Columbia County Board of Supervisors members met in reorganizational session Jan. 6, 2025, and elected temporary and permanent leadership, approved oaths of office and heard a statement from the newly seated board chair outlining the county's 2025 budget and American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA)–funded projects.

Chairman Matt Morell said the 2025 budget “includes a tax rate decrease of 3.5% based on a 2.9 percent tax levy increase,” and said the plan complies with New York State tax cap rules and does not include planned county workforce reductions. “I am honored to work with you and to serve the residents of Columbia County,” Morell said.

The reorganizational votes named Supervisor James MacArthur temporary chair; Supervisor Ronald Knott majority leader; Supervisor Titria Hoglund minority leader; and Matt Morell board chair. The board also conducted roll call, administered oaths of office to newly appointed deputies and others, and recessed briefly so incoming officers could be sworn.

In his remarks, Morell summarized financial and project highlights from 2024 and plans for 2025. He said Columbia County has maintained a Moody's investor service rating of “double A 3” and that the county “obligated all of its ARPA funds to a variety of projects,” including services for residents with mental health issues and people experiencing homelessness, infrastructure and safety projects, and stipends for county employees who worked during the COVID shutdown. Morell identified a $1,500,000 ARPA commitment to a proposed wellness hub described as mixed-use supportive housing and community service facilities.

Morell listed recent and ongoing uses of ARPA and other funds the board has supported: the opening of the Blanche Hoteling Memorial Mission Code Blue warming center; upgrades to building camera systems; replacement of the county's e‑911 computer-aided-dispatch (CAD) system; and partial funding and ground‑breaking for an e‑911 addition to the PJ Keeler Emergency Training Center. He also said the county expanded 911 radio communications coverage by constructing steel towers in the towns of Chatham, Gallatin and New Lebanon.

The board has partnered with the Columbia County Economic Development Corporation and the Columbia County Chamber of Commerce on a “Columbia Forward Microenterprise Grant Program,” Morell said, and reported creation of a housing task force, a housing study, and a land use tax initiative. He said the county passed an occupancy tax for short-term rentals, hotels and motels that will be implemented “at the end of Q1 in 2025.” Morell also said the board created an office of conflict defender and appointed Mark Horton to that post.

Morell announced bridge and roadway projects scheduled or in design for 2025, naming several bridge replacements and ongoing design work on culverts and road realignments in towns including Gallatin, Clermont, Livingston, Stockport, New Lebanon, Stuyvesant and Copake. He said he will appoint a solid-waste work group to review county solid-waste operations and recommend actions and named Supervisor Ron Knott to chair that work group.

The meeting included several formal motions and voice votes to approve nominations, the taking of oaths and procedural items. A motion to adjourn the meeting was moved, seconded and carried.

The organizational session primarily focused on electing leadership, swearing in deputies and outlining administrative priorities and capital projects for 2025. No ordinances or budget documents were adopted for immediate effect during this session; Morell’s comments summarized plans and allocations previously discussed or approved by the board.