Mayor’s Message for July 2022
Congratulations to the Rhinebeck High School class of 2022! It is a significant achievement, especially in light of all the disruptions our students have faced over the past two years. We are all very proud of you.
Outdoor dining has become an important addition to the economy, safety and quality of life in the Village, as we continue to deal with the threat of COVID-19. The Village Board has voted to allow sidewalk dining for restaurants whose only outside space is the sidewalk in front. The Building Department can now issue permits for sidewalk dining which will be in effect through November 1, 2022. For more information go to: https://villageofrhinebeck.org/s/Sidewalk-Dining-App-Operating-Rules.docx
The Village Board is appreciative of the input provided by Lisa Tarricone of Taconic Resources For Independence for her input on ADA requirements. TACONIC RESOURCES FOR INDEPENDENCE, INC
The Board has authorized a preliminary study of a proposal by the developer to amend our zoning codes to create an Overlay District for the Buckley Schoolhouse at 6 Mulberry Street. The zoning amendment seeks to permit adaptive re-use of the building for multi-family housing and allow four lots for single family homes. After discussion, the board authorized a preliminary determination to evaluate the proposal. The Board will retain a planning consultant to assist in this preliminary determination, paid by an escrow account funded by the developer. We will have two options
resolve to pursue the zoning amendment
Defer the review until after the Comprehensive Plan Committee makes its recommendations to the Village Board in October 2022
The Building, Planning, and Zoning Department has updated the building fee schedules which you can view online. The fees mostly remain the same as in 2018, but it will now be much easier to figure out whether your project needs a permit, what permits and applications will cost, and also provide transparency on where those fees go. And, it will allow homeowners to see if they qualify for the Partial Tax Exemption for Real Property of Senior Citizens. Thanks to Trustee Slaby and Building Inspector McLaughlin for bringing clarity and transparency to the process. To review the fee schedules, go to: https://villageofrhinebeck.org/s/FY23-BPZ-Residential-Permit-Fee-Schedule.pdf
Transparency is important in public meetings as well. Meetings conducted by the Village Board, the Planning Board, the Zoning Board of Appeals, and the Comprehensive Plan Committee must comply with the Open Meetings Law in New York State. The rules changed during the pandemic when the “in person” aspects of the Open Meetings Law were suspended to allow meetings to take place online. We are now back to in person public meetings which are open to everyone. There is also a new law which allows for the use of remote access technology only in extraordinary circumstances (like disability, illness, caregiving or any other significant or unexpected factor or event which precludes the member’s physical attendance). It will go into effect in July.
The Village board authorized Delaware Engineering to proceed with the preliminary engineering, final design, regulatory and funding agency review, preparations of Bid Documents, Bidding and Construction Phase services for Village of Rhinebeck Water Treatment Plant (WTP). Upgrades to the WTP were identified in the report prepared by Delaware Engineering in October 2021. This project will bring us into compliance with regulations, replace outdated equipment, address electrical deficiencies, and improve water system operations. The total cost of the project is approximately $6.4M. This will keep our drinking water safe and clean for the future, harden the facility against climate change, and reduce our impact on the environment.
The Village has a pending agreement with Grasmere LLC which will allow the purchase of water from the Village water supply. The Grasmere development itself is in the Town of Rhinebeck, which is outside our current distribution system. The Village will charge Grasmere 1.25 times the rate charged by the Village to commercial customers. They will be responsible for upgrading the water mains to supply water to their property at no cost to us. The current mains on Montgomery St (Rt.9), Asher, Huntington and a portion of Knollwood to Arnett will be surveyed for this distribution. Additional information on the water upgrades and schedule will be upcoming. This project is expected to be completed this year. We have the excess water capacity and have agreed to sell an estimated 26 million gallons per year not to exceed 77,000 per day.
Our pilot study on municipal food waste composting is going great! So far, we are diverting about 2 tons of food waste from landfills per month while also reducing CO2 emissions by almost 4 tons a month. We want to take the next step and have a feasibility study done which will determine the configuration, permitting requirements and estimated construction costs for developing a municipal food waste composting facility at the Village Highway Garage. That will allow us to plan and submit grant funding applications. We recently conducted a survey of residents who are taking part in the program:
80% said they'd like to extend the pilot or make it a permanent program
13% said maybe
7% said they would not want to continue
If you’re interested in participating fill out the form here: www.rhinebeckcompost.org
The Village Board offered its thanks to the 40 members of our community who submitted their wonderful photographs to the Natural Resources Inventory Project. The public gave special recognition to four photographers: Will LaBossier, Glenn Hirshon, Bill Peckmann, and Avery Gilbert. We also recognized George Beckwith, whose photograph was selected as a cover for the NRI report. The public can access the maps and report, and check out the beautiful photos at: www.climatesmartrhinebeck.org/natural-resources-inventory
We are happy to announce that Rachel Cavell has been appointed as the chair of the Zoning Board of Appeals to replace Colton Johnson. Thank you, Rachel, for accepting this important position. The Village board also approved moving two employees to full-time:
Ryan Dowden -Building, Planning and Zoning, Clerk
Miranda Wyant - Building, Planning and Zoning, Secretary
The following employment positions are open in the Village of Rhinebeck, anyone interested in learning more about these openings should contact the Village Clerk, Martina McClinton at 845-876-7015 option 3
Full-time Wastewater Operator
Full-time Water Trainee or Operator
As needed- Water Plant Laborer
2 Part-time Police Officers
The following employees had anniversaries for the Village of Rhinebeck: Treasurer Karen McLaughlin - 7 years, Water Treatment Plant Operator Justin Drabick - 13 years, Water Treatment Plant Operator Tony Fata - 21 years and Highway MEO Tom Johnson - 21 years. Congratulations to everyone and thank you for your hard work.
As always, please reach out to me with any questions or comments. You can reach me by phone 845-876-7015 ext 2 at Village Hall or via email to MayorBassett@Villgeofrhinebeckny.gov