Greene County · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in Greene County public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
Town of Halcott emergency medical funding
Windham's ambulance budget is jumping 21.5% next year and Ashland's 14.5%, driven by higher wages, insurance, and a new hire. Mountaintop towns are asking the county to keep or increase the ambulance assistance they received this year, and plan to apply for a state grant together.
Public Health and Mental Health service agreements
The county's addiction treatment contractor is merging with the Addictions Care Center of Albany. Services continue unchanged under the Twin County name, and the committee advanced the contract transfer unanimously.
County EMS service contract for 2027
The county will pay $1,050 per person for up to 20 residents to become certified EMTs, in exchange for 18 months of local service. Officials called the volunteer EMT shortage a life-or-death problem.
2027 STOP-DWI Plan
The county's annual plan for drunk-driving prevention and enforcement was up for committee review before going to the state. It underwrites local DUI patrols, education, and safety programs for the coming year.
Agricultural District 124 Inclusion Requests
The county is adopting the state's Short Environmental Assessment Form for changes to agricultural districts, making SEQRA review faster and less duplicative. The legislature will serve as lead agency under a cooperative agreement with the state.
Sheriff's Authority to Execute Mandated Contracts
The Legislature approved a contract for speech services for preschoolers with disabilities, required by state education law — with Bulich dissenting.
Election Results
The 2026 midterm results are in for Greene County, but the source only flags that winners are set and there are county-level implications—not the details. If you care about local services, budgets, or representation, the real impact will depend on what the newly elected officials do next.
Rapid Hepatitis C testing capability
Public Health proposed buying a machine that can detect active Hepatitis C from a fingerstick in about an hour, letting patients get tested and linked to treatment in one visit. The $26,407 cost is covered entirely by a state grant.
Calls for property tax levy reduction
Resident Joe Izzo argued the county's $102 million fund balance, $150 million in cumulative surpluses and growing sales tax mean the county should cut the levy, not just hold it flat — especially for seniors and fixed-income residents.
2027 County Budget Hearing Set
The county's proposed 2027 budget keeps the property tax levy flat at $27.4 million for the eighth straight year, with nine towns seeing lower rates and five higher. The catch: it leans heavily on sales tax and reserves, which may not sustain the county past 2029-2030.
2026 Equalization Rates for County Towns
The committee advanced resolution 356-26 setting the state-mandated equalization rates for all 14 towns — these rates let the state compare property values across towns and factor into school aid and tax calculations.
Senior & Disability Property Tax Exemption Income Limits
The county is weighing an increase to the income cap for senior and disabled property tax exemptions — from $37,000 to $38,500 for a full 50% exemption, sliding up to $46,899.99. It's tied to the 3.6% Social Security cost-of-living bump so existing recipients don't lose their break. A public hearing is planned for December.
Highway and Bridge Repairs Funded
The aging River Road bridge in New Baltimore is being replaced under the federal bridge program. A. Colarusso & Sons won the $2.74 million contract, with CDM Smith handling inspection.
Veterans Memorial Expansion at Catskill Point
A new 5-by-12-foot monument wall with bronze plaques for all six military branches, donor pavers and landscaping is coming to the Historic Catskill Point. It's funded by an endowment and brick sales rather than new taxes, and should be done by May 2027.
Verizon Copper Landline Discontinuation
Verizon wants to shut off traditional copper phone lines by November 30, 2026, pending FCC approval. For many rural residents, those lines are the only reliable way to call for help — especially during power outages and for seniors who don't use cell phones. The county's daily senior check-in program also depends on them.
High-potency 7-OH (synthetic kratom) sale ban
7-OH is a synthetic compound derived from kratom that the FDA warned about in July 2026 and that the DEA considers an imminent hazard to public safety. The state Legislature passed a ban on selling products above 2% total alkaloids or 1 mg per serving, and the county is adding its voice urging the Governor to sign it.
Windham Transfer Station improvements
The new maintenance building and scale house in Catskill just reached substantial completion and staff are moving in. Windham's transfer station construction has begun, with a temporary drop-off area open and Hunter's station adding a day to absorb the extra volume.
Youth Sports and Recreation Funding
State funding of $23,664 is being divided among four local youth programs — Athens rec, Cairo summer sports, Durham swimming and Hunter's Mountain Top youth sports — keeping summer recreation and swim lessons going.
NY Connects and HIICAP services for seniors and disabled residents
The Hearthstone Care contract now covers Level II personal care — help with bathing, dressing, toileting and walking — at $35 an hour, with an extra $2 an hour for the seven remote Mountain Top towns where help is hard to find.
Public Health advisory committee appointment
Erin Hedges, the county's Supervising Public Health Nurse, was nominated to the Public Health Department's Medical Professional Advisory Committee.
Court-ordered competency evaluation services
The county Mental Health Department needed a licensed psychologist for court-ordered competency-to-stand-trial evaluations. The committee advanced a contract with Blue Line Psychological at $250 an hour, capped at four hours a month through 2026.
Community Action cash-flow crisis from late state payments
Community Action of Greene County told the committee that late state contracts forced a partial staff layoff and heavy reliance on a line of credit. The agency sheltered 23 people, served 101 domestic violence victims, distributed over 4,000 food packages, and paid $434,790 in rent and security deposits to local landlords last year.