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Town Board Meeting August 6, 2026 REGULAR TOWN MEETING Colden Town Hall – 7:00 pm Page 7 Duly adopted on this 6th day of August 2026, by the following vote: On the vote: Councilman Dennis Robinson – yes Councilman Jesse Hrycik – yes Councilwoman Patricia Zurbrick – yes Councilman Gerald Pietraszek – yes Supervisor James P DePasquale – yes RESOLUTION #2026-6 A RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF THE NEW YORK ASSOCIATION OF TOWNS BILL OF RIGHTS WHEREAS, town government provides services essential to the vitality of New York State, including but not limited to maintaining and repairing roads, protecting neighborhoods and businesses, guiding economic development, and serving as the first line of defense, communication, and safety for residents every day of the year; and WHEREAS, the 933 towns of New York State are home to more than 9.1 million New Yorkers and are diverse in population, geography, and demographics, such that decisions affecting daily life are best made at the local level by the government that best understands each community's character, challenges, and needs; and WHEREAS, the towns of New York are partners in shaping the State's future, and a true partnership between the State and its local governments will propel the New York State forward to the benefit of all New Yorkers; and WHEREAS, the New York Association of Towns has adopted a Bill of Rights articulating the core principles that should govern the relationship between the State and its towns; and WHEREAS, the Town of Colden shares and affirms those principles, namely: 1. Protection and defense of municipal home rule, recognizing that towns, as the level of government closest to the people, are best positioned to balance competing interests and make decisions that shape daily life; 2. Local control of land use and zoning, free from statewide zoning rules that override the voice of resident taxpayers and the officials they elect; 3. Freedom from unfunded mandates, so that local taxpayers are not made to bear the cost of orders imposed by State and federal authorities without the resources to carry them out; 4. Modernized transparency, accessibility, and engagement, including reform of outdated public-notice requirements that consume scarce municipal dollars on print notices often missed by the public; and