Ray and Eve Pech inside their Sevaria home elevator, which was recently installed as part of a larger renovation project.
Debra A. Aleksinas
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Families are welcome to join the informal Millerton Parents’ Group through WhatsApp which keeps members active and connected through activities such as this DIY Oct. 9 Pizza Night at Eddie Collins Memorial Park. The weekly event included plenty of opportunities for chatting and playing for (left to right) Goldie Whalen-Smith, 3; Shaylyn Decker with daughter Summer Raue, 3; and Madeleine Stern with daughter Marion Greenleaf, 4.
Photo By Kimberly Yarnell
MILLERTON — What began in the warmth of the NorthEast-Millerton Library as a small group of young parents exchanging information and ideas has grown into the internet equivalent of a friendly neighborhood with plenty of room to welcome newcomers.
Founded in conjunction with the now retired Youth Services Director Lynn Buckley, the informally named Millerton Parents Group, uses the messaging program WhatsApp instead of chats over backyard fences as they build community.
Anyone with the common interest of family is welcome to join, de facto leader of the group Kimberly Yarnell said. Through laughs she said that while there is no head, “I’m the bossy Mom in the group ... I try to synthesize group communications, activities and opportunities to team up and meet up.”
She says the group formed “after the height of the Pandemic when we were all kind of crawling out of our holes and sort of having gone through a shared experience, many of us with 3, 4 and 5 year olds. We emerged with a real hunger for connections in a way that wasn’t really being serviced by the area.”
Yarnell, who has “two great kids,” 4 year old son Mathew and 1 year old daughter Margo said, “we can laugh about it now,” but it was difficult, especially for those who gave birth during the Pandemic.
With access to the Library and support in developing programming, the group brought in speakers for topics of general interest such as sleep issues and doulas.
But as children and family sizes grew, crowded schedules evolved. It became difficult to attend meetings, so connections moved to the internet where families now swap information on critical issues such as the best babysitters, pediatricians, dentists and the like.
They also provide support when someone has a sick child and set up play dates, walks on the Rail Trail and share information about interesting events. Each Wednesday from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m., interested members gather at Eddie Collins Memorial Park where they take turns bringing pizza and the children romp while the parents find adult companionship.
Recently, members looked “into their closets” to find outgrown clothing for it’s second and hopefully continuing clothing swap. Because of scheduling conflicts at the Library where Buckley had helped to organize the initial event, the Northeast Community Center provided the needed space for some 25 participants.
As can be the case with that sort of event, some items were not chosen, but following the spirit of reaching out, Yarnell said those were donated to Ben and Gracie’s Thrift Shop in Poughkeepsie. The shop determined the value of the merchandise and presented vouchers in that amount to the Grace Smith House in Poughkeepsie which provides shelter and support for those facing domestic violence.
Yarnell says the vouchers, in turn, were given to residents who can gain a sense of “empowerment” as they are able to use them at the shop to make purchases for their own families instead of being handed a bag “of stuff” chosen by someone else.
Anyone interested in joining is welcome to email kimberlyyarnell@gmail.com for an invitation to the group’s WhatsApp.
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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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