Town Board prepares for 2021 with reorg meeting

PINE PLAINS — The Town Board moved into 2021 on strong footing at its annual organizational meeting on Thursday evening, Jan. 7.  

The meeting was held via Zoom due to the COVID-19 pandemic and live streamed to the “Town of Pine Plains” YouTube channel. Town Supervisor Darrah Cloud shared how, in 2020, the town “learned to operate a local government and keep the open and democratic process going in a pandemic.” She said the board managed to get much done, including a sewer feasibility study, a police reform plan and the purchase of 12 North Main St. Cloud also spoke of community efforts to help those struggling during the pandemic.

“Maybe most importantly for this year, people took the request to wear masks seriously and we kept our numbers low throughout this very dangerous and challenging time,” Cloud said. “Thank you to all who were a part of Pine Plains in this moment in our history, because your efforts are historic.”

Following an executive session, the board resumed its meeting with a discussion on plans to reorganize its Recreation Committee. Cloud explained that it determined it was in its best interest  to dissolve the committee and not appoint new members. 

Councilman Matt Zick encouraged anyone interested in joining the new Recreation Committee to send a letter of interest to the Town Board, Cloud or Recreation Director Michael Cooper. Cloud reported 12 letters have been sent thus far, and Councilwoman Sarah Jones said the board intends to restructure the committee at its workshop meeting on Monday, Jan. 18.

Reorg details

After approving the salary list, liaisons were named. Jones will serve as the liaison for both the Board of Assessment Review and the Planning Board while Zick was appointed liaison for the Recreation Department. Councilman Rory Chase was appointed liaison for both the Conservation Advisory Council (CAC) and the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA). Jones was appointed liaison for the Justice Department and the Town Clerk while Zick and Chase were appointed liaisons for the Fire Department. Zick was also appointed liaison for the school district. Councilman Don Bartles will be liaison for the Highway, Assessors and Water Departments and to the town engineer, while Cloud was appointed liaison to the Pine Plains Free Library, to the town insurance agencies, the attorney to the town and the Police Department.

Appointments

Cloud was appointed chairperson to the Town Board as well as budget director. Bartles was appointed deputy supervisor while Town Clerk Judy Harpp was appointed registrar of vital statistics, marriage officer and clerk to the Town Board. Madelin Dafoe was appointed deputy town clerk and deputy registrar while Eileen Ciaburri was appointed tax collector. Alice Hanback-Nuccio was appointed secretary to the supervisor, followed by Karen Frenzel’s appointment as bookkeeper to the supervisor. Warren Replansky was appointed attorney to the town, while the engineering consulting firm Clark Patterson Lee was appointed town engineer and Ray Jurkowski was appointed water engineer. Robert Lee Couse was appointed to tend to building and grounds and Michael Coons was appointed the highway mechanical operator in charge of the Highway Department.

Karen Pineda was appointed secretary to the highway superintendent while Debra Phillips was appointed clerk to the Water Department. The board appointed Richard Diaz as chair of the assessors; Lynda Wisdo was appointed as secretary to the assessors; and Drew Weaver was appointed as both the code enforcement officer and zoning enforcement officer. No one was appointed as the Board of Assessment Review chair as that position needs to be filled. The board appointed Maryann Lennon as justice court clerk, Patricia Ramos as court clerk and Kerri Yamashita as town prosecutor.

John Hughes was appointed police officer in charge with Michael Lawson, Steven Camburn, Michael Beliveau and Mark Perotta appointed to the Police Department patrol. Richard Prentice was appointed as both the animal control officer and the all hazard mitigation plan representative. Michael Cooper was appointed recreation director; Kelly Nielsen was appointed assistant recreation director. Gerald Parliman was appointed the recycling center attendant.

The board appointed Michael Stabile as chair of the Planning Board; Patricia Devine as Planning Board secretary; Vikki Soracco as Planning Board deputy chair; and Ken Meccariello, Steve Patterson, Kate Osofksy, Dick Hermans and Peter Salerno as members with JL Hoffman and Ethan DiMaria as alternates. Scott Chase was appointed ZBA chair; Devine as ZBA secretary. Margo Jackson, Carl Baden, Marie Stewart and Mike O’Neill were appointed ZBA members with Amanda Zick as an alternate.

Hoffman was appointed chair of the Conservation Advisory Council (CAC), followed by Soracco, Joan Franzone, Rachel Greenfield and Suzanne Ouellette as CAC members. The Little Nine Partners Historical Society was named town historian.

Meeting times

The board will meet the third Thursday of the month at 7 p.m.;  and its workshop meeting will be the Monday before its monthly meeting at 7 p.m. The Planning Board will meet on the second Wednesday of the month at 7:30 p.m.; the ZBA will meet the fourth Tuesday of the month at 7:30 p.m., if needed.

The Millerton News was designated as the official newspaper while the Bank of Millbrook and Salisbury Bank & Trust were designated as the town’s official banks.