Mayor’s Message August 2024
It’s the height of summer here in the Village of Rhinebeck. The Village Center is bustling, children are enjoying the summer break, and many of us are glued to the coverage of the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. It’s inspiring to watch the dedicated athletes of Team USA and other countries competing in Paris.
In a more local competition, our application was successful, and I am happy to announce that the Village of Rhinebeck has received a $1.6 Million grant for our Safe Routes to School project. The grant process is very competitive, but we made the cut:
Governor Hochul announced awards to more than 30 communities for projects that promote alternative modes of travel.
This kicks off a long process. This fall, we expect to hear about the next steps from our regional NYSDOT. Our successful application was guided by GPI engineering, without us incurring any upfront costs. The firm will start the design and engineering work in early 2025.
The plan is to create a sidewalk network from Chancellor Livingston School along Knollwood and up South Parsonage to South Street. It will mean students can use the sidewalks when walking to Chancellor Livingston Elementary School, Bulkeley Middle School, and Rhinebeck High School. It would also enhance the safety and walkability for all of us in the Village as well.
The Village has re-submitted a grant request to the NYS Consolidated Funding Application for a Village Comprehensive Zoning Update for $165,000. This is to finance the preparation of a new Zoning Law, and related Code amendments. The Zoning Law will include illustrated design standards and conceptual area plans so that any new development respects established neighborhood patterns and attributes.
The Village’s 2024 Comprehensive Plan is designed to provide safe and equitable housing and mobility choices, reduce carbon emissions and energy use, protect the historic qualities that residents cherish while providing for new compatible buildings, distinctive neighborhoods, and gathering places that foster a strong sense of community. This vision is reinforced by seven goals—
A Center with Green spaces
Climate Smart Practices
Safe and Walkable Streets
Diverse and Affordable Housing
A Vibrant Village Center
Historic Stewardship
A Community of Neighbors
The vision of the Comprehensive Plan will be fully realized only through the preparation and adoption of the new Zoning Law.
The Village Board requests bids be submitted by August 9th for the improvements to Crystal Lake Park. The old pathways crumbled due to poor construction and bad materials, and the pavement around the ADA parking places needs to be expanded to more level ground. That will also allow us to create two new picnic areas.
The Board also approved a new crosswalk on Montgomery Street. Ruge’s Automotive will install the crosswalk as part of their plan to develop sales operations on both sides of Montgomery. The planned crosswalk will be ADA as required and lighted for pedestrian safety.
The Village is happy to say we are seeking new members to join our revitalized Veterans Committee, which has been dormant since the COVID pandemic. Veterans who are residents of either the Village or the Town are very welcome to apply. The committee will be continuing to honor and support our veterans. Anyone interested should contact the Village Clerk at 845-876-7015 option 3 or email mmcclinton@villageofrhinebeckny.gov
I’m sure many of you have noticed a lot of work on our roads this summer, but it’s all for a good cause, as two companies are working in the area installing fiber optics. This will result in enhanced internet service for our residents, but it has caused some temporary road disruptions. Frontier Communications has now completed the installation of fiber optics on poles throughout the Village. Archtop Fiber continues the job of burying the cables in village roads, a complex process which is taking some time. To view the trenching process go to: Micro Trenching. If you have any additional questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out to Archtop Fiber, a local company located at 300 Enterprise Dr. Kingston, NY (Old IBM Complex). Call 1-855-Archtop (855-272-4867) or online at Archtop Fiber
A new “Groundskeeper” position has been added to the Village staff! I am happy to announce that Tom Johnson, previously an MEO in the Highway Department, will be tackling this role. The position, which will be overseen by Kyle Eighmy our Superintendent of Public Works, includes maintaining the grounds in and around Village Hall, our municipal parking lots, and Water and Wastewater Department grounds. It will also entail working with the Highway Department on brush and leaf pickup, snow plowing, and all the other tasks the department does.
Let’s welcome Ryan Eighmy to the position of Laborer at our Highway Department with a starting salary of $20 per hour.
Please join me in celebrating the anniversaries of two of our employees:
Police Clerk Danielle Rector- 15 years
Highway Laborer Joe Zipp - 3 years
Happy Anniversary!
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 MayorBassett@Villgeofrhinebeckny.gov
Mayor Gary Bassett