AMENIA — Although it had never been done before in the 279-year history of The Smithfield Church in Amenia, there was no reason not to imagine that in the 21st century it could be done — and even that it should be done.
And so, in part because both buildings (the Smithfield Church and the Congregation Beth David temple) have been designated as landmarks by the New York Landmarks Conservancy, the elders at Smithfield voted to invite Rabbi Jon Haddon to visit their pulpit and preach the sermon on Sunday, Oct. 10.
The experience went so well that Rabbi Haddon has invited the Rev. Douglas Grandgeorge of Smithfield to preach a sermon in return at the Beth David temple in the coming weeks and even join a Bible study component.
Beth David temple first gathered in 1929 to serve Amenia and the neighboring Connecticut region, and they will soon celebrate their first century.
Both look forward to future opportunities to come together, fostered by their mutual belief that the 21st-century worship experience must connect the modern mind and spirit, offering guidance to people who look for answers in today’s polarized world.
AMENIA — Amenia budget officer Charlie Miller has been accused of submitting the town’s tentative budget with an old signature from Town Clerk Dawn Marie Klingner.
Klingner said she reported the issue to the Town Board in executive session on Oct. 3, prompting members to assign the town’s labor attorney, Robert Schofield, to investigate.
Officials say the issue stems from Miller’s use of an old cover page that included Klingner’s digital signature. Miller, who serves as the town’s budget officer, said the incident was unintentional.
Miller said the problem began with a computer error while assembling the file. He said he failed to save the document properly and lost most of his work. When he went back to recreate the file, he said he hastily put it together with the wrong cover page and sent it to Klingner and Blackman by email.
“It’s an honest mistake,” Miller said.
But Klingner said the action circumvented her duties as Town Clerk.
“I’m legally responsible for receiving and certifying the budgets, and my responsibility was taken from me when someone else used my signature and seal without my knowledge or consent,” Klingner said.
Miller reports directly to Blackman, who serves as chief financial officer for Amenia as part of his duties as Town Supervisor. As budget officer, Miller said he assists in drafting the budget but has no other control over the town’s finances.
Miller said he has cooperated with the investigation.
“The town board — I think rightly — engaged the town’s labor attorney to look into it, and so I completely support that process,” Miller said. “But that process should play out, in my opinion.”
The investigation comes as Miller, who is running for Town Board, faces a wave of rumors in the days leading up to the election that he said are unfounded. Rumors — which surfaced on now-deleted public posts on FaceBook — range from breaking in to the Town Clerk’s office to forging notary seals.
“There are a lot of extremely false accusations being thrown at me, which to me, looks very much like a political hack job,” Miller said, noting the election is just days away. “It’s almost bordering on libel at this point.”
Klingner said her report only concerned improper process in submitting the tentative budget and denied Miller broke into her office or forged a notary seal.
“I don’t want this to become a political matter,” Klingner said. “It’s not good for this board or this town — and I respect the work that Charlie has done here — but this is not the first time that we’ve had issues with process.”
The Sun River Health Center in Amenia welcomed visitors to its Rural Health Fall Fest on Wednesday, Oct. 22. Assembling for a photo at Sun River’s booth were, left to right, Cherise McDaniel, Director; Crystal Marr, Associate Vice-President of Substance Use Disorders; Yvette Ramirez, Outreach Coordinator; and Elizabeth Phillips, Vice-President of Community Engagement.
MILLERTON — The North East Fire District held a public hearing Tuesday, Oct. 21, to review its proposed 2026 budget. With no public comment, the Board of Fire Commissioners approved the $787,813 plan during its regular monthly business meeting, which followed.
Fire District Chair Dave McGhee read a resolution to override the tax levy limit established under New York’s General Municipal Law Section 3-c for the 2026 budget year. In a roll-call vote, the Board approved the resolution and adopted the budget.
The 2026 budget represents a 2% increase, consistent with the district’s typical year-over-year growth. The 2025 budget was $771,366 and the 2024 budget was $756,222.
Among the largest line items is the Capital Apparatus Reserve Fund, earmarked at $100,000. This includes funds for general equipment, which could go toward a new Quick Attack truck — a small, 4-wheel-drive vehicle designed to reach fires or emergencies quickly, even over rough terrain.
Property development also held a sizable line item of $130,000. Recent improvement projects have included maintenance at the Millerton Fire House, including new floors, gutter replacement to prevent water damage and flooding that had been a common occurrence, new siding and paint and a heated walkway to manage snow and ice in the winter months.
As required under New York Town Law 181, the North East Fire District conducts this budget process annually, including a public hearing, providing residents with the opportunity to give feedback. Copies of the adopted 2026 budget are available for review at the Town Clerk’s office, the fire district secretary’s office and the Millerton Fire House.
Kelly Roger, treasurer and fire police captain, is once again leading the spooky festivities at the Millerton Fire House this Halloween. Residents can walk through a haunted tunnel from 5–7 p.m., or until candy runs out.
At the end of the tunnel, Roger will be distributing blank “Santa Run” letters to local children whom reside in the Village of Millerton or Town of North East for the now-annual Santa Run so they can submit their holiday wish list. “Our taxpayers are such wonderful people, and they give a lot. We want to support them and their children,” Roger said.
The Santa Run — a tradition born during COVID that has continued — delivers small gifts to children on Dec. 13 in mid-December, with the Big Guy himself making the rounds.
The Dutchess County Transportation Council hosted a listening session at the NorthEast-Millerton Library on Oct. 22, giving northeast Dutchess County residents an opportunity to express the challenges they face in getting transportation.
MILLERTON — Transportation challenges in northeast Dutchess County took center stage last week during a listening session held by the Dutchess County Transportation Council at the NorthEast-Millerton Library Annex.
The event, held Oct. 22, was part of the Council’s effort to update its Coordinated Public Transit–Human Services Transportation Plan, which aims to “improve mobility for older adults, people with disabilities, low-income individuals and others who struggle to access reliable transportation.”
Data included in the 2021 version of the plan reveals the Town of North East and Village of Millerton have higher-than-average percentages of older adults, a group especially affected by limited transportation options.
“As people age, their need for services and transportation increases,” the plan states. “Given that we expect an increase in our older population, we can expect to see a concurrent increase in the demand for services that allow people to age in place and remain socially engaged.”
And yet, options remain limited in the northeastern part of the county.
In their presentation, the DCTC outlined the early stages of the six-month data collection and community feedback process. They acknowledged the region’s unique challenges — its distance from Poughkeepsie, smaller population and proximity to the Connecticut border.
In attendance was Martha Shultz, site manager for the Dutchess County Office for the Aging’s Friendship Center in Millerton. Shultz said she joined the meeting as an advocate for the members who regularly take advantage of the Friendship Center’s meals, activities and sense of community — many of whom face daily struggles getting to medical appointments, grocery stores and social activities.
Shultz said she also encouraged several of her center’s participants to join the session so that county officials could hear directly from those most affected. “It’s one thing for me to say something, but to hear it from the people who really need it is different,” she said.
“I often get calls from people who are looking for information about transportation,” Shultz added. “I usually refer them to the North East Community Center. They do the best they can, but they’re just one resource — that’s all we have out here.”
The NECC transportation program offers free rides to seniors, families and individuals from Amenia, Dover, Millerton, Pine Plains, Millbrook and Stanford. Transportation is available to those in need of medical attention, medication, groceries and laundry. Drivers also go to Sharon Hospital across the border in Connecticut. But advance notice is recommended, and priority rides go to those with disabilities and seniors with medical appointments.
Shultz said she appreciated that DCTC staff seemed receptive to feedback, including the need for better communication tools for seniors who may not use technology. She said, “It was worthwhile to go and have our voices heard.”
The DCTC will continue holding listening sessions around the county as it develops its updated transportation plan, expected to be released next year.
