government

Amenia approves next stepsin acquiring charcoal kiln

AMENIA — Having accepted the donation of the twin restored Wassaic charcoal kilns, the Town Board approved the next steps for the acquisition at their regular meeting on Thursday, Aug. 15.

The vote was unanimous to use the engineering services of LaBella Associates of Poughkeepsie to conduct an environmental review of the 0.29 acre site, looking for evidence of any hazardous substance deposits. The cost of that review was approved at $1,900.

In a separate vote, the board unanimously voted to approve expense for a title search and title insurance for the site at a cost of $1,857.

In another action a Conservation Easement of 50% of the land comprising Troutbeck Conference Center was accepted by the town to be preserved and remain undeveloped in perpetuity. The action is part of Troutbeck’s 8-phase adaptive re-use plan requiring a special permit that is unfolding before the Planning Board.

Within the easement that includes a management plan are areas including an open water pond, wetlands and wetland buffers, stream corridors including Webutuck Creek, existing vegetative buffers, scenic areas, steep slopes and forested areas containing old growth and specimen trees.

The vote to accept the conservation easement and management plan was unanimous.

With the Ambulance Service contract about to expire on Dec. 31, the town board unanimously voted to renew a five-year contract with Northern Dutchess Paramedics. The contract is part of a joint agreement among the towns of Amenia, Dover and North East for emergency services.

Appointed by unanimous vote to fill a vacancy on the Housing Board was Juan Torres who brings a wealth of experience with housing matters, including as a member of the Board of Directors of the Silo Ridge Community Foundation, primary funding organization of the Amenia Wassaic Community Organization. He also serves as a principal within Stone Leaf Construction, LLC.
The board also accepted the recent resignation of Katie Sterk-Grassi from her position as the town’s Recreation Director.

Town Supervisor Leo Blackman sought town board members’ guidance on whether to continue to research an electronic information sign for the Town Hall. Board members’ comments were positive with member Paul Winters feeling a sign would be beneficial and councilmember Brad Rebillard agreeing.

Rebillard added that the water spigot at Fountain Square has undergone long-anticipated repair, enabling volunteers to water the planters without needing to haul water to the site.

government

Latest News

Millerton Police Dept. rebuilds after fire; new cruisers on the way

Millerton Police Dept. rebuilds after fire; new cruisers on the way

The borrowed Pine Plains cruiser parked on Main Street in front of the Millerton Inn during the Millerton Street Fair on Saturday, June 28.

Photo by Aly Morrissy

MILLERTON — After receiving substantial state grant funding in July 2024 and beginning to roll out new equipment that fall, the Millerton Police Department suffered a setback when the February fire at the Village Water and Highway Department building destroyed much of its newly acquired gear — including patrol vehicles outfitted with cutting-edge technology.

Thanks to full-value insurance coverage and swift support from the Town of Pine Plains — which loaned the department a vehicle — Millerton officers were able to remain active in the community. Millerton Police Chief Joseph Olenik said two custom-built, four-wheel-drive Ford Interceptor cruisers are now in production and are expected to arrive by the end of the summer.

Keep ReadingShow less

Uncertainty looms over Millerton community pool timeline

Uncertainty looms over Millerton community pool timeline

Groundbreaking of the new pool planned for Eddie Collins Park has been delayed after the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation intervened to determine the status of wetlands in the proposed building site.

Archive photo

MILLERTON — The long-awaited groundbreaking for a new community pool at Eddie Collins Memorial Park — once expected this past April — now faces significant delays with no definitive timeline in sight, Mayor Jenn Najdek said.

The primary setback stems from a still-pending permitting process, as the village awaits final approvals from the Dutchess County Board of Health and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation regarding septic placement and wetland buffers. A patch of wetlands on the site — roughly five feet by five feet, Najdek said — requires a protective buffer, which could range anywhere from 5 to 100 feet. That determination will dictate whether the current pool design needs to be altered or moved altogether.

Keep ReadingShow less

North East town records brought into the digital age

North East town records brought into the digital age

Chris Virtuoso reorganized parcel records in the North East Town Hall basement by parcel number during the process of scanning and digitizing the documents.

Photo by Grace DeMarco

MILLERTON — Within the walls of the two-story Victorian housing the North East Town Hall lies a room-full of town records dating back to the late 19th century. Stored in labeled cardboard boxes and protected by dehumidifiers, the records are in the process of being dated, organized, and scanned into categorized online programs.

As the Town Hall works to relocate to 5603 Route 22 at the former Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witness, the consolidation and digitalization of records, as well as the disposal of those unneeded, is a time-sensitive project. Marcy Wheatley, the Deputy Town Clerk, emphasized their current heavy focus on organizing and scanning. “Now, when we move, we can get rid of a lot,” Wheatley stated.

Keep ReadingShow less

Fun, food and facts bring crowds to downtown Millerton

Fun, food and facts bring crowds to downtown Millerton

Nora Garcia, 6, of Millerton, bottom right, gets a face painting treatment from Maddy Rowe, a Webutuck High School senior. Nora’s sister, Juliana, 8, top right, is decorated by Giana Kall, a Webutuck senior. The program was sponsored by the Webutuck PTA.

Photo by John Coston

Locals and visitors packed into downtown Millerton Saturday, June 28, for the first ever Millerton Street Fair hosted by the Millerton News, the Millerton Business Alliance and Townscape. Representatives from local nonprofits, businesses along Main Street, Bee Bee the Clown and face painters from Webutuck High School drew in crowds all afternoon.

Festivities officially opened at 10 a.m., and a steady stream of visitors soon followed. Volunteer firefighters hosted a bouncy castle, a duck pool, a “put out the fire” ring toss game, and the “touch a truck” event at the fire department’s garage.

Keep ReadingShow less