Village creates Conservation Advisory Council

MILLERTON — The Village Board is forming a Conservation Advisory Council (CAC) to manage and protect environmental resources. The Millerton board decided to take this step at the suggestion of Trustee Yosh Schulman.“It’s another galvanizing step of forward thinking for all kinds of policies I would like to see the village think about — like the watershed and where we are strategically in the valley,” said Schulman. “There’s a sense of us wanting to protect our natural resources, not just for our community but for those downstream of us. I think we’ll be better off and future generations will be better off too.”Schulman said the idea was planted in his head following a workshop he attended during the October snowstorm, regarding green infrastructure solutions, hosted by the Housatonic Valley Association and funded by the Berkshire Taconic Foundation. He was asked why Millerton is without a CAC, and was encouraged to work with those who could make a council come to life.Now, three months later, the Village Board has authorized the creation of the advisory council and hopes volunteers will step forward to man the group. Ideally, Schulman said, he would like to see a five-member council, but he said it could function with as few as three members. There are already issues primed and ready for the village to address. According to Schulman, 10 years ago a study of the Webatuck Creek was done by the Housatonic Valley Association. Several issues were reportedly discovered that have yet to be remedied.“We have to re-establish those priorities,” he said. “The major part of what I’d like to see the CAC undertake includes a natural resource inventory where we would identify key features, geological as well as biological features that can be used to create policies about development.”Other issues the CAC could address include: protecting and maintaining the village’s watershed, and creating ordinances to do so, as well as working with the building inspector to craft green building codes, incentives and initiatives. Those ideas will all come in time, Schulman said. For now, he added, he’s just pleased the Village Board was so willing to create the Conservation Advisory Council.“The board was very receptive,” he said, adding he hopes that enthusiasm will be shared among potential volunteers. “I’m very encouraged about the opportunity of having more residents involved in crafting the policies to help maintain the uniqueness and value and natural resources we have right here in the village.”New members to the CAC must be appointed by the Village Board, as the positions are recognized by the state and there are certain requirements. For now, however, Schulman said the real challenge is just getting volunteers. Anyone who is interested should contact Village Hall at 518-789-4489, or simply stop by; Village Hall is located at 21 Dutchess Ave., Millerton.The town of North East (which includes the village of Millerton) also has a CAC. Anyone who might be a part of the town’s advisory council who is interested in serving on the village’s CAC would still be considered for the position, Schulman noted.

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