Mayor’s Message October 2019
Cooler weather, leaves starting to change, Halloween decorations appearing, and the Village of Rhinebeck leaf truck hits the road…. October is here! A reminder to keep brush and leaf piles separate when you put them out to the curb. And, as always on Halloween, follow safety rules to keep those trick-or-treaters safe. While the seasons flow from one into the other, the climate, and the threat of climate change, is increasingly in the news. A group of Rhinebeck High School students took part in the national climate strike on September 21st. These young people are reminding us all that their future is being threatened, and they are working constructively to hold meaningful discussions with decision makers on climate issues. One of our local students, Isabel Breslin, was selected to participate in those discussions at the Youth Climate Summit at the UN. On October 6th, there will be a clean power expo from 10AM - 3PM starting at the Rhinebeck Town Hall and throughout the village where we can all learn more about these issues, and, importantly, how to both combat climate change and help both the environment and our economy. Rhinebeck Village is continuing work to protect our historic buildings. We have received a Preserve New York grant. The $7,875 will allow us to continue our work with Larson Fisher Associates. The firm is studying how to formally expand the existing historic district. The State Historic Preservation Office supports expanding the boundaries in three areas, Oak Street, Platt Avenue, and Mill Street. A total of 150 properties could become eligible to be designed “historic” and homeowners could then apply for the Homeownership Rehabilitation Tax Credit Program. For more information, please come to our community outreach event on October 22nd, at 6 PM in Village Hall. Our planning for the 2020 Community Block Grant application continues. Estimated costs of building a new sidewalk on West Chestnut Street from Montgomery Street to Oak St, are coming in at between $241K to $308K. The Board has agreed to continue to work on this project, and will also be applying for additional grants to cover what the project costs over the CDBG 2020 grant total. The Veterans committee is moving forward on a plan to obtain quotes for the restoration of the area around the flagpole at Crystal Lake. This is a beautiful site at the southern entrance to the Village, and it needs an upgrade. The committee is also making plans to have the Doughboy monument cleaned. The last time that happened was in 2014. Some statistics about our Village Fire and EMS show clearly that we need to find additional response equipment. More than 30% of EMS calls happen when our emergency crews are already dispatched. But, without a second response vehicle, those second calls could go unanswered. Not every call requires an ambulance, so we are converting a current “command car” to a “Fly Car”. A fly car is equipped with all the medical supplies an ambulance carries, but without equipment required to transport a patient. We are also purchasing a new command car, which can roll to incidents and assess whether additional equipment will be needed. This should result in better, more efficient service for people who need it. Our Police Department got some good news. The Bureau of Justice Assistance is granting them an award of $4,732.69 to help pay for replacement bulletproof vests.This BJA grant comes under the 2019 Bulletproof Vest Partnership. Keeping our emergency personnel safe is a high priority, and many thanks to our Police Clerk Danielle Rector who made this happen! The Village of Rhinebeck and Anderson Center for Autism are thrilled to announce that we've both received designation as the “Best Autism Awareness Collaboration” in the Hudson Valley, according to Hudson Valley Magazine's Best of the Hudson Valley 2019 poll! #1Thing can make a big impact! And, finally, the new Village of Rhinebeck signs have arrived and will soon be installed at the entrances to the village. There is also a new sign for Village Hall. The signs were designed to match the design chosen for the Village Police Building when it was constructed.
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 or come to see me during open hours from 1pm to 2pm daily. Gary Bassett Mayor Village of Rhinebeck 76 East Market St. Rhinebeck, NY 12572 845-876-7015