Dutchess County Public Works announced the completion of the Stanford Road bridge replacement Monday, Aug. 26. The bridge spans Wappinger Creek near Dineen Road.
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Spotlight Gala
Jun 04, 2025
A company of 15 local youth and teens joined the Spotlight Gala at the Sharon Playhouse for ensemble numbers to honor Emily Soell, Board President. Right, Landry Champlin returned to the Sharon Playhouse to perform at the Spotlight Gala.
Aly Morrissey
The Sharon Playhouse kicked off its 2025 season on Saturday, May 31 at the annual Spotlight Gala. Said Carl Andress, the Playhouse’s Artistic Director, “The 2025 Sharon Playhouse Spotlight Gala honoring Emily Soell, Board President, was a tremendous success with a full and enthusiastic audience. The evening’s festivities featured stunning performances, raised vital funds to support our nonprofit theater, and celebrated our beloved Emily in unforgettable style. We are deeply grateful to everyone who came out to support the Playhouse and made this night so memorable!”
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In support of an ongoing volunteer project to restore Amenia’s original 1937 Sanford fire truck, readying the stout-hearted vehicle for parade duties, a check was presented by the Amenia Historical Society on Wednesday, May 28. Historical society fundraising has been key to the progress. Presenting the first check were, left to right, Dr. Julian Strauss and George Bistransin representing the historical society.Gary Stossel, right, of the Amenia Fire Company has been doing the restoration work.
Photo by Leila Hawken
AMENIA — A recent donation from the Amenia Historical Society to support restoration of the town’s 1937 Sanford Fire Truck, will reliably move the project ahead so that the town’s first fire engine will soon be ready to strut its stuff during parades. The first check for $600 toward the purchase of parts was presented by the historical society on Wednesday, May 28.
“I just want to see it going; that’s all,” said Dr. Julian Strauss of the old fire engine. He has been instrumental in getting the project underway, assisted by Amenia Fire Company volunteerism.
“He’s obsessed,” Strauss said of fire company volunteer Gary Stossel.
“My wife has made much the same remark,” Stossel replied. Stossel has served as a member of the Amenia Fire Company for 25 years. He has done much of the mechanical repair work on the fire engine and recently gave it a new bright red paint job.
“It’s enough to place an order for the tires,” Stossel said of the check. He hopes to get at least two, and maybe three tires ordered.
“The tires are the main issue at present,” Stossel said, indicating that the engine runs well, and the transmission has been repaired, its problem having been a broken “shifter.” And the brakes are working.
Support from the historical society, combined with a GoFundMe effort by George Bistransin, is moving the project nearer to its goal.
“There is still a lot of work to be done,” Stossel said, including refinishing and re-installing the fire truck’s elements that are being restored in his workshop.
“Once the tires are on, I can move it and be able to have more room to work on it,” Stossel said.
To re-chrome the front grill is an ambitious undertaking. Stossel indicated that businesses that do chroming these days are likely to be in the Midwest, so he may need to settle for painting the front grill red, same as the truck body.
“The seat is almost done,” Stossel said. “We call it a Santa seat,” he added, noting that it is reminiscent of a sleigh bench.
The project has taken about four years of work so far. It has perhaps just one year or less to go, Stossel said.
The horn and siren are working. It is missing its bell, but Stossel says that he knows where to find one.
“Doc has kept me going,” Stossel said of Strauss. “It’s going to be in a parade.”
Strauss felt that to restore the old fire engine would inspire community involvement and enthusiasm for volunteering at the local fire company.
“People don’t realize what it means to me,” Stossel said.
For more information about the project, go to www.ameniahs.org.
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Amenia Town Hall
Photo by John Coston
AMENIA — A change in original planning that had envisioned town homes as part of the Silo Ridge development was discussed by the Planning Board at its regular meeting on Wednesday, May 28.
Rather than town homes, the developer intends to alter the plans to create condominiums instead, Silo Ridge representative Patrick O’Leary explained. The original plans had been drawn in 2014, when projections suggested that families with school-age children would inhabit the town homes, but today, O’Leary said that children are no longer a likely presence.
“There is no significant impact from an economic standpoint in replacing town homes with condos,” O’Leary said.
Planning Board engineer John Andrews agreed, indicating that Silo Ridge has updated its narrative submissions to reflect the change, and a document has been submitted summarizing new numbers. What remains is the submission of an updated subdivision map, needed for a public hearing.
Raising a question about condo parking plans, board member Jamie Vitiello determined that condo parking would be underground. He also indicated that he would abstain from the vote to hold a public hearing to avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest.
With O’Leary’s promise to submit the updated map promptly, the Planning Board voted to schedule a public hearing for Wednesday, June 25.
About the overall Silo Ridge Master Plan, O’Leary suggested that the Planning Board schedule two “work sessions” with the sole purpose of discussing and understanding modifications to the originally approved Master Plan for the development.
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AMENIA — Signs are posted throughout the town inviting residents to engage in a conversation about the town’s future at a Community Workshop. The Listening and Learning session, called by the Comprehensive Plan Review Committee, will be held at the Town Hall on Monday, June 9, between 6 and 8 p.m. The format will be that of an Open House. Come anytime and leave anytime.
The six-member CPRC will be present to hear from residents about what they care most about when thinking of Amenia’s future in the coming decades. Residents’ comments will directly shape the CPRC discussions to be incorporated into the town’s comprehensive plan update. It will be a time for conversation about what is working now, what should be improved and where the town should be heading. The plan was last updated in 2007.
As a result of the event, the CPRC will identify shared goals to create a roadmap that will chart the future of the town of Amenia.
At the Wednesday, May 28, meeting of the Planning Board, member Ken Topolsky who also serves on the CPRC, spoke of the importance of attending the June 9 event. He noted that the updated plan will serve as substantial guidance for all local zoning law until the next update that should occur around 2040.
The event is a key element of the CPRC process under the direction of planning consultants from Pace University’s Land Use Center and Nexus Creative Design of Mt. Kisco.
For more information about the workshop session and regular updates on the CPRC process, go to www.engagingamenia.com.
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Village Trustees hear call to adopt law to limit local cooperation with ICE