Serving Rhinebeck and Neighboring Towns
Issue 143 | March 15, 2024
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This Week(end)
In today’s newsletter:
- Village Board passes a resolution to override the 2% tax cap, if necessary
- Republican candidate for Village Board is not angling for the win
- Upstate Down opens in the old Stickles location on East Market Street
- Update on Rhinebeck High School graffiti incident
- And More
Thank you for all of your support and keep those letters coming.
Eric Steinman
Executive Editor
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Rhinebeck Village Passes Resolution to Potentially Override the State Tax Cap
Your Village taxes may rise more than usual next year because of a resolution passed unanimously by the Rhinebeck Village Board of Trustees on Tuesday evening. Subject to a referendum, this resolution provides the Village Board with the authority to override the current New York State tax cap of 2% if the Board deems it necessary.
Mayor Bassett referred to the resolution as “preemptive planning” in light of the uncertainty around the New York State Budget. “This is the first year we are asking for your support,” the Mayor said, adding, “We want to build a resilient community.”
For comparison, the Village of Red Hook has not introduced a tax cap override in order to balance their budget, and Village Mayor Karen Smythe told the Pilot, "We are not considering overriding the tax cap."
In an email, the Mayor outlined his approach to this issue: “The legislation expressly authorizes the local government's governing body to override the property tax cap for the coming fiscal year. This will be the first time for the Village since 2012, if enacted. Our advocates at the New York Conference of Mayors (NYCOM) are continuing to lobby the NYS Legislature for the cap to be amended to provide exclusions for certain municipal expenditures.”
Village trustees Lydia Slaby and Ric Lewit expressed concern about the circumstances. Slaby expressed frustration with the State of New York, which she said has pushed the village to have this conversation prior to finalizing the state budget. Lewit said during the Tuesday meeting, “This is a one year thing,” indicating that the Village had no intention of exceeding the 2% cap in subsequent years. “If we do go over the 2% increase, it needs to be as minimal as possible,” Lewit added.
Although there was a public comment period both prior to and immediately following the resolution, no one from the public came forward expressing any opinions pro or con about the resolution.
Village departmental budgets are the subject of meetings at Village Hall on March 26 and 28, with the full budget up for discussion on April 4. There will be a public hearing on the Village budget on April 9th.
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Winning is Not Everything: Republican Village Trustee Candidate Derrick Sinon on His Candidacy
Derrick Sinon, a 29-year-old volunteer firefighter running on the Republican ticket for Village Trustee, knows he is a long-shot for a win in the election this coming Tuesday, but winning is not really his angle.
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Upstate Down Opens in the Old Stickles Space
Jon and Delyse Berry moved their interior design/real estate business just a few doors down E. Market and opened up in the historic Stickles space, which closed last summer.
They are reinventing the old five and dime space and expanding their business at the same time.
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Update on RHS Graffiti Incident // Following an antisemetic graffiti incident at RHS ten days ago, the investigation is continuing and the high school administration is still working on a proactive response. “At this point our Dignity Act investigation is continuing, and I am meeting with our counselors and teachers to plan educational programs for the rest of this school year,” Principal Ed Davenport told the Pilot via email. Davenport added, “Our social studies teachers will conduct a lesson on hate speech and its most recent usage in our school, before [spring] break.”
Davenport said that he is researching other education programming through the Anti-Defamation League and the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. He said he had shared some example lessons with faculty and will continue to coordinate with them in the spring in order to deliver the lessons in grade-level meetings with follow up in ELA or Social Studies Classes.
Davenport said that while no students have reported any instances of discrimination or direct distress over the incident, both teachers and counselors are making themselves available to students to discuss the matter. The No Place for Hate Committee is identifying possible speakers to address the students in April.
The Village Hires Another Police Officer // Weeks after the Village Board upped the starting salary of Village Police officers to remain competitive with surrounding municipalities, the Village Police Department announced a new hire this week. Daniel Ferrara, a Poughkeepsie resident who is currently a sergeant with the Hyde Park Police Department, will be joining the Rhinebeck Village Police on a part-time basis. With the exception of Sgt. Peter Dunn, the Rhinebeck Village Police are all part-time employees.
Mayor Gary Bassett, who in his role as mayor is also the chief of police, said at Tuesday’s Village Board meeting that he was particularly excited about Ferrara’s past experience as a police officer for the NYPD, and especially his experience “walking the beat.” “I told him he was accountable for walking the beat in the village, and he was all for it,” Bassett said. Ferrara is slated to start work with the Rhinebeck PD within the month. He will continue his work as sergeant for the Hyde Park police. This brings the number of police officers in the Rhinebeck PD to 12, down from its desired standard of 15. The Village Police department is still looking to hire additional officers.
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Looking Backward
Do you happen to have old or archival photos of places, people or events in the area from over the years? We are putting out a call to the community for scans of photos from over the last 100 or so years to help us look back at the people and times that made this community what it is. Please contact editor@hvpilot.com.
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"Correct Me If I'm Norm"
Norm sits down to interview accomplished journalist Brian Rooney about his time as an ABC News correspondent and his longtime passion project, "The Rooney Report. "
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This Week
March is Women’s History Month
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Friday, March 15th, through Sunday, March 24th
(Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays only). “Hamlet,” in a new production that is about “modern families and their angsts in 2024 America,” with an “off-beat cast” in modern dress. Tickets $25. At The Center for Performing Arts, 661 Route 308, Rhinebeck.
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Friday, March 15th, 3:00 - 4:00PM
Computer Skills Series: Excel and Google Sheets. Register at starrlibrary.org. At the library, 68 West Market St., Rhinebeck.
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Friday, March 15th, through Sunday, March 17th
“James and the Giant Peach,” the Rhinebeck High School spring musical. Support your school! Tickets $10-$12. Info at RhinebeckCSD.org. At the RHS auditorium, 45 North Rd., Rhinebeck.
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Friday, March 15th, through Sunday, March 17th
Grand Opening Celebration of new state-of-the-art theater, The Mark, at Upstate’s Orpheum, including open-house screenings, free popcorn and soda, and other special events. Details and tickets. At the Orpheum, 156 Main St., Saugerties.
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Tuesday, March 19th, 6:30PM
Vassar College Curators’ Talk about “Making a Life in Photography: Rollie McKenna,” with Mary-Kay Lombino and Jess Brier. At Morton Library, 82 Kelly St., Rhinecliff.
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Thursday, March 21st
Last homemade soup sale via Rhinebeck Grange until October. $10/quart. If you’d like to pre-order, contact JoBaer2@gmail.com for the week’s availability. Quantities are limited. Pickup is Thursday, March 21st, between 11AM and 12:30PM at the side door of the Rhinecliff Firehouse, corner of Shatzell and Orchard, Rhinecliff.
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Thursday, March 21st, 6:30PM - 8:00PM
Fiction Workshop with Rhinebeck writer Lilliana Kahan. Register. At Starr Library, 68 West Market St., Rhinebeck.
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Friday, March 22nd (keynote dinner 6:00 - 9:00PM), and Saturday, March 23rd (workshops 8:30AM - 5:00PM)
Annual Riverport Women’s Sailing Conference. Workshop topics include navigation, maintenance, knots, and racing. Info and registration at hrmm.org. At the Wooden Boat School of the Hudson River Maritime Museum, 86 Rondout Landing, Kingston.
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Saturday, March 23rd, 10:00AM - Noon
Stitching Stuffies – Stuffed Animal Hospital. Learn simple stitch techniques to repair beloved stuffed animals. Ages 5+. Sponsored by Starr Stitchers Embroidery Club. Register. At Starr Library, 68 West Market St., Rhinebeck.
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Saturday, March 23rd, 2:00PM
Lecture and Hudson Valley wine tasting with Stephen Casscles, author of “Grapes of the Hudson Valley.” Tickets $25. At Wilderstein Historic Site, 330 Morton Rd., Rhinebeck.
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Saturday, March 23rd, 7:30PM
“March Monologue Madness,” Hudson Valley writers perform their work. A benefit for Morton Library – admission by donation. At Morton, 82 Kelly St., Rhinecliff.
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Wednesday, March 27th, 10:00AM
Rhinebeck Garden Club presents “Native Flowering Shrubs that Replace Invasives and Benefit Wildlife,” a talk by Cathy Lane. FREE. At Village Hall, 76 East Market St., Rhinebeck.
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Thursday, March 28th, 6:30PM
“How to be Old; Lessons in Living Boldly from the Accidental Icon,” author Lyn Slater talks with Sari Botton. Presented by Oblong Books. FREE; registration required. At Morton Library, 82 Kelly St., Rhinecliff.
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Friday, March 29th, 7:00PM - 8:30PM
Rhinebeck Historical Society program: “History of Agriculture in Rhinebeck,” with Mike Frazier, Historical Society Trustee and Rhinebeck history maven. At the Mary Frazer Room, Starr Library, 68 West Market St., Rhinebeck.
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Saturday, April 6th, 10:00AM
Wilderstein Historic Site is holding a “meet-and-greet” orientation and is seeking volunteers for its 2024 season, including docents, greeters, and landscape helpers. Details at wilderstein.org. At the gate house, 330 Morton Rd., Rhinebeck.
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Wednesdays Noon - 2:00PM, and Sundays 10AM-Noon through March 31. Starr Library is accepting donations for the Book Sale on April 26-27. Limit of five boxes per person. At the library. 68 West Market St., Rhinebeck.
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Now through Mid-March
First come, first served registration is open for Girls on the Run, a program to build girls’ confidence and physical, mental and emotional health. Practice on Tuesdays and Thursdays 3:30-4:45; season starts March 18; celebratory 5K on June 1. Financial assistance is available. For information and to register, go to www.girlsontherunhv.org. At Chancellor Livingston Elementary School, 48 Knollwood Rd., Rhinebeck.
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Now through March 17th
Opening reception for “Artist’s Choice,” a show of works by member artists. At Tivoli Artists Gallery, 60 Broadway, Tivoli.
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Now through March 17th
Levee: Photographs by Adrianna Ault. At the Center for Photography at Woodstock, 474 Broadway, Kingston.
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Now through March 21st
“And the Oscar Goes To…”: Oscar-nominated films at Upstate Films in Rhinebeck and Saugerties. See full programs at upstatefilms.org.
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Fridays through March 22nd, 5:00PM - 7:00PM
Fish Fry during Lent, organized by the Clinton Volunteer Fire Dept. $15, take-out only. Call 845-266-5485 for more information. At the East Clinton Firehouse, 9 Firehouse Lane, Clinton Corners.
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Now through March 30th
“Timelessness: Hudson Valley painters Marie Cole & Betsy Jacaruso.” At the Betsy Jacaruso Gallery, 43 East Market St., in the Courtyard, Rhinebeck.
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Now through April 1st
“Into the Light,” paintings by Julia VanDevelder. Show runs through April 1. At Art Gallery 71, 71 East Market St., Rhinebeck.
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Now through March 31st
“Women at Work: Photography and Labor,” a show featuring seven American women photographers, from the early 1900s to the present. At Vassar’s Lehman Loeb Gallery, 124 Raymond Ave., Poughkeepsie.
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Now through April 1 – No parking on Rhinebeck roads from midnight to 8AM. Violators are subject to a fine.
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Now through April 5th
Kindergarten registration at Chancellor Livingston Elementary School. For details, contact Mary Ann Torres at 845-871-5500, ext. 6560, or registration@rhinebeckcsd.org.
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Now through April
Works by Polly M. Law and William W. Underhill. Masks are requested when inside the galleries. At Shahinian Upstairs Galleries, 22 East Market St., Rhinebeck.
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Now through April 7th
Street and landscape photography show by Rhinebeck resident Chris Bartlett. At Pamela Salisbury Gallery, 362 ½ Warren St., Hudson.
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Now through April 27th
“All the Things We Could Have Been,” art works by K.P. Devlin. Upstairs at Montgomery Row Art Space, 6423 Montgomery St. (Rte. 9), Rhinebeck.
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Now through April 30th
“But Today is Different,” a collaborative art and poetry show by Mimi Graminski and Sarah Stern. At Starr Library, 68 West Market St., and The Little Gallery, 59 Chestnut St., Rhinebeck.
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Now through June 2nd
“Making a Life in Photography: Rollie McKenna,” the first survey of the prolific career of an American photographer. Co-curated by Rhinebeck’s own Mary-Kay Lombino, Deputy Director and Emily Hargroves Fisher ‘57 and Richard B. Fisher Curator at the Art Center. The show is accompanied by an extensive catalog and runs through June 2. At Vassar’s Lehman Loeb Art Center, 124 Raymond Ave., Poughkeepsie.
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Call for volunteers to provide free tax assistance
”Help your neighbors get the (tax) credit they deserve” through the AARP Foundation Tax-Aide program. Many volunteer positions available, including tax preparers and technical and administrative support. FREE training. For details, call Linda Eddy at 845-475-7500.
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Monday, March 18th
Rhinebeck Town Planning Board
Town Hall
6:00PM
Agenda includes public hearing of Site Plan and Special Use Permit application for Wireless Edge cell tower at 3718 Rte. 9G. See Town website. At Town Hall, 80 East Market St., Rhinebeck.
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Tuesday, March 19th
Rhinebeck Village Election of Two Trustees for the Village Board
Village Hall
Noon - 9:00PM
See Village website for sample ballot. At Village Hall, 76 East Market St., Rhinebeck.
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Wednesday, March 20th
Rhinebeck Town Zoning Board of Appeals
Town Hall
7:00PM
Agenda not yet available. See Town website. At Town Hall, 80 East Market St., Rhinebeck.
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Monday, March 25th
Rhinebeck Town Board of Trustees
Town Hall
6:00PM
Agenda not yet available. See Town website. At Town Hall, 80 East Market St., Rhinebeck.
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Rhinebeck Village Budget Meeting Schedule:
– Tuesday, March 26, 5PM – Police and Fire;
– Thursday, March 28, 5PM – Highway, Environmental and General; and
– Tuesday, April 4, 5PM – Total Budget.
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Friday, March 29 – Rhinebeck Village Hall is closed for Good Friday. | | | |
Town of Rhinebeck is seeking applicants for positions on the Planning Board, Conservation Advisory Board, and Board of Assessment Review. Applicants are asked to submit a letter of intent and resume to townclerk@rhinebeckny.gov. Applications are also available on the Town website.
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The following items have recently been posted on the 6 Mulberry St. page of the Rhinebeck Village website, under Committees & Projects/6 Mulberry: Neighbors’ letter regarding the proposed rezoning and Village attorney’s revised draft of the Bulkeley Schoolhouse Overlay District (BSO). A variety of materials, regarding the environmental assessment and the proposed rezoning, are still posted on the page.
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Astor Estate
The original Astor mansion home was built by William Blackhouse Astor Jr. when he purchased the property back in 1853. The home was demolished in the 1940s.
Image courtesy of Rhinebeck Historical Society
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