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Greetings from Copake
Copake Connection is an online newsletter brought to you by the Town of Copake. This newsletter will publicize community events throughout the Town of Copake and will be published once a month, on the 15th of the month. The editor is Roberta Roll. All submissions should be sent to roberta.roll@gmail.com no later than the 10th of the month. The newsletter will be distributed to anyone who wishes to subscribe. Simply click the mailing list icon below.
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Table of Contents
From the Supervisor's Desk
Solar Update
Senators Come to Town
Local Laws Increase Tax Exemptions
Copake Plans Zoning Changes
Short-Term Rental Law Proposed
Town of Copake Honors Copake Grange
Clean Energy
Columbia Memorial Health
Roe Jan Ramble
Copake Falls Day
Grange Events
Copake History
What's Happening at the Library
Eco Tips
Farmers Market
Music in the Park
Memorial Bricks
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From the Supervisor's Desk
Copake Tackles Housing Shortage
Between 2018 and 2021, the price of a home in Columbia County increased 55%, while at the same time the inventory of available homes decreased 59% and the median home price rose by 18%. The median price of a home in Columbia County is now $375,000, which is out of reach of many.
Rents have increased as well, creating a situation in which a homeowner is spending closer to 50% of his or her income on housing, far in excess of the recommended 30%. Over 30% of renters in Copake pay rents considered unaffordable. An article in the Washington Post last week indicated that the rental market is slowing down, but while the increase in rent since 2022 was only 2.8%, rents have increased 8.1% since 2019. We are in a situation where even families with two parents working are still unable to find a home to rent or buy.
In January, recognizing the shortage of moderately priced housing to be a crisis in Copake, the town board appointed an ad hoc working group to recommend changes in our zoning code which might result in greater availability of housing. The board appointed a well-qualified committee: Meredith J. Kane, an attorney who serves on the Columbia County Housing Task Force; Bob Haight, Chair of the Copake Planning Board; and Dale Peterson, Deputy Chair of our Zoning Board of Appeals. The town board asked the working group to report back within a couple of months. In February, the board passed a six-month moratorium on major subdivisions.
The three-member group worked expeditiously and made a preliminary report to the town board. Over the past several months, the board has met with the committee and attorney Ken Dow to craft a law which uses zoning to address the shortage of housing in Copake.
The proposed law is posted on our town website and will be the subject of a hearing at 6:00pm on Tuesday, August 22. There will be a synopsis of the law published in the Copake Connection on August 15.
I support this law and I am very grateful to Meredith, Dale and Bob for their hard work. I commend and thank the committee and Ken Dow for this law which employs smart, innovative strategies to address the housing crisis.
Jeanne E. Mettler
Copake Supervisor
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Solar Report
Last month, it was reported that our State Senators Michelle Hinchey and Peter Parckham, who is also chair of the State’s Environmental Conservation Committee, met with our town supervisor and deputy supervisor, as well as Craryville residents whose homes are directly across County Rt. 7 and in view of the proposed site of Hecate’s solar facility. Issues over flooding, wetlands and prime farmland we discussed, and we will look forward to learning what they can do to address these issues.
The Office of Renewable Energy Siting (ORES) is currently reviewing Hecate’s most recent filings — responses to the third “Notice of Incomplete Application.” We should know by the end of the month whether ORES is sufficiently satisfied with the developer’s submission to declare the application “complete.” If so, ORES would have one year to issue a siting permit or to reject Hecate’s application, in which case ORES would likely issue a fourth “Notice of Incomplete Application” and invite Hecate to cure whatever deficiencies ORES identifies.
There are many omissions and inappropriate redactions in Hecate’s filings. Some do not provide direct responses to ORES’ concerns. Others are so blacked out as to prevent anyone from reading the developer’s responses and assessing their adequacy. Our attorney met yesterday to discuss the over-redactions with Hecate’s attorney who agreed to provide minimally-redacted documents for public disclosure. However he said it would take some time to review the documents; we are unlikely to see the un-redacted or reduced-redacted documents until after ORES’ upcoming “completeness” determination.
Our attorney recently filed a motion to reargue the appeal of an adverse decision in the ORES regulations lawsuit. That case, brought by Copake, five other small, upstate towns, and seven non-profits, seeks to overturn the regulations under which ORES operates — regulations that were written by Hecate’s own energy consultant. Under these regulations, ORES has been able to deny towns —“host communities” — a seat at the table when siting decisions for their towns are made. Copake would be precluded from directly participating in the siting decision-making process, decisions that would have profound impacts on Copake’s local environment, character, and economy. No taxpayer dollars have been spent on this litigation; we await a decision on our motion.
I noted last month that the Shepherd’s Run project director had left, but I did not know who, if anyone, had replaced him. I’ve recently learned that there is a new project director, that his name is Matt Levine, and I’m told that he lives in Chicago. Mr. Levine is not listed on the Shepherd’s Run website as the contact person for the project. However, he has been to Copake — not to introduce himself and meet with town officials, but to consult with some of the project’s vocal supporters who endorse both its size and location. I asked those supporters to urge Mr. Levine to contact me. I want to meet with him, and I want to introduce him to those Copakeans who would be most adversely affected by having many tens of thousands of solar panels sitting directly across from their homes. I’ve not heard from him.
Hecate has not proved to be the “community partner” it claims to be: conceal information behind redactions, don’t speak to officials of the “host community,” and charge ahead, even though it knows that the Craryville site, with its prime farmland, Taghkanic Creek, wetlands, and streams is a terribly inappropriate location for a utility-scale solar factory.
Richard Wolf
Copake Deputy Supervisor
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Senators Come to Town
On July 10, State Senator Michelle Hinchey came to Copake Town Hall to meet with Supervisor Jeanne Mettler and Deputy Supervisor Richard Wolf. They discussed ongoing efforts to reopen Copake Rapid Care and then turned to the main reason for the meeting: Shepherd’s Run, the utility-scale solar installation being proposed for construction by Hecate Energy.
After a lengthy conversation, the senator toured the Craryville site where Hecate hopes construct a 60-megawatt facility. Senator Hinchey criticized the proposed location, noting that the project would result in the loss of more than 200 acres of prime farmland. She also expressed concern about the project’s proximity to wetlands and the Taghkanic Creek.
On July 25, Senator Hinchey returned to Copake, this time bringing Senator Peter Harckham, Chair of the NYS Senate Committee on Environmental Conservation. Again the conversation started in Town Hall, and then the entourage drove over to the site. They parked in front of the homes that would be directly across the road (County Route 7) from many thousands of solar panels if Shepherd’s Run were to be constructed. Several Craryville homeowners met with the senators, expressed their concerns about having a solar factory across the street from their homes, and thanked the senators for their efforts on behalf of Copake.
Supervisor Mettler and Deputy Supervisor Wolf suggested amendments to the state’s siting law, which would allow the town to have more of a role the state’s decision-making procedures.
Senator Hinchey reiterated her concern about the prime farmland that would be sacrificed for the Hecate project. She and her staff are working with Deputy Supervisor Wolf to identify ways to assist the town.
Photo: Senators Hinchey and Harckham and Deputy Supervisor Wolf, joined by Craryville residents.
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Local Laws Increase Tax Exemptions
At the August meeting, the Copake Town Board unanimously passed local laws which affect the exemptions available on town tax by raising the income limits for senior citizens and people with disabilities who have limited incomes. A third law passed by the board sets the exemption for firefighters and ambulance workers at 10% of the assessed value of the property for town and special district purposes.
The law affecting seniors and people with disabilities sets the maximum income level for a 50% exemption for senior citizens at $34,000. Partial exemptions are available for seniors making between $34,000 and $42,400. The same income levels are set for people with disabilities and limited incomes.
Earlier this year the County Board of Supervisors passed similar laws with regard to county tax. Income levels determining exemptions on county tax had not been altered since 2011. The Income levels in Copake had stayed the same since 2009. The assessor’s office will begin accepting applications in December.
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Copake Plans Zoning Changes to Support Affordable Workforce Housing
Ask anyone about the challenges facing the quality of life in our region, and the talk will very quickly turn to affordable housing. It’s always been a challenge for young people to find a first house that they can afford to buy in the community they grew up in, or for seniors to downsize from the family home to a comfortable apartment in the area where friends and family live. However, the lack of affordable housing is now a crisis even for residents with good jobs and salaries. A family with two people working at typical jobs for Columbia County – healthcare, construction, or retail, for example – can afford to buy a house valued around $260,000. But the median sale price for a house in Columbia County is above $375,000. It’s even worse for rental housing, where over 30% of renters in Copake pay rents considered unaffordable.
Copake is not unique in having a shortage of housing that people working in our area can afford. Every town in Columbia County and surrounding counties is feeling the pinch. Copake has been working cooperatively with the towns of Hillsdale and Ancram, and across Columbia County, to come up with practical solutions to create new housing that people who work in local businesses and jobs can afford to rent and buy.
Copake is taking an important first step in proposing amendments to the zoning code that will make it easier to build affordable housing throughout the town. The Copake Town Board is holding a public hearing on the proposed zoning amendments on August 22. They need your input to make this law as effective and usable as possible.
The proposed law takes two approaches to promoting affordable housing. First, it simplifies the permitting requirements for the construction of accessory dwelling units and the conversion of existing buildings to multi-family units (3-6 units), with the goal of making these types of lower-cost housing units more readily available to everyone. Second, it requires developers undertaking major subdivisions and/or building new multi-family dwellings to rent or sell at least 20% of the units in the development to eligible residents at affordable rents or sale prices.
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Accessory Dwelling Units. Homeowners in any zoning district will be able to construct and operate an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) on their property– which can be a conversion of a barn or garage, a new structure, or a separate apartment in the main house – simply by applying for a building permit, and meeting health and safety standards (including septic, water, parking, yard). ADUs must be used for at least two years as permanent (long-term) rental housing, not short-term rentals. There are no other restrictions of the eligibility of tenants or the rents that can be charged for ADUs.
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Conversion of Existing Structures to Multi-Family (3-6 unit) Housing. An existing structure of any type in any zoning district can be converted into multi-family housing of up to 6 units simply by applying for a building permit and meeting health and safety standards (including septic, water, parking, yard). Multi-family conversions must be used for at least two years as permanent (long-term) rental housing, not short-term rentals. There are no other restrictions of the eligibility of tenants or the rents that can be charged for multi-family conversions.
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Construction of “Affordable Workforce Housing.” The following proposals are specifically designed to create “Affordable Workforce Housing," which is to be made available, either for rent or sale, to “Eligible Residents,” at prices and rents considered “affordable.”
a. Construction of New Multi-Family Buildings or Cluster Housing to Include Affordable Workforce Housing. In any zoning district, a new multi-family dwelling or cluster-style dwellings with up to 6 units can be constructed on a lot, so long as at least one unit (in a 3-4 unit cluster), or 2 units (in a 5-6 unit cluster), is operated as Affordable Workforce Housing and made available to Eligible Residents at affordable rents or purchase prices.
b. Mandatory Inclusion of Affordable Workforce Housing in All Major Subdivisions (5 or more lots). All new major subdivisions (5 or more lots) will be required to set aside at least 20% of the units or lots in the subdivision for use as Affordable Workforce Housing and made available to Eligible Residents at affordable rents or purchase prices. If a developer is building houses on the subdivision, they will be required to build and sell or rent 20% Affordable Workforce Housing Units, either on-site or off-site at a location approved by the Planning Board. If a developer is not building but simply subdividing land for sale, they will be required to set aside 20% of the lot capacity and provide additional funding for another builder to create the Affordable Workforce Housing units. Developers will be compensated by receiving a bonus to add additional market-rate units in return for the affordable units.
c. Site Plan Review. All new buildings and developments utilizing these zoning provisions will be subject to site plan review by the Planning Board, which will apply design standards to ensure that the new buildings and developments are compatible with the surrounding area in site design, street frontage, building materials, building design and configuration, landscaping, and similar factors, in addition to meeting health and safety requirements.
d. Eligible Residents. “Eligible Residents” for Affordable Workforce Housing include all households with incomes at 80% of Area Median Income or less (currently $75,100 for a family of 4), or all households, regardless of income, with members who are Copake Fire Department volunteers, Copake Town, Rescue Squad or Taconic Hills School District employees, State or Columbia County employees who currently reside in Copake, veterans or active-duty service members, or active farmers or farmworkers.
e. Affordable Rents and Sale Prices. “Affordable Workforce Units” can be for rent or sale, as the developer prefers. Units are to be rented or sold at prices which are based on using 25-30% of qualifying income to cover housing costs. Residents will not lose the right to occupy Affordable Workforce Units if they change jobs, increase incomes, or otherwise become ineligible in the future, as long as they continue to occupy the unit as a primary residence. Restrictions on rental units continue for 25 years from initial certificate of occupancy. Restrictions of resale by owners of for-sale units last for 10 years from the date of purchase by an eligible occupant.
Please take the time to read the law. Please come to the public hearing on August 22 and give the town board your thoughts. Your input is needed to ensure that this law is as usable, user-friendly and effective as we can make it. The goal is to create much-needed affordable housing for the benefit of all the people of Copake, so that our region can thrive and our families can find the homes they can afford to live in.
article contributed by Meredith Kane
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Short-Term Rental Law Proposed
At its August 12 meeting, the Copake Town Board introduced a proposed Local Law to address the proliferation of short-term rentals (STRs) offered by Copake homeowners. The proposal will be considered at a public hearing scheduled for 6pm on August 22 at Town Hall.
The proposed short-term rental law has been posted on the town’s website. It is the product of months of study by a working group, whose volunteer members were Signe Adam (chair), Karen Agnifilo, Lindsay LeBrecht, Janice Nelson and Jay Schiff. Board members Stosh Gansowski and Richard Wolf were liaisons. The group issued a series of recommendations, several of which were incorporated into the proposed law.
It is estimated that approximately 150 units have been available for short-term rental in Copake. The proposed law seeks to balance the interests of STR homeowners with those of nearby neighbors. Supporters of STRs note that owners benefit from income, and local businesses benefit from the presence of transient visitors. However, concerns have arisen that transient visitors may be insensitive to Copake neighborhoods to which they lack community ties.
The proposed law would require each STR owner to register with the town and obtain a permit, renewable annually. The law defines short-term rentals as rentals for terms of less than thirty days. An STR permit would cap at 120 the total number of days an owner may provide short-term rentals per year. The process for obtaining an STR permit would be simple and quick. Owners seeking to provide STRs for more than 120 days may do so only in an RU district and only after obtaining a special use permit, which involves a considerably longer and more complicated application process. The town board plans to hire a host compliance company to manage the permitting process and monitor compliance with provisions of the new law. The company’s fee will be paid for by receipts from permit application fees paid by STR owners.
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Town of Copake Honors Copake Grange
At the Copake Town Board meeting on Saturday, August 12, the board passed a historic proclamation declaring Sept. 9, 2023, as Copake Grange #935 Day in the Town of Copake. The proclamation, which was presented to Grange President Roberta Roll in honor of the Grange’s 120th anniversary, congratulated the Grange “for its important role in the history of Copake and for its current role as a vital civic organization.”
Town Supervisor Jeanne Mettler gave remarks, including the history of the founding of the National Grange by Oliver H. Kelly after the Civil War in order to bring farmers together to advocate for their concerns about farming and their livelihoods. The Copake Grange was chartered in 1902 and Grange Hall was constructed in 1903. The first Grange meeting was held on Sept. 9, 1903. Today, the Copake Grange is the only Grange in Columbia County which has its own Grange Hall. The Grange was very active in the 20th century but by the 21st century its membership was dwindling. Residents stepped up to join the Grange and today the civic organization has 135 members and is growing. The Grange hosts dinners, presents theater and music in its 90-seat theater, and sponsors a very popular open mic on the first Friday of every month. The Grange is working to maintain and restore Grange Hall, which is on the National and State Registers of Historic Places.
Grange President Roberta Roll thanked the town and acknowledged the shared history of the town and the Grange, citing the generous contributions of Eddie McIntyre to the Copake Memorial Park, the Copake Memorial Clock, the movie theatre and the Grange.
In addition, an historic plaque was presented by Catherine Mikic, who serves on the Copake Historic Preservation Committee. This is the first of many plaques that will be presented to owners of historic structures in the Town of Copake in celebration of the town’s bicentennial in 2024. Ms. Roll thanked Ms. Mikic and said, “Both the town and the Grange are dedicated to preserving our history, our traditions, our stories, our rural and agricultural heritage. These are what make us who we are. At the same time, we are both dedicated to making space to forge new traditions and to build on our strengths, to listen and not be afraid to embrace new ideas in order to grow sustainably and inclusively. The Grange looks forward to many more years of fruitful relationship and partnership with the town as we both grow, in the present and into the future.”
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Copake Attains Clean Energy Community Status
The Climate Smart Task Force is pleased to announce that Copake has been recognized by NYSERDA (New York State Energy Research Development Agency) as a Clean Energy Community, a designation which comes with a $5000 grant to put towards further carbon reduction goals. This award is the result of the task force completing several “high impact actions” which include:
*Energy code enforcement training for the Town Code Enforcement Officer
*Installation of LED streetlights
*Completion of a Greenhouse Gas Inventory, a measurement of how much carbon is emitted by the town’s vehicle fleet, heating/cooling systems, and power usage.
*Benchmarking, a commitment to periodically re-check the town’s emissions against the baseline established by the GHG Inventory
The task force is close to compiling enough points (through these and a variety of other climate-related actions) to apply for Bronze Climate Smart certification. We plan to file for this when the next submission window opens in January.
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Columbia Memorial Health Commits to Copake Rapid Care
At a meeting with Columba Memorial Health on Jun 28, the five-town coalition advocating for the reopening of Copake Rapid Care advised the leadership of CMH that a quick reopening of Rapid Care Copake was not as important as a long term solution. The five towns are Copake, Hillsdale, Ancram, Taghkanic and Gallatin.
Since that meeting, CMH has demonstrated a commitment to Copake Rapid Care by actively recruiting applicants to work in Copake (see recruitment piece, below). Since CMH has told the five towns that staffing is a major hurdle to reopening the clinic, their active recruitment of staff is promising.
Subsequently, CMH published an open letter from Dr. Dorothy Urschel, President and CEO of Columbia Memorial Health, in The Columbia Paper. In that letter Urschel writes that the closure of Copake Rapid Care is temporary and CMH is “working with state and local leaders to identify strategies to re-establish this service as soon as possible.”
Meanwhile, contrary to rumors and speculation earlier this year, CMH has not closed its primary care family care office at the Copake location. Callen Family Care, with family physician Dr. Dorinda Midwood, DO, is open Monday to Friday, 8:00am to 4:00pm.
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Roe Jan Ramble Bike Tour is Coming Soon!
The organizing committee is busy preparing for the 2023 Roe Jan Ramble Bike Tour to be held on Saturday, September 23, 2023.
Now is the time to reserve your spot for a great day of bicycle riding here in Copake, Ancram and Hillsdale. It will likely be bigger and more fun than ever, so don't wait -- grab a spot now. Go at your own pace; choose one of several scenic routes, from easy to expert. Registration is free; optional donations are encouraged to support the Harlem Valley Rail Trail. And even if you don't ride, why not join us for the fun by volunteering to help out at the event? We need check-in and rest stop help on the morning of Saturday, September 23. Register to ride online at www.roejanramble.org or volunteer to work the event by emailing oejanramble@gmail.com.
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Meet Author Maryann Proper Barto on Copake Falls Day
Author Maryann Proper Barto will be at the Roeliff Jansen Historical Society on August 19 from 10am to 4pm. Throughout the day, Ms. Proper Barto will be selling and signing copies of her novel, A Story From a Basket Maker’s Daughter: The Hill.
Maryann Proper Barto grew up in West Taghkanic with her basket-making mother, Elizabeth Proper. Over the years, Proper family stories sparked Maryann’s interest in researching forgotten history, which is woven into her writing. Her novel is set in a rustic village known as The Hill, whose inhabitants have depended upon one another for survival, fearing the consequences of carefully kept secrets and the rapidly changing world beyond their long tradition of isolation.
In addition, you will certainly want to see the RJHS’ summer exhibition, The First 40: A Celebration of Local History Preserved, which displays a treasure trove of items, including a selection of nearly twenty Taghkanic baskets, including a number made by Maryann’s mother, Elizabeth Proper.
The Roeliff Jansen Historical Society is located at 8 Miles Road, Copake Falls, NY. Please see our website for more details: www.roeliffjansenhs.org.
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Grange Events
Friday, Sept. 1 and Oct. 6, 7-9pm - Open Mic Night. Live open mic is on and it’s great! The first Friday of every month. Come on down to the Grange and join us with your instruments, songs, poems, stories, skits, etc. Or just come to relax, have fun and be inspired. We have a piano. For more information, contact copakegrange@gmail.com.
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Saturday, Sept. 30, 11am - 3pm. Repair Cafe - at the Roe Jan Library. The Grange is co-sponsoring a Repair Cafe with the Roe Jan Library. Do you have lamps that need rewiring, frying pans with broken handles, items that need mending? Don’t add to the landfill - get your broken items repaired at Repair Café.
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Saturday, Sept. 30, 4-6pm - My Journey Inside the PBS NewsHour. Michael Saltz, multi-award winning former Senior Producer of the NewsHour, sits down with Tom Chulak, former co-owner of the Chatham Bookstore, to talk about his new book ”The Winding Road, My Journey Through Life and the McNeil/Lehr NewsHour.” The book covers many subjects from the author's family background and education to the NewsHour itself and the many places he has seen both in America and overseas. Q&A to follow. This event is free.
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Saturday, Oct. 14 - NEW DATE!, 5pm-8pm - Ice Cream Social and Square Dance. This popular event has a special theme this year - we are celebrating our 120th Anniversary! Live square dance caller, music, ice cream, food and lots of fun. Tickets are $25 and will be available via the website and at the door.
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Sunday, Oct. 22, 4-5:30pm - Jammin’ at the Grange. Bring an instrument, choose a song, and everyone plays along. Come on down to the Grange and have a jammin’ good time.
For more information about the Grange and events or to join, go to copakegrange.org. The Copake Grange is located at 628 Empire Rd., Copake, NY 12516. Parking for Grange events is limited - please park at the Municipal Lot on Church St. if the Grange parking area is full.
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Copake History
Preservation of a Historic Copake Homestead
Like many current and former Copake residents you likely regret the loss of Holsapple House and some other historic homes and businesses in Copake. But here’s some good news - architect Catherine Mikic, chair of the Historic Preservation Committee, on which I also serve, is renovating the farmhouse of the old Sweet Homestead on Center Hill Road that was previously owned by Charles Peck (and his father before him).
Not only that, but Catherine has also succeeded in getting the homestead listed on the State and National Registers of Historic Places. It is now recognized as “a good example of a rural Hudson Valley homestead” with “a rare collection of mid-19th century agricultural outbuildings that remain virtually unaltered.”
We sometimes overlook our own or our neighborhood’s treasures. However, when the renovation of the homestead is complete, we may look at it with the same feeling of satisfaction that we get from seeing the renovated and beloved octagonal house on Main Street.
Below is a link to the Sweet Homestead’s history. Read through the discussion of the property. It's long but it will reward you with a greater appreciation of the town.
Several residents have reached out to me in recent months about old photos and other artifacts in their possession reflecting Copake's past. I will be scanning them and posting them on the Copake History Facebook page. I invite you to contact me about similar items you have, for the same purpose.
Howard Blue
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What’s Happening at the Library?
On Display at the Library:
“Landscapes and Escapes: Collages” by Celia Kahn. The Roeliff Jansen Community Library is delighted to present new work by local artist Celia Kahn. This collage exhibition will be on display at the Library through August 31st.
“For me the medium of collage brings together disparate images to form a new reality based on color, shape, texture and whatever is happening inside my mind and the outside world. Torn paper, ink, paint, glue, and even dryer sheets become something unique and whole. These collages bring the desire to escape while standing still to appreciate what’s in front of us.”
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Thursday, August 17, 1:00 - 2:00 p.m.
Books Marks! Book Club. Join our nonfiction book club, Book Marks!, led by Circulation Librarian Robin Gottlieb. Meets the 3rd Thursday of every month. In August we are reading South to America: A Journey Below the Mason-Dixon to Understand the Soul of a Nation by Imani Perry (Jan. 2022). Copies available through the Mid-Hudson Library System, Libby, and Hoopla. Email circulation@roejanlibrary.org for more information.
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Sunday, August 20, 3:00 p.m.
Concert: River Trio. Join the Roeliff Jansen Community Library for an afternoon of music with the River Trio.
Cellist Jay Shulman is a 36-year member of the Long Island Philharmonic, Jay is active as a chamber music player, recitalist, and teacher, and has produced CD reissues of the music of his father, cellist, and composer, Alan Shulman. He plays with English violinist Kathryn Aldous. Aldous has been a member of the English String Orchestra and RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra in Ireland. Kathryn moved to the Hudson Valley in 2010, and plays with the Vermont Symphony, and Albany Symphony, and teaches and plays at Bard College. Together with award-winning violinist Michelle Stewart, the trio is complete. Stewart has toured and recorded extensively and played with the Hudson Valley Philharmonic, Albany Symphony, Glens Falls Symphony, and Newburgh Symphony. Her experience includes Broadway and Irish fiddling.
This project is made possible with funds the Friends of the Roeliff Jansen Community Library and from the Statewide Community Regrants Program, a program of the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA) with the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature and administered in Columbia County by the Columbia County Council on the Arts dba CREATE Council for the Arts.
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Thursday, August 24, 2:30 - 3:30 p.m.
Tea Time at the Library. Who couldn't use a little tea and conversation? Join us for discussion, crafts, guest speakers, and local brews from Harney and Sons Tea.
This month join special guests Chris Atkins and Lauren Letellier, the Hillsdale Historians! Bring your questions about local history to this informative session. Enjoy a cup of Harney's Tea (or coffee) and some baked goods.
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Friday, August 25, 1:00 p.m.
Medicare 101. If you are approaching age 65 and are starting to think about applying for Medicare, this seminar is specifically designed to help you get started. Presented by the Columbia County Office for the Aging.
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Friday, August 30, 5:30 p.m. (TENTATIVE)
Lauren Letellier’s The Village Cidiot. Join local playwright and Hillsdale Historian Lauren Letellier as she reads from her most recent work, The Village Cidiot. In this classic fish-out-of-water tale, a NYC woman loses her big corporate job and moves, reluctantly, to a tiny upstate upstate town where her city skills are no match for rural reality. A moving and personal journey of navigating life’s disruptions with humor and compassion.
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Monday, September 4.
Library Closed. The Library will be closed on September 4th in observance of Labor Day.
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Thursday, September 14, 1:00 p.m.
Octagon Club. Are you in or approaching your 80s and looking for a fun and engaging way to share your life experiences with others? Join our library group for lively conversations and camaraderie with fellow seniors! Our group provides a relaxed and welcoming environment for sharing stories, memories, and laughter. Come join us and be a part of our vibrant community of seniors! Contact us today to learn more about our library group and how to get involved at outreach@roejanlibrary.org.
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Wednesday, September 20, 5:30 p.m.
Roe Jan Writers Series: Irma Waldo. Dr. Irma Waldo will read from and discuss her memoir, The Doctor Wore High Heels, published by The Troy Book Makers earlier this year. Irma Waldo is ninety-eight-years-old and among the first women admitted to medical school at the University of Buffalo during World War II. Her memoir focuses on her time practicing medicine as a rural doctor in Columbia County and the challenges she faced as a woman physician serving farmers and their families.
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Wednesdays, 10:30 a.m.
Playtime with Tia. We have remixed our Circle Time with Tia into Playtime with Tia!
Preschoolers and their families are invited to join Tia in the Children's Room to socialize and play! Each week, a special craft will be provided.
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Thursdays, 10:30 - 11:30 a.m.
Qigong & Tai Chi at the Library. Qigong and Tai Chi are approaches to movement that have been practiced for hundreds of years and are particularly helpful for dealing with stress, limited ability to move, those wishing to develop better balance and flexibility, and they can be practiced by nearly everyone, young and old. Although Tai Chi is generally practiced standing, Qigong can be modified to allow participants to be seated.
This weekly drop-in class, open to all, will be taught by David Haines, who has been a practitioner of Qigong, Tai Chi, and mindful movement for 50 years, a teacher for 40 years, and a certified Trager Movement practitioner for 35 years. Since moving into the area in 2006 he has taught at Omega Institute, Simon's Rock college, Columbia-Greene Community College, as well as various libraries, senior centers, and school district community education classes.
Classes will be in the Roe Jan Library Community Room or outdoors, weather permitting. Wear comfortable clothes.
This project is supported by a grant from the Fund for Columbia County of the Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation.
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Thursdays, 6:00–7:30 p.m.
English-Language Tutoring by Appointment. Free English-language tutoring will be available between 6:00 and 7:30 p.m. by appointment on Thursday evenings. This tutoring program is intended primarily for adults. Instruction will be one-on-one or in small groups with Yvonne Acevedo and will be geared toward everyday conversational needs. Free childcare will be provided for children ages 3 and up. Please e-mail director@roejanlibrary.org or call 518-325-4101 to schedule an appointment.
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Saturdays, 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Farm Market Kids. All summer long join Tia at the Copake-Hillsdale Farmers Market for stories and crafts! Kids will learn about vegetables, farming, and their local community!
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Saturdays, 10:30 a.m. beginning September 9
Storytime Saturdays. Join Tia for stories and activities every Saturday beginning at 10:30 a.m. All ages welcome.
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Saturdays, 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Friends of Roe Jan Library Bookshop Open
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Eco Tips for Healthy Living
Oh, Those Spongy Moths!
This month’s column is more about healthy living for trees instead of people, but trees, of course, are essential for all life, including humans.
For the third year in a row, the spongy moths (formerly gypsy moths) have been
on a rampage. Those hungry caterpillars have decimated thousands of trees
and bushes across the area. We can do some very basic things to help the trees
on our properties. Now is the time to seek out the egg casings on the tree trunks and gently scrape them from the bark directly into a bowl of soapy water and leave them for a couple of days before discarding.
The links below will give you more information and a helpful month by month guide to the steps you can take to reduce the number of eggs and subsequent larvae next spring.
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If you wish to submit an article or notice regarding a community event taking place in the Town of Copake to the Copake Connection, please e-mail: thecopakeconnection@gmail.com. All submissions should be received by us by noon on the 10th of the month.
For more and current information on Meetings in Copake and events throughout the Roe Jan area, go to the Copake Website.
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Contact
Copake Town Hall
230 Mountain View Road
Copake, NY 518-329-1234
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