
Town Clerk Elizabeth “Tilly” Strauss at work on Monday morning in the North East Town Hall. She received more votes than any other candidate in the Town of North East election.
Photo by Christine Bates
DUTCHESS COUNTY — November 2023 Dutchess County election results, posted on the Dutchess County Board of Elections website as of Friday, Nov. 10, at 12:28 p.m., remain preliminary and do not include a full count of absentee ballots.
In an off-year election, when there were no federal or state contests on the ballot, turnout is typically limited. Results in town board races this November showed the difference that a few votes can make in a local election.
Drago ousts Pulver
With the help of Working Families voters, Democrat first-time candidate Chris Drago upset popular Republican Gregg Pulver for the District 19 Dutchess County Legislature seat by 50.68% to 49.11%, a preliminary margin of only 60 votes. District 19 is composed of North East, Stanford, Pine Plains and Milan.
The second party line was decisive: although Pulver had strong Republican support of 47.26% over Drago’s 44.99% on the Democratic line, Pulver chose to run on the Common Ground line and not to appear on the Conservative line (candidates are limited to two lines). Asked about his decision to run on the Common Ground line, Pulver said it was his way of “keeping divisiveness out of politics.”
Pulver complimented Drago on doing “a better job of getting his message out. Now it’s time to do the work.”
With Pulver’s defeat, the towns in the 19th District have lost Pulver’s power as the chair of the Legislature, which remains strongly Republican.
Asked if he will run again, Pulver commented: “When I lost the election for Pine Plains supervisor, I thought I was done with politics. Two years later I ran for the county Legislature. You never know what doors will open.”
Ballot errors disrupt North East results
In North East, the 712-voter turnout was significantly higher than 2021’s turnout of 479, even though there were no contentious town races.
Town Supervisor Christopher Kennan ran unopposed, as did Town Clerk Elizabeth “Tilly” Strauss and Justice Dennis Johnson. Broken down by party, however, the totals indicate that North East is becoming an increasingly Democratic town.
The race for three town board seats—two four-year seats and one two-year seat—was supposed to be uncontested as well, with Lana Morrison and Chris Mayville running for the two four-year seats and Meg Winkler for the single two-year seat.
However, a flawed ballot had these three candidates vying for the two four-year seats, and offered no candidate for the two-year seat. The results were 673 votes for Morrison, 415 for Winkler and 332 for Mayville for the four-year term, with 159 write-ins for the two-year term.
Until the write-ins are counted, it’s unclear who will take the two-year term. If it is Winkler, she will have the choice to pick a two- or four-year term length. If she picks the four-year seat, the Town Board will appoint someone to a one-year term and, next year, there will be another election for the remaining year on that seat.
Pine Plains
In Pine Plains, Republican Town Supervisor Brian Walsh, Town Clerk Madelin DaFoe, who was endorsed by both Republicans and Democrats, ran unopposed.
In the Town Board contest, Democrats Jeanine Sisco and Kevin Walsh overcame Republicans James Smith and Paul Murphy. In the race for Pine Plains superintendent of highways, incumbent Democrat Carl Baden easily overcame Republican challenger Lisa Ambrose 75.87% to 23.88%.
In the election of town justice, Pine Plains voters selected Richard Brenner, a former deputy sheriff and a real estate agent, with 54.19%. He defeated Democratic attorney Stella Isaza with 45.56%.
Towns of Amenia, Washington, and Stanford
In Dutchess County Legislative District 25—which includes Amenia, Washington, Pleasant Valley and Millbrook—incumbent Republican Deirdre Houston defeated Democrat Nallely Hanna 57.93% to 42.03%.
In the race for Amenia town supervisor, Leo Blackman seems to have defeated longtime town supervisor, Republican Victoria Perotti, by 29 votes. The last-minute write-in campaign led by Munawar Ahmed received 123 votes.
In the race for two seats on the Amenia Town Board, Republican Paul Winters edged out longtime incumbent Vicki Doyle by just eight votes, 533 to 541. Democrat and former schoolteacher Rosanna Hamm received 638 votes, secured a place on the board.
The Town of Washington remained solidly Republican, with Town Clerk Christine Briggs, Town Justice Carol Poles, and highway Superintendent Joseph Spagnola all running unopposed. In the Town Board election for two seats, Republican incumbents Joseph Rochfort and Robert Audia easily overcame Adam Brandow, the only Democrat running for office.
In Stanford, Democrat Town Supervisor Wendy Burton won her third two-year term over Republican Bill Harkleroad by 12.2%, or 159 votes.
The contest for the two Town Board seats tipped toward Democrats Julia Descoteaux and Eric Haims, who together won 1,307 votes over Republicans Adrienne Zetterberg’s and Joe Colclough’s combined 1,228.
Dutchess County
In countywide elections, only two incumbents ran for office. Republican Brad Kendall, county clerk since 2007, beat Kenya Gadsden for the second time, 53.57% to 46.38%. Unofficial results indicate that incumbent Family Court Judge Joseph Egitto has edged out Democrat James Rogers 50.61% to 49.33%, with strong support on the Conservative Party line.
In the hotly contested race to replace Republican William Grady after four decades as county District Attorney, Democrat Anthony Parisi beat Republican Matthew Weishaupt 51.66% to 48.29%.
Countywide, all four Democratic candidates for the New York Supreme Court, District 19, were elected, with Francesca Connolly garnering the most votes—including, curiously, on the Conservative ballot line, though they did not need those votes to win.
Although not incumbent, well-known former State Sen. Sue Serino, with strong support from the Republican Committee, easily defeated political first-timer Democrat Tommy Zurhellen, 56.61% to 43.33%.
Following his loss, Zurhellen posted on his website, “I hope my campaign inspires other folks to get involved and pursue a life of public service.”
Absentee ballots postmarked through Tuesday, Nov. 7 will be counted on Tuesday, Nov. 14. The names of write-in candidates, important in elections in Amenia and the Town of North East, will be tabulated later.
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Giana Dormi, no. 3 of Pine Plains, and Michelle Blackburn, no. 12 of Pine Plains, put the pressure on Juliana Manginelli, no. 11 of Tuckahoe, as she tries to find a pass during the second round of the regional tournament at Mount Saint Mary College in Newburgh, N.Y. on Tuesday, March 11.
NEWBURGH, N.Y. — The Pine Plains Bombers were knocked out in second round of the Section IX regional tournament after a hard fought game against the Tuckahoe Tigers on Tuesday, March 11.
The Bombers won the tip and got off to an early lead, but the Tuckahoe Tigers outpaced them quickly and finished the game 59-25.
Giana Dormi, no. 3 of Pine Plains, and Neveah Rennie, no. 34 of Pine Plains, started the game strong, scoring six points for the Bombers in the first few minutes. Tuckahoe responed in kind by promptly running up the score, sending Cara Doherty, no. 5, to the backboard for four field goals before the end of the first quarter.
Tuckahoe's runaway lead started in the first quarter. Going into the second that team led the Bombers 19-8.
The lead was further cemented in the second quarter, when Tuckahoe sank another nine field goals — one a three-pointer from Grace Kern, no. 15 — adding up to an additional 19 points and putting the score at 38-13 going into the half.
Neveah Rennie, no. 34 of Pine Plains, attempts to drive a layup through a group of Tuckahoe defenders during the second round of the regional tournament at Mount Saint Mary College in Newburgh, N.Y., on Tuesday, March 11.Photo by Nathan Miller
"Tuckahoe's a great team, they've got everything," girls varsity coach Les Funk said. "They're in shape, they run. Those kids out there didn't even look like they were breaking a sweat. That was a tough matchup for us."
The Bombers tried their hardest, but Tuckahoe's precision in defense was too much for the Pine Plains girls. Tuckahoe's fouls only sent Pine Plains players to the free throw line on five occasions. The Bombers couldn't make those free throw attempts count, with the team racking up a free-throw make percentage of just 20%.
Coach Funk is setting his sights on next season and another chance at the regional title. "They've got a taste of it now," Funk said. "I think if they work in the off-season they've got a chance."
The Bombers held their heads high after their loss to Tuckahoe in the second round of the regional tournament at Mount Saint Mary College in Newburgh, N.Y., on Tuesday, March 11.Photo by Nathan Miller
Dan Aymar-Blair
POUGHKEEPSIE — Dutchess comptroller Dan Aymar-Blair released a special report early last week on federal monies and how they move through the county level, including the disbursement process in the county; how federal funding benefits Dutchess residents and whether any fiscal distribution issues have surfaced locally as a result of actions taken on behalf of the Trump administration.
According to Aymar-Blair’s report, federal programming represents roughly 10% of Dutchess expenditures, not including any COVID-19 assistance. As an illustration of federal- to county-level distribution and spending, in 2023, under the Biden administration, the county received approximately $65 million from the U.S. government with $25 million going toward direct aid in support of such programs as home energy assistance and food stamps. Federal monies were also disbursed — and continue to be directed — toward county-level agencies, programming and supports such as adoption, foster care and child care needs, emergency/disaster assistance, infrastructure development and maintenance, and workforce initiatives.
In addition to federal-to-county funding, Aymar-Blair noted an additional $1.9 billion annually is directly distributed to Dutchess residents from the U.S. government via Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security. These entities are clearly not immune to the impact from the Trump administration as the Social Security office in Poughkeepsie, for example, has been poised for a reduction in office services. Whether Social Security benefits to individuals are reduced or cut entirely remains to be seen.
While data pertaining to Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid recipients particular to Northeastern Dutchess was not readily available, data from the Social Security Administration provides some clues as to the number of individuals in Dutchess County who could potentially be impacted by benefit cuts. According to 2023 figures from the SSA, 4,730 Dutchess residents received Social Security benefits, 4,232 persons were categorized as blind/disabled and 2,904 persons were listed between the ages of 18 through 64. For adults 65 and over, 1,261 received Social Security benefits. The number of persons under the age of 18 receiving SSA benefits was listed at 565.
While cuts to Medicare and Medicaid have not been announced, it is possible under the circumstances. According to a Feb. 27 statement from Alan Morgan, chief executive officer of the National Rural Health Association, any disruption to these benefits, particularly Medicaid, would worsen an already challenging situation.” The Medicaid program is a lifeline for rural hospitals, providers and patients,” Morgan said. “Any cuts to the Medicaid program will disproportionately affect rural communities. Rural Americans rely on Medicaid coverage more so than their urban counterparts with about 20% of adults and 40% of children living in rural areas enrolled in Medicaid and CHIP,” the Children’s Health Insurance Program.
Aymar-Blair agreed with the impact assessment as well as its potential outlier results, saying, “Dutchess County relies heavily upon this ... Cuts to Dutchess County’s federal funding could impact life-saving programs, and reduced consumer spending would be a likely side effect of reduced federal assistance like Medicaid.”
Aymar-Blair’s report does not include information on federal awards to businesses or municipalities, nor does it address the controversies attached to impacted in-county federal entities such as the Castle Point Veterans Hospital in Wappingers Falls, New York, which — as with the Poughkeepsie Social Security office — is also reducing its services with the closing of its E2 Acute Inpatient Care Unit, which eliminated 20 inpatient beds. While calls have gone out from local officials and residents to sustain the offerings provided by the Poughkeepsie Social Security office and the Castle Point VA hospital, no action has been taken just yet on the part of the federal government.
While Aymar-Blair concedes there has been no disruption from the federal level at this time to Dutchess funding, he has received a sufficient number of phone calls and emails from constituents to spur him to continuously monitor the situation. He is also working in collaboration with county departments to determine any impacts future actions from the Trump administration could have on funding for Dutchess County agencies, services and programs with the situation remaining very fluid.
For more information or to read the comptroller’s report in its entirety, visit: www.dutchessny.gov, navigate to “Government,” click “County Comptroller”, and click on “News and Announcements”.
The Stissing Center was bustling just before the show on Sunday, March 9.
PINE PLAINS — The Stissing Center was packed on Sunday for an afternoon performance of podcast and NPR series “Selected Shorts.” The sold-out show, which was recorded for national broadcast at a later date, brought a lineup of four accomplished actors and storytellers to the Pine Plains stage to recite a selection of short stories from award-winning authors.
“Selected Shorts,” a product of Manhattan-based performing arts powerhouse Symphony Space, features prominent actors who recite works of short fiction. The full program usually revolves around a theme; Sunday afternoon’s focus was “transformations.”
Comedian, writer and actress Ophira Eisenberg — or “renaissance woman of storytelling,” as Stissing Center Executive Director Patrick Trettenero introduced her — assumed hosting duties, warming up the crowd with jokes about Brooklyn egg prices and doctors with self-esteem issues — “I want a megalomaniac with a god complex and no hobbies.”
Every seat in the large coffeehouse-style auditorium was filled, and the crowd was engaged. “For a 3 p.m. audience, you guys are amazing!” exclaimed Eisenberg.
Actor David Straithairn took the stage first, reading a short story by Pulitzer Prize winning author Steven Millhauser titled “Green.” Straithairn’s classic, almost antique delivery suited the small-town American ethos of the story well. A somewhat detached but observant narrator recounts the story of a sort of anti-plant mania that started “innocently enough” in his town, stripping public and private property alike of all greenery. Eventually, a few intrepid neighbors add shrubbery back to their yards, prompting a swing back in the other direction: “After a brief diversion, a playful experiment, things had returned to normal in our quiet town — or had they?”
Straithharn’s reading was followed by an animated performance from actor Lauren Ambrose, whose long resumé is most recently punctuated by her role in the popular television series “Yellowjackets.” Ambrose read “Quantum Voicemail” by novelist and short-story writer Kristen Iskandrian, a woozy tale from a particular and slightly neurotic narrator who describes voicemail in probably the most poetic language ever put to page about the messaging format. Voicemail is “a stirring three minute soliloquy,” and “like a photograph, it capture[s] a moment of attention,” says the rapt narrator.
A brief intermission enabled patrons to refuel with drinks or popcorn from the bar, or head outside to enjoy the early spring weather. For those who remained in the theater, the sunken lounge-like space in the center of the room facilitated easy conservation between neighbors as they reflected on the performances.
Eisenberg herself recited the third story, “Squirrels” by Israeli writer Etgar Kenet. The action opens with a description of a family myth — or was it? — about a grandfather being reincarnated as a giant squirrel after a battle with cancer, and which subsequently halts his widow’s next wedding by biting the groom-to-be’s thumb. The story does get sentimental, which Eisenberg’s mostly comic oration accented well.
The final performance was of New York City-raised writer Jamel Brinkley’s “Blessed Deliverance,” a coming-of-age story about a group of college-bound teenagers growing up and growing apart in gentrifying Brooklyn. New York stage and screen actor Teagle F. Bougere handled the tension and confusion of late childhood/young adulthood well in his recitation. The plot reaches a high point when an unhoused man releases a pack of rabbits from an animal rescue shelter into the street while the group of teens looks on, cheering but not entirely sure what for.
After a few closing remarks from Eisenberg, the show was complete. Satisfied attendees made their way back to their cars and released the streets of Pine Plains into Sunday quietude once again.