North East officials explore Amenia partnership in Town Hall plans

MILLERTON — North East’s plans for a new Town Hall continue to move forward as officials explore alternatives for a courtroom that was included in the original proposal.

Town Supervisor Chris Kennan explained during the Town Board’s regular meeting on Thursday, May 14, that the town is exploring contracting with the Town of Amenia to host North East court services at Amenia’s Town Hall on Route 22. The move would allow North East to forego building a courtroom in a new town hall set to occupy the former Jehovah’s Witnesses hall on Route 22, saving floorspace that could be used for other offices and record storage.

Town attorney Warren Replansky said he believes state law allows for intermunicipal courtroom sharing, but is awaiting a response from Amenia’s legal counsel.

Town officials have yet to finalize plans for the building’s interior. North East completed the purchase of the former Jehovah’s Witnesses hall in 2023 and contracted engineering firm LAN to design the renovations in November 2025.

Since receiving preliminary plans late last year, Town Board members have discussed getting a head start on some demolition work at the building in advance of the total renovation.

The building’s bathrooms will require complete remodels to meet accessibility standards set by the Americans with Disabilities Act. Otherwise, the single-story building is largely compliant with accessibility standards.

Lack of accessibility and space are the major factors driving town officials to leave the current Town Hall on Maple Avenue in Millerton. The two-story building is more than 100 years old and hosts less space for town business and public meetings than the proposed new space.

The Jehovah’s Witnesses hall offers a little over 4,500 square feet of floor area, whereas the current town hall has just over 2,700 square feet.

In other business, town officials approved a measure allowing taxpayers to use a credit card to settle tax bills with the town. Town Clerk Tilly Strauss said the move would allow for more convenience for some property owners and bring North East in line with surrounding communities.

The plan will require North East to pay an upfront cost to establish the service. After the service is available, there will be no further cost to the town but taxpayers using credit cards will have to pay a service charge of up to 3% on the transaction. Cash and check payments will still be available at no additional charge.