Village merchants group looks toward springtime plans and projects

MILLERTON — Even as the cold winds of winter continue to blow outside, the Millerton Business Alliance (MBA) has set its sights on spring and plans for the village at the MBA meeting held on Thursday, March 4.

Starting at 10 a.m., the meeting was held via Zoom due to the health crisis, welcoming MBA members, familiar merchants and a handful of new faces.

Welcome, new Moviehouse owners

Excited by the news of The Moviehouse’s new owners (for full story, go to www.tricornernews.com), the MBA welcomed David Maltby, one of its two new stewards. Along with sharing his enthusiasm about getting to know his fellow business owners, Maltby reported there’s a fair amount of work to do to get the theater in order.  He and his partner have plans loosely aimed toward opening up on Memorial Day.

Earth Day celebrations

Giving an update on the village’s Earth Day plans, Jennifer Dowley reported this year’s festivities will be a combination of virtual and in-person activities. Though the village will be kicking off festivities on Thursday, April 22 (the official date for Earth Day), with several virtual events, she said the big focus is Saturday, April 24, when the majority of village events will happen, including a variety of local farm tours. Additionally, Dowley reported there will be one last virtual activity scheduled for Wednesday, April 28.

Dowley said she hopes to have the posters for Earth Day ready by Thursday, April 1. She also shared plans to distribute information packets with a schedule of Earth Day activities to village merchants the weekend before the holiday, so they can keep customers informed of the upcoming festivities. 

Merchants spoke up on the Zoom call to share their interest in participating in the Earth Day festivities, and Dowley encouraged them to contact her via email, at jenniferadowley@gmail.com. She also reminded merchants that Earth Day would be the perfect time to brighten store windows with flowers.

Village projects

Keeping the MBA informed of village news, Mayor Debbie Middlebrook announced that the New York State Department of Transportation (DOT) has given the village approval to proceed with replacing the sidewalks on the south side of Main Street as well to install new solar crosswalk signs in Millerton. 

In addition to installing a sign at the crosswalk in front of The Moviehouse, she said a solar crosswalk sign would be installed at the crosswalk in front of the Harlem Valley Rail Trail entrance on Main Street as well as at the new crosswalk intended for the front of the NorthEast-Millerton Library, also on Main Street.

Regarding the sidewalk replacement project, Jeanne Vanecko reported that Townscape is planning a fundraiser to replace the diseased trees along Main Street, adding that the ideal time to replace the trees would be when the sidewalks are being worked on. Townscape will also remove the village’s remaining holiday lights on Tuesday, March 23, she reported.

Farmers Market location

Raising the North East Community Center’s (NECC) Millerton Farmers Market up for discussion, Cathy Fenn commented on the community’s love for the farmers market as well as her own love for it, especially when the market was previously located on the Rail Trail and was twice the size it is now. She asked whether there has been any thought given to holding the market on the trail now that the Rail Trail is finished. Fenn commenting that it would be great for the local businesses located near the trail. 

In response, NECC Executive Director Christine Sergent said the community center has been talking about the market’s location, size and other factors, adding that it has received a lot of feedback from the vendors who participate in the farmers market and considered the drawbacks. As this is something NECC has been talking about internally, she said it’s willing to think outside the box. She invited the merchants from the MBA and the Millerton community to share their thoughts and comments with her regarding the market’s location.

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