Milan Press Archive
(NOTE: The Poughkeepsie Journal does not offer free access to their archives)
General store made Milan area a bustling community
While Milan is currently comprised of two hamlets — Lafayetteville and Rock City — during the 19th century it boasted several others, the most prominent being Jackson Corners.
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Crash victims recovering in burn unit
The two teenagers rescued from a fiery pick-up truck crash in Milan on Friday night are recovering in the burn unit at Westchester Medical Center as of this afternoon.
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Milan board looks to fix 'financial mess'
Review showed inconsistencies in records
After months of contentious debates over the town's finances, officials are working out solutions to correct the fiscal discrepancies.
Supervisor Richard Barrett said the town's fiscal problems have "snowballed" for several years and it has finally "come to a head."
Poughkeepsie Journal June 15 READ MORE
Milan board at odds over financial records
Supervisor: Bookkeeping software outdated
Tensions flared over the poor state of the town's bookkeeping at a recent town board meeting, highlighting potential flaws in the financial records as well as dissension across party lines.
Board members Ross Williams and Diane May, the sole Democrats, abstained from accepting the financial reports for April, citing the fact the board has still not accepted the December 2008 financial report.
Poughkeepsie Journal May 18 READ MORE
Policy on speeding tickets gets 2nd look
A state police policy barring troopers from plea bargaining with motorists over speeding tickets will soon be
debated in a state appellate court, thanks to a recent ruling by a town justice in Dutchess County. Clinton Town Justice Barbara Seelbach last month dismissed a speeding ticket issued by a trooper to a motorist with a clean driving record, ruling the state police policy prohibiting the trooper from considering a lesser charge was unfair.
Poughkeepsie Journal May 18...READ MORE
Ban on troopers making ticket deals angers another judge
A second town justice in Dutchess County has joined the fight against a state police policy prohibiting state troopers
from offering plea bargains for traffic tickets.
Clinton Justice Barbara Seelbach last month dismissed “in the furtherance of justice” a speeding ticket issued by state
police, ruling it would be an “injustice” to allow the driver to be prosecuted by a trooper who is blocked by state policy
from plea-bargaining. Daily Freeman May 5,2009... READ MORE
Milan Justice in the News
Frank Christensen, one of Milan’s town justices, was mentioned (with a very nice photo) in a lengthy article in the New York Times on Sunday, February 22, 2009. The article was discussing the issue of state troopers no longer being allowed to plea bargain traffic tickets. Because other police officers can plea bargain, Justice Christensen believes this creates an unconstitutional situation of unequal protection in court. He refused to enforce the regulation and was sued under an Article 78 proceeding by the state police. He lost the case and asked the town to support an appeal.
The Republican-dominated town board refused, as is their invariable response to issues that require some backbone. Justice Christensen, as the article explains, is courageously pursuing the appeal at his own expense. You can read the whole story HERE.
Hyde Park debate over town engineer hire persists
The town board remains divided on rehiring its longtime town engineer through 2009. Supervisor Pompey Delafield and Councilman Robert Linville support paying Morris Associates $47,730 to provide engineering consulting services to year's end. But a majority of the board disagrees. Morris Associates has provided the town engineering consulting services for more than 13 years, with Peter Setaro as the designated engineer. Councilwoman Hannah Black said it is "a conflict of interest" having the same firm oversee and inspect projects it has designed.
Poughkeepsie Journal February 27 (NA)
As economy declines town attorney asks for raise.
Go figure...
Milan Town Board seeks new town attorney
Register Herald (Dec 19)
Judge dismisses $1 million lawsuit agains Milan
A $1 million lawsuit filed against the town by the former operator of Milan waste transfer station has been thrown out by a state Supreme Court justice in Dutchess County.
The former operator of the transfer station, Dyal Rolloff Inc., alleged the town unlawfully hired another company to manage operations at the site.
Daily Freeman Story
Drink Less Champagne:
Bobbi Egan’s Answer to the Taxpayers of Milan!
At the Town Board’s special budget meeting on Monday evening, November 17, Republican Town Board member Bobbi Eagan pulled a bottle of Champagne from her bag and placed it on the table. She then proclaimed that the taxpayers of Milan could afford a 40 percent tax increase if they would only stop drinking all that expensive Champagne.
No, this isn’t a satire—I was there and it really happened. READ MORE
VEUVE CLICQUOT, ANYONE?
The observations of one outraged Milan resident on the planning of the Town’s 2009 budget
Well, Sarah Palin had “Joe Six-Pack,” and now, according to Republican Town Board member Bobbie Egan, it seems Milan has “Veuve Clicquot Tom.” READ MORE
And WHO is drinking $50 bottles of champagne these days?
Town Board member Bobbi Egan brought out the champagne for Monday night’s budget meeting at Milan Town Hall.The champagne wasn’t for celebrating. It was about road paving.For the price of a bottle of champagne, a price of between $40 and $50 for each property in town, residents can see Odak Farm Road paved in the coming year, she said. “It’s a mess,” Egan said of the road. “I don’t think it’s too much to ask.” Freeman Story |
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Residents will see big tax increase in Milan
Barrett says. "There's no way out."
Register Herald (Nov 6).
Accountants quit in Milan
The Town of Milan will soon be losing its accountants, the second time an accounting firm has resigned from the town in a
period of five months, the town supervisor said Monday night.
Register Herald (Sept 11)
LoBrutto resigns as planning board chairman
Town Board members appointed a new planning board chairman, outlawed outbursts and talked about what to do with an overabundance of church pews at town hall during Monday's meeting.
Register Herald (Aug 14)
State will help Milan battle
mining project Greenway act
offers indemnity
The state attorney general's office has decided to take on Milan's legal battle against Red Wing Sand and Gravel.The office informed town officials of its decision last week. The state will represent the town through an indemnity - a type of security against hurt, loss or damage - the Hudson River Valley Greenway Compact offers to all its communities.Milan will become the first community in the compact to take advantage of the indemnity.
Poughkeepsie Journal (August 13) NA
Milan town officials get good news, bad news on finances
While municipal finances will remain tight for the remainder of 2008, Town Board members did hear a piece of good news from accountants recently.
Kingston Freeman (July 28)
Supervisor: Appeal too costly...
Milan Town Board members continued to struggle with the price tag of legal fees and appeals during Monday's meeting.
This time around, they also discussed what help they were expecting from the state and the community.
Register Herald ( July 17)
According to Barrett
The town may have to take out a loan to cover its attorney fees for the remainder of the fiscal year, Supervisor Richard Barrett says.
Kingston Freeman story (June 15) NA
Former Transfer Station Operator Sues Town
David Dyal, the former operator of the Milan transfer station is suing the town for $1 million, alleging that the town unlawfully hired another company to manage operations.
The lawsuit was recently filed in state Supreme Court in Dutchess County by Dyal Rolloff Inc. against the town of Milan, former Supervisor John "Van" Talmage, Town Board members Ross Williams and Diane May, and Welsh Sanitation Services.
Read the article HERE
PoJo Editorial Urges Greenway
Legal Support
An editorial in the Poughkeepsie Journal on May 16 urges the Greenway Compact to provide Milan with legal support in the fight against gravel mining...
Greenway gets legal support test
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Milan will continue mine fight
On Monday, the town board voted to appeal the ruling state Supreme Court Justice James Brands made last month, which voided the town's comprehensive plan and many of the laws it generated. Officials are hopeful the state will pick up the tab in the town's ongoing legal dispute with Red Wing Sand and Gravel.
Poughkeepsie Journal (May 1)NA
Deadline looms to appeal court decision; Board to decide Monday on action regarding comp plan, local laws.
Two local laws passed in 2007, Local Law No. 6, which eliminated a floating light industrial zone, and Local Law No. 7, the town's wetlands law, were also declared "null and void."
Register Herald (April 24)
Milan, group appeal ruling on mine hearing
Town wants to testify on community character
A recent decision by a Department of Environmental Conservation judge has town officials feeling left out, an activist group feeling its arguments have been cut short and Red Wing Sand and Gravel officials feeling they may be wasting their time.
Poughkeepsie Journal (April 7)
Judge tosses Milan town master plan
Red Wing Properties Inc. has gained a resounding victory in state Supreme Court in Dutchess County, as a judge threw out Milan's comprehensive plan and two local laws enacted by the town last year.
As a result of the ruling, Red Wing is a step closer in its quest for a mining operation in Milan, and it appears that the town will be taking a large step backward.
Daily Freeman ( April7)
State judge strikes Milan land-use plan, laws
Remember the controversial comprehensive plan that passed in the Town of Milan two years ago? Well, town residents can forget about the plan and a few of the laws it spawned for the time being.
State Supreme Court Justice James Brands has issued a ruling that voided the comprehensive plan along with the town's wetlands law and the town's decision to end its floating light industrial zone.
Poughkeepsie Journal (April 2) NA
Board to appeal Red Wing ruling; town denied full party status by DEC
Members of the Milan Town Board recently decided to appeal a decision by the state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) regarding a mining permit requested by Red Wing Properties Inc.
Register Herald (March 27)
Milan in the News on March 12
Milan was in the local news on March 16. An article in the Daily Freemanl covered Joel Tyner’s resolution in the County Legislature in opposition to the Durst development:
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Joel is the only County legislator so far to speak out on the project. He’s been criticized for doing so, but we think he’s right. This project isn’t just a local issue--it has county-wide ramifications. Joel represents Rhinebeck and Clinton, communities that will feel the ripple effects of the project. Republican County Legislator Gary Cooper, who does represent Milan and Pine Plains, has been mostly absent from the issue.
An article in the Daily Freeman described the media frenzy—something we don’t see very often in Milan—over Tania Hollander, implicated in the call girl scandal that brought down the governor. Turns out she lives in Milan, not Rhinebeck as reported earlier. Frankly, we’d rather see more local coverage of more important issues, but in the interests of thoroughness here’s the link
Cable Comes to Milan!
Cable TV with high-speed internet access is finally coming to Milan! The contract, which has been in the works since last year, is under review by the Town’s lawyer and could be signed soon.
Read more about it HERE.
Cablevision will make a presentation about the plan at the Town Board meeting on March 10. Many thanks to Democratic Town Board member Diane May for keeping this project moving along. We’ll try to have details in advance of the presentation if they’re available, but they probably won’t be—the current Republican administration isn’t real interested in keeping citizens informed. In fact, they’re interested in just the opposite: Cutting off the flow of information to citizens. The Supervisor’s feeble excuse at the last Town Board meeting was that the Town website is supposedly being redesigned by an unnamed volunteer. That’s a pretty poor reason for not posting simple yet essential information such as the agenda for Board meetings and the text of proposed laws. All members of the Milan community should have prompt and full access to this sort of information. We do our best here at milaninsider.com, but when the Town Supervisor can’t be bothered to inform his own Board members about the agenda until the day of the meeting, he’s certainly not going to bother informing us—or you.
The effort by the Republicans on the Town Board to add two members to the Planning Board is covered in this article from the Register Herald
Milaners Youth Program
Council member David Byrne is working on a new youth program for Milan. It’s nice to know that years of dedication and hard work by Jackie Reynolds and other volunteers aren’t being totally wasted. Read the story HERE.
Forum on Environmental Law
Sheila Buff spoke on January 23 in Millbrook about the role of local government in protecting the environment at a county-wide Cornell Cooperative Extension meeting for local officials and CACs. Read more about it HERE.
Planning Board Changes and More
in the News
The Register Herald reports on Planning Board changes, Morris Associates, threatening letters, gravel mining, and Dick Barrett's stonewalling. Read it HERE.
Burglars caught!
2 men charged in string of burglaries
After a two-month joint investigation into a series of residential burglaries, police arrested two local men on felony burglary charges last week.
Poughkeepsie Journal (Jan23) NA
Radio Report on the State Police Lawsuit against Milan Town Justice Christensen
The Honorable Frank Christensen, a long-time Town Justice in Milan, is the target of a lawsuit by the State Police. It’s a complex issue involving plea bargaining on traffic tickets. For some interesting background on the case, listen to this story, which aired on WAMC (90.9 FM) on January 14:
Listen to the story HERE
Milan planner switch raises concerns
Some fear change could alter soil mining stance
"They (Morris Associates) have been known for engineering and they've been more involved in the development side than they are the planning side."
Poughkeepsie Journal (Jan 11) NA
New Milan officials plan their goals
"Our platform during the campaign promised common sense legislation," said Byrne. "We're going to take care of the people of Milan, but also take care of the environment."
Register Herald (Jan 10)
Milan bridge set for repair
The bridge over Pink Lane is on its way to being repaired, but at least one neighbor is concerned about how the replacement will affect him personally
Daily Freeman (Jan 6)
State police sue Milan judge over reduced charge
The New York State Police have filed a lawsuit against Milan Town Justice Frank Christensen, alleging he exceeded his authority by reducing a speeding ticket to a lesser charge.
Daily Freeman (Jan 4)
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