Supplies For Ukraine Collected By Dutchess County Via Afya

Dutchess County is partnering with Afya Foundation to collect needed donations at the former JC Penney site (lower level) 2001 South Road (Route 9) in Poughkeepsie. Who would have predicted that this retail destination would have been a life-saving destination for the past two years. Donations over the next two weekends with the help of and Dutchess County Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) volunteers. No appointment is necessary.

Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro said, “This is a horrifying and heartbreaking time for Ukraine, and I know many people in Dutchess County are anxious to help. The generosity of our community has always been strong, and there are specific needs we can help meet. Knowing the heart of this community, let us all come together to help the people of Ukraine, donate what you can and pray for peace.”

Donation Collection Days/Times:

Saturday, March 12th from 9am-1pm
Friday, March 18th from 1pm-5-pm
Saturday March 19th from 9am-1pm

Specifically, What To Donate

Afya has provided a specific list of needed items. Only new, unopened and non-expired goods will be accepted from the list below. No other supplies are being collected at this time. Needed supplies are as follows:

• Flashlights and Flashlight batteries

• Baby and Adult Diapers

• First Aid Kits

• Face Masks

• Hand Sanitizer

• Personal Hygiene Kits (Soap, Toothbrushes, Toothpaste, Floss, Deodorant, Shampoo, Razors and Shaving Cream)

• Basic Health Supplies (Aspirin, Acetaminophen, Cough medicine, Oximeters, Ace bandages and Compression bandages)

The Dutchess County Departments of Emergency Response and Public Works will assist at collection site operations, including transporting donations to Afya’s Yonkers location. Afya is working in partnership with US-Ukraine-Foundation and others to support the Ukrainian medical community and refugees seeking aid.

About The Afya Foundation

The Afya Foundation was created to serve as a center for giving back and has become a backbone of goodness for the greater New York community. Afya collects unused medical supplies and equipment from throughout the New York metro area and gives them a second life. These critical materials are shipped to under resourced and compromised health systems all over the globe thereby improving access to healthcare, the quality of care delivered, and the retention of local providers. Since their start in 2007, they have successfully established engagement programs and opportunities for volunteers of all ages, backgrounds, and capacity to build community at home while supporting healthcare abroad.

Please share this flyer to spread the word about the humanitarian supply collection site and find out about other ways to support the people of Ukraine. If you would like to donate supplies, but cannot get to the JCPenney location on the collection dates, the Afya Foundation has created an Amazon wish list that can be found at https://amzn.to/3q7hUE7. Groups and organizations who would like to coordinate their own collections and add the donations to the county’s collection, please call 845-486-2000 or email counteyexec@dutchessny.gov.

"Flawed and Disturbing" Is What Dutchess County Executive Marcus Molinaro Calls Central Hudson's Roll Out Of New Billing System

Central Hudson, the area’s deliverer of energy and gas, announced that they launched a new “customer information system” on September 1, 2021. As a result, some people did not receive a bill for months, according to complaints voiced on social media and submitted to A Little Beacon Blog. Some people received an “Estimated” bill for 4 months in a row, which according to New York State law, is not within regulation. Central Hudson’s Media Relations Director, John Maserjian, explained that regulation to A Little Beacon Blog:

“The reason Central Hudson reads meters every other month is due to a requirement in 2016 by utility regulators. Prior to 2016, Central Hudson billed every two months with actual meter readings. The state then required Central Hudson to bill monthly, however we were unable to read meters every month without raising rates. The state agreed to allow for estimates every other month, which we have been providing since then. We are now looking into alternatives that would allow for more consistent actual meter readings.”

On February 10, 2022, Central Hudson issued a press release alerting customers to rising electric and gas rates, citing various reasons for the spike, including colder weather this winter, the closure of Indian Point, and a shortage of liquefied natural gas in Europe as the United States is one of the main exporters of liquefied natural gas to Europe, in addition to Qatar and Russia (pre-Russian invasion of Ukraine).

Delivery Dollars In The Details

Residents across the region opened their eyes to how they were being billed by Central Hudson, and started complaining. Especially if they were used to a bill for $500 and received one for $2,500 after receiving no bill for 4 months. According to some customers who shared their experiences with A Little Beacon Blog, they were not offered a payment plan unless they called Central Hudson, usually in a panic about their bill.

According to a letter posted on customers’ February bills, only 5% of customers were effected. According to the wave of complaints in social media, that number seemed higher. Hearing the complaints, The City of Beacon’s Councilmember George Mansfield brought up the confusion he was hearing from residents, which prompted a meeting to be scheduled with Central Hudson and the City of Beacon to present to Beacon residents during a City Council Meeting.

The meeting was scheduled but postponed after the last blizzard caused extreme electricity outages in Ulster County, which Central Hudson worked hard to restore. High level employees of Central Hudson did present to Beacon’s City Council weeks later on February 22, 2022.

Days earlier, on February 16, 2022, Dutchess County Executive Marcus Molinaro issued a statement via press release stating his discontent with Central Hudson’s treatment of billing customers. His statement in full is below:

“Central Hudson‘s roll out of a new billing system and failure to communicate effectively with our residents in anticipation of increased energy costs is flawed and disturbing. 

“Gas prices globally have spiked, and nationally we are experiencing an unbearable rate of inflation. Locally, New York State’s decision to close Indian Point shifted the region from a reliance on steady, stable and affordable energy to an unstable commodity*. Bitter cold temperatures have further exacerbated the situation by increasing demand. 

“Some of what we’re experiencing can be attributed to bad decisions and bad policy in Albany and Washington, but Central Hudson bears much responsibility here. They knew a rate increase was imminent. They have absolute control over their operations and communications. It is clear based on the countless individuals who have communicated with my office that Central Hudson’s outreach efforts have failed.  

“The shocking utility bills our residents are receiving adds insult to the injury from last year‘s flawed rollout of their new billing system. Central Hudson has an obligation to keep our community informed about the cost of the energy they deliver. 

“Too many families living paycheck to paycheck cannot bear the weight of inflation. Add to that a confusing and shocking utility bill increase and we have a recipe for disaster.

“Central Hudson must do better. They can do better. It’s time they provide assistance and relief to our residents.”

What Is The “Unstable Commodity” Marcus Molinaro Referred To?

In his statement above, Dutchess County Executive Marcus Molinaro referred to an “unstable commodity.” A Little Beacon Blog followed up to see which commodity he was referring to. His response:

“The unstable commodity is natural gas. The reference to ‘unstable’ relates to the short and long term instability that are often exhibited with raw materials, such as oil or natural gas, due to sudden changes in market conditions that affect supply and demand.

“Indian Point was not a raw material energy producer – the plant had a consistent output that did not fluctuate due to resource availability. It provided approximately 13% of the state’s electricity serving more than 2 million homes.

“To offset the power to provide electricity, New York State permitted three natural gas fired power plants. These plants are subject to the ‘instability’ of fluctuations in natural gas pricing which we are experiencing. The natural gas (commodity) needed for these three plants is not generated locally.

“Demand for natural gas has increased globally—spikes in frigid temperatures and the demand for electric vehicles have further increased the demand on natural gas as a significant amount of the state’s energy comes from natural gas-fired plants. At the same time, the banning of certain ways to source natural gas and the termination of projects or infrastructure to transport gas to the states have reduced supply.”

Reasons For Rising Rate Repeatedly Left Out Of Communications

Despite the closing of Indian Point, residents of Beacon and neighboring municipalities had the opportunity to opt-in to a fixed rate on their energy bill of .06361/kwh (kilowatt hour), which was in a locally legislated deal known as Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) structured and organized by Hudson Valley Energy in July 2019.

After a change in energy supplier (Direct Energy to Columbia Utilities) that rate was renegotiated to $.06572/kwh, far lower than what Central Hudson’s current rate for electricity is ($.21 for February 2022). The rate that Central Hudson charges for electricity is a variable rate, which means that it can change, and is not locked in, like Beacon’s rate is. Central Hudson’s new rate will reach $.21/kwh, as you can see in their chart of monthly rates here.

The source of the lower-priced rate negotiated by Hudson Valley Energy is 100% renewable energy. Usually that does not sit well with proponents of power plants like Indian Point. Currently, the 100% renewable energy is in a fixed, stable rate, and energy and gas prices are variable and spiking.

When the new, locked-in Beacon rate became available in 2019, about 10% of Beaconites opted out, according the Jeffrey Domanski of Hudson Valley Energy, a Beaconite who manages the group-rate fixed rate for Hudson Valley Energy. That was then. Currently, he says that 15% of Beaconites have opted out, with 70% of Beaconties enrolled in the locked-in rate.

Beaconites and any resident of one of the municipalities enrolled in this program can opt-in at any time by contacting Jeffrey directly at cca@hudsonvalleyenergy.org. Those municipalities currently include the City of Beacon, Town of Clinton, Village of Cold Spring, Town of Marbletown, Town of New Paltz, Village of New Paltz, Town of Philipstown, City of Poughkeepsie, Town of Red Hook, and the Town of Saugerties. Learn more about the program here.

Why Isn’t The Lower Locked-In Rate From Beacon’s CCA Headline News?

Why isn’t every Beaconite opted in to the lower locked in rate? Because messaging on it has been confusing from Central Hudson from the beginning. A Little Beacon Blog reported on that confusing letter from Central Hudson years ago, and the confusing messaging hasn’t stopped. Customer service representatives at Central Hudson claim to barely know about it, despite it being signed into legislation by Beacon’s City Council. Messaging from door-to-door peddlers of solar panels have also sown confusion and doubt about the program, according to this writer’s own experience with 2 of them.

At its core, the locked-in energy rate is drawing from 100% renewable energy. Which in and of itself, can draw skepticism from people. Couple that with the solar panel sales people who come door to door (illegally, by the way, as they should not do that without a Peddler’s Permit which they never show - they show their photo ID from their employer but that’s not the same thing as a Peddler’s Permit. they prey on people, especially the elderly who will fall for their very well-crafted sales pitches).

How To Get The Locked-In Rate

This is a developing story. A Little Beacon Blog has more reporting to share with you on it. Know this: If you want to opt-in to the fixed energy rate for Beacon, which is $.06361/kwh instead of the $0.21995 Central Hudson’s variable rate is now up to, email Jeffrey directly at cca@hudsonvalleyenergy.org.

The locked-in rate is not guaranteed to be lower at all times, as the rest of the market fluctuates. Since its start in 2019, it has outperformed the variable fossil-fuel market rate.

For questions about the fixed rate for Community Choice Aggregation (CCA), do not email or call Columbia Utilities, as Central Hudson has instructed you to do. As this is a legislated agreement with several municipalities, it is odd that Central Hudson’s customer service representatives, as well as printed letters from Central Hudson’s marketing department, would divulge such little information about how to get in touch with the point person of the many municipal-wide Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) program that is written into Beacon’s city code.

The point person to hook you up for free to this locked in rate is Jeffrey Domanski of Hudson Valley Energy at cca@hudsonvalleyenergy.org.

NOTE: This locked in rate is not the Budget Billing plan that Central Hudson encourages customers to start. There is much skepticism about that Budget Billing plan, and if it is based on Actual readings, and how many customers have gotten money back if they used less energy and gas then Central Hudson projected for them.

To be continued…

Sales Tax Eliminated For Clothes & Shoes Under $110 In Dutchess County - Plus - Forfeited Beacon Sales Tax Renegotiated Without Disclosing Beacon's Collection To Public

Starting March 1st, 2022 residents and visitors shopping in Dutchess County will not pay sales tax on individual clothing or footwear items costing less than $110. This cut in sales tax was first announced in October 2021, and adopted when Dutchess County passed its budget in December 2021. Sales tax generated from Beacon continues to be forfeited to Dutchess County - meaning the City of Beacon does not collect the money generated from sales tax to spend at its digression.

For decades, the decision for Beacon, Poughkeepsie and other municipalities in Dutchess County has been to funnel sales tax money to Dutchess County, and receive negotiated payments from Dutchess County in return. The dollar amount of sales tax generated from Beacon has not been disclosed by Dutchess County or New York State, as reported by A Little Beacon Blog, and continues to not be disclosed during Beacon’s recent negotiations with Mayor Lee Kyriacou in 2022 and signed legislation to continue the practice.

But First - The Benefit For Shoppers

According to Dutchess County’s press release from Dutchess County Executive Marcus Molinaro sent 2/28/2022: “The sales tax exemption on clothing and footwear was adopted as part of the 2022 County Budget which provided for and is part of several efforts to deliver sustained tax relief to Dutchess County residents with more than $20 million in annual tax relief, including the largest property tax decrease in County history.”

“Starting Tuesday, residents and visitors will now pay less when they need to make essential clothing and footwear purchases. Combined, we are delivering $20 million in sustained tax relief.”

This means that every item in a store that is clothing or footwear and is under $110 will not be charged sales tax. Shops that ring their sales up manually will need to remember to do this when writing out the receipt. Shops that use point of sale (POS) systems and bookkeeping software like QuickBooks will have an easier time of assigning what products within their inventory have sales tax attached.

Different Sales Taxes Attached To Each Purchase In New York State

There are different taxes attached to retail sales. “In New York State, clothing, footwear, and items used to make or repair exempt clothing which are sold for less than $110 per item or pair are currently exempt from the State’s 4% sales tax,” according to Dutchess County’s press release.

“Consumers currently pay the Dutchess County sales tax rate of 3.75% and the 3/8th% Metropolitan Commuter Transportation District (MTA) tax, for a total of 4.125% tax on these purchases,” the press release outlined. “Effective March 1st, 2022, Dutchess County becomes one of only 9 counties in New York to eliminate county sales tax on clothing and footwear items under $110, and the only county in the mid-Hudson Valley region to do so.”

Those counties are or have been: Chautauqua County, Chenango County (outside the following) Norwich (city), Columbia County, Delaware County, Dutchess County, Greene County, Hamilton County, Tioga County, and New York City.

The sales tax exemption is a per-item exemption and doe snot include the 3/8th% MTA tax.

According to the press release, Dutchess County retailers were notified of the upcoming sales tax change by the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance. Specific details of the exemption are available online Publication 718-C – Sales and Use Tax Rates on Clothing and Footwear.

Details Of Type Of Clothing Exempt

According to the legislation, “the exemption applies only to clothing and footwear worn by humans. It also applies to most fabric, thread, yarn, buttons, snaps, hooks, zippers, and similar items that become a physical component part of exempt clothing, or that are used to make or repair exempt clothing.”

Items not included in the exemption include costumes or rented formal wear; items made from pearls, precious or semi-precious stones, or imitations; athletic equipment; or protective devices, such as motorcycle helmets.

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What This Means For Sales Tax Collected From Beacon

New sales tax sharing agreement for 2023-2032 have been negotiated and are being signed into law. The dollar amount of sales tax generated from stores in Beacon has not been disclosed to the public by Mayor Kyriacou, who very briefly briefed the City Council at a Workshop meeting in February 2022, and more in depth at the following meeting, where the renegotiated rate was unanimously voted Yes on.

According to Dutchess County’s 2/28/2022 press release announcing this new sales tax cut: “The clothing and sales tax exemption goes into effect as the County is working with the Cities of Beacon and Poughkeepsie to update the current sales tax sharing agreement, which provides millions of dollars in sales tax revenue to local municipalities each year. The current agreement expires in 2023, and requires the authorization of each City Council, the County Legislature, and the NYS Comptroller.

“The agreement allows Dutchess County Government to continue to collect a 3.75% County Sales and Use Tax, with the Cities of Poughkeepsie and Beacon surrendering their right to receive one-half of the non-state sales and use tax (which equals 1.5%) collected within their respective municipalities. (The agreement is among these three parties because under state law, only county and city governments have the right to impose a local sales tax; towns and villages do not have that right.)

“The new agreement will be a streamlined agreement that eliminates the complicated formula for sales tax growth contained in the current agreement. The new agreement, which will run from 2023 to 2033, will be a simple percentage formula. Each of the cities will see a graduated increase in the percentage of sales tax received over the term of the agreement, with the City of Poughkeepsie increasing their percentage of sales tax collected from the current 4.59% to receiving 6.02% by 2030. The City of Beacon will go from its current 2.00% to receiving 2.62% by 2030. Local towns and villages will continue to share 9.5% of total county sales tax collected.

“Over the last 10 years, we have distributed more than $300 million in sales tax to our 2 cities, 20 towns and 8 villages. This new agreement increases the percentage of sales tax the two cities will receive, while ensuring the towns and villages sales tax revenue is protected and grows as sales tax receipts grow,” County Executive Molinaro said.

“The City of Beacon Council voted to approve the new agreement on Tuesday, February 22nd. The City of Poughkeepsie Council is expected to vote on the agreement on March 14th. It will then go to the Dutchess County Legislature for vote at the April board meeting.”

Generated Sales Tax Grew In 2021

According to a press release made by Dutchess County Executive Marcus Molinar’s office on 10/13/2021: “Dutchess County has seen revenues rebound strongly in 2021, with sales tax receipts well exceeding original projections year-to-date and continued federal reimbursement for many of the COVID-19 expenses as well as American Rescue Plan (ARP) funding. This has enabled the County to fill many of the positions that had been held vacant this year and restore full position funding in the 2022 Executive Budget, expand and enhance programs, while also reducing the property tax levy – the amount collected from property taxpayers.”

While Dutchess County indicates that they know the sales tax number generated to them by surrounding municipalities who have forfeited their right to collect their own sales taxes, the totals for each municipalities continues to not be disclosed by Dutchess County, or Beacon’s Mayor Lee Kyriacou, if that number was disclosed to him while negotiating with the county on the rate.

Dutchess County Legislature Chairman Gregg Pulver said, “At a time when many costs are going up for families, I am very proud that Dutchess County Government is doing all we can to lower costs for our residents. This sales tax exemption helps people hang on to their hard-earned money and also makes Dutchess County an even more attractive shopping destination for visitors. We have worked hard to make smart, conservative fiscal decisions over the years so we can keep providing savings to our citizens.”

Knowing the sales tax number generated by each municipality would help all Dutchess County residents know if their municipality were getting a good deal from the County when being cut a check to be used at each municipality’s digression, in addition to being provided services by Dutchess County.

Recycling Opportunity: Hazardous Waste Disposal & Electronics Events - Registration Required

Dutchess County Division of Solid Waste Management announced 2022 dates for their Household Hazardous Waste Disposal & Electronics Recycling Events. Registration opens March 9, 2022, and is limited to a first come first served basis. Only 380 households will be served! Open to Dutchess County residents only, and is partially funded by New York State. The actual event is April 9, 2022. There will be a couple more opportunities again later in the year.

Residents should expect to experience wait times when they arrive at the location due to high demand, advised Dutchess County Executive Marcus Molinaro. Registration is limited to the first 380 households; pre-registration is required for this event, and there is a $10 registration fee; registration often reaches capacity quickly, so residents are encouraged to register promptly.

County Executive Marc Molinaro said, “We can all take an active part in preserving our planet for future generations, and Dutchess County’s upcoming Household Hazardous Waste & Electronics Recycling Event is the perfect opportunity for residents to get a jump on spring cleaning and help the environment. We appreciate our residents’ desire to keep Dutchess County clean, and we urge residents to register promptly.”

Recycling Event Dates: April 9, 2022, May 21, 2022, and September 17, 2022
Pre-Registration is a MUST.
Location: 626 Dutchess Turnpike, Poughkeepsie, NY
(access off of Route 44 to Burnett Boulevard)
Registration Fee: Registration and $10 Prepayment Required.
1. Pay online at this registration link, or
2. Call (845) 463-6020, or
3. Pay by check
If paying by check:
Make payable to “Dutchess County Commissioner of Finance”
Mail to:
Dutchess County Division of Solid Waste Management
96 Sand Dock Road
Poughkeepsie, NY 12601

Acceptable Hazardous Waste Items:

Product Containers Marked: “Warning”, “Hazardous”, “Flammable”, “Poisonous”, “Corrosive”

Photo chemicals, non-latex driveway sealer, pool chemicals, creosote, kerosene, flammable liquids, metal polish, turpentine, stains, varnishes, strippers, thinners, gasoline/oil mixture, brake fluid, antifreeze, auto fluids, pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, chemical fertilizers, adhesives, resins, solvents, oil & lead based paints (no latex), mercury containing devices, button cell batteries for watches & hearing aids, computer monitors, CPUs, fax machines, printers, TVs, stereos, telephones, lithium & sealed lead acid batteries, fluorescent tubes.

Do Not Bring (Not For Hazardous Waste)

Ammunition or explosives, asbestos products, latex driveway sealer & latex paint, building or construction debris, tires, furniture, medical waste, pharmaceuticals, propane or other flammable gas cylinders, radioactive materials, scrap metal, metal drums or empty containers, motor oil, car batteries, alkaline or rechargeable batteries.

Find more information here >

Every Week Recycling Opportunities In Beacon’s Transfer Station

While this event is where you can offload hazardous materials, some of these items may also be dropped of at Beacon’s Transfer Station, including TVs and tires. There may be a fee for some electronic items, but the price is not stated on the City of Beacon’s website at this time. Guess you’ll find out when you go! Bring a check or cash. Click here to see what you can recycle at the City of Beacon’s Transfer Station any week of the year.

Beacon Braces For Winter Storm Again - Dutchess County Prepares & Closes Offices

As winter storm predictions mounted this week, the final call came at the end of the day Thursday from the Beacon City School District announcing that school and district offices would be closed Friday in anticipation of the snow and ice event that is scheduled for Friday.

The Dutchess County Executive issued a press release outlining preparedness steps, including the closure of county offices. Buses are so far scheduled to run. Riders can check for delays or schedule changes at www.dutchessny.gov/publictransit, on the DCPT mobile app, or call (845) 473-8424.

From Dutchess County’s Press Release:

The National Weather Service (Albany) has issued a Winter Storm Warning for Dutchess County beginning at 10pm tonight until 7pm Friday, Feb. 25th. Snow is expected to start falling after midnight tonight with snowfall rates reaching or exceeding 1” inch per hour overnight. Due to the uncertainty of the storm’s track, the rapid accumulation and variety of precipitation anticipated and the expected prolonged duration of the storm, County Executive Marc Molinaro announced County offices will be closed Friday, February 25th.

Snow is anticipated to mix with freezing rain Friday morning, impacting the commute and making travel hazardous. Snowfall is expected to accumulate quickly on untreated surfaces due to low temperatures overnight, with accumulations between 4”-6” inches throughout much of Dutchess County and up to 8”-12” inches in the northern parts of the county. This afternoon, Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro hosted a conference call with local and state elected officials, as well as representatives from utility companies and County officials from Emergency Response, Public Works and others to discuss potential storm impacts and proactive measures being taken.

Dutchess County Executive Molinaro said, “We are monitoring this storm closely as it evolves. We want all residents to be safe and avoid travel if possible. If you must travel, recognize that you'll need to allocate extra time for safety purposes, as crews work to clear roadways. We are grateful to the first responders, highway crews, and utility workers who put their lives on the line to provide for our safety and security during emergencies.”

The Dutchess County Emergency Operations Center (EOC) will be activated as necessary to respond to storm conditions and Dutchess County’s 9-1-1 Communication Center is fully staffed, with additional staffing scheduled for the overnight and tomorrow.

Dutchess County Public Works highway crews have loaded trucks with materials, salt will be applied to County roadways as the storm begins, and crews will be out through the duration of the storm to clear roadways.

Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office will have additional road patrol deputies deployed in four-wheel-drive vehicles, as well as other all-terrain vehicles prepared, and will work collaboratively with the Department of Emergency Response to respond as needed.

Dutchess County Public Transit (DCPT) will operate on a normal fixed-route schedule, but passengers should anticipate possible delays due to road conditions. Riders can check for delays or schedule changes at www.dutchessny.gov/publictransit, on the DCPT mobile app, or call (845) 473-8424.

The Office for the Aging’s 8 Senior Friendship Centers will be closed Feb. 25th, and there will be no Home Delivered Meals deliveries. Shelf-stable meals have been delivered to seniors enrolled in the program.

Dutchess County Government offices will be closed Friday, February 25, including Dutchess County Department of Motor Vehicle (DMV) offices. Confirmed DMV appointments on Friday will be honored at the same time and office on Monday, February 28th.

Ice Storm Pelts Dutchess County - Covers Beacon In Sheet Of Ice

Those who have school-age children and enjoy making predictions on when there will be a snow day closure may have taken particular satisfaction in this Friday Snow Day (two weeks ago Thursday was a snow day as well). Yesterday (Thursday) was predicted to rain all day, with temperatures dropping overnight, leading to pelting freezing rain for the entire Friday. The Beacon City School District (BCSD) called the snow day Thursday evening, with a reminder Friday morning.

Horrors! Ice froze trash cans shut. Parked cars were sealed in a shell of ice.

Beacon was covered in ice. No school bus would be out in it. Dutchess County public transportation was running, and Beacon’s Post Office workers were once again out in their snow gear delivering the mail by hand. All Sport in Fishkill announced a delayed opening, and then an early closure. The Family Justice Center in Newburgh announced a delayed opening for 11am, and then gave up and told employees to work remote.

Anyone who didn’t get their piles of snow from the street or corners saw it frozen back into place as the sleet covered it in freeze mode. Central Hudson kept customers informed by email, Twitter and Instagram, showing footage of iced-over trees completely falling over under the weight of the ice, snapping power lines as they went.

Central Hudson posted photos of fallen trees. Here is a video of trees falling.
Photo Credit: Central Hudson

According to Central Hudson: “Locally, as of 8:30 a.m. on Friday, approximately 31,000 Central Hudson customers were without power with the majority of outages located in Ulster County. With sleet, freezing rain and wintry weather are expected to continue into the afternoon, additional outages are expected to occur during the day. Restoration activities are expected to extend into Saturday and possibly Sunday.”

This number rose to 50,550 homes without power by the afternoon. ALBB’s own Program Manager, Teslie Andrade, was without power in Newburgh until 4:30pm. Mutual aid was requested from Indiana, northern Pennsylvania and upstate New York to arrive to assist, with more possibly on the way. In total, Central Hudson expects to have a field force of more than 400 line and tree professionals.

With freezing conditions, pipes in homes are bound to freeze and then could burst, causing a big, expensive mess. People are encouraged to drip their faucets if they lose power, run out of oil to heat their homes, or generally risk an area being too cold to insulate the pipes.

Central Hudson tweeted tips today on how to prevent freezing pipes.

Public Input Wanted For Federally Funded Transportation Investments By Dutchess County Transportation Council

Press Release From the Dutchess County Transportation Council
ALBB Editor’s Note: Formatting has been added for ease of reading.

Mr. Mark Debald
Transportation Program Administrator
845.486.3600

The Dutchess County Transportation Council (DCTC) is pleased to announce it has opened a 30-day public comment period for its Draft Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP): the DCTC’s annual work plan that identifies the federally funded planning activities it will undertake for the upcoming State Fiscal Year.

The Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP) includes:

• descriptions of planning tasks and resulting products

• a schedule for completing tasks

• the cost of the work

• funding sources and the organizations working on each task.

For the new program, the Dutchess County Transportation Council (DCTC) will start several new studies to include a vulnerability (resiliency) assessment of the transportation system and local pedestrian planning studies in Dover, Poughkeepsie and Rhinebeck.

The Dutchess County Transportation Council (DCTC) will also work on a new capital program (Transportation Improvement Program-TIP) to allocate federal highway and transit funding for state, county and local projects throughout the county. The majority of funding for these tasks will come from federal sources.

How To Comment And Participate

Comments are welcome through February 28, 2022 and can be submitted by email to dctc@dutchessny.gov, by phone at (845) 486-3600 or by mail to DCTC, 85 Civic Center Plaza, Suite 107, Poughkeepsie, NY 12601. Please visit the DCTC website for more information: www.dutchessny.gov/dctc.

About The DCTC

Established in 1982, the DCTC serves as the designated Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for Dutchess County. Federal regulations require that Urbanized Areas (U.S. Census defined metropolitan areas with over 50,000 people) be represented by a MPO, which is responsible for ensuring that Federal highway and transit funds are committed through a locally driven, comprehensive planning process. The DCTC includes representatives from local municipalities, the New York State Department of Transportation, and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.

Beacon Paid $50,452 To Willing and Able Highway Department Employee To Not Work

In 2021, the City of Beacon paid $50,452 of admin leave to Reuben Simmons, an employee with the Highway Department who is of mixed race and identifies as Black. ALBB has confirmed this amount with Reuben when we asked if he would make public his payments from the city for 2021. This is as per union rules as Reuben understands them, when an employee is presented with a discipline, the City can give up to 30 days suspension without pay, after which the employee is placed back on payroll while the process continues. Reuben has been served with 2 disciplines totaling 60 days over a course of at least 8 hearings with the City and their attorneys.

Reuben has worked for the City of Beacon in the Highway Department since 2002, where he started in the Summer Help position. He worked his way up to Laborer, then Maintenance Worker. During that time, he was appointed Union President for the City of Beacon CSEA Local 814 Unit 6662.

In 2017, Reuben was appointed Highway Superintendent, the lead position in that department, by then Mayor Randy Casale, with the support of then City Administrator, Anthony Ruggiero. In 2018, Dutchess County reached out to the City of Beacon to let the City know that the job title was incorrect, and that Superintendent of Streets was the proper title, but required a different Civil Service exam to qualify for the position. Fellow employee Michael “Micki” Manzi qualified for the test, and replaced Reuben as Superintendent of Streets. All of the people mentioned here except Reuben are white. To this day, the job title is stated on the City of Beacon’s website as Highway Superintendent.

During this transition under the management of then City Administrator Anthony Ruggiero, Reuben was not given the opportunity to take the required Civil Service exam in order to accept or maintain his job position of Highway Superintendent. Extending this opportunity to someone in an existing role is not unheard of in the City of Beacon. Listen to Reuben tell it in his own words on the “Wait, What Is That?” podcast.

For example: at the 5/17/2021 City Council Meeting, current City Administrator Chris White announced that longtime Water Department employee Ed Balicki, who is white, would become Superintendent of Water and Sewers. “We are moving Ed to the proper title,” explained City Administrator White to the City Council at that meeting. “Ed will have to take a Civil Service Exam…We don't think there will be any issue.” Ed passed the exam, and was re-titled.

In Reuben’s case, he was stripped of his title, and demoted back down to Maintenance Worker, then promoted to Working Supervisor, and demoted to Maintenance Worker within a 2 year period. During the first week of January 2021, he was placed on his first round of unpaid leave, and the order of City Administrator Chris, accompanied by a stack of charges against him signed by City Administrator Chris, which ALBB did see documentation of. These charges amounted to lists of generalities of what intersections Reuben was accused of not doing work, returning late from lunch, and an auto accident that Reuben reported to his supervisor Michael Manzi by way of announcing it on the Highway Department radio, and again in a later discussion, according to Reuben.

Auto accidents are not uncommon in the Highway Department, or other departments within the City of Beacon where vehicles are driving by city employees. What is not disclosed by the City of Beacon is when these auto accidents happen, and if they are reported. For example, the public is not informed of when the new Highway Garage gets a dent in a garage door,, for instance, or if an employee did get into a fender bender, and if that incident got reported or not. Additionally, the public is not regularly informed when an employee resigns or is fired, but the public is informed of each new hire when that employee is presented to the City Council the night of a vote to hire them.

Recently, two employees of the administration resigned, which were announced during City Council Meetings: Beacon’s first HR Director, Gina Basile, who left after a year and seven months on the job, according to her LinkedIn, and the Mayor’s Assistant, Collin Milone.

Gina was tasked with reviewing the Highway Department’s work atmosphere, and found it to be troubled: “Beacon’s New HR Director Hears From City Employees About Discrimination, Inequality, Growing Tensions; Suggests Solutions; Begins With Highway Department.”

Shortly thereafter, a Diversity and Inclusions Statement was presented and passed in the City of Beacon, when then City Councilmember Air Nonken Rhodes stated: “This isn’t lip service.”

The City of Beacon has hosted at least 8 hearings against Reuben in 2021, which involve the city’s labor attorney and an arbitrator. During the 8th meeting, the City of Beacon actively closed the meeting to the media, by requesting that ALBB leave the call (ALBB was sent an invite to the hearing via Zoom by the arbitrator at Reuben’s request). The city attorney stated that the meeting was closed, and that Reuben had wanted it closed. Reuben denied that, stating that he wanted the hearings open to the public from the beginning, and then stated it again in an article on ALBB.

During this time, In 2021 alone, the City of Beacon under the direction of City Administrator Chris has made two transfers to cover unplanned costs from unrelated areas of the budget to another area of the budget called “Employee Discipline,” bringing that unbudgeted total to over $110,000.

Reuben was put on unpaid leave in January 2021 for a 30 day period, followed by a second 30 day unpaid leave period for disciplinary reasons. The City of Beacon has not made public what those disciplinary reasons are (though ALBB has seen the first stack of the vague charges), or why they have spent so much money for a willing and able Highway Department employee to not work for over a year, during a national labor shortage. During the summer of 2021, the City of Beacon could not completely fill the 6 Summer Jobs it seasonally fills to fill its department.

Beacon Farmers Market To Stay Open Outside All Year - Bring Your Mittens, Kittens!

Featured here: Happy Belly, at the Beacon Farmers Market.

The Beacon Farmers Market was one of the first to pivot hard when the business shutdown happened when COVID-19 was first discovered and declared a global pandemic. They quickly built a extremely robust but temporary well-serving website to connect devoted customers to vendors, and opened outside, withstanding the deep snowfall Beacon experienced last year.

This year, vendors agreed that they prefer to stick it out outside in the DMV parking lot, where there is more space, possibly better internet, and that small-scale live music that helps keep the market moving.

Managed by Common Ground Farm, the organization approached the City of Beacon to seek permission to operate outside year round. The parking lot is owned by Dutchess County, and leased by the City of Beacon. The City Council approved the extended occupation of the DMV parking lot in early November. Expect to shop the market outdoors all year!

The Shred Foundation, a skateboarding organization serving under-served youth which is Black founded, at the Beacon Farmers Market.

Diana Mae Flowers, a Beacon Farmers Market staple for creative bouquets.

Cooperstown Cheese Company at the Beacon Farmers Market.

Trax, a Beacon local coffee roasters with 3 locations in Beacon, also likes to serve it up at the Beacon Farmers Market.

Eggberts Free Range Farm, another Beacon Farmers Market staple and wonderful source for eggs, beef, lamb and pork.

Advocates for free New York Health Insurance, which would in theory be funded by a payroll tax on New Yorkers. Anna Brady Nuse started a Change.org petition for the cause, and has been pursuing Beacon’s Mayor Lee Kyriacou to show support for free New York Health Insurance by putting it on Beacon’s City Council Agenda, where the council can create and vote on a Resolution supporting it. So far the Mayor has not put it on the agenda.

Downstate Correctional Facility Scheduled To Close - Governor Kathy Hochul Is Downsizing Prisons

New York Governor Kathy Hochul has decided to close the Downstate Correctional Facility at 121 Red Schoolhouse Road, along with five other prisons, citing low capacity and the desire to re-imagine helping incarcerated people with mental health and drug treatments services. While this maximum security prison is located in the Town of Fishkill, it is not the Fishkill Correctional Facility that is near Beacon’s high school and middle school that has been in the news lately.

The Times Union reported that Governor Hochul had indicated her desire to close more prisons two or so weeks ago during one of her COVID-19 briefings, stating: “I want to get creative with this,” Hochul said at the end of October. “I don't know if something can be used as a substance abuse treatment center. We don't need as many prisons. The number of people incarcerated has gone down dramatically in our state.”

According to the New York Times, former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo “shut 18 prisons during his nearly 11 years in office amid a series of criminal justice reforms that reduced New York’s prison population to its lowest level since 1984.” Although employees apparently found out this week, the Times Union reported that the president of the New York State Correctional Officer Police Benevolent Association (NYSCOPBA), Michael Powers, said in a statement that the news “shouldn’t come as a shock to anyone,” who opposes the closing, reported the New York Times.

The closure will take place in March 2022, and moves to transfer employees to other employment positions begin now. The Downstate Correctional Facility is a major employer in the region, employing 644 people, according to the Times Union. The facility has the capacity to imprison 1,221 incarcerated people, and currently imprisons slightly over half of that, at 688 incarcerated people.

According to reporting in the Times Union, who cited a press release from DOCCS, DOCCS does not anticipate layoffs due to the closure, and will focus on “providing staff with opportunities for priority placement via voluntary transfers, as well as priority employment at other facilities or other state agencies,” and will be working with bargaining units to stay within union rules.

Said Chris Moreau, Vice President of the Mid-Hudson Region for New York State Correctional Officers & Police Benevolent Association (NYSCOPBA) to the Times Union: “They will have to put their name in a hat and hope they can be transferred to adjacent facilities in the region. There’s no guarantee that officers who live and work and set up their families around the Downstate area aren’t going to be shipped up north, out west, hours away from their family right before the holiday season.”

Dutchess County Executive Marcus Molinaro issued a statement via press release on November 8th, the day of the announced closure: “Today’s announcement about the closure of the Downstate Correctional Facility has taken Dutchess County by surprise. There has been no coordination between the Governor’s Office and Dutchess County on the closure of this large facility, nor a coordinated plan for the future use of the parcel and the hundreds of workers who will be affected. Make no mistake: Inmates at Downstate are not being released; they will simply be transferred to remaining State prisons or to county jails throughout New York. Today's announcement only leaves Dutchess County with more questions than answers.”

According to the Times Union, DOCCS has been evaluating this, and debating about which facilities to choose. As reported in the article: “DOCCS reviewed the operations at its 50 facilities and looked at physical infrastructure, program offerings, facility security level, medical and mental health services, proximity to other facilities, and potential re-use options.”

Governor Hochul’s office has indicated new uses for the buildings that that help this population, and has been quoted as to saying she is open to new ways of benefiting people. Perhaps this re-imagining will include job training for new positions to work with incarcerated people, or people who are not sent into jail, but are heavily guided into programs.

According to a press release from DOCCS, the total number of incarcerated people in New York State is 31,469. The DOCCS press release states that this is over 50% less than what it was in 1999.

Beacon Gets A Forever "Thank You Veterans" Mural on Dutchess County DMV Building From Libby

Beaconites and visitors now have a daily reminder to thank and be kind to a veteran of any age and means with the completion of a new mural on Dutchess County’s DMV Building toward the west end of town. That building is where the Beacon Farmers Market now lives - in the DMV parking lot.

The mural was conceptualized by Joe Schuka of Libby Funeral & Cremation Services, based in Beacon. When asked what inspired him to pursue the mural, Joe remarked on a deep sense of patriotism. “This is another way of showing our appreciation to the veterans.” Libby commissioned the muralist Sabrina Crowley, an artist based in White Plains, that Libby had worked with before at their sister location in White Plains.

As for design direction, Joe gave Sabrina an initial image, and “she made it her own,” Joe told A Little Beacon Blog. “Sabrina saw what I gave her, and added the silhouette of the soldier and other elements.” Permission to paint onto the building had to come from Dutchess County, who was very receptive to the idea, Joe said. “Dutchess County Executive Marcus Molinaro was completely in favor of it.”

During the Veterans of Foreign Wars Pvt William B. Wilson Post 666 ceremony honoring veterans today, VFW Commander Harold Delamater made reference to the new mural.

Hurricane Ida In-Person FEMA Registration Opportunity For Financial Relief In Beacon and Fishkill - Deadline To Apply December 6, 2021

FEMA is in Beacon on Tuesday and Wednesday (November 9th-10th) to help those impacted by Hurricane Ida register for financial relief as part of a “Mobile Disaster Recovery Center” (MDRC) effort organized by Dutchess County, the Small Business Association (SBA) and other State and Federal Agencies, according to a press release from Dutchess County Executive Marcus Molinaro’s office. FEMA representatives will be in Fishkill’s Town Hall next (November 11th-12th). The first one was in Wappinger Falls days ago.

This is not the only time a person can register for financial assistance due to Hurricane Ida. It is designed to provide another point of access for people to register, who may benefit from doing it with someone. Anyone is encouraged to use this Mobile Disaster Recovery Center for assistance in getting registered. Any Dutchess County resident can use this in-person registration opportunity. Anyone can register online at DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling FEMA at 800-621-3362.

Additional MDRCs are being planned for the towns of East Fishkill, Pawling, Dover, Amenia, and North East and the City of Poughkeepsie. The schedule will be updated on DutchessNY.gov as well as the County’s social media.

The deadline to apply for funding is December 6, 2021.

Who Or What Is Eligible For FEMA Financial Assistance?

In late September, 2021, Dutchess County Executive Marcus Molinaro applied for and was granted Major Disaster Declaration, which means that the county is “eligible to receive Public Assistance (PA), which is aid available to local governments – the county, towns, villages, and cities – as well as other public entities such as water and sewer authorities and fire districts. Emergency work, such as overtime and debris removal, as well as the repair of damaged public facilities are all considered to be eligible expenses for aid from the federal government. Certain private, non-profits which provide governmental services are also eligible. Under PA, FEMA funds up to 75 percent of the eligible costs,” according to a press release from Dutchess County.

After remnants of Hurricane Ida whipped through Dutchess County, the county made a large effort to collect information about who was impacted and how much it would cost to repair. This helped make Dutchess County eligible for federal FEMA funding.

Said County Executive Marcus Molinaro: “This disaster declaration is good news for our local municipalities who sustained significant damage as it provides much needed support and assistance to repair the more than $2.5 million worth of damage to public facilities throughout Dutchess County following Hurricane Ida. We will continue to press FEMA and the State for ‘Individual Assistance’ to aid the families and businesses who have also sustained significant damage and are struggling to recover. We are grateful to the Governor’s office for their support throughout this weeks-long review process to get the Public Assistance for municipalities and hope we can be equally successful in ensuring Individual Assistance for residents and businesses.”

What You’ll Need For The In-Person FEMA Registration In Beacon, Fishkill, Or Other Pop-Ups

According to the FEMA representatives in Beacon, a person who had damage need only to come down to the FEMA Mobile pop-up and explain damages. Pictures are not needed at this time. Those will be collected when an inspection is conducted. A Social Security number is required.

For Beacon, the door to enter is behind the Memorial Building.

This in-person registration opportunity is not the only way to apply for FEMA aid due to Hurricane Ida. Any Dutchess County resident can register online at DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling FEMA at 800-621-3362.

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Election News: How To Get Local Election Results From The Dutchess County Elections Website

Election results used to be like Christmas morning - you go to sleep after an exciting night of hoping, and then you wake up to the results reported on TV or published in a newspaper. Trouble is, some published projections were wrong, if they were printed prior to election results being finalized.

Results for local elections that took place during the 2020 presidential race were not as clear cut as one thought as results were being uploaded to the Dutchess County Board Of Elections Website. For instance, in the race for Dutchess County Court Judge, longtime Judge Peter Forman had a wide lead the night before, only to be surpassed by his challenger, Jessica Segal the next day. A legal battle initiated by Forman followed, and Jessica Segal emerged the winner and second woman elected to that bench.

Forman now works as a mediation and arbitration attorney for Cuddy and Feder, a law firm whose real estate attorneys do a lot of business in Beacon with different development projects.

Where To Find Your Own Local Election Results

The Dutchess County Board Of Elections posts results slowly throughout the evening and next day after the election. While it’s gratifying to find unofficial results right away, it could lead to disappointment as absentee ballots get counted and uploaded to the website’s Unofficial Results. Best to have patience and read analytical results in news media once the results are finalized.

To see the results for yourself as they are uploaded, visit the Dutchess County Board Of Election website. All of the races for Dutchess County are listed there, including Beacon, Poughkeepsie, Fishkill, and others.

The totals for the candidates are listed on their line. The breakdown is listed under their name. For instance:

Rachel Saunders (DEM, WOR) had votes from two parties: Democrat and Working Family. At the time of this screenshot (12:55pm on 11/3/2021), she had 27,855 votes. Of those, 24,872 were from the Democrat party, and 2,983 were from the Working Family party.

Denise W. Watson had votes from two parties: Republican and Conservative. At the time of this screenshot, she had 31,372 votes. Of those, 24,904 were from Republicans, and 6,468 were from the Conservative party.

The Write-In total doesn’t seem to be indicated for either candidate here.

On Election Night at 10:30pm, Rachel held the lead. By Wednesday morning, the lead shifted to Denise. For Beacon’s City Court Judge, challenger Gregory Johnston held the lead by a wide margin over current incumbent Timothy G. Pagones. By Wednesday morning, the lead remained, but shrunk. As of this publishing, these results are Unofficial.

Refresh your screen at the 2021 General Election Unofficial Results page here.

Quraan Smith Remembered In Poughkeepsie :: 16 Year Old "Gave A Beautiful Energy"

Quraan Smith, holding a basketball at Arlington High School.
Photo Credit: Screenshot of his family’s Go Fund Me Page created by a friend after his death.

My kids and I were at a Beacon Bears flag football game on Saturday, September 18, 2021 in the boiling hot 4pm sun at Memorial Park in Beacon. A press release from the Dutchess County Executive’s Office popped into my inbox, titled “Dutchess County Trauma Team Assisting Arlington Community Following Student Death.”

I didn’t know what they were talking about. I hadn’t read the Poughkeepsie Journal yet about how 16 year old Quraan Smith had been stabbed at around 9pm during a big fight after a big-kid football game on Friday, September 17, 2021, at Arlington High School the night before. As I Googled to find out what was going on, parents around me were talking about it as our boys threw the football, fighting for a successful pass.

Parents were shocked and so sad. “They have made an arrest,” someone said. “How do they know who it was?” another asked. “There were several eye-witnesses. People saw it. They watched it happen.”

And the articles came. Explaining what has been made public so far. Quraan had moved with his family from Poughkeepsie to attend Arlington High School. He wanted to go to the Arlington High School football game that night against Scarsdale High School. Her and Quraan’s mother, Na'tara Smith, re-arranged her schedule so that she could make that happen, according to his family’s Go Fund Me page created by a friend in response to the loss. At some point on Friday evening, a fight broke out, and at 9pm, Quraan was fatally stabbed.

Arlington High School on a map. Poughkeepsie is west, and Beacon is south west.
Photo Credit: Google Maps

An 18 year old named Nestor A. Ortiz-Ocampo of the City of Poughkeepsie has been charged with stabbing Quraan in the chest, according to the felony complaint as reported by the Poughkeepsie Journal. Nestor has so far been charged with first-degree manslaughter, a felony. He was arrested on Saturday and held on $400,000 bail. His court date is October 5, 2021 in LaGrange Town Court.

Nestor was a former student of Arlington High School, according to Arlington Superintendent David Moyer, but did not graduate, and has not been a student this year, according to reporting by the Poughkeepsie Journal. The Superintendent could not confirm why Nestor left the district.

Also according to the newspaper’s reporting, the police said that the two boys knew each other, and that it was an isolated incident. Events for Saturday and Sunday were canceled, said Arlington’s Superintendent.

In a statement, the Superintendent said "Our thoughts and prayers are with the victim’s family and friends." Later, he is quoted to have said: "For the people that are associated with the family, the family and the people on the scene and all of that — it was very, very, very traumatic, difficult and painful," Moyer said. 'It is the type of thing that will never go away. It will be here forever. Nobody that was in any way associated with it will every forget it. It is just a tragedy."

Quraan Remembered In Vigil In Poughkeepsie At Waryas Park

Quraan Smith’s Grandmother, during his vigil in Poughkeepsie in Waryas Park.
Photo Credit: Seth Harrison. Screenshot of Poughkeepsie Journal.

Mi-Rose Smith, the 7 year old sister of Quaaran, was one of hundreds of people who attended the vigil held on Poughkeepsie’s waterfront at Waryas Park later that week on September 26, 2021. His mother, Na’tara Smith cried into the microphone while speaking during the vigil, while being supported physically and emotionally by friends.

Said Na’tara as reported in the Poughkeepsie Journal: "The youth, the children, the young adulthood ... you all have given me the strength each and every day," she said to crowd. "I've been feeling good despite what happened to my son. These young children are reaching out on their own ... these children have done an awesome job with supporting me and my family ... I tell you, they give me strength."

Quraan was not only remembered for being an athlete, but for his many traits. According to the education reporter for the Poughkeepsie Journal, Katelyn Cordero, Quraan was known by his friends as Ronny James, a comedian who loved to dance and play sports. He was working on a clothing line after conversations with his father who discussed business with him during the Remote Learning season last year during school. His father found videos and the beginnings of the clothing line after his son’s death.

According to his father, Everton Smith, in the Poughkeepsie Journal: "Coming from an urban community and a poverty-stricken community, he was a legend. He was one year away, he almost made it." Everton said, noting that his son had dreams to play Division I basketball or football on a full scholarship.

Everton continued: “I truly can't believe how many people from the community came. It wasn't even just his athleticism, it was just the person that he was. He was kind, respectful, sentimental. It was the energy that he reflected, when he walked in the room, he gave a beautiful energy."

Everton hoped that the kids would get the emotional support they needed, by saying: "This impacted the children's lives, it's not just that one person that's affected, it impacted the hundreds of children that are going to that school," he said. "Unfortunately, it doesn't just end with a burial. After that, the kids are going to need mental health (support). It's two victims, but all those kids, it's a pain you can't imagine."

Read more reflections from Quraan’s family and friends here.

Poof :: Beacon's Parklets Are Gone To Prepare For Repaving And Painting Of Main Street

Just as swiftly as they went up, the parklets that enabled additional outdoor dining opportunities for restaurants and patrons due to the COVID-19 pandemic have come down by September's end. The parklets are the orange barricades out front participating restaurants. The barricades were filled with water, making them very heavy for increased safety for those sitting on the other side of them. Restaurants often decorated them with flowers and in some cases built patios below them with coverings above them. They first appeared in Beacon in June 2020, but the concept has been in other cities for much longer.

The early take-down is a result of anticipated milling and paving of Main Street, as first announced by Beacon's City Administrator Chris White during the City Council's Meeting on 8/2/2021. He explained that a new surface coat will be going down, with epoxying using a high quality paint that will hold up for many years. He stated that all parking spaces, cross walks, and more will all be repainted. "We are in a state of flux right now," he expressed, "but hoping that by end of October, Main Street is tightened up."

Screenshot of the City of Beacon’s Schedule of Autumn Road Closure Schedule For Milling And Paving as of 9/29/2021.

City Administrator Chris announced again during the City Council Workshop Meeting on 9/27/2021 that the parklets would be pulled to begin milling and paving. On 9/29/2021, the City posted a brief Road Closure schedule through October 5, 2021, which includes some Main Street intersections, but are a fraction of the mile long Main Street that offers dining experiences from restaurants using parklets. It is unclear at this time if this is an incomplete list, or the full list of milling and paving. Additionally, it is unclear if milling and paving on Main Street will be conducted while Main Street is open, but traffic routed around into the other lane in order to avoid too many Main Street closures.

Throughout the summer, Beacon experienced the installation of "bump-outs," which are circular extensions of the sidewalk at corners. In theory, these are easier for people in wheelchairs (but if you're in a wheelchair, let us know in the Comments below if Beacon's installation is helpful to you!), and getting pedestrians more into the street at crosswalks to be seen by passing cars (deep breaths as you step out).

Construction of these bump-outs lasted throughout the summer, causing moving drive-arounds as different intersections on Main Street were worked on. Completed work to the bump-outs will happen once the street is milled and paved, to match the street paving to the end of the sidewalk for a smooth transition. Currently, there is an unfinished drop-off between the bump-out and the street.