Woodstock building officials are planning a podcast to help residents tackle home maintenance concerns.
The show, “High Anxiety,” will be hosted by Alan Harmon, the town’s fire inspector, and Donna LeMoine, a code enforcement officer. The town introduced the podcast in an Oct. 30 Facebook post.
“What about your home gives you anxiety?” the post asked. “Have you noticed something you don’t understand or aren’t sure needs attention?”
Topics could include basement water, mold, and roof problems, Harmon said. The hosts will focus on questions that don’t typically fall within the building department’s responsibilities.
“When you’re a handyman or a contractor or even a building inspector, you’re constantly asked questions that don’t rise to the level of the building department,” Harmon said.
Questions about permits, inspections, new construction, zoning, and other department business or active building inspections in Woodstock should go through its regular channels, Harmon said.
“We were thinking it’d be a good way to give back to the community,” Harmon said.
Episodes will be posted to the town’s Facebook page as they’re made. No release date has been set for the first episode, Harmon said.
Town Supervisor Anula Courtis approved sharing the podcast on town social media, Harmon said. He and LeMoine will make episodes on their own time, and their opinions and advice will be their own.
“We’ve got good creative employees here who want to do this,” Courtis said. “I’m totally in favor, I mean, it’s kind of cool.”
Harmon and LeMoine joined Woodstock’s building department in August after leaving positions in Shandaken. Both raised concerns about Supervisor Barbara Mansfield’s conduct. Mansfield denied wrongdoing, and the town’s ethics board found no violations.
Residents can submit questions, photos, and a phone number to AHarmon@woodstockny.gov with “High Anxiety” in the subject line.
Isabella Schoonover is a staff reporter for The Overlook covering Woodstock, Saugerties, Hurley, and surrounding Ulster County communities. Send correspondence to isabella@theoverlooknews.com.
