WASSAIC — More than a decade since the idea of extending the Harlem Valley Rail Trail from the Wassaic Metro-North Train Station into the hamlet of Wassaic was first conceived, the town of Amenia’s long-awaited Trail to the Train project has been completed, marking a milestone for the town and one of the region’s most beloved assets.
According to Wassaic resident Tonia Shoumatoff, the project started around her kitchen table in 2000, when she and her colleagues of the Trail to the Train Committee asked Metro-North to pay for a trail next to the train station.
“We as a community wanted access by a bike and hiking path,” Shoumatoff said, adding that the original idea was to have a boardwalk that would go through the wetlands behind the Amenia firehouse.
Totaling a distance of approximately 3,500 linear feet on lands owned by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), the town of Amenia and other private property owners, it was proposed that the multi-use path would extend from the Wassaic Train Station into the hamlet of Wassaic, establishing a new start for the Harlem Valley Rail Trail (HVRT). Considering that commuters were disembarking the train and either walking along busy Route 22 or on the train tracks to get into Wassaic, Amenia town Supervisor Victoria Perotti said one reason for the trail extension was safety. On top of that, she said the trail could help economic development in the hamlet of Wassaic and add amenities like walking and cycling paths.
Finding funding
To get the project off the ground, Shoumatoff wrote the first three grant applications for the trail in conjunction with Amenia Grant Writer Mike Hagerty and Amenia Councilwoman Vicki Doyle. One was for a $600,000 transportation enhancement grant signed by former town Supervisor Wayne Euvrard that required a 20% match; the town received $480,000 with a $120,000 match. Altogether, Shoumatoff said the Trail to the Train Committee had more than 36 meetings during a three-year period with all the permitting agencies involved in the project, including (among others) the New York State Department of Transportation (DOT), the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), the New York State Office of Historic Preservation, Dutchess County Planning and Development, Dutchess County Department of Public Works (DPW), the town of Amenia and all of the engineers at Metro-North.
The project was endorsed by the Harlem Valley Rail Trail Association, the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro (then a New York State Assemblymember) and many others, though it had its share of issues.
Some struggles
One issue was finding a single person to be the project manager, which led to Perotti to working with the DOT, the MTA and project engineer, Daniel Briar, P.E. of WSP USA.
“It was a very time-consuming project before everything got put in place for the trail to actually be built,” Perotti said.
A. Colarusso & Son, Inc., was selected to construct the path in May of 2019 while John Kosma was hired by the town last October as project manager. Though Mark Morrison of Mark K. Morrison Associates was originally hired to create the initial trail design, the town ultimately went with WSP USA, Inc., to complete the project’s engineering services.
Cost concerns
Regarding finances, the town applied for and was awarded a number of federal grants to support the project, including a $100,000 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), which is distributed through the county, a $100,000 Dormitory Authority Grant and a $250,000 grant from the state DOT — all of which served as reimbursement grants that required the town to first expend the funds before the monies were reimbursed to the town. Since the original CDBG was submitted in 2013, Perotti said that, as the trail progressed, she had to keep up with the necessary paperwork to get the grant extended.
As far as how area residents feel about the trail, concerns had been raised regarding the substantial amount of money invested in the project and the trail’s maintenance (the HVRT is actually county property).
Euvrard said that during his time as supervisor, more than a decade ago, the project’s initial cost was his biggest worry.
“My big concern was originally it was going to be $800,000 — I know the board had borrowed a million and a half.”
As of last fall, the total project cost was calculated at $1.5 million, though Euvrard said he’s never gotten a true cost from the Amenia Town Board. Viewing this expense as extra costs for the town and taxpayers, he reasoned that the funds used for the project could have been used for other town projects, such as a new highway garage. Euvrard also shared his concerns about the maintenance costs for the trail, since he was originally informed by the county that because the trail was being built by the town, it would be up to the town to maintain it.
“In my experience, we’ve had trouble maintaining our ballfields, so it’s one more expense for the taxpayers to maintain this,” Euvrard said. “I honestly don’t see it benefiting even a small percentage of town residents. I’m all in favor of the Rail Trail that exists: it’s well-used, it’s a county project and we all pay for this, but I’m concerned about the cost. This all adds up… and people are struggling.”
Community reaction
Nevertheless, the town saw its long-awaited Trail to the Train project to the finish line as did the project’s advocates from the last two decades. These days, the new trail has drawn a continuous flow of walkers, joggers and cyclists, along with families exploring the path with young children in tow — a welcome outing in the days of COVID-19 quarantines. Regardless of whether they’re town residents or visitors from neighboring municipalities or states, the large majority of trail users have praised the new path and the ways in which it’s enhanced their Rail Trail experience.
“I think the Rail Trail is one of the greatest assets for Dutchess County,” said Joe Biernat, a resident of Red Hook, as he paused during his jog down the new path. “I didn’t even know it came this far south — it’s a new area to explore.”
“We think it’s beautiful and we’re all for it,” said Linda Russell, a resident of Stockbridge, Mass., as she straddled her bicycle at the head of the new path.
“This is my favorite Rail Trail in the area,” said Liz Hazen, another cyclist from Stockbridge. “I love the scenery; the farmland around here is beautiful and the trail itself is really well-maintained.”
Marveling at how the trail is yet another draw to bring people into the hamlet of Wassaic, Shoumatoff said she was told by Jeff Barnett-Winsby, one of three co-executive directors of the popular arts collaborative, The Wassaic Project, that the trail extension has transformed how people interact with the small hamlet.
“It’s just a great addition to the area — I could not be more thrilled,” Shoumatoff said. “It’s opened up opportunities for the people coming here and for The Wassaic Project residents and supporters.”
Now that they’ve reached the project’s end, Shoumatoff credited all of her colleagues in “this wonderful collective community effort,” including Morrison, whom she said stood with the committee every step of the way.
At this point, Perotti reported that the town is now working on the project’s finishing touches, which include handling all the closeout documents, obtaining bids for a split-rail fence and ordering signs with the trail rules to install on the trail.
“We’re just delighted to finally have the project finished and being able to have a contractor who did such a wonderful job on the trail to make it safe for people to be able to use it,” Perotti said. “It’s just a great feeling of accomplishment.”
Whenever I need to get a quick but scenic bicycle ride but don’t have time to organize a group ride that involves driving to a meeting point, I just turn right out of my driveway. That begins a 32-mile loop through some of the prettiest scenery in northern Litchfield County.
I ride south on Undermountain Road (Route 41 South) into Salisbury and turn right on Main Street (Route 44 West). If I’m meeting friends, we gather at the parking area on the west side of Salisbury Town Hall where parking is never a problem.
We make a left on Salmon Kill Road and begin the most beautiful five-mile section of the route through rolling hills and beautiful farm country spread out over the length of the scenic valley. Fortunately, the Salmon Kill Bridge has been reopened after a two-year reconstruction — its lengthy closure was a real bummer.
After a short climb and descent, Salmon Kill terminates at Lime Rock Road.
This is the busiest and least enjoyable section of the ride, but lasts only about a mile when we turn left at the Trinity Lime Rock Episcopal Church and follow Dugway Road, with its rolling hills along the south side of the Housatonic River.
We usually stop on the Falls River Bridge to check out the volume of water flowing over the Great Falls. We make a right off the bridge on to Water Street, pass the power plant and Appalachian Trail parking lot, and go under the railroad bridge with a sharp left up a steep but short hill north on Route 126 (Point of Rocks Road.)
Now we’re on a long, flat run that includes a slight right on Sand Road, which we follow all the way to Route 7 at the Canaan Country Club. A left here leaves you on a very busy state highway less than a mile before turning right onto Lower Road — be careful — but there’s plenty of shoulder.
Lower Road runs parallel to the Blackberry River and passes both modern and historic local industry: the impressive lime rock quarry operated by Specialty Minerals Inc., followed by the Beckley Iron Furnace State Park.
Next, we make a left on the appropriately named Furnace Road, across Route 44 — careful again — and face a steep but short climb up Allyndale Rd. Following it to the left begins a long stretch of beautiful farms and distant views of the Southfield and New Marlborough hills. We pick up a lot of speed downhill, zip past Sodom Road, and then a flat stretch to Clayton Road and into Massachusetts.
Continue straight (north) on Polikoff Road, then make a left onto Hewins Road if you want to keep the ride short. Alternatively, you could turn right on Hewins Road and follow it to Maple and into Sheffield to add another 5 to 10 miles.
But, if you’re sticking with the 32-mile ride, turn left on Hewins and take it across Route 7, followed by a left on Main Street and into Ashley Falls’ bucolic town center.
The right turn on Rannapo Road takes us along and across the winding Housatonic River ,where we watch the corn grow from seedlings to more than six feet by late summer.
Next is a left on to the daunting Cooper Hill Road — the steepest and only tough climb of the route. The effort is rewarded by spectacular 360-degree views, including the mountains of the Taconic Ridge and Appalachian Trail to the west.
A left onto Silver Road leads to the payoff: two steep descents, a view of the Twin Lakes on the left, and arrival at stately Taconic Road, home to some of Salisbury’s grandest old estates. A left on Taconic Road offers more rolling farm hills and beautiful views of the Taconic Ridge.
It terminates at Route 44, where we make a right (west) and let the long, steep descent carry us all the way into Salisbury, past the White Hart Inn and back to our starting point at Town Hall.
That’s the route: a relatively flat 1,500 feet of climbing with minimal car traffic. We usually reward ourselves with post-ride refreshments on the White Hart lawn.
I hope you enjoy this local gem of a ride!
Kent Hiteshew is a Salisbury cyclist.
This is a lovely ride that loops from Ancramdale north to Copake and back. At just over 23 miles and about 1,300 feet of elevation gain, it’s a perfect route for intermediate recreational riders and takes about two hours to complete.It’s entirely on quiet roads with little traffic, winding through rolling hills, open countryside, picturesque farms and several lakes.
Along the way, you’ll pass a couple of farmstands that are worth a quick visit. There is only one hill that might be described as steep, but it is quite short — probably less than a quarter-mile.
The ride starts and ends at The Farmer’s Wife Café in Ancramdale, a great place for lunch or refreshments after the ride.(The café is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays).Parking is usually available between the café and the Ancramdale post office.But be courteous — don’t monopolize parking needed by the café’s guests and staff!
Here are the coordinates for the ride:
Turn left out of the parking lot of the Farmer’s Wife onto County Road 8.
At .5 miles, turn left on Crest Lane
At 1.9 miles, turn left on East Ancram Road
At 6.8 miles, turn left on County Road 3
At 7.0 miles, turn right on Wiltsie Bridge Road
At 7.7 miles, turn right on Empire Road
At 10.7 miles, go straight through the village of Copake onto Main Street.
At 11.1 miles, bear left onto Farm Road
At 11.3 miles, turn left on Mountain View Road
At 12.1 miles turn right on County Road 7A
At 12.3 miles, turn left on Snyder Pond Road
At 13.0 miles turn left to stay on Snyder Pond Road
At 14.2 miles, turn right on County Road 7
At 14.8 miles turn left on County Road 27 (This is where there is short hill.)
At 15.5 miles, make a hairpin turn to the left on County Road 27A.(This can be easy to miss so be on the lookout for it).
At 17.5 miles, go straight across County Road 7 onto Four Corners Road.
At 18.7 miles, turn right on Wiltsie Bridge Road
At 19.0 miles, turn left on Snyder Road
At 20.3 miles, bear left onto Roche Drive
At 20.8 miles, turn right on County Road 3
Follow County Road 3 back to Ancramdale and the Farmer’s Wife.
Jeremy Koch is a Norfolk cyclist.
Chris Virtuoso reorganized parcel records in the North East Town Hall basement by parcel number during the process of scanning and digitizing the documents.
MILLERTON — Within the walls of the two-story Victorian housing the North East Town Hall lies a room-full of town records dating back to the late 19th century. Stored in labeled cardboard boxes and protected by dehumidifiers, the records are in the process of being dated, organized, and scanned into categorized online programs.
As the Town Hall works to relocate to 5603 Route 22 at the former Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witness, the consolidation and digitalization of records, as well as the disposal of those unneeded, is a time-sensitive project. Marcy Wheatley, the Deputy Town Clerk, emphasized their current heavy focus on organizing and scanning. “Now, when we move, we can get rid of a lot,” Wheatley stated.
The digitalization process in North East began in November of 2015, when the program LaserFiche was selected due to a grant shared with the nearby towns of Amenia, Dover Plains and Beekman. The program was shared until 2024 and now each town scans documents separately to their individual clouds.
The organization and scanning process is a daunting one because the Town Hall keeps historic, business, judicial and assessors records. Town Clerk Elizabeth “Tilly” Strauss explained that it is a learning process to go through the records, organize and keep or destroy based on retention schedules of certain items.
There are two forms of scanning and storing documents that the town has utilized. The Town Clerk’s office uses the system BAS for scanning vital records, minutes, invoices and resolutions. This system is updated constantly as new information comes in, but Wheatley, along with other offices in the Town Hall, has been working backwards to digitize all of the old files as well. Wheatley scans documents for about an hour every afternoon. “That’s what it takes to keep up to date,” she said. There are currently 3324 files in the system.
The other mode of scanning and storing documents is through the IPS system, which gets records from planning, zoning, building and assessors. Chris Virtuoso, who started as a tax collector in 2021, stepped up to lead this half of the process beginning in 2022.
“He had a big task. He had boxes all over the place. He was spread out, he was intense and focused,” Wheatley said of Virtuoso. According to Wheatley and Strauss, the project did not only include scanning and reordering, but a complete reorganization.
“What happened was, a lot of files were under the names of farmers, but they then either got sold or were subdivided,” said Strauss. “Chris has been scanning and organizing into and by parcel number instead of name.”
Virtuoso first began this project by finding parcel locations on the assessors map and looking through files of names and addresses. He then sorted through boxes to find the parcel numbers, organizing them into new boxes based on zone and ordered by parcel number.
“If somebody buys a parcel now and they want to know the history, they can go down there with the number for the parcel and those folders are in there,” stated Virtuoso. “That was the end goal, to get everything from alphabetical order into parcel number order.”
Virtuoso had also found a log tracking all cases by number, which went back until 2005, and added blank pages for all of the newly-scanned files dating back to 1968. This book is now up to date, and current cases and pages are added every year.
“You become like Sherlock Holmes,” said Virtuoso. “What I always kept in mind was, when I’m not here anymore, will someone be able to figure this out?”
From his start in 2022 to March 2023 when both planning and zoning were completely up to date, Virtuoso would come to the Town Hall every morning to scan for two or three hours, five days a week, while still maintaining his career as a realtor.
As of March 2023, when Virtuoso wrote a report on his progress, 361 case files were scanned for the Zoning Board of Appeals. He had also deleted and destroyed any duplicates, removed any metal that may damage the documents, resecured the folders, and organized everything by parcel number with room for additional files.
“He went above and beyond,” Wheatley stated.
Virtuoso — and the Town Clerks — are eager to move to the new Town Hall property. “Look, this is an old home, it’s charming, but we need room for all those files, we need more space and offices,” said Virtuoso.
“I can’t wait,” Strauss stated. “We’re going to have new shelves and everything organized by departments. It’s going to be beautiful.” After condensing, destroying duplicates and scanning, all records will be brought to the new location, however, the digitized copies will serve as backup and for convenience.
Although the process is viewed as an overall success, there are still a few remaining hopes for the future. Virtuoso hopes for collaboration with other towns to buy or lease a large-format scanner for large-scale maps, blueprints, and other important documents that have yet to be scanned.
Virtuoso also hopes to make the Historical Society aware of the rich and unique history that he found within the basement boxes, opening the possibility for deeper understanding of the local area. “The files are important because they do have a certain chunk of history.”
The Thorne Building on Franklin Avenue in the village of Millbrook.
MILLBROOK — Summer fun is just around the corner, thanks to the fire department and the return of the Fire Department Carnival scheduled to open on Wednesday, July 9, and continue through Saturday, July 12, on the Thorne Building grounds on Franklin Avenue.
Opening night activities will begin at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, July 9. The Carnival will open each night at 7 p.m., remaining open until 11 p.m.
There will be fun for everyone. All activities are free. Visitors can enjoy Bingo, games of chance, rides and games, and a 50/50 raffle drawing each night. Food will be available.
Music will be a feature on Thursday through Saturday. From 8 to 11 p.m. enjoy the sounds of DJ Gourmet on Thursday, Heavy Gauge on Friday, and Rhythm and Blues on Saturday.
Also on Saturday plan to be on hand for one of the largest parades in Dutchess County, starting at 6 p.m., proceeding along Franklin Avenue.
