Residents urge town to halt eminent-domain push and negotiate with boat club amid new lawsuit

Several residents used the public-comment period at the Jan. 28 Red Hook Town Board meeting to press the board to rethink its waterfront acquisition strategy and pursue negotiated access rather than eminent-domain action.

Roxanne Fisher told the board a Jan. 22 article reported a new Article 78 petition alleging the town's December local laws B and C again failed to complete required environmental review; she cited an August 2025 ruling by Justice Maria Rosa that struck down prior zoning amendments for segmented review. Fisher urged the board to rescind the eminent-domain vote and engage in "genuine negotiations" with the boat club over shared access and use that respect the club's 70-plus years of stewardship of the Hudson River frontage.

Bonnie Day criticized earlier statements and financial planning around the Saint Mary's site and warned the board that relocating septic/leach fields and adding staffing and security for a public Riverside Park would add substantial, previously unshared costs. Lisa Collaro raised concerns about a public statement to a local paper by a town official about an "imminent" settlement, questioned whether board colleagues were told in advance, and cited state law that prohibits a supervisor from settling or directing litigation unilaterally.

Board members did not take formal action on waterfront matters at the meeting, and the supervisor said attorney-client briefings or executive-session discussion would be scheduled when legal counsel is available to provide advice. The board emphasized that it cannot discuss matters subject to litigation publicly but said it would consider holding a closed attorney-client session at a future meeting.