‘Government can’t fix everything and it wasn’t meant to … [I want to] get a handle on what works and what doesn’t work.’

The group has gradually lost funding from the town. The village could help make up the difference.

John Schoonmaker wants to tackle government consolidation, environmental issues, transparency, and greater community engagement.

Among his longer-term goals is a review of local zoning codes; he mentioned minimum elevator size (for gurneys) and easier access to structures for the fire department.

The shoreline at Bristol Beach isn’t very beachy, but that could change with half a million dollars. At a recent meeting, Saugerties officials heard concerns about nesting eagles and potential littering that could result from developing the area.

Last month, Pete Lopez left office to become the EPA’s District 2 administrator. While the Schoharie County Republican’s domain now spans from the Adirondacks to the Virgin Islands, the estimated 130,000 residents in Lopez’s district, including Saugertiesians, may go unrepresented in the State Assembly until January of 2019.

“I’ve been watching my taxes go up every year — I have a chart. It just doesn’t stop.”