Pine Plains: A year in review

PINE PLAINS — 2012 brought along several changes for the community of Pine Plains and the Pine Plains Central School District. With new ventures, renewed projects and administrative changes, the town as a whole worked throughout the year to move the community forward while preserving the things that makes Pine Plains unique.JanuaryThe year began with Brian Coons stepping into the town supervisor position to lead Pine Plains, replacing long-time Supervisor Gregg Pulver.On Jan. 19, attorney Jennifer Van Tuyl addressed the Town Board to request an informational meeting on behalf of the Durst Organization, rekindling the proposed recreation-oriented second-home community project at Carvel Country Club.Stissing Mountain High School (SMHS) welcomed students to Pine Plains from High School 29 in Nanjing, China, for the 13th year of the China Exchange program.FebruaryIn February the SMHS boys varsity basketball team was ranked second in the state Class C division. On Feb. 3 they brought their undefeated record to 13-0.On Feb. 15 the Pine Plains Central School District Board of Education (BOE) heard presentations from each facility in the district on their specific areas of greatest need for the 2012-13 school budget.MarchWhile the board worked on the budget, the students at SMHS debuted “Legally Blonde” on March 9. Gabrielle Latendorf wowed audiences with her rendition of the smart and spirited Elle Woods.The Durst Organization held an informational meeting on March 14 in the Heart of Pine Plains (HoPP) community center. The meeting was standing room only as Alexander Durst, co-vice president of the Durst Organization, presented the newly reconfigured proposed housing project, which is comprised of 645 units over approximately 1,900 acres.Ending the month was the 21st annual FFA Toy Show and Auction at SMHS, which boasted 37 vendors and 34 display tables.AprilThe Planning Board continued talks on Carvel on April 11. Van Tuyl addressed the board on behalf of the Durst Organization requesting the board exercise its authority as lead agency and continue the State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA) process. The board was unsure whether they were “stepping on the town’s toes” with regards to the New Neighborhood Development (NND) application.On March 19 the Town Board made a controversial decision to hire a new land-use attorney to lead Carvel’s NND application review, separate from Attorney to the Town Warren Replansky who had worked on the project for the past decade. In a 3-2 vote, Rhinebeck Attorney George Rodenhausen was hired.MayOn May 10, students from SMHS returned from a two-week adventure in China as the second part of the China Exchange program.On May 9 the Town Board met to formally concur that the Planning Board maintain lead agency status for the purpose of the Carvel SEQRA process.On May 15 voters in the school district approved the 2012-13 school budget with a vote of 586 to 387.Running unopposed, Todd Bowen, Debra Lewis and Frank Kirschenheiter won seats on the BOE.JuneJune began on a tragic note as the community mourned the loss of 9-year-old Jacob Stickle, who passed away on June 2 after battling terminal neuroblastoma, a childhood cancer.The Town Board held a meeting in the HoPP community center on June 7 to discuss the Pine Plains library building, which is facing a foreclosure action that was started against the foundation who owns it, but is not complete. The group owes $1.5 million on the building.JulyMore than 100 athletes showed up for the third annual Stissing Sprint Triathlon on July 7. Bruce Cadehead, 48, of Dobbs Ferry, took first place with a total time of 1 hour, 24 minutes and 7 seconds.On July 9, school district Superintendent Linda Kaumeyer announced her intention to retire at the end of the 2012-13 school year.At the same meeting, the BOE voted Brian Croghan as the new president and Gary Griffen as vice president of the board.Nasir Mahmood, pharmacist at the Pine Plains Pharmacy, was recognized by the Pharmacists Society of the State of New York on June 3. He was presented with the prestigious 2012 Bowl of Hygeia Award for outstanding community service.AugustThe third annual Erin Shanley Memorial 5K Race was held on Aug. 12. Eighty runners, two dogs and a goat showed up to help raise more than $1,500 in memory of Erin Shanely who died in 2004 in a car accident.Pine Plains Boy Scout Troop 32 put their training to the test when Assistant Scout Master Norman Brousseau, 51, was attacked by a rabid beaver while floating down the Delware River as part of a scouting trip. The boys of Troop 32 helped kill the animal and got Brousseau to safety. He sustained several wounds and was treated with more than 30 shots for rabies.SeptemberAs students came back to school in September the BOE appointed James DiDonna to the position of principal of Stissing Mountain Middle School on Sept. 19, filling the position left vacant by the retirement of Robert Hess.October Crowds poured onto the SMHS grounds for the annual FFA Fall Agricultural Festival on Friday, Oct. 5, and Saturday, Oct. 6. The event honored years of tradition with a variety of family friendly activities, shows, contests and a parade through town.The Oct. 18 Town Board meeting was filled with residents who were eager to receive an update on the fate of the Pine Plains library building, as well as pitch ideas for fundraising options. Coons outlined the town’s next steps in the process of possibly purchasing the building.NovemberThe town honored Veterans Day with the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 5519 and American Legion Post 426 on Monday, Nov. 12. Legion Post Commander George Keeler gave opening remarks and introduced the guest speaker, U.S. Air Force veteran Alisa Conley.“We have given back to our country and we have certainly answered our nation’s call,” Conley said.Pine Plains Fine Wine and Liquors announced its move on its business cards with a simple explanation: “There are two main roads in Pine Plains. We’ve moved to the other one.”DecemberThe Pine Plains Central School District was faced with a $1 million verdict in a lawsuit filed by former student Anthony Zeno for his alleged three and a half years of harassment within the district. In a meeting on Dec. 19, the board announced that it would not seek a writ of certiorari for permissive review by the United States Supreme Court. (See story, Page A1).Ending the year on a lighter note, the town welcomed in the holidays with its annual Decorating Day, Parade of Lights and concerts featuring holiday favorites performed by students throughout the district in both band and chorus.