New York State Senator Pete Harckham hosted a “Coffee and Conversation” gathering on Thursday, August 6, at the Patterson Public Library, giving local residents an opportunity to ask questions, share concerns and discuss a wide range of issues affecting their communities.
“Our residents deserve the opportunity to have their questions and concerns about issues answered face-to-face by their elected officials,” Harckham said. “These Coffee and Conversation events also give me an opportunity to speak about the work we’re doing, both in Albany and here in our local communities. We truly appreciate Library Director Stephanie Harrison allowing us to host this event here.”
Since taking office in 2019, Harckham has hosted monthly “Coffee and Conversation” events throughout the district to stay connected with constituents, hear directly from residents and ensure their voices are represented in Albany.
Among the topics discussed in Patterson were local road repairs, grant funding for municipalities and nonprofits, solar energy and environmental protection.
Addressing concerns about local roads, Harckham noted that New York State has invested more than $300 million in roadways throughout Senate District 40 since he took office in 2019.
Harckham highlighted two roadway rehabilitation projects in the area. Route 311, from Route 52 to the Empire State Trail in the towns of Kent and Patterson, is currently under construction. Nearby Route 52 was repaved last year from Fowler Avenue in the Town of Carmel to just beyond the intersection with State Route 311 in the Town of Kent.
He also pointed to the recent widening of the turning lanes on Route 311 by Patterson Crossing and the addition of substantial signal upgrades along Routes 311 and 52 near the property, for which he secured $1.5 million in state funding.
Harckham also discussed his commitment to supporting local municipalities and nonprofit organizations through state grant funding. Since taking office, he has secured more than $40 million in discretionary grants for communities throughout the district.
He highlighted his recently announced $2.1 million public safety initiative, under which each municipality will receive $100,000 for public safety projects. Eligible projects include equipment and vehicles for first responders, sidewalks and crosswalks for pedestrians, generators to support heating and cooling centers, and other local public safety needs.
Harckham spoke about his ongoing efforts to protect the Great Swamp, an important regional wetland and environmental resource. As part of the most recent State Budget, he secured $300,000 for an environmental study of the swamp to determine the most effective approach to rehabilitating and protecting the vital wetland.
The discussion of solar energy included Harckham’s Accelerate Solar for Affordable Power (ASAP) Act, which was adopted as part of the State Budget. The legislation increases New York’s distributed solar target from 10 gigawatts (GW) to 20 GW by 2035 while streamlining the process for connecting new solar projects to the electric grid.
The ASAP Act also makes solar energy more accessible to homeowners and is projected to save ratepayers $1 billion annually.
Harckham opened the event by discussing the 2026 legislative session and his work in the State Senate, where he serves as Chair of the Environmental Conservation Committee.
He highlighted his efforts to increase state education funding for the Brewster Central School District and Carmel Central School District. Since he took office in 2019, total state aid to the school districts has increased by $17,403,527 (89%) and $14,220,303 (50%), respectively.
Through his ongoing Coffee and Conversation series, Harckham said he will continue to engage directly with residents throughout the district, provide updates on state initiatives and bring local concerns back to Albany.