Rte 22 - the study widens

Good morning all - look in on lohud.com/forums - there are lively and at times thoughtful discussions on a whole variety of issues, one of which is the DOT stunning proposal to further study the studies for Rte 22.  I wrote two observations which follow:

When in doubt, form a committee and do a study - another study. Actually what has happened is that the DOT is faced with another more urgent regional priority - they have got to fix the 684/84 exit to Danbury, the location of recent accidents. They have set their engineers on that task which I was told might also include widening of 84. In the meantime, they'll dabble with lights and turning lanes on Rte 22 and humor everyone except the commuters and residents imprisoned on a road that often seems to go nowhere.

I neglected to mention in my previous post that the inclusion of Connecticut in a regional solution (one that was initially recommended by Dr. Marian Rose of Croton Watershed Clean Water Coalition several years ago) is the one bright spot in this dismal, frustrating picture. It has been estimated that Connecticut commuters using Doansburg and Milltown Rd account for some 20% of the total morning and evening traffic on Rte 22. If the numbers could be decreased by Connecticut recognizing its responsibility and the burden that it places on Putnam commuters, then solutions to make the commuting tolerable, might be helpful in the short term only.

Connecticut must step up to the plate and get serious.

Sincerely,
Ann

Starts SATURDAY 6/9  9-2  --- you can print attached flyer & SPREAD the word—come say hi and buy some great Italian products, including BREADS from C & C Provisions along with your spinach & cilantro from Jeannie-

See you there- KC

Coalition for a Better Brewster, Inc.

PO Box 690, Brewster, NY 10509            

betterbrewster.org                                                          914.671.6262 

Hi all - Lisa Aurello and Dr. Rose, CWCWC President put the finger on the real culprit  for ever spiraling taxes - unsustainable development. (see articles and letters published in Journal News and newyorkwater.org)  Dr. Rose's suggestion: developers  should pay school impact fees. How about it town board members?

Sincerely,
Ann
www.putopenspaces.com
PS - Nor is commercial development and senior housing without their own hidden costs.  Unsustainable development is not a free ride.


Blame development, not school districts . . .

(Original publication: May 23, 2006)

I find it ironic that, not long after Newsweek published the 1,200 top high schools in the nation and Brewster High School ranked a stellar 558, our school budget is voted down. I understand the frustration with high taxes, but taking it out on our children is not the answer. Where is all the anger when developers present their monstrous projects for approval at town meetings? These developments drive up taxes; they don't mitigate them. Has anyone noticed any small, sustainable development being touted? No, it's only the giant affairs that are proposed. This out-of-control development is the reason why our taxes are so high.

The school budget will continue to grow ever more unaffordable if development is allowed to proceed at its current breakneck pace. Why? More houses, more children. More commerce, more employees, more new residents, more children, more cars, more traffic, more taxes, less clean air, less clean water, less greenery. But that's not the kids' fault. And it's not the schools' fault.

On Election Day I saw plenty of senior citizens braving the teeming rain to cast their votes, but few parents. Seniors living on fixed incomes are justifiably upset, but they, too, must realize that taxes provide for everyone. Medicaid is the single biggest expense in any county budget. Were there to be a vote on Medicaid budgets, would they still turn out to vote them down?

Our children are our future. They need our support and encouragement. Remember, good schools keep property values high. That's in everyone's best interest.

Lisa Aurello, Brewster
 

Plans call for $75 million urban renewal project of village's downtown
By: Eric Gross
03/24/2006

BREWSTER - A mid-western development company is bullish on Brewster.
    
Representatives of Exceed International headquartered in Antioch, Illinois, met with village officials last week and outlined plans for a $75 million urban renewal project that would stimulate the regeneration of the once attractive urban center.

Chris Wood, coordinator of Business Development for Exceed International, sat down with this reporter last Friday at the company's district office in Pawling, to review the plans.

Wood described Brewster as an "incredible community resource. Exceed hopes to follow in the footsteps of Water Brewster whose idea of bringing the railroad into Putnam County stimulated a renaissance. Our initiative will create a critical mass that will stimulate economic development while facilitating another period of renaissance for the village."

Exceed's proposal engenders a diverse, walkable and vibrant mixed use micro economy. The proposed site, Main Street bounded by Hoyt and Progress Streets, is directly across the street from the Metro North train station.

The plan envisages a comprehensive development of the entire site to provide 16,000 square feet of street level retail as well as 17,000 square feet of above-grade commercial space plus 130 residential units.

Wood forecast the mixed-use project would create a "dynamic new tax base for the village. The current tax yield of 12 properties is $200,000 a year. The proposed development would generate some $2 million a year in tax revenue."

Wood said of equal importance, Exceed was dedicated to creating an "innovative green building raising the quality of living and addressing critical environmental challenges faced by the village including wastewater issues."

The plan includes green rooftops and other novel green building design features including an on-site wastewater treatment site.

Wood said once plans were approved, his company would acquire properties from ten different ownerships through "private treaty before demolishing existing buildings and constructing a brand new building including not only retail and office space but parking as well as modern apartments."

On Saturday during a walking tour of the village, pedestrians and business leaders had mixed feelings about the plan. James Montalvo of Brewster called the proposal "pie in the sky. It sounds great but it will never happen. There are too many regulations from agencies on the city and state level to allow something as grandiose as this from ever taking place."

Holly Hannon of Brewster disagreed. "The village is dying a slow death. Just look around. We need something to revitalize the community. If we all work together, this can take place and Brewster will again become the 'Hub of the Harlem Valley.'"

Mayor John Degnan's initial reaction was excitement. "All of the infrastructure work recently completed by defining our identity within the watershed has paid off. Brewster finds itself in a situation where people are eagerly interested in working with the village in partnership to see our village revitalized," he said.

Degnan expressed great enthusiasm about benchmarks and "how things are being perceived. People from far and wide realize that Brewster has a great potential."

Richard Ruchala, a Brewster landlord, businessman and a member of the village's Zoning Board, charged that Exceed was "leap frogging the entire project. They have had no conversations with anyone about how they intended to purchase the properties."

Ruchala owns about 38-percent of the buildings in question. "The enormity of the project and the limitations imposed by the New York City Department of Environmental Protection means other parts of the village will not get their requirements," he said.

Mayor Degnan said the process had a "long road to travel. Reserved optimism is the order of the day."

Despite the concerns expressed, Wood said Exceed was "gung-ho" on making the project succeed. He forecast a two year period to negotiate with current landlords, a planning process and dealing with the State Environmental Quality Review Act plus two to three years to build. "If all goes well, by the year 2010, the renaissance of Brewster will have begun with the completion of one of America's most attractive urban centers," he said.

BREWSTER-U.S. Senator Charles Schumer is bullish on Brewster

New York State's senior representative in Washington traveled to Putnam county last Thursday and met with state, county and village officials at the Walter Brewster House to learn about the infrastructure improvements planned for Brewster.

Mayor John Degnan told the senator that Brewster officials were creating a new identity. "Brewster finds itself in an interesting position since we have the most dense population for any square-mile municipality found in Putnam as well as the lowest median income."

Despite this, Team Brewster consisting of elected officials and concerned residents, continues to meet in an attempt to improve the infrastructure while adding housing, commerce and transportation to a community once revered as the "Hub of the Harlem Valley."

The mayor talked about new sewers, the village's $38 million wastewater treatment plant, plans to build artificial wetlands to improve reservoir water quality and the construction of a parking garage in the area of the Metro North Railroad Station.

Randy Fleischer of Mahopac, Director of Business Development and Facilities for Metro North, updated the gathering on the railroad's plans to rehabilitate the village's train station beginning in the spring. The $2.5 million project will add 55 parking spaces as well as a new plaza in front of the terminal to improve what Fleischer said would be "pedestrian walkways, bus access and signalization of the Route 6 and Railroad Avenue intersection."

Schumer was impressed. "This is inspiring. To take the village's problems be they transportation or environmental and to solve them by revitalizing the village and making it stronger is really exciting. Smart growth consists of more than becoming a big suburban sprawl. Yet, Putnam's population continues to grow and this has become a coveted area. To have a place like Brewster adapt is not just good for Brewster and Putnam county but could easily become a model for New York State or even the U.S. These are exciting times in Brewster and I pledge my help anyway I can. With Sue (Kelly) and Hillary (Clinton) and me on your team, this will be a win-win," he said.

Schumer called the Hudson Valley "our future. When you visit communities like Buffalo and Rochester you ask: 'How do we turn this place around?' The Hudson Valley has the pleasant problem of trying to make sure that record growth makes life positive for everyone."

Deputy County Executive Frank DelCampo told Schumer that Putnam county was being challenged by the malls. "Downtown revitalization is key. Look at the successes in Mahopac and Carmel. Brewster will be next. People want to visit the downtowns for dinner and culture. Team Brewster is a winner."

Schumer agreed that Team Brewster was a "model well beyond Brewster and Putnam county. Things move in generations and cycles. My parents' generation was housed in small cities or on farms. They wanted a suburban type existence. Their children are now seeking something different that combines the best of each. This is the future."

The senator toured Brewster. He visited the Community Action Program office on Main Street and toured the Metro North station.

While at the CAP office he was introduced to Angelisa Church of Patterson who had just received a car courtesy of the Wheels for Work program. The 1998 mini-van will allow Church, who is a single mom with three small children to drive back and forth to her place of employment in Yorktown. "This is truly a blessing. Without the efforts of Rosemarie Bahr and CAP and the Department of Social Services, I wouldn't have survived. The best move of my life was moving to Putnam County," she said.

Senator Schumer wished Church the best of luck. "Talk about a mitzvah for the holidays. The program gives people hope. It gives them a new life. It's great!"

©Putnam County Courier 2005

Brewster Recognized Steward of The Croton Watershed

From: Yaggi, Marc <MYaggi@law.pace.edu>
To: Geesewatch@aol.com <Geesewatch@aol.com>
Subject: [RW list] FW: [CRSE] Brewster in Putnam County Times
Date: Thu, 4 Aug 2005 07:10:55 -0400

<< Message from the Riverkeeper Watershed mailing list >>
 

-----Original Message-----
From: CRSE@yahoogroups.com
To: Brewster10509@yahoogroups.com; Concerned Residents of Southeast, Inc.
Sent: 8/3/05 11:46 PM
Subject: [CRSE] Brewster in Putnam County Times

Putnam County Times
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 3, 2005
Page 1

Brewster Recognized Steward of The Croton Watershed

The story of how the Village of Brewster has transformed itself
environmentally in just a few years was the subject of a paper that was
presented at last month's prestigious ASCE 2005 Watershed Management
Conference held in Williamsburg, Virginia. The paper "The Village of
Brewster, as a Model Community in the New York City Watershed," was
presented by John Folchetti, CEO of J. Robert Folchetti & Associates, a
Somers-based civil-environmental consulting and engineering firm that is
Brewster's Village Engineer.

Co-authored with Village Trustee John Degnan, the paper describes how
the tiny (population 2,200) Village of Brewster in Putnam County, has
changed since 1999 from being a potential violator to becoming a steward
of the New York City Watershed- the largest unfiltered drinking water
supply in the nation. In the process, the Village has partnered with
government and non-governmental organizations to become a steward of the
watershed while also seeking to improve its physical infrastructure to
support current and long-term economic development. Comprehensive
water-quality improvement projects undertaken by the Village include a
new wastewater treatment plant and a state-of-the-art stormwater
treatment facility. The Village developed a new Master flan in
conjunction with the Urban Planning Program of Columbia University in
the City of New York and has recently entered into a partnership with
the not-for-profit Institute for Environmental Stewardship to provide
educational outreach to both adults and children based on its experience
with watershed protection.

Folchetti says, "Our paper shows how a small community can plan a
large role in the critical issue of watershed management and we are
honored to have it selected for the conference." Presenters at this
year's conference, sponsored by the Environmental and Water Resources
Institute (EWRI) of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) -
included experts from around the world.

The ASCE conference "Managing Watersheds for Human and Natural Impacts:
Engineering, Ecological and Economic Challenges" was the ninth in a
series of watershed conferences held every five years since 1965.
Covering topics ranging from state-of-the-art computer modeling, to
field monitoring, to watershed science, to governmental policy and
regulation, the conference drew attendees spanning an equally broad
scope- including engineers, hydrologists, biologists, ecologists,
economists- attorneys, public officials and governmental planners.

John Degnan says, "At this point, the Village of Brewster has become
a `living laboratory' for environmental stewardship driving development.
We realize that our continued well-being and that of the watershed are
connected and that to sustain them we need to educate future
generations. As our Engineer, John Folchetti has helped us to realize
our innovative vision every step of the way, by assisting not only with
design and engineering but with obtaining financing through grant monies
and with planning, including working with us to create our new Master
Plan.

"We are looking forward to a continuing partnership with him that
will help the Village make a lasting contribution to the management of
the watershed."

Brewster Farmers' Market

The FRESHEST stop on Wednesday’s is in Brewster Village…..veggies, fruit, herbs, honey, plants, organics, wine, eggs, pastries and more!

WEDNESDAYS
June 15 - Nov. 9, 2005
1 - 6pm

Main Street, Brewster

Buy with confidence direct from the producers: Ryder Farm Cottage Industries, EB’s Golden Honey, Missy’s Farm Stand, Cascade Winery, Pastries by David & Peggy, & Tello’s Farm

NYSFMNP participating market

WIC & SNP welcome

RTE 6 & 22 & Peaceable Hill Rd
Village of Brewster Municipal Office Lot
Look for Signs ~ Plenty of Free Parking

Sponsored by the Coalition for a Better Brewster,Inc.,
the Village of Brewster & the Town of Southeast

Coutesy of village trustee, Mike Santos:

From: Mike Santos <villagetrustee2003@yahoo.com>
To: Mike Santos <villagetrustee2003@yahoo.com>
Subject: Economic Development Zone: What is at stake?
Date: Thu, 16 Jun 2005 20:49:01 -0700 (PDT)

Mike Santos <villagetrustee2003@yahoo.com> wrote:
Date: Thu, 16 Jun 2005 20:10:38 -0700 (PDT)
From: Mike Santos <villagetrustee2003@yahoo.com>
Subject: Economic Development Zone: What is at stake?
To: BREWSTER10509 <brewster10509@yahoogroups.com>

The report on the June meeting of the County Legislature in The Journal-News included the following item:

Request that the Putnam County Economic Development Corp. apply for the designation of an economic development zone in Putnam, with assistance from the Planning, Development and Transportation Department. Putnam is one of 12 counties eligible for such a designation based on recently enacted state legislation. The county Legislature will determine the location of the zone.

This began a discussion on BREWSTER10509, which included Dan Birmingham, our County Legislator, about "Empire Zones". I thought it might be useful if the group had more information about Empire Zones so they would know exactly what is at stake in getting our area so designated. This is from the State of New York website:

EMPIRE ZONE BENEFITS
Qualified Empire Zone Enterprises (QEZEs) are eligible for sales tax exemption, real property and business tax credits for businesses locating and expanding in EZs. The purpose of the Empire Zones Program is to give companies that increase employment the opportunity to operate on an almost "tax-free" basis for up to 10 years in designated areas of the State, with additional savings available on a declining basis in years 11 through 15.

QEZE Sales Tax Exemptions. Qualified Empire Zone Enterprises (QEZEs) are granted a 10-year exemption from State sales tax on purchases of goods and services (including utility services and owned vehicles) used predominantly in such zone (effective March 1, 2001).

QEZE Credit for Real Property Taxes. Qualified Empire Zone Enterprises are allowed a refundable credit against their business tax equal to a percentage of real property taxes paid based upon increased employment in the zone (effective for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2001)

QEZE Tax Reduction Credit. Qualified Empire Zone Enterprises are allowed a credit against their tax equal to a percentage of taxes attributable to the zone enterprise (effective taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2001).
Link to the NYS Tax Department for more information on Empire Zone tax incentives.

Additional Benefits

Wage Tax Credit (WTC). This credit is available for up to five consecutive years for companies hiring full-time employees in newly created jobs. For employees in special targeted groups, this credit equals $3,000 per year, with a credit of $1,500 per year effective 1/1/2001, for all other new hires.

EZ Investment Tax and Employment Incentives Credit (ITC-EIC). Businesses that create new jobs and make new investments in production, property and equipment may qualify for tax credits of up to 19% of the company's eligible investment.

New Business Refund. Businesses new to New York State are entitled to a 50% cash refund of unused EZ-WTC and ITC amounts. Other businesses may carry forward unused credits indefinitely.

Utility Rate Savings. Special reduced electric and gas rates may be available through investor-owned utilities in New York State. Businesses that locate or expand their operations in an EZ may receive significantly reduced rates.

Zone Capital Credit. A 25% tax credit against personal or corporate income taxes is available for contributing or purchasing shares in a zone capital corporation; or for a direct equity investment in a certified zone business; or for contributions to approved community development projects within an EZ.

Technical Assistance. Each local zone office is staffed with professionals qualified to assist businesses locating or expanding in an EZ
For access to the site, please go to http://www.nylovesbiz.com/Tax_and_Financial_Incentives/Empire_Zones/default.asp

MIKE SANTOS

Mishaps raise safety concerns
By MARCELA ROJAS
THE JOURNAL NEWS
(Original publication: June 19, 2005)

Brewster Farmers' Market: Cornucopia of food draws crowds
THE JOURNAL NEWS
(Original publication: June 18, 2005)

Brewster businesses hurt by sewer project
By MARCELA ROJAS
THE JOURNAL NEWS
(Original publication: May 26, 2005)

BREWSTER — Construction efforts along Main Street have forced Boone Dog Coffee House owner Gretchen Brokaw to come up with creative solutions for her ailing business.

In the past month, Brokaw said she has beefed up evening activities at the normally popular day spot, hosting stand-up comedy routines, open mike nights and movie programming. She also is offering 10 percent discounts for senior citizens on Wednesdays, call-ahead curbside pickup and a new menu that includes wraps, salads and weekly lunch and dinner specials like chicken parmigiana and baked ziti. Without these new ventures, Brokaw said she's not sure the coffeehouse would survive.

"Business started dying out at the end of April," said Brokaw, who took over the Boone Dog about a year ago. "There is literally nobody here. I might get a couple of construction workers."

In recent weeks, the downtown has become a construction zone as hard hats tear up sections of the main thoroughfare for the village's multimillion-dollar sewer and water projects. The work, which occurs from about 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays, has caused heavy traffic jams and has started to take its toll on merchants.

"We are doing lousy — going-out-of-business lousy," Thomas Sprague, the owner of Bob's Diner, said yesterday. "We're doing half the business we usually do during the week. All we can do is put out a big plea to people to come back to the village."

Village Engineer John Folchetti said 45 percent of the sewer work and 30 percent of the water project have been completed.

"The main work is essentially done, but they have to come back and make the connections," Folchetti said.

Laying and connecting the sewer lines is expected to be completed in the fall, with the water work to follow in the winter, he said.

The massive, $38.2 million undertaking to build a new wastewater treatment plant and extend sewer lines throughout the village is being funded by New York City. The project will keep waste from flowing into the city's reservoirs. In addition to that effort, a $6 million bond is being used to finance upgrades and replacements to village water pipes, wells and pumps, Folchetti said.

In March, Folchetti and the Coalition for a Better Brewster offered a presentation for business owners on how the work would progress along Main Street. Maps and weekly updates also have been made available to the merchants, Folchetti said. Recently, coalition member Richard Ruchala produced an infomercial featuring more than 20 commercial enterprises that will air this summer on Suscom cable television. The effort is meant to attract people to the downtown.

But proprietors aren't belittling the village's efforts to keep them apprised of the work effort.

"The planning process should be applauded," Brokaw said. "I knew this work was going to happen. The plan to improve Brewster was a big decision in why I bought the Boone Dog."

Still, that doesn't change the fact that commerce is suffering. Brokaw said she's losing between $500 and $1,000 a week in business. To help make up for some of that loss, she suggested that village officials support weekend street fairs.

"It's more than the money," she said. "I miss the people."

Mayor John Cesar yesterday said he would start an independent fundraiser to reimburse some affected merchants.

"I know they lost money, but what can you do?" Cesar said. "When I get done with this village, it's going to be beautiful."

While some may be avoiding the village during this time of noise, dust and traffic, others aren't so easily dismayed.

"It's short-term pain for long-term gain," village resident and property manager Mark Anderson said, following breakfast at Bob's Diner. "Any projects add hassle, but it's not going to stop me from patronizing the businesses I want to go to."

Date: Mon, 14 Mar 2005 00:55:48 -0000
Subject: [Brewster10509] THE NEWS-TIMES: Federal, state funds viewed as seed for revitalizing village

Flow of money could help Brewster water woes
Federal, state funds viewed as seed for revitalizing village

By Fred Lucas
THE NEWS-TIMES

BREWSTER — Gretchen Brokaw cringes when she describes Brewster drinking water.
"You can't get it past your nose," said Brokaw, co-owner of the Boondog coffee house on Main Street. She uses two water filters on the sinks at her business and one at home. "It tastes, smells like muddy copper."

The lousy taste and smell are only part of the problem. Antiquated drinking water lines and sewer system have kept this Putnam County village from growing at the rate one might expect given the location.

Local officials hope that will change with an influx of about $40 million in New York City and New York state funds. The money will be used to build a new sewer system, install new water pipes, build a new parking garage and complete major renovations to the Metro North train station and other parts of downtown.

On Friday, U.S. Rep. Sue Kelley, R-19th Dist., came to the Brewster Village Hall to present a $975,000 check for federal aid to revitalize downtown.

The goal: draw business and jobs back to the community.

"The water is the key. It's difficult for business to flourish with no real wastewater facility," Village Engineer John Folchetti said. "A reasonable business community and businessman is concerned about water and wastewater infrastructure."

Students in Columbia University's urban planning department
developed the master plan in the spring of 2003, which the village Board of Trustees adopted in February 2004.

The Columbia plan says Brewster should take advantage of the
potential of its downtown located along the Croton Reservoir.

"New water and sewer lines, artful renovation of classic homes and buildings, pedestrian-friendly streets and a scenic setting will make Brewster a vital 21st Century business and cultural destination," the report said. "Where else in five minutes can you walk to a fine library, a fast commuter train and a world-class trout stream?"

Folchetti shares the optimism. He said Brewster could be a
transportation hub with its train station and its location at the interchange of interstates 684 and 84 on the New York-Connecticut border.

"No municipality in the county has anywhere near the transportation we have," said Folchetti, who has spent the past six years on the forefront of planning the improvements. "We have the potential to be tremendous."

The problem is that the area has been declining since the early 1970s, said Denis Casteli, a board member of Concerned Citizens of Southeast and a member of the Brewster Rezoning Board.

Illegal water hookups, failing septic tanks, leaking sewer pipes and brown tap water became commonplace by the 1980s. In reality, there is nothing wrong with the water. The groundwater is clean. And the water that comes out of the tap is safe to drink. But as it passes through rusted, half-century old pipes, it becomes discolored and bad smelling.

Over the years, little was done to address the problem. And local businesses left out of frustration.

The downtown still has several retailers, an antique shop, an art gallery, a popular coffee shop that serves as a community gathering place, and a classic downtown diner.

However, the face of Main Street has changed significantly. It used to include a bank. Now there is only an ATM. It also included a supermarket, a hardware store, a drug store and a liquor store, which have moved elsewhere in the county.

"Few investors saw any reason to make financial commitments within the village," Casteli said.

But what could have been yet another problem turned out to be Brewster's trump card. The Croton Watershed located in the village provides 10 percent of the New York City water supply.

In 1996, the New York City Department of Environmental Protection stepped in to help.

Casteli said about 40 percent of private homes in the village might have failing septic systems, which combined with the decaying sewage treatment plant, made Brewster one of the worst polluters east of the Hudson River.

"Though it might have been a public relations nightmare, the DEP has had the authority to evict residents from polluting households and businesses and to prevent occupancy or sale of those properties until pollution issues were remedied," Casteli said. "Gratefully, DEP chose to help Brewster village rather than condemn it."

In 1999, New York City agreed to spend $30 million to rebuild the village's sewer system and a new wastewater treatment plant. The village stepped forward with $8.5 million to replace the old pipes for drinking water.

The drinking water system is expected to be completed within 24 months, while the sewer system is set to be online by 2007.

The busy Metro-North train station on Main Street is equally in need of attention. Commuters who head south toward New York City make up the majority of the village's workforce.

Brewster resident Kevin O'Donnell, 43, said the train station hasn't changed in decades.

"There's no good parking," he said. "That's why more locals won't ride the train. If people could park and it was more user friendly, it would be different. It's good to be able to get into the city, but the train can be more hassle than just driving."

New York state has provided $2.5 million for major improvements to the train station. Fifty-five new parking spaces will be added, pedestrian-safe rails will be installed and a small grassy area with a clock tower will go in front of the station.

New York state is giving the village another $200,000 to spruce up downtown. Half of that is going to the Cameo movie theater that had operated on Main Street for decades before it closed in the early 1980s. The downtown theater will reopen in two years with the help of private investment, said Brewster Mayor John Cesar.

"Within five years this will be a beautiful village," Cesar
said. "I'm going to declare it the rebirth of the village, the renaissance."

On March 5 officials from the village of Brewster, the town of Southeast, Putnam County, New York state, and the offices of U.S. Sens. Hillary Clinton and Charles Schumer, as well as the office of U.S. Rep. Kelley met at the Village Hall to form "Team Brewster," to discuss money needed for the villages master plan.

Brewster has about 3,000 people and comprises the downtown area for the 17,000-population town of Southeast. Median household incomes in the village are the lowest in Putnam County. And while property values are the lowest in Putnam County, they have nearly doubled in the five years since improvement plans were launched, said John Degnan, a member of the Brewster Board of Trustees.

Degnan said the improvement plan isn't "a guarantee for progress, but it at least opens the door."

He said local officials don't support more development. Rather they support the re-emergence of a convenient downtown. "Here you can get everything you really need without a car," Degnan said.

Contact Fred Lucas
at flucas@newstimes.com
or at (203) 731-3358

To JOIN or visit our group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Brewster10509/

March 11, 2005

Good morning all - I am sharing with you a post that I wrote for carmelresident.org. Several pertinent issues are addressed vital to the interests of the residents of both the Town of Carmel and Town of Southeast. They are: 1. Regional impact of development and 2. Town of Carmel Supervisor Pozzi's efforts to erect artificial walls between residents by restricting comment and dissent, the lifeblood of a democracy.

Sincerely,
Ann
www.putopenspaces.com

During the Town of Southeast Work Session on Mar. 10th, the issue of the effect on Southeast roads of development on Route 6 was discussed. It occurred in the context of the Transportation Improvement District around Route 312. The observation was made that the roads in the Town of Southeast would be impacted since the natural route of arrival to the Gateway/Fairways development on Route 6 in Carmel would be Exit 19, Route 312.

And the question arose: Should the Towns of Southeast and Carmel form a Transportation Improvement District that would extend beyond town boundaries and could the two towns reach some kind of intermunicipal agreement? Southeast Supervisor Dunford wrote a letter to Supervisor Pozzi on the issue of traffic impact on Southeast roads.

Comments by the Coalition to the Planning Board have also centered on the impact of this large development on limited infrastructure "stating that there appears to be a disconnect between applicant's development plans and the infrastructure and traffic congestion that would be engendered."

The discussion was important since it recognized the regional implications of development on the quality of life of residents from an adjoining town and that Town of Southeast residents have a legitimate interest which must be part of the equation.

It is a proposition that Supervisor Pozzi has a hard time in swallowing. So much so that he has restricted the March 30th New England Town Meeting to solely residents of the Town of Carmel.

Perhaps, we who are residents of the Town of Southeast should petition our elected officials that travelers on our roads show proper resident identification. The notion of course is ludicrous since public officials in the 19th century recognized that the free flow of commerce and traffic was essential to the health of a growing US.

And so is the free flow of information, comment and dissent essential to the health of a democracy, Mr. Pozzi, especially when town action affects the lives and property of nearby residents.

In the words of the late President Regan, "Bring Down that Wall, Mr. Pozzi.

Ann Fanizzi, Putnam County Coaliton to Preserve Open Space
www.putopenspaces.com

Now is the time to join in. Become a Brewster Booster. Everyone will win.
Sincerely,
Ann
www.putopenspaces.com

New coalition aims to revitalize village
By MARCELA ROJAS
THE JOURNAL NEWS

What's next

Team Brewster will meet at 10:30 a.m. March 18 at Village Hall, 208 E. Main St. The meeting is open to the public.

(Original publication: March 11, 2005)
BREWSTER — Residents and business owners are hopeful that a new coalition working toward revitalizing the village will serve to transform Brewster into a thriving destination.

Team Brewster, a group of politicians from local, county, state and federal levels, recently got together with various community organizations to jump-start the long-sought-after goal of bringing back the village.

A $200,000 Main Street grant recently awarded to Brewster is serving as an inspiration to go after other money that could fund improvements to a place that has lost its bank, post office and hardware store in recent years.

"Anything that would revitalize the downtown area and create jobs would be a positive," said Southeast resident Dennis Cristiano, 61, a retired police officer. "I don't feel there's a draw for me there now."

Team Brewster formed in late February and includes Deputy County Executive Frank Del Campo; County Legislator Dan Birmingham, R-Brewster, and several village and town officials, including Trustees John Degnan and Mike Santos, and Southeast Councilwoman Lorraine Mitts.

Also on the team are representatives of state Sen. Vincent Leibell, R-Patterson, U.S. Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., and Rep. Sue Kelly, R-Katonah, in addition to members from the Metro-North Railroad and the Putnam Smart Growth Alliance. The coalition has had two organizational meetings and will continue meeting every two weeks.

"I feel that if we could all join forces, we can really make that downtown accessible, neater and improved," Del Campo said. "We're all looking to seek additional grant monies for a massive revitalization. I'm hoping Brewster will serve as a real model for other towns and villages in the county."

Del Campo, a former Carmel town supervisor, worked on downtown revitalization projects in the hamlets of Mahopac and Carmel.

Some village projects may include a day-laborer hiring site, Hispanic outreach programs, a new village hall, roadway improvements and storm-water runoff abatement, officials said.

"It's in the interest of the county to see all its communities prosper," Santos said. "Everyone has a stake in seeing the village improve."

In recent years, Brewster has embarked on a number of capital projects, including a massive $38.2 million undertaking to build a new wastewater-treatment plant and extend sewer lines throughout the village. The costly effort, funded by New York City, will keep waste from flowing into the city's reservoirs. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority funded a $2.5 million project to improve the Brewster depot and add 55 parking spaces along Railroad Avenue. Leibell, whose nonprofit foundation also recently completed senior housing along Marvin Avenue, helped secure the MTA money. The improvements are expected to be completed next year.

The Main Street grant, facilitated through the Putnam County Economic Development Corp., was awarded in January and will serve to restore the Cameo Theater into a single-screen art film house and/or a live theater venue. The Cameo, a double-screen theater and then Putnam's only movie house, went dark in 1997. The remaining $100,000 will go toward storefront facade work and other streetscape enhancements.

While Main Street no longer may be an attraction for some, other businesses that serve the burgeoning Hispanic population have fared well. Some 40 percent of Brewster's 2,000 residents are Hispanic.

"It's a great idea. Who wouldn't want to live in a village that looks nice and is safe and tranquil?" Jorge Galindo, owner of La Guadalupana, a Mexican restaurant and mini-mart, said of Team Brewster's intent. "I have children and I think about their future. This would be good."
 

What's next

A final community forum on the plan will be held at 7:30 tonight at Henry H. Wells Middle School, 570 Route 312. The polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday at Brewster High School, 50 Foggintown Road.

On the Web

To learn more, visit the Brewster school district's Web site at www.brewsterschools.org

(Original publication: February 28, 2005)

BREWSTER — Whether it's more time in the kindergarten sandbox or new artificial turf fields at the high school, students would see big changes if district voters approve a $49 million bond proposal Thursday.

Changes also would be in store for taxpayers, who would see a 4 percent increase in 2007. That's about $180 to $250 more annually for the average Southeast homeowner with an assessed property value of $325,000. The cost will increase because the state will contribute aid for only the first 18 years of the 30-year bond.

"We put forward what we thought was the best possible thing for the school district and the community," said Pat Tartaglia, the Board of Education's vice president. "Now it's time for the community to answer us back."

The proposal is described as the final phase of a project that began in 1999, when voters approved a $27.9 million bond to upgrade Brewster High School. Construction at the high school was completed in 2002. This phase is directed at the elementary and middle school buildings.

Proposed changes include adding full-day kindergarten, removing sixth grade from the middle school and sending all students in the same grade to the same school. Kindergarten through third-grade students currently attend Garden Street Elementary School or John F. Kennedy Elementary School, depending on where they live in the district, and sixth-graders attend Henry H. Wells Middle School.

The proposed configuration was chosen from 14 alternatives. The plan also calls for improved athletic facilities throughout the district. A new baseball field would be built at the middle school, and an artificial turf sports field with bleachers and lights would be constructed at the high school.

Only one of Staci Norton's three children ever played sports for the Brewster district, but she said she supports upgrading the athletic facilities because it will help bring the community together.

"Athletics is a way for parents and the community to be involved with the kids," said Norton, 45, of Brewster. The current high school field, she said, "doesn't encourage people to go to the games."

"You have to walk a half a mile just to get to the field," she said.

Yet for Annette Witoshynsky, who has children in fourth and sixth grades, the addition of the fields is worrisome. She said she will vote against the proposal, even though she supports full-day kindergarten, because the project is too expensive.

"Whatever needs to be fixed, of course fix it," said Witoshynsky, a 41-year-old police officer from Putnam Lake. "But you don't need to spend millions of dollars doing things that aren't necessary."

In response, supporters said the project should not benefit one specific group but rather improve the district as a whole.

"It's neighbors supporting neighbors," Tartaglia said. "This is a community as a whole that has to put it all together."

Although he supports Schools Superintendent Mark Lewis, Kevin Heaney said he will vote against the plan because it is asking too much from taxpayers — especially as Putnam County officials consider raising the county sales tax to 8 percent and property taxes by 10 percent in 2006.

"How much more can you take?" asked Heaney, a Patterson resident whose daughter is a high school junior.

If the bond is rejected, school officials will have to rethink the plan.

"If we could come out with a Plan B," Tartaglia said, "that means we didn't do a good enough job thinking about Plan A."

Brewster - Officials on the state, county, town and village levels converged on downtown Brewster to meet with Village engineer John Folchetti.

Last Friday's gathering outlined plans for Southeast's new Honor Roll that recognizes all veterans residing in greater Brewster who served in the United States military during time of war.

Folchetti has conceived a monument that will replace the current honor roll located off Main Street adjacent to the Brewster Public Library.

The new honor roll will be created in the form of a "golden mean" that Folchetti called the "most naturally recurring relationship in nature. It is a basic relationship of 1.6 to one. The 'golden mean' can be seen in the human forearm or in the bow of a tree. In ever decreasing rectangles of 1.6 to one relationships, we end up with a perfect arc found in a conch or snail shell."

Folchetti will be designing in bricks, each containing a donor's name, along a red arc for design. Old Glory will be prominently displayed at the apex of the design.

Walkways will also be installed as well as plantings.

The honor roll will consist of five stand-alone monuments of stainless steel uprights supporting New York state slate fronted by engraved half-inch glass to be etched by Brewster Village Trustee John Degnan, who is part of the volunteer service.

The glass will be lit as will the flagpole for dramatic nighttime viewing.

Degnan said 1,000 names would be engraved by use of computerized images. "The decision was reached after we studied the geometry of the park and determined an esthetically pleasing way to present the architecture. The names are the art," he said.

Ron Lipschitz, commander of the Brewster Veterans or Foreign Wars post, said the purchase of bricks will help pay for the project. "The bricks sell for $125 a piece. Checks can be made payable to the Brewster VFW Post 672, Box 54. Brewster. NY 10509."

Lipschitz has requested the words ?honor roll brick? be placed on the memo of the check.

The commander also appealed to the public that ?dignity be preserved? when it comes to the message on the individual bricks.

Denis Castelli, a Vietnam veteran, also serves on the committee. Castelli does not qualify to have his name listed on the honor roll because when he served overseas, he resided in the Bronx. "My personal solution is simple. I'm buying a brick and placing it in the pavement so I can be a part of this memorial as well," he said.

"This is a great way for a community to recall, remember and to honor those who have served our nation throughout generations of battles. The memorial will be refurbished and redesigned in part with money obtained from the New York State! Senate. This is a particularly flitting time since sadly we find America in conflict," said Sen. `Vincent Leibell.

Brewster seeks funds for sewer project
By MICHAEL RISINIT
THE JOURNAL NEWS
(Original publication: September 6, 2004)

BREWSTER — Workers continue to lay thousands of feet of sewer pipe beneath Brewster's streets as village officials pursue money to finish the wastewater project.

Seven miles of pipe should be in place by the end of next year, ready to carry waste to a treatment plant and put an end to the septic systems serving most of the village. But the entire project is costing more than originally expected, which is delaying the start of the next phase.

"We're looking for money, and we'll get it somehow," Mayor John Cesar said.

The work is part of a $26 million agreement the village signed five years ago with New York City. Under the agreement, sewer lines will be extended to every property in Brewster, and the village will take over the processing and treatment of the sewage through the new plant. That facility will replace the existing one operated by the city's Department of Environmental Protection at Morning and Railroad avenues.

Brewster sits in the city's watershed and uphill from the Croton River, which feeds the nearby Diverting Reservoir. The village's septic systems, the city has said, pose a pollution threat to the city's drinking water supply.

Since July, LAWS Construction Corp. of Pleasantville has been digging up streets and putting down sewer mains and lateral pipes. Work has been completed on Garden Street and Eastview Avenue, while Prospect Street is nearly finished.

"We've got roads torn up," said village Trustee John Degnan, who, along with the mayor, are the only remaining village leaders who participated in the signing of the initial agreement. "But they're doing a great job thus far, and are remaining on schedule."

That schedule projects the final pipe being laid between September and December 2005. On Friday, stacks of teal blue pipe stood at Wells and Center streets. A backhoe rumbled down Prospect Street.

Gladys Farrell, 91, said she hasn't been bothered by the noise and watches the progress from a window in her Prospect Street home.

"It's a little dusty, but they're very busy out there," Farrell said.

Work on the new treatment plant, which will sit on the village's blue commuter parking lot approximately opposite the rear of the Southeast Museum, should start in the spring. Building the plant will displace about 100 commuters, village officials said. Cars most likely will be relocated to Oak and Main streets.

Village officials hope to select a contractor by the middle of next month, and are seeking more money. The latest two phases — laying the pipes and building the plant — total about $31 million. Coupled with earlier work on a sewer main along Marvin Avenue, the entire undertaking is creating about a $10 million shortfall for Brewster, village and city officials said.

Cesar wrote last month to DEP Commissioner Christopher Ward, asking for a meeting about the project. A DEP spokesman said the city agency has reviewed the project's financial documents.

"We're interested in meeting with them and hearing what they have to say," DEP spokesman Ian Michaels said.

Degnan said the deficit came about because the estimated cost was developed in 1999. Construction expenses have risen since then, he said. The village asked Putnam County earlier this summer for $5 million, but was rebuffed.

Ultimately, about 450 properties will be connected to the new plant. The city is paying for individual homeowner hookups. The current plant serves Main Street merchants and the Garden Street Elementary School.

Degnan said he expected money from the city, the county and the state would help fund the rest of the project.

"We're remaining optimistic, listening and negotiating," Degnan said.

Send e-mail to Michael Risinit

Sincerely,

Ann

Governments should invest in Brewster
(Original publication: July 28, 2004)

I can think of no more critical decision to be made by the elected officials of Brewster and Southeast than whether to keep and/or relocate their respective government offices to Brewster center.

Though a long-term resident of the hamlet of Carmel, I have always had an appreciation of the potential the village holds as a regional focal point for entertainment, restaurants and speciality shops to be enjoyed by both residents and visitors. Accessibility from highways and railroad, a "walkable" downtown and the kind of entrepreneurial spirit shown by shop owners already in the village are a firm foundation for positive growth.

What is needed is more fuel on the fire, and what better source of that energy than a commitment by local government to its own downtown. Consider, on the other hand, the negative message sent to potential investors in the village if government chooses to go elsewhere. Government and the private development sector throughout all of Putnam need to adopt the "three Rs" of restoration, rehabilitation and revitalization as the first option to accommodate growth and prosperity in our communities.
John J. Butler, Carmel

Brewster Farmers' Market

Fresh peaches, plums, apples, tomatoes, corn, cherries, herbs, prepared foods, milk, cider, eggs and baked goods!Children's activities, & so much more....

Open Saturdays through Nov. 13, 2004 9:00am ? 1:00pm

Join us for a corn roast, live music & more! Special events throughout all of August~ fun for the whole family!

WIC & SNP Welcome

Main Street, Brewster

In the Gold Lot between

Brewster Library & Old Town Hall

(Free two-hour parking available on Main Street. Additional parking in Marvin Ave. lots)

Sponsored by the Coalition for a Better Brewster, the Town of Southeast and the Village of Brewster.

BREWSTER — Flip open a road atlas to New York state and Brewster is a black dot on Route 6, a thin red line meandering from coast to coast.

Some village leaders want that red line moved from Main Street to just south of the village. By following Railroad Avenue to Route 22, Route 6 would then carry large trucks and other vehicles away from the business district — making Main Street more pedestrian-friendly, village trustees maintain. Such a scenario would also see Main Street become one way, with traffic flowing from Brewster Village Hall at the east end to Southeast Town Hall at the west end. That one-way setup could be in effect temporarily this summer as excavating work starts on Brewster's new sewer system.

Changing the traffic pattern, said some business owners and others on the street, might make it more inviting for visitors and shoppers.

"Any improvement for a pedestrian-, tourism-friendly Main Street is a step in the right direction for Main Street," said Gretchen Brokaw, one of the new co-owners of the Boone Dog Coffee House.

Village Trustee John Degnan said the idea is part of the village's draft master plan to beautify Main Street.

"The idea of bypassing the village's Main Street with heavy trucks and equipment is very appealing," Degnan said.

If the state route were relocated, signs would direct eastbound and southbound traffic between the train station and Southeast Town Hall and out to Route 22. Traffic coming from Connecticut on Route 6 would head down Route 22 to Railroad Avenue and then past Town Hall. Stop signs and maybe an additional traffic light would be used to discourage non-local traffic from Main Street Trustee Michael Santos said.

The village plans to ask the state Department of Transportation to study the issue. Traffic would use Marvin Avenue to circle the village in the opposite direction of Main Street. An average of 11,413 vehicles a day use Route 6 from Drewville Road in Southeast through the village, according to DOT figures.

"When we receive a letter from them, we'll take a look at it," state DOT spokeswoman Colleen McKenna said.

The proposed pattern would affect about a half-mile of Main Street as it winds through the business district. Several anchor establishments in recent years, such as the Brewster Post Office and the Bank of New York, have left the street for Route 22. New businesses have moved in, such as the Maximum Deli, Respiratory Specialists and the La Guadalupana Bakery and Cafe. Others, such as Bob's Diner and Danny's Books, continue to flourish. The street also features the Brewster Public Library and the Southeast Museum.

"I think it would definitely increase our visitorship," said Amy Campanaro, the museum's executive director.

Rerouting traffic away from Main Street would allow the installation of head-on parking spaces throughout the entire business district, instead of the current, mostly parallel parking. That would increase the number of spaces, Santos said, and make it easier for drivers to park.

Mayor John Cesar said he supported studying the issue but questioned the road's relocation.

"What's wrong with them coming through the village?" Cesar said. "A major highway going through, it helps the village."

Send e-mail to Michael Risinit

BREWSTER — Many immigrants arrived in this country with little — maybe some clothes, dinnerware and family mementos stuffed in a trunk or bundled in a basket.

Once here, the newcomers started a new life for themselves, their children and future generations — chronicled in part through photographs, documents and other ephemera. The Southeast Museum has focused on some of that memorabilia with its newest exhibit, "Many Voices: Immigration to Putnam County," which opens tonight.

"This discusses all the different trends, the different waves," said Amy Campanaro, the museum's executive director. "It's all about Putnam County."

The exhibit starts with the area's earliest inhabitants, the Wappinger Indians, proceeds to the coming of the Dutch and the English and relates the arrival of later immigrants, such as the Italians and the Russians. The exhibit will eventually finish up with the story of Putnam's most recent newcomers from Poland and Latin America.

"From immigrant to American is their story," reads one of the display's boards.

One story the museum is telling is that of the Scolpino family. After the family immigrated to Brazil from Italy in the late 1800s, 3-year-old Joseph Scolpino — future father of former Southeast Supervisor Douglas Scolpino — arrived in Brewster about 1889 with his siblings and parents. Joseph Scolpino eventually ran a soda fountain and stationery store on Main Street. His brother operated a Main Street liquor store.

Douglas Scolpino, who served as supervisor for 10 years until 1993, donated advertisements from the stores for the museum's exhibit. The stationery store's card featured a railroad timetable for trips between Brewster and Grand Central Terminal. A photograph of the stationery store shows a magazine rack positioned on the sidewalk stuffed with periodicals, including True Detective, a pulp magazine that reached its heyday in the 1930s. Scolpino also submitted a photograph of his family gathered on the steps of his Oak Street home for Thanksgiving in 1933. Scolpino, as a 3-year-old, is clad in short pants.

"I'm happy for my father," Scolpino said. "I have more stuff at home. We never talked about (the immigrant experience) all that much."

Another part of the display will include deeds and other documents donated by Harriet Susnitzky, who lived in Brewster for 50 years. She and her husband, Leo, once owned and operated the New York Store on Main Street, an apparel store. Leo Susnitzky's parents came to the United States from Russia in the late 1880s.

Referring to the documents, Harriet Susnitzky said, "I didn't want to throw them out, and it's all part of history." Susnitzky now lives in Somers.

Campanaro said that in October she hopes to unveil photographs made by Hispanic and Polish immigrants. Mahopac is home to a growing Polish community — the Church of St. John the Evangelist offers a weekly Polish Mass. Brewster is home to many Hispanic day laborers, who wait on Main Street for jobs from contractors and landscapers. Campanaro said she plans to distribute at least 20 disposable cameras in the summer to some of those people and display some of the photos. Victor Padilla, a contractor, will help distribute the cameras to Hispanics.

"I think it's a great idea," said Padilla, 53, who came to the states from Puerto Rico as a 6-month-old. "It will show a different side of life."

Send e-mail to Michael Risinit

GARRISON: Eyeing a colorful glimpse of the Hudson River and Garrison from a West Point vantage, Rose Champlin said she knew she wanted to purchase a package of reprinted period postcards from the Alice Curtis Desmond-Hamilton Fish Library last week.

The library is selling the reprints of local scenes to raise money for an elevator within the two-story building. But to Champlin, a 50-year Philipstown resident and longtime fan of the Desmond-Fish library, the fund-raiser was a secondary reason to plunk down $15 for 18 postcards.

"I haven't decided what to do with them," she said. "I think I'll frame a few."

Some cards show the Garrison school, Fair Street in 1912, the Cold Spring railroad station and Philipstown Town Hall. A few illustrate buildings no longer standing, such as the Imperial Hotel in Nelsonville; Craigside, which was Julia Butterfield's house; and the Garrison Hotel.

Southeast resident Denis Castelli and the Taconic Postcard Club helped assemble the historic scenes of Garrison, Cold Spring and Nelsonville, which cover those communities from 1905 to the 1920s. A large poster of the collection is available in signed and unsigned editions for $100 and $50, respectively.

"The postcards depict an era of the town," said Castelli. "The reproductions can raise money for an important project and help preserve history."

A former computer programming consultant, Castelli previously produced a card set as a fund-raiser for the Southeast Museum in Brewster. He said he is considering similar postcard projects for other Putnam towns.

About six cards are from Castelli's personal collection. Most, though, are from David Bisbee of Putnam Valley, trustee of the Friends of Desmond-Fish Library and vice president of the Taconic Postcard Club.

Many of the cards are rare, said Bisbee, estimating the originals could sell for between $10 and $100.

"The cards reflect Cold Spring's amazing history," he said.

Library officials are hoping sales will net the 24-year-old community institution $11,000 toward the installation of a $200,000 elevator.

"A lot of people use the library, but some have real trouble using the stairs," said library Director Carol Donick.

Each year, close to 7,000 people participate in programs and search for materials at the library, which is located at the intersection of routes 9D and 403.

In 2003, the library held 294 events ? including its annual used-book sale ? in the lower-level room, which is accessible only via a flight of stairs. An elevator would bring the library into compliance with current building standards and help the elderly and those with mobility problems, including parents toting babies and young children in strollers, Donick said.

An elevator proposal coordinates nicely with efforts of library co-founder Hamilton Fish Jr.

As a congressman representing New York's 19th district, Fish was a major figure in the passage of the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990.

"In many respects, the library is a community center. There is a desperate and obvious need for an elevator," said Hamilton Fish, the son of the library founder and current board president, referring to the many programs held in the event room.

In 1994, his father used the event room to announce he would not seek re-election, Fish said. During the news conference, he told reporters he considered his proudest accomplishment to be his work for the disabled ? sweeping legislation affecting a broad range of Americans and their ability to access public sites.

The elevator would be in a small building extension, so it would not take up critical library space, Donick said. There are 500 packs of postcards, 30 posters signed by Castelli and 15 unsigned, imperfect posters. The library has received individual donations of $30,000, a state grant of $10,000 and $25,000 from Philipstown for the project.

The building was funded by Alice Curtis Desmond and Hamilton Fish, whose families were involved in New York state politics for generations. Its annual $450,000 budget comes from an endowment created by Desmond, contributions from an annual Library Associates dinner and efforts by the Friends group.

Reach Barbara Livingston Nackman at bnackman@thejournalnews.com

BREWSTER — The village board is searching for suitable real estate to be used for joint municipal offices with the town of Southeast.

This week, village leaders released a flier encouraging residents to propose sites for the joint facility, expanding on its offer made in August to take over property for such a building through the state's eminent domain law. The proposition was put forth by village trustees to entice town officials to keep Southeast Town Hall within Brewster.

Mayor John Cesar was ambivalent about the request, which asks residents to submit ideas in writing or announce them at a village board meeting. Southeast Supervisor John Dunford, a former Brewster mayor, however, said the village was "jumping the gun."

"They're asking for ideas when a basic agreement hasn't been discussed," Dunford said.

He was referring to the exchange of correspondence last year between the two municipalities and the need to discuss each side's position. Following the village's resolution to take over property for the combined offices, town officials sent the village a letter outlining future cooperation between the two. That framework included having the village turn several parcels over to Southeast, including the library, Old Town Hall and the parking lot between the two buildings.

A joint meeting between the two boards will probably take place in early March, Brewster and Southeast leaders said, where each side's proposal and the future of shared municipal offices will be reviewed.

The "Request for New Facilities," village Trustee Michael Santos said, is "just fishing for ideas."

"Before I go into that meeting, I want to solicit the ideas of the residents of the village," Santos said.

Santos ran for trustee last year during a campaign season that saw most village leaders and candidates for village office calling for more cooperation between the two municipalities. Santos, in particular, advocated keeping town offices in Brewster.

Brewster, population 2,162, is an incorporated village of Southeast, population 17,316. The effort aimed at retaining Southeast's offices stems from a village planning report and the town's potential to relocate to Route 312.

Town Hall sits at 1 Main St., in a former bank built in 1886. Additional offices are in the basement of the Old Town Hall. To relieve the cramped offices on Main Street, the county offered the town a parcel on Route 312 a year ago. It's an option that hasn't progressed beyond the overture stage and the town, in its October letter, said it didn't intend to leave Brewster's geographic limits.

The municipalities have had a cool relationship, marked by a 1998 town study looking at merging the two municipalities and Mayor John Cesar's on-again, off-again desire to secede from Southeast.

If Brewster did break away from the town, the parcels Southeast asked for in its letter would allow it to legally conduct business in Old Town Hall and pay for the upkeep of those structures.

Jim Clark, a Southeast resident, said a joint facility would lead to an "amicable atmosphere between the two governments."

"I think the village needs the town. I think the town needs the village," Clark said.

Reach Michael Risinit at mrisinit@thejournalnews.com or 845-228-2274