County Legislator Alan (R-24)Surman seeks seventh term

PAWLING — “It has been a pleasure to serve the people of my district,” said Alan V. Surman, incumbent Dutchess County Legislator (R-24), running for re-election. District 24 includes Dover and Union Vale. Surman is also running on the Conservative line. He’s been serving in the Legislature  since 2009 and just finished his sixth term in office. He’s hoping for a seventh.

Surman is on several committees, including  the Environment Committee (chair), Public Works and Capital Projects Committee (vice chair) and the Environment Sub-Committee to Interview Candidates for Appointments.

He also serves on the Public Works and Capital Projects Sub-Committee to Interview Candidates for Appointments; the Benefit Assessment Review Board; and especially important to many residents since the COVID pandemic hit, emphasizing the need for remote education, the Wireless Network Committee.

Surman is additionally on the E-911 Oversight Board Committee;  Dutchess County’s Enhanced 9-1-1 system. This added benefit means when a caller dials 9-1-1, the address and phone number from which the caller placed the call is displayed on a screen at the County’s 9-1-1 center or at a backup site in the city of Poughkeepsie. That automatically identifies the location of a caller, and “is key to providing a quick response to those in need,” said Surman.

The legislator is also a member on the Climate Smart Communities (CSC) Task Force program, which started in 2018,  and created a network of New York municipalities seeking to increase energy efficiency and the use of renewable energy sources while reducing the amount of greenhouse gas emissions produced and increase communities’ resiliency to the impacts of climate change.

He has worked on supporting the Northeast Dutchess Transit, a nonprofit, through a competitive grant he said the county was also seeking, because the former was filling the void in transportation services the county wasn’t providing.

Early in his legislative career he had to deal with was the sudden closure of a bridge on Ridge Road. The replacement was not scheduled for about four years. For a few hundred residences in the area this would have meant added 20 to 30 minutes of driving on Route 22, impacting transportation routes for local schools and local emergency services, said Surman. He said he was able to find a temporary bridge in Orange County that the state lent the county for free  after much research, discussion and negotiation.

“Less dramatic but equally important work,” he said, “I have been making sure the taxpayers get the most bang for the buck. The county has either remained well under the tax cap or reduced taxes every year I have been in office. The 2022 budget will be no different, with the largest reduction in property taxes in the past 20 years. The county will also be increasing the ‘rainy day’ fund, which is important in the current economic climate. Dutchess County has the best bond rating in New York State, which only comes with sound fiscal management.”

Surman is married and lives in Pawling.

 

 

 

Related Articles Around the Web

Latest News

County legislature candidates lay out their priorities

Contested seats in the Dutchess County Legislature are close to home this election season, with Districts 19 and 25 covering the rural towns across the northern and eastern corners of the county. Though the candidates bring distinct experiences and perspectives, they share common ground on some of the biggest challenges facing local communities, including emergency medical services and affordable housing.

Here’s a look at the candidates.

Keep ReadingShow less
Classifieds - October 23, 2025

Help Wanted

Weatogue Stables has an opening: for a full time team member. Experienced and reliable please! Must be available weekends. Housing a possibility for the right candidate. Contact Bobbi at 860-307-8531.

Services Offered

Hector Pacay Service: House Remodeling, Landscaping, Lawn mowing, Garden mulch, Painting, Gutters, Pruning, Stump Grinding, Chipping, Tree work, Brush removal, Fence, Patio, Carpenter/decks, Masonry. Spring and Fall Cleanup. Commercial & Residential. Fully insured. 845-636-3212.

Keep ReadingShow less
Vincent Inconiglios brings ‘Face Time’ to Hunt Library
Artist Vincent Inconiglio’s show “Face Time” opens Oct. 25 at the Hunt Library.
L. Tomaino

Abstract artist Vincent Inconiglios' love and enthusiasm for color and form are evident all around him at his Falls Village studio, where he has worked for 25 years. He is surrounded by paintings large and small, woodcuts, photographs, collages and arrays of found objects.

The objects Inconiglios has found while out walking — in Falls Village, near his studio on Gansevoort Street in New York City, and in other places throughout the world — hold special importance to him. Appreciation of them, he says, comes from “seeing while exploring. I am always finding things.” His particular delight is finding objects that look like faces, many of which will be featured in the ArtWall show at the Hunt Library.

Keep ReadingShow less
The Thyme in Sheffield blends nature, wellness and community

The central communal space, featuring an A for Ara audio system, gong and Tibetan bowls, hosts up to 80 guests for sound meditations and healing music experiences.

Provided

The Thyme, on Route 41 in Sheffield, is a retreat center offering a variety of residential and non-residential programs and services to the local community and Berkshire‑area visitors. A new incarnation of what for many years was the Option Institute, The Thyme is the dream project of James Davies and Andrew Murray, business partners who left the pressures of international banking and moved with their families to this Berkshires campus in September 2024. They bought the 85‑acre property from Barry and Susan Kaufman for $5.35 million and, together with five other business partners, have been renovating the property’s many buildings ever since.

The center opened in January of this year and is a work in progress as the team continues to refine its offerings. Since opening, the venue has hosted events across 22 weekends, with most bookings for residential retreats with some spiritual element. Upcoming events include a women’s retreat (The Wild Rest), a family Halloween event called Curiouser, and a Thanksgiving weekend for those who have already visited the property. The year will culminate with a weekend retreat around the winter solstice facilitated by renowned astrologer Rebecca Gordon.

Keep ReadingShow less