Thank you!
Your support is sustaining the future of local news in our communities.

Letters to the Editor - The Millerton News - 12-2-21

Molinaro, Pulver agree Democratic Caucus must step up, get to work

During a County Legislature Budget Meeting, Democrat Minority Leader Rebecca Edwards attempted to criticize her colleagues saying, “this Legislature is doing virtually nothing.”

The Legislature is in the midst of reviewing the 2022 Proposed County Executive Budget by holding public hearings and meeting with Departments to ensure staffing and services are being maintained as well as discussing new service proposals. The Budget review process is one of the most important aspects of being a county legislator.

Throughout the Legislature’s Budget review and November meetings, the Democratic Caucus has maintained a 43% attendance rate average. At one meeting, zero members of the Democratic Caucus were in attendance. Over that same span of 11 meetings, the Republican Caucus maintained a perfect, 100% attendance rate.

Our residents need a highly efficient and functioning County government. There are people out there that need help, want better roads and parks and deserve to have their taxes lowered.

We are absolutely disappointed to hear Legislator Edward’s remarks and suggest the Democratic Caucus starts doing their jobs and showing up.

The County Executive and Legislature Chairman point to their 2021 accomplishments:

• Purchased and authorized up to $25 million for the construction of the Youth Opportunity Union (YOU)

• Delivered $3.1 million in Learn, Play, Create youth grants

• Negotiated and ratified a 25-year lease with Keystone Professional Baseball Club to bring a New York Yankees affiliate team to Dutchess Stadium

• Authorized funding for upgrades at Wilcox Park, Bowdoin Park, Lake Walton Park and Quiet Cove Park

• Established a reserve fund for the Parks Division

• Expanded use of Crisis Intervention Team Training to municipal law enforcement entities

• Authorized a $350,000 highspeed internet/broadband project

• Adopted a local law to protect restaurants from nefarious third-party delivery services

• Authorized and approved the implementation of the County Sheriff’s Police Reform and Modernization Plan

• Negotiated and ratified a Government Greenhouse Gas Inventories and Climate Action Plan between the County and municipalities

• Authorized and conducted PFOA/PFOS study for homes surrounding the Hudson Valley Regional Airport

• Authorized purchase of a Mobile RV to deliver physical, mental and communicable disease health services to Eastern Dutchess

• Adopted a local law for Fair Housing

And, we are delivering the eighth consecutive property tax cut, the largest tax reduction in County history, and eliminating sales tax on clothing and footwear under $110.

County Executive
Marc Molinaro

Red Hook

Legislature Chairman Gregg Pulver (R-19)

Pine Plains

 

A thank you from Roe Jan Library director

Thanksgiving is a day when we reflect on what is important to us and what we are thankful for. The Roeliff Jansen Community Library has reason to be especially thankful this year.

Our library has weathered another year of COVID, staff have remained well and we have been able to continue to do what we love best — welcome you into our building, help you find your next great read or movie, provide access to the information and services you need and share educational and entertaining programs with you. But we have even more to be thankful for.

Nov. 2 was a historic day for the library. For the first time, the voters in Ancram, Copake and Hillsdale all resoundingly voted in favor of increased financial support for their library.

The Board of Trustees and staff would like to express our deep gratitude to all who came out in support of the library this election season, as well as to the many volunteers who worked so hard to make sure everyone knew to turn over the ballot and vote “yes” on Proposal 6.

We are humbled by the margins (over 75% in favor in Hillsdale and over 63% in favor in Ancram and Copake).

It has been a tough couple of years for everyone, and we know that it may have seemed presumptuous to some for the library to ask for increased financial support at this time. But we also know that public libraries, which offer services to all members of the community, no matter their income, politics, age, etc., are particularly important community anchors and supports during such times.

Your vote of confidence in your library will only make us work harder to support the communities that have supported us.

Thank you. And may you all have a wonderful holiday.

Tammy Gaskell

Director, Roeliff Jansen
Community Library

Hillsdale

 

 

Millerton News
The views expressed here are not necessarily those of The Millerton News and The News does not support or oppose candidates for public office.

Latest News

At Peggy Mercury, prep meets punk in ‘Imaginary Concerts’

At Peggy Mercury, prep meets punk in ‘Imaginary Concerts’
Greg Fricke and James Boehmer, co-owners of Peggy Mercury in Kent, recently launched their first fashion line, “Imaginary Concerts.”
Provided

Last month, James Boehmer and Greg Fricke of Peggy Mercury launched their first fashion line, “Imaginary Concerts,” wearable art sold exclusively at their store in the Kent Barns section of Kent, Connecticut.

The two fashion industry veterans opened Peggy Mercury more than two years ago, and a quick visit will tell you that people are finding what they’re looking for at the beauty and lifestyle store. But what they’re looking for is never standard.

Keep ReadingShow less
fashion

“Girlbomb” at 20

“Girlbomb” at 20
Photo by Jessica YurkoMillerton author Janice Erlbaum will celebrate the 20th anniversary of her memoir “Girlbomb” at Black Rabbit Dispensary on Sept. 5.
Photo by Jessica YurkoMillerton author Janice Erlbaum will celebrate the 20th anniversary of her memoir “Girlbomb” at Black Rabbit Dispensary on Sept. 5.
With memoir...the character only knows what the character knows.
—Janice Erlbaum

In “Girlbomb: A Halfway Homeless Memoir,” published in 2006, author Janice Erlbaum wrote about the years after she left her family’s Brooklyn apartment at 15, moving through shelters, group homes, squats, clubs and the streets of 1980s New York while somehow continuing to attend high school. The book has sold more than 75,000 copies, stayed in print for two decades and continues to find new readers.

Now Erlbaum, 57, lives in Millerton and on Saturday, Sept. 5, at 7:30 p.m., she will celebrate the 20th anniversary of “Girlbomb” with a reading at Black Rabbit Dispensary. The event is open to the public and will be livestreamed on Instagram.

Keep ReadingShow less
our community

Spencertown’s 21st Festival Of Books

Spencertown’s 21st Festival Of Books
Joshua Jelly-Schapiro, author of “Daylight Come: Harry Belafonte and the World He Made” is one of thefeatured authors at the Spencertown Academy Festival of Books on Saturday, Sept. 5.
Mirissa Neff

On Saturday, Sept. 5, the Spencertown Academy Arts Center in Spencertown, New York, will host its 21st annual Book Festival.

With over 20,000 gently used books, CDs, DVDs and vinyl donated by the community, it took volunteers 45 days — and an estimated 750 hours —to set the whole thing up. Most of that time was spent sorting through the vast troves of donations and organizing them by category.

Keep ReadingShow less
community
google preferred source

Want more of our stories on Google? Click here to make us a Preferred Source.

Paul Newman racing doc to screen in North Canaan on Sunday

Paul Newman racing doc to screen in North Canaan on Sunday
“Winning: The Racing Life of Paul Newman,”will be screened Sunday, Sept. 6, at the Colonial Theatre in North Canaan.
Provided

On Sunday, Sept. 6, Lime Rock Park will host a screening of the documentary “Winning: The Racing Life of Paul Newman” at the Colonial Theatre in North Canaan at 7 p.m.

Newman was one of the most celebrated actors of the 20th century, known for films including “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof,” “Hud” and “Cool Hand Luke.” His 1969 film “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” also began a decades-long friendship with co-star Robert Redford.

Keep ReadingShow less
film

Community to take center stage at Dive Barn

Community to take center stage at Dive Barn

A scene from last year’s Dance Barn.

Steven Tayler

On Sunday, Sept. 6, PS21 in Chatham, New York, will host a celebration of community through dance at its second annual Dive Barn performance at the organization’s Dance Barn.

Dive Barn is the brainchild of dancer, teacher and choreographer Sayer Mansfield, who has dedicated her life to contemporary and experimental dance. She studied in the Department of Dance at NYU Tisch School of the Arts and at the Salzburg Experimental Academy of Dance. She’s performed with companies including Pilobolus, Compagnie Marie Chouinardand Mark Morris Dance Group. Her work has been featured in films including “Little Women,” “Maestro” and “Sproutland.” She has served on the faculties of Jacob’s Pillow, Phillips Academy Andover, as well as Harvard and Yale Universities.

Keep ReadingShow less
dance

A family business gives old furniture a second act

A family business gives old furniture a second act

“London Sky,” a vintage settee reimagined by Pryor and Peacock with a dramatic view of the London skyline.

Provided by Pryor and Peacock

If you’ve ever seen one of those updated episodes of Antiques Roadshow, you know a lot of old furniture doesn’t hold its value the way it used to.

Gone are the days when the Keno brothers could tell you that your great-grandmother’s old chairs could pay off your mortgage. Instead, a younger market of buyers is looking for more simply designed furniture, often in the form of factory-made pieces using more affordable materials. Think Crate & Barrel or even IKEA, versus the ornate craftsmanship of yesteryear.

Keep ReadingShow less
lifestyle
google preferred source

Want more of our stories on Google? Click here to make us a Preferred Source.