Background/NY State Town Board Definition
The legislative authority of a town rests in its town board, which is the governing board of the town. Town Board members are elected to 4-year terms.
The town board, among other functions:
- Generally fills vacancies in town offices, elective or appointive
- May select a town attorney and a town engineer
- Appoints constables or police officers
- Provides for the hiring of other employees as necessary for the conduct of the town’s business.
The town board adopts a budget, fixes the salaries of officers and employees, establishes rules of board procedure and designates the official newspaper of the town. Other functions are so numerous that only a sample can be given here. The town board may provide for the construction of drainage flood control facilities; provide for towers to be built, at the request of the Department of Environmental Conservation, to watch for forest fires; buy and install traffic control equipment; provide for feeding deer; provide for certain public health services; establish a publicity fund; regulate certain dangerous conditions; sponsor band concerts; compromise or settle claims; call
special town elections; license certain occupations; provide for town improvements; establish fire, fire alarm and fire protection districts; create improvement districts; and designate depositories for town moneys. The general powers of the town board are set forth primarily in Section 64 and other sections of the Town Law.
Most of the functions of the town board are set forth in the Town Law. However, some functions are set forth in other statutes such as the General Municipal Law, the Highway Law, the Education Law, the Agriculture and Markets Law, and the Not-for-Profit Corporation Law. In addition, town boards may adopt local laws pursuant to the home rule powers granted by Article 9 of the State Constitution and the Municipal Home Rule Law.
Meetings
Certain budget and organizational meetings are required by law (Town Law, Sections 62, 106 and 109). The law provides that at least one town meeting be held each month. Occasionally there will be a need for a special meeting. The supervisor may call a special meeting, and must give at least two days notice in writing to members of the board as to the place and time of the meeting. When two members of the board other than the supervisor request a special meeting in writing, the supervisor must, within 10 days of the request, call a special meeting, giving at least two days notice in writing.
The agenda for each Saugerties Town Board meeting is made available on the Town of Saugerties website, with instructions for downloading/viewing the agenda, attending the meeting in person or via Webex if desired. This typically happens within 48 hours of each board meeting.
In 2024, the Saugerties Town Board meetings will continue to be run as follows: first, a "pre-board" meeting (6:30 p.m. start) followed by the regular Town Board meeting at the Frank D. Greco Senior Center at 207 Market St. in Saugerties, NY
The Town Board meeting dates for 2024 are:
- Wednesday, January 3rd (Organizational meeting. See page bottom for a definition of organizational meeting.)
- Wednesday, January 17th
- Wednesday, February 14th
- Wednesday, March 6th
- Wednesday, March 20th
- Wednesday, April 3rd
- Wednesday, April 17th
- Wednesday, May 1st
- Wednesday, May 15th
- Wednesday, June 12th
- Wednesday, July 10th
- Wednesday, August 14th
- Wednesday, September 4th
- Wednesday, September 18th
- Wednesday, October 2nd
- Wednesday, October 16th
- Wednesday, November 6th
- Wednesday, November 20th
- Wednesday, December 18th
Town offices will be closed on these dates in 2024:
- Monday, January 15, Martin Luther King Jr. Day
- Monday, February 19, President’s Day
- Friday, March 29th, Good Friday
- Monday, May 27, Memorial Day
- Wednesday, June 19, Juneteenth
- Thursday, July 4, Independence Day Holiday
- Monday, September 2, Labor Day
- Monday, October 14, Columbus Day
- Tuesday, November 5, Election Day
- Monday, November 11, Veteran’s Day (observed)
- Thursday, November 28, Thanksgiving Day
- Friday, November 29, Day after Thanksgiving
- Wednesday, December 25, Christmas Holiday
- Wednesday, January 1, 2025 for the New Year’s Holiday.
Town Board meeting minutes for this year and previous years are available on the Town Board Meeting Minutes page.
Town Board Officials
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What is an organizational meeting?
An organizational meeting typically involves any Town government business normally carried out at a regular Town Board meeting (e.g. public comments, approval of last Town Board meeting's minutes, decisions regarding proposed salary changes, etc.), plus it kicks off the new year by:
- Making designations and appointments for the year (e.g. official newspaper(s) for the Town, official bank for the Town, attorney(s) for the Town, historian(s) for the Town, engineers for the Town, etc.)
- Scheduling Town Board meeting dates and the holiday schedule for when the Town Hall is closed
- Designations, settings of charges, and re-adoption of policies, as necessary or required by law.
- Assigning Town Board members as liaisons for the boards, committees, commissions and entities that require liaisons.
- Appointments of department superintendents/heads.
and any other matters that needs to be addressed before the start of the next fiscal year.