Embedded Files
Come out and meet me Thur 5/28 @ Tinker Street Tavern!
Background
One of the many things the Clerk’s office is responsible for is administering our Summer Youth Program. At the Town Board meeting on Tuesday March 17, Supervisor Courtis talked about the current financial state of this program. This program needs dire attention, as our working parents lean heavily on it for childcare during the summer.
My son will be of age to participate in this program next year, so I am also personally motivated to get this back in fiscal and programmatic shape. I have experience in youth programming that I could lend to this cause: I was Program Coordinator for a youth filmmaking education center, I produced children’s concerts for a music festival for which I was Executive Director, and I also managed a tutoring company (and was a math tutor myself!).
As Town Clerk, I can contribute to the effort to help revitalize this program for our community.
My Plans: Strengthen Staffing and Improve Programming
My plan is to first look more closely at the budget and costs for this program. I believe the clerk’s office should begin to staff this program earlier than it has in the past, and should cast a wider net for job applicants by publicizing the jobs on several job boards, including LinkedIn, through local and city universities, and a Town newsletter, which I plan to create.
I’d also like to explore offering programming that not only occupies our kids' time, but gives them enrichment and skills they could use in life or future employment. In addition to getting our kids outside and playing sports, we could offer arts programming, from music to visual and performing arts. Other "life" skills could be taught, such as financial literacy, digital and media literacy, cooking, and leading community-focused projects.
I’d like to foster more connections and opportunities offered in conjunction with local arts organizations, businesses, and charities. Even our Public Access Station, which is right next door in the Mescal Hornbeck Community Center, could be involved in summer youth programming.
Learn More
Coverage (secondary sources)
For those who want to learn more about the current state of the summer program, here are two local articles covering this:
Woodstock Steps Back from Potential Hike in Summer Camp Fees, Citing `Hardship’
Overlook, by Noah Eckstein, March 18, 2026
Woodstock weighs budget shortfalls for summer camp, proposes emergency alert system
Hudson Valley One, by Nick Henderson, March, 25, 2026
Deep Dive (primary sources)
If you want to dig even deeper, you can listen to this part of the Town Board meeting and the discussion around it from March 17 and watch from 34:02 - 51:42.
Help the Town Secure Staffing for Summer 2026
Do you know of any strong candidates who would want to apply to be a counselor, group leader, athletics instructor, or arts & crafts coordinator? Spread the word - our community needs this to be a robust program to support our families, and good staffing makes all the difference.
For more information and to download an application, look in the rightmost column of this page.
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse