Amenia Comprehensive Plan Review committee agrees to pursue planning grant

AMENIA — The Comprehensive Plan Review committee, charged with updating the 2007 plan, met on Tuesday, June 25, and agreed to seek funding to hire a planning consultant to assist with incorporating sustainability initiatives into the plan.

Following the guidelines of the Climate Smart Communities program administered by the state, the committee agreed to pursue a grant through the state Consolidated Funding Application process to support the services of a consultant.

The remainder of discussion focused on following a phased approach to the review committee’s work where the first phase will simply update factual data. As the committee has met, however, the need for a more substantial revision has become evident to the committee to create a more meaningful, useful planning document for the town.

The committee agreed to incorporate working notes suggesting areas that might need further development or information from other local town committees or groups.

Expressing unanimous praise for the valuable work of Paula Pelosi as a member of the committee, the committee acknowledged receipt of her resignation and initiated the process of asking the Town Board to name a replacement.

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Back to school
Photo by Leila Hawken

AMENIA — The first day of school on Thursday, Sept. 4, at Webutuck Elementary School went smoothly, with teachers enthusiastically greeting the eager young students disembarking from buses. Excitement was measurable, with only a few tears from parents, but school began anyway.


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The new Ford Interceptors are custom-built for law enforcement. “They’re more rugged than a Ford Explorer,” said Millerton Police Chief Joseph Olenik, noting the all-wheel drive, heavy-duty suspension and larger tires and engine. “They call it the ‘Police Package.’”

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Historical Society talk to explore the life and times of a Revolutionary Era loyalist

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Seen as the initial event in observance of the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution, the Amenia Historical Society will present a talk titled, “The Plight of a Loyalist in Revolutionary New York,” examining the journal of Cadwallader Colden, Jr., spanning the period of 1777-1779. The speaker will be noted author, genealogist and historian Jay Campbell.

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Townscape raffle reaches $7K pot

Erin Rollins of Millbrook in the Fashion Feed booth, open year round, at the Millbrook Antiques Mall. All proceeds from Fashion Feeds go to the Food of Life Pantry. As an interior designer by trade, Rollins designed this booth to evoke a high-end department store to align with the designer brands she carries.

Photo by Aly Morrissey

MILLERTON — The Townscape 50/50 raffle drawing has collected a pot of more than $7,000.

That raffle drawing will take place this Saturday at 2 p.m. in Veteran’s Park. The moment is not just about picking a winner, but also about reflecting on how far Townscape has come since its humble beginnings in 1998, when founder Catherine Fenn — alongside Renee Vollen and Jan Gilmor — first set out to beautify her beloved village.

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