The front door to the apartment building at 7-9 Main St. in downtown Millerton hosts a sign bearing the words "Unsafe Structure. Stay out." A fire in the basement that started in the furnace filled the building with carbon monoxide, prompting emergency responders to evacuate the building.
MILLERTON — As many as 18 people, including four children, were displaced early Saturday morning after a basement furnace fire sent carbon monoxide and smoke through an apartment building at 7–9 Main Street just before 4:45 a.m.
Emergency and fire crews from Millerton, Amenia and Lakeville, Connecticut, responded to the scene and evacuated residents from the building, located between the Harney Tea Room and the Mercantile Photo Gallery. Firefighters extinguished the blaze and ventilated the building. No injuries were reported.
Millerton Fire Chief Keith Roger said the fire was contained to the furnace before crews were able to extinguish it. The fire caused high amounts of carbon monoxide to spread through the building, he said.
Roger said he observed the basement filling with smoke after forcing entry. Following the evacuation, crews worked to ventilate the building.
“Everyone worked great together,” Roger said, adding that he is proud of his department and grateful for the support from surrounding communities.
The Town of North East Medic 1 and Northern Dutchess Paramedics also responded to the scene to provide any necessary emergency medical services.
The American Red Cross also responded later in the day and is supporting two of the families with temporary housing and additional assistance.
The building did not sustain structural damage, though it is unlikely residents will be able to return in the near future. Mayor Jenn Najdek said the village’s code enforcement officer is in contact with the building’s owner, but there is no timeline for reentry.
“I want to acknowledge the Millerton Fire Department for opening up the doors all day for the displaced residents, and all of the volunteers involved,” Najdek said.
Assisted by the Millerton Fire Department, residents were allowed to enter the building for five minutes at a time to retrieve essential items, a measure intended to prevent additional exposure. Roger said that while the building is currently uninhabitable, residents will be permitted to return to retrieve belongings as conditions allow.
Roger said he was relieved that no one was seriously injured but expressed concern for the families who were forced to leave their homes.
“It’s unfortunate with some of these types of buildings that don’t get the proper attention they need,” he said.
A community-wide effort to support the displaced families began Saturday morning, bringing together the fire department, village and town officials, staff from the NorthEast-Millerton Library and the North East Community Center (NECC), among others.
Village Deputy Mayor Matt Hartzog said he arrived on the scene at about 10 a.m. to provide hands-on assistance. Along with the Red Cross and NECC, he helped supply families with essential items, including blankets, towels, toothbrushes, and a debit card loaded with funds for basic necessities.
“This is really an example of the community coming together,” Hartzog said. He added that community members who wish to help can donate to NECC, which provides critical resources to local families and residents.
Town Councilman Chris Mayville spent most of the day Saturday working alongside the fire department and elected officials to support the displaced residents.
"You appreciate living in communities like ours in times like these when you really see people coming together," Mayville said. “No matter what role people were in, it was comforting to see everyone come together to help.”
Mayville said he was particularly grateful for the Millerton Fire Department, which received four additional calls on Saturday. “They would respond to another call and come back and pick right back up where they left off.”
Two displaced residents required accessible transportation assistance that could accommodate a wheelchair. Library Director Rhiannon Leo-Jameson and Town Councilwoman Meg Winkler worked to identify possible options and made calls for help.
"It is heartening that our community can just react on a moment's notice and work together to try to resolve obstacles," Winkler said.
Leo-Jameson agreed.
“Millerton has always been a community that steps up,” she said. “It’s heartwarming to see public officials coming together to help.”
Graham Corrigan
Mourners assembled a collage of photographs of Olly Rea near the altar at Faith Bible Chapel on Monday.
MILLERTON — More than 150 family members, friends and neighbors gathered at Faith Bible Chapel on Monday to celebrate the life of 2-year-old Olly Rea, whose brief life was remembered through stories, laughter and faith just over a week since his tragic death.
The celebration took place at the same Silver Mountain Road church where Olly died July 25 after falling into a septic tank on the property following a wedding reception. Despite an extensive emergency response, he could not be saved. The accident stunned the close-knit community and prompted an outpouring of support for the Rea family.
The service reflected the family’s wish that the day focus on Olly’s happiness. Rather than wearing traditional black, most attendees came dressed in bright colors and casual clothing. People of all ages filled the chapel, exchanging hugs, condolences and memories before the service began.
The church was decorated with tributes to Olly’s favorite movies and characters, including Toy Story, Bluey, Lightning McQueen and Mickey Mouse. A long buffet, made possible through donations from local restaurants, church members and other supporters, stretched along one side of the room.
Pastor Bill Mayhew led the service. Floral wreaths and photo collages featuring Olly and his family flanked the pulpit. Among those in attendance were Olly’s siblings– Cory, 7, and 10-month-old Levi — who remained by their parents’ side throughout the service.
“When you look at those pictures, you’ll notice three things about Olly,” Mayhew said. “Either he’s smiling, he’s eating, or he has a ponderous look on his face. Because as a two-year-old, there’s a lot to wonder about in the world.”
Mayhew shared Scripture and memories of a little boy who delighted in splashing in the water, eating the frosting off cupcakes and stopping whatever he was doing whenever he heard an airplane so he could search the sky.
“Although his life lasted only two short years,” Mayhew said, “Olly’s life was rich in laughter, adventures, faith and unconditional love.”
Following his remarks, Mayhew invited those gathered to share their own memories.
Olly’s mother, Darryl Sue Rea, thanked everyone who had supported the family.
“We all loved Olly, and while we will miss him in our lifetime, we gave him one heck of a lifetime while he lived,” she said. “You were all a part of making him this beautiful, happy, smiling boy.”
Olly’s father, Johnathan Rea, said becoming a parent had changed him and that his son inspired him every day “to be an example for all children.”
Throughout the service, speakers returned to the same theme: despite his brief life, Olly left an outsized impact on those who knew him through his curiosity, smile and joyful spirit.
Mayhew closed the celebration by asking those gathered to keep Olly in their hearts in the days and weeks to come.
Additional reporting by Eloise Pickering and Christian Murray.
Millerton News
Sisters Hill Farm manager David Hambleton drives a red Farmall tractor at the Stanfordville farm he has led for more than 25 years. Former apprentices reflected on the lifelong farmer’s impact as the property’s owner, the Sisters of Charity of New York, prepares to sell.
Sisters Hill Farm manager David Hambleton drives a red Farmall tractor at the Stanfordville farm he has led for more than 25 years. Former apprentices reflected on the lifelong farmer’s impact as the property’s owner, the Sisters of Charity of New York, prepares to sell. Read the full story.
Nathan Miller
Millerton’s currently operating well is enclosed in a small structure known as the “dog house.”
MILLERTON — Construction is expected to begin this week on the village’s new drinking water pumphouse, more than a year and a half after a fire destroyed the original facility.
The new pumphouse is the first of two structures being built to replace Millerton’s Public Works Department building that was destroyed in a fire in February 2025. The original, fire-ravaged building housed both the village’s Water Department and Highway Department operations at Eddie Collins Memorial Park, and will ultimately be replaced with separate structures for each of these Public Works functions.
Fire project manager Caroline Farr-Killmer has been in charge of replacing the building since the fire destroyed it. She said construction crews were expected to begin work this week, but rainy weather could delay the project’s start.
“You don’t want to go out and start this in the pouring rain,” Farr-Killmer said.
The new pumphouse will house one of two municipal drinking water pumps. The pump has been offline since the February 2025 fire, leaving Millerton to rely on a single well for its drinking water for the past 18 months. The operable pump, located in what’s known as the “dog house” nearby the old structure, has had to supply all of Millerton’s drinking water.
Millerton Mayor Jenn Najdek said the building’s construction should take between four and six weeks, but the pump won’t be switched on immediately. Following construction, the village’s water company and county health officials will conduct water quality tests to ensure contaminants haven’t entered the well while it was inoperable.
“It could take as long as three or four months until the Board of Health approves the well being up and running again,” Najdek said.
Najdek said she’s encouraged to see the project moving forward after months of planning and approvals. The mayor compared government projects to her day job at Millerton construction company EcoBuilders, saying village construction can often lag due to the complexity of bureaucratic processes.
“Municipal work is not that simple,” she said. “There’s always a wrench in there somewhere.”
Construction on the water department building was originally expected to start in July, but plans for the construction didn’t receive approval from the Dutchess County Board of Health until much later in the month.
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Graham Corrigan
MILLERTON — The death of a 2-year-old Millerton boy who fell into a septic tank has renewed attention to the dangers associated with the wastewater and sewage storage systems that serve thousands of homes and properties across Dutchess County.
Septic tanks remain common throughout the county, where many homes, churches and businesses rely on private systems rather than municipal sewer lines.
On Saturday, July 25, 2-year-old Olly Rea fell into a septic tank located on the grounds of Faith Bible Chapel on Silver Mountain Road. His parents, Johnathan and Darryl Rea, said the boy wandered away while playing in the yard and fell through an unsecured tank cover.
The child was taken by ambulance to Sharon Hospital in Connecticut, where he was later pronounced dead.
The tragedy is grimly familiar to area residents. In 2023, a 2-year-old child in Pleasant Valley died in a similar accident after falling into a septic tank. While such incidents are uncommon, they underscore the potentially deadly risks posed by unsecured or deteriorating septic systems.
While falls and drowning are a serious concern, septic tanks also run the risk of releasing unhealthy gases. Hydrogen sulfide, methane, and ammonia are potential byproducts caused by the breakdown of waste. There’s also a chance of ground collapse after a heavy rain.
The septic tank is a French invention. Jean-Louis Mouras patented his “Automatic Scavenger” in 1881, and the devices soon spread to the United States. They replaced the leaky, brick-lined cesspools prevalent at the time, and became a popular choice as rural expansion increased through the mid-1900s.
The design has remained relatively unchanged over time: a tank made from plastic or concrete is buried in the ground next to a home. The tank allows solids to settle, and lighter liquid waste is released into an adjoining drain field.
Experts suggest pumping a septic tank every few years to clear out waste and scum that doesn’t break down naturally. Replacing the whole tank should happen every 20 years, though it depends on the materials used to make the tank. Concrete tanks last the longest.
Dutchess County’s Sanitary Code requires septic tank covers to remain accessible for inspection and maintenance, but any ground-level access cover must be secured.
The code states that septic covers “shall not be brought flush with the ground surface, unless the cover can be locked to prevent tampering.” The county also recommends periodic inspections, particularly for older systems where risers or covers may have deteriorated over time.
Dutchess County participates in New York’s Septic System Replacement Fund, which provides grants to eligible homeowners to replace failing septic systems that threaten groundwater and surface water quality. Poorly maintained or aging septic systems can allow disease-causing pathogens and other pollutants to contaminate nearby wells, streams and groundwater.
Further information about the Septic System Replacement Fund is available through New York State.
In Millerton, a long-awaited wastewater and sewer project will begin in early 2027. Estimated at $13 million, the first phase of the project will bring a sewer system to Main Street and its surrounding blocks. Properties within the proposed service area currently rely on individual septic systems, including tanks with leach fields, and outdated systems like seepage pits, cesspools and holding tanks.
But for more remote properties, like that of Olly Rea’s church, prospects of a wastewater system seem far off at best. Neighboring towns like Amenia are also on a septic system. Amenia has been debating the feasibility of a sewer system since 1995, but the project’s cost and complications have slowed progress. In 2024, Amenia selected Albany’s Laberge Group to submit a report on the potential system.
Graham Corrigan
PINE PLAINS — Parents, caregivers, business owners and childcare providers will have an opportunity later this month to speak directly with state and federal officials about the challenges of finding affordable childcare in rural Dutchess County.
The Child Care Council of Dutchess and Putnam will host a community focus group on Wednesday, Aug. 19, at 5:30 p.m. at the Pine Plains Free Library. Representatives from the offices of Congressman Pat Ryan, Assemblymember Didi Barrett and State Senator Michelle Hinchey are expected to attend and hear directly from residents about barriers to accessing child care.
The focus group comes at a historic moment for childcare in New York. Gov. Kathy Hochul’s 2027 budget included $4.5 billion to expand universal Pre-K in the state, up $1.7 billion from 2026.
The central issue is affordability. Childcare costs have soared in recent years, with the Child Care Council of Dutchess County saying it reliably ranks among a family’s top four expenditures alongside housing, food and taxes. Average childcare expenditures, according to state data, range between $10,000 and $20,000 annually.
Democratic County Legislator Chris Drago, who represents Milan, Millerton, North East, Pine Plains, east Red Hook and Stanford, counts childcare as one of his constituents’ most pressing concerns. “Childcare is connected to so many things,” Drago said. “It’s become exceedingly difficult to live and work and raise a family in northeast Dutchess, and part of that is because there isn’t childcare available.”
In January, Dutchess County was selected as one of three rural New York counties to pilot universal daycare in 2027. The county will receive $20 million in state funding for a childcare program focused on infants and toddlers. Drago hopes the focus group serves as an opportunity to make sure that money is going to the right places.
“We need people to step forward,” he said. “It could be an individual who wants to open a home-based center, or it could be a municipality who has identified a space they can use. We need people who are willing to get certified, so that when money becomes available, there is a place to send the money. We need creative problem solving.”
Locally, childcare centers have been grappling with declining enrollment, high costs and facility closures. Millerton’s North East Community Center discontinued its daycare program last year, citing mounting financial concerns.
Nathan Miller
The Slater family, from left to right: 9-year-old Madeline, 3-year-old Levi, mother Cassidy, 7-year-old Clayton, father Derek and 5-year-old Crew.
MILLERTON — Community members are organizing a charity motorcycle cruise later this month to help a Millerton family whose 5-year-old son is preparing for a kidney transplant after years of surgeries and treatment for congenital kidney disease.
Crew Slater, a 5-year-old Millerton resident, was born with chronic kidney disease and is currently in need of a kidney transplant. Community members are planning a motorcycle cruise from Millerton’s Firehouse on Century Boulevard to Mahoney’s Irish Pub in Poughkeepsie, New York, on Aug. 29 as a fundraiser for Slater and his family as they struggle to afford medication and treatment for the young Millertonian.
Registration for the community cruise will begin at 10 a.m. that day at the Millerton Firehouse. Organizers are asking for $25 per rider and $15 per passenger to participate in the ride, with proceeds going to Slater’s family. Riders will depart from the firehouse at noon and drive down Route 44 in a group to Mahoney’s Irish Pub in Poughkeepsie, where registration fees will provide one free drink.
Cassidy Slater, Crew’s mother, said he has been struggling with multiple congenital issues since birth, including improperly functioning kidneys, bladder and colon, which requires the need for a colostomy bag.
Crew underwent his first surgery at just days old in August 2020. In the nearly six years since, he has endured countless visits to hospitals in Albany and Boston and multiple surgeries to treat his medical conditions.
“It’s just been hospitals, surgeries, routine visits, blood work,” Cassidy said. “All of the above ever since he was born.”
The years of medical visits have strained the family, Cassidy said, but it hasn’t broken their resolve. Despite his health struggles, Crew faces life with excitement and happiness, she said, enjoying time outside with his three siblings at the Slater family’s two-acre property in Millerton.
Crew is currently undergoing treatment to prepare him for a desperately needed kidney transplant. Cassidy said he has reached stage 4 kidney disease, currently functioning at just 20% capacity of a set of healthy kidneys. Stage 5 of the disease is total kidney failure.
Rob Decker of Pine Plains organized the charity cruise set for the end of August to help the family afford mounting costs. Flyers for the event also contain a QR code for an anonymous questionnaire to screen potential donors.
Cassidy praised Decker for getting involved and helping to organize the event. She said Decker and others have created T-shirts and bracelets to sell as fundraisers in addition to the planned cruise later this month. And Decker did all of this without even knowing the family personally.
“He’s just gone above and beyond,” Cassidy said. “For a stranger to want to meet us and do all this stuff for us — there’s still good people out there.”
Crew isn’t the only Slater child to face a troubling diagnosis — his older brother, 7-year-old Clayton, was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at the age of five and requires regular insulin shots. Insurance coverage shortfalls have caused the family to pay for some of Clayton’s diabetic care supplies out of pocket, further straining their finances.
Despite the hardships, Cassidy said she and her husband work to provide stability and fun for their children. She said her kids spend ample time outside at their two-acre property, and the family takes frequent hiking and camping trips. The couple have four children — 9-year-old Madeline, 7-year-old Clayton, 5-year-old Crew and 3-year-old Levi.
“They’re not scared of what’s thrown at them,” Cassidy said. “They’re going to go through whatever’s thrown at them just like us.”
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