North East organizational meeting sets tone for new year

MILLERTON — The North East Town Board convened for its annual organizational meeting on Friday, Jan. 2, where trustees affirmed priorities and set the tone for the year ahead.

“I’m really proud of the town hall that we have,” said Supervisor Chris Kennan. “I think we have a great group of people who work together well, and it’s a collegial place to be.”

Kennan’s three major priorities for the coming year include renovating and occupying the new Town Hall, continuing work on the town’s long-anticipated zoning revisions, and advancing plans for a wastewater and sewer system in Millerton.

Work on the new Town Hall is expected to begin in earnest this year, Kennan said. He also expressed cautious optimism about progress on a sewer system, citing a recent meeting with U.S. Rep. Pat Ryan, D-18, and noting that a previously stalled federal grant will move forward. The funding, he said, would cover a significant portion of the project’s engineering costs.

Additional grant applications are in progress, and the town and village continue to evaluate long-term options. Kennan described the completion of the project as “transformative” for Millerton, even if the impact would unfold gradually over time.

With a public hearing on the new commercial zoning draft scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 8, at 7:05 p.m. at Town Hall, Kennan acknowledged the complexity and urgency of the effort. The town’s code has not been significantly updated since 1977.

“I’m really proud of the work that the town has done to get to where we are at the moment,” Kennan said, adding that he is looking forward to the second phase of the zoning rewrite, which will look at residential zoning after the commercial district is finalized.

The board also reviewed and approved the 2026 rules of procedure for Town Board meetings, including a discussion about public comment. Although public comment is not required by law, North East welcomes it. Under the updated rules, individual speaking time will be reduced from five to three minutes, a change that Kennan says aligns with practices in surrounding towns.

During the meeting, the Board officially welcomed newly elected Councilwoman Rachele Grieco Cole and said a final farewell to outgoing board member Ralph Fedele, who retired after 12 years of service. Kennan presented Fedele with a commemorative gift in recognition of his years of service. Fedele thanked the board, noting how much the town has changed during his tenure.

“A lot has changed in 12 years, and I’m going to miss all of you,” Fedele said.

Newly re-elected Councilman Chris Mayville was appointed deputy supervisor. Mayville and Councilwoman Meg Winkler were also designated as emergency interim successors.

Much of the remainder of the meeting focused on routine appointments and reappointments. The board reappointed Daniel Sternberg to the Planning Board following the expiration of his term on Dec. 31, 2025, and reappointed Dale Culver as Planning Board Chair through Dec. 31, 2026. Bob Stevens was reappointed to continue serving as the highway superintendent.

With a vacancy on the Zoning Board of Appeals, the board reviewed an application from Henry Smedley and voted to appoint him to the board. Edie Greenwood will continue to serve as chair through Dec. 31, 2026.

The board formally designated Kenneth McLaughlin, the town’s building inspector, as zoning enforcement officer, noting that while the position is referenced in the town code, it had not been formally assigned in the past.

The board also approved standard organizational items, including regular meeting times and designated depositories, official newspapers, and engineering services, to name a few. The group also discussed ongoing training opportunities for new and returning officers offered by the New York State Association of Towns.