n the months following a July fire that caused an estimated $1 million in damage to his farm equipment, local farmer John Kemmerer is rebuilding and re-equipping, remaining grateful for community support. One of the first essential items to be purchased was a John Deere tractor.
STANFORD — News spread rapidly in the aftermath of a devastating barn fire last July that caused an estimated $1 million in damage to Stanfordville farmer John Kemmerer’s stored equipment and hay. Response was quick as his wide community of friends sprang into action to raise funds to assist with purchasing new equipment.
Progress in acquiring replacements for the farm equipment has been steady, evidenced during a conversation with Kemmerer on Saturday, Nov. 23.
The fire on the 100 acre hay farm had raged on Thursday, July 18, a hot blaze fueled by stored hay, ruining the equipment stored in the affected barns.
Three barns, the office, and all equipment had been lost in the fire, along with a huge percentage of the stored hay, Stanford Town Supervisor Wendy Burton said.
“Multiple area fire companies assisted in fighting the fire,” Burton said. “It smoldered for many days.”
Since the fire, Kemmerer said he has purchased numerous pieces of equipment, including a 2014 Ford F530 flatbed truck, a JCB hay telehandler and a Norden hay accumulator, and a John Deere 348 baler. He has also purchased a New Holland skid steer.
Coming in January will be a new Quonset-shaped metal structure measuring 40 x 80 x 20 to store hay, Kemmerer said, pleased to be anticipating its delivery. Other barns on the property offer sufficient winter storage space for the equipment, Kemmerer said.
Since the fire, equipment purchase costs have been partly covered by insurance and largely covered by the generosity of friends and community residents.
“The community outpouring was just amazing,” Kemmerer said. He particularly noted the efforts of Dani Nicholson, who he said was instrumental in helping with the fundraising effort by visiting local businesses and community members who gave generously.
“There were just so many local friends,” Kemmerer said.
An early thought of town supervisor Burton’s had been, “We can do a fundraiser and maybe even a barn raising.” She recalled that volunteers had built a structure in the town park; perhaps they could do a barn raising.
Immediately following the fire, residents Julia Descoteaux and Steve Bruman launched a GoFundMe effort and a Kemmerer family friend, Courtney Haire, launched a similar fundraiser. By combining their efforts, they were able to reach further out into the community. All proceeds went directly to the Kemmerers, Burton said.
“Money started coming in immediately and it’s continued for quite a long time,” Burton said, roughly estimating total proceeds of $100,000 as of late October.
A live auction at Bangall Works had raised $25,000, enabling Kemmerer to purchase a used John Deere tractor that is in daily use.
“They are a beautiful family; the community came together to help,” Burton said. “What you put out into the world comes back to you.”
In the wake of the violent hurricanes and flooding experienced in North Carolina in the fall, Kemmerer responded with a shipment of hay to help farmers facing extreme loss.
Burton said the Kemmerer family’s impulses have consistently been to help their community’s needs. Accordingly, John Kemmerer sent a load of horse-quality hay to North Carolina. Kemmerer recalled the shipment consisted of 18 to 20 round bales. He added that he plans to send more soon.
One round bale is equivalent to 15 to 18 regular square bales, Kemmerer said. Round bales are generally more economical for farmers than purchasing standard square ones, he added.
Kemmerer’s daughter, Emily Hay, has started a family foundation, Century Farms Foundation Inc., to provide aid to long-established small farms and farmers in need. A goal is to sustain small family farms facing daunting competition from agribusiness ventures.
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.”
The new Bank of Millbrook branch on Route 44 in Millerton will mark its grand opening on Saturday, Aug. 16.
MILLERTON — The Bank of Millbrook’s new branch in Millerton at 110 U.S. Route 44 will open this Saturday, Aug. 16.
A grand opening event at which the Millerton community can acquaint themselves with the Bank of Millbrook and its leadership is set for 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, said George T. Whalen III, the bank’s president.
The Bank of Millbrook purchased the building for its Millerton branch in October of last year. Formerly the location of Elizabeth’s Jewelry and Fine Gifts, the building has undergone a significant renovation with interior designs by architect Douglas E. Larson of Larson Architecture Works, Whalen said.
In addition to its Millbrook headquarters, the Bank of Millbrook has four additional full-service branches in Amenia, Pine Plains and Stanfordville.
Its Millerton location, too, will be a full-service branch, offering both personal and commercial deposit accounts; loan services; and trust and investment services, Whalen said.
Aimee Filosidis, who previously managed the Bank of Millbrook’s Stanfordville, will lead the new Millerton location. Filosidis previously worked in banking in Millerton before joining the Bank of Millbrook; Millerton natives will staff other positions at the bank, as well, Whalen said.
George T. Whalen Sr. was elected president of the Bank of Millbrook’s board in 1938, 47 years after its founding in 1891. Today, the bank remains under the leadership of the Whalen family: George Whalen III serves as its president and George Whalen IV as its Vice President of Lending.
Salisbury Bank’s merger with NBT Bank two years ago left Millerton without a local financial presence.
“We feel there is a strong demand for a community bank in Millerton where decisions are made locally and customer service is paramount,” Whalen said, adding that the timing appears right for the Bank of Millbrook to expand to Millerton.
