Photo by Deborah Maier
Latest News
Webutuck softball falls to Housatonic
May 08, 2024
Riley Klein
FALLS VILLAGE — The battle for the border between Housatonic Valley Regional High School and Webutuck High School Thursday, May 2, was won by HVRHS with a score of 16-3.
The New Yorkers played their Connecticut counterparts close early on and commanded the lead in the third inning. Errors plagued the Webutuck Warriors as the game went on, while the HVRHS Mountaineers caught fire toward the end.
The sun was beating down as the game got underway in Falls Village. A cloudless sky led to a toasty match between these two teams with temperatures hovering around 76 degrees. Gnats were also hovering around.
Maddy Krueger fields a put-out at first from the catcher.Riley Klein
Webutuck got off to a strong start. A line drive by Aria Griskauskus brought Ciara “C.C.” Gray home. Housatonic responded with a run in the bottom of the inning to keep the game even through one.
Webutuck retook the lead in the second inning when Abby McEnroe logged an RBI on a bunt. The lead persisted until the bottom of the third inning, when HVRHS took over.
Fueled by powerful hitting and a series of errors by the Warriors, HVRHS added four runs in the third to pull ahead 5-2.
The score remained until the fifth inning when the Mountaineers climbed ahead. Haley Leonard got the inning rolling with a solo home run. Abby White sent Hadley Casey home on a single before Kylie Leonard brought White home with a double.
Webutuck scored its third run of the game in the top of the sixth inning. Olivia Wickwire hit an RBI double to bring the score to 8-3.
Housatonic responded by “finding the barrel,” as Coach Pete Foley instructed from third base. The Mountaineers swung for the fences and tacked on eight more runs.
Gissel Oros at bat for Webutuck against Housatonic Valley Regional High School on Thursday, May 2. Riley Klein
The game ended in a 16-3 decision in favor of HVRHS. The Mountaineers’ record advanced to 7-5 this season while Webutuck moved to 0-8. The next day, on Friday, May 3, Webutuck beat Dover 6-2.
HVRHS was led offensively by Haley Leonard, who hit 4-for-5 at the plate and brought in three RBIs in addition to her solo home run. Grace Riva batted 3-for-5 with three RBIs, Kylie Leonard hit 2-for-3 with two RBIs, Madison Gulotta hit 1-for-4 with two RBIs, and Anne Moran hit 2-for-5 with two RBIs. Anne Moran pitched four strikeouts for the Mountaineers.
For Webutuck, Abby McEnroe went 2-for-4 at bat with one RBI, Aria Griskouskus hit 1-for-3 with an RBI, and C.C. Gray batted 2-for-3. Lyndsay Johnson threw three strikeouts from the hill.
Webutuck coach Chris Osterman reassures Olivia Wickwire in the loss to HVRHS.Riley Klein
Keep ReadingShow less
Modest budget increases in 2024-25 for school spending face May 21 vote
A vote across New York State on Tuesday, May 21 will decide school district budgets, members of each district’s Board of Education and special propositions.
The elections will be held in school gyms and cafeterias from Noon until 9 p.m. with mail-in ballots available.
A newsletter mandated by New York State law will be mailed to every district resident on Thursday, May 9 presenting the candidates running for election on the school board and details on the district budget to be voted on May 21.
In the three school districts in eastern Dutchess County there are no seats on the seven-member school boards that are officially contested, although write-in candidates are permitted and have even won in past elections.
In Millbrook two incumbents — David Lavarnway and Chris Labelle — will seek new three year terms. In Pine Plains there are three vacancies all for three-year terms to be filled with two incumbents Joseph Kiernan, current Board Vice President, and Jean Stapf and one newcomer, former school librarian Claire Copley of Stanford.
Asked why she is running Copley said, “I am running for School Board because our systems of education are at risk and our children need us to protect their rights to a future full of learning and possibilities.”
In Webutuck one incumbent, Joanne Boyd, current Vice President, and one newcomer, Amanda Gallagher, will be seeking three-year terms. Speaking to The Millerton News Gallagher explained her reasons for running for the school board. “I have three children in the Webutuck School District. One is graduating this year, one is going into ninth grade and the youngest will be in second grade. I’m running for the school board because I want to be one of the forces to help kids have a better education. Webutuck is a good school district, but there’s always room for growth.”
Modest Budget Increases
Considering that the CPI (Consumer Price Index) for the last 12 months was 3.5%, all school budgets show modest increases in total expenditures from 1.7% in Millbrook to 4.2% in Webutuck. Spending per student ranges from a low of $38,704 in Webutuck to $46,936 in Pine Plains.
The accompanying chart compares the Webutuck, Millbrook and Pine Plains School District budgets for the 2024-2025 school year that voters will be asked to approve. Tax rates are estimated with final rates not available until 2024 assessment valuations are completed.
School budgets are broken down into three major spending categories. The program budget includes teachers’ salaries, special education, employee benefits and transportation, and administration and capital budgets, which include maintenance expenses, utilities, etc.
In Pine Plains 81% of the budget is expended on program expenses while in Millbrook it’s 77% and 85% in Webutuck. Administration, all the people not in the classroom, constitutes 9.4% of Pine Plains’ budget, 10.3% in Millbrook and only 6.9% in Webutuck.
In addition to the budget each school district will separately ask approval of various propositions.
In Pine Plains voters will be asked to approve the purchase of three new 65 passenger school buses at an estimated total cost of $462,000. Webutuck is looking to purchase two 20 passenger buses and to move ahead with installing air conditioning in all classrooms and cafeteria space.
Millbrook is requesting voter approval for a series of three bonds totaling $77.7 million to finance the cost of deferred maintenance for the schools’ physical plant and improve programing.
Keep ReadingShow less
Robin Roraback
POUGHKEEPSIE — Dutchess County Comptroller Gregg Pulver has launched a study to consider alternatives to using road salt on county roads.
Pulver said, “We are always looking to save taxpayer’s money and launching environmentally friendly road salt is a great way to accomplish both saving your money and protecting our environment.
“The brine solution may significantly reduce costs for our highway department while removing the harmful impact traditional road salt has on our waterways, roads, and soil in Dutchess County, not to mention the excessive damage it does to vehicles by prematurely rusting.”
Pulver said he has long been aware of the effects road salt can have.
“My parents well was contaminated from road salt years ago. Since then, I’ve always advocated for less usage.”
The inspiration for the study came from Rhinebeck where highway superintenden Bob Wyant saw a video on how to make a brine mixer.
The brine mixer churns salt and water to make a mixture, which when applied to winter roads has been shown to be more effective and cheaper than the traditional rock salt used now. It is also safer for the environment.
Once it is applied, the water in the brine evaporates, leaving a coating of salt which sticks to the roads. Traditional rock salt tends to bounce and roll off the roads and into waterways where it gets into drinking water and raises salinity, which can be unhealthy, especially for people with high blood pressure.
It also affects fish, plants, gets into soil, and affects ecosystems, according to “ROAD SALT, The Problem, The Solution, and How to Get There,” a study by the Cary Institute of Ecosystems Studies in Millbrook.
Where rock salt must be applied right before or during a storm, brine can be applied up to forty-eight hours before a storm, which also can save on labor.
The Cary study recommends “a 23% salt brine solution to pre-treat roads before the onset of storms. Estimates suggest that road pre-treatment with brine can yield a 75% savings in total salt applied.”
It is noted that brine, while a good solution, is not a perfect one.
Studies note winter rains can wash brine away and into waterways. Brine may not be as effective as rock salt in certain conditions. Rock salt is more effective on ice caused by freezing rain.
In Halifax, Canada, municipality spokesperson Erin DiCarlo noted, “Conditions must be correct in order to apply this liquid chemical to a roadway and be effective. If the storm is forecast to begin with rain, the city may avoid using brine. Also, the temperature can’t be too low, and the humidity can’t be too high.”
It is also more caustic than rock salt and can cause rust on cars and trucks.
As brine sticks to roads, it will also adhere to automobiles. It is recommended to wash cars periodically.
According to ADK Action (Adirondack Mountain Club), which has studied the effects of salt on the environment, particularly in the Adirondacks, brine should be used in conjunction with other methods of reducing salt use, such as precise application (computerized release of salt/brine), listening to RWIS (Road Weather Information System) to plan ahead for storms, making a map of sensitives areas (such as near waterways), upgrading equipment, improved training of plow drivers, educating the public, good storage and clean-up of salt, including the possibility of recycling water from washing plow trucks for the brine mixture, and monitoring and evaluating salt use.
Comptroller Pulver said, “We are putting together the scope of the study now and hope to have that complete early next week. I have already reached out for preliminary information from several sources including Cornell Local Roads Program and Washington County DPW. Once we get the facts, we will be able to make evidence-based recommendations on whether or not to proceed.”
He added, “This is a brand-new study, we’re going to begin immediately, and I’m not sure I can place an exact timeline on an implementation. My office provides oversight and official recommendations. It would be on the Department of Public Works to implement.
“And to clarify, this would be for county roads. We will of course share the results of our studies with local municipalities like Pine Plains, but I have no control over their decision-making process,” he emphasized.
Keep ReadingShow less
Amenia approves several key initiatives
May 08, 2024
John Coston
AMENIA — Resolutions approving progress on several initiatives including a new Town Hall gym floor, environmental assessments for a new town garage and engineering services for the water district all won unanimous approval by the Town Board at its regular meeting on Thursday, May 2.
The need to replace the 2,436 square feet of flooring in the Town Hall gym has been under consideration for months, leading to a decision by the Town Board to utilize the services of local architect Tracy Salladay whose work will be to invite proposals from contractors for the project. The resolution indicates that the contractors’ proposals will need to be submitted by Friday, May 31.
Underlying the layers of gym flooring is an original maple floor, but the overall condition is unknown. Part of the project will be to uncover and assess the condition with Town Supervisor Leo Blackman and the architect to determine whether restoration might be an option.
If the maple floor turns out to be in poor condition, then the alternative as explained in the resolution will be to install a rubber-base floor of Herculan.
Because plans to build a new town garage measuring 13,000 square feet with additional storage buildings would involve below-ground infrastructure including a well, buried fuel tank, buried propane tank and a septic system, a state environmental assessment review process is required.
Preliminary planning work had been completed by LaBella Associates, architects, leading the Town Board to vote unanimously to invite that firm to proceed with the environmental assessment step.
The local water district needs professional engineering services to assess the current well systems and propose future capital projects. By unanimous vote, the Town Board agreed to move ahead with seeking proposals for those services. The engineers would be charged with assessing the entire water district reviewing sources, storage and distribution systems, and to make recommendations for capital improvements along with potential funding sources.
The Town Board has also defined topics to be discussed at its next meeting on Thursday, May 16, assigning each topic to a councilmember.
In response to some residents’ comments that the town should impose term limits on elected positions, councilmember Paul Winters said that he would prefer to poll public opinion in preparation for his report to the board. He said that he would like residents’ feedback on two questions. The first is whether residents feel that elected officials should be limited to a certain number of consecutive terms totaling perhaps 12 or 16 years of service in a given position. The other question asks for feedback on the length of individual terms on the Town Board. At present each councilmember serves a four-year term, but the Town Supervisor serves a two-year term. Winters is seeking input on whether the Town Supervisor’s term should also be four years in length.
Residents may email Winters at pwinters@ameniany.gov to offer their thoughts on the questions. He plans to report results to the board on May 16.
Winters will also be submitting a preliminary draft of possible regulations that could support the town’s opting in to the state’s regulations governing cannabis distribution.
Review of the town’s procurement policy is assigned to councilwoman Rosanna Hamm for report at the next meeting.
Supervisor Blackman will be reporting on his effort to define the scope of the Comprehensive Plan Committee.
Also up for discussion at the next meeting will be the Wassaic Kilns and the prospect of the town assuming responsibility for the site. Under discussion will be proposed hours when the site will be open for visitors, security, and maintenance.
Appropriate zoning changes to allow multi-family housing will be another topic discussed on May 16. Once the Town Board reaches a consensus on a proposed change, the discussion would be passed on to the Plannng Board for their review in advance of Dutchess County review.
Keep ReadingShow less
loading