The draft January 2026 minutes from the Dresden Town Board meetings have been posted on the Town’s website.
Additionally, the January 2026 minutes from the Huletts Sewer District # 1 committee have been posted on the Town’s website.
New Plants Brighten Inside of Post Office
While the snowstorm pummels the east coast today, I’m sure everyone remembers the iconic, though unofficial, U.S. Postal Service (USPS) saying, “Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds.”
We are blessed to have wonderful postal service workers in Huletts keeping our post office functioning year-round. On Saturday, Emily sent me this photo of the new plants she just added to the lobby of the Huletts post office. This goes above and beyond her normal exceptional service, so a special shout-out to Emily for brightening the lobby of the post office with some bright colors during this long cold winter.
The Calm Before the Storm
A picture of the Huletts Landing Post office from Thursday January 22, 2026. While the east coast is hunkering down for a major snow storm, there is not a lot of snow presently on the ground in Huletts. That should change this upcoming weekend.
NY State Senator Stec on Executive Budget: How Does a $260 Billion Budget Make New York More Affordable?
Senator Dan Stec (R,C-Queensbury) today gave the following statement following Governor Hochul’s Executive Budget proposal:
“Governor Hochul started the year by announcing that affordability would be the defining term of her agenda this year. With this year’s Executive Budget proposal, the governor has shown how unserious she is about making our state more affordable.
“This year’s plan is $260 billion – $6 billion more than last year. New York State headed into the new fiscal year with a projected $4.2 billion deficit. Even with increased revenue projections, this exorbitant spending doesn’t make sense and frankly, it doesn’t work.
“Governor Hochul’s continued insistence on flouting federal immigration law in order to court support from the radical progressives in New York City puts the state at risk of losing federal funding. If that comes to fruition, New York State would face financial collapse. At the very least, cooperating with federal authorities would ensure this needed funding source would continue as-is.
“If the governor wanted to get serious about affordability, this budget proposal would take on the issue I’ve heard about the most from my constituents in recent months: the continually escalating cost of energy. A repeal or delay of the Green New Deal mandates as laid out in the CLCPA and a reduction in the taxes and fees that make up 1/3 of the costs on energy bills is necessary in providing needed relief to all ratepayers.
“The lack of addressing energy costs is a hallmark of everything that’s missing in the Executive Budget proposal. Rather than use this plan to exercise caution, restraint and engage in sound financial planning, Governor Hochul has put forth a budget that doesn’t make it any easier for families, seniors or small businesses to make ends meet. In fact, it just creates an even larger financial burden for all New Yorkers and will only further the outmigration crisis that’s plagued our state for more than a decade.
“I’ve repeatedly noted that you can’t spend your way into affordability. If you could, New York would be the most affordable state in the nation. Instead, it’s the most expensive to state in which to work and live. It’s frustrating that the governor used the Executive Budget proposal to treat affordability as a buzzword instead of an opportunity.”
Lake George Land Conservancy Purchases 26 Acres in Bolton
Photo: Trout Lake (in the foreground) and its surrounding lands in Bolton are further protected by the LGLC’s recent purchase and conservation of 26 acres. Lake George can be seen in the distance on the right side of the picture. Credit: Carl Heilman, II/Wild Visions, Inc.
Lake George, NY – The Lake George Land Conservancy (LGLC) purchased 26 acres in the Town of Bolton on December 23, 2025. The “Trout Lake Addition” has about 500 feet of stream corridor and one acre of wetlands, which are critical to protecting water quality. The stream and wetland flow into Trout Lake, which drains into Lake George via Huddle Brook.
The undeveloped forested property adjoins the 215-acre Trout Lake Uplands property, which LGLC acquired from Twin Pines, Inc. and permanently protected in 2019. The newest acquisition is also near the 2,765-acre Cat and Thomas Mountains Preserve, now owned by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYS DEC).
In addition to protecting water quality, this purchase provides an even greater expanse of contiguous habitat necessary for our native terrestrial and aquatic wildlife to thrive. Land connectivity is important for whole ecosystem health and vitality, allowing forests, streams, and other freshwater resources to interact uninterrupted for maximum water quality and habitat benefits.
LGLC Executive Director Mike Horn said, “This region of Bolton provides critical water quality protection for Lake George, and important wildlife habitat. I want to thank the landowners for working with the LGLC to permanently protect this land, ensuring that the forested terrain and streams will forever remain wild, protecting everything we love about Lake George.”
The land’s forest is dominated by eastern hemlock trees, which are currently threatened by the invasive pest, hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA). As owners of the land, the LGLC will be able to monitor for HWA and manage any infestations, as deemed necessary for the health of the forest.
The acquisition of the “Trout Lake Uplands Addition” was LGLC’s final land protection project of 2025 and closed out another impactful year. In total, LGLC closed seven land projects in 2025, resulting in permanent protection of 1,963 acres of land and permanent protection of 22 acres of wetlands and 2.8 miles of streams that feed into Lake George.
250 Years Ago Today: “Common Sense” Published January 9, 1776
In celebration of the founding of our nation in 1776, I will try to highlight some of the biggest events from the calendar year of 1776 as 2026 unfolds.
On January 9, 1776 “Common Sense” by Thomas Paine was published, strongly encouraging independence from Britain. The ideas within that short publication were extremely revolutionary in that day and led to a change in public perception. It quickly became what we would call today a “best seller.”
The following short video, from the American Revolution highlights the importance of “Common Sense” and how the ideas contained in it were so essential in the founding or our nation.
December Dresden Town Board & Sewer Committee Minutes
The draft December 8th & December 31st 2025 minutes from the Dresden Town Board meetings have been posted on the Town’s website.
The December minutes from the Huletts Sewer District # 1 committee have been posted on the Town’s website.
Sights from Early 2026
People always request more pictures of Huletts, so here are two from today. It is bitterly cold, around 15 degrees with some snow on the ground and a layer of ice on top.
Everything is pretty still and the lake is starting to freeze. Wherever you are, hopefully 2026 has started well for you and your family.
Top News Story of Huletts: 2025
Well, here we are almost at the end of the year. While major media outlets are recapping national events of 2025, I like to move into the new year by taking one last look back at what I consider the top 2025 “news” story of Huletts Landing from the past year.
A lot happened. Our Congresswoman was nominated to be Ambassador to the United Nations, then decided to run for Governor, then suspended her campaign and announced her retirement from Congress at the end of this term. Locally, we had a former Supervisor, who had previously resigned, win a write-in campaign to return to his former office in 2026. Both Washington County and Dresden voted to override the tax cap and proceed to increase spending and taxes. All of these stories were quite unique and worth highlighting.
Sewer District # 1 saw major improvements. The long-awaited Foster Brook pipe burial project was completed near the end of 2025 with assistance from grants from the Lake George Park Commission and the Lake George Association. The Lake George Park Commission also installed test wells around the perimeter of the leach fields to assist with monitoring. The Town also placed a new shed to house the district equipment along County Route 6. Many septic tanks were upgraded around the Landing to comply with new LGPC rules.
However, in my opinion, one story that stood out the most in 2025 was the 125th anniversary celebration held on August 15th in honor of the Catholic Chapel of the Assumption. It was one of the biggest celebrations that has occurred in Huletts in years. It was celebrated on the feast of the Assumption.
The Most Reverend Edward B. Scharfenberger, Bishop of Albany, is seen here in the Huetts Casino addressing the large crowd that came to celebrate the Chapel of the Assumptions’ 125th year anniversary.
The Most Reverend Edward B. Scharfenberger, Bishop of Albany, was the main celebrant at the Mass and stayed for the dinner afterwards at the Huletts Casino. Parochial Vicar, Fr. Zachariah Chichester, also concelebrated the Mass and drew the winning raffle tickets at the dinner. All monies raised benefited the Chapel’s Capital Improvement Fund. The chapel’s exterior was repainted in 2025, and now really shines.
Many people put in a lot of work to make this event happen, but for me it signifies something far greater. Huletts, ultimately, is about faith and family, a place to go to recharge away from the outside world. It’s about the memories that we all have created here. So many people who have gone before us – worked so hard to create its special ambience – and the two chapels are a big part of that.
I’ve told this story to many, but it’s worth repeating again. Henry W. Buckell donated the land for both chapels in response to the number of tourists who would only vacation in Huletts if there were churches here. The desire for spiritual growth and community arose organically from people who would not come to Huletts otherwise.
I think that is the most important point – both chapels have always been sustained by the vibrant faith communities alive in Huletts. I envision this as a celebration of the faith life of the entire community.
Many thanks to all those who worked tirelessly to make the 125 year celebration a success. This includes people who donated raffle items and those who sold and purchased tickets. Also, we must remember all those who have gone before us, who worked to keep the doors of both chapels open.
May both of our beautiful Hulett chapels always be an inspiration to those who visit Huletts Landing.
Keep hope alive. Onto 2026!
Town Board Year-End Meeting
Notice of Recessed Town Board Meeting
The Town Board meeting that recessed at its most recent session will reconvene on Wednesday, December 31, 2025, at 3:00 PM at the Town Hall, to complete year-end matters and conduct any other business that may properly come before the Town Board. No agenda has been posted.
Merry Christmas – 2025
Washington Crossing the Delaware, an 1851 portrait by Emanuel Leutze depicting Washington and Continental Army troops crossing the river prior to the Battle of Trenton on the morning of December 26, 1776.
For this year’s Christmas post, I’m going with a patriotic theme in preparation for 2026 being the 250th anniversary of the United States of America. The images here commemorate Washington’s crossing of the Delaware River 249 years ago in 1776.
The Passage of the Delaware, an 1819 portrait depicting the crossing by Thomas Sully.
On the morning of December 25, George Washington ordered his Continental Army troops to prepare three days’ food and issued orders that every soldier be outfitted with fresh flints for their muskets. Washington was somewhat worried by intelligence reports that the British were planning their own crossing once the Delaware was frozen over. At 4:00 pm on December 25, Washington’s army arrived to begin the crossing of the river. The troops were issued ammunition, and even the officers and musicians were ordered to carry muskets. They were told that they were departing on a secret mission.
Marching eight abreast in close formations and ordered to be as quiet as possible. Washington’s plan required the crossing to begin as soon as it was dark enough to conceal their movements on the river, but most of the troops did not reach the crossing point until about 6 pm, about ninety minutes after sunset. As the evening progressed, the weather became progressively worse, turning from drizzle to rain and then to sleet and snow. “It blew a hurricane,” one soldier recalled.
Washington had given charge of the crossing to his chief of artillery, Henry Knox, who had successfully dragged the cannons from Fort Ticonderoga in December 1775 and arrived with them outside of Boston in January 1776. In addition to the crossing of large numbers of troops (most of whom could not swim), he had to safely transport horses and eighteen pieces of artillery over the river. Knox wrote that the crossing was accomplished “with almost infinite difficulty”, and that its most significant danger was floating ice in the river. One observer noted that the whole operation might well have failed “but for the stentorian lungs of Colonel Knox”. The unusually cold weather of the 1770s and the icy river were likely related to the Little Ice Age. The rest as they say – “is history.”
I wish all the readers of the Huletts Current and your families a very merry Christmas and wonderful 2026. We live in the greatest country in the history of the world, in arguably one of the most beautiful spots. Be well.
(Click images to see larger versions.)
See Fort Ticonderoga Rare Artifacts
Now for Some History – 1961
This is a flyer for “movie night” in the Casino from 1961. The movie about “2 men who would rather golf than work” is apropos even today.
(Click image to see larger view.)
Sewer District # 1 Pipes Buried Under Foster Brook
File photo of contractors at work in mid-November burying Sewer District # 1 lines under Foster Brook.
It was announced at the December 8th meeting of the Huletts District # 1 Sewer Committee that the two pipes going under Foster Brook have been installed and pressure tested. The work to restore the ground on both sides of Foster Brook will be completed in the spring.
Ms. Suzy Shad reported that when digging the lower crossing (closest to the lake), the contractors, when they were about 3/4 of the way across, hit bedrock. They broke a drill bit and had to bring in another device to hammer their way through the stone. While waiting to proceed at the lower crossing, they moved on to the higher crossing (farthest from the lake) and completed that first. It was reported that the contractors were able to dig under the ground “like butter” at that location. The lower crossing was then finished when additional equipment was brought in.
Both lines have been pressure tested and backfilled and are now up and working. Any remaining cleanup from the two crossings will be completed in the spring.
These two underground crossings have been a very large project that have been years in the making. Many thanks to Dresden Town Supervisor Charles Tall and Ms. Shad for facilitating and working with both the Lake George Park Commission which donated $80,000 to the project and the Lake George Association which donated $40,000. This $120,000 in grant money was instrumental in getting this project completed.
Ms. Shad also reported at the December meeting that the bond application is being worked on. Preliminary discussions indicate that the bond may be financed at 3.89% for ten years – which would translate into roughly $153 per user per year. That amount will be included in the yearly annual fee which is not projected to increase. It had been previously decided at the November 2025 town board meeting that the sewer distinct # 1 fund balance will be also used toward this project.
Many thanks to all the members of the sewer committee, town board and both the past and present sewer district superintendents who have worked to make this project a reality.