Amenia Town Board adopts 2026 Town Budget

AMENIA — Amenia Town Board members adopted the 2026 Town Budget following limited public comment at a regular meeting on Thursday, Nov. 6.

Councilmember Brad Rebillard had been present for a portion of an executive session that preceded the regular meeting but had left the meeting before the public agenda opened.

Two public hearings were conducted during the meeting. The first that concerned passing a law to override the tax cap in connection with the 2026 town budget, drew no comment from residents.

The second public hearing on the proposed 2026 town budget drew a single comment from newly-elected historical society president Judy Westfall, who sought Town Board comment on why the line item for the historical society did not reflect her request for an increase.

With no further comment the public hearing closed.

Blackman sought the advice of town attorney Ian Lindars, asking whether a budget public hearing and a vote to adopt a budget could occur at the same meeting, receiving Lindars’ assurance that it was allowable.

Adoption of the proposed budget for 2026 was included in the consent agenda for the meeting, so no further comment or discussion occurred.

By unanimous vote the consent agenda passed and the Town Budget for 2026 was adopted.

A history of complaints from residents concerned about parking on Mechanic Street led the Town Board to seek to create changes to the local laws on parking, an issue that was discussed at the regular meeting on Thursday.

In response to residents’ parking complaints, the Town Board had asked attorney Ian Lindars to draft changes to the parking regulations to include rules for parking at electric vehicle charging stations and specifying allowable parking along Mechanic Street.

A public hearing on the changes to the local law has been scheduled for Thursday, Dec. 4, beginning at 7 p.m.

At the request of Town Supervisor Leo Blackman, Lindars reviewed the changes to the local laws that will be the subject of the December public hearing.

Lindars indicated that the new regulations will also answer residents’ concerns, prohibiting through-truck traffic along the length of Sharon Station Road that lies within the town.

The portion of the new law that concerns charging stations for electric vehicles specifies that the space is limited to that single purpose and none other.

Mechanic Street parking prohibitions are specific. On the east side of the street, cars will not be allowed to park within 107 feet measured southward from the stop sign at the corner of Route 343. On the west side of the street, parking would be prohibited within the 40 feet that extends southward from the southern end of the crosswalk. And then, only one car will be permitted to park between that 40-foot point and the telephone pole that stands 62 feet to the south.

Fines are specified to enforce the parking regulations. The first offense will carry a $100 fine, the second a $200 fine, and the third, $300, if all three occurred within an 18-month period. There are also provisions for towing at the owner’s expense.