Carl Baden, Pine Plains Highway Superintendent, shown in a photo last year with one of the town’s trucks. A study is underway by Dutchess County Comptroller Gregg Pulver to determine whether using a brine mixture on county roads instead of rock salt for winter storms would help save both the environment and money for Dutchess County.
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.
MILLERTON — The Town of North East held a board meeting on Thursday, Feb. 13, to create a “memorandum of understanding” contract between the Village of Millerton and the town, explaining how the town will assist the village after its Highway and Water Department building caught fire on Feb. 3.
“The resolution authorizes the town superintendent of highways to assist the Village of Millerton and its highway department with plowing, repair and maintenance of the village highways,” supervisor Chris Kennan said. “Pursuant to provisions of section 142e of the Highway Law, during the period of the Village’s state of emergency.”
Village mayor Jenn Najdek was in attendance to share updates on the status of the investigation and village needs after the fire. “Everyone did a really good job, under extremely stressful circumstances, to figure out a path moving forward,” Najdek said, explaining the support from the town, county, state and surrounding communities has been beneficial and remains appreciated.
“We’re pretty fortunate. It makes you realize what a special place this is to live in,” Najdek said. “When all those resources all of a sudden show up at your door when you need them, that’s pretty cool.”
The town has unanimously accepted a bid for the installation of the Highway garage’s fencing, working with the company Fesco Fence.
For this project, the town received eight different bids from potential contractors with the ranging costs of $166,000 to $328,676. Fesco Fence was the lowest bid submitted, which included the company’s 10% contingency allowance of $15,090.91.
During the meeting Kennan spoke briefly about a new cell tower slated to be built in Ancram. He is receptive to feedback on the topic which has elicited a mixed response from residents. “It’s not in our town, but it’s right on our border and we are familiar with things like the Transfer Station that was placed in the Town of Salisbury,” Kennan said. “I think it’s important that we at least note this so we have an opportunity to talk about it.”
As of Thursday night, the town had collected 37% of taxes, and paid off the Fire District’s budget, according to Tilly Strauss. Along with taxes, the board created a flyer to send out with every receipt to show the community where their money will be going.
Amenia has now been certified as a pro-housing community and has completed the proper paperwork to show its updated zoning and/or building permits, councilwoman Meg Winkler said. “We will be getting into that next year, maybe the end of this year,” Winkler said.
The new Town Hall is now taking its first baby steps, Kennan said, he spent most of Thursday morning at the new building where he was working with a HVAC company to get the system up and running.
“It has been out of service for several years, so there are a couple pieces of equipment in those units that are not working,” Kennan said. “It’s really a first step in our process of getting the work underway, is to get that system working properly.”
Village of Millerton offices on Route 22
MILLERTON — On Monday, Feb. 10, a board meeting was held, largely centered on the impact of the Feb. 3 fire that destroyed the Village Water and Highway building located on Route 22. In addition to the loss of the building, vehicles, equipment and tools were also destroyed.
“If we go back to the cause, it is still undetermined,” said mayor Jenn Najdek, who stated foul play had been ruled out. She also confirmed the garage remained off-limits as the investigation is still ongoing.
Alongside the Mayor, village trustees expressed their concern regarding rumors as to the cause of the fire. According to trustee David Sherman, transparency with the public is key to distinguishing fact from fiction. “I think we should, through whatever releases we can make, make it abundantly clear what that status is so we can squelch these kinds of rumors that are oozing up in the community,” said Sherman.
The Village is working with Nordic Environment Finance Corporation, an independent cause and origin investigation company, to determine the cause of the blaze. According to Najdek, once the investigation is complete, investigators will greenlight the premises for entrance. Najdek also emphasized while investigators are working toward determining a cause, one may or may not be found, contingent on what the investigation yields.
According to Najdek, the Town of East Fishkill sent their engineer the morning of the fire to assist Village’s water operators in setting up a system to ensure drinking water would continue to flow. The village’s supply of drinking water has been continuously evaluated by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation as well as the Board of health to ensure fitness for human consumption.
With one of the wells being destroyed in the fire, the Village’s water will be conditioned as required and pumped from well no. 1, known as the “doghouse,” to a holding tank as a temporary solution.
“Well no. 2 that was in the building, we can selectively demo around it, secure it, get a semi permanent structure,” Najdek said. “We don’t know what that’s going to be. There’s one hundred different solutions for that, and we will know more after this week.”
The Village trustees showed interest in an acting structure which resembles a “plug and play” system, where all water operating equipment will be housed. “We will be meeting with the engineer, the water operator and Pete [Dellaghelfa, Village’s Superintendent of Public Works], this week on-site and we will start looking for the immediate, short-term solution,” said Najdek.
Previously, the Millerton Water Department housed two 10-inch diameter wells in an unconsolidated aquifer that allowed filtration through 50 feet of sand and gravel. The water then gets pumped into an elevated holding tank, where it is treated and chlorinated before being distributed to residents.
Currently, well no. 1 is being operated by a generator while the power lines to the building are in the midst of being fixed. The intent of these lines, according to Najdek, is to potentially serve electricity to both of the wells and the baseball field lighting.
With the loss of vehicles and equipment, the village is hoping to be indemnified once insurance claims are settled. “We’ve incurred a lot of expenses so far,” Najdek said, explaining her confidence in village insurer New York Municipal Insurance Reciprocal. “I feel pretty good about them being able to handle our needs in a timely manner.”
The Village will have a three-month window to borrow vehicles or equipment as needed from the town, county or the state. “God forbid the county’s truck hits the bed, we can ask the state ‘Do you have any trucks that you could loan us?’” Najdek said.
The mayor requested the Highway and Police department compile a wish list of vehicles and equipment for immediate needs. The village hopes to avoid buying used trucks and equipment, hopefully avoiding any problems that come with them, said public works superintendent Dellaghelfa. “It’s not that I’m against used. I just want to see that the village is getting their money’s worth.”
Once Najdek has confirmation from the insurance company, the village will start moving forward with the “wish-lists” from both the Highway and Police Departments. At this time, patience is what’s needed most, explained Najdek. “For those who have never been through a fire, this is a marathon. It’s not a sprint,” she said. “Sometimes answers don’t come into the third mile or fourth mile. It’s not something where information comes quickly from insurance companies everyday, so there will potentially be no updates.”
The village’s state of emergency declaration, which went into effect the morning of the fire, remains in place.
During the meeting, trustee Sherman provided updates on where the village stands for the Community Development Block Grant. The village is planning to use this grant to replace a few sections of sidewalks which need improvement.
“Some things are going to require some engineering input to see how we can rebuild this area,” Sherman said. “The aim is to put some estimates together and have the board’s consideration for our next meeting to approve making a CDBG application for this 2025 year and keeping it with a total cost under the $200,000 level, which is the max.”
According to Sherman, the focus will be on the sidewalks near John Street, also known as Smith Court and North Center Street. The Village needs to submit its request for the grant by Monday, March 3, to be considered.
The Lakeville Journal and Millerton News are seeking young journalists for an educational internship program.
The six week program provides training in the everyday operations of a community weekly. Interns will learn the news-gatheringprocess from pitch to print through regular workshops with industry professionals on topics such as photography, libel and copy-editing.
Interns will also work closely with the papers’ staff. Editors will collaborate with interns to develop stories and provide feedback throughout the program. The papers’ reporters will take interns into the field for shadowing opportunities, teaching interviewing and photography in action.
By the end of the program, interns should be capable of reporting and writing a hard news story or feature fit for print, and should have an article clip and a photograph to start a reporting portfolio. Interns should finish the six-week program with an understanding of current community journalism best practices, interviewing techniques and news-writing skills.
Interested students can find the application online at lakevillejournal.com/education-internship-programs or on our social media accounts.
MILLERTON — On Monday, Feb. 10, a board meeting was held, largely centered on the impact of the Feb. 3 fire that destroyed the Village Water and Highway building located on Route 22. In addition to the loss of the building, vehicles, equipment and tools were also destroyed.
“If we go back to the cause, it is still undetermined,” said mayor Jenn Najdek, who stated foul play had been ruled out. She also confirmed the garage remained off-limits as the investigation is still ongoing.
Alongside the Mayor, village trustees expressed their concern regarding rumors as to the cause of the fire. According to trustee David Sherman, transparency with the public is key to distinguishing fact from fiction. “I think we should, through whatever releases we can make, make it abundantly clear what that status is so we can squelch these kinds of rumors that are oozing up in the community,” said Sherman.
The Village is working with Nordic Environment Finance Corporation, an independent cause and origin investigation company, to determine the cause of the blaze. According to Najdek, once the investigation is complete, investigators will greenlight the premises for entrance.Najdek also emphasized while investigators are working toward determining a cause, one may or may not be found, contingent on what the investigation yields.
According to Najdek, the Town of East Fishkill sent their engineer the morning of the fire to assist Village’s water operators in setting up a system to ensure drinking water would continue to flow. The village’s supply of drinking water has been continuously evaluated by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation as well as the Board of health to ensure fitness for human consumption.
With one of the wells being destroyed in the fire, the Village’s water will be conditioned as required and pumped from well no. 1, known as the “doghouse,” to a holding tank as a temporary solution.
“Well no. 2 that was in the building, we can selectively demo around it, secure it, get a semi permanent structure,” Najdek said. “We don’t know what that’s going to be. There’s one hundred different solutions for that, and we will know more after this week.”
The Village trustees showed interest in an acting structure which resembles a “plug and play” system, where all water operating equipment will be housed. “We will be meeting with the engineer, the water operator and Pete [Dellaghelfa, Village’s Superintendent of Public Works], this week on-site and we will start looking for the immediate, short-term solution,” said Najdek.
Previously, the Millerton Water Department housed two 10-inch diameter wells in an unconsolidated aquifer that allowed filtration through 50 feet of sand and gravel. The water then gets pumped into an elevated holding tank, where it is treated and chlorinated before being distributed to residents.
Currently, well no. 1 is being operated by a generator while the power lines to the building are in the midst of being fixed. The intent of these lines, according to Najdek, is to potentially serve electricity to both of the wells and the baseball field lighting.
With the loss of vehicles and equipment, the village is hoping to be indemnified once insurance claims are settled. “We’ve incurred a lot of expenses so far,” Najdek said, explaining her confidence in village insurer New York Municipal Insurance Reciprocal. “I feel pretty good about them being able to handle our needs in a timely manner.”
The Village will have a three-month window to borrow vehicles or equipment as needed from the town, county or the state. “God forbid the county’s truck hits the bed, we can ask the state ‘Do you have any trucks that you could loan us?’” Najdek said.
The mayor requested the Highway and Police department compile a wish list of vehicles and equipment for immediate needs. The village hopes to avoid buying used trucks and equipment, hopefully avoiding any problems that come with them, said public works superintendent Dellaghelfa. “It’s not that I’m against used. I just want to see that the village is getting their money’s worth.”
Once Najdek has confirmation from the insurance company, the village will start moving forward with the “wish-lists” from both the Highway and Police Departments. At this time, patience is what’s needed most, explained Najdek. “For those who have never been through a fire, this is a marathon. It’s not a sprint,” she said. “Sometimes answers don’t come into the third mile or fourth mile. It’s not something where information comes quickly from insurance companies everyday, so there will potentially be no updates.”
The village’s state of emergency declaration, which went into effect the morning of the fire, remains in place.
During the meeting, trustee Sherman provided updates on where the village stands for the Community Development Block Grant. The village is planning to use this grant to replace a few sections of sidewalks which need improvement.
“Some things are going to require some engineering input to see how we can rebuild this area,” Sherman said. “The aim is to put some estimates together and have the board’s consideration for our next meeting to approve making a CDBG application for this 2025 year and keeping it with a total cost under the $200,000 level, which is the max.”
According to Sherman, the focus will be on the sidewalks near John Street, also known as Smith Court and North Center Street. The Village needs to submit its request for the grant by Monday, March 3, to be considered.
