City borrowed $2.3 million to cover grant cash flow, again

Hudson borrowed $2.3 million in bond anticipation notes to cover cash flow for two state grant projects: the downtown revitalization initiative and the Ferry Street Bridge. Both projects are complete, but the state has not fully reimbursed the city. One reimbursement took 23 months to arrive. The city has now spent over $1 million in interest on borrowing to cover projects that were supposed to be free.

The city paid off $7.9 million in bond anticipation notes from 2025, including $320,000 in interest. Treasurer Heather Campbell said the 2026 borrowing will be the last round for these projects, with projected total out-of-pocket costs of $2.4 million by 2027. The new fire pumper truck, scheduled for delivery in July, will be financed with a 20-year bond at 3.55% interest, costing about $60,000 per year.

County overcharged Hudson short-term rental operators through Airbnb

Columbia County incorrectly collected its 5% lodging tax on short-term rentals inside city limits, where the county has no authority to charge the tax. The county signed a deal with Airbnb to collect the tax but did not exclude Hudson addresses. The city treasurer notified the county immediately upon learning of the issue; Airbnb was supposed to use a geographic file to exclude the city but has not completed the fix.

The county and Airbnb are redoing their agreement to exclude Hudson. An open question remains about how money already collected gets returned to operators and their customers. Separately, the city brought in $688,000 in lodging tax revenue in 2025, above the $575,000 budget, but the treasurer cautioned that some of that figure reflects back taxes collected from short-term rental operators who were brought into compliance, not ongoing revenue.

Vicky Daskaloudi appointed to the IDA

The Council appointed Vicky Daskaloudi to fill a vacancy on the Industrial Development Agency. Daskaloudi cited four years on Council, finance committee experience, and a background in business, investment finance, banking, and real estate. The vote was 7-2, with Foster and Cousin voting no.

Kearney mill contract amendment raises authorization question

A May 2026 amendment to the Kearney mill site sale contract replaced the original closing date with a date contingent on resolving litigation affecting the city's ability to convey title. The original contract, signed in May 2023, set a closing date two years from signature with two possible six-month extensions. The sale price is $450,000 with a $10,000 escrow deposit.

Residents questioned whether the mayor had authority to amend the contract without bringing the amendment back to Council for approval. Legal counsel will review the authorization process and report at the next meeting. Several residents called the contract unfavorable to the city.

Green Street needs edge lines, not just a center line

Council Member Jason Foster (Public Works Committee) presented photographs and data showing a pattern of rear-end collisions on Green Street, where drivers drift into parking lanes or drive down the center of the road. Similar accidents have occurred on Prospect and State streets. Foster cited federal standards requiring center lines on roads with 6,000 or more vehicles per day. Hudson roads that exceed that threshold: Worth Avenue, Third Street, Green Street, Prospect Avenue, Fairview Avenue, and Upper Warren Street.

Legal Committee member Margaret Morris argued that Green Street needs white edge lines marking parking lanes, not just a yellow center line. She compared Green to Union Street, where parked cars make the travel lane obvious. Green Street has commercial traffic, so at night there are few parked cars and drivers do not perceive it as having parking lanes. The committee agreed to ask the DPW superintendent for a cost estimate to stripe Green, Prospect, and Upper Warren streets.

Payment-in-lieu-of-parking proposal raises legal questions

Legal Committee member Jen Belton proposed a payment-in-lieu-of-parking (PiLOP) program: reinstating parking requirements for new development and allowing developers to pay into a dedicated fund when they cannot provide parking on-site. The fund would be used for parking and mobility improvements. Hudson eliminated all parking minimums in 2019 without creating a replacement framework. The Planning Board now reviews parking case-by-case but has no guidelines.

City Attorney Ken Dow raised legal questions about whether the city has statutory authority to create a PiLOP program and what conditions might be required. He compared the proposal to in-lieu-of-recreation fees, which have strict legal requirements including a study documenting the need. Margaret Morris argued that parking needs vary by business type: a grocery store requires parking close to the entrance, while a hotel or office might use remote parking. The committee will review parking requirements broken down by specific business types.

Youth camp has 145 kids signed up and a waiting list

Hudson's six-week youth camp has 145 kids signed up, seven part-time staff transferring from the regular program, eight new part-time hires, and a part-time camp director. There is a waiting list. Swimming is open Thursday to Sunday, 11 AM to 7 PM; during camp hours, open swim will be 3 to 7 PM. Swimming lessons for babies and kids will be offered 9 AM to 12 PM during camp hours. The swim dock is damaged, likely from being left in the water over winter for the first time in 10 years; the dive team will retrieve it for repair with no firm timeline.