Emilia Teasdale is reporting for The Columbia Paper Chatham Town Board member Landra Haber has announced her resignation, effective October 31. Haber was elected to the town board in 2015 and would have faced re-election in 2019. At the October 18 board meeting, Town Supervisor Maria Lull said the board could appoint someone to serve out the rest of Haber’s term. “I have loved being on the board,” Haber said. Her resignation was submitted due to health reasons, but “very reluctantly,” she said. Lull thanked Haber for her service. In other business, the board began its 2019 town budget discussions. Board member Bob Balcom announced his tentative spending plan calls for an overall tax increase of approximately 0.79 percent, which falls under the state-mandated tax cap. The 2019 budget includes a 2 percent wage increase for most employees, but there are no planned raises for the members of the Town Board, Planning Board, Zoning Board of Appeals and Board of Assessment Review. Town Justice James Borgia-Forster attended the meeting to request pay hikes for the two town judges and the town court clerks. The board will hold a public hearing the tentative 2019 budget 6 p.m., November 1 at Town Hall. The next regular meeting of the full board will be held November 15. Read the full story in The Columbia Paper