Town Board votes to opt-in to permit cannabis retail sales

Town Hall on Route 22 in Amenia.
Photo by Nathan Miller
Town Hall on Route 22 in Amenia.
AMENIA — By vote of 4-1, the Town Board voted to “opt in” to state regulations and allow cannabis retail dispensaries within the town at their regular meeting on Thursday, Feb. 6. The decision followed a public hearing that was held open since the previous Town Board meeting held on Thursday, Jan. 16.
Explaining her negative vote on the measure, Councilmember Rosanna Hamm said that she was uncomfortable with opting in before there is a local zoning law in place to regulate the change.
By the vote, the Town board reversed a 2022 decision to opt out of permitting cannabis dispensaries. Residents who opposed the reversal raised concerns about adverse health effects from cannabis use and parental concerns, although some could approve availability to patients whose health needs prescribe its use.
Others who supported the change in local law to opt in spoke of medicinal benefits and potential revenue for the town where the town could receive three quarters of the revenue from the 4% sales tax.
Several residents favored scheduling a town-wide referendum to give all residents a chance to vote on the cannabis issue, feeling that recent social media polling was not a representative sampling.
Councilmember Paul Winters noted that the issue has been discussed for more than a year.
“It’s about giving cannabis dignity. It was never about the potential income,” Winters said, opposing the idea of a town-wide referendum.
Related to the first, the second public hearing would amend the zoning laws to permit a cannabis dispensary. Included in the record but not publicly summarized at the meeting were comments received from the Planning Board and the County Planning Board, relative to zoning regulations and location of any dispensary.
Discussion included concern about the sequence of action. Councilperson Rosanna Hamm asked whether an action to reverse the law and opt in to state regulations would be wise without having a local law in place to govern the implementation.
A public hearing was convened to select a project to be the subject of a funding application in the form of a Community Development Block Grant during the current application season.
Town Supervisor Leo Blackman explained that the grant offers funding distributed by Dutchess County to towns for projects that will benefit the entire community.
Finance Director Charlie Miller said that grants are offered to three categories of projects, including housing, public facilities, and drinking water/wastewater. For this year’s application season, Miller suggested applying for $200,000 to fund repairs to the town water district, noting that the program allows the town to apply for another $200,000 for the following year.
Bill Flood, chairman of the Water Board, supported the proposal. Resident Judy Moran supported the idea, but as a member of the Recreation Commission, pointed to a need to purchase new playground equipment for Beekman Park. Discussion determined that grant application deadlines and paperwork requirements could not accommodate the play equipment.
During discussion, Winters defended the playground idea and urged focus on acquiring new equipment in the coming year. Councilman Brad Rebillard asked for details on the timeline for the grant application.
Having agreed to seek to extend the term of office for the Town Supervisor from two to four years, the Town Board voted 4-1 to schedule a public hearing for Thursday, March 6, to hear comments from residents. The hearing will begin at 7 p.m. at the Town Hall. Councilmember Hamm cast the negative vote, recalling that the change was included on the ballot in 2016 and had been rejected by voters. Winters responded that he felt that the community has changed in the interim.
Seeking to limit the number of consecutive terms served by the office of Town Supervisor, Winters proposed a limit of 12 years — 3 consecutive four-year terms — that could be followed by a single year off, before becoming a candidate again. The proposal passed by a vote of 3-2. Voting in favor of the proposal were Rebillard, Winters and Councilmember Nicole Ahearn. Opposed were Blackman and Hamm. Hamm said that she would prefer to leave the matter to the voters to decide whether an incumbent has served long enough.
During public comment, Ken Topolsky, chairman of the Economic Development Committee and member of the Comprehensive Plan Review Board reported that both groups are engaging in conversation about the town’s future, focusing on determining a “brand” for the community. Noting that the Town Board is working on updating the town’s logo, he suggested a delay in the logo redesign until the two committees complete their efforts.
During the Supervisor’s Reporting segment, Blackman responded to ongoing federal actions targeting immigrants throughout the U.S. “Know Your Rights” pamphlets have been printed by active human rights advocacy organizations. They are available for pick-up from a variety of public-facing locations within the town. To request an electronic copy of the pamphlet, email lblackman@ameniany.gov.
Councilman Rebillard added a cautionary note directed to the board that efforts to assist immigrants or resist enforcement could result in a charge of Obstruction of Justice.
Anticipating upgrades to the Water District and the application for a Community Development Block Grant in support of the project, the Town Board scheduled a public hearing for Thursday, March 6, to review plans for the project expected to cost $3.9 million. The meeting will begin at 7 p.m.
The LED sign in front of Amenia's Town Hall on Route 22 warns passing motorists of the current temporary burn ban, in effect from Oct. 2 to Oct. 15.
A statewide burn ban is in effect as of Thursday, Oct. 2, the New York State Governor's office announced in a press release.
The temporary ban is in effect until at least Oct. 15, and the statement released by the governor's office said the restrictions will be re-evaluated prior to the Oct. 15 deadline.
Lighting fires for brush or debris disposal and large, uncontained fires for cooking or other purposes are banned until at least Oct. 15 under the statewide order. Backyard fire pits, contained camp fires no larger than 3 feet in height and 4 feet in diameter, and small, contained cooking fires are still permitted under the burn ban.
New York State has faced dry conditions all autumn, triggering drought watches and warnings across most of the state.
Dutchess County, along with the other counties in the Catskills region, are under a drought watch according to the Department of Environmental Conservation's drought condition map.
Dutchess County is currently under a "high" fire danger rating, according to the DEC.
LAKEVILLE, Conn. — Barbara Meyers DelPrete, 84, passed away Tuesday, September 30, 2025.
A Funeral Mass will be celebrated Saturday, October 4, 2025, at 11:00a.m. at St. Mary’s Church, 76 Sharon Rd., Lakeville.
A complete obituary will appear in next week’s Lakeville Journal.
To offer an online condolence, please visit ryanfhct.com.
Volunteers were hard at work putting the finishing touches on the crucial creepy decorations for the Haunted Fortress of Stanford on Sunday, Sept. 28.
STANFORD — Greg Arent led a devoted team of volunteers on Sunday, Sept. 28, in a final push to prepare Stanford’s Haunted Fortress for opening day.
Final touches included cleaning the bottomless pit, scrubbing the pirate ship, raking the graveyard and dressing the dolls. By 2 p.m., about 20 volunteers had assembled to creepify the beloved local landmark.
Many of the volunteers have been coming back for years, Arent said, dedicating time and valuable skills to the town-owned haunted house that was constructed by the artist Peter Wing.
Arent has been building sets in his free time for forty years, but he started out volunteering with the Haunted Fortress in 2014 when his children wanted to get involved, he said. At that time he would help out one or two days a year. That grew into a leadership position over the course of a decade.
On Sunday, Arent was touring the decrepit grounds checking light bulbs, soundtracks and other set details to contribute to that perfect spooky ambience.
Nathan Miller
When it’s all said and done, the Fortress will be ready to welcome visitors starting on Friday, Oct. 3, with shows running from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Sundays. The Haunted Fortress is entirely staffed by volunteers, Arent said, including the actors that don costumes to scare visitors. Anybody aged 6 and up can volunteer to act in the horror show, and families often will volunteer to take over a scene.
“I love it because every scene is different every night,” Arent said. “Sure there are going to be vampires in this scene, but this family is going to do it different from these three kids from Bard, who are going to do it different from these three middle school kids.”
The sets themselves were all built from recycled material to be as creepy and decrepit as possible, Arent said. Concrete culverts adorn the sides of a bridge over a stream, stacked vertically with a cone on top to elicit a fortress’s spires. Reclaimed lumber bolted to a fence evokes a dark and scary forest blocking any escape. A rusting tractor with a steel box welded above the seat sits on a set of rails with two cars attached to it, mimicking a wrecked train with it’s inner mechanisms exposed and blowing steam on passersby.
This year the Haunted Fortress is following a haunted circus theme featuring clowns and other carnival staples alongside the classic settings of the Fortress.
The team of volunteers is dedicated and numerous, and the Stanford Highway Department lends a hand too, Arent said, but there’s always a need for skilled labor at the local attraction.
And the group appreciates all the help they can get. “Whatever you’re interested in and capable of doing,” Arent said.
The haunted pirate ship marks the spot where groups of visitors are paired with their ghastly guides for the remainder of the Haunted Fortress tour in Stanford.Nathan Miller
John King stands at the site of his would-be winery and event space, which has stalled amid the Town’s years-long zoning review
NORTH EAST — For John and Kristen King, moving to the countryside and raising their children on a vineyard was the ultimate dream. But after purchasing a 36-acre property in Millerton and trying to make their vision financially sustainable, that dream now hangs in the balance amid a years-long zoning review in a town that’s prioritizing a thorough process over expedition.
One family’s vision
In 2023, John King began touring dozens of agricultural properties on the market in the region, but kept coming back to Millerton. The deal was sealed when he drove his wife up the hill to a 36-acre parcel on Route 44/22 and Smithfield Road and the couple took in its sprawling, bucolic view.
“That was it for her,” King said with a smile. “My wife didn’t want to look at another property.”
The pair, who live in Harlem with their 3- and 4-year-old, have been coming upstate for 20 years and say they’ve always had a soft spot for Millerton. “It was always our favorite Main Street to hang out on.”
While the idea of “King’s Winery & Vineyard” began to take shape in 2023, the official process with the Town of North East began this spring when the Kings submitted a petition to amend section 180-40 of the zoning code. The change would expand “Country Inn” permissions in the A5A and R3A districts — where their property sits — to accommodate uses such as weddings and small events that could provide supplemental income to sustain the vineyard.
While existing zoning regulations in the district allow for “repurposing an existing structure” for overnight accommodations, King hoped to amend the code to allow for new structures. His ideal winery would feature 24 rooms for overnight guests and work force housing that would provide a number of local jobs.
On a tour of the property, King pointed out where grapes would be grown and where lodging might be tucked into the treeline in order to blend with the natural charm of the land.
“The goal, first and foremost, is to build a vineyard and winery,” King said. “My family would be living there so we have no interest in hosting frequent, weekly weddings,” he said, addressing rumored concerns about local traffic and noise.
King also noted his commitment to hiring locally and boosting the economy. “Everyone we’ve brought on is local — architects, engineers, excavators — because we want to be part of the community, not just some city people coming in.”
Early encouragement
When the Kings’ petition first came before the Town Board in April, it was met with cautious optimism. The Board accepted the application for review, but warned that zoning amendments could take time.
In a July meeting, Town Attorney Warren Replansky called the proposal “reasonable” and “likely to benefit the community.” He added that it was consistent with the rural character of the area. Replansky said the applicant established an escrow account to cover the town’s legal costs — a gesture of good faith that signaled cooperation.
Supervisor Chris Kennan also sounded supportive, telling King that he would attempt to move the process forward quickly and solicit necessary feedback from experts including the town’s Planning Board, the Conservation Advisory Council and Nan Stolzenburg, a zoning consultant with decades of experience.
Deferred dreams
At the September Town Board meeting, the tone had shifted and the Board backed away from the idea of treating the petition as a standalone amendment. Instead, the group agreed to address the request during the broader second phase of the town’s zoning overhaul, which will review residential and agricultural districts. This move would honor the hard work that went into the commercial review, said Kennan, and put safeguards in place for the residential and agricultural districts.
Councilwoman Meg Winkler described the winery application as “putting the cart before the horse.” Fellow Councilman Chris Mayville said the Town had “learned a lot” about how complex zoning work can be. Kennan, once optimistic, now stressed caution. “Things can sound wonderful, and this application in particular sounds like a wonderful thing, but I realize it applies to a lot of other parcels and there are reasons to spend time making sure this is what we want to do.”
The CAC raised environmental concerns, particularly about noise from outdoor events. Stolzenburg pointed to state guidance that “incidental uses” must clearly support — not overshadow — agriculture. Universal feedback recommended more careful language and new definitions to avoid future loopholes.
The shift left King disillusioned. “We’ve tried to align with everything the Town wants so there isn’t friction. And yet here we are,” he said.
While Bill Kish, a member of the Planning Board, suggested the applicant prove his agricultural commitment by planting vines before seeking broader permissions, King insists that model isn’t financially viable.
“I’ve run the numbers every which way,” he said. “Without events and additional revenue, we’ll fail in the first year. We’re at the point of deciding whether or not to pull the plug.”
The town’s perspective
For Kennan, the answer lies in process. The town has spent years — and more than 100 meetings — modernizing its commercial zoning code in response to the 2019 Comprehensive Plan. That work is nearing completion, with residential and agricultural zoning next on the docket. Kennan hopes to assemble that review team before the end of the calendar year and move forward more efficiently.
At the end of the day, the petition represents not just one project but the precedent it could set. The Board’s caution highlights the tension between supporting economic growth and protecting the character of North East.
“I appreciate Mr. King’s interest and we welcome people who want to come and start a business and invest in our town,” Kennan said. “We want to make sure it’s done in a way that keeps the nature of the town consistent with what we know.”