Christine Bates
Latest News
MILLBROOK — Having received conceptual planning describing a major capital project to include needed maintenance and upgrades, the Board of Education at its regular meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 8, agreed to hold two public forums in advance of a mid-November referendum.
Postcards summarizing the project are being sent to all households to announce the forums planned for Wednesday, Oct. 30 and Wednesday, Nov. 13 at the Middle School Auditorium, beginning at 6:30 p.m. The referendum to vote on the capital project is scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 19, from noon until 9 p.m.
To view details of the plans for the capital project prepared by BBS Architects, go to the Millbrook Central School District website at: www.millbrookcsd.org.
As presented by BBS, the capital project is divided into three major partitions. The first would see improvements to HVAC systems in all schools within the Central School District, supported by three bonding propositions.
The second would address building condition issues (maintenance and repairs) needed at Elm Drive and the Middle School, as well as Alden Place, supported by two bonding resolutions.
And the third would promote energy performance in all the schools, supported by three bonding propositions.
The total cost for all three partitions as now proposed would be $59,867,973, although some of the impact would be offset by available state funds and energy savings over time.
BBS engineers noted that state law requires that a school Building Condition Survey be completed every five years.
Existing HVAC systems are aging out, according to BBS, particularly at the Elm Drive School, where a “dedicated outdoor air system” is being proposed.
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AMENIA — The Amenia Free Library has chosen the Food of Life/Comida de Vida Pantry at St. Thomas Episcopal Church, Amenia Union, as their first ever recipient in the state wide library Great Give Back effort.
Hope Bruzzi, programming assistant, says the library decided to participate because, “We thought since our patrons always help us, it’s time to give back to the community.”
Starting at the beginning of the month and running through the end, Bruzzi says the drive is going well with their collection bin “slowly but surely filling up.”
The Library is primarily focused on collecting diapers of any size, unscented baby wipes, feminine hygiene items, dried black beans, canned vegetables and canned fruits, but Bruzzi says any non-preishable donations would be welcome.
The pantry is located on church grounds at 40 Leedsville Rd. in Amenia with distribution Fridays from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Everyone is welcome during the 50 weeks it is open each year with no residency requirements.
According to their website, so far this year they have served total of 90,549 meals to 10,061 individuals including 2652 children.
For more information on the Library at 3309 Route 343, go to amenialibrary.org or call (845) 373-8273. For pantry details, go to stthomasamenia.com or call (845) 373-9161.
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Northern Dutchess Paramedics Station Two is a few miles south of Millerton on Route 22. The ambulance averages less than one call per day in the town of North East.
Nathan Miller
MILLERTON — Northern Dutchess Paramedics’ (NDP) five-year contract with the Town of North East, Dover and Amenia is coming to an end in December.
The new proposed contract between the Town of North East and NDP increased by 71.5%. Over the past five years NDP increased its payments by two percent annually, making the new proposal a significant increase.
“With its population of around 3,000 people, the Town of North East has less than one call per day for ambulance service,” Chris Kennan, the town supervisor, said, “Which makes it very expensive for us and a big piece of the Town’s annual budget.”
NDP shared its contract with the Towns of North East, Amenia and Dover. Under the contract, an ALS (Advanced Life Support) ambulance must be stationed in each of the three towns.
A possible 70% increase in service pricing would impose expenses on residents, Kennan said, increasing property taxes at an “unacceptable” rate. According to Kennan, every municipality in Dutchess County is dealing with similar EMS problems. This calendar year the Town is spending $376,858 on EMS services, which is about 10.5% of the Town’s budget. NDP has requested $646,300 for their services next year.
“I’ve been in the rescue service for 37 years now as a fireman. We need that and it is the cost of doing business,” Richard Yeno, the Town of Dover’s Supervisor, said. “The problem is it’s a substantial hit, a 70 plus percent increase is a major hit to the budget. And it will make taxes go up but my people will have an ambulance service in place Jan. 1, 2025.”
Both Kennan and Yeno have expressed the importance of a future meeting with NDP to discuss logistics and as an attempt to lower their previous approach.
“We’re going to do our due diligence, shop it where we can shop it, negotiate where we can negotiate, such as NDP,” Yeno said. “We do have a future meeting planned with them. We are back on the table and both parties agreed that this needs to come to another serious discussion. So hopefully it’ll get better.”
According to Kennan, the emergency medical services (EMS) crisis is not unique to North East, Amenia and Dover. “It is a problem for smaller, less-populated towns across New York State and around the country,” Kennan said. “Put very simply, the larger the population, the more customers the EMS providers have to spread the costs around. We have to remember that we are paying for a fully-staffed ambulance sitting in our town around the clock.”
Last year, the Town of North East had 256 calls for EMS services, which is less than one call a day, leaving the ambulance sitting without callsfor long stretches. The town of Dover has roughly 8,400 residents and is dealing with a similar, over 70%, increase in its EMS service budget.
“The problem is in five years, the prices of everything has gone up. The cost of wages has gone up to be competitive. They need to increase their worker’s wages,” Yeno said. “I understand that, and that’s where we’re at.
“My people deserve this service. They need this service,” Yeno said. “And I will find a way to provide this service. I won’t go backward. I will maintain what we were receiving in service, and nothing but up.”
As of Sunday, Oct. 13, NDP has not responded to requests for comment from the Millerton News.
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Nicole Ahearn
Photo Provided
AMENIA — Republican Nicole Ahearn was appointed to the Amenia Town Board in 2024. The following excerpts have been selected and edited for ease of reading.
Q: What is your professional background?
A: I was appointed to the Town board in March 2024. Previously, I was the chairperson of the Recreation Commission and a part time building clerk. I have been a bus driver for Webutuck Schools for the last ten years and I have a strong background in customer service.
What would be your top priorities?
Highway garage construction is vital to the community and our employees. Amenia’s crumbling infrastructure needs to be addressed following two water main breaks in the past eight months. Smart growth is also crucial for Amenia. We need to preserve Amenia’s rural qualities while broadening the tax base through more housing options and other efforts to attract businesses of all kinds to our town. I also want better Town/school district coordination so we can be sure our students receive all the tools they need for quality education. I will continue to work with our partners in county and state government to keep Amenia a safe place to live and raise a family.
Why are you the best person for the job?
I’ve lived in this area my whole life. My husband and I have six children in public schools here. I go to work in our school district every single day. As the only full-time resident in this race, I understand our community’s needs. I am committed to keeping taxes low because I know it is tough raising a family these days. I’ll make sure your government works for tax payers, not itself. I’ll ensure we have the services and infrastructure necessary to keep Amenia a beautiful place to live, raise a family and possibly start a business. I’ll never forget who I work for.
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