Town Board Meeting — April 16, 2026
Meeting Overview
The Amenia Town Board met on April 16, 2026, with Supervisor Rosanna Ham presiding. Councilmembers Doyle and Dietrich were present; Councilwoman Ahern was absent as her daughter was being inducted into the Junior National Honor Society. The board addressed cell tower funds, videotaping committee meetings, affordable housing preferences, parking on Main Street, the Arbor Day proclamation, and a water district online payment issue.
Cell Tower Funds Clarified
Town Attorney Ian confirmed that the cell tower is located on town-owned property, not water district property. All lease revenue properly goes to the general fund. Current resolutions allocate $1,200 per month to recreation with the balance going to the general fund. The attorney recommended the board revisit these resolutions given the addition of a third carrier and increased revenue. He will also investigate whether any general fund revenue can be voluntarily directed to the water district.
Videotaping Committee Meetings
The board agreed to move forward with recording committee meetings using a portable PTZ camera and Bluetooth microphones already owned by the town. AV technician Matt explained that recordings could be made on a memory card and easily uploaded to YouTube. Committee chairs would receive brief training. Meetings will take place in the upstairs meeting room for better sound quality. No resolution is required to proceed.
Affordable Housing Preferences
Supervisor Hamm reported that initial research suggested preference systems for affordable housing could be legally risky. However, Town Attorney Ian noted that such systems can be implemented if carefully crafted, citing examples in Fishkill and New Paltz. New York City settled a lawsuit by reducing local preference from 50% to 20%. The board agreed to invite Fishkill's housing administrator, Moren McClennon, to explain their point system. The attorney recommended thorough legal review to avoid inadvertently creating discriminatory practices.
Supervisor's Report Highlights
Supervisor Hamm reported on several items: an initial meeting with EPC consultants about an energy performance contract to reduce town energy costs; completion of the 2025 town justice financial review; postponement of road sweeping to the week of April 27; upcoming bridge work on the bridge near Jack's Auto (fall 2026 start, no closures required); and a zoning consultant's recommendation to clarify codes regarding fences and abandoned cars.
Enhancement Committee Report
Chair Tom Boositz reported on the committee's budget of $4,927 for plantings and decorations, co-sponsorship of Earth Day cleanup, and the upcoming Arbor Day tree planting. Two landscape proposals for Fountain Square were received and will be reviewed.
Parking on Main Street
Supervisor Hamm reported progress on parking issues in front of Dollar General, noting that sheriff patrols have helped. The town attorney stated that under vehicle and traffic law, the town cannot regulate parking on state roads without written DOT authorization, which could then be codified as a local law.
Financial Report
Total taxes collected to date: $7,818,522.19, with $1,271,326.20 remaining uncollected. Monthly claims totaled $292,956.54. Planning and Zoning Secretary Judy Westfeld announced her retirement effective June 1.
Arbor Day Proclamation
Maryanne Snow Pitts and Paul Cario presented a proposal for the town to pursue Tree City USA designation through the Arbor Day Foundation. They outlined four standards including an annual observance, a tree care ordinance, a tree board, and spending at least $2 per capita on tree care. The board asked for the written standards and agreed to consider a proclamation at the next meeting. The Amenia Garden Club committed to funding annual tree plantings.
Housing Board Responsibilities
Resident Judy Moran raised concerns about Section 121-42K of the town code, which assigns the Housing Board responsibility for administering and monitoring the workforce housing program. The board agreed to have both the town attorney and the planning board attorney review the code section to clarify obligations.
Water District Online Payments
The board discussed the inability of water district customers to pay bills online after the payment processor identified a security risk. The town clerk noted that the water department uses a different, less capable system than the tax collection office. The matter will be referred to the water committee's May 1 meeting.
This summary was generated from the YouTube recording. It is intended as a public service and may contain minor transcription inaccuracies.