Organizing for 2011

MILLBROOK — Annual reorganization meetings in early January are required by New York state law to address a list of official items for all towns and villages. On Monday evening, Jan. 3, after the Comprehensive Plan Committee meeting, members of the Washington Town Board methodically went through the 2011 agenda largely based on the 2010 agenda.

There were a few changes. The Millerton News is now designated as one of the official papers of the town. There is a new vacancy on the town’s Zoning Board of Appeals caused by Don Marshall leaving town. Don Hanson agreed to serve another seven-year term on the town’s Planning Board.  

All the other town appointments remain the same, including Van de Water and Van de Water as attorneys to the town and the Bank of Millbrook as the official depository. Even the 44 cents per mile for mileage reimbursement for employees and elected officials remains the same.

No date was proposed for the next public hearing on the wetlands legislation. This will probably be addressed at the next regular town meeting scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 13.

The reorganization meeting in the village of Millbrook on Wednesday, Jan. 5, was more emotional, especially when Mayor Laura Hurley gave the oath of office to her father, Raymond Meier, as acting village justice. After recognizing the devotion of the village’s five employees and Justice Louis “Mickey� Prisco’s 28 years service, Hurley laid out her vision for the village.

She reminded the audience that Millbrook government must be proactive and not just react to the substantial challenges it has had with the oil spill debt, the Thorne Building and the Bennett College development. In keeping with Hurley’s no-nonsense approach to government, after the approval of village committee liaisons and positions, attorneys, bank, an auditing firm and The Poughkeepsie Journal as the official newspaper, Hurley made clarifications to many of the village processes, such as meeting notification and rules of procedure.

No new appointments were made to the village Planning Board.

“I’m just not ready to do that,� observed Hurley.