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ZBA rejects attempt to reopen 20-year dispute over illegal Cooper Road home
John Coston
Feb 25, 2026
Zoning Board of Appeals chair Edie Greenwood hears comments from board member Jeff Stark during a regular meeting of the board on Thursday, Feb. 19.
Photo by Aly Morrissey
MILLERTON — The Town of North East Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) voted Thursday, Feb. 19, to formally deny a request that would have reopened a 20-year-old dispute over an illegal dwelling on Cooper Road, bringing the latest chapter of the long-running Vitiello case to a close — and leaving the future of the property unresolved.
The rehearing request, filed in September 2025 by Josephine and Erasmo Vitiello, sought to revisit a 2005 ZBA decision related to the legality of their dwelling — a home located in a landlocked wood lot that has never received a certificate of occupancy.
Although the structure received a building permit in 2005, Town Attorney Warren Replansky has said it was approved as a shed but built as a single-family residence without the required public road frontage. It remains illegal under the town’s zoning code and litigation between the town and homeowners in 2018 resulted in an injunction requiring the property to be vacated.
The home, however, remains occupied, prompting public questions about enforcement by the Town Board. Thursday’s meeting served as the board’s final opportunity to determine whether it would reopen the case. The ZBA declined to do so, voting 3-1 to adopt a formal resolution written by Replansky denying the request.
The vote leaves the original ZBA ruling in place and affirms that the board will not consider whether the structure can be legalized. The future of the property is now back in the hands of the town’s zoning enforcement powers, returning to a status quo that has left residents of the illegal dwelling and neighbors uncertain about next steps.
While the agenda framed the item as a “review and vote on the decision for the reconsideration,” the board’s discussion shifted to broader questions about the legality of decisions made decades ago.
Board member Jeff Stark attempted to introduce a motion to re-hear the original 2005 determination, arguing that the ZBA’s original ruling contained legal errors — specifically that the board had imposed conditions it did not have the authority to impose and overstepped into the jurisdiction of the highway superintendent and town engineer.
No board member seconded Stark’s motion.
The decision ends the Vitiellos’ attempt to revive the zoning case through the ZBA, the latest chapter of a dispute that has dragged on for years.
Stark, in a lengthy statement entered into the record, argued that the 2005 decision should be clarified to remove conditions the ZBA had no legal power to enforce and to make clear that any path forward lies outside of the ZBA. Other board members did not respond on his comments.
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Stanford supervisor pushes transparency in first year
Aly Morrissey
Feb 25, 2026
Julia Descoteaux
Photo by Aly Morrissey
STANFORD — Last fall, Julia Descoteaux campaigned for and won election as Stanford’s supervisor — but she says she does not want Town Hall to feel political. Instead, she wants it to be accessible and transparent, qualities that recently earned Stanford top honors from the New York Association of Towns (NYAT).
Last week, Stanford’s town officials attended the annual NYAT luncheon to receive official recognition as a 2026 “Gold Town of Excellence,” an achievement that acknowledges towns that go above and beyond in the areas of economic development, sustainability, planning, community engagement, governance and transparency, and workforce development.
“This honor reflects the hard work happening every day,” Descoteaux said. “It belongs to our entire community.”
Descoteaux, a Democrat, describes the position as both representative and chief financial officer. As Stanford’s budget officer, she is responsible for keeping the town on stable financial footing while navigating the pressures common to rural communities. Rising housing costs, an aging population, limited staff capacity and a narrow tax base are among the challenges she said will command her focus in the year ahead.
“I try to lead with data and examples,” Descoteaux said. She moved from New York City to Stanford during the COVID-19 pandemic and now serves as town supervisor. “I think of myself as a very community-minded and neighbor-minded leader.”
Stanford has been helped in recent years by generous donors — including a sizable $2 million gift to subsidize EMS and ambulance service — but Descoteaux said philanthropy can’t replace long-term financial planning.
“That’s not a long-term solution,” she said.
Her approach, she said, is to minimize the burden on taxpayers by pursuing grants and outside funding — while being candid about the tradeoffs that come with them. Stanford is one of the only towns in Dutchess County not part of the Greenway Compact, she said, which can limit grants and funding.
“Everything has tradeoffs,” she said. “My goal is to talk about all of the pros and cons.”
The transparency-first stance is likely to be tested as the town prepares to take up zoning recommendations and changes later this year, tied to Stanford’s comprehensive plan “Preserving Our Rural Character and Advancing Economic Vitality,” adopted in December 2023. Descoteaux expects the conversation to be high-stakes — in part because residents are protective of the town’s rural character.
“Most people really want to keep Stanford rural,” she said. “They don’t want Stanford to turn into something it’s not.”
While a significant portion of Stanford’s land is permanently protected from development, those parcels generate little or no property tax revenue. As a result, the town must fund its services with a smaller tax base, creating additional financial strain.
At the same time, she said, preserving Stanford’s identity cannot come at the expense of long-term sustainability, particularly as housing costs continue to rise.
In the near term, Descoteaux said she hopes to make local government easier to access and understand. Her priorities include modernizing the town website, livestreaming meetings, digitizing the paper-based building department and, eventually, enabling electronic payments.
“These are things that can be solved with technology,” she said, describing efficiency as both a workforce issue and a fiscal one.
Descoteaux’s style is deliberately personal — a hockey mom and a dog mom who talks about government in the language of neighbors in an attempt to avoid divisiveness. Government works best when residents stay in the loop and the conversation, she said.
“Feedback is a gift,” she said. “We read everything. My ask is that we keep up that dialogue.”
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Irving Francis Robbins
Millerton News
Feb 25, 2026
Photo by Sarah Kenyon, courtesy of BTCF.
CORNWALL — Irving Francis Robbins of Cabot, Vermont, age 85, died in his home with his family by his side on Feb. 11, 2026.Irv lived an active and fulfilling life, and he often spoke of how truly fortunate he was.He took great pleasure in family, friends, teaching and coaching, travel, the forest, and UConn basketball.
Born in May of 1940 in Torrington, Connecticut, to John and Dorothy Robbins, Irv grew up beside the Weigold dairy farm near Winchester.
The youngest of four children, Irv’s early education began in a one-room schoolhouse.A childhood spent fishing and hunting sparked his lifelong interest in the forest and self-sufficiency.Baseball games and jaunts through the woods with his siblings were balanced with work at home and on the farm. As a young man, Irv worked at the Great Mountain Forest in Norfolk where his interest in the forest grew.
A member of the Army National Guard and a graduate of Western Connecticut State University and the University of Hartford, Irv’s teaching career spanned several decades.
He was a stalwart figure at Sharon Center School where he taught for twenty-nine years and coached multiple sports.
An advocate for youth athletics, he helped organize the first Region One track meet for elementary students, an event he championed for many years. Above all, he enjoyed the students and staff of SCS.
While on sabbatical in the early 1990s, Irv taught English at a language university in Wrocław, Poland for a year, an adventure he relished.
Irv married Cindy in 1965. After several years in Oregon and Vermont, the couple returned to Connecticut and chose Cornwall to raise their children. A kind and patient father, Irv was supportive of Leslie’s and Luke’s education and interests. His luge run provided hours of fun every winter, and his maple syrup was a household favorite.
Irv’s many extra jobs, from lawn care to security at Lime Rock Park, ensured his family’s educational opportunities.
After retiring from teaching, Irv built two homes in Cabot, Vermont: one atop a hill, off the grid, on a Class IV road, and the other, easily accessible, at the bottom of that hill.He and Cindy enjoyed Vermont living with Irv working the land with his tractor and backhoe. He developed vegetable and flower gardens, meadows, and forest paths. He planted firs for Christmas trees, harvested wood, and maintained and plowed the long road to his home.
Irv was an involved grandfather, lucky to live near both of his children and their families in retirement.A good neighbor, Irv liked to visit and was always ready to lend a hand. He was open to meeting new people and took interest in their experiences. Ever the advocate for independence and self-reliance, Irv tutored newcomers to the United States in English and encouraged people of all ages to pursue their education.He will be missed dearly by those who knew and loved him.
Irving was predeceased by his wife, Cynthia Robbins; his sister, Shirley Pedone; and his granddaughter, Madeline Robbins.He is survived by his daughter, Leslie Robbins (Nick); his son, Luke Robbins (Taeryn); his grandchildren, Crawford, Hudson, Silas, and Alaina; his brother, William Robbins; his sister, Patricia Bodmer; as well as many nephews and nieces.
A Celebration of Irv’s life will be held later this year. To receive updates about the service, please email:lukecrobbins@gmail.com.
Contributions in Irving’s memory may be made to the Irving and Cindy Robbins International Studies Fund, a fund of Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation, which Irv established to support immersive international travel experiences in cultures outside of North America for students, teachers, and alumni of Region One school district in Connecticut. Contributions to the fund may be made by visiting www.berkshiretaconic.org/donate, or by mailing a check made out to Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation, with the fund name on the memo line, to 800 North Main Street, Sheffield, MA 01257.
Memories and condolences may be shared with family at CaledoniaLifeServices.com.
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Carolyn G. McCarthy
Millerton News
Feb 25, 2026
LAKEVILLE — Carolyn G. McCarthy, 88, a long time resident of Indian Mountain Road, passed away peacefully at home on Feb. 7, 2026.
She was born on Sept. 8, 1937, in Hollis, New York. She was the youngest daughter of the late William James and Ruth Anderson Gedge of Indian Mountain Road.
Carolyn’s first job out of high school was at the Time and Life building in Manhattan, New York. In 1956, she went on to work for Capital Airlines until they disbanded.
She began banking in White Plains, New York, where she met her husband Edward James McCarthy. They started their family and relocated to Pleasant Valley, New York. She then returned to banking in Poughkeepsie, New York and later pursued real estate.
Carolyn was very creative and enjoyed home making, gardening, sewing, knitting, cooking and baking. Her Christmas cookies were always remarkable. She had a pioneer spirit and embraced the toil of yard chores. She was very independent and at 87 she still shoveled the driveway in the winter, mowed the grass, trimmed the bushes, raked the leaves and dragged the brush. She took pride in the manicure of the grounds where she resided.
Carolyn was a wonderful mother who had an enormous heart. She loved all animals, wild or tame. She will be dearly missed by her family and the people that knew her.
She is predeceased by her husband Edward McCarthy Sr. and her brother Dr. Stafford Gedge of Minnesota.
She is survived by her son, Edward (Anne) McCarthy of Greenfield, Massachusetts, and grandsons James and Theodore, son Sean McCarthy of Oak Hill, New York, sister Nancy Dougherty of South Carolina, nieces Lynn Warner, Debra Phillips, Susan Nelson, Christine Richards and nephews William, James and Robert Gedge.
A private service will be held at a later date.
The Kenny Funeral Home has care of arrangements.
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John Forbes Hanlon
Millerton News
Feb 25, 2026
NORTH CANAAN — John “Jack” Forbes Hanlon, 90, passed away peacefully in his sleep on Feb. 22, 2026, at Noble Horizons in Salisbury, Connecticut. He was born July 29, 1935, at Geer Hospital in Canaan to parents Joseph Daniel Hanlon and Ruth Cleaveland.
Jack grew up in Falls Village and joined the Army from 1957-1958. He was married for over 50 years to his sweetheart, Linda “Niver” Hanlon in 1959.Jack worked on the Hanlon Family Farm on Route 63 in Falls Village.After that, he worked for the Town of Canaan Maintenance Department and O’Connor Bros. as a truck driver for 30 years where he took pride in maintaining his truck with weekly detailing to keep it pristine. After retirement, Jack kept busy by mowing lawns and rototilling gardens.
He lived on Granger Lane for over 50 years where he waved to all the neighbors who passed. He lived at Wangum Village after Linda’s passing for 13 years before moving into Noble Horizon.Jack was a regular at Collin’s Diner, where if he missed a day, they went looking for him.
Jack was predeceased by his siblings; Elizabeth Beebe, Margaret Flynn, Joseph Hanlon and Florence Hayes.He is survived by his children; Vincent and Michele Hanlon of Lime Rock, Theresa and MatthewFreund of East Canaan, Michael and Tina Hanlon of Falls Village, Lisa and Wilson Korth of Vergennes, Vermont, and Jacolyn and Barry Brown of East Canaan.Jack is also survived by his grandchildren; Caitlin Hanlon, Lauren Hanlon and her husband Kenny Weaver, Amanda Freund, Emily Freund, Isaac Freund and his wife Ashley, Rachel Freund and her husband Cole Van Seters, Alexandra Brown, Ryan Brown, Michael Hanlon, Jr., Alexander Korth, Kyle Korth and his wife Emily, his great grandchildren Rhyder Prause and Delila Freund and many nieces and nephews. Jack had a special connection for his niece, Mary Kate Hayes of Falls Village.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the North Canaan Volunteer Ambulance Cor ps, PO Box 178, Canaan, CT06018 and share a story about our father that would bring a smile to a friend.
The family wishes to thank Noble Horizon for their compassionate care and patience with our father.
Arrangements are under the care of the Newkirk-Palmer Funeral Home, 118 Main Street, Canaan, CT. 06018.
Calling hours will be held at the funeral home on Sunday, March 1, at 2 p.m. Memorial service will immediately follow.
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Amenia Town Board divided on filling vacant seat
Leila Hawken
AMENIA — Town Board members debated how to fill a seat that has been vacant since February 2025, ultimately tabling the discussion until a formal resolution can be considered at a future meeting.
The vacancy stems from the sudden death of Councilman Paul Winters in February 2025. Since then, the board has operated with four members instead of the prescribed five.
Members were divided on whether to appoint an interim councilmember or leave the seat empty until voters decide at the November election. The debate extended into public comment at the Thursday, Feb. 19, meeting, where some residents suggested holding a special election to fill the seat.
Councilman Walter Dietrich nominated resident Charlie Miller for the interim appointment, citing Miller’s history of service to the town.
Town Supervisor Rosanna Hamm said any appointment would need to be formalized by resolution. The board voted 3–1 to table the matter until its next meeting on Thursday, March 5, when a resolution could be considered. Dietrich cast the lone vote against tabling the discussion.
Comments from residents included a suggestion for a special election, but officials said the cost of holding an election for what would be a short-term appointment would be impractical. Hamm noted that the seat will appear on the November ballot.
Another resident asked whether additional candidates might be considered for the interim appointment. Hamm recalled a similar vacancy in 2024 that became “unduly divisive,” saying she favors leaving the position unfilled until the election.
Councilwoman Vicki Doyle disagreed, arguing that a full board is necessary to manage the town’s workload.
“But we’re minus one person,” Doyle said, likening the situation to a basketball team trying to play with only four members instead of five.