WURTSBORO  — The Town of Mamakating introduced a Local Law to update the Town Code regarding senior citizens’ tax exemption during their Tuesday night meeting.

Town Supervisor Michael Robbins explained that they “went from $32,000 to $40,000” [for the owner’s annual income] for people to “help the seniors out a little bit”.

“The bulk table is on our website if anybody got the chance to look at it. It gives you the breakdown of everything,” stated Robbins. Please see, www.mamakating.gov for more.

Confirming the chance for cleanup

During the Work Session, Robbins announced that the 2025 Spring Clean up is scheduled for May 2, 3 and 4.

“We have it scheduled with Thompson Sanitation for those three days,” Robbins stated. 

However, during the public hearing, Mamakating resident Chris Leser voiced concerns about the event, arguing that it has “got to come somewhat to a halt.”

“All this is is that everybody needs to bring their mattresses, their televisions...whatever they could’ve had personally,” Leser said. 

He explained that when people purchase a new refrigerator, they should have the installers remove the old one, but “no, that costs money.” Instead, he said, people take advantage of spring clean up to dispose of large items that should have been handled privately.

Leser further claimed that the cleanup has gotten out of control over the years, pointing to the previous year’s event, which he said resulted in four dumpsters being filled.

Robbins clarified that the Town actually went through more than four dumpsters, estimating the total at nine.

“That’s what I mean—televisions, refrigerators, you name it,” Leser responded. “Let’s wait and we’ll bring it here to the Town [cleanup]. Nine of them? There’s gotta be something to it, somebody’s gotta say ‘put a halt on some of this stuff.’”

In response, Robbins defended the event, emphasizing that spring clean up helps prevent illegal dumping.

“That’s our biggest thing. If the [garbage] doesn’t make it here, it ends up at the Homowack [Lodge] or Ferguson Road,” Robbins explained.

Councilman Wood added that the Town doesn’t even pay for the cleanup, arguing that it’s “almost a good thing” because it provides people with a legal way to dispose of trash instead of paying disposal fees.

Leser, however, remained skeptical, acknowledging that while he understands how the County manages waste, the cost ultimately comes back to residents in the form of taxes.

“Somehow, in one way or another, things have got to change. This is out of control,” Leser concluded.