1934 tax revenues rise, 3-year old takes poison, revived by doctor; Millerton’s aquifer studied
From the Archives: Thursday, July 24, 2025
From the Archives: Thursday, July 24, 2025
The following excerpts from The Millerton News were compiled by Kathleen Spahn and Rhiannon Leo-Jameson of the North East-Millerton Library.
‘Tax Revenues Total $29,747.03’; The July distribution of personal income tax revenues to the cities, towns and villages of Dutchess County totals $29,747.03, асcording to a report issued last week by County Treasurer Paul J. Miller. This distribution compares with a distribution of $18,747.92 received in July, 1933.
‘County Receives Liquor Revenues’; County Treasurer Paul J. Miller has received $34,416.52 in beverage tax and alcoholic control license fee revenues from the state comptroller for distribution among the two cities and twenty towns of Dutchess County. The distribution is made on the basis of population.
‘Copake Falls Child Drains Poison Bottle; Three - Year - Old Girl Revived By Physician’; Beatrice Burdick, three-year-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. W. N. Burdick, of Copake Falls, was revived by Dr. R. L. Bowerhan, of Copake, Friday afternoon after she had lapsed into unconsciousness as the result of having swallowed a few drops of poison from a bottle she had found in a rubbish barrel. The child was discovered by her mother immediately after she had drained the bottle which had contained a poison used in exterminating chicken lice.
Mrs. Burdick summoned Dr. Bowerhan at once, and while waiting for the physician, forced the child to drink a quantity of mustard water as an emetic. Dr. Bowerhan arrived within a few minutes. He stated that the girl would have died had be heen [sic] ten minutes later.
‘About Millerton; Returns From Fair’; Mr. and Mrs. Carl Fischer have returned from the Century of Progress Exposition where they were the guests of the Ford Motor Co. Dealers of the Edgewater district were taken to Chicago on a special train and after spending three days at the Fair, returned to New York. Mr. Fischer also visited the Thor factory while in Chicago.
‘Smoke Causes Damage In Fire At Loope Home’; Considerable damage was done by smoke when a kerosene water heater started a fire in the cellar of the Warren L. Loope residence on Simmons Street at about ten o’clock yesterday morning. The blaze was extinguished with chemicals by the Millerton Fire Department within a few minutes after its arrival upon the scene. The heat of the fire was so intense that it melted the solder with which the seams of the oil tank were sealed.
‘Millerton Centennial Celebration Takes Off’; The Village of Millerton is ready to celebrate the centennial of its incorporation.
The first of 3 big weekend festivals takes off on Friday, July 25, when a carnival opens at 7 p.m. at Eddie Collins Field, just north of Millerton on Route 22.
On Saturday a flea market will be held at the same location at 10 a.m. Reserved space costs $5 and set-up starts at 7 a.m. The carnival will continue all day Saturday.
The big day is Sunday, July 27, when the streets will be filled with the grandest parade ever seen in Millerton. Starting at 2 p.m. on Rudd Pond Road, the marchers will make their way through the village to Eddie Collins Field. The parade will feature 27 fire companies, Cyprus Shrine unit, 16 bands, clowns, horses, oxen, state and national dignitaries and floats. The carnival and musical entertainment will follow the parade at Eddie Collins Field.
‘Aquifer Study Termed ‘Unique’’; NORTH EAST— The water in Millerton doesn’t come from the Hudson, nor from a reservoir. Where does it come from, then?
The ground, of course.
If the village continues to grow in population and industry, it’s going to need more of it, said Russell Urban-Mead from the Chazen Companies Monday evening. So the area might as well have a plan for managing it.
That’s the reasoning behind the Harlem Valley Watershed Investigation, which Chazen produced in conjunction with five other municipalities in the Oblong Valley. The effort dates back to 1997, when engineers sat down with town officials to “brainstorm” about water policy.
The study, which looks at the watershed shared by the towns of Amenia, North East, Dover and Pawling, as well as the villages of Millerton and Pawling, was completed in January of 1999 and is funded by the Hudson River Valley Greenway Communities Council and the Dutchess County Water and Wastewater Authority (DCWWA). Mr. Urban-Mead called the effort “unique” in New York state.
“It’s rare to have six municipalities working on the same project,” he said.
The towns all lie along what’s termed the Harlem Valley’s Valley Bottom Aquifer System, which provides the majority of the municipalities’ water.
“The purpose of the study is to assemble all the available groundwater information describing water resources in the Harlem Valley” and “come up with a water use plan to protect quality and quantity into the future” said Mr. Urban-Mead at the meeting.
Several general recommendations emerge from the study. The first is adoption of Aquifer Overlay Districts in the valley bottom, which is the most vulnerable to contamination, and which provides the majority of water.
Moderate-risk land uses (such as light industry or fuel stations) should be located in “buffered areas,” where community water systems exist, and where contaminant releases could be mediated before a community’s well can be degraded.
Also recommended is limiting water consumption to “levels equaling half the drought flow of [valley-bottom] streams in each community.” If followed by all municipalities, the report notes, a “consistent protection plan” will result.
Mr. Urban-Mead presented a geologic summary of the aquifer from Wingdale to Wassaic, which he said is similar to the situation in North East. A diagram depicted a valley composed of highly permeable soils surrounded on the east and west by hillsides composed of less permeable material, with water concentrated in the valley. Wells within more permeable areas tend to yield 50 percent more water.
According to hydrogeologic studies, Millerton enjoys sufficient water flow even in dry times. The Webatuck Creek, which becomes the Tenmile River in Wassaic, runs the length of the aquifer and can yield approximately 100 gallons per minute, with the village drawing water at about half that
‘Tractors Will Pull Aug 5 in Millerton’; MILLERTON - The annual antique tractor pull sponsored by the Millerton Fire Department will be held Saturday, Aug. 5, starting at 9 a.m. and ending at dusk. It will be at Eddie Collins Field.
Hayrides for the children are planned and there will be a petting zoo plus food and fun for the family.
Vendors are needed for the day; call Diane Cawley. Rain date for the event is Aug. 6.
Millerton News
The annual Millerton Fire Company Easter egg hunt returned to Eddie Collins Memorial Park on Saturday, April 4.


Nathan Miller
MILLERTON — The Board of Trustees approved the coming year’s budget Monday, April 6, following no public comment.
The village’s expenses increased 15.8% over last year’s adopted budget. Board members attributed those increased costs to unavoidable spikes in health insurance rates and retirement payments.
Mayor Jenn Najdek said property assessments are slated to increase, which would provide the village with additional revenue. Najdek estimated tax increases of about $11.48 per $250,000 of assessed property value.
Tentative budget documents available on the village’s website reflect that wage increases and newly filled staffing positions further drove increases to the budget. Expenses for the Clerk and Treasurer’s office, along with the building department, each increased by more than 40% over last year. Deputy Mayor Matt Hartzog emphasized the board’s desire to provide raises to village staff.
“We have not given ourselves a raise,” Hartzog said. “But we would like to give all of our employees a raise, so that they can keep up with inflation.”
Hartzog called attention to rising medical insurance rates. Medical insurance expenses rose 15% to $38,300, representing roughly 4% of the total budget.
“Health insurance has just gone through the roof,” he said. “Nobody’s going to be happy about that.”
The Village Clerk budget increased by more than $21,000, driven by the separation of the Clerk and Treasurer line items, with both receiving hikes. The 15.9% rise, bringing the total to $70,240, represents the largest share of this year’s overall budget increase.
A similar additional line item in the Building Department expenses drove the 44% increase in that department’s budget. In addition to the “Building sec salary” line receiving a small increase, a “Building sec” line lists $11,700, contributing much of the total $11,852 increase to that department’s overall budget.
Police salaries increased by a total of $5,000. Highway crew salaries increased by $4,210 total.
Overall, the village expects to spend $975,156 this year, an increase of $132,836 over last year’s budgeted expenses.
Increases to expenses are partially offset by a $70,000 increase in expected non-tax revenue. That’s 22% higher than in 2025, but not quite enough to make up for the increased costs.
Millerton News
MILLERTON — The NorthEast-Millerton Library is set to host a free repair café on Saturday, April 25, in the library’s annex on Century Boulevard.
Fixers will offer free repairs for small electronics, clothing and textiles, and minor bicycle repairs among other things such as lamps and knife sharpening.
The event will run from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Repairs are limited to two items per person. Five knives count as one item.
The Millbrook Library will also be hosting a repair café on April 25 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. That event coincides with Millbrook’s community-wide yard sale.

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Nathan Miller
MILLERTON — The North East Town Board will add a workshop meeting to its regular monthly schedule after members said an additional meeting could help advance projects more efficiently.
Councilwoman Rachele Grieco Cole first proposed holding two meetings per month at the board’s March meeting. The discussion was continued at a workshop meeting on Wednesday, April 1, with council members agreeing to regularly hold a workshop meeting on the first Wednesday of every month at 5:30 p.m.
The additional meeting will provide time for discussion and planning, while the regular business meeting will continue on the second Thursday of each month. Council members supported the change, citing major projects and grant opportunities that would benefit from additional discussion.
Natalia Zukerman
Blues musician James Montgomery
When the Rock n’ Roll Circus rolls into Infinity Music Hall in Norfolk on Saturday, April 11, it will bring together an all-star lineup of musicians and a mission that reaches far beyond the stage.
Presented by Rockin’ 4 Vets, this concert will benefit the United Way of Northwest Connecticut’s “Stock the Shelves” program, which supports food pantries across the region. The United Way, part of a national network founded in the late 19th century, has long worked to mobilize communities in support of local health, education and financial stability initiatives, efforts that continue today through programs like Stock the Shelves, which helps ensure families have access to essential food resources.
It’s a dual mission that founder of Rockin’ 4 Vets Jim Tirabassi described simply: “We put on the show for a dual purpose — to make people happy and to support local causes.”
What began in 2015 as V is for Veterans has evolved into Rockin’ 4 Vets, a production company built around benefit concerts supporting veterans and community needs. Tirabassi, a former rock tour manager, said the work is less about music than mission. “I love building things and I love the idea of building these shows for a purpose.”
This year’s purpose has shifted a bit. “We are seeing that veterans and non-veterans have the same issues in terms of food access,” Tirabassi said. “So, we figured we’d make it a broad-based thing and do it for the food pantries throughout New England.”
The show itself promises to deliver on its “house party” promise with high-energy, high-octane rock and blues featuring Grammy-nominated guitarist Jon Butcher, former Epic Records artist Steve Gaspár and New England blues legend James Montgomery, along with a horn section and a rotating cast of accomplished players.
“It’s a bunch of people who actually like each other which is always a good starting point,” Montgomery said. “In the case of me and Jon Butcher, we’ve been playing together for something like 50 years.”
That chemistry extends beyond the stage. “We get together a few times a year and brush up,” Montgomery said. “We’ve been doing this long enough to understand how to put something together in sound check that’s actually gonna really gel.”
For Montgomery, who has performed with everyone from B.B. King to The Rolling Stones, Bonnie Raitt and James Brown, the spirit of the event is as important as the music. “We have a superstar lineup and then the added feature is we raise money to put food on the shelves.”
The collaboration has a long history. Montgomery was an early supporter of Tirabassi’s effort to assist veterans; an effort rooted in Tirabassi’s own service. “I was in the Army in the early ’70s,” Tirabassi said, adding that his organization now focuses on issues like PTSD, addiction and homelessness.
“I am a very fortunate person,” Tirabassi said. “My wife and I live fairly well and don’t have to worry about where our next meal’s coming from, but we were on a trip through New England last fall and we saw so many food banks with police directing traffic. People just trying to get some food. It was so bad and it broke both our hearts,” he continued. That moment of clarity became a driving force for this year’s show.
“What we’re trying to do is help society in general,” he said. “And when people come to the show, they’re part of that.”
Montgomery, a lifelong road warrior and harmonica player known for his work with artists from Muddy Waters to Gregg Allman, still lights up when talking about the energy of live performance and the connection it creates.
“It’s a really, really great place to play,” he said of Infinity Hall. “It feels really intimate when you play there.”
And in that intimate setting, the Rock n’ Roll Circus aims to do what it does best: bring people together through music while helping make sure more families have food on their tables.
Doors open at 7 p.m., with the show beginning at 8 p.m. Tickets are available at infinityhall.com.
Millerton News
MILLERTON — Robert Donald “Bob” Stevens, 63, a lifelong area resident died unexpectedly on Monday evening, March 30, 2026, at his home in Millerton, New York. Bob had a 40-year career with the Town of North East Highway Department where he currently served as the Town of North East Highway Superintendent for nearly two decades. One of Bob’s proudest accomplishments was seeing the completion of the new Town of North East Highway Department Facility on Route 22 in Millerton.
Born Dec. 20, 1962, in Sharon, he was the son of the late Kenneth W. and Roberta K. (Briggs) Stevens. Bob was a 1981 graduate ofWebutuck High School in Amenia, he also attended BOCES Technical School in Salt Point, New York, while enrolled at Webutuck. Bob served his community for many years as an active member of the Millerton Fire Company and was a longtime member of the New York State Association of Town Superintendents of Highways, Inc., where he always enjoyed attending highway training school in Lake Placid. Bob really enjoyed traversing the local roadways in Millerton in his iconic orange pick-up truck, and could often be seen at all hours of the day and night making sure that the main roads and side roads were in the best possible condition for his friends and neighbors. Bob loved the Town of North East and he will be dearly missed by those he served throughout his decades long career. In his spare time, he enjoyed texting with his son Robert, time on the Hudson River and rebuilding engines for many friends in his younger years.
Bob is survived by his son, Robert Donald Stevens, Jr., and his partner Elizabeth Gillett of Austin, Texas; his sister, Donna M. Archer of Rockledge, Pennsylvania; his nephew Josh Archer and his wife, Ashley Archer Monteiro of Jenkintown, Pennsylvania; his aunt, Annette Shaffer; his uncle, Frederick G. Briggs and many good friends. In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by his aunt, June Briggs.
At Bob’s request there will be no calling hours. Private entombment in The Community Mausoleum will take place at Poughkeepsie Rural Cemetery, 342 South Avenue, Poughkeepsie, NY.
Special stories, reflections of Bob and condolence offerings can be sent to Bob’s son at Robert.Stevens.Jr@gmail.com. Memorial contributions may be made to the Millerton Fire Company, P.O. Box 733, Millerton, NY 12546. To send an online condolence to the family or to plant a tree in Bob’s memory, please visit www.conklinfuneralhome.com. Arrangements have been entrusted to Scott D. Conklin Funeral Home, 37 Park Avenue, Millerton, NY 12546.

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