Board at the monthly Board meeting on Monday, November 14.
The total budget set forth is $2,085,885, which is $159 less than the 2011 budget. The largest appropriations go to the Town itself, $927,858, the Highway Department, $630,807, the Town’s ambulance service, $171,360, and the Town’s library, $135,000. The amount to be raised through taxes will be $1,297,763. This amount allowed the Town’s tax levy to remain below the State mandated 2% tax cap. “We can give ourselves a big pat on the back and a very small round of applause,” said Town Supervisor Margaret Robertson.
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New Lebanon
Benson Wins New Lebanon Supervisor Race By Wide Margin
by Thaddeus Flint
The Town of New Lebanon has elected a new Town Supervisor. Republican Mike Benson, with 439 votes to the Democratic incumbent Margaret Robertson’s 266 votes, took the Town’s top position with just over 60% of the vote.
Benson thanked his wife, children and other supporters for contributing to his victory. “I am really proud of the race that our team ran,” said Benson.
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Tsatsawassa Fire Co. Breakfast
The Tsatsawassa Protective Fire Company will hold its monthly breakfast on Sunday, November 20, from 8 am to noon at their firehouse located on Firehouse Lane behind the post office near the intersection of Routes 20 and 66N in Brainard.
Breakfast is scheduled to be served the third Sunday of each month through May and will consist of a choice of pancakes or French toast, bacon or sausage, eggs prepared to order, toast, applesauce, orange juice and beverage.
Join your neighbors and friends and support your local fire department.
New Lebanon Candidate Profiles
by Thaddeus Flint
The Town of New Lebanon goes to the polls next Tuesday and to help readers make informed decisions at the ballots the Eastwick Press has compiled the profiles, in their own words, of a number of the candidates running. Not every candidate running is listed as not every candidate or their party responded to requests for information.
The big race this election season is between the incumbent Town Supervisor, Margaret Robertson, and newcomer Mike Benson.
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Commemorating The 150th Anniversary Of The Civil War – Letters From A Local Soldier
Calvin A. Haynes of East Nassau, NY at the age of 24 enlisted in August 1862 at Troy in the 125th New York Infantry Regiment. His letters home to his wife Lucy have been transcribed by John Minitti of Winchester, MA and are here reproduced, with some editing, courtesy of the New York State Library, Manuscripts and Special Collections.
Camp Wood Sept 5th 1862
Dear Wife
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Taconic Valley Community Group Meeting
The Taconic Valley Community Group meeting is on November 10 at 1 pm at the Immaculate Conception Church Hall, Rt. 20 in New Lebanon. This month’s speaker is Thom Pecoraro of the Wyomanock Center for Sustainable Living. Please join us for this important message from Thom. Refreshments will be served.
We would like to thank Carol and the Berlin seniors for the invitation to go on their mystery trip. It was wonderful; we look forward to the next invite. For more information, call Mary at 518-733-0009 or email ladyhawke334@AOL or call Betty at 518-733-0450
Letter To The Editor – Case Of She Said, She Said In New Lebanon
To the Editor:
J. Johnson Smith made a serious allegation against me and two other people, New Lebanon Town Board member Doug Clark and Town Supervisor Candidate Mike Benson, in a letter published by you on October 21.
I sent Mrs. Johnson-Smith a record of email correspondence that proves that those allegations are false and I have asked for a retraction.
As juicy as it reads, there was no “coup” attempt disguised as a good-hearted extensive volunteer effort to help New Lebanon get a supermarket.
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Letter To The Editor – Dirty Politics In New Lebanon?
Dear Editor,
I am writing first, to thank your paper and Thaddeus Flint for the well written article concerning the dismissal of our Deputy Town Supervisor in New Lebanon.
Secondly, I am writing because I hope for the residents of New Lebanon to see via your article the seriousness of what the former Deputy Supervisor, Candidate Mike Benson and LVBA [Lebanon Valley Business Association] Chair, Fiona Lally, actually DID!
This attempted “coup” against our incumbent Supervisor was the ultimate example of dirty politics. The weak excuses of those involved were just that, weak excuses. The goal was to undermine our present Supervisor, win Hannaford back to Town and give the glory to candidate Benson, which in turn would have won him more votes.
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Commemorating The 150th Anniversary Of The Civil War – Letters From A Local Soldier
with comments by David Flint
Calvin A. Haynes of East Nassau, NY, at the age of 24, enlisted in August 1862 at Troy in the 125th New York Infantry Regiment that was being raised in Rensselaer County by Colonel George L. Willard. Mustered in as a Sergeant in Company E to serve three years, he was taken prisoner at Harpers Ferry, spent two months in a parole camp, was exchanged and later faced Pickett’s charge in the battle of Gettysburg. He was discharged in January 1864 to take a promotion to 2nd Lieutenant in the 25th Regiment of U.S. Colored Troops. He was mustered out in December 1865 and died in New York City in April 1894.
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Political Season Heats Up In New Lebanon – Clark Removed From Deputy Supervisor Position
by Thaddeus Flint
New Lebanon Town Supervisor Margaret Robertson, in an announcement at the October 10 Town Board meeting, removed Council Member Doug Clark from his position as Deputy Town Supervisor.
According to Robertson, after the recent decision by Hannaford to no longer pursue their grocery store project in New Lebanon, “I learned a meeting arranged with our Hannaford representative was done so through my Deputy Supervisor, and another new member of the Business Association. I assumed I would be included in this discussion as I had been involved all along. So, I was extremely disappointed to find I was not part of the meeting at all. When I discovered the meeting was to be held at the Albany office of my political opponent, I was shocked as it became clear to me this economically challenging issue had suddenly become political, so I had to be excluded.”
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