AMENIA — Recent changes to the Silo Ridge management team prompted the Amenia Planning Board to meet the new team members at the board’s regular meeting Thursday, Sept. 25.
The board also held preliminary discussions on a proposed local law to regulate distribution of cannabis.
Although he retired 16 months ago as Silo Ridge project engineer, Patrick O’Leary interrupted his retirement to serve as consultant to the organization as it introduces a new leadership team. Acting as a consultant for Silo Ridge Ventures, he is assisting with the transition period. O’Leary attended the planning board meeting to introduce members of that new team.
Introduced were Mike Clark, Sr. Vice-President for Development, Silo Ridge Ventures; Saul Scherl, President, Silo Ridge; Zach Winick, Sr. Vice-President, Operations and Development, Silo Ridge Field Club; and Richard Fricke, Project Chief Financial Officer, Silo Ridge. Also present was Michael Ryan, General Manager, Silo Ridge, a continuing member of the team.
O’Leary explained that although there were changes to the management team, there has been no change in Silo Ridge ownership.
“We must work together to achieve goals,” said Scherl, suggesting a new and improved relationship with town officials.
“We are eager to work with the town in a collaborative way,” Scherl added.
Clark echoed the sentiment, indicating that the team is eager to receive the planning board’s input. He said that Silo Ridge is coming up with a new concept and plan, what he termed a “thoughtful design.”
“We are working toward elevating the community and making it fit together,” Clark said.
O’Leary said that the team is re-thinking aspects of the original Silo Ridge planning and would be preparing a revised master plan for future presentation to the Planning Board.
Planning Board member Ken Topolsky, who also serves on the Comprehensive Plan Review Committee, suggested that people who live within the Silo Ridge Community no longer be considered “members.”
“Are they not residents of Amenia?” he asked.
Feeling that an overall organizational chart defining the Silo Ridge business structure would be helpful to the Planning Board, member Nina Peek asked that such a chart be submitted.
O’Leary agreed, adding that he is preparing a status review report showing existing development, scheduled development and envisioned development.
Board member Walter Dietrich suggested that a summary be prepared to describe the Silo Ridge organizational structure to assist local residents in understanding the various elements.
Cannabis distribution
Having received a draft of a local law that would seek to determine a possible location for a cannabis distribution retail establishment and determine as well whether a cannabis grower might be permitted to sell on his own acreage, the Planning Board opened discussion of the drafted law that had been prepared by Town Attorney Ian Lindars and AKRF Consulting.
The Town Board had agreed to preparation of the drafted local law and that it be sent on to the Planning Board for comment.
Planning Board engineer John Andrews said that he felt that the draft law needs to be expanded in detail.
“Do you think you as a Planning Board are better able to look at issues related to an eventual site plan?” Andrews asked.
Board member Peek felt that the Planning Board should retain the responsibility for site plan approval and she sought clarification of regulations, feeling that the local law draft would need to be fleshed out.
The maps attempting to define possible sites in view of separation rules where the state requires that any distribution point stand a determined distance from public entities including schools, houses of worship, parks, playgrounds were also discussed. While the maps showed separation measured by radius, Peek wanted that measurement method examined further.
Town Board liaison to the planning board, Rosanna Hamm, agreed that measurement methods might be examined and reiterated her concerns about parking.
Andrews advised that several towns have required any applicant to obtain a state license before pursuing final approval from the towns.
Planning Board attorney Paul Van Cott commented that the board had been invited to conduct an informal review of the local law draft and to send their comments back to the Town Board. He noted that the planning board will have an opportunity to review the drafted law later in the process.
“It’s a more complicated calculus,” Peek observed, involving location, lighting and parking.
“The site plan is an essential element in making this work,” Andrews said.
"They had this in mind from last year," girls varsity head coach Les Funk of Pine Plains said. Funk said the young team wanted the sectional title and "never gave up," until they won it Wednesday, March 5, at Mount Saint Mary College.Photo by Nathan Miller
Naveah Rennie, no 34 of Pine Plains, was the Bombers' dominant scorer, racking up 20 points by the end of the matchup against S.S. Seward Institute during the Section IX Class C finals at Mount Saint Mary College on Wednesday, March 5.Photo by Nathan Miller
Lent: Time to consider social gospel movement
We are entering the annual Christian season of Lent this week.With its 40 days of contemplation and “little Easter” Sundays, it is a time to remember the healing ministry and the sacrifice of Jesus.During this season, we are invited to think deeply about our role as agents of grace and love in our hurting world.
There is a long history of making sacrifices and commitments for Lent, modeling our discipleship and hopes for a more heavenly world. It is through this lens that I invite you to join us in considering what gifts and services the community needs that we can commit to bringing forth in the weeks leading up to Easter.While many lean into solitary introspection during Lent, it may be particularly advantageous to use our meditations and sacrifices for the greater good this year.
John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, advised his followers centuries ago that “The gospel of Christ knows of no religion, but social; no holiness but social holiness. Faith working by love is the length and depth and breadth and height of Christian perfection.”These words are connected to the firm belief of Wesley that a Methodist was fundamentally one who loved God with all their heart, mind, strength, and soul, along with loving one’s neighbor as oneself.He believed that being in love with God naturally also required loving other people, as every person was a beloved soul coming from the same source of life that we are.
Consequently, Wesley stood against slavery long before it was a popular view, prioritized caring for those who were poor and imprisoned, and made a point to do good to as many as he could for as long as he was physically able.
Indeed, the Methodists are not the only Christians who believe such things.These thoughts are primary messages of the Christian faith.In more recent history, we can note that during the time of the Golden Age, at the end of the late 19th century, the Christians mobilized to counteract the abject poverty, child labor, dangerous working conditions, and lack of education of the time.Famous theologians such as Washington Gladden, Walter Rauschenbusch, and W.E.B. DuBois began the Social Gospel movement, enacting with new verve the passion of Christ that empowers the community toward building the Kingdom of God.As Christians, they believed in uplifting the downtrodden and creating a community where all had a chance to thrive.Child labor laws were enacted, better working conditions were secured, Sunday School helped provide education, settlement houses were created, and the Salvation Army was born.
The social gospel movement continued in another wave of reforms and empowerment through the Civil Rights era.Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. gave his intellect, energy, and life to help secure the reforms that enabled persons of color to vote, go to non-segregated schools, and have the right to share public spaces without discrimination.Like Christ, he paid the ultimate price for his prophetic vision.However, his impact on our society was formidable, lasting far beyond his short lifetime.
As Christians, it is very clear what to do in times of hardship, crisis, or challenge.Throughout the centuries, our call has been to help heal the world, doing whatever we can to uplift and transform loneliness into community, reminding each one how precious they are and how important it is to unite for the sake of the whole.Individually, the challenges can be overwhelming, even too much to bear.Collectively, we can do all things through the One who strengthens us.As they say, “We have the receipts!” We can do it again.
This Lent, let us give up our pessimism and fear, replacing it with a commitment to community and hope.Yes, things can seem dreadful, but our souls are not served by allowing ourselves to descend into the dark.We are keepers of the light.Let us do all within our power to create brightness so that its warmth may strengthen all as we live into the Social Gospel movement for our time.Chin up, friends, we can do this.We simply must be willing to get serious about doing it together.
Rev. Dr. Anna Crews Camphouse is pastor of Canaan, Lakeville, Millerton, and Sharon United Methodist Churches
Lead Pastor of the Northwestern Hills Cooperative
Parish UMC