Latest News
Millerton firefighters clean off their trucks at the firehouse garage on Century Boulevard after the annual Santa Run on Saturday, Dec. 6.
By Aly Morrissey
MILLERTON — As the holiday season ramps up and the calendar year winds down, the Millerton Fire Company is reflecting on a year with record-high call volume and clear objectives for 2026.
This year, the all-volunteer department surpassed 425 calls — the most the department has seen in at least eight years. Fire officials said the number far exceeds recent annual totals, and there has been a year-over-year increase.
Not only does the department respond to fire emergencies and rescue calls, but it also plays a critical role in emergency medical services, especially in a region grappling with slow ambulance response times, limited support from the county and shifting ownership of private services relied on by the town and village.
With a new leadership lineup, taking effect Jan. 1, both the fire company and district will enter the new year with deep experience across fire, EMS and military backgrounds — and with a renewed focus on training and community outreach.
Fire Chief Keith Roger, who has been a firefighter for 35 years, will continue as chief for the second consecutive year — his third term overall. Roger held the position back in 2005 and 2006.
“I’m looking forward to working with these guys and handing down what I’ve learned,” Roger said, noting that his leadership approach is more about teaching and preparing others to rise through the ranks.
On the less stressful calls, he said he intends to let newer officers take command while he stands close by to guide them. “My focus is now helping them move up the chain.”
Roger will also organize and facilitate training, which occurs on a near-weekly basis.
“Our goal is to ensure everyone’s training is up-to-date and that they receive the best possible training,” Roger said.
Company vice president Chris Reyes, who will also serve as 1st Lieutenant, said Roger’s return provides stability and momentum.
“I’m re-energized having him back as Chief for a second year,” said Reyes, who joined the team in 2020. “It really feels like we’re building off of a fresh foundation.”
The department emphasized the strength of its incoming command staff, which includes career firefighters, veterans with military leadership experience and longtime volunteers who have trained together for years.
Reyes described the fire company as a tight-knit and supportive team — even after a contested captain’s race during the December elections — and called the department a second family.
“When a call comes in, people from every walk of life suddenly come together and speak the same language to protect our community,” said Reyes. “It’s magical.”
In the coming year, leadership expects to maintain its focus on rigorous training, including skills drills, ladder work, air-pack practice, hose advancement, basic life support and CPR refreshers. Nearly all members are New York State-certified in CPR and AED. The company is also anticipating the purchase of a new rescue truck, though delivery is likely 18 months away.
Keep ReadingShow less
Amenia Town Hall
Photo by John Coston
AMENIA — Revisions to the town regulations outlining the separate roles and structures of the Planning Board and the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) will be considered at public hearings on Thursday, Dec. 18, at Town Hall, beginning at 7 p.m.
Amendments to the local code seek to clarify the structure of both boards, along with the appointment of alternates, training, attendance and the process for removing members. Residents are invited to comment on the proposed regulations during the public hearings or to provide written comments in advance.
The five-member ZBA, whose members serve five-year terms, would be expanded with the addition of two alternate members appointed by the Town Board for one-year terms, should the changes be adopted. If a ZBA member is absent or must recuse due to a conflict of interest on a particular application, the chairman would seat an alternate in their place.
Requirements for four hours of training annually would apply to all members, as well as alternates under the new code.
Under the proposed attendance requirements, ZBA members may not be absent for more than three consecutive meetings or for more than eight meetings within a calendar year.
Under the amended codes, the seven members of the Planning Board would serve for seven-year terms. The Town Board would appoint two alternate members, each for one-year terms. Four hours of training would be required for all members annually. No member would be allowed to be absent for more than three consecutive meetings or a total of five meetings in a calendar year.
Copies of the proposed local laws can be viewed on the town hall website at https://ameniany.gov.
Keep ReadingShow less
North East Town Hall in Millerton, where officials continue to discuss updates to the town’s zoning code.
By Nathan Miller
MILLERTON — Planning Board members raised a mix of broad and detailed concerns about the Town of North East’s proposed zoning plan during a special meeting on Wednesday, Dec. 3 — their final discussion before the public hearing set for Jan. 8.
The 181-page draft plan represents a rewrite of the town’s decades-old zoning code, updating definitions, commercial use rules, and standards for parking, lighting and design. Town officials say the overhaul is meant to eliminate inconsistencies and give applicants and reviewers a clearer, more functional set of rules.
At Wednesday’s meeting, Planning Board members offered comments that ranged from line-by-line concerns to questions about how cohesively the document functions as a whole.
Planning Board member Dan Sternberg offered the widest critique. “I think as a whole, this draft is not well drafted. I think as a legal document — as a piece of legislation — it’s got a lot of problems. It reads like something drafted by committee.”
Sternberg suggested the document should be considered more holistically, and the language of the proposed draft should be more consistent and clear.
He said lifting examples of codes from other towns likely contributed to the disjointedness of the draft. “The language used in it may not be consistent with some of the language of the rest of our code,” Sternberg said. “I’ve read lots and lots of agreements, lots and lots of legislation over the years, and seeing the drafting process, I can tell that this was kind of stitched together.”
Board members appeared reluctant to scrap the draft outright, arguing that doing so would dismiss several years of work by volunteers and consultants. Instead, they expect to recommend that the Town Board focus on clarifying sections where the language is not clear.
Planning Board member Bill Kish, who served on the Zoning Review Commission that drafted the commercial zoning overhaul, offered a defense of the draft.
Kish emphasized that nothing in the draft was borrowed casually. He said that anything that was borrowed was the subject of at least one full meeting and it was discussed again. “This is about as good as you can get using the process that we had,” Kish said. “That’s all I can say.”
Nevertheless, Planning Board Chair Dale Culver said he agreed with Sternberg's criticism. "I'm never in favor of lifting other towns' codes that are a long ways from our town," Culver said. "Because we tend to get their slant of their view for their code for their town. And our town may be different. It quite often is."
It remained unclear at the close of the meeting whether Sternberg’s broader criticism would be included in the Planning Board’s formal memo to the Town Board. The implications are significant: if the critique is included, it signals that the full board believes the draft needs broader revision. If it is not included, the Town Board receives a narrower set of recommendations, and Sternberg’s concerns will arrive only through his individual memo.
Board members did have consensus on other comments that will be included in the board's memo. Board member Leslie Farhangi requested that the phrase "cage-type poultry" be removed from the draft entirely.
Farhangi also recommended — and the board agreed — that approvals should include an expiration date. Board members noted that a plan could be approved and then remain unbuilt for years, while the town changes.
The Planning Board's memo has not yet been drafted as of press time. Planning Board members were also encouraged to submit individual letters to the Town Board expressing any concerns that the board didn't have consensus on.
"We can't have it be all unanimous consent," Culver said. "Because if that's the case, are we all thinking or are we just listening and agreeing?"
Keep ReadingShow less
loading
