Bright energy idea

The village of Millerton is actively pursuing a stimulus funding grant from NYSERDA — the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority — for renewable energy. The uniqueness of this grant is that it would fund up to 100 percent of the proposal, which looks to produce electricity for the village’s pump house to bring water from the wells to the water tower (which are the largest consumers of electricity in Millerton). The project is estimated to cost roughly $316,000 — money the village will be able to save if the grant is approved.

What a  bright idea. Anything that can be done to cut costs in this economy, especially when it’s so eco-friendly, is worth pursuing. Did we mention that the savings will also kick in as a result of photo voltaic solar panels being purchased for the pump house?

That’s right, the solar panels would generate electricity when the sun is shining, resulting in a 40-percent savings in the village’s future electricity bills. Roughly 210 solar panels would be needed to get the job done.

The grant application was done by village Trustee Yosh Schulman, who has a reputation for being “green,� as well as a “doer,� and not just a “talker.� The combination is a powerful one, and one that is of huge benefit to the Village Board.

Credit must also be given to the board itself, for being open to the idea and supportive of Schulman’s initiative, as well as his environmentally conscious approach to running the village. Already other municipalities have taken the lead on supporting such practices, towns like Rhinebeck, Red Hook and Poughkeepsie.

“Hopefully it will become more common and I would love to see a mandate,� Schulman said. “It’s a benefit to the environment and to the taxpayer.�

Great!

Let’s hope this trustee continues to proffer his bright ideas to the board. Thus far he’s proven that he has a sensible head on his shoulders and a pretty good track record, which also includes setting up the village’s municipal Web site.

So forget about painting the town red. By February, when the grant winners are announced, Schulman will know if, project by project, he’ll be able to paint the village green. We should be so lucky.
 

Latest News

Club baseball at Fuessenich Park

Travel league baseball came to Torrington Thursday, June 26, when the Berkshire Bears Select Team played the Connecticut Moose 18U squad. The Moose won 6-4 in a back-and-forth game. Two players on the Bears play varsity ball at Housatonic Valley Regional High School: shortstop Anthony Foley and first baseman Wes Allyn. Foley went 1-for-3 at bat with an RBI in the game at Fuessenich Park.

 

  Anthony Foley, rising senior at Housatonic Valley Regional High School, went 1-for-3 at bat for the Bears June 26.Photo by Riley Klein 

 
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A visit to Pearson’s airy studio suggests uncommon work, to be sure. Each of four very large tables were covered with what looked to be thousands of miniature squares of inkjet-printed, kaleidoscopically colored pieces of paper. Another table was covered with dozens of book/illustration-size, abstracted images of deer, made up of colored dots. For the enchanted and the mystified, Pearson kindly explained that these pieces were to be collaged together as artworks by the artist Richard Kraft (a frequent contributor to the Siglio Press and Pearson’s husband). The works would be accompanied by writings by two poets, Elizabeth Zuba and Monica Torre, in an as-yet-to-be-named book, inspired by a found copy of a worn French children’s book from the 1930s called “Robin de Bois” (Robin Hood).

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For those lucky enough to already possess their own bike, perhaps the routes described will inspire a new way to spend a Sunday afternoon. For more, visit lakevillejournal.com/tag/bike-route to check out two ride-guides from local cyclists that will appeal to enthusiasts of many levels looking for a varied trip through the region’s stunning summer scenery.

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