AMENIA — The Town Board considered and approved 14 resolutions during its final meeting of the year, held on Thursday, Dec. 19. All votes were unanimous. Councilperson Nicole Ahearn was absent from the meeting.
After lengthy negotiation among officials of the towns of Amenia, North East and Dover, an agreement with Northern Dutchess Paramedics was reached to continue providing ambulance service to the three towns. Under the agreement, the town of Amenia will pay $480,762 for service through 2025, that annual amount to increase to $639,900 for 2026 and to $689,900 for service in 2027.
The town of North East will pay $511,558 for ambulance service in 2025, and the town of Dover will pay $401,563 for the coming year, according to the agreement.
Taking a step ahead in a project that will bring improvement to the town Water District, the Town Board approved a resolution to authorize Delaware Engineering of Albany to prepare a map, plan and report — known as an MPR — for the project. The MPR is needed to complete applications for significant grant funding to support the project. The cost for the MPR and the subsequent funding applications, approved by the town board, is $15,000. Grant applications must be submitted by May 30, 2025.
Recommended improvements within the Water District include a replacement of the existing Lavelle Road pump house with a pre-packaged new pump house, rehabilitation of the existing water storage tank, upgrades to the well fields and water main replacement in sections where necessary.
If construction occurs in 2026, the estimated cost for the capital project would be $3.9 million. The anticipated grant funding applications are steps toward funding the water district improvement project.
In other actions the Town Board supported a resolution to prepare bid specifications for a new LED public announcement sign at the Town Hall. Once the bid specifications are determined, vendors will be invited to submit bids on the project.
Agreeing that the town itself could be aided attention to its “brand,” and having reviewed bid proposals, the town board agreed to hire the graphic design services of Giorgio Baravalle of de.MO of Millbrook. To be included will be design work on a new town logo and branding system at a cost of $3,850.
Feeling that the old town seal should be reimagined, the town board voted to open the redesign to residents, inviting submission of ideas to help create a new seal design.
Submission guidelines are posted on the town website. Welcome are rough drawings or just ideas. The deadline for submission is Wednesday, Jan. 29, at noon.
The website for the Town of Amenia will be redesigned by the successful bidder, TownWeb at a cost of $10,770. TownWeb software is designed to support the needs of local governments.
The town’s Water District operator, VRI of LaGrangeville, received town board approval to conduct a survey to locate all of the district’s water valves and provide assessment of their condition and need for repair. The estimated cost for this survey will be $10,000.
The water valve testing is scheduled to occur between Monday, Jan. 6, and Friday, Jan. 10. Water discoloration and air pockets in the line may occur as a result of the testing process. Residents should run cold tap water for a few minutes until the flow clears up and refrain from doing laundry for 24 hours after the discoloration appears. For more information, call VRI at 845-677-3839.
Cannabis dispensary
After a year of discussion and drafting of a local law to govern the location and operation of a retail cannabis dispensary, the town board moved forward on the issue, clearing the way to schedule a public hearing to gather residents’ comments on whether to adopt the new local law.
The public hearing was formally scheduled by the town board for Thursday, Jan. 16, beginning at 7 p.m. at the Town Hall.
Because the Planning Board will need to meet and comment on adoption of the local law, Town Clerk Dawn Klingner pointed out that the public hearing will open on Jan. 16 and hear comments. It will, however, need to be continued until the following town board meeting giving opportunity for more comment. The reason for the continuation is that the Planning Board has no meeting scheduled before Jan. 16. The continuation allows time for the Planning Board to meet and provide its comments.
Economic Development Committee
The town board voted to create an Economic Development Committee as an advisory group and named its first five members, each to serve a two-year term. Appointed to the new committee are Ken Topolsky, James Ohliger, Tom Buttacavoli, Richard Fields, and Damian Gutierrez.
Large documents scanner
Filling a long-standing need, the town board agreed to purchase a Canon large format scanner and printer for the Town Hall. Both the Building and Planning Departments will benefit from the new equipment, expected to cost around $9,380. In addition to scanning and copying, the new machine will print large signage.
"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