Climate Smart Community (CSC) Task Force

Regular Meeting Schedule:

Climate Smart Committee Meetings: The CSC meets the fourth Tuesday of the month at 7 PM in the Masonic Hall meeting room. All are welcome.

Clinton: A Climate Smart Community

Climate Smart Communities (CSC) is a New York State program that helps local governments take action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to a changing climate. The CSC is an ad hoc committee of the Town’s CAC. As a town completes actions that help mitigate climate change at the local level, they are able to progress through three levels of CSC certification: bronze, silver, and gold.

The Town of Clinton created a Climate Smart Community Task Force in 2018, and the Town Board adopted the CSC pledge in the spring of 2021, officially registering us as a Climate Smart Community. 

In October 2024, the Town of Clinton was designated a Climate Smart Community at the Bronze Level.

Climate Smart Resiliency Planning (CSRP) Project – The Town of Clinton is participating in the Climate Smart Resiliency Planning (CSRP) process, facilitated by Cornell Cooperative Extension Dutchess County (CCEDC) through the Hudson River Estuary Program (HREP) and the New York State Climate Smart Communities (CSC) program. This effort helps municipalities evaluate how current plans, policies, and operations address local climate risks such as flooding, heat, and severe weather. Using the Climate Smart Resiliency Planning Tool (CSRPT), developed by NYSERDA and the CSC program, CCEDC guides the Town through a structured self-assessment to identify strengths, gaps, and opportunities to enhance community resilience. The purpose of this process is to help the Town strengthen its preparedness for climate impacts and ensure that local planning documents and policies support long-term resilience and sustainability goals. Here the link to the December 9, 2025 YouTube recording of the presentation. To learn more about this, visit this link to the Climate Smart Resiliency Planning (CSRP) Project. 

To learn more and keep up with our progress, visit the Town of Clinton CAC website.

CSC Task Force

The CSC Task Force consists of a local government official, local government staff members, residents, and other stakeholders. Members serve staggered two-year terms and there is an open number of members.

Term: January 1, 2024 to December 31, 2025:

1. Joseph Phelan, Chair, Member of CAC
2. Charles Canham, ZBA
3. Stan Orser
4. Todd Martin, Highway Superintendent

Term: January 1, 2025 to December 31, 2026:

1. Jean McAvoy, CAC Member
2. Richard Marshall
3. Ken Pickett
4. Jim Metcalfe
5. Melissa Karchmer
6. Stan Orser