Village officials say Millerton has no plans for surveillance cameras

MILLERTON — Village officials said this week that Millerton has no plans to install surveillance cameras or enter into any agreement with Flock Safety, an Atlanta-based company that provides automated license-plate readers and video surveillance systems used by police departments.

Questions about the company surfaced at the Village Board of Trustees meeting Monday, Feb. 9, after reports from nearby Pine Plains described pink spray paint and wooden stakes appearing along roadways. Flock Safety representatives placed those markings after the Pine Plains Police Department entered into a preliminary contract with the company without first securing Town Board approval, officials said at an emergency meeting at Pine Plains Town Hall on Monday, Feb. 9.

Trustees said neither the village nor the Millerton Police Department has been contacted by Dutchess County or by Flock Safety, and that no discussions are underway regarding the installation of surveillance cameras, drones or license-plate reader systems sold by the company.

Mayor Jenn Najdek said that while some municipalities and school districts elsewhere in the county are exploring the technology, Millerton is not considering it at this time.

She also noted that the police department cannot independently enter into a contract for surveillance equipment. Any agreement involving the village, Najdek said, would require approval from the Board of Trustees.

As part of the board’s regular agenda, members voted to open bidding for renovations to Veterans Park, a project expected to include improvements to sidewalks, the stone wall, electrical outlets, landscaping and hardscaping. A nonmandatory pre-bid meeting will be held Feb. 20 for contractors seeking additional details on the scope of work. A public hearing is scheduled for Feb. 23, and bids will be due March 5, with trustees aiming to select a contractor at their March 26 meeting.

Officials also provided an update on the village’s water meter replacement project, reporting that the work is nearing completion, with installations remaining at roughly 20 properties. The project is funded through a New York Water Infrastructure Improvement Act grant.

Trustees also approved moving forward with a revised water rate study by engineering firm Tighe & Bond, at a cost of $10,750. Officials said earlier projections underestimated costs and relied on incomplete water-usage data. The updated study will be used to guide future water rates and is expected to be presented publicly this spring.

Trustees also addressed an issue some residents may have noticed in recent weeks: flickering pedestrian crosswalk lights near NBT Bank. Officials said repairs have been delayed because replacement parts needed to operate the system are no longer manufactured. The board voted to approve an estimate from Berlinghoff Electric to complete the necessary repairs.

The board also scheduled three public hearings for Feb. 23. In addition to a hearing on proposed improvements to Veterans Park, trustees set a hearing on a proposed local law that would establish a new Tree Commission, allowing residents to comment on the creation of the advisory body.

A third hearing scheduled for that date will address a local law authorizing a property tax levy in excess of the limit established under state law. Officials described the measure as a routine, annual step that preserves the village’s ability to exceed the tax cap if necessary. If the village ultimately does not go over the cap, the local law would be rescinded.