LAKE HUNTINGTON, NY — At its May 10 meeting, the Cochecton Town Board updated the town’s solar energy zoning ordinance, assayed the town’s fiscal health, and became aware of a loophole in its laws with potential to turn neighbor against neighbor.

With no objections heard at a public hearing begun on April 12 and recessed to May 10, the board voted unanimously to adopt Local Law 1 of 2017, amending the town’s renewable energy zoning code and repealing a moratorium on large-scale solar energy generation systems in effect since September 23, 2016. The new ordinance sets forth standards for permitting, establishment, operation and decommissioning of large-scale commercial solar energy generation systems within the town’s agricultural, hamlet and business districts. Supervisor Gary Maas said the amended ordinance will be posted to the town’s website, pending repair of the website freeze caused by a software glitch.

The board also voted unanimously to hold a public hearing at 7 p.m. on June 14 seeking imposition of a summer camp moratorium; if imposed, the six-month moratorium would be used to develop a comprehensive zoning ordinance regulating summer camps within the town.

Certified public accountant Susan Peters of Cooper Arias shared findings from her firm’s audit of Cochecton’s books and accounting practices. Overall, the town is in good fiscal shape. But Peters told the board that the New York State Comptroller’s Office has two new requirements designed to promote local government efficiency and transparency: each town must submit an annual capital plan advising how, where and why taxpayer monies will be spent; and each town must demonstrate compliance with a state mandate for shared services among local state-funded entities. Data derived from these requirements is compiled and made available to the public at www.openbooknewyork.com.

Maas said towns have had an informal shared-services policy in effect for years, pointing to sharing of equipment and manpower among town highway departments and volunteer fire companies. But those examples, he said, apparently don’t meet state shared-services criteria. Paul Salzberg suggested towns might consolidate resources among struggling volunteer ambulance corps. And Sullivan West Central School District Superintendent Nancy Hackett suggested her district might partner with towns to meet its shared-services mandate.

Maas announced important dates: Clean-up days on May 20 and 21 (9 a.m. to 2:45 p.m.)—bring bulk items for disposal to old town hall (no tires); grievance day, May 23 from 4 to 8 p.m.—real property owners may contest tax assessments; Sullivan County School Boards Association Awards Dinner at Villa Roma Clubhouse, May 31 at 5:30 p.m.—honoring Kevin Esselman and other town highway superintendents in Sullivan West district, cost $30, RSVP to Tania DeFrank at 845/866-6946. Upcoming Cochecton Youth Commission events are a nature walk on June 3, a New York Giants game on November 5.

Sullivan County Legislature Chairman Luis Alvarez will deliver his state of the county address at the Cochecton Town Board meeting on June 14  at 7:30 p.m., after the public hearing on the moratorium

Finally, the board heard about a law enforcement breach causing strife between neighbors. Chickens are notorious scofflaws, well-known for disregarding property lines and “No Trespassing” signs. Still, when Sullivan County Sheriff’s Department deputies asked Maas to intervene in a case of free-range chickens pecking and scratching their way across properties other than those of their owner, the law seemed to favor the chickens.

Maas informed the deputies that Cochecton currently has no chicken-control officer and no plans for hiring one. “I don’t think the town should get involved in chicken disputes,” said Maas. Town clerk Hollye Schulman had a different take on it. Said Schulman, “If a chicken lays an egg on my property, I’m keeping it.”