PINE PLAINS — Parents and child care leaders gathered Wednesday, Feb. 25, to discuss concerns about early child care access and affordability in the rural northeast corner of Dutchess County.
County legislator Chris Drago, who represents the towns of North East, Pine Plains, Stanford, Milan and Red Hook, hosted the event at the Stissing Center on Church Street to seek community feedback following news about a proposed pilot program that would expand funding for child care, particularly for children under three, in Dutchess County.
The proposal follows Gov. Kathy Hochul’s announcement in her State of the State address that she is seeking $60 million for Dutchess, Monroe and Broome counties to expand child care, with an emphasis on children under three. The funding, pending approval as part of the state budget due April 1, is a component of her broader effort to expand affordable child care statewide, including a push toward universal access for children under five.
Billed as a fact-finding session ahead of the state budget vote, the forum opened with presentations from representatives of Poughkeepsie-based child care advocacy and training organizations. Parents expressed concerns about access in the far reaches of the county, where services have long lagged behind more densely populated areas.
Kim Yarnell, a parent who lives in Millerton, said she struggled for years to find childcare. She was one of the parents left scrambling for care last December when the North East Community Center announced the sudden closure of its Early Learning Program.
"When I first got pregnant in 2019, I was on a waiting list for two years," she said. "So that's the kind of situation we all face every day."
Parents emphasized a lack of providers in the area, saying the biggest barriers in rural communities are cost and availability. Webutuck Elementary School Principal Amanda Coppola said parents regularly tell her they can't afford child care, a struggle she said she can relate to.
"I have a four-month-old at home, and I just finished my first month of paying for daycare, and it's expensive," she said. "Funding, as far as tuitions or lowering tuitions, I feel is one of the biggest needs that I hear. And now that I'm living it, I hear even more."
Local parents, child care providers and nonprofit representatives outline the challenges they face in accessing and providing childcare in rural northeast Dutchess County during a forum at the Stissing Center in Pine Plains on Wednesday, Feb. 25. Photo by Nathan Miller
Representatives of the Child Care Council of Dutchess and Putnam presented facts and figures to the group, saying that within Drago’s legislative district there are roughly 300 children under three who need care, but licensed facilities have capacity for only 95.
Outside of Red Hook — the district’s most populous town — licensed providers have capacity for just 29 children.
That data underscores parents’ anxiety. The governor’s proposal emphasizes working within existing child care systems and infrastructure, but those resources are limited in northeast Dutchess County. Parents said there's a significant need for infant care, with some reporting they drive more than 30 minutes one way to Connecticut to access the nearest available care.
"We just need more daycare," Yarnell said. "It's not complicated, like, we need more daycare."
Customers peruse jewelry and art at a vendor’s station during Millerton’s 175th Fair on Friday, July 17.
“Overall, I think we did get pretty lucky,” Hermann said. “We never had to shut down at any point.”
Organizers also contended with smoke from Canadian wildfires, which blanketed the area Wednesday afternoon, July 15. The smoke prompted the planned yard party at the Millerton Inn on Main Street to be postponed by a day, but Hermann said it was the only event significantly affected by air quality concerns.
The rain on Saturday forced some attractions, including face painting and musical performances, under the pavilion at Eddie Collins Memorial Park to protect equipment and keep visitors dry.
Despite the rain Saturday, the parking lot at Eddie Collins Memorial Park filled once again on Sunday afternoon as families and community members enjoyed a petting zoo, inflatable bounce houses and obstacle courses, food and drink from local bars, breweries and restaurants, and live music on the lawn all afternoon.
Last weekend’s fair — the culmination of a week-long celebration that began with a parade and groundbreaking for the planned new pool a week prior — kicked off Friday afternoon, July 17, with community organizations and vendors setting up shop in the park.
Attendees trickled in during the afternoon before swelling in numbers Friday evening as a drone light show began at 9:30 p.m.
Hermann cited excitement for the village’s future as a highlight of the week’s events. Attendees to the park for the drone show admired the painted outline of the planned pool and cheered when the lighted drones depicted a cheerful child jumping into a pool from a shaking diving board.
The drone light show traced significant moments in Millerton’s history while also highlighting future projects. Hermann said her biggest takeaway was seeing attendees celebrate the village’s past while embracing what comes next.
“There were some aspects of the celebration that also had to do with the pool and the next steps for Millerton,” Hermann said. “Seeing people get really excited about that — like the painting on the grass that 3M did — I think it was really great.”
Hermann expressed gratitude for the volunteers and village officials who helped organize the week-long celebration. She credited the community members who served on the Millerton 175th Committee with staying committed to the project over the past two years.
She also thanked Village Hall employees and members of the highway department for their assistance with the fair, the week’s events and preparations leading up to the celebration.
“There are so many people in the community that stepped up to make this possible,” Hermann said. “It wouldn’t have been possible without them.”
Photo by Nathan Miller
Millerton native Ronnie Reed headlines a comedy show at Eddie Collins Memorial Park on Thursday, July 16.
Co-Interim Executive Director and Board Chair Irene Banning praised attendees and donors for contributing to the organization’s work in a year that has seen high-ranking staff departures and the closure of the organization’s childcare program.
“This has been a challenging year for NECC,” Banning said. “But we are standing strong, working on finding an executive director and looking into an exciting future.”
Banning further praised the organization’s staff, saying NECC’s success would be impossible without the employees’ dedication to building community and supporting neighbors.
She championed NECC’s mission and expressed gratitude for the organization as a whole, as well, describing it as a refuge where she can contribute to good in the community.
“It is the place where I get to be a part of doing good, of caring for the members of our communities,” Banning said. “And being a part of making people’s lives feel less unsettled and more balanced.”
Following Banning’s remarks was an address from her counterpart, Julie Fajgenbaum, who is sharing the workload as co-interim executive director, while the organization searches for a replacement for former Executive Director Christine Sergent. Sergent resigned from her position at the organization in March 2026.
Fajgenbaum detailed some of the work NECC does, including giving away 15,000 diapers to 25 area families so far this year.
“That’s lightening the financial load for those new parents and allowing them to spend on other things like formula,” Fajgenbaum said.
But she acknowledged that the year’s successes have also exposed a downside — pointing to 19 additional families that remain on the waitlist for free diapers from the organization.
Other statistics underscore the challenges NECC faces in the coming year. The organization’s food pantry served 1,000 people in April alone, reflecting the growing financial pressures many households face as food and fuel costs continue to rise.
Fajgenbaum once again pointed to the benefactors taking part in the day’s fundraising, praising them for coming together to support the NECC’s mission to serve northeast Dutchess communities.
“Today is most definitely a high,” Fajgenbaum said. “We’re so grateful that you’re here with us. I don’t know what we would do without you.”
Following Fajgenbaum’s remarks, local auctioneer CK Swett led the annual “paddle raise,” a lightning-round fundraiser where donors raise auction paddles to commit to donations ranging in increments from $100 to $50,000.
This year’s paddle raise resulted in at least $403,500 in donations to the charitable organization after just 15 minutes of auctioneering.
“This is a community effort, this is a collective effort,” Swett said. “And we will help the community together.”
Photo by Nathan Miller
Benefactors enjoy hors d’oeuvres and live music in the morning sun on Sunday, July 19, at Millbrook School.
Want more of our stories on Google? Click here to make us a Preferred Source.
About to begin dispensing ride tickets at the opening day of the annual Millbrook Fire Dept. Carnival on Wednesday, July 15, the ticket booth was a focus for visitors as they awaited the opening and the start of the rides.
At 6 p.m. sharp, over a dozen fire apparatus, marching bands, and firefighters began rolling and marching through the heart of Millbrook from Front Street to Maple Avenue. Millbrook Mayor Peter Doro also marched in the parade with his two young boys, both waving American flags.
Games of chance were set up and ready to go on opening day of the annual Millbrook Fire Dept. Carnival on Wednesday, July 15.Photo by Leila Hawken
The smell of burgers and the sound of rides filled the carnival as goers waited in lines, ate cotton candy, played games, and got their faces painted. Rain didn’t stop the party, as people took the break to eat, dance or try their hand at ring toss.
The final day began with a parade that featured marching bands, fire trucks and apparatus, and firefighters from across Dutchess County. Afterwards, onlookers travelled to the carnival.
Fire departments that participated in the parade were judged across various categories with over 10 winners.
Proceeds from the carnival benefit the Millbrook Fire Department.
Among the first to try out the Paratrooper ride on Wednesday, July 15, opening day of the Millbrook Fire Dept. Carnival, were Alyssa Hotaling of Millbrook and daughter, Sophie (4).Photo by Leila Hawken
Want more of our stories on Google? Click here to make us a Preferred Source.
