Members of the Pine Plains Town Board said on Thursday, Jan. 15, that they would work toward a town newsletter and stronger use of the town website after residents pressed officials to improve how meeting agendas, updates, and public information are shared.
During public comment, Robert Lyons of Carpenter Hill Road raised concerns about what he described as gaps in transparency and communication. Lyons asked whether the town planned to create a newsletter, how it would be distributed, and whether residents could sign up by email. He also questioned why meeting agendas often list only “old business” and “new business,” saying that level of detail makes it difficult for residents to know what will be discussed.
“It communicates nothing, there is zero information there,” Lyons said.
Board members acknowledged the concerns and said they had already been discussing a newsletter internally. Jeanine Sisco said ideas were “already on the table” and suggested the board could commit to settling on an approach by February.
Torey Sorraco of Church Street said town information posted to social media should also be placed on the town website so it is accessible to everyone.
“There are a lot of people like myself who are doing their best to leave social media,” Sorraco said. “Anything that is posted to Facebook should also be posted to the town’s website — someplace where everyone can access it.”
Sisco said the board had also discussed providing printed town updates in public spaces, such as at the park kiosk or the library, for residents without internet access.
Former town supervisor Brian Coons said the points raised were familiar to anyone who has followed local government for years, but cautioned that maintaining a frequently updated website can be demanding.
“Having a robust website that you have to man every single day, that’s a beast,” Coons said, adding that newsletters in the past had not necessarily drawn larger crowds to meetings.
Coons encouraged new board member Trevor Roush to help bridge the gap to younger residents, calling him “our hope to bring young people into this.”
Roush questioned how many young residents would be drawn to routine municipal business and suggested a newsletter could include lighter, department-level updates as well, to spark interest.
“How many young people want to come listen to what bills are being paid?” Roush said, adding that short updates or “cute little musings” from town departments could make people more likely to engage.
Lyons responded that the goal of improved communication was not to increase meeting attendance, but to ensure residents who are interested can find information when they need it.
Board liaisons
Later in the meeting, resident Ethan DiMaria asked whether the board had named a liaison to the Pine Plains Fire Company, noting he did not hear one announced during the town’s reorganization meeting on Jan. 6 during which newly elected Town Board member Murphy Birdsall was appointed Deputy Supervisor, as well as liaison to the Conservation Advisory Council and to the Zoning Board of Appeals; Sisco as liaison to the Beautification Committee; and Supervisor Brian Walsh as liaison to the Zoning Review Committee and to Board of Assessment Review.
Board members said a Fire Company liaison had not yet been named since Supervisor Walsh also serves as the chief of the Fire Department. Kevin Walsh then volunteered to serve in that role.
Petty cash resolution and ADU code fix
Town Attorney Warren Replansky presented a resolution to establish a petty cash fund for the town tax collector, saying the office needed small, readily available funds for routine operations. The board approved a petty cash fund not to exceed $500.
Replansky also asked the board to schedule a public hearing to amend a section of the town code dealing with tax exemptions for accessory dwelling units, saying the law referenced the wrong section number.
“When I drafted the local law, I had referred to 421P,” Replansky said. “But for some reason during the public hearing we named it 421F.”
The board scheduled the public hearing for 7:05 p.m on Feb. 19.
Highway and water updates
Highway Superintendent Carl Baden told the board the department expects delivery of a long-awaited new truck chassis, though final assembly will still take another two to three months.
The board also approved moving forward with the purchase of a new tractor at a total cost of $212,053.14, with proceeds of $42,100 from the sale of older equipment applied toward the purchase and the remaining cost bonded over five years.
Water Department Clerk of the Works Ray Jurkowski reported an increase in daily water flow to about 70,000 gallons per day and said a leak had been found in an unoccupied building on South Main Street. He urged residents to check vacant homes and seasonal properties during cold weather to prevent damage from frozen pipes.
The Pine Plains Water Improvement Area pumped about 23 million gallons of water in 2025, roughly 2 million gallons more than in 2024, which Jurkowski attributed to dry summer conditions.
Grants, planning board and announcements
In old business, the board noted the state’s Plus One ADU Program remains open through Feb. 27 and said at least four Pine Plains residents have applied.
In new business, the board accepted the resignation of Al Blackburn from the Planning Board and appointed David Allen as a second alternate member in his place. The Planning Board now consists of Michael Stabile, Tricia Devine, Kate Osofsky, Rory Chase, Steve Patterson, Scott Cavey, Richard Hermans, and DiMaria, with Ari Kardasis serving as an alternate.
The board also said it submitted a pre-application on Jan. 15 to the New York State Department of Transportation’s Transportation Alternatives Program for pedestrian safety improvements, including sidewalk work, safer crosswalks, and extending streetlights from Route 82 toward Church Street.
Another potential funding source discussed was the Dutchess County Community Development Block Grant program, with early ideas including playground or recreational-area improvements. A letter of intent is due on Feb. 2, with a full application due on March 3.
The next Pine Plains Town Board meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Feb. 19.
Correction: This article was updated to reflect the fact that Scott Chase was not appointed as an alternate to the Planning Board. He was appointed chair of the Zoning Board of Appeals.
I haven’t read anything about what are the plans for the existing town hall and property located on Rt 199 east of town. Once the new town hall and other departments are moved to the new location near town center.