Letters to the Editor - The Millerton News - 10-26-23

Vote for Leo Blackman for Amenia Supervisor

My wife Ann and I have known Leo since 2006, but I really got to know him through the work we have done together on Town of Amenia boards and committees. 

This collaboration began in October 2018, when he joined me on the Amenia Zoning Board of Appeals. Next, in early 2020, he asked that I become a member of the Housing Board, which he chaired. The Wastewater Committee was formed that fall and Leo served with me on it — first as a member and then as a liaison to the Town Board. 

Through the almost six years that we have worked together I have been impressed by Leo’s tireless focus on improving our shared community. As a ZBA member he always asked the right questions in even the most complicated cases. His leadership on the Housing Board has directly contributed to the workforce housing that will soon be built on Route 22. He was and is an informed, committed advocate for establishing a wastewater system in the hamlet. I think his tenure on the Town Board has been defined by a series of principled, smart positions that again add up to making Amenia a better place to live, work and raise a family.

My friendship with Leo has also been shaped by his volunteer work at the Food of Life Food Pantry and the Giving Garden at St. Thomas Episcopal Church in Amenia Union. Since 2017, whenever we needed a hand in the garden, Leo could be counted on to show up — planting, harvesting, fall cleanup, filling beds with fresh compost. By the spring of 2020, as the pandemic was causing the number of neighbors coming to the Pantry to increase dramatically, we realized that we needed to build a structure to handle the volume. Luckily I knew an architect! Leo designed what became known as the Harvest House. He did the detailed drawings that Ducillo needed, helped supervise the construction and to this day he continues to volunteer every Friday at the Pantry.

Please join me in voting for Leo Blackman for Town Supervisor.

Jim Wright

ZBA and Wastewater Committee member,

Former Co-Warden, St. Thomas Episcopal Church

Amenia

Fire chief refutes Legislature candidate’s claim

At the Pine Plains Meet the Candidates event, I was startled when Chris Drago, a candidate for the Dutchess County Legislature, claimed a relative waited two hours for an ambulance to arrive after a 911 call. As Fire Chief, I take great pride in our work and the help we provide our community so I checked our system to see what went wrong that day.

It turns out the time from the 911 call to an ambulance arriving at the home was only 20 minutes, not 2 hours like Drago said.

Pine Plains operates on a full volunteer force which means when a call comes in, our volunteers drop what they are doing, drive to the firehouse, gear up, and then rush to the scene.

This candidate is relatively new to our community, but he should know that we take these accusations seriously because they jeopardize the confidence that people have in the volunteers who dedicate themselves to the Fire Department.

I invite Chris Drago to spend the day volunteering with us and responding to calls to see how hard these brave men and women work. And maybe he will like it so much he’ll decide to join our ambulance crew to help cut down response times even further.

Brian Walsh

Pine Plains

Endorsing Blackman, Doyle and Hamm in Amenia

We are writing to support the tickets of Leo Blackman (Town Supervisor) and both Vicki Doyle and Rosanna Hamm (Amenia Town Board Members).

The emphasis of this letter is to focus upon the timely importance of electing Leo Blackman as Town Board Supervisor.

Before becoming a town board member, Leo worked tirelessly to improve the lives of the citizens of Amenia by concentrating on such issues as lack of housing and the lack of a town waste water system — addressing a decades old problem — one that has made it nearly impossible to expand the town economy through the establishment of new businesses. This, in turn, has weakened Amenia in the face of active corporate expansions.

Leo has always focused upon the well-being of Amenians and has opened avenues for dialogues and town improvement. Leo’s  emphasis on the need for more Town Board transparency will allow increased citizen participation in issues still critical to the town.

We wholeheartedly endorse Leo Blackman for Town Board Supervisor and Vicki Doyle and Rosanna Hamm for Town Board membership; all three for the care and future of Amenia.

Nancy F. Mckenzie

Edna C. McCown

Amenia

Dealing with a ballot issue

I’ve come to understand that an error was made in submitting ballot information for the upcoming election for the Board of Supervisors in the Town of North East. All three candidates have and would continue to serve our town well and I plan to vote for them as the ballot was meant to be.

— Fill in the bubble for Lana Morrison and Chris Mayville in four-year terms.

—Write in Meg Winkler for the two-year term. 

I hope all of my neighbors in North East join me in overcoming this snafu and electing this great slate of candidates.

Ed Stillman

Millerton

Concerns about Ancram Democratic slate

I couldn’t help but respond to a recent letter about a concern that the “GOP might return” in Ancram in the Columbia Paper. Let’s share a few facts that will help voters make an informed decision. The Democratic slate is led by Bonnie Hundt as was noted. The same person who as Town Supervisor in Amenia lasted one term, faced a recall, raised taxes 24%, and admitted she “didn’t understand the budget process.” There is plenty more to read about her actions from public sources such as the Poughkeepsie Journal archives. 

As for the current Democratic led board, let me note they built up an absurd budget surplus of over $1 million, then formed a committee to decide how to spend it. A committee that until after being questioned recently, has met behind the scenes with no public record of their activities. These committees should at least advertise their meetings and post meeting minutes to the town website. This is not transparency. 

The Republican slate has committed to a 10% town tax cut and still maintain a substantial surplus, as well as immediately opening committee meetings to the public. The Democratic slate wants to keep that committee and spend it, instead of returning to the taxpayers at least some of their money. I would welcome a GOP return and leadership we can trust, with civility and transparency.

Paul Courtney

Ancram