Amenia names counsel in Troutbeck neighbors’ legal action

AMENIA — By unanimous vote at a special meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 29, the Amenia Town Board retained the services of a special counsel to represent the town in a legal action brought against the local planning board.

The action, initiated by neighbors, to be argued before the Dutchess County Supreme Court, seeks to set aside the planning board’s June 2023 decision to approve a multi-phase expansion application submitted by Troutbeck as an adaptive reuse plan.

Representing the town will be David Everett, a partner in the firm of Whiteman, Osterman and Hanna LLP, based in Albany. Everett has broad experience with environmental issues as well as matters concerning zoning and planning. His expertise also includes endangered species protection, specifically bog turtle habitats.

Reversal of the planning board decision is being sought by neighboring property owners Barbara Meili, Craig Meili and Arrowhead Hills Partners, who have raised concerns about environmental impact to aquifer, watercourses and wells. They argue that the planning board incorrectly accepted an environmental report that there would be no impact posed by Troutbeck’s adaptive reuse application.

Neighbors’ concerns also touch upon the public hearing process, habitat disruption, construction activity and noise and increased traffic.

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Back to school

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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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MILLERTON — The Millerton Police Department has received two new patrol cars to replace vehicles destroyed in the February 2025 fire at the Village Water and Highway Department.

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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The main entrance to Kent Hollow Mine at 341 South Amenia Road in Amenia.

Photo by Nathan Miller

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Petitioners Laurence Levin, Theodore Schiffman and Clark Hill LLC filed the suit on Aug. 22. Town officials were served with documents for the case last week and took first steps in organizing a response to the suit at the Town Board meeting on Thursday, Sept. 4.

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AMENIA — While the courage and perseverance of Revolutionary era patriots is well understood and celebrated, the stories of the fate of British loyalists in New York are not as clear.

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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