Federal grant completes financing for Millerton’s wastewater project

A map prepared by engineering firm Tighe & Bond shows the parcels within the village included in the wastewater service area.
Illustration provided

A map prepared by engineering firm Tighe & Bond shows the parcels within the village included in the wastewater service area.
MILLERTON — Millerton now has the funding to build its long-planned $13.8 million wastewater system following the award of a $3.5 million federal grant announced Friday, Feb. 27.
The Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS) grant solidifies the project’s financing plan and clears the way for the village board to authorize final design at its March 9 meeting. Officials anticipate bidding in 2027, with construction potentially completed by spring 2028. The project is a joint effort between the village and the town.
The project, which would serve the core of the Village of Millerton and a commercial stretch of the Town of North East along U.S. Route 44, represents one of the largest infrastructure investments in the community in decades. Officials say the system will safeguard local waterways while creating a foundation for long-term economic stability.
Village officials say the new funding will keep the project on track to authorize final design at the March 9 village board meeting, with bidding anticipated in 2027 and potential construction completion by spring 2028.
The preliminary engineering report from Tighe and Bond describes a wastewater treatment system that would collect liquid waste and return the treated water to the Webatuck Creek. Solid septic waste would still require tanks, but emptying those tanks will become the sewer district’s responsibility.
The $13.8 million project calls for the village to cover about 79% of capital costs, with the town responsible for roughly 21%.
Current projections from engineering firm Tighe and Bond estimate residential users would pay approximately $57.89 per month, including capital and operating costs. Commercial properties are projected to pay about $144.33 per month. Officials say the newly secured grant could reduce those figures slightly once the final financing details are confirmed.
Taxpayers outside of the service area will not be charged for project costs, according to village officials.
Millerton trustee Matt Soleau, who has been working closely on the wastewater project and also operates a local full-service custom building firm, said both residents and businesses are constrained by outdated septic systems, particularly on smaller lots where upgrades cannot meet modern health standards.
The proposed wastewater district would serve the core of the village, including its business district, as well as the commercial section of the town along Route 44 extending from Cumberland Farms to the New York-Connecticut border. Properties within the proposed service area currently rely on individual septic systems, including tanks with leach fields, and outdated systems like seepage pits, cesspools and holding tanks.
Village officials said many properties are limited not by zoning alone, but by septic constraints.
“As a result, many homes cannot legally add bedrooms, create accessory dwelling units or convert existing structures,” Soleau said.
Under the proposed system, most properties would retain their existing septic tanks if they are code-compliant and in good working condition. If a tank does not meet current standards, a new one would be installed as part of the project.
Existing leach fields would be taken out of service and left in place, allowing property owners to reclaim that land for landscaping, driveways or ADUs.
For businesses, many commercial properties rely on old septic systems that are already maxed out, which makes it difficult or impossible to open water-heavy businesses like restaurants, cafes, salons or fitness studios. With the new wastewater system, village officials say a path will be open for those types of businesses moving forward.
Officials also emphasize the environmental benefits of a new wastewater system. A modern, up-to-date system will protect the natural environment, including the Webatuck Creek that flows right through the village.
Discharge from the treatment plant into Webatuck Creek will be regulated under a State Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit issued by New York State, which sets strict treatment, monitoring and reporting standards. The facility would be operated by a state-licensed wastewater professional, with required testing and monthly reports submitted to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and made publicly available.
In addition to state oversight, Soleau said, the village will maintain its own logistics to ensure the facility is performing as designed.
“Together, this regulatory framework, professional operation, and transparency in reporting provide multiple layers of accountability for protecting Webatuck Creek,” Soleau said.
Village officials say the construction phase will aim to limit disruption throughout the village and town, proceeding in targeted segments, with defined areas opened for installation, restored, and then closed before crews move on. The goal, Soleau said, is to allow normal activity to continue as much as possible throughout the process.
“Protecting the safety of our residents and visitors, preserving continuity of local businesses, maintaining access, and retaining residents’ quality of life throughout construction are non-negotiable priorities,” Soleau added.
The mayor’s office and village board will take an active oversight role as phasing and logistics plans are developed to ensure disruption is minimized and the project is executed in a manner consistent with the community’s expectations.
Millerton Mayor Jenn Najdek called the award a transformative step forward for the community, crediting U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, U.S. Rep. Pat Ryan and the town leaders for their collaboration.
“This funding moves us significantly closer to a transformative investment in Millerton’s future,” Najdek said.
Town Supervisor Chris Kennan emphasized the importance of federal backing for rural communities like Millerton.
“I have long advocated for Federal funding for this project, as it is almost impossible to imagine it being successful without it,” Kennan said.
Nathan Miller
MILLERTON — The North East Town Board will continue the public hearing on proposed zoning amendments at its regular meeting on Thursday, April 9.
The April hearing will be the fifth public discussion of the drafted zoning overhaul that seeks to broadly update the town zoning code's language, improve readability and modernize zoning rules in the town's main commercial district along Route 44 between the Village of Millerton and the New York-Connecticut state line.
Town Board members have opted to amend portions of the draft code. The most recent draft of the code is available on the town's website, townofnortheastny.gov, as of Wednesday, April 1.
Since January, board members have opted to allow additional retail uses in the Boulevard West district, which includes parcels from the eastern border of the village along Route 44 to Kelsey Brook, a tributary of Webatuck Creek. The additional retail uses will allow sales of pre-fabricated sheds and playground equipment after a request from property owner Rob Cooper.
Among the more substantive revisions was the decision to impose an overall size cap on accessory dwelling units. The board voted to limit ADUs to a maximum of 1,200 square feet and specified that they must be accessed from an existing driveway on the property. Board members also discussed adding language to clarify how ownership through an LLC or trust would comply with the requirement that the property owner reside in the principal dwelling.
Other adopted changes to the code include breaking up long sentences in some definitions to improve clarity. Board members also opted to require new parking lots to construct at least 10% of spaces with electric vehicle-ready equipment for later installation of EV chargers, and to require marked pedestrian infrastructure and lighting in all parking lots.
One revision — which would have allowed retail businesses and restaurants in the so-called Irondale District, a small commercial area encompassing seven parcels along Route 22 near Winchell Mountain Road and Irondale Road — was repealed at the board's March 20 meeting after sharp criticism from the town’s Zoning Review Committee, residents and the Village of Millerton’s Board of Trustees.
Nathan Miller
Customers fill the parking lot at home decor store Hammertown Barn on Friday, April 3, after founder Joan Osofsky announced the store would be closing permanently. The designer furniture outlet operated the flagship store in Pine Plains for more than 40 years and stores in Rhinebeck, New York, and Great Barrington, Massachusetts.
PINE PLAINS — Home decor store Hammertown will be closing its doors permanently, founder Joan Osofsky announced in an email sent to customers on Thursday, April 2.
The home decor and furniture store has operated in Pine Plains for more than 40 years. The business also operates a storefront in Rhinebeck, New York, which is also slated to close. It previously had a location in Great Barrington, Massachusetts, which closed in March.
The store is best known for offering a mix of contemporary and rustic-style furniture rooted in the region’s rural traditions.
"What began as a small store in Pine Plains grew into something far beyond what I even imagined — not just three stores, but a true community," Osofsky wrote.
Shoppers cars spill out onto Route 199 on Friday, April 3, as their owners crowd into home decor store Hammertown Barn for the first day of a 40% off closing sale. Founder Joan Osofsky announced on Thursday, April 2, the business would be shutting its doors permanently.Photo by Nathan MillerOsofsky described the decision as bittersweet and said she will be at the stores in their final days to celebrate and sell the remaining merchandise. The stores will remain open until inventory is sold.
Osofsky told customers that all items will be sold at a 40% discount. Consignment and already reduced-price items are not included in the closing sale.
"This closing is bittersweet, but the friendships, memories, and connections we shared will endure," Osofsky said.
Customers at the store on Friday, April 3, echoed that sentiment. Jennifer Enloe said she had been visiting the store since the '90s, sometimes just to browse and enjoy the homey feeling inside the shop without any intention of buying anything.
"I would just go there just to walk around and feel at home," Enloe said. "It makes me kind of sad, but I understand it's time for Joan to move on. It surprises me how I feel about it."
Aly Morrissey
A protester holds a sign at Fountain Square in Amenia on March 28, where more than 200 people gathered as part of the nationwide “No Kings” demonstrations.
AMENIA — More than 200 people gathered at Fountain Square on March 28 as part of the nationwide “No Kings” demonstrations, marking a sharp rise from what began months ago with a single protester.
The rally was part of a coordinated day of protests held across the country and around the world, including many in small towns and rural communities throughout the region. Organizers estimated more than eight million people participated globally.
Kim Travis of Amenia — who organized the rally at Fountain Square — said the demonstration reflected a dramatic shift from her early days protesting alone, when she faced threats while standing by herself.
“This started with just me, alone in June — day after day, getting threats,” Travis said. “To see it grow into more than 200 people today for this ‘No Kings’ rally in our little-bitty town of Amenia is incredible.”
She said the turnout reflected broader support across rural communities. There were several rallies in towns across Dutchess County and in neighboring Connecticut.
Travis described the mood of the Amenia crowd as both emotional and energizing.
“Our hearts are filled with joy — it’s just incredible that so many people turned out today,” she said.
She added that the message of the protest was rooted in democratic values.
“We want our country back, and we want democracy,” Travis said. “We the people serve no kings. That’s what the Constitution is all about.”

Ellie Myers, a senior boarding student at Millbrook School who lives in Brooklyn, attended the Fountain Square protests and said she has been protesting since Donald Trump was first elected in 2016.
“Showing up is really important to me, and I’m grateful to be in a community where I can support others,” Myers said. “Right now, ICE is the biggest issue. I have friends and family who have been affected — hardworking immigrants who came here for freedom and haven’t found it. That’s heartbreaking. It goes against what ‘we the people’ is supposed to mean, and it’s painful to see, both in the news and in real life.”
Myers added that she witnessed ICE in the airports during recent travel back to school and it was “heartbreaking.”
Dutchess County Legislator Eric Alexander, who represents Amenia and surrounding communities, also attended the rally, noting it followed a unanimous county resolution opposing a proposed ICE facility in the Hudson Valley.
“That wasn’t just Democrats,” Alexander said. “That was the entire legislature unanimously saying no to ICE, and a lot of that came from the voice of the people — the people we represent.”
Alexander said the size of the rally stood out, noting its growth from a single protester to a dozen regular participants and ultimately more than 200 attendees.
“I see a great sense of community, and I see a great sense of optimism,” he said. “But I also see high frustration. People are very concerned, and I think that concern is only growing as we see more and more of what’s going on in our country.”
He said the country is in a war that hasn’t sufficiently been explained to the American people, dysfunction is rampant at airports, and prices of everything from gas to groceries are soaring.
“And we don’t see an end in sight — we don’t see a plan,” he said. “These are people standing out here today saying we, as citizens, deserve to have our voices heard and to try to get some things to change.”

Several other local protests took place in Dutchess County, including in Rhinebeck, Poughkeepsie and Beacon.
Meanwhile, similar demonstrations took place across the border in Connecticut.
In Salisbury, several hundred people gathered along Route 44, where organizers set up signs and encouraged participants to share messages. In Cornwall, organizers estimated more than 300 attendees at the intersection of Route 7 and Route 4. Meanwhile, in Kent, both sides of Main Street were lined with protesters, with turnout estimated at more than 250.
As the rallies wound down, organizers such as Travis said the protests would not stop.
“A lot of the surrounding small towns showed up, too, because we want to show the rest of the country that small towns can be strong, loud and resist just as much as anyone,” she said. “And we intend to, and we’re not stopping.”

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Aly Morrissey
Gillian Osnato marks Candy-O’s five years, plans move
MILLERTON — As Candy-O’s celebrates five years on Main Street, owner Gillian Osnato is preparing for a move that blends business with personal history.
The retro candy shop, which opened in 2021, will relocate two doors down, consolidating with The T-Shirt Farm — the longtime family business founded by Osnato’s late father, Sal Osnato.
After her father’s death in April 2025, Osnato spent a year running both businesses, often racing back and forth between storefronts, supporting staff, greeting customers, and keeping operations running.
“It got to a point where I couldn’t really be present in either space the way I wanted to be,” Osnato said. “One or the other was always going to suffer.”
The decision to consolidate, she said, was driven as much by sustainability as by sentiment. The T-Shirt Farm had long been defined by her father’s presence, and maintaining that connection — while also running a second business — proved increasingly difficult.
“He was such a fixture,” she said. “I’m not him, but I do take after him. Not being there consistently, I think people felt that.”
The move will allow Osnato to bring the two businesses together under one roof, creating a space that reflects both her father’s legacy and her own evolving vision.
While Candy-O’s signature offerings — including novelty sweets and packaged treats — will remain, Osnato acknowledged that some customers may miss the freshly-scooped ice cream. She said the new space may still offer pre-packaged pints, but will no longer serve scooped ice cream.
Looking into the future, Osnato said her long-term goal is to combine the T-Shirt Farm and Candy-O’s into a general store-style model, featuring custom apparel, gifts and locally sourced products.
“My dream is to create something that feels like a general store,” she said. “T-shirts, candy, grab-and-go snacks, but also things that feel a little more modern, a little more vibrant — but still affordable.”
The transition will happen in stages, with the new space expected to open in early April and continue evolving through the summer season. A full rebrand, potentially incorporating a name that nods to her father, is likely to follow next year.
In the meantime, Osnato said she is focused on simplifying operations and reconnecting with customers.
“It’ll be more manageable, and I’ll be able to actually be present,” she said. “I’m really excited. I think it’s going to be something special.”
Aly Morrissey
Meg Musgrove, left, and Jessica Rose Lee set to open May 1.
MILLERTON — A new chapter is coming to the former BES retail space on Main Street, where vintage jewelry dealer and herbalist Jessica Rose Lee will open Rosemary Rose Finery this spring after spending the last several years with a storefront in Salisbury, Connecticut.
Set to open May 1, the new shop will bring together Lee’s curated collection of vintage and estate jewelry, apothecary and wellness goods, and a continued lineup of craft workshops led by artist and screen printer Meg Musgrove, who built a following through classes she led at BES.
The partnership grew out of Rural Co-Lab, a women’s business group connecting entrepreneurs across the tri-corner region. Though Lee and Musgrove did not know each other well before, both said the collaboration came together quickly — and felt right.
“I really didn’t have much intention of looking for another space,” Lee said. “But it just felt cosmically aligned. Millerton felt right to me, the space felt right, and having Meg here to continue the classes felt right.”
For Musgrove, the chance to preserve the workshop side of the former BES space was important. The classes had begun building a loyal following, she said, and she hated the idea of losing that creative community.
“It just felt like an unfinished dream,” Musgrove said. “We were really starting to have people come back and I would have hated to lose that.”
Together, the two women said they hope to create more than a retail shop. They envision a welcoming, eclectic space centered on beauty, creativity and connection.
“It’s not a time to be a lone wolf,” Lee said. “It’s a time to be in community and be with one another.”
Musgrove’s workshops will remain a key part of that vision. In addition to coordinating classes, she plans to offer a small selection of art materials, kits, textiles and locally made goods that were previously available at BES.
One of the unexpected joys of the workshops, Musgrove said, has been the way they bring together women and girls across generations.
“Sometimes there are teenagers and people in their 70s in the same class,” she said. “That kind of intergenerational chatter is just magical.”
An herbalist by training, Lee said she often incorporates plant-based products, candles and cleaning practices into the atmosphere of her store, where she wants customers to feel both inspired and at ease.
“Everything holds energy,” she said. “With jewelry, if it holds a certain person’s energy, it’s really important to clean it. I want it to feel high-vibrational.”
Lee said she is drawn to old things not only for their craftsmanship, but for the stories and spirit they carry. Her inventory includes estate and vintage pieces, fine jewelry, and select items sourced through travel and long-standing relationships, including regular trips to New Mexico and the United Kingdom.
Lee, who also operates out of an old VW bus-turned studio on her property when not in her store, said her heart is in vintage pieces.
“I just really enjoy being around them and want to bring them new life and give them a new home.”
The larger Millerton space will also allow Lee to expand into custom design, repair services, and herbal education workshops — something she had limited room for in Salisbury, where she said classes were squeezed into the middle of the jewelry store.
Now, she said, Rosemary Rose Finery will have room to grow into a bigger version of itself.
A grand opening celebration is planned for opening weekend, with food, drinks and an open invitation to the community.
For Lee and Musgrove, the new shop is not only a business venture, but an experiment in shared space and mutual support — an idea they believe feels especially timely.
“The possibilities feel endless,” Lee said. “It feels like we can create whatever we want here.”
Elena Spellman
Dan Baker, left, and Daniel Latzman at Barrington Hall in Great Barrington.
Barrington Hall in Great Barrington has hosted generations of weddings, proms and community gatherings. When Dan Baker and Daniel Latzman took over the venue last summer, they stepped into that history with a plan not just to preserve it, but to reshape how the space serves the community today.
Barrington Hall is designed for gathering, for shared experience, for the simple act of being together. At a time when connection is often filtered through screens and distraction, their vision is grounded in something simple and increasingly rare: real human connection.
The partnership behind Barrington Hall began long before the building itself. Both Baker and Latzman grew up on Long Island, spent more than a decade in New York City, and eventually found their way to the Berkshires, drawn by the desire for something different. What they didn’t realize at first was just how closely their lives had already mirrored one another.
They were born in the same hospital, a year apart. Their families had distant connections. They even played on the same soccer team — never meeting, but moving through the same spaces. It wasn’t until they became neighbors in Egremont about five years ago that those parallels came into focus.
“In hindsight, it feels inevitable,” Latzman said. “But it was actually extremely random that we ended up here.”
From the beginning, Barrington Hall was meant to be a place people return to, not for any one event, but for the experience of being there. On any given week, the space might host a jazz performance, a dance party, a songwriter circle or a children’s event. Some nights bring in touring acts. Others highlight local creatives. The variety is intentional and so is the atmosphere.
“It’s about people,” Baker said. “It’s about being present.”

Baker and Latzman are keenly aware of the world outside with its constant barrage of information, political conflicts, a culture that pulls people deeper into their screens. Barrington Hall offers a way out of that noise.
“A little bit of a bubble,” Latzman said. “A place to step away from everything else.”
During a recent event, they noticed something telling: a full room of people dancing, talking, engaged — and almost no one on their phone.
“That’s when you know something is working,” Baker said.
Taking over a beloved local space comes with responsibility, one Baker and Latzman have met by honoring the building’s traditions while also expanding them.
“We didn’t feel obligated,” Latzman said. “We felt honored.”
Part of what makes the space distinct is its versatility. Large enough to host more than 250 people, yet intimate enough to feel personal, it fills a gap in the local landscape, serving a wide range of people and bringing different groups together in the same space.
“We want people to feel like, if something’s happening here, it’s worth checking out,” Latzman said.
They are carefully balancing community access with the realities of running a business, with an eye toward the long term.
“We want this to be here in 20 years,” Latzman said.

That vision extends beyond the building itself — future collaborations, expanded programming, a growing role in shaping the cultural life of the Berkshires. But at its core, the mission remains simple: to create a place where people can gather, a place that feels alive.
And perhaps most importantly, to create a place where, if only for a few hours, people can step away from the noise of the world and enjoy being together.
When asked who they’re most excited to host next, their answer was immediate: The Mammals on April 10 and Lee Ross, a one-man party band from Massachusetts, scheduled to perform on May 1.
For more information and tickets, visit
barringtonhallgb.com

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