For generations, this property has been part of our family’s history. Our family traces its ownership back to the late 1700s, when the land was acquired from Stephen Van Rensselaer. Long before Water District #2, the property and the enormous roadside trees that stood in front of it had become part of the landscape, the home, and our family’s connection to Poestenkill.

The two trees were extraordinary in size—roughly four and a half feet in diameter—and over 200 years old. They had survived generations of our family, countless winters, road improvements, and decades of change along Route 66. Once they were cut down, that history could never be replaced.

When we learned that the Water District #2 project threatened the trees, we did not simply object and walk away. We repeatedly contacted Town officials, including Supervisor Michelle Garofolo, sought project plans and documentation, asked who was making the decisions, and requested that less destructive alternatives be seriously considered. We wanted communication, documentation, and an opportunity to understand the decisions before something irreversible occurred.

Instead, we were left without answers or any supporting documentation. Communications went unanswered or produced conflicting explanations. Responsibility appeared to shift among the Town, engineers, contractors, and other agencies. Decisions changed in the field. And despite our repeated attempts to engage Town leadership before the trees were removed, we never received the level of transparency or meaningful communication that we believe residents should expect from their local government.

Then the trees were gone.

For us, that loss became a visible example of a much larger concern surrounding Water District #2: when government decisions permanently affect residents and their property, communication and accountability cannot come after the damage is done.

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That experience is why this project exists.

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This is not simply the story of two trees. It is a story about what happens when residents ask questions, seek answers, and no one in their government is willing to take responsibility.