Congressional budget omits Millerton wastewater grants

MILLERTON — Town Supervisor Christopher Kennan had some bad news to share at a regular Town of North East Board meeting on Thursday, March 13 — $3.2 million in wastewater grants were dropped from the continuing resolution Congress was considering.

The next day, the Senate passed the stopgap measure to avert a government shutdown.

The Village of Millerton and the Town of North East had been anticipating the earmarked funds that weresupported by Sens. Chuck Schumer, D- NY, and Kirsten Gillibrand, D-NY. U.S. Rep. Pat Ryan, D-Kingston, had secured $1 million, a grant that Kennan said was intact.

“It’s certainly not good news for the community,” Kennan said at the meeting.

In an interview Kennan said that the Village and the Town would continue to work toward a final design for the project, which has been estimated to cost approximately $13.9 million.

“We’ve got to find that $3 million,” he said.

At last week’s meeting, Kennan also had some good news to report, noting that two proposed projects have been advancing at the Planning Board: One is a much anticipated grocery to be located at the Millerton Square Plaza and a second is a proposed new healthy fast-food eatery in the former McDonald’s location.

Kennan also commented on a proposed racquet-sports facility to be located close to the state line on Route 44. That project was introduced to the Planning Board recently.

Kennan also announced that the Town will hold Bulk Trash Day on May 10 in the morning at the old Town Garage on South Center Street.

Responding to noise complaints about gunfire at The Millerton Gun Club on Route 22, Kennan said that he and Mayor Jenn Najdek had scheduled a meeting with the group to discuss a change that would end shooting after 5 p.m. and on Sunday.

“Hopefully we’re going to see some results from that,” Kennan said.

Work on the former Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses building on Route 22 that is planned to serve as the new Town Hall has been focused on resolving an issue with Suburban Propane, Kennan said. Suburban Propane is requesting that the town purchase the buried tanks, and Kennan asked Town Attorney Warren Replansky to inquire about proof of ownership of the tanks.

Kennan also discussed plans to replace a 2006 highway plow truck with a 2026 truck. Highway Superintendent Robert Stevens said as part of the replacement planning, the purchase would have no effect on the budget and the truck should be delivered by the end of 2025.

Mayor Najdek addressed the Board with a request to lease the old Town Garage on South Center Street as an interim way to solve a storage problem created by the fire that destroyed the Village Water Department building in early February.

Board members discussed the long-term goal of sharing space with the Village at the new Town Garage on Route 22 that opened last year.

“This is an immediate need,” Najdek said, noting that the Village ‘State of Emergency’ could extend to mid-summer.

There appeared to be consensus that the Town would accommodate the Village, and Town Attorney Replansky was asked to revise a resolution to be considered at the Board’s next meeting.