The Countdown Has Started...Retail Therapy Guide 12/31/2021
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So many new stores are on Main Street right now, which you can find in 
HUDSON VALLEY FOOD HALL
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John Callahan, Well Known Gas Station Employee In Beacon, Has Passed
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People who frequented the Sunoco gas station at 220 Main Street (near Homespun) got to know John Callahan, who was the cashier during different shifts. Other people may know John better in other capacities or employment situations, and ALBB welcomes those stories to be contributed here in the Comments.
According to those who knew him, a few weeks ago, John had a heart attack while driving, and hit parked cars while driving. According to those who knew him, it was his heart attack that was fatal. The Beacon Police have not responded to ALBB’s request for confirmation, but those who knew him shared these details.
According to those who knew him, his body remains in a morgue and has not been claimed yet by attempted contacts to any family. ALBB is seeking confirmation for this status, and welcomes any leads or developments. Please comment here or email to editorial@alittlebeaconblog.com.
Peace be with John Callahan.
Police Activity At Long Dock Reportedly Related To Person Who Jumped From Newburgh/Beacon Bridge On Wednesday
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On Wednesday morning, while police activity increased for some neighborhoods related to the stabbing of Scout, people also saw police activity down at Long Dock along the Hudson River, where the kayak rental locker stack is, atop the boat load-in ramp area. The dock was marked off with yellow caution tape. Meanwhile, morning commuters on I-84 reported a traffic build-up on the Newburgh Beacon Bridge.
As first reported by Mid Hudson News, a person did jump from the the Newburgh Beacon Bridge from the north span side. According to someone familiar with the event, police do set up a catch location down the river to receive the person if a “talk down” does not work, where professionals will try to talk to the person contemplating jumping.
Mid Hudson News reported that the person did jump, and that their body was recovered by the Newburgh fire boat, who found the person in the river. The article states that the person was brought to the Beacon side of the river, and given to authorities.
ALBB has not confirmed which police entity was at Long Dock. There are several police entities that can patrol or serve Beacon, including the MTA Police, Dutchess County Sherriff’s Department and New York State Troopers.
ALBB Reminder: The Lenape people, who were native to this region, called the river Muhheakunnuk, The River that Runs Both Ways.
Quiet Man Rene Vivo "Scout" Stabbed On Or Near Main Street In Beacon - Died While Walking Towards Home
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South Brett Street, where Scout succumbed to his injury.
UPDATE 12/30/2021: A GoFundMe fundraiser has been created for Rene Vivo’s funeral costs by his family. His niece Selaine Garcia has invited the Beacon community to attend his funeral. More details are coming.
Rene Vivo (aka “Scout”) with his sister, Rene Vivo Colon, near his home in Beacon at Forrestal Heights.
Beacon was quiet on Christmas Day, as it usually is. Most shops were closed, and there were not very many walkers or drivers out, according to people who did venture out that day. Within the 3pm hour, the man known as Scout who wears khaki pants and outdoor gear every day, with a variation of a feather or feathers in his atire, was stabbed on or near Main Street in the vicinity of Feeds R Us and Max’s and Amacord, according to people familiar with the incident. After being stabbed, Scout apparently walked down South Brett Street, where he succumbed to his injury on the sidewalk in front of a home. Police were called when a neighbor saw him lying down, according to people familiar with what happened.
Mayor Kyriacou confirmed to Mid Hudson News that the Beacon Police are actively investigating the stabbing. According to the article, the police are treating it as a homicide. Over the past few days, police have been contacting businesses and residents seeking information on the alleged stabber. There are city-owned cameras located on Main Street that the police are able to use in investigations. Archiving data from those cameras is part of the budget of the Beacon Police Department.
According to people who knew him, Scout lived in Forrestal Heights, the tall apartment building located off 9D near the Loopers Plaza basketball court and Beacon Dental. Forrestal Heights is public senior housing run by the City of Beacon Housing Authority. According to a Beaconite, his name was Rene Vivo and he was 65 years old.
Scout was a Vietnam Veteran with the Marines. According to those who knew him, he had a clean record, followed similar walking patterns almost every day, and did laborer jobs now and again. According to those who knew him, he was a proud member of the Taíno people of Puerto Rico.
Neighbors on South Brett Street who saw him every day are shocked and saddened to learn of his death. The police investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to call the police department at 845-831-4111.
If you know any history of Scout’s life, please share it here, to carry on his story, if he would like it told. ALBB is also seeking a photo of him. Most Beaconites have seen him for years and years, but may not have a photo to remember him by.
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HUDSON VALLEY FOOD HALL
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Hello, World!
Beacon City School's "Test To Stay" Program - How It Works - Governor Says Tests Might Come Home In Backpacks In Future
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Beacon High School. The Community Room that currently hosts the “Test To Stay" program is to the right of the front door.
Photo Credit: Beacon City School District
Beacon City School District’s Test To Stay (TTS) COVID-19 program started the week ending in December 10, 2021, as announced by Superintendent Landahl in his weekly Superintendent Update email. This is a voluntary program that requires parents consent for their child’s participation to get tested for COVID-19 if they are exposed to a person with a positive result.
In that announcement, Dr. Landahl stated that after the Winter Break, the district plans to make rapid testing available for a limited number of students outside of the quarantine process. Governor Kathy Hochul indicated in her Winter Surge Plan announcement on 12/20/2021 that with the expansion of tests to districts, that might be possible. At the encouragement of the Governor, President Biden has authorized the Defense Production Act to make more tests.
“This [quarantine after exposure] is so disruptive to their education, as well as the parents, who’ve been desperately trying to get back to a normal life, get back to their jobs. And the lack of childcare has been, just another area of friction for these families that have been really hit so hard.”
If a student or staff is identified in a contact tracing map from a student or staff who tests positive for COVID-19, the people in the contact tracing chain may be eligible to test each morning of their quarantine period with rapid COVID-19 tests provided to the Beacon City School District by New York State, via Dutchess County. In order to attend school for that day (does not include extra curriculars and sports at this time). This is at no cost to the district.
Said Dutchess County Executive Marcus Molinaro on 12/17/2021 in support of the program, as he wrote a letter encouraging Governor Hochul to provide additional funding to the program: “Dutchess County has continually demonstrated our commitment to supporting safe, in-person education through layered mitigation strategies and has assisted local school districts with logistical challenges associated with getting their TTS programs started.
“While the program is not without complications, the value of the approach is unimpeachable. Thanks to TTS, hundreds of Dutchess County students have already benefited from the ability to stay in school, without unnecessary disruption of quarantine following an exposure. This school year has prompted repeated exposures and TTS has provided a vital, safe alternative to having students sit at home with little to no educational enrichment.
“Importantly, TTS also provides increased information about the health status of exposed students by effectively creating a targeted surveillance testing program where parental consent is more easily attained.“
Governor Hochul outlined in her Winter Surge Plan announced on 12/20/2021 that the Test To Stay program would remain funded, and receive additional tools. She outlined her philosophy in her speech on how the program will continue to work:
“Children are in a classroom, someone tests positive. Ordinarily, they would have been sent home for a long period of time. And then even if someone - they go back - someone tests positive again, the next week they're sent home again. This is so disruptive to their education, as well as the parents, who've been desperately trying to get back to a normal life, get back to their jobs. And the lack of childcare has been, just another area of friction for these families that have been really hit so hard.
“So, we'll be making sure that there's, in their backpacks, they will be sent home with testing kits. Children test positive, we know it, someone in the classroom, the kids in the classroom will be sent home with testing kits. So, we're working on that supply chain right now. So starting in early January, we will be able to address that. So there's no reason why our children can’t stay in school. Really important to me. Also, talking about education, we've been in contact with the leaders of our higher education institutions, our SUNY school presidents and our private school presidents. And we're convening a symposium of those leaders to talk about getting back our college students when they return under normal circumstances a little bit later in January and making sure they follow the same return protocols.
“We don't have that disruption again to their education and what the professors and teachers and they had to go through, but also the economic impact, many of our college campuses typically upstate or in small towns, that is the livelihood of their economy. Having those students in person. So, for a number of reasons, it goes to my philosophy of protecting the health of individuals, protecting the health of New Yorkers, as well as protecting the health of the economy.”
How Test To Stay Works For Beacon City School Students
The following information is from the school nurse sent to a parent of a student identified in a contact tracing map.
The Test To Stay program is optional for district students to participate in, and must have parent consent. The district is working with Dr. Neal Smoller for administration of the shots (as well as optional pediatric vaccinations during pop-up clinics). Those who choose not to participate in the Test To Stay program will keep their child home for the quarantine period prescribed to them by the school nurse. Those students will remain in the district’s Fully Remote (FRT) status for the duration of the quarantine.
Based on experiences of parents who had children identified in contact tracing, when the child is identified in a contact tracing map, the school nurse will call the parents or caregivers to find out more information. Depending on when and if the child was vaccinated will contribute to if the child is eligible to Test To Stay. For instance, if the child received their second vaccination shot one week prior to being exposed, they are considered not fully vaccinated yet (as the body is still working on building up resistance to the virus) and the child is eligible for the Test To Stay program.
However, If the child is not symptomatic, and considered fully vaccinated based on the length of time since their second shot, then the nurse might not recommend Test To Stay, and may also not recommend a 10 day quarantine. This is the experience one parent had when their child was exposed twice in one week and identified in two different contact tracing maps. The child was able to return to school without testing, and without quarantining.
As of now, testing is between 7am-8:45am at the Beacon High School Community Room There will be a nurse there to test the student. Students and their caregiver will have to wait for about 15 minutes in their car or outside. If the child is positive, the nurse will call the caregiver. If the child is negative, no phone call will be made, and the child can go to school.
This is to be repeated daily for the length of the prescribed quarantine period.
Those who choose the TTS option and get a negative result are not lifted out of quarantine completely, only for the school day and no extra curricular activities may be participated in. During recent Board of Education meetings, Beacon’s Superintendent Landahl has expressed that he does not understand this logic, but is honoring this requirement from New York State.
The test must be done daily prior to each school day up until the 7th day after possible exposure. The student must be brought to school (no bus transportation to school prior to the test) for the test. After testing negative and attending school for the day, the student may take the bus home for that day.
Testing Out Of Quarantine Completely After 7th Day
As of now (12/23/2021), a second layer of testing out is added to this equation. From the letter sent by the school nurse to a parent whose child was identified in contact tracing and eligible for Test To Stay:
“Choosing the TTS option also allows you to have your student test out of their quarantine completely after their 7th day of possible exposure.”
Steps to Test out of Quarantine
Get a COVID-19 test on day 5 or later of quarantine. Rapid & PCR tests accepted.
Upon receiving a negative test result, immediately send the result to TestOut@dutchessny.gov.
Wait for a release from a quarantine letter from the Dutchess County Department of Behavioral and Community Health. Letter turn around is usually 24 hours from submission. Note, it may take up to 36 hours during non business hours (weekends).
Quarantine ends after day 7 or later with a release from the quarantine letter. However, if you do not have the release letter you must continue to quarantine through day 10.
Continue monitoring for symptoms through day 14
For assistance call the COVID-19 information line at 845-486-3555.
This process is not for Test To Stay for daily school attendance. It is for lifting quarantine completely after the 7th day to do extra curricular actives.
COVID-19 At-Home Rapid Tests Available Now At Beacon Police Department - Limited To 1 Per Household
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Announced by Mayor Kyriacou during Monday’s City Council Meeting 12/20/2021, Beacon is slated to receive a limited number of COVID-19 rapid self-tests that can be taken at home. Thanks to the COVID-19 response plan that New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced on 12/20/2021, home tests and KN95 masks are being sent to municipalities, starting now. Other states like Ohio have been providing these since before Thanksgiving.
Dutchess County Executive Marcus Molinaro announced today via press release that the tests are coming in limited supply, and will be issued 1 per household, where proof of residency in Beacon is required. Shortly thereafter Beacon’s Police Department announced today that the first shipment of tests has arrived and are available in limited capacity to 1 per household with proof of residency of living in Beacon. Tests aren’t the only thing arriving to the Beacon PD headquarters - see the two giant donated pallets of soda that arrived earlier in the week, which the Beacon PD is also looking to donate to residents.
ALBB called to verify hours of pickup with the call-in desk of the Beacon Police Department, and was told that the department is open 24/7, and that people can pick up one test at any time - with proof of Beacon residency, and it’s only 1 test kit per household. Inside of each kit there are two tests.
The Beacon Police Station is located at 1 Municipal Plaza, which is the building on the way to the train station. The police department is the door on the lower right, below the main door to City Hall. There is a parking lot for easier access.
County Executive Molinaro said: “As we are in the midst of this COVID-19 surge during the busy holiday season, the County’s goal is to distribute these tests and masks throughout our community to help curb this growth in positive cases. We thank both our local and state partners for their cooperation in assisting Dutchess in this critical mission.” He added that KN95 masks are being donated to municipalities as well and may be available with the test kits.
As of Wednesday 12/22/2021, according to the Dutchess County Dashboard, there are 1,745 Active Cases of COVID-19 in Dutchess County, which is an increase since last Friday, when it was 1,487. There are 99 Active Cases in Beacon (last week was 65), and there are 77 people in the hospital with COVID-19 in Dutchess County (last week was 68 people hospitalized).
Very few people are boosted, as their initial vaccinations begin to wane. The CDC says that boosting improves the body’s ability to fight the virus. Find out where to get vaccinated in or near Beacon at www.vaccines.gov (it’s such an easy website!)
How Many At-Home COVID-19 Tests Will Be Available?
According to the county’s press release, at home COVID-19 tests are being distributed based on population of the municipality. Tests will be distributed on a first come, first serve basis, and will not be held if someone calls ahead. The press release also stated: “While supplies are limited, distribution from New York State is expected to be recurring and the County will continue to work with local municipalities to distribute test kits as they are received.”
With To Do With A Positive COVID-19 Test Result
According to Dutchess County’s press release, residents who receive a positive result from an at-home COVID-19 test must:
Immediately self-isolate, even if they are vaccinated; as part of 10-day quarantine; and
take a picture of the positive at-home test result within 24 hours and report the positive case to the Dutchess County Department of Behavioral and Community Health (DBCH) at www.dutchessny.gov/COVIDpositive
After reporting the positive result to the County health department, residents will receive a phone call from a contact tracer and are strongly encouraged to answer that call. However, with current high case volume, it may take a few days before a contact tracer calls. Residents are asked to be patient and continue isolating. If a resident’s symptoms worsen or they experience difficulty breathing following a positive result from an at-home test, they should consult their physician or dial 9-1-1.
While at-home tests approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or Centers for Disease Control (CDC) are reliable, it is possible to receive a false negative. If residents experience symptoms and test negative, they’re urged to take another test within 24-48 hours.
Negative test results from at-home tests may not be sufficient to return to work or school. DBCH will not accept negative test results from at-home for early release from quarantine. Negative results do not need to be reported to DBCH.
Vaccination Status Of City Employees At City Hall
During the 12/20/2021 City Council Meeting, Mayor Kyriacou explained how they have decided to comply with Governor Hochul’s mask mandate for unvaccinated people in indoor spaces: “We have chosen to all wear a mask rather than to ask for vaccination,” he explained. “Upstairs, everyone is vaccinated. Other departments of the city where not everyone is vaccinated…they are wearing masks. Applies to all indoor spaces.”
The Police Department is located in the downstairs section of City Hall, as are other offices of other departments in the City of Beacon.
How To Know When A New Shipment Arrives
Mayor Kyriacou said that availability of the test kits would be posted on the city’s website. For this first round, that website has not been updated, nor did a SWIFT robo-call go out to make the announcement. The Beacon Police Department’s Facebook post was the first announcement. Within 24 hours, the first shipment of these tests have been picked up by residents. Consider following the Beacon Police Department Facebook page to see if they make updates as to when a new shipment arrives, and when it has been depleted.
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HUDSON VALLEY FOOD HALL
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Active Cases Of COVID-19 High At Holiday Time - 1,487 (almost double the summer high of 800s)
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In case you hadn’t checked he Dutchess County COVID-19 Dashboard lately, the number of Active Cases of the virus has almost doubled since the summer, when alarm bells were sounding and mask recommendations were coming back. The number of Active Cases in Dutchess County as of today is 1,487 with a percentage of 6.02%, which is comparatively a higher percentage than officials have been comfortable with.
There are currently 68 hospitalizations, which is a relatively high number for Dutchess County. As for Active Cases in Beacon, there are 65. Again, a high number historically for Beacon. In East Fishkill, there are 213.
A Beaconite’s Experience Testing Positive
A family of 4 who got COVID-19 a few weeks ago (two vaccinated adults who were not boosted yet and two children under age 11 who had not received vaccination yet) took a home test to confirm results. They called Dutchess County to report in the numbers, and were told by Dutchess County that the county would not be counting them in the Dashboard. The reasoning, the Beaconite says the county representative gave them, was because the diagnosis may limit what kind of medical attention they could seek, aside from the ER. Unclear why that recommendation was made, since telehealth appointments are available when one has COVID-19, and prescriptions can be delivered by local pharmacies like Vogel or Beacon Wellness. Unless Dutchess County is referring to unrelated medical appointments, in which case that would indicate that the county may be OK with people testing positive visiting medical centers in an active state of COVID-19.
That means this family of 4 would not be in Beacon’s count.
State Of Active Cases In Beacon City Schools
Active cases of students and staff in the Beacon City School District continues daily, with about 6-8 cases reported to district families each day. Beacon has not shut down schools, but does contact trace people connected to those who test positive. According to one family of a student who was in the contact tracing lineage twice in the same week by two different exposures, and who is vaccinated and was not showing symptoms, the district advised them not to get tested. The Beacon City School District does offer the Test To Stay Program, which provides free rapid testing to those needing to quarantine, to let them return to school sooner. The free testing kit program is federally funded and administered through Dutchess County.
A few weeks before Governor Hochul declared her indoor mask mandate for all spaces that do not require proof of vaccination, Board of Education Member Anthony White asked to have a consideration about reducing the mask mandate in schools during a recent Board of Education Meeting. The current mask mandate in schools remains, and is a New York State requirement, as Beacon’s Superintendent commonly reminds parents and teachers who are against the mask mandate and present their opinions during Board of Education meetings.
How Is Dutchess County Responding To The Governor’s Renewed Mask Mandate?
Dutchess County is not enforcing Governor Hoschul’s mask mandate, as reported by the Highlands Current. Nor is Putnam County (Cold Spring). Both County Executives are Republican. According to the article, Molinaro said on Facebook that the “requirement is ‘unenforceable’ and ‘will become confrontational.’ The county will not ‘escalate tension or conflict or further burden our local small businesses.’” Dutchess County continues to promote vaccine and booster clinics, in addition to testing locations. Follow their Facebook page for notices.
According to the Highlands Current: “New York reported 18,000 new cases on Wednesday (Dec. 15), nearly 9x the 2,143 from Aug. 1. Although upstate counties are seeing the most infections, cases have also increased significantly in Dutchess, Putnam and other Mid-Hudson counties as the cold weather drives people indoors. Dutchess County’s 231 cases on Wednesday was its highest one-day total since Jan. 11, and Putnam County’s 84 cases on Dec. 10 its highest tally since Jan. 23.”
COVID-19 In Sports
The NFL is having an outbreak, despite it’s apparent 95% vaccination rate. Unknown if that statistic includes any recent boosters that need administered. According to a Washington Post article, a majority of players testing positive are asymptomatic.
Booster Cycles
The Beacon City School District has offered a second vaccination clinic, which offers pediatric vaccinations and boosters for those on cycle.
To learn where to get a booster for yourself, visit vaccines.gov and type in your zip code for an easy and local location. Beacon Wellness and Drug World in Cold Spring are locally owned vaccination locations. Sun River Health on Henry Street is also offering, as is Walmart and other big stores.
Over $111,000 Unplanned City of Beacon Dollars Spent On "Employee Discipline" Matter(s) - What's Going On?
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According to locals living in Beacon for decades, the City of Beacon is not known for firing city employees. When the you, you might find out by clicking refresh on the latest FOILs that were published by the City of Beacon. You certainly will hear about new hires and promotions by the City of Beacon during their weekly City Council Meetings, where City Councilmembers usually need to vote on a hire or promotion.
But if anyone is being fired, you will not hear about it. Such decisions are made in private during something called “Executive Session” which is a private meeting with the City Council that the public has no access to.
To seek information, just ask several people who know people who have worked for the City of Beacon over the past few decades. In these stories, you may hear stories of a white employee(s) testing positive for marijuana before it was legal to smoke in public or banned in Beacon’s public parks. You may hear stories of a vehicle accident that was never reported. Or of a gun casually being brought into a department destination before Beacon banned personal guns from being brought onto city property during work hours last year. You might see bent metal on the garage door of new Highway Garage, indicating that a vehicle backed or rammed into it, but that a collision report never made it into the books. On background, ALBB has seen a few photos, and heard from people with knowledge of such examples.
During the 12/13/2021 Monday Night Workshop Meeting, the City Administrator Chris White put forth to the City Council an approval to move $45,900 more dollars from an unrelated area of the budget - a real estate area of the budget - into a legal section of the budget to cover “associated employee discipline beyond the budget to date,” as noted in the proposal included in the Agenda packet for the City Council to review for the record.
This is not the first transfer of thousands of unplanned dollars for “Employee Discipline” during the pandemic, which has resulted in a nation-wide labor shortage and highlight of poor working conditions that may include emotional abuse in several industries. The first noted transfer of unplanned dollars was $66,418 to “Employee Discipline” from “CSEA Union Matters/FIRE IAFF Union Matters,” which ALBB wrote about here. This brings the total of unplanned spending on “Employee Discipline” to over $111,000 by the City of Beacon for 2021 alone.
The second noted proposed transfer tonight of $45,900 to “Employee Discipline” is being transferred from “In REM Sale of Property.”
What is an REM Sale of Property? An “REM Sale of Property” means, as City Administrator Chris White explained during the meeting, that when the City of Beacon takes control of a property in Beacon usually due to inability to pay, the City of Beacon can then resell that property and keep the profit. In 2020, there was a handful of those properties. In 2021, Chris noted, there was one such property. Therefore, they had real estate cash sitting that apparently had not been earmarked yet.
Who Or What Is The Employee Discipline Of Over $111,000 In 2021 For?
Reuben Simmons, former Highway Superintendent and current employee of the City of Beacon in the Highway Department.
Photo Credit: LinkedIn
The City of Beacon will not answer this question if ALBB were to ask, as they have a blanket policy of not answering to “personnel matters.” However, there is at least one employee who has had at least 8 Employee Discipline Hearings this year, and has been on forced paid and unpaid leave for the entirety of 2021: Reuben Simmons. ALBB sat in on at least one of those hearings.
Reuben Simmons, longtime employee in the Highway Department since 2002, and a Beaconite who is an involved member of the community, was Beacon’s former Highway Superintendent (ie lead position in that department, listen to ALBB’s podcast about it here) and has been the subject of Employee Discipline for quite some time. Starting in 2018, his case has taken unusual twists and turns. Including the dissolving of his job as Highway Superintendent based on a Civil Service technicality of the incorrect job title.
Beacon’s current head of the Highway Department, Superintendent of Streets Michael “Mickey” Manzi, who used to serve under Reuben as a staff member, replaced Reuben as head of the department after Reuben’s job title dissolved. According to documents that ALBB has seen, Michael “Mickey” Manzi continues to find fault in Reuben’s past work performance, and writes him up on charges that the City Administrator Chris White justifies for Reuben’s paid or unpaid leave status.
Those charges resulted in at least two 30-day periods of unpaid leave in 2021. Otherwise, Reuben has been kept on paid leave, but according to a letter sent to him by City Administrator Chris White, cannot come to public spaces in Beacon or talk to fellow employees within the working hours of the work day, until his disciplinary hearings are done. ALBB has attended one such hearing at the invitation of Reuben and received the Zoom link from the mediation attorney Jay Siegel, Esq., but was asked to leave when the City of Beacon objected to any reporters or members of the public attending.
What Are These “Charges” Justifying Unpaid Leave, Paid Leave, and Over $111,000 In Unplanned “Employee Discipline” Money?
Labor Attorney for the City of Beacon, Lance Klein, who is going against city employee Reuben Simmons.
Photo Credit: Keane and Beane
ALBB has seen the documentation of charges sent to Reuben, attempting to justify the “discipline,” which ALBB has learned amounts to accusations of things like talking to people for too long outside while on the job, or taking too long of a lunch.
Lunch for the Highway Department employees, ALBB is told, is 30 minutes. Which really just gives enough time to order and go from Mr. V’s and eat it in a Highway Department truck.
Witnesses have been called to at least 8 hearings deliberating Reuben’s case, where the City’s attorney Lance Klein of Keane and Beane questions those people included in the charges. Some of those witnesses have denied the charges and length of time that Reuben has spoken to them while outside on the job, or the logistics of a long lunch time that deserves penalty.
Current Beacon Superintendent of Streets, Michael “Mickey” Manzi. Writes up charges against Reuben resulting in new Unpaid Leave statuses for Reuben as Reuben’s hearings to defend himself progress.
Photo Credit: City of Beacon
One example of a disputed charge against Reuben is allegedly talking to a member of the public in Memorial Park (which is also the location of a Highway Department shed) for 2 hours. The witness for this charge allegedly denied it during the hearing when questioned by Lance the attorney.
If Reuben and this member of the public did speak for any number of moments, then a policy of any Highway Department employee speaking to any member of the public while out on public city streets, sidewalks, or parks would be in violation of some policy in the City of Beacon, would seem odd, counter-intuitive of an inclusive community and unproductive. Members of the public are not allowed to speak to city employees while on the job? Or risk getting written up if on the wrong side of a supervisor? Those supervisors being Michael “Mickey” Manzi and David Way.
In addition to speaking to members of the public in public, Reuben has also been accused of taking an extended lunch break. Lunch breaks for the City of Beacon are 30 minutes. Any moment after that due to long lunch lines or traffic could qualify as a violation equal to this treatment.
Members Of The Public Begin Speaking Out
City of Beacon Employee for the Highway Department, Reuben Simmons, speaks out about his communication with the City of Beacon. Reuben is currently on a rotation of forced unpaid and paid leave by the City of Beacon as they hold “Employee Discipline” hearings against him. There have been at last 8 Employee Discpline hearings so far, and a total of $111,000 of unplanned city budget money transfered in the City of Beacon budget to cover unplanned “Employee Discipline” legal expenses.
After years of silence, Reuben spoke out at a recent City Council meeting, addressing the elephant in the room - himself. He spoke directly and was well spoken in his thoughts, as he was when presenting city street status updates to the public and City Council during his time as Highway Superintendent from 2017-2018.
The City Council often meets in private Executive Sessions discussing “Personnel” and “Litigation” and have the legal protection of not disclosing who or what they are talking about.
Reuben - who is Black and is one of the few Black employees in the public works departments - has also been accused of speaking loudly to his supervisor Michael “Mickey” Manzi while voluntarily reporting an accident Reuben had in a City vehicle. According to multiple sources, Mickey, the Highway Department’s Superintendent of Streets who used to be Reuben’s employee years ago, found Reuben’s tone uncomfortable. Therefore, Mickey added the tone to the charges justifying unpaid leave.
This issue with “tone” is despite rumors from multiple people - in a generational age range - that several in the Beacon public works departments speak gruffly to each other on a regular basis, possibly even using racial slurs. Those direct mentions have not yet come to light yet in any public confessions.
It is notable that when Reuben was first placed on unpaid leave in January 2021 for the pursuit of these charges, the City of Beacon unveiled it’s Diversity Statement months prior in October 2020, where Beacon’s newly hired HR Director, Gina Basile, noted there was tension in the Highway Department.
During the City Council Meeting on December 6, 2021, longtime hawk of city government and regular participant in Public Comment, Theresa Kraft, spoke up. Not naming names, she made allusions: “Beacon is a strong, supportive community. It always has been, and always will be. We watch out for our neighbors. But enforcement is key [referencing to the spike in unlawful driving in Beacon and the recent death on Main Street and Teller Avenue]. I question how much the city wasted on litigation of an employee who took too long of a lunch break. I see at the end of tonight's agenda there is an executive Session for Personal and Litigation. Perhaps that alone could have paid to ease the food insecurity throughout Beacon for a few years. Holding a grudge is holding all Beacon residents hostage.” You can listen to her full speech here.
Background On Reuben’s Unpaid/Paid Leave - An Additional Expense To The City Of Beacon
Beacon’s City Administrator, Chris White, who authorized Reuben’s first round of 30-days of paid leave on Chris’ first week on the job.
Photo Credit: City of Beacon
Starting in January 2021, Reuben was placed on unpaid leave for more than one session of a 30-day unpaid leave status by City Administrator Chris White. Unpaid leave is difficult at any time, but for a Highway Department employee, January is the gravy month. It is the month they make overtime pay in plowing days during blizzards.
When not on unpaid leave, Reuben remains on paid leave. Unless new charges are filed against him, and he gets a new letter from City Administrator Chris White stating that he is on unpaid leave again.
The Union protecting and advocating for Highway Department Employees is CSEA. In January, Beacon’s representative and president was Paula Becker, who works as an employee in the Finance Department for the City of Beacon with Susan Tucker, Beacon’s Finance Director who signs off on these budget recommendations. Paula recently received a promotion and raise from the City of Beacon.
When ALBB called Paula to confirm Reuben’s unpaid status back when it started in January 2021, City Administrator Chris White emailed ALBB to say that ALBB should not contact any staff with questions, and to only address him. After publishing an article on this matter, City Administrator Chris White declined to answer any more questions from ALBB on any matter.
Listen to Reuben explain the start of his employment situation on ALBB’s podcast recorded in July 2020 here. His employment disputes started in 2018.
Cameras Coming To Some School Buses - Dutchess County Launches Big Push To Ticket Drivers Using Camera Footage
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Dutchess County is tired of people defying traffic safety laws as locals and tourists drive around a school bus, or don’t stop at all if coming from the opposite direction. County Executive Marcus Molinaro’s Office sent out a press release this week stating that Dutchess County had launched a “School Bus Safety Program,” which is a codified partnership with a company, BusPatrol, who mounts cameras and GPS trackers onto several angles of a school bus in order to see which car is breaking the law. A photo is taken and a ticket is mailed to the owner of the vehicle by BusPatrol. “The program is entirely funded by violators over a five-year term” according to the press release.
“ If you illegally pass a school bus, risking children’s safety, be prepared to pay the penalty.”
“Passing a stopped school bus is more than illegal, it’s dangerous and threatens the lives of young students every day,” said Dutchess County Executive Marcus Molinaro. “Dutchess County will not tolerate such reckless conduct, and today’s partnership with BusPatrol codifies our intent to keep students safe: If you illegally pass a school bus, risking children’s safety, be prepared to pay the penalty.”
50,000 Drivers Illegally Drive Around Stopped School Buses Every Day In NY State
According to the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee, an estimated 50,000 motorists illegally pass stopped school buses every day in New York State, putting the lives and safety of children at risk, according to the press release.
In Beacon, groups of children or a single child is dropped off at locations around town organized by the school district’s Transportation Department. This means that rather than dropping a child off at their home, the buses make group drop offs at designated intersections around town.
A Little Beacon Blog researched one bus stop for Beacon City School children on Verplanck Avenue and Cross Street to observe vehicle behavior around the school bus stopping at this intersection. During that first attempt, as the large school bus approached the intersection to let off a child on Verplanck Avenue, the bus driver put on their blinking yellow lights and red bus sign to make a very large presence on Verplanck Avenue. Didn’t matter. At least 2 cars whizzed around the bus, despite the bus stopping at a stop sign. This means, that the drivers would have had to drive around the bus, and then not be able to encounter the stop sign, as the bus was stopped at it.
Several other cars from the oncoming direction never even slowed down. Picking up a toddler from the bus was chaotic, dangerous and windy from rushing cars. The bus driver looked extremely concerned as the child departed the bus into the arms of the parent.
Crossing Verplanck Avenue to get back to the resident’s home was a different difficult experience, as there is not a lot of space between the sidewalk and Verplanck Avenue, putting people and cars very close together on that street. Kids like to skip around after school, excited to be released from the classroom. Controlling a toddler on Verplanck Avenue is an undertaking.
When Will Ticketing Start?
The program is starting in the Pine Plains school district at first. The Pine Plains Central School District is the first in Dutchess County to implement the program across its entire fleet of 38 school buses; several other local districts are expected to join the program in the coming year.
Dr. Martin Handler, Pine Plains Schools Superintendent, said, “The safety of our students is a top priority, and the Pine Plains Central School District is eager to protect students from motorists who flout the law and illegally drive around a stopped school bus. Pine Plains is proud to be the first local school district to take part in the County’s partnership with BusPatrol and take an active role in protecting our students. We are certain this partnership will improve student safety, and it has the potential to save lives.”
Dutchess County says that ticketing will commence with an initial warning period: Effective December 13, 2021, motorists who illegally pass a stopped Pine Plains school bus equipped with these cameras will receive a warning until Jan. 12, 2022, said the County Executive’s Office. Starting Jan. 13, 2022, drivers who do so will receive a citation and fine in the mail. If your spouse or partner frequently defies traffic laws in your car, it may be time to not let them drive your car anymore, if the title is in your name. Tickets are issued by camera, checked by BusPatrol, and mailed to the title owner.
How Many Buses Are Getting The Cameras?
According to the press release, more than 1,000 school buses across Dutchess County have access to advanced safety technology at zero cost to local taxpayers, including stop-arm cameras to help enforce traffic laws and educate motorists on the dangers of passing school buses.
In terms of the Beacon City School District opting in, Dutchess County responded to ALBB’s questions gauging Beacon’s interest: “The County sent an email to the district superintendent in Beacon on November 8, 2021. Prior to that, the Deputy County Executive talked with the Beacon superintendent about the program. The Beacon City School District is interested, but has not yet opted into the program.”
How The Camera System Works For Traffic Safety
In addition to stop-arm cameras, school districts have access to additional safety technology including:
Cloud-managed, 360-degree safety cameras (interior, windshield, rearview and sideload) to provide a full view of activity surrounding the school bus;
Emergency response solutions to enable student transportation, school, and law enforcement officials to respond immediately; and
GPS, routing and telemetry solutions to see where buses are located at any given time.
The technology, installation and maintenance of all hardware and software included in the BusPatrol Student Safety Platform are provided at no cost to the school district and taxpayers. The program is entirely funded by violators over a five-year term.
Jean Souliere, CEO and Founder of BusPatrol, said in the press release, “Our safety programs are helping to promote a safer driving culture across the state of New York. We want to create a reflex in drivers, so that every time they see a big yellow bus on the road, they slow down and prepare to stop. That simple action could help save the life of a child.”.
Volunteers Needed For Vaccination Clinic From Beacon City Schools Thursday 12/16/2021
/The Beacon City School District is hosting another COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic on Thursday, December 16th, 2021 from 4-6pm in the Beacon High School. The district has once again partnered with the team from Village Apothecary.
The pediatric vaccine and all other doses and boosters (including the booster for 16+) for students and adults will be available. Parents are instructed to bring proof of age paperwork for their child.
Attendees can sign up here: https://hipaa.jotform.com/213463662501147
Volunteers Needed
During a Board of Education Meeting in November 2021, Superintendent Landahl said that the district would like to offer more vaccination clinics, but getting volunteers was difficult.
Volunteers would help people with the paperwork and help keep things moving, he stated in an email to the district. Volunteers need to come to the Beacon High School by 3:45 if possible.
If you are interested in volunteering, email Vickie Jackson at jackson.v@beaconk12.org and she will confirm back to you via email. If you cannot make this one, email her to be added to an interest list for future vaccination clinics.
UPDATE: Crosswalk Signal At Teller/Fishkill Avenue Does Show WALK Sign, But Not STOP; Button Push Required
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UPDATE: The white WALK signal does show up, if the button is pressed to activate it. However, the red STOP hand does not display, nor do the countdown numbers.
After publishing the article that the crosswalk signal was out at Teller/Fishkill Avenue and Main Street, which is across the street from where a woman was killed by a Jeep Wrangler turning left while correctly crossing that intersection, a mini-ALBB reporter pounded the pavement with her mama to run different tests on the crosswalk signal, to see how it was behaving on a Sunday shopping day.
Different test scenarios revealed that the white WALK signal did display if the button was pushed on the crosswalk signal box located on a post several feet behind the sidewalk curb. The red STOP hand did not display at all, nor did the red countdown numbers. The verbal indicator voice did work at the signal cross box, signalling the person to WAIT! or to walk.
The video below shows the behavior of the crosswalk signal, as the mini-ALBB reporter explains how it is supposed to work. The editor has made a note not to cut off her daughter while speaking.
Beacon Recreation's Hoodies For Good Features Leman's Truck - Interview WIth Leman
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The City of Beacon Recreation Department, led by Director Mark Price and support staff Heidi Harrison and Nate Smith, started a hoodie fundraiser last year, and has kicked off its second year this month. Proceeds will go to the Rombout Middle School Washington DC Trip Scholarship Fund.
This year, the Recreation Department wanted to get a little wild with it. Instead of featuring their city logo on the hoodies, they decided to pursue the style that features something iconic in Beacon. They chose longtime Beacon local Leman, driver of the truck with a seemingly homemade metal container on the back that is very identifiable in Beacon, and is usually in the right place of need at the right time. The Recreation Department partnered with Beacon local artist Daniel Weise, who has produced such art before for fundraisers.
Said the Beacon Recreation Department: “This truck and its owner are known to spread the good wherever they go!! It's been rolling the streets of Beacon for decades and in that time, helped countless people with every turn of the wheel.”
The hoodies start at $47, and $10 of each sale will be donated to the Rombout Middle School Washinton DC Trip scholarship fund. The Recreation Department printed a very limited run, some sizes of which have already sold out, despite a December 17th cutoff given by the Recreation Department's Director Mark Price, who goes by BugChucker76 in Instagram, who was reporting in the inventory count as it happened.
Leman driving his truck, “Snoopy,” which he uses for work helping people haul and move things as they need it.
About Leman And His Truck, “Snoopy”
Leman can be seen everywhere, from neighborhood streets to the Transfer Station to Pete and Toshi Seeger Riverside Park for Beacon Hoops camp, and more. He says that the department approached him for permission to use his truck’s iconic likeness for the fundraiser. Surprised, he said he wasn’t expecting it, and said he is “happy to along with it” to help out. He said he is looking forward to seeing the sweatshirts.
Leman showing a snoopy card he received from someone. He ponders where to put it in or on his truck, which has named “Snoopy.”
Did Leman build the truck himself? Turns out he bought it from his brother-in-law, who insisted he call it “Snoopy.” To this day, people leave random Snoopy trinkets in or on his truck as gestures of good-will. His truck is the vehicle for his business, which is helping people move and haul things. All business is conducted through his flip phone, and he prefers no email and prefers no texts. If you need him, you can flag him down, or call once you get his number and into his rotation. He also prefers to only go by his first name.
Leman’s Message For Safe Driving
Being in Beacon’s streets often, Leman wanted to be sure to get the word out about a few traffic safety issues:
Reduce Speed Limit On Main Street to 25mph. “We went down to City Hall to ask them to reduce the speed limit from 30mph to 25mph,” he told ALBB while interviewing for this story. He and others think the speed limit is too fast. While answers at the City Hall level indicate that this issue is at the state level, with the 30mph limit not being able to change. Councilmembers Dan Amar-Blair and Terry Nelson are passionate about lowering the speed limit, and Councilmember Dan has continued raising legal reasons to be able lower the speed limit, stating that the “state allows surgical decisions.” During City Court Judge Timothy Pagones’ reelection campaign, Leman donated his truck to be used as a moving billboard for the relection effort. Leman recalls talking to Judge Pagones about the speed limit: “Judge Pagones said that he has been getting a lot of complaints about it.”
Pedestrians Have The Right Of Way at Intersections and Crosswalks. Leman sees people all of the time crossing the street. According to New York State, the pedestrian has the right of way to cross at an intersection, even if there is no marked crosswalk. When he is driving, he is known to stop for people to cross, and encourages people who are standing and waiting to cross. If there is no marked crosswalk, New York State says: “If there are no crosswalks, the safest place for pedestrians to cross the road is at an intersection. Motorists have the right of way at all locations other than intersections and marked crosswalks.”
Learn more about how to participate in this year’s Hoodies For Good featuring Leman’s truck, fundraising for Rombout Middle School’s Washington DC Trip here.
As for learning how to hire Leman, you’ll just need to flag him down safely :)
Indeed, Crosswalk Signal Has Been Out Across From Intersection Of Recent Pedestrian Death On Main Street
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A woman was struck and killed by a car at the opposite side of this intersection - Teller Avenue and Main Street. Pictured here is the opposite side of the street - Fishkill Avenue and Main Street, where readers of ALBB have reported that they have noticed the crosswalk sign being out for at least a week, perhaps longer.
UPDATE 12/12/2021 3:30pm: The red hand STOP light seems to be out. However, the white WALK person does turn on *if* you press the crosswalk button. But the button for this location is not at the corner as it is at other corners. To access this signal button, one must back up quite a few feet if they walked past it. So, if a person doesn’t know to back up and press that button, the crosswalk WALK won’t turn on. Thus, the red countdown numbers won’t turn on, if they only initiate when the white WALK signal is showing. Read the update here and see the video of how the signal is behaving.
After the woman died of her injuries while crossing Teller Avenue near the Yankee Clipper Diner in accordance with the crosswalk signal after being hit by a Jeep Wrangler turning left from Main Street onto Teller Avenue, readers wrote into A Little Beacon Blog via public Instagram comments that the crosswalk signal on the opposite side of Main Street, which would be Fishkill Avenue near the Valero gas station, has been out for some time. Their comments were made 5 days ago, and still the light is out, with no markings or indications that it is broken.
Additionally, the audio crosswalk signal sign that accompanies this signal - which speaks “Wait!” and names the road that the person is signaled to cross - indicates that the pedestrian is signaled to cross Teller Avenue. However, on that side of Main Street, the road is called Fishkill Avenue. The green street sign says Fishkill Avenue. A pedestrian unfamiliar with this nuance and common renaming of a road seemingly arbitrarily all over Beacon might be confused if they are relying on the audio call-out of a street name, if they knew they were standing at Fishkill Avenue and Main Street. ALBB has not tested the audio in the past, if this sign indeed speaks Teller or Fishkill. In writing, the white signal sign says Teller.
Who Is Responsible For Identifying A Broken Crosswalk Signal?
Often times, when items that need attention are brought up during public City Council Meetings, after months or years of neglect, councilmembers are known to say: “You must tell us, or we don’t know.”
They City of Beacon has what is called a Traffic Safety Committee. According to the city’s website: “The City of Beacon Traffic Safety Committee studies traffic conditions on streets and highways within the City. The Committee analyzes reports of accidents and recommends to the appropriate legislative bodies, departments or commissions such changes in roles, orders, regulations and existing law as the Committee may deem advisable.”
Who serves on that committee? According to the City’s website: “The Committee is comprised of five members: the Chief of Police, a Planning Board representative and three members appointed by the Mayor.”
According to Minutes posted for the monthly meetings of the Traffic Safety Committee, the following people make repeat appearances as attendees of the meeting:
Fire Chief Gary VanVoorhis
Police Lieutenant Jason Walden
Superintendent of Streets Michael “Mickey” Manzi (this is the Highway Department)
Planning Board Representative Jill Reynolds (an artist who is a glassblower)
Beacon Resident Carolyn Glauda Bennett (a resident who wanted to be on the Traffic Safety Committee after witnessing at least 2 pedestrian accidents)
Traffic Safety Committee Secretary Collin Milone (this is the executive assistant to the Mayor)
Members of the public who have been approved to discuss a request that they made may be invited to present their case to the committee. A recent attendee has also been Stowe Boyde, representative of the Main Street Access Advisory Committee.
The Highway Department drives around on the streets of Beacon often, and is at times tasked with installing street signs, paving, clearing debris from storms, installing LED lights into city-owned light poles, etc. The Highway Department is led by Michael (Mickey) Manzi, in the position title known as Superintendent of Streets.
A person could try the following contact avenues to report in a signal outage:
Superintendent of Streets: mmanzi@beaconny.gov
Beacon’s current City Administrator Chris White: cwhite@beaconny.gov
Your Ward Representative: To find out which City Council Member represents you, click here.
Once you report something to any of these contacts, do keep a paper trail of it so that you can see if your message was relayed, and what was done. For instance, if you tell your City Councilmember about a traffic issue, the City Councilmember may report it to the Traffic Safety Committee, which may then be indicated in the meeting notes posted here. At that point, it is up to the Traffic Safety Committee to discuss it, and if appropriate, make a recommendation to the City Council to then discuss it and implement it.
Additionally, different roads are owned by different government entities. New York State may own a part of a road, the City of Beacon may own a part of a road, the Town of Fishkill may own part of a road. At times, a seemingly simple request can be tossed around like a hot potato.
Or a bad “how many ___ does it take to change a light bulb?” joke.
Bottom line: the signal is out, and someone died on the opposite corner while crossing the street for a signal that worked.
A Little Beacon Blog
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The City of Beacon entered into a contract with Legal Services of the Hudson Valley to provide increased access to Beacon tenants facing eviction. They may also be able to help with sources of rent arrears assistance. Call the paralegal, Steven Mihalik at 845-253-6953 to inquire.
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