PINE PLAINS — The Pine Plains Planning Board unanimously approved Carson Power’s plan to build a Tier 3 solar farm at 454 Bean River Road in Pulvers Corners at a special meeting Tuesday, Nov. 28.
The decision clears the way for the construction of a 42-acre solar farm on a 172-acre property: the approval of the special use permit and site application will allow for Carol and Lucie Giardino to sell their land to SolaREIT LLC, which will then lease it to Carson Power.
The decision paves the way for the clearcutting of 22 acres of forest and the beginning of construction. Under the terms of the agreement, the property not being used for solar panels, which will largely screen the panels from view, is slated for conservation and continued farming.
The 24,000 solar panels planned should generate some 18 million kilowatt hours of electricity annually, or enough to power roughly 1,500 homes. Residents in the area will have the option to subscribe to power from the farm, receiving a credit on electric bills.
The decision came down after a year of intense debate and regulatory review.
Carson Power first submitted their application to the Town last November.
In December 2022, the board passed a law that allowed for Tier 3 solar arrays such as Carson’s to be sited in rural areas of Pine Plains (Tier 3 describes large-scale solar projects that produce energy for off-site use). That law is now under review.
Last January, Andrew Gordon presented the plan to the board and a public of some 60 residents at a special meeting.
Town residents, particularly close neighbors of the project, were largely aligned against it. They cited concerns about traffic; noise, light and other pollution (though common concerns about solar farms, they are not evidence-based); unsightliness; and environmental impact, particularly on endangered species.
Homeowners also expressed concerns that the field would devalue their property.
In the following months, the planning board determined that the farm would have no significant negative environmental impact, a decision formalized Aug. 9, with a negative State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQR) determination.
In meetings that have taken place over the course of the year, Carson Power has agreed to make changes and amendments to prioritize the protection of wildlife, including endangered species; preservation of the land not dedicated for solar panels; protection against erosion during construction; safe decommissioning; and to ensure that the solar panels remain nearly invisible from roads, farms and homes.
The town reserved the right to send an engineer or the building inspector to ensure that all the stipulations are being followed.
Noting that the life cycle of a solar farm is about 25-40 years, Gordon said that after it was decommissioned, the land would be put into a permanent conservation easement.
Among the 19 stipulations Carson Power agreed to was a ban on herbicide use, and the planting of pollinator-friendly native plants to attract pollinators and monarch butterflies.
The town also reserved the right to permit a beekeeper to also inhabit the property.
Carson Power plans to partner with nonprofit conservation organization Scenic Hudson to permanently protect the 70 acres set aside to remain forested.
Further considerations, all of which were studied and researched, were access to and from the site for emergency vehicles and traffic congestion possibilities.
The Zoning Board of Appeals ruled Aug. 28 that the fences surrounding the solar plant could be 7 feet high, the national standard for solar fencing, rather than the town’s usual allowance of 6 feet.
Construction, estimated to take six to eight month, will take place on weekdays and Saturdays between the hours of 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. “Noisy” construction will only take place on weekdays.
The project is part of New York state’s plan for 70% of its power to come from renewable energy sources by 2030.
Graham Corrigan
Administrators balanced Millbrook Central School District’s budget with staffing and program cuts after insufficient revenue and ballooning health insurance costs caused a deficit of about $1 million.
MILLBROOK — The Millbrook Board of Education has approved a budget for 2026-27 that includes program and staffing cuts. But they still need the public’s approval, and on May 19, voters will head to the polls at Millbrook Middle School.
The $37,992,751 proposed budget represents a 6.57% increase from last year. The district’s tax levies will rise in turn, up 7.02% year-over-year to $29,733,237.
After anticipated state aid, the budget still results in a deficit of $1 million. The district has proposed a combination of program and staffing cuts to make up the difference. Summer school and some athletic programs will be reduced, Board of Education contracts will be trimmed, and some professional development opportunities for teachers will be cut.
Planned staff reductions are also part of the equation — 14 in all. That includes an administrative position, two full-time teachers, and a combination of teacher’s assistants and school monitors charged with maintaining safety on school grounds.
“It wasn’t in any priority order,” said Superintendent of Schools Caroline Hernandez Pidala. “It’s because those things are not mandated…I built some of these programs that could be eliminated.” The superintendent’s own salary will increase 3.5% to $226,000.
Millbrook Central School District, which enrolled 782 students in the 2024-25 school year, has been challenged by a number of price increases this year. They include rising insurance premiums, higher costs for special education and transportation, and a capital fund transfer to help repair district buildings. Multiple schools have been suffering from persistent roof leaks.
One notable variable is the amount of state aid the district will receive this year. New York state has filed a number of extensions for its education budget, and has yet to release its final numbers.
Last year, the district received $4,808,735 in state funding, but Superintendent Hernandez says the numbers can be deceiving. “The aid that we get doesn’t reflect the students who go to public schools,” said Hernandez. More than 30% of the Millbrook student body qualifies for free or reduced lunch, due to their parents’ socioeconomic status.
If voters reject the proposed Millbrook Central School District budget, additional cuts of $1.5 million would have to be made to satisfy a contingent budget.
Two seats at the Board of Education are also on the docket: Chris Rosenbergen and Howard Shapiro are running for reelection. The last day to register to vote is May 14.
Graham Corrigan
PINE PLAINS — The stakes are high for Pine Plains Central School District this budget season. Faced with rising costs and declining enrollment — 791 students attended Pine Plains schools this year, down from a 2002 peak of nearly 1,500 — the board adopted a proposed budget of $40,778,791 in April that includes cuts to school programs.
That’s an increase of 5.34% in expenses from last year. Levied taxes would rise at a slightly lower rate, 4.43%, to $29,122,160. That increase puts the district over its allowed tax rate hike as set by the state.
Piercing the tax cap means the budget will need a 60% approval rating from residents to pass, a so-called supermajority rule that comes into effect when a district’s tax levy exceeds the state’s cap rate.
But the district’s board of education still saw it as the best option. An earlier plan to balance the budget involved closing the Cold Spring Early Learning Center. That faced fierce pushback from parents, and the board subsequently formed an advisory committee to explore other options. That committee will make its recommendation in September.
In the meantime, the district had to make cuts elsewhere. Chief among the eliminations are two 5 p.m. bus routes, new equipment purchases, and elementary school enrichment programs. Some parents are still frustrated about the process that led to those decisions.
“I’m concerned about the lack of outreach from the administration,” said Brooke Brown, a parent in the district and Board of Education candidate. “I think the community is just feeling pretty separate from the school system. There are many things that are out of the board’s control, but an explanation of that would really be helpful.”
Pine Plains’ declining enrollment has been echoed across Dutchess County, an exodus that leaves school districts facing hard choices about consolidation. When that’s compounded with new insurance hikes and climbing transportation costs, an “immediacy of need” is created, said Pine Plains board member Chip Couse.
“Some of the things that were being kicked down the road can no longer be kicked,” Couse said.“I think it’s going to be a rough budget year, not only for Pine Plains, but across the county…But I’m guardedly optimistic. I think that the community will support it, because the alternatives are a bit draconian.” Couse said that in the past, approval has been around 70%.
If the budget fails to pass, the board has two options: put the same plan up for another vote in June, or revise the budget up or down. Superintendent Brian Timm has hypothesized that the board would attempt to scale down to within the tax cap — an approximate $300,000 in further cuts.
If that second vote fails, the district would be forced to adopt a contingent budget with last year’s tax rate, necessitating a further $800,000 in cuts.
There’s more than just the budget on this year’s ballot: two Board of Election seats are open, and are contested by the incumbent James Griffin, Amie Buehler, and Brooke Brown.
The district is also considering the purchase of five new buses through funds previously approved in 2022. At nearly 140 square miles, Pine Plains is one of the county’s largest districts.
Voting takes place on May 19 at Stissing Mountain Junior/Senior High School in Pine Plains. Unregistered residents have until May 14 to participate — you can check your registration status at ppcsd.org.
Leila Hawken
The Old Amenia Burying Ground of 1750 holds the graves of the town’s forebears including Ephraim and Mary Paine, lead characters in a new play, “Amenia’s Spycatcher,” to be presented as part of the town’s observance of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
AMENIA — A locally written and produced historical play is set to take the stage at Amenia Town Hall this summer as part of the town’s observance of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
Resident George Bistransin announced during a Thursday, May 7, Town Board meeting that the Amenia Historical Society has been awarded a $15,000 grant from Dutchess County to produce “Amenia’s Spycatcher,” a new play he has written as a story of espionage, intrigue and romance set in Amenia during the American Revolution.
The play will be presented at the Town Hall Auditorium/Theater on Friday, Aug. 21, through Sunday, Aug. 23. Admission will be free. In support of the production, the historical society has also received a grant in the amount of $2,500 from the Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation to assist with a theatrical lighting upgrade.
Bistransin describes his new play as an adventure that weaves factual history from a variety of primary and secondary sources into a fictional historical drama.Early Amenia residents Ephraim and Mary Paine lived through the years of the Revolutionary War. The play follows their lives between 1777 and 1785, when Ephraim was a Dutchess County Judge and delegate to the Continental Congress.
Wherever possible, Paine’s actual words are used for the play script, Bistransin indicated, having engaged in extensive research. He is the playwright and will direct the play, drawing on considerable professional theater experience.
The process of casting Amenia’s Spycatcher and scheduling auditions is beginning. Auditions will be held on Wednesday, May 27, and Saturday, May 30. For details, phone Bistransin at 937-708-9717.
The Old Burying Ground on Mygatt Road holds the graves of Ephraim and Mary Paine, but over time, many of the gravestones, including Mary’s, have tilted, broken or fallen. The historical society is currently raising funds for stone restoration. For information on the effort, go to www.ameniahs.org.
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Leila Hawken
MILLBROOK — Serving a community that thrives on volunteerism, the Millbrook Library will host its annual Volunteer Fair on Saturday, May 16, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
A variety of local organizations will be present to answer questions about their programs and how residents can volunteer. Included will be representatives from organizations offering programs in animal care, literacy, emergency management, food security, environment and health and welfare.
Anyone with an interest in learning what volunteer opportunities are available is welcome. For more information, go to www.millbrooklibrary.org.
Millerton News
MILLERTON — The Friends of the Irondale Schoolhouse are inviting the public to a season opening ice cream social.
The event is set for Saturday, May 23, with a scheduled rain date of Sunday, May 24.
Volunteers will be serving free ice cream at the Irondale Schoolhouse on Main Street starting at noon. A video and photo montage of historic Millerton landmarks will accompany the sweet frozen treats.
The Friends of the Irondale Schoolhouse is a volunteer organization that works to preserve the history of Millerton’s surviving one-room schoolhouse. The organization also sponsors scholarships for Webutuck High School seniors.
Applications for this year’s Irondale Schoolhouse scholarship are now available. Interested seniors may pick up an application at the Webutuck High School office.
Leila Hawken
Webutuck High School Seniors Giana Kall, right, and Zaina Aboueid have earned the academic distinction of being named 2026 Valedictorian and Salutatorian, respectively.
Academic achievement earned Giana Kall designation as Valedictorian of the Class of 2026. Her contributions to student life at Webutuck High School and dedication to a variety of activities are a roadmap for those students who will follow her.
Giana is one of three student representatives who serve on Webutuck’s Board of Education. She is also a member of the Culture and Climate Club, an organization that seeks to enhance the Webutuck school experience for all students.
Serving as President of the school’s chapter of the National Honor Society and the Student Council, Giana is also active in the environmental, debate and yearbook clubs at Webutuck.
Giana began her Webutuck schooling in pre-K, she said with a smile during an interview on Wednesday, May 6.
One of her most formative educational experiences outside of Webutuck, Giana said, was her participation in New York University’s High School Law Institute, offered through the NYU law school. She was able to take law classes, speech and debate, criminal law and constitutional law.
“I learned a lot,” Giana said, particularly in view of her career interest in becoming an attorney and a businesswoman. Giana will enroll at Fordham University in the fall.
Already a young entrepreneur, Giana has started a small business of her own, creating and selling natural essential oils for use in perfumes.
During her Junior year, Giana founded the Webutuck Service Club, obtaining a grant from the Webutuck Quest for Excellence Fund. True to its theme of service, the club made birthday kits and wellness kits for distribution within the school community.
“I could go on and on,” Giana said when asked to share advice for students about to enter their high school years. “Find a balance,” she advised, “and take life one step at a time. Enjoy the process more than focusing on the end result.”
Praising both Giana and Salutatorian Zaina AbouEid, Webutuck High School Principal Matt Pascale said, “Both girls have worked extremely hard for this achievement; they’ve earned this.”
Strong in academics, confident in communication skills, and experienced in serving her community both in school and beyond, Zaina AbouEid has well-earned being named Salutatorian of the Webutuck High School Class of 2026.
Outside of school, Zaina participated in the Berkshire Taconic Foundation’s program, Youth and Democracy, an opportunity to create change by providing benefit to broader communities in which those students live. As part of the program, Zaina interviewed numerous local residents, gathering their ideas about bettering their communities.
Volunteering for the North East Community Center year-round was a significant growth experience for Zaina who helped with distributing food and household supplies and also working within their Child Day Care program.
Zaina’s college plans will take her to Marist University for studies to become a social worker, building on her experience in the community. She shared her plans during an interview on Wednesday, May 6.
Her active participation as president of the Culture and Climate Club at Webutuck saw the start of a student-of-the-month recognition program and an annual wellness day. She has also served as vice-president of the Environment Club and National Honor Society.
Zaina is a talented member of the high school band, accomplished on flute, and is an active member in the Student Council.
“You never know what you’re capable of until you take the risk,” was Zaina’s advice to students about to begin high school years. “When you face new challenges like meeting new friends, or finding your way around the unfamiliar building, or anticipating an exam, you’ll find the strength that you need.”
“I have realized how strong I am through challenges I’ve faced,” Zaina said, crediting staff and teachers for guidance along the way.
Commenting on the academic and personal strengths of both Zaina and Valedictorian Giana Kall, Webutuck High School Principal Matt Pascale said, “They come from wonderful families; they both have bright futures. They’ll be missed here.”
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