Announcements

Click the following for entire Notice:  2021_Annual Organizational Meeting

TOWN OF NORTHEAST ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS

NOTICE

North East Town Hall, 19 N. Maple Ave., Millerton, NY

Thursday, December 17, 2020

Please take notice that the Town of North East Zoning Board of Appeals meeting scheduled for Thursday, December 17, 2020 is cancelled due to a lack of applications.

2021 Dutchess County Budget Adopted
Dutchess County, NY sent this bulletin at 12/03/2020 08:46 PM EST

 

2021 Dutchess County Budget Adopted

Reduced Spending, No Layoffs and No Property Tax Increase

Poughkeepsie, NY… The 2021 Dutchess County Budget was adopted by the Dutchess County Legislature Thursday evening with several small amendments to County Executive Marc Molinaro’s Proposed County Budget. Despite continued challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, including uncertain revenues, the 2021 budget reduces County spending, with no layoffs and no increase to property taxes.

The 2021 County Budget maintains County services and programs, with new initiatives addressing homelessness and housing, youth services, and police reform, as well as continued funding for senior services, mental health, infrastructure improvements, County parks and other critical services. The budget also includes critical staffing and other resources for the continued battle against the COVID-19 pandemic.

County Executive Molinaro said, “2020 has been one of the most challenging years in history, but we could not have been more prepared financially for these unprecedented times. Fortunately, here in Dutchess County, our long-established conservative fiscal approach has allowed us to produce a 2021 budget with no tax increase, no layoffs and reduced spending. I am grateful to the Dutchess County Legislature for their deliberation and support of the 2021 budget, which continues to provide important services to our most vulnerable neighbors while finding new, innovative ways to confront the challenges we all face and solving problems, as we always have, together.”

Dutchess County Legislature Chairman Gregg Pulver said, “The 2021 budget provides important investments to combat homelessness, to support youth and families, important trainings and technology for law enforcement, and continued support for economic development, including tourism and the arts, as well as our county’s agriculture industry. Through a truly collaborative process between County Executive Molinaro, his administration and my fellow legislators, we have delivered a fiscally responsible budget that ensures we can face the challenges ahead, without cutting the important services Dutchess County residents have come to expect.”

Legislative Amendments to the 2021 County Budget include:
• $350,000 increase to the Department of Planning and Development’s Agency Partnership Grant Program (APG), including:
o $50,000 for a library technology component of Dutchess Reads, and
o $300,000 for youth and community services
• $210,000 increase to the Dept. of Community & Family Services (DCFS), including:
o $85,000 for DART Program Training, and
o $125,000 for additional contracted security services at Family Services, Inc.
• $10,112 increase to the Sheriff’s Office to restore funding to the Dutchess County SPCA to the 2020 level
• $7,500 increase to the Board of Elections to provide additional poll site support for early voting
• $150,000 decrease to the County’s Serial Bonds for interest on an unneeded short-term loan
• $287,112 decrease to the Dutchess County Jail for inmate health services following a renegotiated vendor contract due to lower inmate counts at the Jail.

Amendments were funded by decreases to the County’s projected interest requirements for serial bonds, reductions in contingency funding and a renegotiated contract for Dutchess County Jail inmate health services, as a result of a decrease in the inmate population.

Legislator Will Truitt, Chairman of the Budget, Finance and Personnel Committee, said, “I thank my legislative colleagues for making this budget process swift and efficient. Thanks to their dedication and support, we have passed a budget that controls spending and maintains essential services and programs while not passing the burden on to Dutchess County taxpayers.”

County Executive Molinaro said, “As we work together to face the challenges left in the wake of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, this budget allows us to provide the support and services to our residents without adding any taxpayer burden. I am particularly grateful to our dedicated County employees – while there is much work ahead, every one of them is ready to rise to the challenge with their continued commitment to public service. Together with the County Legislature, we share a vision of a strong Dutchess County community that will overcome this pandemic and be stronger for the challenge.”

The adoption of the 2021 Dutchess County Budget followed several virtual public forums, including a countywide telephone town hall, during which residents had the opportunity to speak with County Executive Molinaro to learn about the details of the budget, ask questions and share their feedback.

The budget, with amendments, will now be forwarded to County Executive Molinaro for review and signature. The final step in the 2021 Dutchess County Budget process – override consideration of any amendment vetoes by the County Executive and the adoption of the tax levy – will be on Monday, Dec. 14th at the Dutchess County Legislature’s Board meeting.

2021 Adopted Budget Key Facts:
• Property Tax Levy Reduction for the seventh consecutive year
• Property Tax Rate Reduced from $3.26 to $3.18 per $1,000 of true value assessments
• Total 2021 appropriations of $501,832,097

As the winter season approaches, many New Yorkers will face a difficult time managing their energy costs. This situation may be particularly hard on the elderly and those with fixed or low incomes. It is important that consumers are made aware of steps they can take, and the programs they can participate in, to reduce their energy use and help control energy bills this winter.

The New York State Department of Public Service’s annual winter outreach and education campaign is designed to help consumers manage their energy bills while staying warm and safe during the cold weather months. We are encouraging consumers to take simple, low-cost energy savings measures to reduce energy use and to consider bill payment options and financial assistance programs to help manage energy costs.

This year, in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have modified our winter campaign to focus on digital platforms. All of our publications related to the upcoming winter season, which include topics such as the rights and protections of electric and natural gas customers and the actions consumers can take to manage their winter energy costs, will be posted on our AskPSC.com website. These publications will be available in digital form for downloading and printing and will be available for order in limited quantities.

Please click the following link for more information:  Molinaro’s Latest COVID-19 Town Hall Forum

TOWN BOARD OF THE TOWN OF NORTH EAST

NOTICE OF CHANGE OF VENUE FOR TOWN BOARD MEETING

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that the regularly scheduled monthly Town of North East Town Board meeting scheduled for Thursday, December 10, 2020 at 7:00 p.m. will be held at the North East–Millerton Library Annex, 28 Century Boulevard, Millerton, NY.

The audience will be limited based on social distancing rules. Attendees must wear a mask.

The meeting will also be via “Zoom” and anyone wishing to attend should contact the Town Clerk at northeasttown@taconic.net to request the videoconference link and password.

The videoconference will be recorded and a transcript of the meeting will be made available at a later date.

BY ORDER OF THE TOWN BOARD
Gail Wheeler
Town Clerk
Dated: November 24, 2020