Faced with the possibility of not having a summer camp for a third year in a row, the Town of Plattekill has decided to open it even though interest isn’t as high as usual.

The Town Board confirmed at its June 1 meeting that the Plattekill Recreation’s Kids Summer Camp would resume this year after being canceled due to the pandemic in 2020 and 2021. The five-week camp will be held June 27 through July 29 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. during the week at Thomas Felten Park.

There will be no camp on July 4.

It didn’t appear that the camp would be held after Recreation Director Kim Way reported to the board at its May 18 meeting that she only had 24 signups for the camp.

Way said in the past the town would have received about 75 to 80 applications by this time.

Supervisor Jennifer Salemo responded at the May 18 session that it was her “gut feeling” that the camp probably wouldn’t be held due to the lack of interest and the cost to the town.

But now that the town has decided to go ahead with the summer camp, Way said she is confident that she’ll be able to attract 75 to 80 campers by the time the camp is scheduled to start. She said she currently has 28 campers signed up.

“I made 11 phone calls just sitting here tonight,” Way said following her presentation to the board on Wednesday. “So, I’m hoping to get a flood of at least another 40 in the next two weeks.”

Salemo felt it would have been a mistake not to have the summer camp since the money for it was already in the town budget.

“Potentially if we don’t do the camp a third year, we’re really going to struggle next year,” Salemo said. “So, if it’s already in place, let’s move forward with it.”

Way said anyone interested in enrolling their child in the town camp can contact her through the Town of Plattekill’s Recreation page on Facebook or by calling the Town Hall.

The summer camp application is available on the Town of Plattekill website under the Recreation Department.

The camp is open for children 5 and older. Activities include Friday field trips, pool days, sports, crafts, games and storytelling, according to a flyer about the camp on the town website.

In other news, the board voted 4-0 to limit public comment to three minutes per person at board meetings. The move came after former Supervisor Judy Mayle had dominated several public hearings on the since-passed towing law with a series of questions and suggestions to the board.

“It’s really out of respect for everyone else’s time,” Salemo said. “There are people who have an extensive amount of extra time that they can sit here for hours. Then there are people who make the time to come here to put their input in and it’s not fair to drag everyone else through that extra time.”

The board also approved Boy Scout Troop 195’s request to park vehicles and collect donations at the town’s July 4 Fireworks display at Thomas Felten Park.

Scoutmaster Brandon Kurta appeared before the board to also request approval to break ground on a 3.5-mile hiking and biking trail at the park.

Councilman Dean DePew Sr. told Kurta that he should contact Town Highway Superintendent Robert Wager about the project before moving forward.

“I would encourage you to speak to him because I think there are some other things in the plans for making a trail over there,” DePew said. “He might welcome the assistance of the Boy Scouts.”

Kurta said the Boy Scout Troop would also like to donate two benches and two trees in the memory of the late Town Historian Shirley Anson and the late Judith Croce, wife of former Supervisor Joseph Croce.

Salemo also reported that the town board will begin interviewing candidates to replace the late board member Larry Farrelly, who passed away on April 14. Salemo said the town has received applications from 12 interested candidates.