New York is the only state requiring a public historian in every municipality.
The Saugerties Town Historian is appointed each year by the Saugerties Town Supervisor, and is required to serve all constituents of Saugerties regardless of partisan politics.
The Saugerties Town Historian is Audrey Klinkenberg. Her email address is genie2@hvc.rr.com.
The first, and primary, responsibility of a Town Historian is interpretation of the past. This can involve research and writing on aspects of the Town for publishing in books, magazines, and newspapers. Other responsibilities can include teaching, public presentations, advocating for historic preservation and being a resource for helping with questions relating to history and preservation. Some historians help in organizing and directing the activities around historical anniversaries and participating in other civic or patriotic observations.
The Town Board liaison to the Town Historian is Peg Nau.