Over a dozen residents—and one dog—attended the Hurley Town Board meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 25., where concerns over excessive fees and lack of timely notification by the Planning Board dominated discussion.

Three public hearings, covering separate properties, featured nearly identical complaints about thousands of dollars in unexpected charges incurred under the previous administration.

Arizona Investissements US, LLC representatives challenged exorbitant fees, including 14.75 hours of town attorney research that board members agreed should have taken no more than 30 minutes. The company also claimed the invoice was sent to an unaffiliated party instead of the business directly.

Ryder Moody, 33, testified about ongoing delays preventing him from moving into a 27-foot-diameter yurt on his 44-acre property. He cited $3,000 in charges for a visual assessment of the structure, which he said is not visible to neighbors. “It’s taken more than eight months for an approval board members just said should typically happen in one or two meetings,” he said.

After privately discussing each case, the board announced it would deliberate further and issue a decision at its next meeting on March 11.

Long-Neglected Home Declared Unsafe

In a unanimous vote, the board determined that a deteriorating home at 329 Old Route 209—long a source of complaints—was officially unsafe. The town will assess whether repairs are feasible or proceed with demolition, billing the property owner for any incurred costs.

Nancy Jubie, owner of Headless Horseman Hayrides and Haunted Houses and a 70-year Hurley resident, commended the decision. “This is for the betterment of the whole town. It was absolutely unsafe and someone was going to get hurt there.”

Former board member Tim Kelly, now running for reelection, stood to applaud the board for taking long-overdue action.

Progress on Local Laws, Grants, and Infrastructure

While the board adopted a resolution to provide tax exemptions for volunteer fire and ambulance departments, it is expected to vote next month on extending transfer station passes to Library Board volunteers, a move Town Supervisor Boms described as a “small gesture for big gifts.”

Other key updates from the more than three-hour meeting included:

• New Public Works Garage: Delaware Engineering provided an update on the environmental plan for the upcoming Department of Public Works highway garage.
• EMS Funding: The town expects new funding for emergency medical services.
• Sustainability Grants: Hurley has secured a $30,000 grant for electric lawn mowing equipment and is pursuing funding to inventory and digitize town records.
• Legal Cost-Saving Measures: The board revised attorney contracts, replacing a $1,200 monthly stipend with an as-needed payment model.

Hurley Highway Superintendent Michael Shultis, running for a fifth term, praised the board’s progress. “They are actually getting things done, and there’s no fighting. Under the previous administration, everything was a fight, even getting closed captioning so residents could follow what’s happening. Half of today’s meeting was about cleaning up their messes.”

Shultis also proposed a new sidewalk law, noting Hurley is one of the few towns where the Highway Department is responsible for snow removal—a growing challenge with staff reductions from 14 to nine. The next Hurley Town Board meeting is scheduled for March 11 at 6 p.m. at West Hurley Firehouse, 24 Wall Street. More information can be found at townofhurley.org.