Lynch-VandeBogard tapped for Planning Board chair

MILLERTON — Village trustees on Monday, March 24, voted to appoint Patti Lynch-VandeBogard to serve as chair of the Planning Board, filling a vacancy created by the recent resignation of Lance Middlebrook.

Lynch-VandeBogard was elected to the Planning Board in July 2023 for a five-year term that ends in 2028.

“I thanked Lance for his 17 years of volunteer service on the Board,” Mayor Jenn Najdek told the Village Board.

Najdek said that she spoke with Lynch-VandeBogard about assuming the chair at the Planning Board following Middlebrook’s resignation.

Middlebrook, who has been chair for more than a decade, made his surprise exit at a regular meeting of the Planning Board on March 12.

He cited frustration about the large sign on Route 22 which displays the message “Community + Kindness” as in violation of village code.

“That should have gone to us. They just took it upon themselves. That was it for me,” he said.

The sign went up in December with the support of the Dutchess County Commission on Human Rights and Townscape, a volunteer group focused on revitalization of the Village.

Wastewater grants

Mayor Najdek informed Village trustees that federal-funding earmarks for Millerton’s proposed wastewater system were removed from the Congressional continuing resolution, and she recommended that the Village resubmit its application for funding.

“It’s the exact same application,” Najdek said.

Trustees voted unanimously to reapply for the funding.

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-18, had secured $1 million, a grant that remains intact, Najdek said.

Fire update

The Village has received two payments to date from its insurance company related to the costs of the early February fire at the Water Department building, which remains off-limits.

A third payment is anticipated, Najdek said, noting costs the Village will incur as it moves some operations into the Town of North East’s old town garage on South Center Street as a temporary storage and operations center.

The trustees approved an agreement with North East to lease the facility at a cost of $500 per month to be covered by insurance.

Summer Camp canceled

Due to planned construction for the pool at Eddie Collins Memorial Park starting in August, Village trustees concluded that holding a summer camp would be problematic out of concern for the safety of the children.

This past December, the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation awarded the village a matching grant of up to $675,000 in support of the project. With these monies, funding for Phase II, which stems largely from a NY SWIMS capital grant, is now at $7.56 million.

Trustees gave preliminary approval to Oblong Books to hold a 50th anniversary block party on South Center Street in August.

The March 24 meeting also focused on the upcoming budget, and trustees worked through a line-item examination of budget items. Plans call for a special Village Trustees meeting to be held April 3 at 6 p.m. to continue the budget workshop that will lead to an eventual public hearing sometime in mid-April.