Town Board Meeting — September 17, 2026

Present: Supervisor Rosanna Hamm, Deputy Supervisor Nicole Ahearn, Councilperson Vicki Doyle, and Councilperson Walter Dietrich — all four board members were present. The board opened the evening in executive session for personnel matters and legal advice regarding Kent Hollow before convening the regular meeting. A public hearing on the proposed smoking and vaping law drew no public comment. The board then worked through committee reports on the highway garage, water system, and recreation programs, discussed several ongoing town initiatives, and adopted the smoking and vaping law along with four other items on the consent agenda.

Smoking and Vaping Local Law — Adopted

Adopted

Resolution 76, approved as part of the consent agenda, formally adopted the town's new local law prohibiting the smoking and vaping of tobacco and cannabis products on town property. A public hearing on the law was opened and closed earlier in the meeting with no members of the public offering comment. The law was first discussed in July, circulated in draft form by the town attorney in August, and formally introduced via Resolution 68 at the August 20 meeting.

Fountain Square Renovation — Landscape Architect Hired

In Progress

Resolution 77, also part of the consent agenda, amended Resolution 72 of 2026 to approve the proposal from landscape architecture firm Aspect 120, which will guide the town through planning a renovation of Fountain Square — addressing broken bricks, damaged historic light poles, missing lantern tops, and a lack of irrigation. The firm's certificate of insurance, an earlier holdup, has been resolved. Councilperson Vicki Doyle was designated the town's primary liaison to landscape architect Susan Jenquil and will help organize a stakeholders group, starting with the Bank of Millbrook, which helped fund the project.

Highway Garage & Salt Shed — Funding Shortfall

In Progress

Supervisor Hamm reported ongoing meetings with construction manager The Palumbo Group on permitting, including a 911 address needed for insurance and safety purposes. The project's salt shed component faces a funding shortfall: the lowest construction bid came in around $1.7 million, while a state grant covers only $600,000 — short of the $415,000 originally anticipated when the board approved $1,065,000 in project funding last year. Councilperson Dietrich said the town now needs to draw roughly $315,000 from the general fund balance to close the gap, with a resolution formalizing that transfer expected at the next meeting. Radiant floor heating for the garage is a second budget priority still being estimated. Separately, water and insect infiltration through warped transom window coverings at Town Hall was temporarily repaired this week using longer screws in place of the original finish nails; the board discussed replacing the thin PVC trim with thicker material in the future.

Route 44 Sidewalk — New Bid Solicitation Authorized

In Progress

Resolution 78, part of the consent agenda, authorized the town to solicit new bids for completion of the Route 44 sidewalk project. Supervisor Hamm reported receiving a $150,000 check from the bonding company this week. Bids are due by 2 p.m. on October 8, with a bid opening the same day at 2:30 p.m. in the town boardroom; submissions will be vetted by LaBella Associates and Dutchess County before the board expects to award a contract at its October 22 meeting, or sooner via a special meeting if scheduling allows. The contractor estimated the work could take about 10 days if weather permits, and the board hopes to complete the Town Hall-to-Broadway section before winter given pedestrian traffic there. During public comment, a resident urged a more thorough vetting process than in the previous bid round, when the town's contractor selection did not work out; Supervisor Hamm and Councilperson Dietrich agreed and noted the county's deeper involvement this time, including review of the RFP language itself.

Water District — Well 5 Abandoned, Well 4 Pump Replaced

In Progress

Water Committee Chairman Bill Flood reported that a failing pump at Well 4 (Washington Court) — which had dropped from 32 gallons per minute to as low as 12–14 — was replaced along with new piping and electrical work; the well is now producing 56 gallons per minute. In the process, the committee discovered Well 5 has not been functioning. A review found the well was drilled into iron-bearing rock by a previous water company operator, and Delaware Engineering quoted $250,000 to test and engineer a new filtration building for a well that, even if brought online, would only produce about 26 gallons per minute — not enough to justify the cost. The water committee decided to abandon Well 5 rather than pursue that investment. The committee is instead exploring expansion of the water district's service area, potentially as far north as Cascade Creek, after Delaware Engineering's review of records found the district pumped more water than it took in between July 2021 and June 2024. Flood also reported a long-standing leak losing an estimated 30,000 gallons per day beneath the district's old pump building, which will be repaired once construction of the new pump house is complete (expected October or November), and said the town is evaluating two additional wells on the former Sims property across from Washington Court that could supplement supply, contingent on those parcels connecting to town water at their own cost if developed.

Other Committee & Department Reports

Highway materials and equipment bids: Following the August 24 bid opening, the highway department recommended a mix of vendors for gravel, stone, sand, fill, asphalt products, road oils, and equipment rentals — including Harlem Valley, Redwing, Century, Calaruso, Peekhams, All State, K Construction, Stan Whitehead, and East Coast Sweeping — chosen primarily on price and to minimize hauling distance. The board accepted the recommended bids without discussion (Resolution not required; approved by motion).

Recreation: The recreation commission is weighing a new youth basketball program, additional senior bus trips, a senior picnic, and a possible holiday community meal, while the fall soccer program continues to be self-supporting. With the Maple Brook pool reopened, the commission is working with Maple Brook on a fee structure — likely starting with a senior swim — that balances lifeguard costs (a second guard is required once attendance exceeds 10 people) against affordability. The commission is also weighing how many days of ice skating to offer this winter through Silo Ridge, which charges $500 per session; board members raised concerns that last year's narrow afternoon skating window didn't work for residents who work, and asked the commission to explore extended hours or a dedicated weekend session for residents. A final Master Plan Update report is expected soon, and a paint-and-sip event is planned for November.

Town Clerk: The minutes of the July, August, and September 3 meetings were accepted, and the board authorized the supervisor to pay this month's claims across the general, highway, lighting, water, and capital project funds. The Amenia Fire Company's pancake breakfast season begins this Sunday, followed by the VFW's kickoff breakfast on October 4.

Tax Cap & 2027 Budget

Supervisor Hamm said the town will likely exceed the state property tax cap this year, given the roughly $315,000 draw from the fund balance for the highway garage salt shed on top of other budget pressures. She plans to file paperwork with the state comptroller's office to determine the exact allowable levy, with a tentative 2027 budget due by September 30 and a possible resolution to override the tax cap introduced at the October 3 meeting if needed.

Short-Term Rental Regulation Discussed

The board discussed whether to adopt a local law regulating short-term rentals, following a conversation among area town supervisors. Amenia currently has no such law despite at least 10 known short-term rental listings identified by the code enforcement officer, and collects no hospitality tax on them, unlike Rhinebeck. Supervisor Hamm cited fire-safety concerns — referencing a fatal fire linked to an unregulated short-term rental in the Town of Clinton — as well as the effect that converting long-term housing stock to short-term rentals can have on the town's affordable housing supply. No action was taken; the board indicated the topic may be studied further as part of the ongoing Comprehensive Plan update, with assistance from Pace University's law school.

Veterans Exemption

The board reviewed a letter proposing an extension of the town's veterans property tax exemption to cover seriously and permanently disabled veterans. The board agreed to invite a representative from the veterans society to give a presentation at a future meeting. During public comment, a resident noted that state law already requires school districts — as distinct from towns — to offer a full exemption for veterans with a 100% disability rating.

Community Stakeholders Group

Supervisor Hamm described an informal community stakeholders group she convened, made up of a politically and generationally diverse mix of residents, business owners, and party committee leaders, aimed at bridging divisions in town and expanding opportunities for local students. Deputy Supervisor Ahearn said a related student media club is being formed with the school district to produce a digital newsletter featuring interviews with community stakeholders. Board members debated whether the group's meetings should be recorded for transparency, as is standard for official town committees; Supervisor Hamm noted the group is informal, unfunded, and open to the public, but doesn't operate under the same requirements as a town committee. During public comment, a resident cautioned that consistent representation — rather than rotating attendance — is important for institutional continuity on any committee.

Consent Agenda

The board approved five items in a single motion: Resolution 76 (smoking and vaping law adoption), Resolution 77 (Aspect 120 landscape architect contract amendment for Fountain Square), Resolution 78 (Route 44 sidewalk bid solicitation), Resolution 79 (appointment of a marriage officer), and Resolution 80 (a transfer of funds).

Announcements & Other Matters

Councilperson Dietrich, returning from vacation, asked board members to speak closer to the microphone, citing audio problems with recent meeting recordings. Councilperson Doyle reported the Enhancement Committee meets September 22 to review its 2027 budget and continue Fountain Square planning; the Conservation Advisory Council will host a Repair Cafe at the October 17 Harvest Festival (11 a.m.–4 p.m.) offering free bike, sewing, knife-sharpening, and jewelry repair services; and the Amenia Historical Society holds its annual meeting October 30 at the library. Upcoming events include a Trunk-or-Treat on October 31, a Haunted Barn at the Luther Barn October 23–25 (with a 21-and-up Monster Ball on October 24), and continued Harvest Festival planning for October 17. The board closed the meeting in executive session for legal advice regarding a letter from the library and matters related to the appointment of personnel.

Watch the full meeting recording on the AmeniaTV YouTube channel →

This summary was generated from the YouTube recording of the meeting. It is intended as a public service and may contain minor transcription inaccuracies.