Dear Neighbors and Friends:

While the State is on virtual lockdown Thompson is providing services on a limited basis. Remember please that the Town Hall is closed to public access. Materials, deliveries, paperwork and such can be left in the front vestibule only during normal business hours. The inside doors will be locked. All departments are working remotely and are checking emails and voicemails and responding from home when possible. Our website has all phone extensions, email addresses and forms. All official notices will be posted here on the website.

Thank you,
Bill Rieber
Town Supervisor

Building Department

updated 3-30-20: The Governor has ordered all non-essential construction must be suspended. Essential construction, for example construction on roads, bridges, transit facilities, homeless shelters and health care facilities, may continue.
• Non-permitted construction: No permits will be issued and no inspections done on projects that are not specifically permitted under the Governor’s executive order. Contractors are reminded that those violating the Executive order are subject to a fine of up to $10,000 for each violation. The notice below was sent to us from the Governor’s office. Please note that these orders may change at any time. Please refer to the NYS site for updates.
Additionally, the Governor has defined essential construction services in part 9 of Executive Order 202.6. https://esd.ny.gov/guidance-executive-order-2026 That section is also pasted below:
9. Construction
“All non-essential construction must shut down except emergency construction, (e.g. a project necessary to protect health and safety of the occupants, or to continue a project if it would be unsafe to allow to remain undone until it is safe to shut the site).
Essential construction may continue and includes roads, bridges, transit facilities, utilities, hospitals or health care facilities, affordable housing, and homeless shelters. At every site, if essential or emergency non-essential construction, this includes maintaining social distance, including for purposes of elevators/meals/entry and exit. Sites that cannot maintain distance and safety best practices must close and enforcement will be provided by the state in coordination with the city/local governments. This will include fines of up to $10,000 per violation.
For purposes of this section construction work does not include a single worker, who is the sole employee/worker on a job site.”
• We will continue to review plans submitted electronically to the best of our ability with our remote access plan so that when the ban is lifted work may progress as expeditiously as possible.

• Limited staff is in the office, however we are operating and performing inspections where possible and necessary. We are not performing any new fire inspections at this time, including seasonal camps and bungalow colonies.
• No occupancies of any structure are permitted without a valid certificate of occupancy. This will be strictly enforced.
• In lieu of Building Department field inspections your design professional can perform the inspection, certify compliance and forward to the department via email.
• If you call for an inspection and engage limited resources please do not do so until you are clearly ready for your inspection.
• Forms and contact information can be found here: https://townofthompson.com/government/departments/building-planning-zoning/

Town Clerk
• Burial permits are being issued.
• Marriage, Birth and Death Certificates can be requested via email or leave us a message. They will be followed up on at the first available time. Please be sure to include your contact information.
• Forms and contact information can be found here: https://townofthompson.com/government/departments/town-clerk/

Assessor
• Staff is 100% remote. All emails and voicemails will be answered from home.
• Forms and contact information can be found here: https://townofthompson.com/government/departments/assessor/

Courts
updated 3-30-20:  By NYS Office of Court Administration directive the offices are closed until further notice. Communications can still be mailed in, however no mail will be opened until the OCA allows it.

• If you have a court date approaching you will be re-scheduled by mail. All court proceedings have been postponed and will be re-scheduled by staff. There is no need to call. You will get a notice.
• If you have missed an appearance due to the Corona-19 virus you will not be penalized.
• If you have a ticket you can fill out the plead portion of the ticket and mail it in. We will respond by mail with a court date if you plead not guilty or a fine notice if you plead guilty. Save a copy.
• Forms and contact information can be found here: https://townofthompson.com/government/departments/town-court/

Parks
• The Town Park is open. Please maintain separation and do not use the playground. All buildings are closed including the bathrooms which are seasonal.
• Enjoy the healthy outdoors with a walk along the river on our Heart Healthy Trail.
• We are not booking any gatherings until further notice.
• Summer Camp registration is not scheduled. Please check Facebook and our website regularly for information.
• Please use the following link for more information: https://townofthompson.com/government/departments/parks-and-recreation/

Highway
• Our entire crew is available to clear roads in the event of a spring storm, which can be very difficult as you know. General maintenance has been suspended until we re-evaluate when snow risk has subsided.
• Driveway permits will still be issued.
• Report any dangerous situations directly to your Highway Superintendent Rich Benjamin. [email protected] or call 845-794-5560
• Forms and contact information can be found here: https://townofthompson.com/government/departments/highway-department/

Sewer and Water
• We operate 17 water and sewer districts and it is vital to public health that we do so without interruption. Our department is split into two crews rotating on and off every other two weeks.
• Sewer Bills- Sewer bills will be sent out in April and are due in May. We ask that you make every effort to pay the bill on time, realizing that many can’t. By May we will be in our 5th month of the year so we will need funds to operate these districts.
• Flushable wipes- Please do not flush wipes. They are the biggest cause of pump jams, clogs and backups. Remember that our operators must physically pull these clogs apart. This is not only a “Dirty Job” but risky to personnel.
• Emergencies can be reported by calling 845-794-5280 or our answering service after hours at (607)762-0708.
• Forms and contact information can be found here: https://townofthompson.com/government/departments/water-sewer/


Planning and Zoning Boards
• Planning and Zoning Boards are still postponed until further notice.
• Our attorneys are reviewing procedures to resume meetings with the use of live broadcast in accordance with NYS guidance under the Governor’s executive orders. We will advise on our website and Facebook if there are any changes.

Tax Collector
• 2020 taxes are due by March 31st. There is no extension of time to pay and we don’t have the authority to grant it.
• Receiver of Taxes Heather Berg is checking voicemail and emails to answer your questions.
• You can pay by mail or at Catskill Hudson Bank or by credit card at www.taxlookup.net
• You can drop the payment off in the lobby of the Town Hall during normal business hours.

Town Board
• We will do our best to hold Town Board meetings. The next one is April 7th at 7:00 PM. There will be no public access on site, however we will again make every effort to broadcast the meeting on Facebook live or possibly Zoom. Please check our website www.townofthompson.com or our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/TownofThompson/ for updates.
• We will be paying suppliers as fast as possible to keep money in circulation and people employed.
• Contact information for the Supervisor’s office is here: https://townofthompson.com/government/departments/supervisors-office/

All of your Board members are working hard to manage this crisis. The depth of talent and dedication of your board and all of our staff is truly amazing. In a short few days last week about 13 employees were set up for remote access with a plan to keep government working. We have many jobs to do and everyone knows it. I can be reached through Facebook messenger https://www.facebook.com/TownofThompson/ or email to [email protected] or just text message my cell 914-799-0387.

If I can’t give you an answer, I will try to get you to the right resource to get one. Deputy Supervisor Scott Mace can be reached at 845-701-9342. Councilwoman Melinda Meddaugh can be reached at 845-397-0376. Councilman Ryan Schock can be reached at 845-701-2855.

Working together we will all get through this. Be careful, be safe and wave to your loved ones. Thank you.

Bill Rieber
Town Supervisor
845-794-2500 Ext. 306
[email protected]