Hello residents and community,
It has certainly been a busy couple of weeks here at the Town Office. Between our weekly budget workshops, Halloween at the River Park, and preparations for our upcoming public hearing on the proposed 2027 Town Budget, there has been plenty going on.
Today, we had the pleasure of welcoming students from Au Sable Forks Elementary School as they made their way through town during their annual Halloween Parade! We always enjoy this visit, and the kids certainly didn't disappoint with their costumes. From funny and adorable to spooky and creative, they brought plenty of smiles and Halloween spirit to our office.
PUBLIC HEARING: PROPOSED 2027 TOWN BUDGET
Monday, November 9, 2026, at 5:30 PM
The Town Board will hold a public hearing on the proposed 2027 Town Budget. Over the past several weeks, we have been working through the budget process, reviewing departmental needs, anticipated expenses, and the financial challenges facing our Town.
I encourage residents to attend, review the proposed budget, ask questions, and share their thoughts. This is an important part of the budget process, and your participation is always welcome.
REGULAR MONTHLY TOWN BOARD MEETING
Monday, November 9, 2026, at 6:00 PM
Our regular monthly Town Board meeting will immediately follow the public hearing.
Both meetings will be held at:
Town of Black Brook Town Hall
18 N Main Street
Au Sable Forks, NY 12912
For those unable to attend in person, virtual participation is available.
Join online:
https://meet.goto.com/488936285
Join by telephone:
+1 (872) 240-3311
Access Code: 488-936-285
Community involvement is important, and I encourage everyone to stay informed about the decisions, projects, and issues affecting our Town.
We are pleased to announce that the Town of Black Brook has been awarded up to $290,000 through New York State's Water Infrastructure Improvement (WIIA) Grant Program for our Lead Service Line Inventory Project.
This funding will assist the Town in identifying and documenting water service line materials throughout our water system, an important step toward ensuring safe, reliable drinking water for our residents and meeting state and federal requirements.
We are grateful to New York State and the Environmental Facilities Corporation for their continued investment in our community's water infrastructure.
TOWN OFFICE CLOSURE : ELECTION DAY
Please be advised that the Town of Black Brook offices will be closed on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, as our Town Hall will be utilized as a polling location for District 1 voters.
We appreciate your understanding and cooperation as we make our facility available for Election Day.
Regular office hours will resume on Wednesday, November 4, 2026.
WATER & SEWER UTILITY BILLS: PAYMENT DEADLINE NOVEMBER 6TH
A friendly reminder to all Town of Black Brook water and sewer customers that all outstanding utility bills must be received by the Town Clerk's Office no later than Friday, November 6, 2026.
This is an important deadline! Clinton County requires the Town to submit all unpaid water and sewer balances to their office for relevy onto property taxes, and our billing department must meet the County's submission deadline.
Please be aware that all unpaid utility bills will be assessed a 10% penalty, and the outstanding balance, including the penalty, will be added to your upcoming property tax bill.
To make your payment, please refer to the Town Clerk's Office payment and collection instructions printed on your utility bill.
We strongly encourage residents to make their payments before the deadline to avoid additional charges.
Thank you for your understanding, cooperation, and attention to these important reminders.
What a wonderful evening we had at our annual Halloween at the River Park celebration on Saturday, October 24th!
It was great seeing so many children and families come out, enjoy themselves, and take part in the festivities. Events like this are a reminder of what makes our community so special.
We are incredibly thankful to all of our sponsors, volunteers, businesses, organizations, and community participants who helped make the evening possible. Whether you donated candy, contributed supplies, provided food and refreshments, decorated, volunteered your time, or participated in the event, your generosity and support is greatly appreciated.
We are fortunate to have so many individuals and organizations who continue to show up for this community, year after year. It is something I am extremely proud of.
Thank you for another successful Halloween at the River Park. We hope everyone enjoyed the evening as much as we enjoyed hosting it!
Renee and the Town of Black Brook would like to extend a very special thank you to the 3rd and 4th grade students and the Aftercare Program children at Au Sable Forks Elementary School!
These thoughtful students took the time to create handmade Halloween cards for our local seniors and residents. The cards will be distributed on Monday along with our Fresh Food Boxes.
What a wonderful act of kindness! Something as simple as a handmade card can brighten someone's day and remind them that their community is thinking of them. We are so proud of these children for showing such generosity and compassion.
Community Cares Shelves & Food Pantry
Renee has recently received donations of newborn diapers and infant girls' clothing in sizes up to 9 months. These items are available to help families in our community who may need them.
We also want to extend our sincere appreciation to everyone who continues to donate to our Community Cares Shelves and Food Pantry. Whether your donation is large or small, every contribution makes a difference, and we are grateful for the continued generosity of our community.
Annual Winter Coat Drive
With colder weather approaching, our annual winter coat drive is beginning!
We are accepting donations of clean, gently used coats, hats, mittens, gloves, and scarves. These items will help keep our neighbors and families warm throughout the upcoming winter months.
Additional Community Need
Renee is also looking for a working electric space heater to assist someone in need. If you have one in good, safe operating condition that you would be willing to donate, please reach out.
Thank you to everyone who continues to support Renee, JCEO, and the families and residents who benefit from these programs. Your kindness truly makes a difference.
Soccer Season Has Wrapped Up!
With our fall soccer season officially behind us, we are now looking ahead to two of our winter favorites: Basketball and Ski Season.
We are pleased to share that we have an individual interested in serving as our Basketball Sports Coordinator! We anticipate bringing this appointment before the Town Board for approval at our November 9th meeting.
With that position hopefully being filled, we are looking forward to getting basketball registration underway.
Basketball Registration
We anticipate opening registration by November 11, 2026, for our 3rd/4th and 5th/6th grade basketball programs.
As a reminder, practices are scheduled to begin in January, with games beginning January 23rd and continuing through March 13th.
Please keep an eye out for registration information and additional announcements in the coming weeks!
SKI PROGRAM COORDINATOR NEEDED: $1,000 COMPENSATION
We are still in need of an individual willing to serve as our Ski Program Coordinator for the upcoming season.
In order for us to offer the Ski Program this winter, we must have a coordinator available to oversee the program and be on-site.
Our Ski Program has been a wonderful opportunity for local children to get outside, stay active, learn new skills, and enjoy the winter months. We would certainly hate to see the program go without a coordinator.
If you are interested or would like additional information about the responsibilities involved, please contact Jessie at:
Town Office: 518-647-5411, Ext. 1
Text: 518-524-9818
Please consider helping us continue to offer this opportunity to the children of our community!
While we're on the topic of our youth, I would also like to take a moment to recognize and congratulate two outstanding local soccer teams.
Congratulations to the Au Sable Valley High School Varsity Girls Soccer Team on capturing the Section VII Championship title!
And another big congratulations to the Saranac High School Varsity Boys Soccer Team on earning their Section VII Championship title!
I couldn't be prouder of these young athletes and their accomplishments. The hard work, dedication, determination, and teamwork it takes to reach this level of success is something to be extremely proud of.
Congratulations also to the coaches, families, and everyone who has supported these athletes throughout their seasons. Your encouragement and commitment play an important role in their success.
As someone who has always had a passion for youth sports and coaching, I know firsthand the time and effort these young athletes put into their seasons. Seeing our local students succeed, both on and off the field, is truly rewarding.
You have made your schools, families, and communities proud! Congratulations to both teams on an outstanding achievement!
As we head into November, I want to thank everyone who continues to support our Town, our community events, our youth programs, and the many organizations working to help our residents.
From the children making Halloween cards for our seniors, to our young athletes celebrating championship victories, to the volunteers helping with community events and the individuals donating to those in need, there are so many examples of kindness, dedication, and community pride happening right here at home.
These are the things that make Black Brook a special place to call home.
I also encourage residents to attend our November 9th budget public hearing and Town Board meeting. We have important decisions ahead of us, and I appreciate the opportunity to keep our residents informed and involved.
Once again, Happy Halloween to all of our children and families! Have a wonderful, and safe weekend.
Supervisor Douglass
Town of Black Brook
PO Box 715
AuSable Forks, NY 12912
Tel: 518-647-5411
