Mayor’s Message for March 2021

I am happy to say that the Village of Rhinebeck has launched a program to help every eligible resident sign up for COVID-19 vaccinations! Many of our residents are telling us they are confused about how and where to sign up, while others lack internet access and have no way to sign up themselves.  We have enlisted the support of two of our wonderful tech-savvy organizations, the “Rhinebeck Interact Club'' and “Rhinebeck Responds” to make it happen. We are working together to reach out to our senior citizens and others to assist them in registering for the vaccine on the Dutchess County Vaccine registration website Dutchess County Vaccination Information Request Form  Volunteers will be calling residents to help with the sign up. No confidential information is required for you to get registered. If you have any questions, or wish to be enrolled, please call Village Hall. 845-876-7015 ext 3 and we will be happy to take your information and get you the assistance you need.

 

MORE excellent news from NY State and Dutchess County is that the vaccine supply and delivery systems are ramping up. They now expect 4400 doses per week for the county. Now that more vaccines are available, the county is increasing daily numbers of appointments at existing facilities, and will be opening pop up sites, including one here in Northern Dutchess. They are receiving both the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines, and soon the Johnson & Johnson vaccine will ship as well.

We plan to make certain that anyone who is eligible, and wants a vaccine, can get access through Dutchess County. Following Rhinebeck’s lead, the county has now asked all municipalities to put similar programs in place.

With this good news, now is not the time to let our guard down as new variants of the virus spread. Please continue to wear a mask and practice social distancing, even if you’ve been vaccinated.

The 14 members of the Police Reform Committee have completed the report they have been tirelessly working on since last September. The committee was organized following an order by Governor Cuomo to review policing strategies, policies, procedures, and practices, particularly regarding “any racial bias and disproportionate policing of communities of color.”  The report will detail recommendations on policing in the Village, list recent changes, and suggest further actions.

A public hearing on the recommendations will be held on March 9th at 6:30PM. The completed draft of the report will be made available in advance of the meeting.

The ongoing process of evaluating our Water and Wastewater plants has moved forward with the completion of a final engineering report from Delaware Engineering. The report was funded by a grant from the county in cooperation with the Dutchess County WasteWater Authority.

The Water Plant was constructed 55 years ago and updated in 1998 and 2006. But there have been recent major changes in the drinking water standards. The new standards call for reduced chemical contamination, as well as lowering the amount of biological contaminants in our water. Keeping our drinking water safe and clean is the highest priority, and the report outlines upgrades that greatly improve water quality and extend the life of the facility. We will move quickly to apply for more grants to allow us to make these improvements.

The Wastewater Treatment Plant was built in 1984 and is adequately sized for the current 526 customers. But, it is aging, and some components, such as the UV system, sand filters and pump stations, are nearing the end of their useful lives. The report recommends we plan for a capital upgrade project in 5 to 10 years and lists short term improvements as part of budgeting and annual maintenance. 

Our next steps will be to include monies in our 2021-22 budget to apply for grants and make some of the maintenance repairs as recommended. We will also be reviewing this with the Dutchess County WasteWater Authority as part of our response to their request to take over operations at the facility.

Planning board member Mary Quinn has decided to resign after 15 years serving our community. We all appreciate the many valuable contributions Mary made to our community in her many years of dedicated service.

The Highway Department has brought Dante Knox onboard as a fulltime employee. Dante has worked for the village as an independent contractor for the past year. We welcome Dante to our team! And, hope there won’t be too much more snow and ice to deal with this year.

And congratulations to Highway MEO Carl Delfino on his 5 years of service and Building and Planning Zone Clerk Ryan Dowden for his 3 years of service to the Village of Rhinebeck.

Village Clerk, Martina McClinton is organizing the Village Election which will take place on Tuesday March 16th, 2021 from 12:00 PM – 9:00 PM at the Village Hall: 76 East Market Street Rhinebeck, NY, 12572.

Any voter who wishes to use an Absentee Ballot must fill out an Absentee Ballot Application. Applications are available here or at the Village Hall. Any applications for ballots that will need to be mailed must be received by the Village Clerk by Tuesday March 9th, 2021. Applications for ballots picked up in person must be received by Monday March 15th, 2021. Absentee Ballots can be received up until 9:00 PM on election day. Voters will enter the Village Hall from Center Street and proceed upstairs to vote. A lift is available for those who need it. Voters will be asked to wear a mask upon entry, sanitize their hands and maintain social distancing.

 

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@VillageofRhinebeckny.gov

 

Mayor Gary Bassett

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