Charlestown to Host Joint Water, Wastewater Commissioners and Selectboard Workshop Jan. 28

The Town of Charlestown posted an official notice and agenda for a joint Water/Wastewater Commissioners and Selectboard workshop scheduled for January 28, 2026 at 5:30 pm in the Community Room. The town’s Recent Agendas listing shows the entry as "Water/Wastewater/Selectboard Workshop" with a linked "View Agenda Agenda PDF."

Local oversight of water and wastewater systems touches household service, public health, and municipal budgets, making the workshop relevant to residents and small businesses across Sullivan County. The meeting follows earlier Water/Wastewater/Selectboard workshops listed on the town site, including sessions on December 23, 2025 at 2:00 pm and two entries dated October 22, 2025 at 5:30 pm, which appear twice in the agenda listing. Selectboard activity continues alongside the workshop schedule; the site also displays separate Selectboard meeting agendas from January and December 2025.

Charlestown’s town site places this meeting alongside other near-term municipal items that frame the local calendar. Recent postings include a Town Deliberative Session scheduled for February 7, 2026 at Town Hall, 19 Summer Street at 10am; an announcement that Municipal Resources Inc will conduct the Charlestown 2026 revaluation; and a notice that the 2026 Declaration of Candidacy window ran January 21–30, 2026. Taken together, those postings suggest the town is moving into a period of budget and governance decisions that could intersect with water and wastewater planning.

The materials provided to reporters link an agenda PDF for the Jan. 28 workshop, but the agenda text itself was not included among the files delivered for this story. For that reason the specific presenters, agenda items, public comment procedures, and any voting or budget actions remain to be confirmed by reviewing the linked PDF or subsequent meeting minutes. Reporters and residents seeking details should consult the town website’s agenda PDF to see attachments, presenter names, and access instructions.

Separately, a regulatory excerpt in the supplied materials addresses grease trap and sewer standards and contains technical language that may be of interest to commercial food service operators and property owners. That excerpt states, "Maintenance of grease trap shall include the complete removal of all contents, including floating materials, wastewater, and bottom sludge and solids," and notes that "This work shall be performed by a qualified and licensed hauler." It also states that "The grease trap must be pumped out completely a minimum of once every four months, or more frequently, as determined by the City of Charles Town," and that a "hydrostatic test shall be conducted in accordance with the most recent edition of the AWWA Standard, with a minimum test pressure of 30 psi." This regulatory text is part of the materials provided but is not explicitly linked to the Jan. 28 agenda in the files reviewed.

What this means for Charlestown residents is practical: review the Jan. 28 agenda PDF for any proposed rate, capital, or regulatory items that could affect water service or local businesses, and watch for posted minutes after the meeting to follow outcomes and next steps.