Diane Valden is reporting for The Columbia Paper the Community Rescue Squad's funding request for 2020 to the town of Copake is only $79 more than last year. Copake Supervisor Jeff Nayer said early in the budget development cycle that news about the health of rescue squad finances was the best it has been in a long time. The annual amount Copake will pay toward the squad's operation will be under $240,000 near year. Other towns located in the squad’s coverage area got similar news. Ancram was asked for an additional $33 next year; Claverack will up its support by $3; Gallatin will increase its funding by $4; Hillsdale’s increase is $35 and Taghkanic will chip in an additional $9. The squad's total 2020 spending plan is $1.16 million, an increase of [point] 03 percent, or $295, over this year. The squad responds to a total of 1,700 to 1,800 calls every year from its base on Mountain View Road in Copake, regularly transporting patients to hospitals in Hudson, Great Barrington, Mass., Rhinebeck and Albany. In contrast, the news from the Valatie Rescue Squad was not as pleasant this year. The squad's Executive Director Scott Bowman appeared at before the Kinderhook Town Board meeting in October to ask for a $100,000 increase in funding for next year. Read the full story in The Columbia Paper.