Letters to the Editor- 3-14-13

We shared dream of a new library

There’s no debate we all shared in the excitement and anticipation about having a new library and community center. Many of us donated money and volunteered time and hard work to make it a reality. There are many reasons unfortunately that contributed to its failure but we don’t have to debate those now. What we do need to debate as impartially as we can is what to do about the bank’s foreclosure.  We need to think clearly and dispassionately about our choices.

Can the residents of Pine Plains afford to buy the building from the bank or is the divide between us too great? Even if the money was raised through a combination of tax increases, selling property the town owns and fundraising does it make sense?

Here are some facts to consider. The building is expensive to operate. It does not incorporate green or efficient mechanical systems. Heating and cooling costs are high. The elevator is expensive to operate as it must undergo costly inspections.

The physical library space has no more room for books than the old library due to the building’s design. Just that fact alone is worth pausing over.  What was the point of building this enormous and expensive structure if it couldn’t contain more books? If all we wanted or needed was on-line material, we could do that from home. To alter the space so it will fit more books will cost more money.

The second floor community center while a fantastic and multi-purpose space has its own issues. Anything that happens on that floor severely impacts the noise levels in the library below. It would need some form of soundproofing or carpets or both. Again more expense.

Also on the second floor is the room allocated to the Odd Fellows. That’s 1,000 square feet of space we would be paying for that we can never use as stipulated in the deed. Is it sensible to give up that much space?

If the town decided to incorporate the Town Hall into the building to combine costs where would it fit? What would move where? The basement is unfinished. Everything would have to be restructured at great expense and it is questionable the building would provide enough space.

What about the parking lot? It can’t be expanded and it’s too small now for special events.

All these shortcomings add up to a building that needs lots of work and significantly more money to adapt to the town’s needs. Why buy a building with so many negatives if it can’t be acquired at a reasonable price? Why not move back to the old library building and work on developing a viable plan that does work at a cost that makes sense and is affordable?

Joan Redmond

Pine Plains

Hannaford would boost Millerton

As a local businessman in Millerton for 36 years I have never publicly weighed in on local matters.

I see a Hannaford in Millerton as a win-win situation. It is a wonderful chain which will serve local people very well with quality, freshness and price.

Hannaford will also draw customers from a large area, bringing more people into the village.

Years ago when Joe Trotta ran his supermarket, we had that situation of people flocking to Millerton for his wonderful meats, fish and produce.

I think Amenia resident Sharon Kroeger has another obvious agenda and should keep her concerns in Amenia and Wassaic.

I would like to thank our mayor and Planning Board for all of their hard work on this project.

Lewis Saperstein

Millerton

Proposed grocery store in Millerton of 36,000 square feet won’t be a scary ‘megastore’

Sharon Kroeger has been labeling the grocery store, which is believed to be a Hannaford, as a “megastore.” “Megastores” are considered to be at least 50,000 square feet up to 200,000 square feet. The Hannaford planned for Millerton will be a 36,000-square foot building. This size building is generally not considered to be a megastore so please stop labeling it as such.

She says a megastore will suck away economic resources and send the money elsewhere “to some corporate headquarters.” That statement is used to pray on the fears of the general public in the hopes of scaring them with drama instead of stating facts. Hannaford is community oriented. One can approach the store manager for sponsorship of youth sports, school programs and town events. Each year Hannaford gives more than $4 million annually in charitable donations, which go directly to programs that help families and children and they donate more than 8 million pounds of groceries to hunger-relief programs.

She goes on to say that this store does not allow for an adequate buffer for the adjacent protected wetlands. For almost three years the Planning Board questioned and was reassured, and then it questioned and was reassured again and again, by experts in the field of environment and conservation that it not only met, but exceeded all state and federal requirements regarding the protection of the wetlands. If you are not going to rely on the experts in the field regarding wetlands and bog turtles, then I certainly would not rely on Ms. Kroeger’s opinion, which I do not believe to be an expert opinion.

She says this construction undermines the ongoing economic development and rural planning in our distinctive rural towns and contradicts the “Smart Growth” law of New York state.By not having the store, there will be no economic growth or development, which is apparently what Ms. Kroeger wants for Millerton.

Ms. Kroeger, like many other business owners and people that are against the Hannaford, does not live in Millerton. Those people are only interested in what’s best for their town. 

Ms. Kroeger needs to understand that money is hemorrhaging out of Millerton because we have no proper place to grocery shop. She needs to understand that a Hannaford in Millerton will provide jobs for the community and the money that those employees earn will be spent locally. She claims that the Hannaford will affect local grocery stores that help stabilize Main Street that nurtures other local businesses. She needs to understand as people shop at Hannaford they will see what else Millerton has to offer and the local businesses will have an opportunity to grow and prosper which will help stabilize Main Street, that will then nurture local businesses.

The people in Millerton would like her to know that they do not appreciate her self-serving interests and feel they deserve this just as much as all the other towns deserve to prosper and grow.

Andrew Stayman

Pine Plains