September 2023

Table of Contents

From the Supervisor's Desk

Solar Update

Pickleballers

Roe Jan Ramble

Grange Events

Copake History

What's Happening at the Library

Eco Tips

Farmers Market

Memorial Bricks

From the Supervisor's Desk            

“Sui Generis” - Definition: One of a Kind, In a Class Alone

On September 5, the Copake Town Board passed a law intended to address the issue of housing in the town and region. The law was recommended by a three-person ad hoc committee appointed in January, comprised of Planning Board Chair Bob Haight, ZBA Vice Chair Dale Peterson and Meredith Kane, an attorney recently retired from Paul Weiss and a member of the Columbia County Housing Committee. The law, inspired in part by a law in Amenia, seeks to encourage the building of moderately priced homes, either by requiring developers to include those homes in their projects or to build such homes on a different site. The law also streamlines the approval of accessory dwellings. Permits for such additional residences may be secured from the Code Enforcement Officer. Copake’s land use attorney, Ken Dow, drafted the new law.

Before passing the law, the board heard from planning board members, as well as the Columbia County Planning Board. Immediately after passing the law, the town board agreed to send the law to the New York State Division of Local Government Services for review. Recognizing that this is cutting edge legislation, the board has requested an advisory opinion from the state and is open to further modifications of the law.

At a Town Hall meeting on Saturday, September 9, our long-time consultant Margaret Irwin said that the law is one of the first in New York. While it may be further improved, ultimately it will be a model for the state.

I am proud of the board and grateful to the three-member committee and Ken Dow for taking a creative, innovative approach to address a crisis in this town. Understandably, this law may need to be improved. There are still areas which need to fleshed out. Amenia notwithstanding, our law is one of a kind, a first and original attempt at solving this thorny problem. This law is “sui generis” – in a class by itself.

Speaking of which, on September 6, Christopher Quinby died, and Copake lost a good friend. For many years, he organized Copake Community Day. He organized the Copake Park Summer Concert series, from securing bands to raising funds to flipping hamburgers. He was a long-time member of the Park Commission and a past member of the Copake Hamlet Revitalization Task Force. He was a long-time and leading member of the Copake Grange #935; he served as President and most recently, Chaplain. Most memorably, he was Santa Claus for generations of Copake kids. 

When I came into the Supervisor’s office, I tried to write a policy which would indicate when the flag would be lowered. At the state and national level, the lowering of the flag is reserved for those who make the ultimate sacrifice. Locally, I thought it should be lowered for those who had served in elected office. Using public service as a standard seemed too subjective. But it turned out that the entire subject was too sensitive and we did not pass a policy.

It turns out that was a good thing, because this week Chris Quinby died. He spent his adult life working for Copake. He was absolutely devoted to this town. He was never elected, but he served this town tirelessly. His level of commitment to this town was unparalleled. He was “one of a kind,” “sui generis.”

And so, we lowered the flag to honor Chris - our own Santa Claus. 

Jeanne E. Mettler

Copake Supervisor

Solar Report

The long saga of Hecate Energy’s efforts to obtain a permit from New York State’s Office of Renewable Energy Siting (ORES) is approaching a critical point. On August 25, ORES issued a “Notice of Complete Application," thereby indicating it was satisfied that Hecate had provided ORES with enough information for it to decide whether to grant a siting permit to the developer.

ORES now has 60 days to either issue a draft permit or deny Hecate’s request to construct its 60-megawatt solar factory on 267 acres of mostly prime agricultural farmland in Craryville. So, by late October we’ll know where things stand.

On September 7, Supervisor Mettler and Deputy Supervisor Wolf met at Town Hall with two representatives from Hecate. Matt Levine is Director of Development, and Cole Corbett, Development Analyst. This meeting was the first in-person meeting with Hecate since January 11. It happened only because Mr. Wolf told two supporters of the proposed Shepherd’s Run facility that Hecate, far from being the “community partner” it promised to be, had not been in touch with town officials in months. They reached out to Hecate, and Mr. Levine subsequently contacted Mr. Wolf.  

Mr. Levine, who has replaced Alex Campbell, said this was his first visit to Copake. He apologized for Hecate’s failure to communicate directly with the town and promised improved communications going forward, noting that Mr. Corbett will be attending future town board meetings. Curiously, Mr. Levine said that most Copakeans support the proposed project, noting that in his experience with other projects opponents are typically “more vocal” than supporters. Supervisor Mettler disabused him of that notion, indicating that the board’s position that the Shepherd’s Run proposal is too big and is poorly sited, mirrors the view of the vast majority of Copakeans. She added that the town board remains united on this. Mr. Levine’s misimpression is likely fueled by the few Hecate supporters with whom he spoke, even before he and Mr. Corbett met with the town.

Mr. Levine stated that he hopes that it will be feasible for sheep grazing and agrivoltaics to be part of Shepherd’s Run but that no decision has yet been reached. This is a departure from Hecate’s filing in response to ORES’ 3rd Notice of Incomplete Application that “no active agricultural practices will occur within the fenced area containing the solar arrays during the operation of the Project.” So it remains unclear whether Shepherd’s Run has been aptly named - will there be sheep?

Even as ORES approaches a siting permit decision, the town await a decision on a motion to reargue the appeal of an adverse decision in the ORES regulations lawsuit. That case, brought by Copake, five other small, upstate towns, and seven non-profits, seeks to overturn the regulations under which ORES operates — regulations that were written by Hecate’s own energy consultant. Under these regulations, ORES has been able to deny towns —“host communities” — a seat at the table when siting decisions for their towns are made. That is, Copake could be precluded from directly participating in the siting decision-making process, decisions that would have profound impacts on Copake’s local environment, character, and economy.

Pickleballers Have More Fun

Sportsmanship and camaraderie were on full display at Copake Memorial Park on September 10, when locals and neighboring pickleball enthusiasts from Pittsfield, Chatham, Lee, Lenox, and Great Barrington got together for a friendly, informal tournament. 

They enjoyed the newly created four-court pickleball area, which the Town recently paved and which will continue to serve as the ice skating rink in the winter months. Between the players and spectators, over 55 people attended and the smiles said it all. Despite the threat of thunderstorms and mosquitoes, players and fans brought their own balls and nets, lawn chairs, drinks, snacks and the genuine love of the game. The courts are being enjoyed and appreciated by all.  There are plans for more fun this fall and more tournaments in the spring.

The Roe Jan Ramble Coming on September 23

Riding? Watching? Volunteering? The 11th annual Roe Jan Ramble Bike Tour is coming your way on Saturday, September 23. 

A fundraiser for the Harlem Valley Rail Trail, the Ramble is a fun, non-competitive ride sponsored by the towns of Copake, Ancram and Hillsdale. There are seven routes to choose from, from the easy mostly flat 10-miler, to the new 100-mile route for the expert rider. The ride is free, with voluntary donations encouraged to support the Harlem Valley Rail Trail.

Register to ride and get more information at www.roejanramble.org. And if you don’t ride, why not join us on Ramble day as a volunteer at our rest stops, check-in desk or as a route guide?

It’s a lively, friendly and fun experience. Just email roejanramble@gmail.com to volunteer - no experience needed.

Photo Credit: Suzy Allman

Grange Events

Friday, Oct. 6 and Nov. 3,  7-9pm - Open Mic Night. Live open mic is on and it’s great!  The first Friday of every month. Come on down to the Grange and join us with your instruments, songs, poems, stories, skits, etc. Or just come to relax, have fun and be inspired. We have a piano. For more information, contact copakegrange@gmail.com.

Saturday, Sept. 23, 7pm - Michael Junkins Quartet. Come hear a fabulous jazz quartet.  Michael Junkins and his excellent musical colleagues have played all over, made outstanding recordings, and play regularly at the Red Lion Inn in Stockbridge, MA. Tonight’s concert will feature Michael on guitar, Don Mikkelsen on trombone, Nick Edwards on upright bass, and Jeff Siegal on drums. Tickets at the door - $15 or pay what you can. Come on down for a good time! Refreshments will be served. (Made possible in part by Stewart’s Shops and The Ackerman Foundation, Inc.)

Saturday, Oct. 14 - NEW DATE!, 5pm-8pm - Ice Cream Social and Square Dance. This popular event has a special theme this year - we are celebrating our 120th Anniversary! Live square dance caller, music, ice cream, food and lots of fun. Tickets are $25 and will be available via the website and at the door www.copakegrange.org/events.

Sunday, Oct. 22, 4-5:30pm - Jammin’ at the Grange. Bring an instrument, choose a song, and everyone plays along. Come on down to the Grange and have a jammin’ good time.

Movie & Soup Night - Date TBA (either Oct. 28 or Nov. 4) - Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. This classic movie is a 1939 American political comedy-drama film directed by Frank Capra, starring Jean Arthur and Jimmy Stewart, and featuring Claude Rain and Edward Arnold. The film is about a newly appointed United States senator who fights against a corrupt political system, and was based on Lewis R. Foster’s unpublished story "The Gentleman from Montana.” Stay for a delicious dinner of soup, salad and dessert, as well as good conversation afterward. Movie - by donation.  Dinner - $10.  Tickets at the door.

Friday-Sunday, Nov. 10-12 & Nov. 17-19, Fri. & Sat. 7:30,pm, Sun. 3pm - Blithe Spirit.  Presented by The Two of Us Productions, Blithe Spirit, by Noel Coward, is a a delightfully comic play, involving a socialite and novelist, his current wife, the ghost of his ex-wife, seances and the eccentric medium Madame Arcati. Tickets: Adults $20, Students/Seniors $15.  Group rates available.  For tickets and info, contact www.TheTwoOfUsProductions.org

For more information about the Grange and events or to join, go to copakegrange.org. The Copake Grange is located at 628 Empire Rd., Copake, NY 12516. Parking for Grange events is limited - please park at the Municipal Lot on Church St. if the Grange parking area is full.

Copake History

Long Island’s George Washington, Copake’s Joe Michaluk and the Copake Town Historian's Huge Snafu

The other day I traveled to West Hills, Long Island, Walt Whitman country, where I lived in my high school years.

Driving up steep Sweet Hollow Road, I was startled to see a historic sign I'd never seen before. The sign was near a place that figured in my boyhood. Across the road from it, using a very tall ladder, my brother Rich and I used to pick the cherries with which our mother made some delicious pies. That was about 68 years ago.

The sign briefly told the story of George Washington Brush (1842–1927), who had been born in a beautiful old white house that I'd never seen before. My guess is that there had been some trees now gone that had hidden it from view. George Washington Brush was an American soldier, dentist, physician and politician. As a white officer, a captain, he headed a black company in the 34th Infantry Regiment U.S. Colored Troops in the Union army during the Civil War and received a Medal of Honor. After the war he became first a dentist, then a physician, then a member of the state assembly and then the state senate. He also helped establish the State Tuberculosis Sanatorium in Saranac Lake.

My point about Captain Brush is that you never know what fascinating people and events may have lived or occurred near the tree from which you picked cherries or peaches or just sat under. 

Copake is full of fascinating people and events. Few people who travel nowadays on or by Maple Lane in Copake Falls associate it with Joe Michaluk, one of the Town of Copake’s best chroniclers, who grew up on the family farm at the end of the lane. Just a few days ago, I talked with Joe, and I have to tell you he made me smile as big a smile as I can. Joe is 96 years old but he's quite sharp.

Unfortunately, Joe is blind in one eye, but he's still able to drive to the grocery store or the doctor with his one good eye. Joe lives alone now; his dear wife, Shirley, died some years ago. He cooks for himself and enjoys reading and watching films on TV.

Joe was a Corporal in the Marines and an IBM staff engineer. But my appreciation for him centers on his role in writing charming stories about growing up on the farm in the 1930s and ‘40s. This column has already featured his accounts that originally appeared in long emails to his family about shopping via the Montgomery Ward catalogue, fishing in the Roe Jan stream and raising chicks in their kitchen.

After graduating from the Roe Jan School, Joe went away to college and never returned except for visits - his last one was in 2014. Joe gave me permission some time ago to post his stories. In his and my most recent phone conversation, I asked if he had any new stories, new memories to tell me. He spoke again for a few minutes about fishing in Bash Bish Creek and getting skunked, not catching anything.

A while later I asked if he had memories about the Copake pharmacy. Joe remembered it well, although he didn't have any particular story about it for that day, but he did tell me a little bit about the little barber shop next door to the pharmacy. I told him that sadly one can't get a haircut there anymore. He then recalled Pete Nadeau and his father, Copake’s first barbers, as far as I know. The father was a straight up, very serious man. Pete was a little different. Joe remembered Pete frequently playing music from Canadian radio stations. Joe also provided a little image of what the place was like back then. The regular customers, Charlie Peck, A.D. Langdon and some others had their shaving mugs hanging on the walls. If your mug was there, you were a person of substance in the town.

I thanked Joe again for those wonderful stories - and I admit that this posting doesn't do him justice - but then I had to apologize to Joe. If you've read my postings here in previous months, it may occur to you why I had to apologize. As town historian, I try to be as careful as I can in what I write. Nevertheless, occasionally I make some mistakes, human being that I am. In Joe's case, I made a colossal one some months ago. In perhaps March, I had tried to call him, but his phone was disconnected. Knowing that he was about 96, I worried. So, I googled his name and discovered an obituary. Joe was gone, or so it seemed. Some weeks later I prepared one of my postings for this page, and of course I passed on the sad news.

Flash forward to two weeks ago. I got a call from Fran Miller. "Howard," she said. "I remember reading your statement on the Copake Connection that Joe Michaluk had died, but when we visited his niece recently and I mentioned having heard about his death, she said ‘no, he's 96, still living in his same house in Arizona’.” I was delighted to hear the report, but of course, I was also incredibly mortified. So, I emailed Joe again. This time, much to my delight, I got a response. Today, as I mentioned, I had this wonderful conversation with Joe. I remember the first time we spoke - about seven years ago. It was such a great conversation. I felt that I wanted to fly to Arizona and meet this sweet guy.

After telling Joe how much I appreciated his giving me permission to reprint his stories, I finally came forth with my apology and explanation. Joe just laughed. (He did not avail himself of that classic line, "rumors of my death are greatly exaggerated.")

So glad you're still with us, Joe.

Photo: Joe and his parents, 1947



Questions? Contact Howard Blue, at copaketownhistorian@gmail.com

What’s Happening at the Library?

Wednesday, September 20, 5:30 p.m.

Roe Jan Writers Series: Irma Waldo. Dr. Irma Waldo will read from and discuss her memoir, The Doctor Wore High Heels, published by The Troy Book Makers earlier this year. Irma Waldo is ninety-eight-years-old and among the first women admitted to medical school at the University of Buffalo during World War II. Her memoir focuses on her time practicing medicine as a rural doctor in Columbia County and the challenges she faced as a woman physician serving farmers and their families.

Thursday, September 21, 1:00 - 2:00 p.m.

Books Marks! Book Club. Join our nonfiction book club, Book Marks!, led by Circulation Librarian Robin Gottlieb. Meets the 3rd Thursday of every month. In September we are reading The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind by William Kamkwamba. Copies available through the Mid-Hudson Library System, Libby, and Hoopla. Email circulation@roejanlibrary.org for more information.

Saturday, September 23, 2:00 - 3:30 p.m.

Cookbook Club. Become a member of the Roe Jan Cookbook Club. This monthly gathering, held on the 3rd Saturday of each month, is organized by Library Associate Fran Colombo.

Members will choose a recipe and bring the cooked/baked dish to the next meeting where the group will discuss the book and share in a community meal. Bring copies of recipes to share with other foodies! For our September meeting, we are not using a specific cookbook. Instead, we are asking members to cook a meal using fall produce purchased from a farmer’s market! Autumn harvest. Contact Fran Colombo at outreach@roejanlibrary.org or 518-325-4101 to sign up!

Saturday, September 23, 4:00 p.m.

Community Read Program: Film Screening of William and the Windmill. Families are invited to join us for a screening of William and the Windmill as part of Columbia County's Community Read program.

William and the Windmill is a 2013 documentary about the life of William Kamkwamba, the subject of the Community Read's selection, The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind.

With only a library book as his guide, 14-year-old Kamkwamba builds a windmill in his Malawian village that changes his life forever. Using junk parts and an inexhaustible imagination, he harnesses enough energy to power a generator that saves his family from famine and resuscitates his dying farming community.

An instant media sensation, the teen soon has the ability to chart a previously unimaginable future of TED talks, Ivy League schools, and speaking tours. But despite the help of an American entrepreneur who helps navigate his success, some changes threaten to capsize him. He was once just a kid back home, but suddenly he’s a village leader. Away at school, the famous boy inventor struggles on a steep learning curve. Cameras capture the dramatic upheavals, external pressures, and subtle shifts of perspective in this inspiring story of a young man facing the changes that a humble homemade windmill set in motion.

Winner of the SXSW Grand Jury Prize for Best Documentary, The Austin Chronicle calls it "a subtle but beautiful portrait," and Indiewire described it as "a fascinating look at the tricky balancing act of third world activism."

This program is part of the 2023 Columbia County Community Read, sponsored by the Columbia County Libraries Association, with financial support from Humanities New York, The Ackerman Foundation, the Rheinstrom Hill Community Foundation, Stewarts, the Bank of Greene County, and the Crandall Theater.

Sunday, September 24, 3:00 p.m.

Concert: Matt & Atla DeChamplain. Pianist Matt DeChamplain and vocalist Atla DeChamplain will present an afternoon of American Songbook Jazz. Mat DeChamplain has performed at numerous venues and festivals, including the Monterey Jazz Festival, the Berklee Jazz Festival, Kennedy Center, and Lincoln Center. Additionally, he teaches at the Jackie McLean Institute of Jazz at the Hartt School of Music. His wife, Atla DeChamplain, is a jazz vocalist who teaches at Western Connecticut University and Capital Community College. Both Matt and Atla are graduates of the University of Toledo, and in 2015, they released their first collaboration, PAUSE, featuring jazz artist Jon Hendricks.   

This concert is made possible with funds from the Friends of the Roeliff Jansen Community Library and the Statewide Community Regrants Program, a program of the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA) with the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature and administered in Columbia County by the Columbia County Council on the Arts dba CREATE Council for the Arts.