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Braley will listen closely
By Paul Crossman
Hudson-Catskill Newspapers
Jeff Braley, a 61 year resident of Columbia County, and a long time farmer and school-bus driver, is running for the position of Austerlitz Town Supervisor in the upcoming election.
Braley, who previously held the position of Town Supervisor from 2003-2005, decided to try for reelection both because the Republican Party asked him to, and because the election was so close the previous term.
“I’d like to finish the job I started seven years ago,” he said.
If elected, Braley says one of the major issues to contend with during the next few years will be the implementation of the towns newly passed zoning law, which he believes must be done in a fair and even manner. The best way to do this, he says, is by educating the populace about how it will affect each one of them individually.
“You now need a permit to put up a shed, a business, etc.,” said Braley. “Most people don’t know that, so we need to educate them about the zoning law. We’re not here to bust people, just to show them how to follow it.”
Braley also plans to look at ways to spend a large parks and recreation grant which the town has had for several years and never spent, and says that though the community’s park is in relatively good shape, he is sure there are places the funds can be spent, such as resurfacing the tennis courts, and the general beautification of the community.
Another project that Braley believes will be important in the coming years is the creation of a clear and concise road plan for the town, which he believes will help give better guidelines on how the town’s money should be spent.
“When it comes down to what to do, no one has any firm plans,” said Braley. “The projects could all be laid out [...] This is something that is going to need to be addressed.”
He went on to say that the current management style tended to put things like this road plan off for as long as possible, and that this wouldn’t be the case if he was elected.
On the county level, though he would not comment on whether Ockawamick was a good investment economically, he did say that he believed the situation was handled very poorly, and that trying to move something as big as DSS without public debate is always a bad idea.
“When I saw [how it was handled], I thought maybe I’d better run for election again if things were being done like that.”
Braley does agree though, that DSS should stay in Hudson or the surrounding areas.
He also says that he wasn’t completely against the proposed move of Pine Haven from Philmont to Valatie, but that again, he feels the entire issue was poorly handled.
“You can’t just take [an issue like that] and throw it out there,” he said, adding that regardless of this, it was good to have the county involved.
“If you’re going to have that catch-all so that people aren’t left behind, then the county needs to be there,” he said.
As for the issue of transitional housing, Braley told the Register-Star that he would be much happier with using Charles Williams School to house the homeless than the St. Charles Hotel.
“I just have a problem with my tax dollars paying for maid service,” he said. “I don’t know where you would build [transitional housing], or put it. No one wants it in their backyard.”
He went on to say that he doesn’t know the final answer to the issue, but believes that the county must work towards one carefully, as if mistakes are made there could be a lot of money spent and still no progress.
What Braley prides himself most on is his ability to hear everything the people of the town have to say, and continue to work with them towards their goals.
“My goal as previous Supervisor, and what continues to be my goal, is to listen,” he said.
Braley, who previously held the position of Town Supervisor from 2003-2005, decided to try for reelection both because the Republican Party asked him to, and because the election was so close the previous term.
“I’d like to finish the job I started seven years ago,” he said.
If elected, Braley says one of the major issues to contend with during the next few years will be the implementation of the towns newly passed zoning law, which he believes must be done in a fair and even manner. The best way to do this, he says, is by educating the populace about how it will affect each one of them individually.
“You now need a permit to put up a shed, a business, etc.,” said Braley. “Most people don’t know that, so we need to educate them about the zoning law. We’re not here to bust people, just to show them how to follow it.”
Braley also plans to look at ways to spend a large parks and recreation grant which the town has had for several years and never spent, and says that though the community’s park is in relatively good shape, he is sure there are places the funds can be spent, such as resurfacing the tennis courts, and the general beautification of the community.
Another project that Braley believes will be important in the coming years is the creation of a clear and concise road plan for the town, which he believes will help give better guidelines on how the town’s money should be spent.
“When it comes down to what to do, no one has any firm plans,” said Braley. “The projects could all be laid out [...] This is something that is going to need to be addressed.”
He went on to say that the current management style tended to put things like this road plan off for as long as possible, and that this wouldn’t be the case if he was elected.
On the county level, though he would not comment on whether Ockawamick was a good investment economically, he did say that he believed the situation was handled very poorly, and that trying to move something as big as DSS without public debate is always a bad idea.
“When I saw [how it was handled], I thought maybe I’d better run for election again if things were being done like that.”
Braley does agree though, that DSS should stay in Hudson or the surrounding areas.
He also says that he wasn’t completely against the proposed move of Pine Haven from Philmont to Valatie, but that again, he feels the entire issue was poorly handled.
“You can’t just take [an issue like that] and throw it out there,” he said, adding that regardless of this, it was good to have the county involved.
“If you’re going to have that catch-all so that people aren’t left behind, then the county needs to be there,” he said.
As for the issue of transitional housing, Braley told the Register-Star that he would be much happier with using Charles Williams School to house the homeless than the St. Charles Hotel.
“I just have a problem with my tax dollars paying for maid service,” he said. “I don’t know where you would build [transitional housing], or put it. No one wants it in their backyard.”
He went on to say that he doesn’t know the final answer to the issue, but believes that the county must work towards one carefully, as if mistakes are made there could be a lot of money spent and still no progress.
What Braley prides himself most on is his ability to hear everything the people of the town have to say, and continue to work with them towards their goals.
“My goal as previous Supervisor, and what continues to be my goal, is to listen,” he said.
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