Recent Accomplishments

Democrats believe in addressing problems actively through good government.  Elected Democrats in Gardiner town government have been the singular force responsible for numerous noteworthy accomplishments for the town in recent years, including the following:

Infrastructure and Environment

  • Replaced Pavilion at Majestic Park using funds from a Tax Stabilization Fund.
  • Replaced the front entry (School House) stairs and doors with a safer poured in place option and more energy efficient door, using funds from a Justice Court grant.
  • Replaced the rear staircase which was deteriorating with poured in place concrete stairs, which are safer and should last longer.  Re-used the existing railings to keep expenses low.
  • Replaced the residential lobby doors with commercial hurricane proof doors for energy efficiency. 
  • Using volunteer labor, provided by the Jehovah’s Witnesses, the town hall was painted, and areas of rot were replaced.  The only expense to tax payers were materials.
  • Replaced the failing basketball court at Majestic Park with a new basketball court, which once sealed and stripped will be able to serve, basketball, volleyball and pickleball.
  • Using grant money, the bridge at Forest Glen Road was replaced on the Wallkill Valley Rail Trail.
  • Using grant money, we performed a long overdue Inflow & Infiltration Study for the Sewer District.  This spring/summer we plan to go out to bid to have the improvements made, with 1/3 of the expense to be funded by the County using their ARPA Funds.
  • Worked with Climate Smart Gardiner to install an EV Charging Station at the Library.
  • Replaced the 30-year-old temporary bridge on Clove Road using grant money received from Senator Bonacic and the balance was paid from the Construction Fund held by Spectrum.
  • Worked with Spectrum using our Construction Fund to bring broadband service to previously unserved areas:  Windsor Drive, Clove Road, Amani Lane, Phillies Bridge Road, Sharon Lane and Kelso Drive (maybe others). 
  • Worked with the Open Space Institute to secure funding from UC ARPA Funds to make repairs to the town owned Wallkill Valley Rail Trail from the New Paltz Town Line to Route 44/55 in the hamlet.
  • Worked with committee members and volunteers to install an ice-skating rink at the park in the Winter of 2021/22 and 2022/23. 
  • Working with Parks & Recreation and the Gardiner Trails Alliance the River Bend Trails were developed.
  • Worked with local artist, Lady Pink, as well as local high school students, to paint two murals at the handball court at Majestic Park.
  • Adopted the Greenhouse Gas Inventory which sets a baseline of GHGs produced by the Town and is utilized to identify priorities to address and lower our carbon footprint as a Town.
  • Engaged the New York Rural Water Authority to help analyze the quantity and quality of our water in the central hamlet.
  • Working on LED streetlight conversion with NYPA that will provide the Town with automated dimming control and will be dark-sky compliant.
  • Worked with Joule Associates to establish a community choice aggregation program to bring green electricity to residents of Gardiner.
  • Joined the Climate Smart Resiliency Program through the Cornell Cooperative Extension which helps municipalities to design a plan to help reduce the climate hazards such as flooding, extreme heat and drought, forest fires, and other natural disaster events.

Laws Adopted

  • Ethics Law
  • Planning Board Law
  • Solar Law
  • Campground Floating District Law
  • Kennel Law
  • Community Choice Aggregation Law

Finance

  • Engage our accounting firm to do a full audit for 2021 to help improve functions
  • Committed to purchasing a new financial management system to ease financial management and budgeting process.
  • Reduced town taxes for 3 years in a row.

Procedures / Resources

  • Updated the Comprehensive Plan and have begun a zoning audit to align the goals and recommendations of the plan with our zoning.
  • Using a shared services agreement with the Town of Plattekill to cover the needs for an assessor here at town hall.  Authorized the assessor’s clerk to be a full-time position to cover the department since the assessor is only available on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
  • Adopted a Natural Resource Inventory.
  • Adopted a Community Preservation Plan, and established a real estate transfer tax to support our Open Space efforts.
  • Updated the website to be more user and friendly and are currently working on an additional update.
  • Made the Highway Department Clerk full-time to assist the Highway Superintendent with his work and to research grant opportunities.
  • Hired an in-house technology person to keep the website up to date and to work with boards, committees and chairs on zoom invites for monthly meetings.  This person also files and categorizes the zoom meetings on the town website for viewing.
  • Increased hours of operation at the transfer station to serve the community better and to better monitor the pick ups (make sure containers are full before they are pulled). 
  • Committed to hiring two full-time building inspectors to address code enforcement issues.  The first of the two, a Gardiner resident, has been hired and has already hit the ground running.
  • Completed the Lazy River Campground Floating District application and licensing.  Lazy River is now working with our Planning Board and Fire Department to finalize all requirements prior to opening day.
  • Hired new counsel to assist with the Awosting Club matter.