Mayor’s Message March 2023
With Spring only days away, winter finally kicked into high gear. I hope all you were able to find your snow shovels and start the snow blowers. The Department of Public Works and Highway Department put brine down on the roads ahead of the storm. And we also got the first chance to use the new Polarflex snow blades on one of our trucks. These new blades are designed to follow the contour of the road creating a cleaner surface. The combination of the brining and the blades will reduce the amount of time needed to clear the streets. Department of Public Works Superintendent Kyle Eighmy reports that with the lack of snow so far this season, we still have some fine tuning to do, so if you see them out multiple times please know they are working diligently to make the roads safe as quickly as possible. My question is, should we ask for more snow or not?
To make a minor adjustment to our parking, at our March 14th meeting we will be holding a public hearing on moving the “no parking” sign on the north side of Livingston St. from the east curb of Montgomery Street to a point 60 ft east. The sign was temporarily removed during the recent construction at Terrapin. If adopted this will go in effect immediately.
For the better part of February we were all engaged in working on the 2023-24 budget. We’ve held discussions on budgets for the Police, Highway, Water and Wastewater Departments. Several budget recommendations include the temporary placement of an outdoor ADA compatible restroom for the summer months from Memorial day through October, reducing the speed limit in the Village to 25 MPH, purchasing a replacement Police car, purchase of an excavator for the Highway Department and the 10 year Asher Dam Inspection. All of these requests and more will be analyzed thoroughly before finalizing the budget. Our goal is to complete this initial pass by the end of March.
Our Compost Facility application is closer to becoming a reality and has been submitted to the Town of Rhinebeck Planning Board for approval. The proposed location is the Village Highway Property on 308. As it will require access off Violet Hill, we need to get approval from Dutchess County. We are working on this to supply the Town with all the information they need to approve our request. Our grants from the DEC and private foundations require that this project be completed in 2023.
We are also moving ahead on the capacity analysis for our wastewater treatment plant for the Locust Hill Proposal which should be completed in 4-6 weeks.
Treasurer Karen McLaughlin is currently on the board for NYCLASS (New York Cooperative Liquid Assets Securities Systems) a short-term, highly liquid investment fund for the public sector to invest funds on a cooperative basis. The yields have been very favorable and have provided good unanticipated revenue for the Village. Karen representing the Village of Rhinebeck was nominated by the NYCLASS board to be lead participant. For this, she will be overseeing the daily release of wire and automatic transfers.This fund is at $10 B. There is a stipend of $1,000 a month paid directly to the Village, this is an additional $12,000 annual revenue for the village.
The new Water and Wastewater billing system is underway on Muni-Link. Users now get a combined bill for Water and Wastewater services every month. Not only does it simplify the process, it allows you to set up a user link and password so you can monitor your usage and payments. Muni-Link provides many more payment options, however there is a $5.00 convenience fee for each transaction unless you continue to use your online bank payments, which is an option. Some residents have chosen to pay one or two payments in advance and only pay the $5.00 once.
The Village of Rhinebeck is currently accepting applications for a Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) position to serve a term of 5 years. Please submit a resume to the Village Clerk, Martina McClintonmmcclinton@villageofrhinebeckny.gov by April 1, 2023. For more information on the requirements for this position please go to Zoning Board of Appeals Requirements.
Do wires running through branches make you cringe? Do you love to get your hands dirty? Do you geek out about trees of all sorts? Join the Rhinebeck Village Tree Commission! This amazing group of volunteers is responsible for planting street trees every spring and summer and reviewing residents’ requests for tree removal and pruning, after evaluating the tree’s health. If you care about our Village’s urban forest and you enjoy getting out and getting your hands dirty, send a letter of interest and or a resume to the Village Clerk at mmcclinton@villageofrhinebeckny.gov.
Trustee Ric Lewit has informed us that The Arbor Day Foundation awarded the Village its Tree City USA status for the 12th year in a row. The Village owes its wonderful urban canopy to the diligent work of the Tree Commission, whose volunteers have planted more than 400 trees over the years. Two Commissioners, Connie Lown and Joyce Meisinger will be attending a recognition and educational event at Vassar College on March 16 on behalf of the Village.
The Village of Rhinebeck Autism Supportive Community Initiative needs interested and compassionate community members to join an existing working group of dedicated volunteers. The goal is to raise awareness and advance accessibility for neighbors and visitors with autism and other neurodiversities. For more information about how you can help, contact Joe Phelan, Committee Chair, at josephlphelan.jr@gmail.com or send your contact information to the Village Clerk, Martina McClinton mmclinton@villageofthinebeckny.gov
And, if you want to volunteer for help at VIllage Hall, we have several short clerical work tasks if you have free time. These tasks consist of assisting with mailings, room set-up and tear down and filing. They are not regularly scheduled and you would need to be flexible on your availability. If interested please reach out to the Martina McClinton, Village Clerk mmclinton@villageofthinebeckny.gov
Vanessa Bertozzi and I, along with other members of our community, are participating as mentors in the 7th grade Rhinebeck Civics and Community Engagement class. The students are exploring the history of our community, learning about community members and the proud legacy of Rhinebeck. Upcoming projects could include educational art installations, community service opportunities, engagement with local historians, and exploration of decision-making in Rhinebeck village. The possibilities are endless in the student centric course for community and civic engagement!
This civics class students were given the task of affecting change in our community. Students put themselves into groups of 3-8 and began brainstorming issues they wanted to address. Next, we reached out to community members who we felt would be a good match, someone who could illuminate a path forward for these projects. What we got was a group of passionate and driven individuals, committed to student success. Students have presented to the Village Board, interviewed residents of Oak Street, planted pollinator seedlings and mapped safe routes into and out of town, presented to the Village Board and Comprehensive Planning Committee.
We’re not the only ones excited for spring.
Be part of the annual effort to track and identify amphibians—and help them safely cross the road to their woodland pools! This spring 2023, Climate Smart Rhinebeck is joining with Winnakee Land Trust and the Saw Kill Watershed Community to promote the Big Night and get Rhinebeckers involved.
What is Big Night? On the first warm, rainy night when conditions are right, you will hear peepers. It’s Big Night! You will head out shortly after sunset and stay as long as you can. Using flashlights, you will watch for and keep count of the amphibians you see, carefully helping them cross safely across the road. Afterwards, you can submit your data to the DEC.
The migration is weather dependent. It could happen any time, usually between mid-March and mid-April. Register with us so we can alert you when the conditions are right! To Register go to Amphibian Crossings — Climate Smart Rhinebeck: Village Task Force.
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