Town of Schaghticoke
What actually happened at the town's board meetings — summarized so you can search and read it, not squint at a scanned PDF.
The town records its meetings as scanned PDFs that are hard to find and impossible to search. We publish plain-language summaries here so you can search the archive (try ⌘K), read on your phone, and link to a specific meeting — every application, motion, and vote, minus the squinting. These summaries are unofficial and may condense or omit detail — the town's signed PDF is the complete record of authority, and we link it on every entry. To protect neighbors' privacy, incidental personal details of private individuals (such as home addresses) are left out; officials, applicants, and board members are named. The town's own minutes live on the Town of Schaghticoke website.
Draft minutes. The Town Board approved $704,973 in bills and $294,982 from the highway reserve for another new truck; heard highway updates (a new Shepard Lane drainage pipe, dirt-road grading, upcoming paving on Pinewoods, Mineral Springs and Hansen Roads); and Town Attorney Dave Brennan previewed a draft noise ordinance for the hamlet districts. Two Pleasantdale residents said a previously troublesome property has been quiet.
The Zoning Board reviewed the Foxvog application for a use variance to open a dog grooming business and doggie daycare in the former Scriven Press building at Route 40 and Eastover Road in the Speigletown hamlet district, discussed the zoning questions it raises, and set a public hearing for July 2, 2026.
The Planning Board granted site-plan approval for the new Melrose Firehouse (784 Route 40) and set a July 1 public hearing on a proposed 10,600-sq-ft Dollar General and 3-lot subdivision at East Schaghticoke Road and Route 40, and on a Special Use Permit for ProLine Equipment Storage. It also reviewed a small timber harvest (no permit required) and welcomed new member Tom Martin.
The Town Board approved $193,461 in bills and $242,171 from the highway reserve for a new truck, entered a water-consulting agreement, and reshuffled the Planning Board (Kacey Casas resigned; Thomas Martin appointed). Reports covered bridge repairs, three Grant Hollow water-main breaks, and sewer fixes in Hemstreet Park and Pleasantdale; residents raised road-erosion, speeding, and noise concerns.
The Zoning Board held a public hearing and granted Andrew Clark an area variance to rebuild a detached garage lost to fire at 39 Northline Drive, allowing a reduced side setback with no public opposition.
After a public hearing, the Planning Board granted preliminary approval for the Fane two-lot subdivision on Warren Lane. It heard an update on the proposed 10,600-sq-ft Dollar General at East Schaghticoke Road and Route 40, but a motion to hold a June public hearing failed because the vote was not unanimous. The Board also reviewed the updated Melrose Firehouse site plan (approval to be considered in June) and a code-enforcement matter over an inhabited travel trailer.
The Town Board held public hearings on the dog-licensing-fee law and on Highway Superintendent residency, approved $431,640 in bills, authorized electronic real-property tax administration, sent solid-waste collection specs out to bid, appointed Tim Salisbury as the town's ERCSWMA representative, and adopted the 2026 Rensselaer County Mitigation Plan.
The Zoning Board reviewed Andrew Clark's application to rebuild a fire-destroyed garage at 39 Northline Drive and scheduled a public hearing on the required area variance for May 7, 2026.
A busy subdivision night: after public hearings, the Planning Board granted preliminary and contingent final approval to the 6-lot Bruno Farms Phase III subdivision on Knickerbocker Road, and preliminary and final approval to the Donna Murray two-lot subdivision on Route 40. It issued a SEQR negative declaration for the Fane two-lot subdivision on Warren Lane, and voted to pursue a coordinated SEQR review as prospective lead agency on the proposed 10,600-sq-ft Dollar General at East Schaghticoke Road and Route 40, where members again pressed for architecture better suited to the Town's rural character.
A brief meeting: the Town Board approved $1,009,919 in bills, set an April 8 public hearing to adjust dog-law fees, and authorized the Supervisor and town attorney to prepare garbage-collection bid specs. Two Hemstreet Park residents raised concerns about road conditions on Hewitt Street.
The Zoning Board granted Gregory Fane area variances for a two-lot subdivision at 5 Warren Lane, and reviewed a commercial-vehicle parking matter for the Capital ProTree Removal business at a Hamlet District property on Howland Road, which remains under review.
The Planning Board approved a one-lot McCoski subdivision (pursued to settle an estate) and a McConnell subdivision waiver on River Road, and issued a SEQR negative declaration for the Donna Murray two-lot subdivision on Route 40. It reviewed conservation-space changes for the Bruno Farms Phase III subdivision ahead of a possible April hearing, noted the Dollar General remained stalled over unresolved property violations and escrow, and took up two Hemstreet Park zoning matters — an unpermitted banner sign and a tree-removal business referred to the Zoning Board for a use variance.
A finance-heavy meeting reconciling 2025 fund balances: the Town Board approved $1,753,563 in bills, accepted budget transfers and the 2025 audit of the Justices' books, boosted several reserves (including $300,000 for highway equipment), created a $40,000 Hemstreet Park water reserve, and approved buying two highway trucks at $279,250.86 each. No public comment.
The Zoning Board scheduled a March 5 public hearing on the Fane subdivision, then held a public hearing on Thomas Trout's application for garage setback variances at 126 S. Hudson Street and denied the variances, finding the proposed location unsuitable and noting the garage could be built within code elsewhere on the lot. A new board member was also welcomed.
With the Chairman absent, the Planning Board granted preliminary and final approval to the Powers Lane subdivision on a dead-end street, and tabled the McCoski one-lot subdivision again over concerns about the lot's steep topography and configuration. It took an early look at the proposed 10,600-sq-ft Dollar General — concurring that a traffic study is warranted and noting an unresolved property violation — advised the Fane subdivision applicant to seek ZBA variances, and referred a non-conforming banner sign on Howland Avenue to code enforcement.
A Town Clerk transition — Jennifer Molesky resigned after 25 years and Emily Calhoun was appointed (with Mary Ann Carangelo as deputy). The Board also approved $475,022 in bills, raised water rates for Districts #1, 3 and 3E following a City of Troy increase, and filled a ZBA seat (Kristin Griswold out, Nicholas Bayly in). Residents raised Barton Road repairs and Melrose Fire District tax and notice concerns.
A no-quorum meeting recorded as notes: with only two of five members present, no formal action could be taken. Thomas Trout presented a preliminary proposal for a garage at 126 Hudson Street and submitted an application for two area variances, ahead of a possible February public hearing.
The Planning Board granted preliminary and final approval to the Starlight Development one-lot subdivision on Hudson Avenue, clearing the way for the Town to take ownership of the cul-de-sac at no cost. It issued SEQR negative declarations for the McCoski and Powers Lane subdivisions (both headed toward February hearings) and took an early look at the proposed 10,600-sq-ft Dollar General — the Chairman recused himself, members called for a traffic study, and a property violation was flagged to be resolved first, with LaBerge Engineering recommended as the Town's consultant.
The annual organizational meeting: the Town Board set 2026 salaries, policies, the meeting schedule, official newspapers, and water/sewer fees; renewed its 2026 community contracts (including $706,580 for Hoosic Valley Rescue Squad EMS and $380,208 for County Waste); reappointed Elizabeth Hale (Planning Board) and Lettie Saheim (ZBA); and appointed James LaValle as Deputy Town Attorney.
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