![Will Guidara’s dreams for Second Mountain at Migdale](https://millertonnews.com/media-library/will-guidara-photo-submitted.jpg?id=48191211&width=980&quality=90)
Will Guidara Photo submitted
MILLBROOK — At the Town of Washington’s (TOW) Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) meeting in March, NYC restaurateur Will Guidara (the applicant behind Janet Farm, LLC and the Second Mountain project to redo the Migdale estate in Mabbettsville) rescinded his petition for a Zoning Overlay District on the property’s 350-plus acres of land because he said there was too much opposition and he wants to be a good neighbor. Since then, people have been curious. They’ve wanted to know more about Guidara and his plans.
Many in the Millbrook community wonder what the outcome of the application for this rather controversial hotel and spa development will be, and whether or not the proposal will be allowed to go forward. There are two groups in the community — one of adjacent neighbors and one of nearby residents and other community members who are staunchly against it, who have expressed concerns about traffic congestion, problems with water and sewage and complaints that the development is in opposition to the town’s comprehensive plan.
This newspaper has spoken with others in town who have said they believe the Second Mountain project would be a good thing for Millbrook, but those people thus far have kept quiet in public, bearing in mind that more than 200 residents have signed a petition against it.
What is planned
The application, as outlined by Guidara during a number of presentations before the town in the past couple of months, would take the historic Migdale property and convert it into a luxury hotel with two restaurants: one high end and one less formal. He also is planning to include new cabins, cottages and rental units, perhaps condos. Amenities including an outdoor theater, hiking trails, tennis courts, swimming pools and a spa have been mentioned, and the thought of the additional traffic the development could cause and the added pressure it could add to the town’s water and sewer systems have raised some hackles.
Sticking points
The main complaint raised by opponents is that the project doesn’t fit in with the town’s Comprehensive Plan, completed in 2015. That vision includes the Millbrook community remaining rural, “with great scenic beauty.”
The comprehensive plan goes on to state that the town will protect, among other things, water resources and natural habitats. On page 37 of the Comprehensive Plan, in its vision statement, the town states it believes in “maintaining a vibrant and diverse local business district, while maintaining the character, the look and the feel of the community.”
There have been complaints that Millbrook’s business district is less than vibrant today than in years past, of several businesses that have quickly come and gone, of a number of long-established businesses that have closed and of high retail prices. Those concerns have been met by merchants who reply with complaints of high commercial rents.
The issues are likely heard all across the country, and are encouraging some in the town to suggest that it’s time to bring more innovative enterprises into the community to generate revenue.
Guidara’s dream
The developer has said he is willing to make some concessions to his original plans to appease the community. While an outdoor theater was mentioned in one presentation, Guidara clarified in an interview with this newspaper this month that he is not envisioning something like the Four Brothers Drive-In Theatre in Amenia. Rather, he said, neighbors should envision the type of screen one might install in “your own backyard.”
Far from wanting to destroy the quaintness and beauty of Millbrook, Guidara said he is looking forward to moving onto the property with his wife and 6-week-old daughter, Frankie.
They currently live in Kingston, where they bought a house six years ago. They moved there full-time last year when the pandemic began, shortly after he and his business partner, chef Daniel Humm, dissolved their partnership. The two had great success with the Make It Nice hospitality group, which owned Eleven Madison Park, and several Michelin-rated NoMad restaurants around the country.
Guidara and his wife decided to settle in the area and find a location for the Second Mountain project. Migdale, in Mabbettsville, where the property is set back from the road, was perfect, he said. He doesn’t plan to build anything taller than one story on the property; the only exception will be the main house, which is already standing. He said he already spoke to the Millbrook fire department and several other local residents and businesses about his intentions.
Guidara said he feels Second Mountain will be a vacation destination, and that his clientele will bring their dollars to other businesses in the village and town. He plans to coordinate with Orvis Sandanona on their Gaming Weekends, the Millbrook Vineyards, Trevor Zoo, Innisfree Garden and many other attractions in the Hudson Valley and Tri-state region.
A business owner’s thoughts
Danielle Molello, owner of Blue Dragonfly Body Works in Millbrook, said she thinks the project could be positive for the community, but doesn’t think local residents have been well informed about the plans. She’d like more public meetings, like those held when the village was deciding what to do with the Thorne Building on Franklin Avenue, where residents asked questions and made comments. Molello feels that there is a lack of information and that the project seems “separate,” much like the Silo Ridge Field Club in nearby Amenia.
“It would help a great deal to get community involvement in knowing what is going on, what the plans are,” she said. “As a business owner, potential clientele is always welcome, and many of the other business owners may feel the same way. An influx of new blood may be just what the village needs. One person pointed out that Silo Ridge may have hired a lot of non-local help, but some of those workers moved here, adding taxpayers to tax rolls and students to the local school districts.”
Willing to compromise
Guidara and his legal team pulled their petition for the Overlay District, but he said he still intends to pursue his dream. His plans have evolved, he said, and because he’s taking a personal approach his ideas are also evolving.
He said he wants to work with both town officials and residents to make Second Mountain happen. He recognizes it will take time and not happen overnight.
Because he will be “a neighbor,” Guidara said he doesn’t want to alienate other potential neighbors in the town and village, and while he has a lot invested in the project, in traffic studies, lawyers’ fees and environmental studies, he wants to do things properly.
Guidara said he is waiting to take the next step, although there is no confirmation on exactly what that will be, while the town is currently studying its comprehensive plan.
MILLERTON — Millerton’s Police Department has requested more funding for its firearm budget.
“The county is switching over to different firearms, and we could possibly piggyback onto that as well, without any cost to the village of Millerton,” said Joseph Olenik, Chief of Police.
Millerton’s police department is currently staffed by seven officers, including Olenik, who have to provide their own firearms and equipment. They get paid $26 or $26.50 an hour, and Olenik said that purchasing a firearm and a gun belt can cost one officer around $1,200.
When a personal weapon is being used by an active officer, it becomes more difficult to take away than a provided weapon.
“It is better when it is a town-issued weapon, and we have more control over it,” Olenik said. “So I asked the district attorney if there are any funds possible or some type of grant to get the weapons purchased through the town… and he is working on it.”
Personal guns have to be authorized by the chief and the firearms officer, checked twice a year, and qualified twice a year. All guns must be approved to be carried and used while on duty, and if they do not pass, the officer is not allowed to carry them. The chief hopes to receive $8,000 or $9,000 to help aid officers with firearms and avoid potential future issues.
“I think the department purchasing the weapons is essential,” Olenik said. “No one should use their own personal weapons.”
Riley Moriarty
Of thousands who attempt to walk the entire length of the Appalachian Trail, only one in four make it.
The AT, completed in 1937, runs over roughly 2,200 miles, from Springer Mountain in Georgia’s Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest to Mount Katahdin in Baxter State Park of Maine.
While a thru hike often begins as a solitary pursuit, hikers weave into one another’s lives on the journey. Hikers Liam Hickes, James Outlaw, Jackson O’Brasky, and Riley Moriarty – Hero, Outlaw, Rabbi, and White Claw as they are known on the trail – were strangers back in March but have now traveled together for months.
Great Falls, Falls Village.Provided
Before the trail, Moriarty – originally from Columbia, South Carolina – worked as a carpenter and lived in a yurt in Asheville, North Carolina. He went on a weekend long camping trip with friends and dreamed of a longer excursion in the woods.
Outlaw too craved adventure. Growing up in Atlanta, Georgia, he had hiked sections of the AT with his dad and always wanted to do the full trek. While working at a food truck in Boone, North Carolina, he decided to commit to the challenge.
Hickes is also from Atlanta and had no idea the AT started in Georgia until reading author Andy M. Davidson’s book “When Sunday Smiled.” Inspired by the story of a retired Navy officer, he began to plan his own journey. Following service in the Marine Corps, he got on the trail as early as possible, hoping to be surrounded by fellow hikers.
O’Brasky spent much of his life among crowds in the cities of Hartford and New York City and sought the wilderness as an escape. A painter by trade, he applied for the Elizabeth Greenshields Grant with a proposal to hike the AT. After losing his job, O’Brasky received the grant and embarked on this six-month quest.
James OutlawProvided
Life on the trail can be monotonous. “People romanticize thru hiking, but it’s important to remember that it’s just walking,” said Outlaw. A night of burgers, beer, and civilization is sure to lift spirits and remedy the backcountry blues.
But mostly the hikers enjoy settling into the steady rhythm of a slower, quieter existence: taking siestas on hot days, letting thoughts wander, and gradually moving forward. “I get bored very easily, and I really have not been bored often out here,” said O’Brasky.
Throughout the journey, these individuals have confronted wildlife, weather, and rugged terrain: praying not to flip while rafting down the Shenandoah River, laughing in delirium through a North Carolina snowstorm, befriending wild ponies, and soaking up stories of strange characters they meet.
Jackson O'BraskyProvided
When the trail tests their resilience, they manage to sustain a gentle hum of optimism. A moment of sunshine can erase all recollection of the storm that soaked their belongings.
With everything they need in their packs – tents, sleeping bags, three days’ worth of food – they are not tied to societal expectations or any physical place. Each roams freely and independently, deciding when to push and when to rest, but they camp together almost every night. Comradery makes the undertaking less daunting and memories more meaningful. “Being around others who want the same thing I want enhances everything,” said Hickes.
Liam HickesProvided
Chipping away at this objective bestows a rewarding sense of accomplishment. “It’s always a big deal,” said Moriarty, “30 miles was a big deal. 100 miles was a big deal. I was really impressed with myself. Now it’s 1500, but it’s the same kind of feeling.”
As they approach Katahdin, minds wander to life post-trail. Hickes plans to start school in Louisiana with friends, while O’Brasky is unsure whether he will stay in New York City. Moriarty is considering joining the Coast Guard (though first he must figure out exactly what they do) and Outlaw is looking forward to a potential move to Colorado.
While they will put down their packs — at least temporarily — these men will carry willingness to be uncomfortable and determination to persevere wherever they go.
The clambake returns to SWSA's Satre Hill July 27 to support the Jane Lloyd Fund.
The 17th Annual Traditional New England Clambake, sponsored by NBT Bank and benefiting the Jane Lloyd Fund, is set for Saturday, July 27, transforming the Salisbury Winter Sports Association’s Satre Hill into a cornucopia of mouthwatering food, live music, and community spirit.
The Jane Lloyd Fund, now in its 19th year, is administered by the Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation and helps families battling cancer with day-to-day living expenses. Tanya Tedder, who serves on the fund’s small advisory board, was instrumental in the forming of the organization. After Jane Lloyd passed away in 2005 after an eight-year battle with cancer, the family asked Tedder to help start the foundation. “I was struggling myself with some loss,” said Tedder. “You know, you get in that spot, and you don’t know what to do with yourself. Someone once said to me, ‘Grief is just love with no place to go.’ I was absolutely thrilled to be asked and thrilled to jump into a mission that was so meaningful for the community.”
Disbursements from the fund are made upon the written recommendation of a social service agent, town social worker, hospice care provider, visiting nurse, counselor, or pastor. These funds must be used for day-to-day expenses such as mortgage, rent, insurance, utilities, heating oil, car payments, and transportation to and from doctor appointments or cancer treatment appointments. “We’ve never turned anyone away,” said Tedder. “We have had to ask people to wait a little bit, but we have never said no, which in 19 years is amazing.”
Behind the scenes of the clambake, a team of 75 dedicated volunteers help make the event happen. Even getting the seafood from Fitchburg, Mass., to Salisbury is a journey all its own. “We meet up at the Mass Pike and do the switch,” Tedder explained. “We clean the clams and bag them...all with volunteers from the community.” Because of the generous sponsors and volunteers, all the money raised is donated. “Like the lady who does the flowers for the event,” said Tedder. “She decorates the tables and the tents, and she goes to Salisbury Garden Center, and they say, ‘Take what you need and bring it back when you’re done.’ It’s wonderful that everyone knows what we do and why we’re doing what we’re doing — it’s for such a good cause and there’s such a big need.”
The clambake meal tickets are your golden key to this feast, but fear not if seafood isn’t your thing. There will be a variety of options, including hamburgers, hot dogs, chicken sandwiches, clam chowder, and vegetarian options. And let’s not forget the dessert table of community-contributed delights, and an ice cream experience that promises to satisfy any sweet tooth. There will also be live music at The Music Circle with Eliot Osborn and Friends of The Joint Chiefs.
The actual clambake is quite the spectacle. Said Tedder, “The guys build a kiln out of wood with river rocks in the middle. They light it on fire until the rocks get really, really hot. Then they pull away the wood, cover the hot rocks with seaweed, and put bags of corn, clams, potatoes, and lobsters on top. It’s covered with large wet tarps and steams for about 40 minutes. After that, we have four teams of servers who serve 350 people.”
Tedder shared that her favorite part of the event is getting up to thank everyone. “It’s nerve-wracking, but it comes from my heart,” she said. “The most meaningful thing is that I get to read notes from people that have written in to say thank you and what it’s meant to them. It’s heart-wrenching in such a positive way because they say things like, ‘I wasn’t going to live and the Jane Lloyd Fund gave me hope, it gave me a reason to live.’ It’s incredible how deeply we touch someone’s life.”
For more information and tickets, go to www.thejanelloydfund.org