By Heather Skinner
ESPERANCE — At the regular monthly Esperance Village meeting on December 8th, almost every seat was full with attendees. Mayor Royce Gage, Clerk/Treasurer Michelle Parks, and Trustees Rachel Jeffers and Paul Roberts were all present.
Fire Chief Matthew Deffer started with a reminder that their Christmas in Esperance is going to start on December 20th with breakfast with Santa from 7 AM - 11 AM. There will be vendors (including a food vendor) from 1 PM -7 PM, and Holiday House Decorating contest winners will be announced and awarded 1st place-3rd place gift cards during the event. Deffer said there are quite a few contest entrants already, and any Village residents still wanting to participate must enter at Village Hall by the 14th. Those who enter will need to have their Christmas lights on while judging takes place on the evening of the 19th around 6:30 PM - 7 PM.
The Historical Museum’s Christmas in Esperance on December 6th was dubbed a, “Success,” by Jeffers; she detailed it as very busy, event organizers did a nice job, and added they still have Eastman’s Cheese House tee-shirts available. Updates on shirt availability can be found on an Esperance Historical Museum Facebook page (at the time of writing this article they have 6 mediums, 4 extra larges, they cost $20 each, and will be available during their December 11th Museum clean-up day from 9 AM-12PM.)
Deffer has already started coordinating the Fire Department and Museum Christmas celebrations as a combined event on the same day for next year, as opposed to the separate schedules this year.
Deffer said the Esperance Fire Department responded to 27 calls last month, 4 of those calls were for structure fires. Justin Miller commented, “Thanks, that’s a lot of work, that’s almost one every day.”
Parks mentioned one of the Fire Department trucks got heavily serviced recently when discussing voucher costs. Deffer elaborated that, “The price of everything has gone through the roof.” He said they have to do what they have to do to keep their trucks up and running, while staying aware of this being mid-year in their budget with a lot already having been spent on repairs and annual state-required testing of pumps, hoses, and ladders.
The Surplus 1994 Ford Utility Van bid was won by Joseph Vadney. The $6,500 will go into the Reserve Fund for the Fire Department, and Esperance Volunteer Fire Department @evfdNY accepts donations through Venmo.
Being mindful of snowplowing accessibility and parking regulations brought up during the meeting are safety measures to keep in mind this Winter that help firefighters on calls. November 1st - April 1st there is no parking permitted on State Route 20 and on the Village streets. Cars parked along the street will be towed at the vehicle owner’s expense. Signs are already hanging and more will be posted soon.
During the 5-minute privilege of the floor, Miller brought up people like him who regularly walk over the bridge when going to Hannaford, etc., and would like the bridge’s sidewalk cleared of snow. Gage explained it’s a State section of the road they can’t touch, so Parks will be reaching out about that for Miller and Deffer mentioned Miller can also send a letter to the Mineral Springs Cobleskill office about it because they are the ones that deal with that section of Route 20.
Those looking for information on using the Schoharie County Public Transportation Bus service this Winter like Miller was, Deffer said the bus comes to Esperance now; you just have to call to let them know you are looking for a ride, and Jeffers said the route is posted in the Post Office. The Schoharie County website page leads to Ride SCPT website with their number listed as (518) 234-0952.
The only updates for The Planning Board, Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA), and Beautification Committee is that they are all seeking members. Miller expressed an interest in joining The Planning Board. Anyone else interested in joining The Planning Board, Deffer said you can reach out to the Chair, Cathleen Houlihan, whose number is listed on the Schoharie County site as (518) 466-3690. You can also attend monthly meetings to share your interest in joining one of the committees with openings.
Esperance Village meetings take place in the Village Hall Meeting Room at 7 PM every 2nd Monday of the month (next month’s meeting will be on January 12, 2026).
Esperance Town Board meetings are every 3rd Thursday of the month in the Town Hall, also with a 7 PM start time; this month’s meeting will be on December 18th.
Keep an eye on the Esperance Village page through the Schoharie County website; Parks announced it will be up and running in January for them to post on after every meeting. Esperance Village Officials have control of it now instead of the County updating the page.
Thanks to Curators Scott Lavigne and Sandra Farah and to Historical Society President Ken Jones for photos and updates about the December 6th Christmas in Esperance. Trustee Rachel Jeffers dubbed the event a success during the Dec. 8th Village meeting. Scott Lavigne
recounted, “Christmas in Esperance returned to the Esperance Historical Museum on Saturday, December 6th, with sunny skies, brisk temperatures, and record-setting attendance for one of the community’s most beloved annual events. Inside the Museum, the library was filled wall-to-wall with homemade cookies baked by dedicated volunteers. Tables throughout the space showcased an impressive selection of handcrafted gifts, including ornaments, stocking stuffers, and lush poinsettias that quickly found new homes. This year also welcomed the debut of the new Eastman’s Cheese House T-shirts. The nostalgic design resonated with attendees looking to bring home a piece of local history. At times, the Museum’s library reached standing-room-only capacity, with a line forming as attendees waited to step inside. The raffle tables were equally packed, featuring an extensive lineup of donated items from generous members and supporters. Prize baskets ranged from tools and appliances to food baskets, and even a drone. Nearby, visitors gathered in the Presbyterian Church for a piano-led carol sing-along, which concluded with a moving rendition of “Silent Night.” The Esperance Historical Society extends its sincere thanks to each volunteer, donor, baker, crafter, and visitor who contributed to making the day such a success.”
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