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Philipstown Adopts Comprehensive Plan, Moves Toward Election Redistricting
First Annual Triathlon being planned for Philipstown in '06
by Maria Theodore Leiter
Enthusiastic applause followed the Philipstown Town Board's adoption of the Philipstown 2020 Comprehensive Plan last Thursday, March 8, 2006, as they unanimously voted before a packed house to make the document official. The plan will serve as a guide as the Town reworks its zoning laws and makes decisions about the future.
"I don't know of any document ever developed in this Town that was put together with the input of the community as this was," said Philipstown Supervisor William Mazzuca. After thanking those community members that helped make the plan a reality, he added, "It's the plan that will determine what we want our Town to look like twenty, thirty, forty years from now. This is a historic moment in Philipstown." Susan Bates, who chaired the Comprehensive Plan Special Board, was the recipient of a standing ovation as the audience turned in her direction to reward her for her efforts over these last five years.
After some reflection, Bates related her thoughts on the experience to the PCN&R:
"I think the plan reflects the best of Philipstown, and all the residents that have supported the process, and contributed to it. The support from the Town Board and the community at the meeting on Thursday night was fabulous. Since the challenge of adopting zoning to put the plan into action is now ahead of us it was very encouraging to see the broad support and enthusiasm for the process that has gotten us this far. Speaking personally, I can't think of a more worthwhile effort to be part of." She commended the Town Board for having the "vision and confidence to embark on this process to involve the whole community in laying the groundwork."
Copies of the plan can be obtained at the Town Hall.
The Town Board also adopted two resolutions that will affect voters in Philipstown and the Villages of Cold Spring and Nelsonville. At the request of the Putnam County Board of Elections, they unanimously passed a law allowing the County to conduct all County, Town and Federal Elections. This was required by new Help America Vote Act laws that took effect on January 1, 2006 in New York State. Another resolution will allow the County Board of Elections to redraw voting districts in Philipstown. Because the Villages would still be responsible for their own elections, the law necessitates that voting district lines are solely within the villages. Because of the way current district lines are drawn, some people residing outside of the villages have been included on village voting rolls. Under new district lines proposed by the two Election Commissioners, one who is a Democrat, the other a Republican, a new North Highlands District, District 11, would be created from parts of Districts 2, 3 and 8, and part of election district 5, which lies outside of Cold Spring, would be added to District 7.
The Board also heard from Garrison resident Robert Bickford, who explained his findings regarding Garrison's oldest surviving home, known as Mandeville House and lobbied them to take action to enforce a charitable trust Bickford claimed may have been breached by its trustee, who upon the death of the owner, transferred the property to a new trust created under his own name.
The home, which stands at the corner of Lower Station Road and Route 9D was built in 1737.
"It is believed that Washington, Hamilton, Koskiusko and Lafayette visited Mandeville," said Bickford. "Don MacDonald, Town Historian, Alan Warnecke, County Historian, and Jim Johnson, Military Historian of the Hudson Valley all confirm that Mandeville is a prime revolutionary site."
Bickford has taken up the cause of descendents of Col. Julian Benjamin, who claim that their relative, who owned the house from 1922 to 1954, intended the house to become a museum. Bickford said he discussed Mandeville with the late Hoff Benjamin, a nephew of Julian.
"At Hoff's request, I looked up Julian's will and found that, at his death in 1954, he left Mandeville to Margaret Gething (aka Nancy Allan), absolutely," said Bickford. He said that land records show that Gething created a charitable trust of the property effective on her death, the Margaret Allan Gething Memorial Trust, with the direction that the trustees establish Mandeville as a museum. She also left assets in the trust to support the museum.
"However, in 1985, after Mrs. Gething died, in Texas, where she had returned to spend her last years, her trustee, Robert Perry, who had been her lawyer and confidante, transferred the property from the charitable trust to a Texas entity named 'Perry-Gething Foundation' presumably honoring Mr. Perry, the lawyer, confidante, trustee, as well as Mrs. Gething."
Bickford said that he could not find any indication that the transfer was sanctioned by the Attorney General. Perry currently resides in Texas and opens the house to the public for one or two days at a time, a gesture that Bickford feels falls far short of Gethings wishes.
He requested that the Board pass a resolution supporting efforts to reclaim the house as a museum.
Mazzuca said that the Town Board would look into the matter. Mr. Perry could not be reached in time for this story.
In another matter, the Board took a step toward the establishment of the First Annual Triathlon in Philipstown. The Philipstown Greenway Committee is currently working out the route that would be taken in the contest that will involve cycling, running and kayaking events. The resolution will allow the committee to apply for grants. The event is anticipated to take place this September. Planners hope to announce the event in April.
In other business, the Board unanimously approved: a resolution establishing reimbursement fees associated with the SEQRA review of the Quarry Pond Planned Development District; a resolution authorizing Mazzuca to sign a contract with Cornerstone Telephone; a resolution authorizing the Supervisor to sign an agreement between the Towns of Philipstown, Cortlandt, Putnam Valley and French and Parrello Associates of Holmdel, NJ, to continue engineering design services for the Cortlandt Lake Dam. The latter was necessary because the Department of Environmental Conservation is requiring the Cortlandt Lake Park District to update a fourteen-year-old Emergency Evacuation Plan in connection with work to repair the Cortlandt Lake dam. Michael Phelan of the Advisory Board of the Continental Village Water District said that the work was outside the original scope of the engineer's contract. The Board also approved three resolutions regarding East Mountain Road North which were in connection with possible litigation regarding an existing condition on that road.
The Town-wide Spring clean-up was scheduled for April 22, and the Town Clerk was authorized to advertise for bidders.
An announcement was made for an Energy Fair that will take place on Saturday, March 25, 2006 from 10 to 1pm at the Croton Municipal Building in Croton on Hudson. The event is being co sponsored by Assemblywoman Sandy Galef and the Philipstown Town Board. Residents can attend to learn ways that they can conserve energy.
Mazzuca brought forward a request that would allow an NYU student to shoot a film on Route 301. The Board approved the permit application and waived the $25 fee.
Councilwoman Betty Budney announced that she will begin a clean up of the old Purdy Cemetery on East Mountain Road South. She is also requesting volunteers to help with efforts to do spring clean-up at town cemeteries. Anyone willing to donate his/her time can contact her at 265-3508.
During the public comment period, restaurant owner Tom Rolston announced the creation of a new volunteer organization that will consider Economic Development issues in Philipstown. Rolston, who chairs the committee, which has been dubbed Western Putnam Economic Development Group, said that he is working with the County's Economic Development Committee to obtain legal status as an extension of the County entity. He asked that the Board consider designating a representative to the group as a step toward lending it official status. Mazzuca said that the Board would consider it and suggested that the meetings be announced in the Town's newsletter.
Resident Vincent Terio spoke about an ongoing issue he has with regard to a deed he claims he registered with the Town. Mazzuca, after advising Terio that the issue was a matter for the Tax Assessor and saying that he did not want to discuss it any further, became angry when Terio continued to speak about it. He suggested that Mr. Terio write a letter to the Board asking them what action he wished them to take, so that they could respond in writing.
The next Philipstown Town Board meeting will be held on Thursday, April 6, 2006 in the Town Hall. The Board also meets at Town Hall on most Wednesdays at 7:30 pm in workshop format.
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