LAKE HUNTINGTON, NY — Any number of factors could reasonably explain the lack of attendance at the Cochecton town board’s January 2 reorganization meeting, including bitingly cold weather and holiday week scheduling, but it was probably driven primarily by voter complacency. In addition to the five board members (Supervisor Gary Maas, Deputy Supervisor Ed Grund, Larry Richardson, Anna Story and Sean Nearing), town clerk Hollye Schulman and highway superintendent Kevin Esselman, five members of the public were present: a board member’s wife, two press representatives, and a high school student from Grahamsville accompanied by his mother. The student was there to fulfill one requirement of an American government course, the wife as concerned citizen and supportive spouse, and the press representatives to report on the proceedings.

Maas’s remark as he convened the meeting was directed to the student, but was also a one-sentence summary of the meeting’s purpose, “We hold this meeting at the beginning of each calendar year, so that the town can conduct its business for the rest of the year.”

With the 2015 board and its officials almost unchanged from last year, little change in the status quo was to be expected, or in fact occurred. Individual councilperson assignments remained the same as last year. Richardson continues as the board’s Upper Delaware Council and Upper Delaware Scenic Byway representative, with Nearing as his alternate in both roles. Additionally, Richardson remains the board’s planning board liaison. Grund continues as liaison to Cochecton Youth Commission and as advisory council representative to the Sullivan County Office of the Aging. Story again serves as the board’s fire commissioner’s liaison.

Sharron Cardone was reappointed chairperson of the planning board, term to expire December 31. Jerold Yavarkovsky was reappointed chairperson of the zoning board of appeals, also expiring on December 31.

Professionals employed by the board in 2014 were engaged again for 2015: Karen Mannino as town attorney and Engineering Properties, P.C. as town engineer, both serving undefined terms, at the board’s pleasure.

Some positions are currently unfilled: one board of assessment (BAR) review member (five-year term); BAR clerk (term to expire on December 31) to be appointed by BAR; and an assistant building inspector.

As he adjourned the meeting, Maas turned to the student observer and said, “You picked the best meeting of the year to attend—the shortest, with the least discussion. Had you come six or seven years ago, it would have been a different story.”

Whether the student selected the reorganization meeting randomly or on the advice of a mentor is unknown; in any case, he managed to find the one meeting of the year that encapsulates the workings of local government, identifying component parts and players and specifying roles, terms, funding and salaries for each. To view the agenda, full text of meeting minutes, and resolutions, see www.townofcochectonny.org/.