Uncontested Village Elections See Low Voter Turnout

The Millerton Village offices on North Elm Street.
Photo by Aly Morrissey

The Millerton Village offices on North Elm Street.
MILLERTON — On Tuesday, June 17, 58 registered voters in the Village of Millerton turned out to the polls — with one additional absentee ballot — to select a mayor and two trustees. The turnout marked a sharp contrast to the 2023 elections, which saw record participation and several close races.
On the ballot were incumbent Mayor Jenn Najdek, an independent; incumbent Trustee David Sherman, a Republican seeking re-election; and Katie Cariello, running for her first term to fill the seat of outgoing Trustee Lisa Hermann (Erdner). All three ran unopposed.
Unofficial results were reported by Village Clerk Lisa Cope at 9:30 p.m., after two election inspectors — one registered Democrat and one registered Republican — counted the votes.
Despite uncontested races, the election revealed a few noteworthy results. Trustee David Sherman led all candidates with 52 votes, including 13 on the Republican line and 39 on the Democratic.
Incumbent Mayor Jenn Najdek was re-elected with 47 votes — 41 on the Democratic line and six on the Republican. There were also four write-in votes for mayor.
Newcomer Katie Cariello received 39 total votes, including 34 on the Democratic line and five on the Republican — the lowest total of the three candidates.
There were three write-ins on the trustee line.
An official certification of the election is expected to be issued Wednesday, June 18.
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Millerton firefighters manage outflow from a pump they used to remove about six inches of standing water from the basement of the NorthEast-Millerton Library on Tuesday, Feb. 10.
MILLERTON — The NorthEast-Millerton Library is closed Tuesday, Feb. 10, after a pipe burst and flooded the basement.
The library's Executive Director, Rhiannon Leo-Jameson, said she could hear the sound of running water when she arrived at the library Tuesday morning. She then found about six inches of water had accumulated in the basement.
The library will remain closed until water can be restored. Leo-Jameson said limited library services will return Wednesday, Feb. 11, in the book sale room in the library's annex building on Century Boulevard.

Leo-Jameson said readers can pick up requested books and make returns. Public computers may be available, if library staff can establish an internet connection.
Visitors will not be allowed to browse the library or enter the main building until water can be restored. It's unclear when that will be. Leo-Jameson said librarians can retrieve books from the library shelves if readers have a specific title in mind.
Leo-Jameson said nothing of value was damaged in the flooding. A crew from the Millerton Fire Department arrived on scene and shut off water to the building around 9:45 a.m.
Firefighters on scene said the leak sprung from a water pipe in the residential apartment located above the library. Leo-Jameson said the old pipes have been known to burst in the past due to poor insulation.
Millerton firefighters exit a rear door at 5873-5875 S. Elm St. in Millerton after responding to a carbon monoxide exposure call at 2 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 9. Millerton Fire Chief Keith Roger said a deep fryer running indoors and the propane furnace may have contributed to the high levels of carbon monoxide in the building.
MILLERTON — As many as six are displaced from their homes due to uncertainty over the safety of the furnace after fumes from a gas-fired deep fryer filled an apartment building on South Elm Street.
Millerton Fire Chief Keith Roger said residents of 5873-5875 S. Elm St. operated a fryer indoors with no ventilation, potentially causing much of the exposure, but the propane furnace may have also contributed. No damage to the building was reported, but three people were treated for carbon monoxide exposure at Sharon Hospital.
Roger said the investigation was turned over to the Village of Millerton building inspector, who deemed the duplex apartment building an unsafe structure until the furnace can be inspected and approved.

Crews from the Millerton Fire Department, Amenia Fire Department, Empress EMS and the New York State Police responded to the call. The building was evacuated and ventilation of the dangerous gas had started when Amenia fire crews arrived on the scene around 2:45 p.m.
Carbon monoxide concentration reached as high as 180 parts per million on the second floor of the building, Roger said. Carbon monoxide exposure starts to become dangerous between 35 and 100 ppm, with concentrations of 200 ppm causing nausea, headaches and dizziness.
Roger said two people had already been transported to Sharon Hospital when first responders arrived. Crews discovered a third person showing signs of exposure during evacuation. No other injuries were reported.
John Dennis, of Millerton, presents a bluegill he caught in Rudd Pond on Friday morning, Feb. 6. Dennis said he catches enough fish for a meal — usually about a dozen fish — before packing up and shuffling off the ice.
MILLERTON — Rudd Pond is open for ice fishing as of Thursday, Feb. 5.
Taconic State Park rangers announced the ice was safe for fishing in a Facebook post Thursday morning. Ice on the pond must average at least 6 inches thick across the entire surface before it is opened to recreation, according to park staff.
On Friday, Feb. 6, Brian Booth of Millbrook and John Dennis of Millerton were out on the ice catching crappie and bluegill at 10 a.m.
"I've been fishing here since I was a kid," Dennis said. He was jigging, which is a fishing technique where a baited hook is dropped through a hole in the ice and "jigged" to simulate natural movement.
Booth was fishing through a combination of jigging and devices called "flip-ups," which have a line connected to a spring-loaded flag that flips up when a fish grabs the hook.

Temperatures are predicted to stay well below freezing for the next week. An extreme cold weather warning was in effect for the region all weekend and stretched into Monday morning on Feb. 9.
Forecasts predict heavy winds and blustery conditions to continue this week, with a chance for temperatures to increase leading into this weekend. Booth and Dennis each said that wind is a major contributor to uncomfortable conditions on the ice, where natural wind breaks are nonexistent.
Dennis uses a sled with a collapsible shelter to haul his ice fishing equipment onto the pond. He said that the tent can be a great boon, especially when combined with a small space heater.
"I could fish in my t-shirt," Dennis said.
But wind has caused problems when Dennis’s sled wasn’t anchored properly. He said he was dragged across the ice by strong gusts during a recent trip to a frozen lake in Connecticut.
Rudd Pond is open from sunrise to sunset year-round. Taconic State Park employees said they will continue to monitor the ice and provide updates on its status.