Amenia residents share views on infrastructure projects

AMENIA — With future infrastructure projects in the initial planning stages, concerned residents attending the regular meeting of the Amenia Town Board on Thursday, Oct. 19, shared those concerns publicly.

During the public comment segment, Munawar Ahmed envisioned better use of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding in the amount of $200,000. She indicated that the funds are presently earmarked toward wastewater treatment and affordable housing projects. She recommended that the funds go instead toward town water and highway improvement projects.

“Take care of the things we have, water and highway, rather than funding for future projects,” she said.

Longtime Lake Amenia Road resident Paul Arcario spoke of his concerns about the town’s ongoing efforts to acquire property at 74 Lake Amenia Road to create the town’s first affordable home and to subdivide the property to use the remaining acreage to construct a modern wastewater treatment facility.

“I am not against it,” Arcario said, praising the work of the volunteer Wastewater Committee and its responsiveness to his inquiries. However, he said that he was concerned as a neighboring property owner about potential for odor and pathogens that might be released from the treatment facility.

Arcario asked that the Wastewater Committee undertake a case study of similar systems in other towns, to meet with residents to share that information, and to arrange field trips for interested residents to see the systems in operation.

Other residents voiced similar concerns about the wastewater treatment plans, with an additional concern about lowered property values.

Another resident suggested an alternative plan envisioning revitalization of the neighborhood by the restoration of Lake Amenia to what it once was—a recreational lake.

NYSERDA

Representing the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), Faith Laudano provided a Zoom review of the renewable energy programs and available funding available through her offices, based in Albany.

“Current energy systems are not keeping up with the times,” Laudano said, adding that residents spend lots of money on outdated space heaters and fossil fuel-based systems. She urged homeowners to step up to cleaner and greener homes and explained how Cornell Extension Services can help with information and funding programs.

For more information, Laudano’s email is fl128@cornell.edu