The March 3 meeting of the Gardiner Town Board centered primarily on a presentation about pro-housing communities by Ulster County senior housing planner Kai Lord-Farmer and discussion of mechanized grooming on the town’s rail trail.

The Pro-Housing Communities Program is a technical capacity and policy development program run by the New York State Homes and Community Renewal agency. The program is aimed at supporting the development, rehabilitation and stabilization of housing in communities across the state.

Joining the program opens the door to grants that can address numerous aspects of a municipality, including housing, infrastructure and economic development. Farmer highlighted that pro-housing technical assistance grants have been awarded to nearby municipalities already enrolled in the program, including the village of Ellenville, the town of Rochester and the town of Saugerties, with each receiving $150,000 to $200,000 to hire consultants specializing in housing-related planning.

Gardiner’s entry into the program will begin with an official pledge to work toward solutions for the housing crisis and the submission of relevant data. Town Supervisor Michael Hartner said the board will consider a resolution at its next meeting.

Hartner said he had received two requests to groom the rail trail in Gardiner for cross-country skiing, acknowledging one of the parties had already groomed the trail twice this month without permission. Current rail trail regulations ban all motorized vehicles above the lowest class of e-bike. Hartner noted both parties requesting the policy change were invited to the meeting but neither attended.

The comment prompted prolonged discussion about the implications of having mechanized equipment on the trail and safety concerns during volunteer grooming. Council member Franco Carucci raised concerns about skiers being “very particular,” citing personal experience with cross-country skiers claiming authority over lanes they believe they have permission to use. Council member James Ulvestad noted the many locations near Gardiner that groom paths and explicitly mark them for cross-country skiing use only.

The board opted not to pursue a policy revision. Hartner said future violations of the motorized vehicle regulations are subject to a $50 first-offense fine, urging the February groomers not to continue the practice.

The board unanimously approved the appointment of Rick Irizarry, a Gardiner resident and current emergency medical technician with the Gardiner Ambulance Squad, as the third Ambulance District commissioner. Irizarry’s appointment filled the last of three new commissioner positions, which the board agreed are held by people highly qualified for the job.

The board approved a resolution adopting a new fleet efficiency policy, which had been presented by Stephen Weir at the previous board meeting and returned for minor revisions. The policy is intended to help monitor and reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the town’s vehicle fleet.

Hartner announced an upcoming presentation on town waste export reduction by Ulster County Resource Recovery Agency Executive Director Marc Rider on April 7. He also noted the 2026 Agricultural District Inclusions Application Period will run throughout March, with more information available on the public agenda.

Council member Roberta Clements again called for volunteers for America 250 celebrations, saying planning has begun to gain traction.

Before adjournment, Michael Foertsch, representing the Awosting Club, distributed documents to board members related to a recent court decision in the club’s longstanding Article 78 dispute with the town. He asked that the documents be posted on Gardiner’s website so the public could easily access the ruling. As of press time, no documents had been posted.