Amenia Town Board authorizes Water District grant application

Amenia Town Hall
Photo by John Coston
Amenia Town Hall
AMENIA — In support of the town’s efforts to repair and upgrade its water district infrastructure, the Town Board voted unanimously at its regular meeting on Thursday, Sept. 4, to move forward with an application for grant funding from the New York State Water Infrastructure Improvement Act.
If the application is successful, the grant could fund up to 70% of the project’s costs, estimated at $3,902,850. Because the grant would require that the town match any funding, the potential match amount estimated at $1,170,855, the Town Board agreed to pursue possible resources for the match, including the town’s general fund, other state or federal programs, or a state loan program.
Critically needed upgrades would improve the Lavelle Road pump house, the existing water storage tank, the Lavelle Road well field and the Washington Court well field. Water mains needing replacement are included in the project.
Following up on a presentation at its previous meeting, the Town Board unanimously approved a memo of understanding with the non-profit Hudson Valley Regional Council, seeking to reduce emissions from small towns’ closed municipal landfills. Many communities in the mid-Hudson region have been determined to be eligible for installation of biofilter systems to curb harmful emissions, according to the Mid-Hudson Biofilters program representatives.
Closed landfills are sources of hidden methane emissions that are often responsible for increased levels of greenhouse gases and other pollutants.
In November 2024, the HVRC received $3.06 million in federal funding to implement the landfill biofilters project.
Meeting date changes
Because the next scheduled meeting of the Town Board would occur on a holiday, the board voted unanimously to change the date of its next meeting to Friday, Oct. 3, beginning at 6 p.m. Also to avoid meeting on a holiday, the next meeting of the Planning Board will be held on Thursday, Sept. 25.
The meeting spiraled into incivility during the public comment portion when the public is invited to comment on any concern not included on the agenda. At issue was a Tuesday, July 15, episode involving activist and protestor Kimberley Travis and resident Jamie Deines who is a candidate for the Town Board in the November election.
Travis spoke first, reading a prepared statement detailing a public episode that occurred at Fountain Square, the site of Travis’ continuing series of political protest activities, now familiar to passers-by. Her statement was repeatedly interrupted by councilmember Brad Rebillard on a point-of-order, questioning its relevance as town business, his concern to be over-ruled by Town Supervisor Leo Blackman, who cleared the way for Travis to read her statement for the three minutes allotted.
Next to approach the podium was Deines, who had been heard twice during public comment sessions at a previous meeting, leading Blackman to suggest that she had already been heard. However, he yielded to audience protests that she should be allowed to speak.
Deines’s statement included strands of content found on Travis’s social media accounts including profanities and vulgarities, bringing an interruption by Blackman who indicated that profanity was neither tolerated nor appropriate at a Town Board meeting. When Deines continued despite the caution, Blackman sought the counsel of Board Attorney Ian Lindars, who advised that Blackman had the authority to shut down the meeting and clear the room.
The Town Board entered Executive Session to receive further legal advice that lasted for a few minutes.
Decorum restored, the meeting then continued to hear the remainder of public comment, including comments from Charlie Miller, Finance Officer; and Ken Topolsky, organizer of the town’s first annual Harvest Festival scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 18.
The meeting can be viewed in its entirety on the town website: www.ameniany.gov.
Built in 1820, 1168 Bangall Amenia Road sold for $875,000 on July 31 with the transfer recorded in August. It has a Millbrook post office and is located in the Webutuck school district.
STANFORD — The Town of Stanford with nine transfers in two months reached a median price in August of $573,000 for single family homes, still below Stanford’s all-time median high in August 2024 of $640,000.
At the beginning of October there is a large inventory of single-family homes listed for sale with only six of the 18 homes listed for below the median price of $573,000 and seven above $1 million.
July transfers
79 Ernest Road — 4 bedroom/2.5 bath home on 6.87 acres in 2 parcels sold to Matthew C. Marinetti for $1,225,000.
29 Drake Road — 3 bedroom/3.5 bath home on 2 acres sold to Harper Montgomery for $850,000.
6042 Route 82 — 4 bedroom/2 bath home on 1.09 acres sold to Spencer Thompson for $795,000.
125 Tick Tock Way — 3 bedroom/2.5 bath ranch on 1.9 acres sold to Fleur Touchard for $475,000.
August transfers
102 Prospect Hill Road — 3 bedroom/2 bath home on 6.35 acres sold to Karl Creighton Pfister for $565,000.
252 Ernest Road — 2 bedroom/1 bath cottage on .85 acres sold to Meg Bumie for $465,000.
1196 Bangall Amenia Road — 4 bedroom/2.5 bath home on 2.16 acres sold to Roderick Alleyne for $875,000.
Hunns Lake Road (#759929) — 59.1 acres of residential land sold to Argos Farm LLC for $3,325,000.
* Town of Stanford recorded real estate transfers from July 1 to August 31 provided by Dutchess County Real Property Office monthly transfer reports. Details on each property from Dutchess Parcel Access - properties with an # indicate location on Dutchess Parcel Access. Market data from One Key MLS and Infosparks .Compiled by Christine Bates, Real Estate Advisor with William Pitt Sotheby’s International Realty, Licensed in Connecticut and New York.
Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office Harlem Valley area activity reportSept. 18 to Sept. 30.
Sept. 23 — Deputies responded to 1542 State Route 292 in the Town of Pawling for the report of a suspicious vehicle at that location. Investigation resulted in the arrest of Sebastian Quiroga, age 26, for aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle in the third degree. Quiroga to appear in the Town of Pawling court at a later date.
Sept. 30 — Deputies responded to Woodside Street in the Town of Pine Plains for a past-occurred verbal domestic dispute between a stepfather and stepson.Matter resolved without further police intervention.
PLEASE NOTE:All subjects arrested and charged are alleged to have committed the crime and are presumed innocent until proven guilty and are to appear in local courts later.
If you have any information relative to the aforementioned criminal cases, or any other suspected criminal activity please contact the Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office tip line at 845-605-CLUE (2583) or Emaildcsotips@gmail.com.All information will be kept confidential.
Hunt club members and friends gathered near Pugsley Hill at the historic Wethersfield Estate and Gardens in Amenia for the opening meet of the 2025-2026 Millbrook Hunt Club season on Saturday, Oct. 4. Foxhunters took off from Wethersfield’s hilltop gardens just after 8 a.m. for a hunting jaunt around Amenia’s countryside.
Joining in the fun at the dedication of the new pollinator pathway garden at The Millbrook Library on Saturday, Oct. 4, local expert gardener Maryanne Snow Pitts provides information about a planting to Lorraine Mirabella of Poughkeepsie.
MILLBROOK — Participating in a patchwork of libraries that have planted pollinator pathway gardens to attract insects and birds to their native plantings was one of the accomplishments being celebrated at the dedication of a new pollinator garden at the Millbrook Library on Saturday, Oct. 4.
“A lot of work went into it,” said Emma Sweeney, past President of the Millbrook Garden Club, who started the local library’s initiative two years ago.
The Pollinator Pathway program is a national effort to plant native plants that native insects depend upon for sustenance and preferred plants for their own seasonal reproduction.
Jana Hogan of Ridgefield, Connecticut, Executive Director of the Pollinator Pathway program, was on hand to present a plaque to the library for its successful participation.
“A garden is not just a garden,” said garden designer Andy Durbridge of Wassaic, designer of the library’s garden. “It may serve as a model for other gardens along the line.”
Speaking to the 50 visitors at the dedication, Durbridge said that the library’s garden has a mission, that it is a working garden, planned to serve insects and birds over their seasons. The earliest plants support pollinators, while the full range of plants continues to serve the needs of those they attract, offering habitat, shelter and food.
A pollinator garden is akin to a prairie, rather than a formalized European garden, Durbridge noted.
The garden project was supported by the library’s Friends group using funds raised during the Holiday Silent Auction and ongoing book sale. A grant from the Millbrook Garden Club also provided support.