Seated together at the NECC Brunch on Sunday, July 20, were some of the village and town staff honored at this year’s North EastCommunity Center Brunch. Left to right Christopher Kennan, Town of North East Supervisor, standing; Lisa Cope, Village of Millerton Clerk; Lorna Sherman, Town of North East Budget Officer and MarcyWheatley, Town of North East Deputy Clerk.
MILLERTON — The North East Community Center’s 2025 Chef and Farmer’s Brunch was a sellout on a sweltering July 20 under white tents looking over the Village of Millerton.
With food supplied by local farmers and made by local chefs, volunteers served brunch to hundreds of supporters of the 35-year-old social services nonprofit that serves the North East corner of Dutchess County and the surrounding area.
Mayor of the Village of Millerton Jenn Najdek and Town of North East Supervisor Chris Kennan and their staff were celebrated as this year’s honorees and spoke about the partnership between the town, village and NECC.
Returning auctioneer CK Swett started off the fundraising with a live auction of two jars of locally made jam and a Hudson River Cruise with champagne and caviar from Pointy Snout.
The brunch is the NECC’s primary fundraiser and between the silent auction, the live auction and the paddle bidding, more than $450,000 was raised with donations ranging from $50,000 to $100.
Fire hydrant replacements in the village disrupted water service for businesses on Main Street.
MILLERTON — Construction on Main Street last week disrupted traffic as crews worked to replace an outdated fire hydrant next to Oakhurst Diner.
The scheduled maintenance, which continued into this week, was part of a 2019 grant awarded by the New York State Department of Health under the Water Infrastructure Improvement Act. Since then, the village has been upgrading undersized, damaged and outdated hydrants. A total of 25 hydrants have been replaced.
A statement on the village website reads, “This initiative aims to align our water system with the 10 States Recommended Standard for Water Works, enhancing safety by reducing the risk of hydrant vehicular strikes.” Water service was temporarily shut off at times last week and Monday as part of the scheduled work.
An employee at Oakhurst Diner said the water disruption caused the restaurant to open late on Friday at noon but had otherwise not affected business as of Monday morning.
The Millerton Moviehouse was granted $150,000 for HVAC repairs. Moviehouse owner David Maltby said the repairs were needed as the HVAC system in the building is 40 years old.
MILLERTON — The Millerton Moviehouse announced last week that it received a $150,000 grant from State Senator Michelle Hinchey (D-41). Moviehouse owners David Maltby and Chelsea Altman accepted the check alongside town supervisor Chris Kennan and Senator Hinchey.
The funds will be allocated toward HVAC repairs that were completed in April, a crucial part of ongoing capital projects necessary for maintaining the historic 120-year-old building.
In an era when arts funding is increasingly unpredictable, the board and staff expressed “deep gratitude” for Senator Hinchey’s support. Maltby said securing the grant took more than a year and he credited the grant to the transformative work he, Altman and their team have done since purchasing the Moviehouse during the COVID pandemic and converting it into a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.
No longer a one-trick pony, the Moviehouse has grown into a community arts organization, offering more than just movies. “We have something for everyone, from first-run features and independent films to documentaries and special events like Q&As with filmmakers,” said Maltby, who grew up going to the Moviehouse as a child and had a vested interest in the preservation of the historic building.
The old way of operating a movie theater, Maltby said, relied on successful blockbusters and audience turnout. Additionally, theaters were impacted by COVID habits and streaming technology. The nonprofit model has brought opportunities to sustain The Moviehouse’s bottom line, but perhaps more importantly, has brought the community together.
Maltby said he is especially proud of their expanding education and community partnerships programs, which include after-school filmmaking workshops and free screenings, showcasing student-made films and partnering closely with local schools and organizations. “Becoming a nonprofit has allowed us to fully embrace and grow that mission,” he said.
Maltby believes their nonprofit status, which enables the organization to give back to the community through a variety of programs, played a key role in securing the grant.
About a year and a half ago, Senator Hinchey had an initial meeting with The Moviehouse to discuss a grant. “She’s known us for years and recognizes us as a key part of Millerton’s economy — arguably one of the most important contributors to the town’s daily life and its growth,” Maltby said.
During their meeting, Hinchey informed The Moviehouse about a state fund available to legislators for capital improvements to local businesses and nonprofits. Given the building’s age and maintenance needs, The Moviehouse saw this as an ideal opportunity to address critical renovation projects.
Their top priority was replacing the 40-year-old HVAC system that had been patched together over time and was expensive to maintain. The Moviehouse developed a $150,000 plan to replace the entire system, ductwork, and boiler and to insulate the attic and other areas.
“It’s the non-sexy, behind-the-scenes work people won’t see, but for keeping the movie theater running, it’s one of the most important things we can do,” Maltby said.
In a statement posted to Facebook, Senator Hinchey said, “I was happy to provide a $150,000 state grant to the Moviehouse in Millerton to support energy-efficient upgrades that will help lower operating costs and keep this treasured community institution accessible and enjoyable for years to come.”
Several years after his COVID purchase of the Moviehouse, Maltby said it is running like a well-oiled machine, and gives effusive thanks and credit to his team, which he describes as intentionally lean and hard-working.
General manager Jeremy Boviard, for example, has been with the Moviehouse since 2021 and Maltby said he “runs the team and day-to-day operations with such efficiency and ease and is a huge reason why this whole thing works.” As for Helen Seslowsky who handles marketing and public relations, Maltby said “If it happens, it’s because Helen makes it happen.” Working under the previous ownership since 2014, they joked that Seslowsky “came with the building.” She handles a wide range of responsibility behind–the-scenes to make things run smoothly.
“Everyone seems to enjoy working here, which is amazing — and I think that energy translates directly to our customers’ experience,” said Maltby, whose children also work at The Moviehouse in the summer. “It’s been incredibly rewarding overall, especially as we’ve been able to grow our mission and our partnerships with the community.”
Republican County Comptroller candidate Will Truitt currently serves as the chair of the Dutchess County Legislature.
Republican Will Truitt of Hyde Park is facing off against Democrat Dan Aymar-Blair for the county comptroller seat in the Nov. 4 election.
Truitt currently serves as the chair of the Dutchess County Legislature and has served as Hyde Park and Pleasant Valley’s representative in the legislating body for the past ten years.
Truitt, 29, made his first foray into politics as a student at Marist College at the age of 19.
After a stint interning in Marc Molinaro’s office, Truitt decided to run for office himself. At the age of 20 he unseated the incumbent representative of Hyde Park and he’s been reelected to the seat ever since.
“I was knocking on all my neighbors doors,” Truitt said. “A lot of them recognizedand kind of knew who I was. They knew that I really wanted to serve and they put their faith in me.”
Truitt said his experience as the chair of the county legislature’s Budget and Finance Committee, and his current full-time job at Metzger Construction Corp. in Hopewell Junction, have prepared him for the comptroller’s position.
“You have to understand dollars and cents, you have to understand finance,” Truitt said. “I went to Marist for business, finance and accounting and a minor in economics so none of the language felt foreign to me.”
The County Legislature chair cited the passage of term limit regulation as a major success of his 10 years in government. “I have always believed term limits should be in place for all levels of government,” Truitt said. “I brought forward term limits in my first term and it failed pretty miserably. I brought it back in my second year and it passed unanimously.” Now, all elected county officials are limited to no more than 12 years in a particular post.
Truitt reflected on a failed bid to unseat New York Assemblywoman Didi Barrett when he was just 22-years-old, saying he’s eager to return to Northeast Dutchess County and meet more people on the campaign trail.
“I got to really know so many people in that region,” Truitt said. “I ran for the state assembly when I was that young because I — just like I did when I ran for the Dutchess County Legislature — I thought I could provide a strong voice for the people.”
WASSAIC — Fans of good wine attractively presented in a welcoming village ambiance will want to stop at the newly opened historic candy store turned wine shop in Wassaic, next to The Lantern.
The little shop that sold candy in the 1890s has been restored, opening as Ten Mile Table on Saturday, July 26, adding yet another reason to visit the village of Wassaic and absorb the reality that it is an imaginatively special place.
Owner Erika DaSilva paused for an interview on Thursday, August 7, reflecting on her new shop’s place in the community after a year of work preparing to open at 14 Main St., just next door to The Lantern.
“We’re doing wonderfully. We’re proud and excited to share with the community,” DaSilva said.
“It’s my own business,” DaSilva said, “but we would not be here were it not for the support of the folks who support The Lantern and The Wassaic Project.”
Adjacent to Ten Mile Table, between it and The Lantern is found the Newsstand, also restored to become a space that DaSilva described as being for community members who might have food, beverages or events to share with passersby, perhaps something like a lemonade stand or some other endeavor.
DaSilva said that she first began learning about wine more than 20 years ago, even working in European vineyards where protecting the environment was essential.Selections for the wine store are environmentally conscious.
“Everything is delicious, of course, but I like to feature natural wines that are good for the environment,” DaSilva said of her choices from wineries that keep the protection of the environment at the fore throughout the growing and production process.
“We’re able to support smaller producers,” DaSilva said.
The conversation was interrupted by a trio of customers seeking just the right wine.
“What are you going to do with it,” was one of the questions DaSilva asked in considering her range of choices that span mostly from $25 to $45, with a few outliers.
The outcome of the exercise was a wine deemed to be “light, but not wimpy,” just what the customers were looking for.
Thursdays at The Ten Mile Table offer festive wine tastings from 5 to 7 p.m. for a fee of $5 that includes upscale nibbles. DaSilva intends to invite chefs from among her broad field of talented friends to provide signature delicacies to enhance the wine tasting experience.
“I don’t want not to be creatively busy,” DaSilva said. “I just like trying things out.”
Ten Mile Table is open on Thursdays and Fridays from 1 to 7 p.m. And on Saturdays and Sundays from 1 to 6 p.m.
“I would love to be open more,” DaSilva said.
DaSilva resides in Kent with her family. Her husband, Minh Le, is the General Manager of The Lantern. Their daughter, Bibi, is 8, and son, Senna, just turned 3.
For more information about Ten Mile Table, go to www.tenmiletable.com or phone 845-570-5228.
