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AMENIA — Public hearings continued from the previous meeting concluded at the regular meeting of the Amenia Planning Board on Wednesday, Jan. 8. Having considered public comment, the board approved applications from Troutbeck for an indoor pool and from DaVinci Windows for a sign installation.
No public comment was heard in connection with the Troutbeck proposal to construct an outdoor pool as briefly described by project engineer Rich Rennia of Rennia Engineering of Dover Plains. The application is part of Phase 8 of Troutbeck’s adaptive reuse application, revised recently to reduce the environmental impact.
Plans call for renovation to the existing pool, the bathhouse and the snack bar — all contained within the wellness area — and construction of a new indoor pool inside the Amenity Barn, Rennia said, explaining that the wellness area will not expand in area, only configuration.
Planning Board attorney Paul Van Cott said that the Phase 8 plans remain consistent with previous planning board approvals and are consistent with the site plan. Board engineer John Andrews indicated that the application was in order and ready for planning board decision, clearing the way for the unanimous vote to approve.
Residents’ concerns about traffic safety were repeated during the continued public hearing to approve installation of a two by six sign at the Route 343 location of DaVinci Windows’ showroom. However, following discussion, the planning board voted unanimous approval of the sign permit, providing that a site plan be submitted showing details of the new sign.
Resident George Bistransin echoed neighbors’ concerns that the sign might pose a dangerous distraction for motorists negotiating a nearby highway curve. He also offered his opinion that conversion of a residential property into a commercial enterprise should have been subjected to further review.
Engineer Andrews reported on his visit to the site accompanied by town highway and building officials. Andrews said that the property is located in a mixed-use district and that the project renovates a single-family residence to add a commercial use.
Andrews added his findings that the sight lines would not be impacted by the sign’s location.
Atty. Van Cott advised that Andrews will need to sign off on the sign’s site plan, a plan that will show illumination details.
Board member Nina Peek suggested that approval be delayed until the site plan with sign details is submitted, but board member James Vitiello favored moving ahead with a vote to approve, pending receipt of the site plan.
Cascade Road affordable housing
The Planning Board heard a preliminary review of impending plans for a Cascade Road affordable housing development to be proposed by Hudson River Housing of Poughkeepsie.
Plans were introduced by Senior Planner Peter Sander of Rennia Engineering. The site would use the land for workforce housing, envisioning a potential layout of 28 small lots to hold single-family, 4-bedroom homes with on-site shared water and septic systems. Half of the land would be conserved, Sander said, asking the board to provide any preliminary comments to assist with preparing for the application process.
Engineer John Andrews asked for a detailed analysis of the conservation elements on the property and he said that the precise acreage needs to be determined.
Atty. Van Cott noted that the planning board is not going to be looking at the subdivision plans at the current early stage. Rather, the board will be considering the plot of land as a whole including the conservation value.
“The applicant’s job is to design around these land resources,” Van Cott added, indicating the presence of a stream corridor at the site.
Board member Vitiello asked about impact on any wildlife to which Van Cott responded that the applicant would need to acquire the services of a professional biologist who would define any habitats. An alternative, Van Cott noted, would be for the Planning Board to hire a biologist at the applicant’s expense.
Spotted salamander is present at the site, as noted by board member James Walsh who indicated that he has caught trout when fishing the site.
Water and septic concerns were of interest to board member Kenneth Topolsky, including water quality, wastewater treatment plans, and run-off from storm water and Cascade Creek and how it might affect surrounding properties.
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MILLERTON — Calling the ongoing revitalization of Eddie Collins Memorial Park “the largest project the village has taken on,” Mayor Jenn Najdek has disclosed additional funding has come through in support of its upgrade.
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 Eddie Collins Memorial Park Swimming Pool Project. With these monies, funding for Phase II of the project, which stems largely from a NY SWIMS capital grant, is now at $7.56 million.
This most recent grant, which Najdek explained was the final one for which the village had applied, will go toward planned improvements for the park which include a new swimming pool and bathhouse, a community room and an on-site septic system. Additionally, all sections of the park will be accessible, making the venue ADA-compliant. The hope is to have complete and final designs of the project submitted over the next month or so. Completion of the project is expected by spring of 2026.
“It’s going to be great when it’s all done,” said Najdek, who acknowledged the need for quality outdoor recreation in Millerton, and who fondly recalled the swimming pool which was previously in place. “I’m excited,” she added.
The revitalization of Eddie Collins Memorial Park has been a work in progress for just under a decade, but strides have been made in recent years with the implementation of a soccer field, the recent installation of donated lights for the baseball field, and the paving of the parking lot as well as other revisions.
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POUGHKEEPSIE — As a means of improving emergency services coverage in Dutchess, the county has contracted with Empress Ambulance Service to provide supplemental coverage for those in need of rush transportation for medical treatment.
The coverage, which stems from a $2 million EMS investment as part of the county’s 2025 budget, is designed to address deficiencies in emergency transport throughout Dutchess.
As part of its contract with the county, Empress will provide around-the-clock service with the aid of strategically positioned vehicles — two Basic Life Support ambulances and one Advanced Life Support fly car — to support coverage in areas where response times have lagged. This initiative, which kicked off on the first day of 2025, saw 58 emergency responses in its first week of existence in towns throughout the county including Pine Plains, Pleasant Valley, and southerly destinations such as Fishkill.
While the support from Empress will boost emergency service response, it is strictly supplemental coverage and will not replace primary coverage. The purpose of Empress is to ensure emergency service transport in the event primary ambulance coverage or mutual aid is unable to reach patients in an expedited fashion. In addition to the agreement with Empress, the county is also in discussions with Ambulnz by DocGo to act as a secondary provider. If a contract with Ambulnz comes to fruition, their function would be to serve at peak demand times as well as provide on-call service for Dutchess government-hosted events in the event of emergencies.
Supplemental ambulance coverage in Dutchess is an initiative which county executive Sue Serino has prioritized over the past year due to its clear and urgent need, especially in the more remote areas of the county. “By contracting for countywide ambulance units, we are addressing gaps in EMS coverage, improving response times and ensuring neighbors have access to timely, high-quality emergency care,” Serino said. “Whether it’s a medical emergency in a rural area or a large-scale event requiring immediate major response capabilities, these resources will assist in ensuring that help will arrive when it’s needed most.”
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An array of drugs, drug paraphernalia, and a firearm were recovered as part of the investigation that saw seven Hudson Valley residents arrested and charged in Dutchess County Court on Jan. 9 in an alleged drug-trafficking network in the region.
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POUGHKEEPSIE — Following the conclusion of a year-long investigation, seven Hudson Valley residents were taken into custody by law enforcement on Jan. 9 and charged in Dutchess County Court with participation in a drug trafficking network in which cocaine and fentanyl were peddled throughout the region.
Damian Cunningham, 40, of Mount Vernon, Nicole Kane, 36, of Highland, Shamique Delaine, 33, Jonte Hatcher, 41, Romell Hearn, 45, Daquan Killian, 32, and Dwan Scafe, 36, all of Poughkeepsie, were charged on 155 wide-ranging counts of felony offenses including criminal sale of a controlled substance in the first and second degrees as well as Class A felonies.
Hatcher, Kane, Hearn and Scafe were charged with firearms offenses including criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree, which is a class C violent felony. Hearn and Scafe were also charged with operating as major traffickers, which, if convicted on this charge, could potentially carry a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
Cunningham was charged with trafficking cocaine. Delaine, Hatcher, Hearn, Kane, Killian and Scafe were charged with conspiracy and trafficking cocaine and counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl.
The investigation, spearheaded by the Office of the Attorney General’s Organized Crime Task Force, recovered over 10,500 counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl worth approximately $75,000, over eight kilograms of cocaine with a street value of $200,000, three firearms — including a ghost gun — and $14,000 in cash.
The investigation, which was carried out over a period of twelve months, was a collaborative effort between the organized crime task force and the New York State Police’s Special Investigations Unit — Hudson Valley and Troop K — Violent Gang and Narcotics Enforcement Team.
“Counterfeit opioids containing deadly amounts of fentanyl are a grave threat to New Yorkers,” New York State Attorney General Letitia James said of the success of the takedown operation. “Our investigation dismantled a drug trafficking network that was responsible for moving massive quantities of dangerous narcotics throughout the Hudson Valley, where communities have been hit hard by the opioid crisis. My office remains committed to tackling this crisis from every angle, and I thank the New York State Police for their cooperation and diligent work on this investigation that took dangerous drugs and guns off our streets.”
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