Celebrate 'Love My Park Day' In Tuxedo!! (Posted 4/6/24)
Love My Park Day is an annuClick here to view largeral event that brings together thousands of volunteers to enhance and celebrate New York's amazing parkland. It is the largest single-day volunteer event of its kind in the State and it presents a perfect opportunity to not only clean up parks and shorelines, but also plant trees and gardens, restore trails and wildlife habitat, remove invasive species, and work on various site improvement projects--all which help to spruce up our parks and get them ready for the summer season. This year the event will take place on Saturday, May 4 and the Garden Club of Orange & Duchess Counties will be hosting a morning at the Sterling Forest State Park Pollination Meadow! Reidents are encouraged to come plant, clean and play ay the native plant meadow located near the intersection of Route 17 and 17A.
More information including registration for the event can be found here
Town Survey - Econimic Development Plan (Posted 2/21/24)
The Town of Tuxedo is currently in the process of creating an Economic Development Plan for the Route 17 corridor. As a part of this study, they are asking of input on the current business environment in Town.
Please take a moment to scan the QR below or you can click here and link directly to the survey.
Resident participation in this survey will greatly assist the Town in this effort!
Important Message from The Town of Tuxedo Police (Posted 12/28/23)
Ladies & Gentlemen of the Greater Tuxedo area,
The national rise of crime has visited the Town of Tuxedo.
The Tuxedo Police Department is currently following several leads and investigating a burglary that recently took place.
Because this was not an isolated event in the region, we are partnering with several outside departments who were also affected.
Due to the fact that this is an open investigation, we cannot currently divulge any details of the incident.
In the meantime, to answer this crime, we have increased Patrols in the Town and have begun the execution of anti-crime strategies to proactively discover, pursue and eliminate any further opportunities.
It is this simple:
We do not live in NYC or some other “soft on crime” area.
If you break the law in Tuxedo, expect to interact with our Police.
Perpetrators will be apprehended, charged and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
Residents should be aware of this increase in Police activity.
If you observe any suspicious activity or wish to provide anonymous information to the Tuxedo Police Department, please call us at (845)351-5111 or email us at tpdgeneral@tuxedopd.com .
As always, if you need to report an emergency or a dangerous situation, immediately call 911.
Thank you.
Stay safe.
And remember that you are our Eyes & Ears of the community.
Town Supervisor and Town Board Candidates Discuss Downtown Revitilization (Posted 11/2/23)
TPFYI asked the Town Supervisor and Town Board Candidates the following question with regard to the revitalization of Downtown Tuxedo:
What does Hamlet Revitalization look like to you? How can the Town Board work to successfully grow and beautify downtown Tuxedo in a meaningful way?
Following are their unedited responses in the order in which they were received:
SUPERVISOR CANDIDATES
DAVE McMILLEN
The Hamlet business district in Our Town serves as the core of our community, offering the first glimpse of life in Tuxedo to those passing through. Despite its modest size, its ambiance is vital in prompting people to slow down and take notice. Failing to improve its appearance and offerings may result in continued speedy passage without acknowledgment. Equally crucial is ensuring a safe environment for pedestrians, particularly addressing the challenge of safely crossing busy Rt. 17 and managing traffic flow from both directions.
The IGA building, positioned nearly at the epicenter of the Hamlet, is an immensely valuable asset with the potential to set the tone for the entire revitalization project. Unfortunately, the limited parking in this area has hindered the IGA's success in alternative uses, such as a restaurant or subdivided retail space with possible office utilization on the second floor. Stringent regulations concerning building capacity versus available parking exacerbate this issue, as the IGA building, in certain configurations, may require up to three times the current parking capacity. The initial parking plan suggests reversing the traffic pattern on Store Rd. / Library Rd. to allow on-street parking within the entire circular pattern of these two roads. This proposal would lead to increased vehicle and transient pedestrian activity on Library Rd., directly in front of residents' homes.
A town resident brokered a deal with the Post Office to lease additional available parking spaces on the south side of that building. Although the Town Board authorized further discussions, nothing materialized. This lot is a crucial element for the comprehensive plan, especially when considering parking on the east side of Rt. 17.
The former Tuxedo Junction, owned by the Tuxedo Hudson Company, was considered by the previous town board as an additional parking option for over 30 vehicles. Negotiations were underway to purchase this property for use as a municipal parking lot, which is a critical requirement for the rest of the revitalization project. However, some new board members opposed this idea, and the current Town Board is uninterested in pursuing it, leading to their plan of increased parking pressure on the small streets behind the IGA building. The Karlyn building on the opposite (east) side of Rt. 17 presents the owner with an opportunity for business development, but the limited onsite parking behind this building hampers this potential. The Junction property is crucial to support parking and patronage for whatever development occurs at that site AND the rest of the Hamlet. If Tuxedo Hudson eventually converts the Junction space to parking, it would be exclusively dedicated to the IGA building, rendering it private and unusable to the rest of the Hamlet district. It is imperative that the Town of Tuxedo reaches an agreement with Tuxedo Hudson to take ownership of this critical parcel. Furthermore, a traffic-lighted pedestrian crosswalk between the Karlyn building and the Junction municipal lot is a necessary safety priority, but revitalization cannot move forward until the Junction parking lot is owned outright by the town.
Although it has been broadly discussed by the current Town Board, implementing a "road diet" scenario does not seem feasible as it would funnel traffic into limited lanes and potentially create safety concerns in the Hamlet. We must remember that Rt. 17 is designated by the state as an emergency use corridor in case the NYS Thruway is ever closed. Removing lanes as a result of the implementation of a road diet process, could potentially shut down Tuxedo with traffic congestion and safety risks, especially if the NYS Thruway closes! Proper planning would leverage the current Rt. 17 configuration and implement robust safety measures, allowing the Hamlet to thrive and traffic to flow with minimal risk to safety.
A more recent concern has emerged – the New York Department of Transportation intends to retire the flashing traffic signal at the entrance to the Village of Tuxedo Park and replace it with a fully operational traffic light at the junction of the park entrance and East Village Rd. This decision appears highly problematic on multiple fronts, particularly in the absence of a comprehensive traffic study spanning the corridor from Duck Cedar Plaza to the southern end of the Hamlet. The installation of a traffic light at this intersection raises significant safety concerns, including the risk of cars being stopped on the railroad crossing during red light cycles. It also poses a safety hazard for our Tuxedo Park Village residents, who must rely on the assumption that vehicles will indeed come to a halt at a red light when using this new exit pattern. This is especially concerning given the already prevalent accident issues associated with the two existing traffic lights in the Hamlet. Additionally, considering that many vehicles enter the 35-mph speed limit zone of the Hamlet from the north at high speeds following wide sweeping turns, it is highly likely that there will be an increase in rear-end collisions while vehicles are stopped at this new signal due to a lack of sight distance. The revitalization plan must leverage the town’s concerns with the DOT and apply as much pressure as possible to allow them to understand the entire Tuxedo traffic problem.
Regarding the rest of the Hamlet District, preserving the Town of Tuxedo's historical charm is paramount. Reconfiguring sidewalks to include a buffer between the roadway and sidewalks not only enhances aesthetics but also improves pedestrian safety. Installing early 20th-century style lamp posts on both sides of Rt. 17 would contribute to the Hamlet’s quaintness and mirror the charm of the train station. The current plan involving multiple "pocket parks" along the roadside is, in my opinion, an outdated approach. Instead, we should concentrate on optimizing space usage and once again, emphasize safety.
While numerous discussions regarding the Hamlet revitalization/economic development project have taken place, no substantive progress occurred from January 2020 until late 2023, indicating a reduced priority by the current Town Board. It is of utmost importance that the appropriate plan is developed accurately and executed without further delay. Furthermore, it is essential that the Town Board collaboratively works on this plan to ensure the best possible outcome for implementation.
It is important to recognize that implementing a revitalization plan requires a substantial financial investment. While there is approximately 1.5-million dollars available in the Hamlet Revitalization LDC, which was originally negotiated in the 2015 version of the special permit, we must exercise prudence in allocating these funds and ensure the money is spent on both creating the lure for new business development and executing the beautification vision. During my tenure as a member of the LDC from 2015 to 2019, we were able to award grants totaling around 500 thousand dollars to businesses such as Steve's Pizza and the Tuxedo Hudson Company from the first 1.5-million-dollar grant. Both entities used these grants for exterior improvements, parking lot refurbishment, outdoor lighting, and landscaping. The tangible benefits reaped by these two establishments from these grants are readily apparent. It is also apparent that the prior town board I was a member of was actively engaged in economic development by awarding these business grants. The current town board wishes to use most of the LDC money for beautification. It is imperative that we shift our focus towards assisting additional businesses that choose to invest in Tuxedo and support their projects. Without businesses there is nothing to support beautification.
We also are facing very costly storm drainage system repairs that are flooding the sewer plant that services the Hamlet and the East Village every time it rains which causes the plant to considerably exceed its DEC license allotments…and that department is aware and threatening fines. This is an important capital project which I will give priority to as a revitalization measure.
My commitment is to sell Tuxedo as “OPEN FOR BUSINESS”. I am committed to aiding prospective businesses in navigating the county's processes to secure initial tax relief programs. I am committed to enjoying the problem of trying to find new space when Tuxedo’s commercial/retail space becomes fully saturated. I am committed to giving you back places to eat, drink and places to gather with family, friends and neighbors… which is critically missing from the Hamlet landscape.
Obviously, revitalization must be fully planned and implemented in phases. It also must be acceptable to the town and village residents. I’m sure many of you share my concern with all the vacant or underdeveloped business space in the Hamlet and the lack of local government outreach to advertise Tuxedo on the map of opportunity. Let’s get this town going by breaking down the barriers to success by becoming a destination that is inviting to potential businesses, residents and visitors. Along the way we can perform a phased revitalization/beautification process that benefits all. Growth in the town business center is the flame that will light the fuse of success.
JAY REICHGOTT
I believe that most, if not all, Residents of Tuxedo share a similar vision of a Revitalized Town Center: Refurbished buildings containing a variety of shops and restaurants; new sidewalks with streetlights, plantings, and improved ramps and curb cuts; better crosswalks; moderated traffic.
The Town Board has done meaningful work to help advance these goals:
We have amended the parking regulations contained in the Town Zoning Code so that the development of businesses within existing buildings is not constrained by the requirements regarding the required number and size of spaces.
We passed new legislation permitting and regulating “Food Trucks.”
Working with the Tuxedo LDC we have awarded almost a Half-Millon dollars (provided by the Tuxedo Farms Developers) in matching grants for local landowners, businesses, and organizations to refurbish and improve their properties.
We are working to advance the “Burgis Study” conceptual plans for sidewalk and “complete street” improvements.
The Town Board can do additional meaningful work to advance these goals:
Develop ways to improve and expand Town owned parking areas.
Continue to develop the sidewalk improvement plans to create “shovel ready” construction plans for use both to develop and award construction contracts and seek grants and other funding methods.
Work with partners and agencies at all levels of government to improve the traffic flow, crosswalks, safety systems etc. along Route 17 and the Railroad right of way.
Work with the Chamber of Commerce, Landowners, Business Owners, and Residents to improve our existing regulations and develop new ordinances to better foster development while protecting the quality of life in Tuxedo.
What the Town Board cannot do is make this all happen by acting alone. Successful achievement of all these goals will require the active participation of all “stakeholders” in Tuxedo:
The Town Board, Appointed Boards, Departments, and Employees to advance the plans, coordinate the work, expedite approvals and inspections.
The landowners adjacent to Route 17 to participate in Public/Private Partnerships regarding land use, maintenance easements, and adherence to project design guidelines.
The existing business owners and new entrepreneurs to develop and improve the businesses that are, and will be, the heart of the reinvigorated Town Center
The Residents and Taxpayers of Tuxedo to patronize the businesses and pay the costs of these improvements. There will be opportunities for Grants and preferential financing to help minimize interest costs but have no illusions, these projects will require major investment of public funds.
As Supervisor I will continue to advance the Revitalization of Town Center by prioritizing the actions that the Town can take, expanding our relationships with other government agencies, and improving communication and coordination with other Tuxedo stakeholders.
I will also work to extend all Revitalization efforts and activities up Route 17 to Tuxedo’s northern commercial center, the Southfields Hamlet Business District. This often-overlooked section of town is an important gateway into Tuxedo from the North and West and the closest commercial area to many Residents. It needs and deserves the same efforts at revitalization as the “Tuxedo Town Center.”
TOWN BOARD CANDIDATES
RICK MARSH
In my opinion, the revitalization of the Hamlet area is vital, but it needs to be prioritized after addressing more pressing matters. For example, working with our schools to resolve the issue of constructing a new school, fixing the old sewer system, and revitalizing our parks and recreational areas for the benefit of the entire Town of Tuxedo. As the development of new properties increases, so will the tax base for the town, making it a more opportune time to focus on the revitalization of the Hamlet. It would be a shame to invest a significant amount of money into creating micro parks, sidewalks, parking lots, and planting trees if they do not match the new commercial area. We must ensure that the current Hamlet area blends seamlessly with the new developments, and work towards creating a more unified Tuxedo by eliminating the divisions between different parts of our town.
I believe that establishing long-term incentive programs for property owners to maintain their buildings and contribute to the overall aesthetics of the area would be beneficial. We must also review and update zoning regulations to reduce bureaucratic barriers to businesses looking to invest in the Hamlet. I am in favor of the Town Board's plan to install a crosswalk and a traffic control device, such as a traffic light or crosswalk light, at Hospital Road and Rte. 17 to facilitate safe pedestrian crossings in the town center.
Overall, the complete revitalization of the Hamlet should come at a later time when major repairs are completed and ongoing projects are well into their development phases. As a result, I am confident that Tuxedo will eventually come together in a beautiful and cohesive manner.
CHRIS KASKER
The enhancement of the Hamlet is one of the top three issues I covered in my first response to TPFYI. I said, “There are ongoing discussions about improving the appeal of the Hamlet area by enhancing streetscapes, adding green spaces, and improving traffic safety. These enhancements are crucial for making the town more inviting, fostering community engagement, and ensuring the safety of residents and visitors.”
The current board held a revitalization workshop in October to present an update and plan to the town residents and seek feedback. If you have not watch the presentation, find it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J4PosoEhrXo
I support continuing this process and the direction it is going. The intent appears to be enhancing the aesthetics, encouraging pedestrian activity by creating safe and well-marked crosswalks, and exploring additional parking space to accommodate future growth. An important part of this process is that the community is involved, providing input and collaboration. There is funding available through grants from the state that will require minimal investment from the town. I admit I am not an expert, yet. However, I look forward to learning more and keeping the momentum going.
MARIA MAY
With collaboration between the Tuxedo Farms Local Development Corporation, town government, business owners, and local organizations, the revitalization of the Tuxedo Hamlet is currently underway. This project includes several upgrades, such as the Tuxedo Train Station renovation, the Chase building's restoration as the new Tuxedo Historical Society Exhibition Hall and Welcome Center, and the Karlyn warehouse building and Augusta Properties' refurbishment. Additional improvements include a brand-new state-of-the-art sewer plant and a gas station and convenience store. This trend began a few years back with the restoration of the IGA building by the Tuxedo Hudson Company and the construction of a new building that houses Steve's Pizza restaurant. While significant progress has been made in recent years, there is still much work to do to revitalize not only the Tuxedo Hamlet but also the entire Route 17 corridor, including the Southfields Business District. A comprehensive approach is required to address various aspects of community development, infrastructure improvement, and cultural enhancement to revitalize Tuxedo.
Community Engagement
Community engagement and feedback have been ongoing processes for decades, evolving over time from conversations around the Tuxedo Comprehensive Plan. Recently, the Town Board held meetings with Hamlet business owners and organizations, conducted a community survey, and hosted public meetings that focused on beautification and connectivity ideas for the east side of Route 17. These efforts have highlighted several needs, concerns, and objectives, including pedestrian safety, traffic calming on Route 17, connectivity and walkability between the commercial district and neighborhoods, increased parking, infrastructure rehabilitation, and beautification. As a Town Board member, I am committed to advancing these goals and propose the establishment of a community revitalization committee that includes residents, local businesses, and town officials to maintain this momentum. This effort will not only benefit the Hamlet but also contribute to the revitalization of the entire Route 17 corridor.
Infrastructure Improvement: Enhancing Tuxedo Hamlet's Beauty, Accessibility, and Sustainability
To enhance the aesthetic appeal and accessibility of the Tuxedo Hamlet for its residents, I support upgrading and maintaining infrastructure, as well as creating and maintaining public gathering spaces, such as parks and sidewalks. However, this kind of beautification work presents significant challenges and requires considerable investment. We must take into account the economic impact on a small town. As the town does not have jurisdiction over assets such as Route 17, any changes in the road diet or sidewalk infrastructure will require coordination between intermunicipal and state agencies. For instance, the NYS Department of Transportation (DOT) has jurisdiction over the Route 17 right of way, and the Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) has authority over roadways surrounding the train station. Therefore, any changes we want to make in these areas must meet DOT and MTA specifications.
To achieve the town's beautification and safety goals, I propose continuing to gather information and study options, including funding studies and surveys to gain a clearer understanding of the work needed and its cost. We should also communicate with DOT and MTA regularly and explore funding opportunities, such as applying for a Complete Streets Grant. While we were unsuccessful in our past applications, I believe we will have a higher chance of success as more residents move to Tuxedo Farms.
There is another critical infrastructure issue in the Tuxedo Hamlet that is not easily visible: the sewer pipes that run under the Hamlet. They are over 100 years old and have a severe inflow and infiltration problem. Repairing the problem is essential to the proper functioning of the sewer system. It is also a prerequisite to decommission the old sewer plant, which is required for lifting the DEC moratorium on any new businesses or homes wishing to hook up to the new sewer system. This issue prevents any new development in the Hamlet. It has a direct impact on Hamlet revitalization and economic development, especially if we want to attract new business to the area and continue to support those that are already here. Until the Hamlet Sewer Collection system (sewer pipes, manholes, and pump station) is fixed, no new homes or businesses can be connected to the new plant. Lastly, we should consider green infrastructure solutions to address stormwater management as part of a streetscape solution. Incorporating hydro-storm solutions into a beautiful streetscape scheme, along with other green infrastructure solutions like electric car charging stations and a Jitney service suggested by Tuxedo Farms developers, can get significant funding support from NYS and Federal grants. These solutions can also help to calm traffic on Route 17, making it more sustainable for future generations.
Small Business Support: A Key to Hamlet Revitalization
One crucial factor that hinders the progress of revitalizing the Hamlet is the lack of engagement from commercial property owners. While some property developers and businesses such as Karlyn Industries, Augusta Properties, and most recently, The Reggie Bar, have taken advantage of the Tuxedo Farms Revitalization LDC matching grant program, many business owners have failed to leverage these financial benefits. Consequently, several commercial properties remain vacant, and in some cases, are too costly for profitable business leasing. To address this issue, I suggest that the Town Board, in collaboration with the Tuxedo Chamber of Commerce, Tuxedo Farms, and local and state officials, explore the development of a small business program. This will offer financial incentives and technical assistance to property owners to renovate and make their properties more appealing. Moreover, it will provide prospective business owners with the necessary support to establish their businesses in Tuxedo, especially as the town population grows and Tuxedo Farms comes online.
Cultural and Recreational Advancements in Tuxedo
Revitalizing the Hamlet of Tuxedo is not just about improving the infrastructure, but also creating a vibrant community that offers cultural and recreational spaces. This includes developing parks, community meeting areas, and amenities to encourage community engagement, foster a sense of place, and enhance the quality of life for residents. Funding for parks will come from a fee levied on all new homes built. The 1,609 residences planned for Tuxedo Farms will add about $2,500,000 toward the building of parks and recreational amenities. To support this vision, I have taken on the supervision of the Parks and Recreation Department, taking the steps toward community building by hiring a new Recreation Director, working with the Tuxedo Union Free School District and Tuxedo Park to bring back the wonderful and safe summer camp experience that Tuxedo children have looked forwards to for generations. As a Town Board we are following through with plans to renovate and upgrade parks and improve current park and recreation areas. We started this work by funding much needed renovations of the Tichy Field Tennis and basketball courts, the only public tennis court in town, and scoring new lines to add a new Pickleball court. Recent upgrades to the Tichy Field Tennis courts have increased usage and allowed the Recreation department to host events such as a Pickleball clinic and the final day celebrations for the Town of Tuxedo Summer Camp. Finally, Deputy Supervisor Reighgott and I began conducting a preliminary survey to assess park maintenance, repair, and enhancement needs. This information will help prioritize funding currently and also when revenues from recreation infrastructure fees become available as Tuxedo Farms moves forward. The Town Board will continue to support events, including athletic events, art exhibitions, music performances, and work in collaboration with private partners, town organizations and Orange County tourism agencies to build community across neighborhoods, attract new visitors and residents, enhance the quality of life and the local economy.
Implementing a revitalization plan for Tuxedo will require collaboration between various stakeholders, ongoing commitment, and adaptability to changing circumstances. By focusing on community engagement, infrastructure improvement, economic development, and cultural enhancement, Tuxedo can work towards a more vibrant and sustainable future.
Candidates for Town Supervisor & Town Board Talk About Tuxedo Farms & The Potential Fiscal Impact to the School District And Its Taxpayers (Posted 10/27/23)
TPFYI asked the candidates who are running for Town Supervisor and Town Board the following question with regard to the Tuxedo Farms Development and the Tuxedo Union Free School District: As part of the amended Special Permit for the Tuxedo Farms Project, the Developer has agreed to gift the Tuxedo Union Free School District with 40 acres of undeveloped, ungraded land in addition to 2.5 million dollars.While the school District has publicly stated on numerous occasions that they are excited about the project and eagerly await the students that it is projected to yield, they have simultaneously expressed concern over the 40 acres of land, which they and their consultants estimate will cost between 26 and 27 million to prepare for development. The current elementary school is not equipped to handle the projected increase in enrollment and therefore significant expansion will soon be needed. This will include not only the addition of multiple classrooms but upgraded facilities as well including a new gymnasium and expanded cafeteria. All of this could cost the taxpayers upwards of 75 million dollars** over a 30 year period. Attempts by the school district to renegotiate the land agreement with both the Town and the Developer in the fall of 2022 failed. At their recent meeting on October 18, School Superintendent Jeffrey White raised these concerns once again but in lieu of an amended agreement, recommended that that the District accept the land and the money, further suggesting that the land could be sold for an estimated $650,000, netting the District somewhere between 3 and 4 million in total…but clearly, this is not nearly enough to adequately move the facilities forward with the development. What are your thoughts on how the School and Town can work together to rectify this potentially costly situation and achieve the best possible outcome for the taxpayers, while ensuring a strong, stable future for both the Town and the School??
** 75 Million is an estimate compiled by TPFYI based on estimates that have been provided by consultants for the various the stages of land prep and development as discussed in public meetings over the course of the last year.
Below please find their unedited responses in the order they were received:
SUPERVISOR CANDIDATES:
David McMillen: Our schools stand as our most cherished asset and serve as a primary consideration for families contemplating a move to our community. The quality of our educational programs and facilities holds paramount importance. Without maintaining this high standard, Tuxedo may lose its appeal to families, potentially jeopardizing the town's vitality. Moreover, the now approved Tuxedo Farms project could face difficulties, with new homes potentially remaining vacant. The residents who live outside of the Tuxedo school district could also be negatively impacted if the town suffers from economic hardship as a result of the school's failure to achieve growth goals and maintain quality standards, as it could affect the overall prosperity and desirability of the entire community.
The issue of the land gift presents a significant challenge, primarily due to the exorbitant projected costs associated with site preparation. The property itself is situated on rugged rocky terrain that would require extensive and costly site preparation, imposing a heavy financial burden on both the school district and taxpayers within it. Additionally, the presence of a sizable rattlesnake den on the property complicates matters. Herpetologists have observed a substantial population of these snakes. Our primary concerns are the safety of our children and the need to preserve this habitat, as rattlesnakes are facing population declines. Every species plays a crucial role in the ecosystem, and we should not consider evicting them from their stable habitat on this property, where they do not currently pose a threat to our residents.
During a meeting on October 20, 2022, a special town board meeting was held to discuss the special permit amendments and the school boards issues concerning the land gift. In this meeting the town board had indicated they would review the schools’ concerns. Then without any further public discussion about these concerns, the town board unanimously passed the special permit amendments at a special meeting 1 month later, completely discounting those issues. It has become apparent that the town's State Environmental Quality Review (SEQR) process was flawed, as the rattlesnake issue was never adequately addressed. The present town board exhibited a greater interest in expediting the Farms project to secure its execution, with the aim of receiving sole credit for its approval after many prior town boards worked hard to ensure the future school expansion project was positioned for success. Even though the Related Companies position was not to work with the school on this land gift issue, the town board should have taken ownership of the discussion with the school board to begin the process of finding an optional solution.
The expectation of collaboration between municipal entities, such as the school and town boards, is of extreme importance. As previously mentioned, prior town boards consistently emphasized the school's best interests during discussions concerning the Tuxedo Farms special permit and it remains unclear why the current town board had not placed a similar emphasis on these conversations prior to approving the final version. Their outright rejection of the school district's apprehensions regarding property development is disconcerting and demonstrates a lack of responsibility as a governing body.
A viable solution exists! The town acquired Quarry Field approximately a decade ago, which would be an ideal location for expanding the Tuxedo elementary school. This property offers an optimal setting for a new school, complete with athletic fields and safe access for traffic and school buses. Simultaneously, this new facility would continue to be accessible to residents, just as Quarry Field is now, ensuring that there would be no reduction in recreational access. If elected, I would promptly propose this idea to the town/school board. Naturally, we would need to sell the property to the school district while preserving the current taxpayer equity for use in other projects, such as recreation, infrastructure repairs and beautification. The cost of this alternative would be significantly lower than the current expansion proposal before the school board, resulting in a far lesser impact on the taxpayers within the school district. This proposal would also demonstrate the willingness of the town board to work with and assist the school board on this and any matter going forward.
The town of Tuxedo cannot and will not have the potential to MOVE FORWARD unless this solution is immediately engaged.
Jay Reichgott:
First, Some History:
As part of the approval process for the Tuxedo Farms Project, an extensive Environmental Assessment was performed. One aspect of this review was to examine the impact that the development would have on the Tuxedo Union Free School District. The clear result of the investigation was that the Project would be “Tax Positive” for TUFSD. (Tax Positive means that the increase in tax revenue created by the Project is greater than the additional cost to the District.) The project was found to be Tax Positive even when the analysis was done using the District’s high cost projections. The analysis results may be seen here: tuxedo_farms_tech_memo.rev_6.9.22.pdf (tuxedogov.org) on pages 16-21.
The Federal and State Environmental Assessment requirement to demonstrate that a project does not have a negative financial impact is that it be Tax Positive. In addition to demonstrating this, the Developer also chose to make a gift of 40 acres of land to the District. (It should be noted that, although a Gift of 40 acres was proposed, the District indicated it only requires approximately 10 acres to meet its needs.) This gift originally included the “Site Preparation” of the property required for development. In 2014, the Developer and the TUFSD reached an alternate agreement that the land would be provided without preparation and instead $2,500,000 would be given to the District. The agreement may be seen here: appendix_k_-_tufsd_letter_agreement.pdf (tuxedogov.org)
In the Developer’s initial draft of the latest revisions to the Special Permit, the gift of land and monies to the District was omitted. The Town Board required that all agreements between the Developer and TUFSD be maintained as a condition to move negotiations forward. The Town Board did allow for the possibility of renegotiation of the agreements between the Developer and TUFSD by including language in the Special Permit allowing such changes without requiring re-approval of the Permit. As negotiations between the Town Board and the Developer progressed the Board reminded the District that the agreements regarding the School Site were open for renegotiation and urged the District to engage with the Developer. The Town’s negotiations with the Developer were delayed to allow the Board to host several “11th Hour” meetings with the Developer and District. In the end, the 2014 Agreement regarding the gift of 40 Acres of Land and $2,500,000 was recently ratified with no substantive changes. (It must be noted that the Agreements regarding the School Site are entirely between the District and the Developer. The Town only serves to memorialize them in the Special Permit.)
The cost to develop the school site has yet to be determined, as no plan for how the site will be used has been developed beyond some very initial conceptual drawings. At the meetings held in the fall of 2022 regarding this issue, the Developer presented several such drawings showing possible expansions of District Facilities both on and off the School Site. These studies may be seen here: mbb_tuxedo_ufsd_report.10.19.22.pdf (tuxedogov.org) The reported estimates of $27,000,000 to “prepare for development”, or $75,000,000 to “fully develop the property” have never been reviewed or substantiated.
Anyone interested in more information regarding the Tuxedo Farms Special Permit, the Environmental Impact Assessments, or the School Site Negotiations may find it here: https://www.tuxedogov.org/tuxedo-farms
Now, to address the question:
The very fact that an agreement between the Developer of Tuxedo Farms and the TUFSD has been executed and is now the subject of discussions as to whether it is a “good enough deal” marks a major advance is the progress of a project that languished for over 30 years. I am proud to have been a part of the Town Board that worked with Related and Lennar to restart the Tuxedo Farms Project. It has the potential to lift all of Tuxedo to new heights.
TUFSD, like all school districts in the region, faces challenges in the future: integrating the new families that move into Tuxedo Farms, adapting to the Region’s ongoing demographic changes, adjusting curriculum to support the increasing need for STEM and other “technical” subjects while maintaining a strong basis in Civics and Humanities. (To name a few.) The current Town Board has already opened discussions with TUFSD regarding ways that we can use Town owned lands to help meet the District's existing and future needs for fields and, possibly, spaces for new construction. As Supervisor I pledge to continue to work with the District to find solutions to the complex challenges that confront us.
I caution, however, that complex challenges do not usually have “simple and obvious” answers. Statements suggesting otherwise made by some candidates, such that the issues facing TUFSD can be solved just by “giving the District Quarry Field,” might be excused as campaign rhetoric if they did not reveal a lack of understanding, or complete disregard, of the complexities underlying both the challenge and the suggested remedy.
TOWN BOARD CANDIDATES: Rick Marsh: First and foremost, the School District is a priority! We cannot have a new development of this size in Town and not expect it to impact the School District. Second, I am one hundred percent behind the development and feel it’s something Tuxedo needs, but aligned with common sense, good governance and responsible growth. If elected to Town Council, I would pursue the opportunity to explore both sides of this issue. I feel that there still may be some workable compromise around the construction of the property donated from Related Companies to the Tuxedo School District.
The donated property offers a couple challenges. First, there’s more than 100 foot of elevation that needs to be leveled to have a buildable footprint for the school. The material removed from this area could be used by the developer for fill or base material for their construction sites. Second, there is the issue of the rattlesnakes. If, in fact, the snake dens are in an area that would be DEC protected and the developer would have known this and would have made a bad donation to our School District. In good faith they would need to rectify the issue.
If all else fails, there are other options such as Town property being used. This would be a last resort and would have to be beneficial to both the School and the Town. If agreed upon and approved by counsel a land exchange would be an option. This would allow the School District to receive buildable land in exchange for the Town to receive the unbuildable property. According to an environmental educator from Cornell University the property could be valuable to research organizations. These organizations would be interested in purchasing the unbuildable property to protect the land and rattlesnakes.
Overall, I believe that with open communication and commitment to workable compromise, a solution can be reached that would benefit the Town of Tuxedo, the School District and the development. It is crucial that all parties involved work together to find a mutually beneficial solution. The Town Council has a responsibility to ensure that any growth in the Town does not negatively impact our schools. I am committed to finding a solution that supports responsible growth while also addressing the needs of both our Town and the School District.
In conclusion, I am committed to ensuring that the School District remains a priority in any development plans for the Town. I will listen to all perspectives, examine all options, and work towards a solution that supports responsible growth, is financially viable and addresses the needs of our School District.
Maria May: I became involved with Tuxedo governance issues when a proposal to close the George F. Baker High School emerged as a prerequisite for building Tuxedo Farms, and as a resident and educator, I spoke out against it in Town Board meetings.
When Related expressed renewed interest in making changes to the Tuxedo Farms Special Permit, our Town Board made it clear that negotiations would not begin until the high school closure issue was off the table, and the $2.5 million grant and 40-acre land gift, which the district had approved in 2015, were restored. Moreover, during the year when the Town Board was having these discussions, the TUFSD Board was reminded of its authority to negotiate with Related independently for necessary modifications to the 2015 agreement.
The Town Board's main concern in issuing the Special Permit was to ensure that the Tuxedo Farms project was financially beneficial for both the Town and the School District, as mandated by Orange County and NYS law. When the TUFSD Board's appealed for help to the Town Board for changes to their 2015 agreement, we hired experts and trusted consultants who have worked with multiple town boards in Tuxedo, and even with the more conservative projections posited by the TUFSD, both teams of experts concluded that the project would be tax positive for the district (see report from the experts here and here if you’d like more information). The implication that the Tuxedo Town Board hasn't done enough to support the TUFSD is simply not true.
It's worth noting that at a time when school districts in surrounding areas are experiencing decreased student enrollment leading to school closures, the Tuxedo Farms development is a rare and valuable gift to the TUFSD, offering the opportunity for a significant increase in enrollment, while bringing new revenue in school taxes, and recreation fees that will benefit children and residents alike. It should also be understood that the Town Board and the School Board are separate entities with different areas of authority.
As a lifelong educator I have unique experience and have worked in other Districts to address the challenges facing TUFSD. As a Town Board member, I am committed to advocating for the best interests of children and taxpayers in Tuxedo as I have for the past four years. If elected I will work to set up a liaison between the School Board and the Town Board to facilitate dialogue and cooperation. I would be honored to serve in this role.
Chris Kasker: It is essential that the Town Board, School Board, and Tuxedo Farms work closely by sharing ideas, voicing concerns, and exploring viable options. A few months ago, Superintendent Jeff White and I collaborated effectively on the volunteer firefighters and ambulance workers tax exemption, which the School Board recently approved. (Thank You). Moving forward, I am committed to working with Mr. White and the members of the School Board to address and resolve matters related to Tuxedo Farms.
However, there are significant differences in cost estimations presented by Tuxedo Farms ($1.6M-Related) and the School Board ($27M-Jacobs) to clear and prepare the donated lot, which is indeed concerning. They are so different that it appears someone could have misplaced a decimal point. Learning more about how two credible construction and development organizations can produce such drastically different cost estimates will be a priority for me. The issue begs the question, how can we rely on any of either party’s numbers when they are so different?
For those who are interested in a more detailed look at some of the costs and figures provided by Tuxedo Farms and the School Board, the Town’s planning consultant provided a School Fiscal Impact review. The document compares cost estimates provided by both the school and the developer. It may be a good source for readers to see where the two differ and offer more context and background. https://www.tuxedogov.org/sites/g/files/vyhlif5996/f/uploads/tuxedo_farms_school_fiscal_review_10.14.2022.pdf
Meet The Candidates for Town Supervisor & Town Board (Posted 10/20/23)
In an effort to help residents get a better idea of who the candidates for Town Supervisor and Town Council are, why they have chosen to run and what their priorities will be if elected, TPFYI presented each Candidate with the following questionnaire. We will post their unedited responses in the order they are received.
Supervisor:
Dave McMillen
Candidate:
David McMillen
Vocation:
Principal Cyber Threat Hunter/Analyst – IBM X-Force
Years of Residency in the Town
25
Government Experience
8 years as Tuxedo town councilman – 4 as Deputy Supervisor
3 years on Tuxedo town planning board
Volunteer Work in the Town of Tuxedo
I often provide free cybersecurity consultations to residents.
I gave a “Cybersecurity Concerns for Parents” presentation at the high school.
Volunteered to be Memorial Day parade grand marshal/honor guard and speaker for several years.
Provide free music recording studio use to Tuxedo youths.
Why are You running for Supervisor?
I am running for town Supervisor because I am deeply committed to the well-being and progress of our town. Over the years, I have witnessed both the potential and the challenges that our community faces. I believe that my prior town government experience, passion, and dedication to public service uniquely position me to address these issues and lead our town towards a brighter future. I am running to bring positive change, promote transparency in government, and foster a sense of unity and inclusion among our residents. Together, we can work towards a thriving community that not only meets the needs of today but also lays the foundation for a sustainable and vibrant tomorrow.
What attributes will You bring to the Town Government?
Community Engagement: I am deeply connected to our community and have a strong understanding of its needs and concerns. I have a track record of engaging with residents to gather their input and feedback. Problem-Solving: I have a reputation for being a resourceful problem solver. I can analyze complex issues, identify potential solutions, and will work collaboratively with all board members to implement them effectively. Transparency and Accountability: I am committed to transparency in government. I will work to ensure that decisions are made openly, and that the public has access to information. I also believe in being accountable for actions taken and will uphold the highest ethical standards. Fiscal Responsibility: I am committed to applying responsible fiscal management principles when managing the town's budget, with a key emphasis on streamlining resource allocation and ensuring that taxpayer funds are utilized wisely. My proven track record demonstrates this ability, as I was part of a team that successfully navigated the town through the challenging situation of a pre-existing $1.5 million deficit upon taking office in 2014, ultimately achieving financial stability without placing an additional tax burden on our residents. Inclusivity: I am dedicated to promoting inclusivity and diversity in our community. I will advocate for policies that ensure equal opportunities and representation for all residents. If elected, I will immediately initiate a monthly citizens' workshop, offering a platform for direct communication between residents and the entire board on any topic. The ensuing discussions will be converted into a proactive action plan, enabling the town board to collaboratively evaluate and formulate solutions or harness innovative ideas. Environmental Stewardship: I am passionate about environmental conservation and sustainability. I will support initiatives that protect our natural resources and promote eco-friendly practices within the town. Collaboration: I believe in the power of collaboration and will work closely with other town officials, community leaders, and residents to achieve our shared goals. I will foster a spirit of cooperation to address the town's challenges effectively. Communication: Efficient communication plays a pivotal role in ensuring a smoothly operating government. If elected, I will be dedicated to keeping our residents well-informed about town developments, projects, and decisions using multiple channels. This includes hosting additional town meetings/workshops if necessary, establishing a dynamic communications portal, and engagement through social media platforms. Adaptability: In a rapidly changing world, adaptability is crucial. I will be open to new ideas and technologies that can improve town services and enhance the quality of life for our residents. I am extremely capable of responding to unexpected circumstances or challenges with resilience and resourcefulness and I thrive in dynamic and evolving situations. Commitment: I am deeply committed to serving the town and its residents. I am ready to dedicate the time and effort needed to make our community a better place for everyone. I pledge to engage with residents, businesses, and community organizations to foster collaboration, gather input, and create a shared vision for the town's future.
My confidence in my capacity to make a positive contribution to our Town Government as a representative of our citizens is bolstered by these qualities, coupled with my deep passion for our town's welfare and my past experience as a Tuxedo councilman.
What are the three most important issues currently facing the Town?
Economic development has been an ongoing topic of discussion without observable progress in implementation. Our town grapples with difficulties in generating interest due to inadequacies in the zoning code, despite recent updates. The existing zoning code does not align with a pure commercial business vision for future growth, proving restrictive by eliminating some previously allowed uses. Additionally, the comprehensive plan does not present an enticing opportunity for potential businesses considering Tuxedo as a viable location for their endeavors. Moreover, businesses attempting to establish themselves in Tuxedo have conveyed to me personally that they are experiencing numerous layers of bureaucratic delays and resistance during the site plan application review and approval process, resulting in both time and financial setbacks. This situation leaves them with the impression that choosing Tuxedo may have been a regrettable decision.
The noticeable absence of a recreation facility accessible to all town/village residents is a significant concern. Many years ago, the town board rejected the idea of leasing a lakefront recreation facility in the Arden area of Harriman State Park (for $1 per year!). I am committed to reviving discussions with the Palisades Interstate Park Commission to establish a new recreation center that would be accessible to ALL town/village residents. This proposed site would offer a multitude of benefits to our community. It would not only provide a dedicated space for residents to participate in physical activities, thus promoting health and well-being, but it would also serve as a communal hub for nurturing local relationships. Such a facility has the potential to stimulate the local economy by attracting visitors and potentially enhancing property values. Furthermore, it would create a controlled environment for organized events and activities, ensuring the celebration and preservation of the town's rich cultural and natural heritage for future generations. It is surprising that Tuxedo, nestled within a beautiful state park, has yet to fully leverage its potential to embody the "Live, Work, Play" motto displayed on the current town billboard!
While Tuxedo enjoys a remarkable natural setting, it's crucial to consider that nearly 80% of our town is comprised of state park land, with the remaining 20% having reached near-complete development, leaving no room for further suburban expansion. The long-debated Tuxedo Farms project, which has faced resistance over the past three decades, is on the verge of commencing construction in the near future. Upon its completion, it will effectively double our community's population. This growth will place a substantial burden on vital town services, including the highway department, fire department, ambulance corps, police department, building department, and school resources. Even though the Tuxedo Farms project will unfold gradually over several years, it is imperative to initiate discussions about its impact without delay. Delaying until growth is in full swing would be unwise and unprepared. Tuxedo Farms represents the last substantial tract of usable land in Tuxedo, underscoring the importance of approaching this endeavor with a well-defined and considerate vision. Furthermore, I have identified a solution to aid the school in addressing their expansion needs, which currently faces economic challenges stemming from a recent land grant issue with the Tuxedo Farms developer. As Town Supervisor, I am committed to prioritizing engagement with all town service leaders and the school board to chart a successful path for our community as we embark on this journey of expansion.
Jay Reichgott
Candidate:
Jay H. Reichgott, P.E.
Vocation:
Consulting Structural Engineer
Years of Residency in the Town
5
Government Experience
Tuxedo Town Councilman – 4 Years, including 1 year as Deputy Town Supervisor
Volunteer Work in the Town of Tuxedo
Village of Tuxedo Park Planning Board
Tuxedo Park School Trustees
Why are You running for Supervisor?
I am running for Supervisor to continue the progress that the current Town Board has made in moving Tuxedo forward. Working with Related and Lenar we have restarted and modernized the Tuxedo Farms development. We have returned the Police Force to full strength and restored “24/7” police coverage. We have worked to protect our precious environmental resources by opening the new Hamlet Sewer Plant, purchasing property surrounding the Indian Kill reservoir, and starting the cleanup of illegal dumping (by outsiders) that occurred at the Town’s highway facility. We have fostered business development along Route 17 as shown by the more than 5 projects currently underway or recently completed.
I will provide continuity and institutional memory that will allow us to continue to move Tuxedo forward on these fronts, revitalize our Parks, develop additional recreational opportunities, and support economic development in our business districts.
What attributes will You bring to the Town Government?
4 Years service on the current Town Board, including one as Deputy Supervisor – I know and understand the current state of the Town. I do not need to “get up to speed” and can lead effectively from the first day of my tenure.
11 Years as Owner of a small business in the Hudson Valley – I have experienced, first hand, the challenges that businesses face in our region and the current economic conditions.
40 Years Experience in Construction and Engineering – I have the background required to support the development and infrastructure improvements required in Tuxedo while protecting the Town’s interests.
A Sharp Mind, Brave Heart, and a Thick Skin.
What are the three most important issues currently facing the Town?
Tuxedo Farms – This development will double the population of Tuxedo. It will bring additional students to our schools, customers to our businesses, and monies to our institutions. It can also, if not properly guided, change the Town for the worse. I have been part of the team that re-started this development and I have the knowledge and understanding required to ensure that it proceeds smoothly while protecting the interests of the Town.
Infrastructure – Our Town, like many in the region, has suffered from years of “deferred maintenance” of our infrastructure. Both “hard” infrastructure, like our sewer and water systems, and “soft,” like our parks and recreational facilities. I have the background and understanding needed to develop sensible programs to renew and modernize our infrastructure affordably.
Improving the Quality of Life for all Tuxedo Residents – We must refurbish and improve our Parks, increase our Recreational Offerings, further the Development of Existing and New Businesses, and address Traffic and Pedestrian Safety along all of Route 17. The current Town Board has made inroads into improvements on all of these, and I will continue to build on this foundation.
Town Council:
Rick Marsh
Candidate:
Rick Marsh
Vocation:
I have 23 years’ experience in Law enforcement. I started my career in 2000 with the Village of Tuxedo Park as a Police Officer. I transitioned to the Town of Tuxedo Police Department in 2001 and retired from the Village of Suffern Police Department in April of this year as Detective Sergeant. I held many positions throughout my career which included the position of Executive Officer of the Rockland County SWAT Team.
Years of Residency in the Town
I am a fifth-generation resident raising my two children in my childhood home.
Government Experience
If elected this would be my first experience in town government.
Volunteer Work in the Town of Tuxedo
I have dedicated my life to public service. I held many positions. Which included volunteering with the Tuxedo Ambulance Corp. Where I was an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) as well as President of the Ambulance Corp.
I have been a 20+ year member of the Tuxedo Joint Fire District holding the positions of Financial Secretary, Lieutenant, Captain, First and Second Assistant Chief, District Chief. In these positions I was not only charged with running critical incidents but was responsible for large budgets.
After the hurricane Irene that caused devastating damage to Tuxedo, I was charged with the position of President of the East Village Resident Relief Fund. This was formed as large amounts of donations were being collected and a process was needed to responsibly distribute the funds to families in need.
Why are You running for Town Council?
As a lifelong resident I have a vested interest in seeing responsible growth for the town. I feel the residents of Tuxedo love and enjoy the small town feel of Tuxedo but also have a need for our schools to thrive, new businesses to be developed and to have the peace of mind that we are being secured by a fully staffed Police Department to ensure our safety.
What attributes will You bring to the Town Government?
I am hard working and passionate about tasks. My life experiences have prepared me for this position. My leadership skills have been tried and tested through critical incidents including environmental, financial and life-threatening situations.
What are the three most important issues currently facing the Town?
I am interested in making sure that the new development succeeds and is developed responsibly.
I feel we have a major issue with the Hamlet Sewer District. The district is facing a significant capital project by repairing the leaking sewer lines prior to the new development coming online. This needs to be done with minimal impact to the town budget.
We need to revive our current downtown area before the new commercial area is built and finished. I feel it’s important we do not forget this main area of our town.
I would like to see the town improve our recreation department so that seniors and the youth alike have more opportunities to grow and prosper here in Tuxedo, not having to depend on surrounding communities.
We need to make sure our Police, Fire, Ambulance and Highway departments are equipped and prepared for the increased growth of our town with the new development.
The Town Board needs to ensure that our schools will be well fitted and able to handle the influx of new students.
Chris Kasker
Candidate:
Christopher Kasker
Vocation:
Chief Operating Officer
Years of Residency in the Town
I have been a resident for six years. My family settled here when we retired from the Army.
Government Experience
With a strong background in various levels of government, I am prepared to bring a wealth of practical knowledge and leadership to the Town Council of Tuxedo. Since April 2019, I have played an active role in our community as a member of the Town of Tuxedo Planning Board, collaborating closely with significant stakeholders, such as Related and Lennar, during pivotal stages leading up to the building phase, which we are on the cusp of beginning.
In 2020, the Tuxedo Park voters elected me to the Village’s Board of Trustees, which culminated in my recent appointment as Deputy Mayor. My time on the Board has enriched my understanding of local governance and honed my skills, equipping me to become a fair, influential leader on the Town Board, who will work for the greater good for a better Tuxedo.
On a broader note, my twenty years of active-duty service in the U.S. Army have provided me with a vast array of governmental experiences. I have managed military police in Germany, supervised law enforcement facilities in Kosovo and Iraq, and served as an advisor in Washington, D.C., to the Secretary of the Army. These experiences have enhanced my leadership, organizational, and decision-making skills, making me well-suited to address the multifaceted challenges and opportunities facing our town.
Volunteer Work in the Town of Tuxedo
Tuxedo Park Fire Department, 2018-present, firefighter and vice president, recently recognized as a top-responder for 2022.
Tuxedo Chamber of Commerce 2018-2020, trustee
Trustee, Tuxedo Park 2020 to present
Although I have lived in Tuxedo a relatively short amount of time, my active participation in both the Chamber and Fire Department has accelerated my learning and understanding of the town and its needs.
Why are You running for Town Council?
I believe in the promising future that the Town of Tuxedo is on the cusp of realizing. The momentum is growing. The evidence of this positive transformation is all around us – from the improvements to the Orange Top to the new building at the old Gulf station, updates to the Karlyn Industries building, train station and former Chase bank building. Additionally, current discussions regarding sidewalk and streetscape changes could lead to continued enhancements that make Tuxedo a more attractive place to live and visit.
However, the most significant change on the horizon is the beginning of construction at Tuxedo Farms. It is an endeavor that has been decades in the making and is finally upon us. It will be years of construction and hard work from both the developer side as well as the government.
Whether it is the potential doubling of the population from Tuxedo Farms, or the 216 properties in the Hamlet needing an updated sewer system, the Town needs Board members who can pay proper attention to multiple issues, anticipate problems and work collaboratively to develop solutions.
I am seeking a seat on the Town Council because I want to actively contribute to the management of these changes and ensure that they benefit our community. I am dedicated to preserving and furthering the momentum that Tuxedo is currently experiencing, and I believe that serving on the council is the most effective way to do so.
What attributes will You bring to the Town Government?
I am an award-winning leader, combat tested. I have a disciplined and deliberate decision-making process that leads to taking action. As a former Army leader, locally elected leader, and as a chief operating officer, my focus has been on taking care of people. My approach is to analyze the situation, determine the desired outcome, improve processes, increase efficiency, and raise job satisfaction, ultimately leading to satisfied clients. I will work hard to take care of the Town Board’s clients-the Town’s residents, visitors, businesses, and workers.
What are the three most important issues currently facing the Town?
Sustainable Growth with Tuxedo Farms: As Tuxedo Farms continues to expand, it is essential that the town government keeps pace with this growth. This includes developing and implementing policies that ensure the sustainable development of Tuxedo Farms and the surrounding areas. Working with the school district is important to me.
Enhancements to the Hamlet. There are ongoing discussions about improving the appeal of the Hamlet area by enhancing streetscapes, adding green spaces, and improving traffic safety. These enhancements are crucial for making the town more inviting, fostering community engagement, and ensuring the safety of residents and visitors.
Volunteer Recruitment for Emergency Services: Another concern of mine is the declining numbers of volunteers for our emergency services, specifically the Ambulance Corps, and the Fire Services. As the town grows, so does the demand for emergency responders. Ensuring the availability of well-trained volunteers is essential for the safety and well-being of our community.
MARIA MAY
Candidate:
Maria May
Vocation:
Educator
Years of Residency in the Town
Years14
Government Experience
Town Councilperson in Tuxedo since 2020
Volunteer Work in the Town of Tuxedo
Pollination Meadow
Discover Tuxedo
Tuxedo Senior Citizen Advisory Committee
Tuxedo Police Reinvention Committee
I attend and volunteer in Town and community sponsored events
Why are You running for Town Council?
I’m running for Town Council to continue to move forward with the great work this Town Board has accomplished for the Town of Tuxedo. These include:
The two-year process of hard negotiations and final approval of Tuxedo Farms, an 800-million-dollar project that will add 1600 new homes, new residents, new tax positive revenue, retail and commercial space built around a beautiful new Town Plaza called The Commons. It will also address the needs of the Tuxedo Union Free School District, by bolstering enrollment and giving the district $2,500,000 and 40 acres of land to use as they need. Tuxedo Farms has also provided a new $10,000,000 sewer plant, in operation since January 2023, and over $1,100,000 in grants to revitalize the Hamlet Business district. As a person intimately involved in every aspect of the Tuxedo Farms Special Permit process, I know the particulars of the permit and understand the importance of steady leadership. I’m part of the trust relationship built over time between Related, Lennar and the Town government; a relationship necessary to move this project forward seamlessly.
Continue to increase services for town residents in a fiscally responsible manner. For example, hiring an experienced police chief and three new full-time police officers that will finally provide 24/7 police service to town residents. I believe in being responsible to taxpayers by following civil service laws in town administration, enhancing government and civil service employee accountability and responsibly growing the town’s workforce, services and programs as new residents move in, revenues grow, and needs arise.
Continue the revitalization of Tuxedo’s Recreation Department and to support, as department supervisor, the work of our Recreation Director, not only in conducting successful summer camp programs in years to come, but also to design and implement new recreational and athletic offerings for Tuxedo residents of all ages.
Continue to secure funding for town projects by writing and applying for grants.
What attributes will You bring to the Town Government?
I’m a hard worker and a true believer in public service. I reach out to people and step up to do what is needed, when it’s needed. I’m curious, organized and a good learner, qualities which have served me well as a town board member over the past four years. Being a member of a board means studying the issues, consulting with experts and having a voice, but also working collaboratively with residents who may have different views.
I’m experienced in the workings of municipal government, the complexities of drafting local laws, moving forward major projects, following required civil service law, budget management, and getting things done within a small-town government structure. You only learn this through experience, collaboration with colleagues and specialized training.
Having gone through a PhD program, conducting research and writing a dissertation, has enabled me to develop skills needed to understand and express complex issues facing the town. It has enabled me to appreciate different perspectives, keep an open mind and communicate ideas in multiple ways. I’m still learning to write grants, which is something I hope to do more frequently if I have the privilege of getting reelected.
What are the three most important issues currently facing the Town?
I think that one of the most important issues the town faces right now is planning how to integrate Tuxedo Farms into the cultural fabric of Tuxedo. Tuxedo consists of neighborhoods that are close-knit and distinct in many ways. My aim as Town Council person has been understanding and cherishing the uniqueness and individuality of each section while also maintaining our identity as a cohesive Town. Tuxedo Farms will be the newest part in this town puzzle, and it will take forethought and good policies to grow sensibly and integrate these new residents and neighborhoods into the tapestry of “One Tuxedo”.
Providing continuedfiscal responsibility is essential to all. The thoughtful fiscal policies of this town board are apparent in the healthy fund balances, and wise investment policies, which have enabled the Town to increase services as property taxes remain flat. In the past four years, Tuxedo’s financial health has been rewarded by increasingly favorable ratings by agencies like Moody’s, making borrowing - if and when the need arises, more beneficial to the town. Good fiscal stewardship of Tuxedo's finances played a role in bringing Related and Lennar back to the negotiating table. I subscribe to these kinds of thoughtful fiscal policies, particularly as we expect our town to grow significantly in the next four years. We’ve restored 24/7 Police coverage, restored our iconic Train Station, put in a new roof and added ADA compliant access to Town Hall.
Environmental stewardship is important because it protects our biggest natural resource, the pristine forest that makes up 70% of our town. NYS Parks is our biggest taxpayer! These forests also provide an opportunity for tourism and hospitality. Environmental responsibility is good for business and protects our quality of life. Conversely, neglect of environmental issues has been costly for our town. For decades Tuxedo neglected repairs of the Hamlet sewer system that empties into the Ramapo River, we’re correcting that. These repairs are essential to the owners of 216 properties in the Hamlet Sewer District and it requires immediate action. Over 10,000 truckloads of construction debris was dumped on Town property at the Highway Department site prior to 2020. We've cleaned up most of that in the last four years, and blocked any continuing damage, avoiding major fines from the DEC while protecting the Warwick Brook aquifer that feeds Wee Wah Lake. Finally, we protected water quality in Northern Tuxedo with the Town’s purchase of 27 acres of undeveloped forest on the shore of the Indian Kill reservoir, at a tax auction, for only $106,000. This purchase protects the town and prevents future development of this essential water source. Protecting the environment protects the Town’s bottom line.
2023 Town Supervisor/Town Board Elections (Posted 10/18/23)
The 2023 Town Supervisor and Town Board elections will take place on Tuesday, November 7 from 6am-9pm
The candidates are as Follows:
Supervisor
Jay Reichgott
David McMillan
Town Council
Maria May
Rick Marsh
Chris Kasker
As part of our annual election coverage, TPFYI has presented each of the candidates with a questionnaire designed to help residents get a better idea of who the candidates are, why they have chosen to run and what their priorities will be if elected. Stay tuned to TPFYI.COM in the coming days for our “Meet the Candidates” article and in the days following as we present them with issue driven questions leading up to the election.
Tuxedo Announces Tuxedo Hamlet Beautification Workshop (Posted 9/21/23)
September 2023. Tuxedo, NY
Tuxedo Announced Tuxedo Hamlet Beautification Workshop
Monday, October 2nd Tuxedo Town Hall. 7 pm
The Town of Tuxedo will be hosting a workshop to discuss how the Town can improve pedestrian safety, restore and beautify the Downtown Business District, also known as the Tuxedo Hamlet.
The objective of the workshop is to determine a proactive plan that incorporates NYS guidelines and complements the current activities of the beautification grants funded by the Tuxedo Farms developers.
The Board will review specifications required by the NYS DOT and proposed plans submitted by the MTA along the Rt 17 corridor.
The Workshops topics will include:
Pedestrian Safety and Walkways
Landscaping and Lighting
Crosswalks and Parking Options
Potential for a Road Diet
The public is invited to attend and to share their views on concepts and ideas to better improve the historic Tuxedo downtown.
Tuxedo Highway Department Awarded Work Zone Equipment From State (Posted 6/13/23)
The Town of Tuxedo Highway Department has been named one of the winners in the 2023 Work Zone Equipment Package Competition by the New York State LTAP Center - Cornell Local Roads Program.
Funded by a grant from the New York State Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee, the award gives Work Zone Safety Equipment - including cones, safety vests, work zone signs, hard hats, whistles, roll up signs, sign stands, and stop-slow paddles - to agencies in need of replacement equipment due to unforeseen circumstances. The materials to help keep highway and DPW crews safe when working on the roads.
The competition is for NYS highway and public works departments that have lost, damaged, or are in need of work zone equipment. Each work zone package award is just over $1,900.
The NYS LTAP Center - Cornell Local Roads Program provides technical assistance and training to highway and public works departments across the state. For more information, log onto www.nysltap.clrp.cornell.edu.
American Legion Post 293 and the Tuxedo Town Board are pleased to announce our Memorial Day Parade to be held on Monday, May 29, 2023. The morning services will begin at the Tuxedo Police Station/Southfields Veterans Memorial at 10:15 a.m. The parade will step off at 11:30 a.m. at the George Grant High School, stopping at the Tuxedo War Memorial, located just outside the Tuxedo Park Gatehouse to lay wreaths, and then continue to the grounds of St. Mary’s Church for the closing ceremonies.
It is a day we honor those members of the military who sacrificed their lives to secure the freedoms we enjoy today. We hope that you will be able to join us as we honor them. Following the parade and ceremonies there will be a picnic at the Tuxedo Park Library with music, refreshments, raffles and children’s activities, including Jester Jim, games, crafts and balloon creations. We look forward to continuing this time-honored tradition and seeing friends and neighbors along the parade route and throughout the day.
Plein Air Artist Reception September 30, 2022 (Re - Posted September 27)
Tuxedo To Welcome Visitors to Meet the Artists Reception
Friday September 30, 6-8 pm
Tuxedo Train Station, Tuxedo, NY
Tuxedo, September 2022. Open to the public, Tuxedo Art and Music announces their annual Meetthe ArtistsReception at the Tuxedo Train Station on Friday September 30th, 6-8 pm.
The event and art gallery will feature original paintings of 30 artists who have spent the week painting landscapes, waterscapes and architectural throughout historic Tuxedo. Art will be on display and for sale throughout the weekend, ending at 2 pm on Sunday October 2.
This year, the exhibit will feature a Silent Auction. Artists contribute a small painting (5x7) for bidding in a Silent Auction. Bidding for each piece starts at $35. This has been added to the program at the suggestion of last year’s attendees who asked for a price point that would allow them to own a beautiful fine art painting!
The event is sponsored by the Town of Tuxedo and the Tuxedo Chamber of Commerce will feature, wine, small bites and music. Prizes ranging from Best in Show to People’s Choice award will be announced at the event. It promises to be a lovely event and Tuxedo welcomes residents and neighbors throughout the region.
Come and join the festivities, view beautiful art and celebrate Historic Tuxedo! All are welcome!
For additional Information:
Deirdre Murphy
Councilperson, Town of Tuxedo
845-712-5559
Sterling Forest Day
Sunday, September 18, 2022
Program Schedule
All activities will originate at the U.S. Senator Frank L. Lautenberg Visitor Center.
9:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Friends of Sterling Forest Information Booth
Begin your visit to Sterling Forest with a stop at the F.S.F. Information Booth where you can register for today’s programs, chat with our members, and learn about the mission of the F.S.F. Visit the Park’s beautiful Visitor’s Center; see the “living map” and exhibits about the iron mining. A movie about the History of Sterling Forest will play throughout the day. Refreshments will be available.
9:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. Lecture: Reading the Woods
Who is living in the woods? How do you know what is there or what is not there? You just need to know what to look for! Join Doc Bayne and learn the telltale signs of the forest so that next time you hike, you will know what lurks in the woods you are walking in. For nature lovers and history lovers alike!
10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Hike: Sterling Lake Loop
Join F.S.F. member, Susan Serico, for a leisurely-paced 4-mile loop hike around picturesque Sterling Lake. We’ll take a short break on the beach to take in the refreshing lake breezes. Bring a snack/lunch and water and be sure to wear sturdy shoes or hiking boots.
11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Hike: South Point
Take a short, family friendly, 0.4-mile easy hike with members of the F.S.F. to a rock ledge featuring views of Sterling Lake.
1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. Lecture: The Chain that Saved the Colonies
Join Doc Bayne for a PowerPoint presentation, with his latest discoveries, on The Chain That Saved the Colonies.
2:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Hike: Sterling Forge Site
Doc Bayne will follow-up the afternoon presentation with a visit to the site of the Sterling Forge, where the “Great Chain” was forged. We will carpool and then walk the site.
Plein Air Artist Reception September 30, 2022 (Posted September 14)
Tuxedo To Welcome Visitors to Meet the Artists Reception
Friday September 30, 6-8 pm
Tuxedo Train Station, Tuxedo, NY
Tuxedo, September 2022. Open to the public, Tuxedo Art and Music announces their annual Meetthe ArtistsReception at the Tuxedo Train Station on Friday September 30th, 6-8 pm.
The event and art gallery will feature original paintings of 30 artists who have spent the week painting landscapes, waterscapes and architectural throughout historic Tuxedo. Art will be on display and for sale throughout the weekend, ending at 2 pm on Sunday October 2.
This year, the exhibit will feature a Silent Auction. Artists contribute a small painting (5x7) for bidding in a Silent Auction. Bidding for each piece starts at $35. This has been added to the program at the suggestion of last year’s attendees who asked for a price point that would allow them to own a beautiful fine art painting!
The event is sponsored by the Town of Tuxedo and the Tuxedo Chamber of Commerce will feature, wine, small bites and music. Prizes ranging from Best in Show to People’s Choice award will be announced at the event. It promises to be a lovely event and Tuxedo welcomes residents and neighbors throughout the region.
Come and join the festivities, view beautiful art and celebrate Historic Tuxedo! All are welcome!
For additional Information:
Deirdre Murphy
Councilperson, Town of Tuxedo
845-712-5559
Eagle Valley Fire Company Celebrates 50 Years on July 22
The Eagle Valley Fire Co. was established in 1972. This weekend they will celebrate 50 years of volunteer service to the Town of Tuxedo. Not long after, a group of men and woman raised their own funds, and obtained a loan to purchase and build what is the current Eagle Valley Fire House, breaking ground on the project in 1975. The building is solely owned by the members of the Eagle Valley Fire Company. In 1976 they finished building the firehouse and moved from the red barn to their current Location, celebrating with a parade. On Friday, July 22nd at 6:30pm there will be a short parade to commemorate the Eagle Valley Fire Company's 50th year in service, beginning from the original firehouse ( red barn) and continuing down Eagle Valley Road ending at the current Firehouse. Neighbors and community members are invited to attend, just as they did in 1976.
CONGRATULATIONS to the Eagle Valley Fire Company on their anniversary and thank you for your years of service to Eagle Valley and the greater Tuxedo Community!
‘SAME SHEETS, SAME BED' to Open at Cheymore Gallery June 25
Cheymore Gallery is happy to present Katia Santibañez and James Siena 'SAME SHEETS, SAME BED', on view from June 25 until September 25, 2022, with an opening reception for the artists Saturday, June 25 from 3pm- 5pm. On view for the first time are the complete sets of States and Progressives from their new collaborative reduction woodcuts 'Bonkbell Puller', 2022 and 'Triplebarb Whirler', 2022. The sheets (26 in total) show the evolution of the works as the woodblocks are carved and printed. The reduction process was made famous by Picasso in the 1950's and is often referred to as suicide printing. This fascinating process has been likened to a game of chess as one is required to think many moves ahead. The prints are made by carving away (reducing) one woodblock in between rounds of printing. Once the block is carved, there is no going back and that 'state' of the block can never be printed again. Every sheet in the edition must be printed in between each round of carving. The number of sheets that make it through the months of printing determine the final edition size. To keep the process balanced, the artists alternated rounds of carving with the other choosing the color. They exchanged the blocks back and forth in this manner, with Siena making the first cut on 'Bonkbell Puller' and Santibañez making the first cut on 'Triplebarb Whirler'. Move by move these images were created, alternating between Katia and James's hands. Each layer is recognizable to their particular style but comes together in the most harmonic way. Like a snap shot in time, the States show the state of the block in the color printed and the Progressives show the progression of the image as the colors are layered.
This is the second pair of reduction woodcuts that Santibañez and Siena have made. The first, titled 'Fourhand Choker', 2018 and 'Jawbreaker Sixplay', 2018 will also be on view in the gallery for the first time and are in the collections of the New York Public Library, the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston and the Detroit Institute of Arts.
James Siena (b. 1957, Oceanside, California) is a New York based artist whose complex, rule-based linear abstractions have situated him firmly within the trajectory of modern American art. His artwork is driven by self-imposed predetermined sets of rules, or “visual algorithms,” which find their end-result in intensely concentrated, vibrantly-colored, freehand geometric patterns. Siena works across a diverse range of media, including lithography, etching, woodcut, engraving, drawing, and painting. His work is held in numerous prestigious public and private collections across the U.S., including Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; San Francisco Museum of Modern Art; and The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Museum of Modern Art, and Whitney Museum of American Art in New York.
Katia Santibañez (b. 1964, Paris, France) received her degree in 1990 at the Ecole Superieure des Beaux Arts in Paris. With a background in microbiology and biochemistry, Santibañez utilizes both qualitative and quantitative observation in the construction of works that investigate the systems, colors, and forms of organic geometry. Solo exhibitions include DC Moore Gallery (New York, NY), Morgan Lehman Gallery (New York, NY), Cheymore Gallery (Tuxedo, NY), Texas Gallery (Houston, TX), Jancar Gallery (Los Angeles, CA), IMC Lab (New York, NY), and group shows at Pace Prints (New York, NY), and Jeff Bailey Gallery (New York, NY). Her paintings, drawings, and prints are in numerous public and private collections. Santibañez lives and works in New York City and in the Berkshires. She is represented by DC Moore Gallery, New York.
Tuxedo Residents Come Together to Support Ukrainian Refugees (Posted 5/19/22)
Essential medical supplies are on their way to Ukrainian refugees in Europe thanks to a recent donation drive held by the Town of Tuxedo. The Tuxedo Town Clerk’s office collected wheelchairs, walkers, canes, braces and other medical equipment.
“I would like to extend a sincere thank you to the residents of Tuxedo, the Tuxedo Volunteer Ambulance Corps, Police Officer Alexandra Gundermann, Detective Stefan Christian and Travis Artrip of the Highway Department for their generosity and hard work,” said Tuxedo Town Clerk Marisa Dollbaum.
The Town held the drive to collect supplies to donate to the Afya Foundation, which works in partnership with the U.S./Ukraine Foundation and others to support the Ukrainian medical community and refugees seeking aid.
“We were thrilled to do our part to help such an important cause and we look forward to holding other drives in the future to help communities in need,” said Dollbaum.
Reggie Bar Presents SLOTTED - Opening Reception May 6, 2022 (Posted 5/4/22)
Slotted, the Inaugural show at Reggie Bar features work from seven artists of the Marginal Editions community. The works were selected and organized by Brad Ewing with a focus on planning, building, material value and the joy of having a place to start.
The bar was designed by Grayson Cox and Brad Ewing with production design by Alex Russi during the Omicron months of early 2022. Stained Glass door design by Jeff Tranchell. Picnic table by Jamisen Ogg. Glasses made by Ben Beres.
Artists Included:
Glen Baldridge, Grayson Cox, David Kennedy Cutler, Ethan Greenbaum, Suzanne Song, Mark Rice and Alex Russi.
14 Store Road
Tuxedo Park, New York (1 hour north of Manhattan)
NJ transit to Tuxedo train stop. The bar is across the street.
if you want people to know about you, bring a table and begin the conversation with members of the Tuxedo community.
This is an opportunity for you to recruit more volunteers, members, students, clients, and parishioners.
Registration is FREE! All you need is a table & chair, and to let us know that you will be participating in this event.
Please register before May 27, 2022.
Suggested participants: Schools, camps, churches, troops, clubs, chambers, fire depts, ambulance corps, municipalities, bands, caterers, contractors, services, municipalities, real estate members, businesses, etc. If you want people to know you exist, join us.
For more information or to register contact: TuxedoCommunityActivityCouncil@gmail.com or call Noreen Fennel: 845-258-7147
The Town of Tuxedo has hired Tamara Dreyer as the new Chief of Police. Tamara formerly served in the Orange County Sherif’s Office for nearly 28 years, most recently as a Lieutenant.
TerraCycle at The Tuxedo Park Library ( Posted 3/6/22)
As part of the Great Give Back 2022, the Tuxedo Park Library is participating in a TerraCycle program whereby residents can drop off hard-to-recycle cosmetic/beauty items in designated bins and they will be sent out for collection. The program runs through April 22!
Tuxedo Daisy Troop 40264 is one of three troops selling them online!
Click here to visit thier digital cookie site and place your order.
*Disclaimer: TPFYI does not support one troop over any of the others and will gladly share links from each of the troops when/if that information is provided!
Are you 50+ And a Resident of Tuxedo? Join the Silver Dollars Today! ( Posted 2/4/22)
The Tuxedo Silver Dollars is a social organization committed to providing a social gathering and valuable information for Tuxedo’s senior population. The group meets the 1st and 3rd Mondays of each month at 1:00 PM in the Community Room at the Tuxedo Town Hall, 1 Temple Drive in Tuxedo NY. Refreshments are shared and prizes are won.
Switch up your daily routine and come to a meeting, visit a local attraction, go to a show or casino, or out to lunch with us. Membership is $15 a year to be part of Tuxedo’s most long-lived population of 50+. The first meeting of 2022 will be Monday, February 7 and a Valentine Luncheon will be On February 14 at Characters Restaurant.
Any questions can be sent to: write to tuxedosilverdollars@gmail.com
Click here to view 2022 Meeting Dates and Special Events.
Tuxedo Bonfire February 4! ( Oringially Posted 1/14/22)
This event, originally scheduled for Saturday, January 29, has been rescheduled for Friday, February 4 due to the threat of inclement weather and frigid temperatures.
Tuxedo Activity Council to Meet on January 25 via Zoom! ( Posted 1/24/21)
The Tuxedo Community Activity Council was formed in January to take a look at planning community wide events and activities that would be enjoyable for and inclusive of everyone living in the Greater Tuxedo Community.
If you are interested in sharing thoughts and ideas for events here in Tuxedo, this might be a great group for you.
The group will hold its' second meeting this coming Tuesday, 1/25. at 6:30pm via Zoom.
Santa Claus is Coming to Town This Weekend! ( Posted 12/14/21)
Santa Claus is coming to Tuxedo this weekend thanks to the Tuxedo Park, Sterling Forest and Eagle Valley Fire Departments! The annual Santa runs will take place on Saturday and Sunday evenings! On Saturday, Santa will be in Downtown Tuxedo (including the Circle and the East Village) and on Sunday he will make the rounds out in Eagle Valley!
10 Ways to Get Involved, Give Back & Celebrate the Holidays in and around Tuxedo! ( Posted 11/28/21)
There are so many ways to get involved, give back and celebrate the Holiday Season over the next couple of weeks in and around Tuxedo! Here are just a few of them:
Town of Tuxedo Turkey Trott - Thanksgiving Day - 7:30 am ( Posted 11/21/21)
Reception for Artist Matt Austin @ The Cheymore Gallery on November 20! (Posted 11/16/2021)
Reception for the artist: Saturday, November 20, 3-5pm
Cheymore Gallery is excited to announce Matt Austin Plant Life: Part 2 / Photosynthesis on view from November 6, 2021 - January 8, 2022 with a reception for the artist Saturday, November 20, 3-5pm. This is Austin’s third solo exhibition with the gallery and features new reverse-glass paintings and painted wooden sculptures inspired by his continuous pursuit of an ‘Artist Plant Conservatory’. The Conservatory is a living connection to celebrated artists both past and present. It began in 2018 when Austin received a cutting of the Sansevieria plant depicted within Grant Wood’s iconic ‘American Gothic’. Stewarding the plant had Austin contemplating the fact that he was breathing air produced by the same plant that had produced air for this renowned painter. Austin has since acquired cuttings from Krasner, Judd, Noguchi, and O’Keefe and is housing them in a custom greenhouse which will be in the gallery for the duration of the exhibit. Wooden sculptures based on these
artists’ plants are shown both life size and larger than life. Life size Pipe Cactus sculptures conjure Frieda Kahlo and Diego Rivera who planted these cacti lining their studio garden in Mexico City. A Morandani inspired Ball Cactus (as depicted in Morandi’s paintings) is reimagined a hundred times larger than the real thing in a dusty grey-violet in a terra cotta colored pot. Rousseau’s Rubber Tree is unfurling from a pointed four foot stem reaching out its glow painted leaves and Twombly’s Three Fan Palm plays with the same structure of a plant imagined and remade.
Town Supervisor
Kenneth English 522
Daniel G. Castricone 395
Town Clerk
Marisa Dollbaum 582
Town Justice
Shawn M. Brown 578
Town Councilperson
Jay H. Reichgott 479
Deirdre Murphy 469
Proposition #6 - "Shall the Local Law entitled "Opt-Out of Allowing On-Site Cannabis Consumption Establishments," which law would prohibit commercial on-site cannabis consumption facilities from locating within the Town of Tuxedo, be approved and enacted into law?" Yes - 453 No - 404
Proposition #7 - Shall the annual contribution of the Town of Tuxedo for the operating budget of the Tuxedo Park Library be increased by Sixteen Thousand Six Hundred Seventy Dollars ($16,670) to the sum of Five Hundred Eighty-Two Thousand Eight Hundred Thirty-Four Dollars ($582,834) annually? Yes- 524 No - 367
Moodys Upgrades Town to A3 Status ( Posted 10/31/21)
Tuxedo, NY has significantly improved its financial position with conservative budgeting practices and a significant increase in payments from the town’s largest taxpayer, which is the State of New York. Additionally, the town benefits from a modest tax base with plans for significant development, above average resident wealth and incomes, and manageable long term liabilities including debt, pension, and OPEB.
On October 27, 2021 the town's issuer rating and GOLT ratings were upgarded to A3 from Baa2. The outlook remains positive.
Meet the Candidates for Town Supervisor ( Originally Posted 10/11/21...Reposted 10/27/21)
In an effort to help residents get a better idea of who the candidates for Town Supervisor are, why they have chosen to run and what their priorities will be if elected, TPFYI presented each Candidate with the following questionnaire. We will post their unedited responses in the order they are received.
DAN CASTRICONE
Candidate:
Dan Castricone
Vocation:
Attorney, Risk Management Officer for Orange County
Years of Residency in the Town
25 years
Government Experience
President, Tuxedo Union Free School District Board of Education
4 years Orange County Legislator, 8th District
4 years Town of Tuxedo Councilman
1 year Town of Tuxedo Deputy Supervisor
4 years Town of Tuxedo Zoning Board of Appeals member
Volunteer Work in the Town of Tuxedo
Member of the founding board of directors, Tuxedo Little League Team Coach/ Manager 8 years
6 Years President Tuxedo Sons of Italy,
Tuxedo Boy Scouts Eagle Scout Coordinator,
Member Ramapo Valley (Tuxedo/Sloatsburg) Rotary,
Tuxedo PTO
Why are You running for Supervisor?
It has been my honor to serve this community as a County Legislator, member of the School Board, Zoning Board of Appeals, Town Council and as Deputy Town Supervisor and as the County’s Risk Management Officer.
Tuxedo is the community where I’ve raised my family, served as an attorney, small business owner, scout leader and little league coach.
I’ve grown in wisdom through life’s experiences. But some things have never changed in all my years of public service.
I have always believed that new taxes and fees are a last resort, not a first resort. That a dollar saved is a dollar that should be returned to the taxpayers, or kept in surplus so that tax increases are never necessary, even in lean times. That town zoning and planning should serve the current residents of a town.
Over the last two years I’ve had grave concerns about the Town’s leadership and direction. I’ve seen punitive fee increases levied on our neighbors, strife between our first responders and the administration, crony raises to elected officials while valued employees complain they are treated with disdain.
I’ve seen budgeting practices that have me very concerned for our future financial stability. Our reserve fund that took years to build is being used up, yet taxes and fees are on the rise anyway. Budget transfers are not being publicly discussed so it’s very difficult to project where any fund will wind up.
My current position has me reviewing every agreement that towns enter into with Orange County for grants and contracts. We don’t get our share. Our current leadership doesn’t regularly attend Association of Towns events and doesn’t apply for the things everyone else gets. I’ll change that.
These concerns drove me to run for office. We need fiscal discipline, cooperation with our volunteers and employees and the experience I bring to the table in land use, the RLUPA Law (Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act) and my understanding of how that relates to possible changes to the special permit. We need someone who knows what’s going on at the County and State level so we can take advantage of opportunities.
What attributes will You bring to the Town Government?
Experienced Leadership: I’ve led organizations of hundreds of people and managed budgets in the hundreds of millions. The leadership and organizational management skills I possess were developed over a lifetime. I will bring them to the Town.
Land Use/Political foresight: I fought side by side with our neighbors in Monroe to save the Monroe Woodbury School District from the annexation that would have turned it into Ramapo. I watched every mistake that was made that led them to the brink and helped advise them on how to save themselves. I helped develop a non-partisan political movement (United Monroe) that ultimately won the day. I watched the blunders that were made in Chester that led them into losing court battles that will ultimately cost them dearly. I will steer Tuxedo with the knowledge, experience and foresight to avoid similar mistakes and keep our zoning and land use policies in service to our current residents.
What are the three most important issues currently facing the Town?
Tuxedo Reserve/Farms: Recent news articles have me concerned about proposals being presented to the Town’s current leadership. We need the Reserve to build. We need to grow the town but, we need smart growth. We need leadership that can see around the corners at what will come if mistakes are made. We don’t need structures that can be spun into uses not originally contemplated in the special permit. We need to make sure that property designated for Tuxedo School District use isn’t diverted into high density housing. That wasn’t the deal we made. We can stick to our guns about what Tuxedo Farms should be when it’s built out, and still get it built out. Town Budget/ Fiscal Management: I currently serve as President of the school board. When I was elected, a budget was presented to me that called for a tax increase. I strongly opposed it and gained support among the board. We didn’t need it. We passed a 0% tax increase last year. This year’s school budget was passed also with a 0% increase as will next year’s. These automatic tax increases have to STOP!
I served in the County Legislature for 4 years. I was a member of the Ways and Means committee. Every budget we put together was smaller than the year before. Controlling a budget and taxes can be done. I’ve done it before and I’m ready to do it again.
I am very concerned about the current administration chewing up money from our hard-earned reserve fund. Hundreds of thousands of dollars that took us years to build. We shouldn’t be spending in the present in anticipation property tax windfalls from Tuxedo Farms in the future. It weakens our bargaining position and threatens our financial stability. It needs to stop. Town Recreation and Cohesion: Our Town Government worked for almost two decades to establish an annual traditional calendar of regular and predictable events that brought the residents of our town together for fun and fellowship. The Town worked closely with the Library, the Fire Houses, the School, Property Owners, the Sons of Italy, the American Legion, The Historical Society and more.
The architect of these events, the Town Recreation Director worked with both Republican and Democratic administrations over 19 years of service to the Town. She was let go a year short of full retirement by the current administration in what looked from the outside to be political and punitive. The reason given by the current leadership was the move was mandated by Civil Service. If that is true, it’s nonsense and could have been solved by something called a “Desk Audit” and then finding or creating a position that fit.
I commit to working with the Recreation Department to re-establish all the events that can be safely held during the pandemic, expanding opportunities and facilities for resident recreation and making much better use of the stage and facilities at Powerhouse Park.
The Ramapo River is slowly being ruined by salt and effluent coming from communities upstream. As an avid fisherman, I can tell you that the river holds no where near the trout that it did when I moved here 25 years ago. I will focus on protecting and restoring that river for the safe recreational use by our residents.
Ken English (Incumbent)
Candidate:
Kenneth English
Vocation:
My vocation now is to continue as a Full-time Tuxedo Town Supervisor. The problems and opportunities we face require leadership that is directly present in Town Hall. The supervisor must work face to face with the many contractors, professionals, department heads and the front line staff, in a collegial setting, on site. I’m inspired by the team's efforts and professionalism.
Since retiring early this year, I’ve worked in Town Hall every day to deliver quality public services. I had a thirty five year career in Adult Education, most recently as the Director for Literacy and English Language Instruction to Adult immigrants for the New York Public Library. I took a small program that served 700 adults across eight sites to help over 6,000 students at 43 sites with a staff of over 120 and a budget of about $6,000,000. We always worked under budget.
Years of Residency in the Town
My wife Carolyn (Lynn) Kelly and I moved to Laurel Ridge in northern Tuxedo in January, 2004. In December of 2011, our home was destroyed by a massive fire. It was a total loss. Our insurance gave us a complete settlement. We could have left and rebuilt anywhere. Our only thought was to rebuild immediately on the land we love in the town where we set our roots.
Government Experience
Before serving two years on the Town Council (2018-2019), I spent years attending and participating in many Town Board meetings, observing the process. Shortly after moving here, my community of Laurel Ridge was facing the placement of the 30 inch Millenium Gas pipeline through the heart of our development. This would go under our only road of entry/exit, as well as skirting many homes’ property lines. A small group of residents banded together under the Northern Tuxedo Residents Association and successfully lobbied to get the pipeline rerouted to a safer and more accessible path. This motivated me to stay active with this group, eventually becoming its President. A few years later, the casino decision arose rather suddenly. I became very active in the community discussions, exploring the pros and cons, environmental and fiscal implications, and all of the issues that a large scale development must consider. All of these examples, in my mind, serve as either direct government experience or as the type of citizen engagement that a small town government needs to protect our Town.
Volunteer Work in the Town of Tuxedo
I have been engaged with the Northern Tuxedo Residents Association for over a decade. This group provides a voice to local government and a vehicle intended to build community both for socialization and to keep us ready to mobilize. I am an active volunteer with the NY/NJ Trail conference, maintaining Tuxedo trails in Harriman and Sterling Forest. My wife, Lynn, is the Secretary of the Board of Directors for the Tuxedo Historical Society.
Why are You running for Supervisor?
Tuxedo is at a crossroads where we must decide how to proceed with the long looming Tuxedo Farms Development, the nearly imminent failure of our Wastewater treatment plant that services about 260 homes and businesses in the Hamlet/East Village/Tuxedo Park area, and the on-going cleanup of the illegal dump site that is located on Town property on Long Meadow Road. The good news is, there are potential opportunities that can move all of these issues forward to the betterment of Tuxedo. Tuxedo is a magnificent gem that, if a pathway is identified, we can really move forward and achieve the goals that have been set for decades. Local governments that face problems of this magnitude require full time attention. Unfortunately, the model for local Town/Village management is part-time. Town Boards meet twice a month for a few hours. I’m available and dedicated to give my time to work together to resolve these issues.
What attributes will You bring to the Town Government?
As I’ve mentioned, I have 30+ years of administrative, management and leadership skills. I have four years working for the town so I know first hand the challenges we face and have ideas about how we can restore prosperity. I am dedicated to moving the vision for our town forward and I truly believe we can have a very bright future.
What are the three most important issues currently facing the Town?
Tuxedo Farms - We must develop a tax positive vibrant community that brings young families and professionals to town that are seeking to exit the urban environment for the lifestyle that drew all of us to here. Of course, this should only be considered under protections to the quality of construction we want for the project that includes protecting the environment, controlling issues like traffic, water supply and quality, essential public services and rebuilding the wonderful educational facilities and population that made Tuxedo a family oriented destination for over 100 years. New taxes and kids are needed to support the TUFSD, we need taxes to regain 24/7 police and to support the ever growing expenses for our vital emergency services. We MUST support our first responders. That costs money.
Wastewater Treatment Plant -Activation of the “new” wastewater treatment plant is critical to all of us. 260+ homes and businesses depend on it. No new businesses can be added in town until we fix this. The old sewer plant is under a “moratorium”, no new connections allowed. Imagine if all of these homes lose their sewer service simultaneously! What happens to them? This part of town already has serious problems with their water supply from Tuxedo Park. Water mains are failing. Local governments across the state have failed to invest in these capital projects for decades. It’s the same story you hear on the national news every night. Failing Infrastructure. We can’t afford to kick this can down the road any further. That road leads to a cliff. Everyone should care about those 260 neighbors. Tuxedo runs on property taxes. Go look at the site on Contractor’s Road. I’d be happy to meet you there.
Budget -Keeping Tuxedo an affordable place for our seniors and for all of us is critical! We are top heavy with our senior population. I’m one of them! (65 and proud) We’re in a good place! This Town Board has carefully managed our resources while investing in solutions to ensure we stay strong. We have NOT squandered any fund balances. Under recommendations from Jim Davies, our Tax Assessor, we built off the great work he did in 2020 by reassessing NYS Park land values that drive property taxes. NYS is our #1 taxpayer! Those trees pay taxes! We hired Beckmann Assessors, Inc. to do a deep dive into all of their properties. Due to the 2021 tax year reassessment, NYS now pays $2,200,000 more than they did two years ago! They pay more, we pay less. We also recovered money owed to the Town from an overlooked deal with the Tuxedo Promenade senior facility that will recoup $90,186 through 2029. We also recovered $24,000 owed for police services at the 2019 Ren Faire that was overlooked. We raised the rent for tenants at our Long Meadow Road property gaining another $24,000. Their rents were way under market value. We’ve invested in new equipment for the Highway Department and new cars for the police which will reduce expensive repairs and down time. Deputy Supervisor, Michele Lindsay and I, working with our Town attorney, Howard Protter, and Labor Consultant, Michael Richardson, have negotiated a new 5 year police contract that maintained the benefits that were granted to our existing rank and file while gaining much needed wage and benefits adjustments needed to bring back an affordable 24 hour police force. The old contract gave an officer of 6 years just under $100,000 base pay. With overtime and shift differential that number increases substantially. The new contract keeps the same pay scale but the officer must work ten years to reach that highest level. A family health insurance package is about $28,000 a year. For officers hired before 2021, they were eligible for lifetime benefits after 12 years of service to the town if they were eligible for NYS retirement. Those officers do not contribute to the health benefits. New hires must serve 20 years with the Town and contribute 25% toward the insurance premium. The existing officers were given other concessions that made this new tier acceptable to them. I could not imagine how the town could have afforded to continue with the lucrative one tier contract that was in place. We just renegotiated the Highway Department contract, for three years, with the only change being a 2% increase each year. No changes to benefits and no other demands. This is a good deal for everyone involved. I expect this will be ratified this month. New accountability and auditing measures are in place. Time Clocks were installed at Town Hall and the Police Departments that follow the Highway Department’s lead. They had it installed some time ago. This makes the job of auditing our payroll easy and documentable for the NYS Comptroller and Pension system This protects the Town and our employees. There’s a lot more we’ve accomplished. You asked for three.
Town Election 2021: Two Candidates Run for Two Open Seats on the Town Council (Posted 10/18/21)
Incumbent Jay Reichgott and newcomer Deirdre Murphy are running unopposed for Town Council on November 2.
In an effort to help residents get a better idea of who they are, why they have chosen to run and what their priorities will be when elected,
TPFYI presented each Candidate with a brief questionnaire. Below please find their unedited responses posted in the order that they were received.
JAY REICHGOTT
Candidate:
Jay H. Reichgott, P.E.
Vocation:
Consulting Structural Engineer
Years of Residency in the Town
2+ In Tuxedo
20+ In Lower Hudson Valley
4 Generations of Family in Lower Hudson Valley and Northern NJ
Government Experience
Tuxedo Town Councilman (Completing First Term)
Past President – American Society of Civil Engineers, Lower Hudson Valley
Volunteer Work in the Town of Tuxedo
Village of Tuxedo Park Planning Board
Tuxedo Park School -- Class Parent
Why are You running for Town Council?
I am running for the Council so that I can continue to serve the Town and its Residents. We live in exciting times and need to find solutions that preserve the historic strengths of Tuxedo as we reinvigorate the Town and meet the challenges of its second century of growth.
What attributes will You bring to the Town Government?
I bring my engineering knowledge and experience with projects ranging from small home renovations to large municipal and development projects.
I bring a decision making process based on the logical interpretation of verifiable data, guided by historical experience.
I bring the humility to know that when I don’t have an answer, I need to find good advisors.
What are the three most important issues currently facing the Town?
The successful development of Tuxedo Farms in a manner that enhances, not overwhelms, our Town.
Modernizing and Improving our aging physical Infrastructure, including Traffic and Safety along Route 17.
Supporting our existing Local Businesses and bringing businesses back to our Town.
DEIRDRE MURPHY
I moved to Tuxedo from Suffern, NY, where I was a lifetime resident.
Since moving to Tuxedo, I have participated in many volunteer activities and have been a member of the Tuxedo Planning Board since 2020.
I am a resident in the Woodlands and part of the Social Committee which sponsors, community get-togethers and socials.
I participate in many Town activities and am a Member of the Tuxedo Economic Development Committee. Working with this Committee, I presented the Economic Development Plan to the County executive and local representatives, was Chair of the Tuxedo Plein Air event at the Tuxedo Train Station in July and currently work with the Sterling Forest and Harriman State Park regarding the restoration of the Pollination Meadow at the Intersection of Rt 17 and 17A.
I am running for Town Council because I believe my background in Marketing and Business Development are skills that would be useful in helping to shape the future of Tuxedo.
The Hudson Valley has seen tremendous growth in residential development and tourism over the past decade. The pandemic has certainly exacerbated this. According to local tourism accounts, Tuxedo has over 400,000 tourist each year that visit the Sterling Forest Visitor Center, The Renaissance Fair, The Appalachian Trail and Harriman State Parks.
It is critical that moving forward, Tuxedo plan and manage all aspects of growth, residential and commercial to ensure the integrity of the Town remains intact. The historical, and environmental preservation of the Town is of great importance to me and, I am sure, all residents in the Town. It is the reason I moved here.
I believe the most important issues that face the Town are:
Planning and and managing the development of Tuxedo Farms—residential and commercial.
Ensuring our school system improves to become a school of excellence which, in turn, will entice parents move to Tuxedo to send their children to the Tuxedo Public School System
Continue to protect our NYS park system in the Town of Tuxedo for residents to enjoy.
Improve the Rt 17 Corridor through Tuxedo and Southfields to capitalize of the tourism traffic that visits Tuxedo each year.
Major Issues at the Town Sewer Plant (Posted 10/12/2021)
To suggest that the Hamlet wastewater treatment plant is “past its useful life” is arguably a gross understatement. The problems are evident to anyone who can withstand the stench long enough to have a look. The plant is over seventy years old. The system it employs for treating the sewage is outdated. The tanks and surrounding barriers are literally crumbling away. The whole thing has been enclosed with yellow caution tape. Storage pits along the outside of the tanks are filled with human waste. Plastic filtration on the top of some of the tanks have been melted and destroyed after decades of sun exposure. Algae grows on the surface of some of the treated water. The quality of the water flowing from the plant into the Ramapo river is questionable to the naked eye, and although it still passes inspection, the New York DEC has instructed the Town to replace the plant. It is truly a dire situation for the roughly 260 homes and businesses that are serviced by the plant. Should the plant fail, these customers could easily wind up without any sewer service.
The solution to this very pressing problem lies firmly with the new wastewater management plant constructed by the Related Companies in 2017 as part of the Tuxedo Farms plan. Currently this top notch facility, which sits directly adjacent to the decrepit one, is 95% complete and sits idle, along with the rest of the Tuxedo Farms project. Recently proposed amendments to the project’s special permit would have the new plant online as soon as December of this year, but whether or not that will actually occur remains to be seen.
The Town Board will meet on Wednesday, October 13 at 7pm at which time they will publicly follow-up on questions and concerns related to the proposed amendments. Needless to say, however one might feel about the changes to the housing that has been proposed, the condition of the current sewer plant and the need to bring the new one online ASAP certainly constitutes a major concern.
Twentieth Annual Family Fun Day Postponed Due to Rise in Covid Cases (Posted 9/10/2021)
From Town Supervisor Ken English:
Esteemed Tuxedo Residents and Friends.
Due to recent increases in Covid cases locally and regionally, I am postponing the planned Tuxedo Family Fun Day, that was scheduled for Saturday, October 2nd, until further notice. Our Recreation Coordinator, Claire Dougher, Town Clerk, Marisa Dollbaum, Secretary to the Supervisor, Lori Cosgrove, Highway Superintendent, Rob Dollbaum, Heather Bullard, of Tuxedo Park Events, Town Board members, many volunteers, and I have been working hard to organize what will be a wonderful day of activities and entertainment. We all look forward to identifying a date when we can gather safely and celebrate the Tuxedo community.
To all of the vendors and local organizations who are committed to participate, again, we'll get this together ASAP. We'll place a notice on the Tuxedo website.
I look forward to being together. Until then, Stay Safe!
Tuxedo Police Rescue Eagle Valley Pooch (Posted 9/2/2021)
Tuxedo Police received a call for a dog that was swept down a fast moving stream near Eagle Valley firehouse on Thursday. according to the Department's Facebook page. The dog was located by police and was struggling to stay above water. Officers jumped into the water and were able to rescue the dog. Thank you for your extraordinary act: Sgt. Eichengreen, Det. Christian and PO Gundermann!
Twentieth Annual Family Fun Day to Take Place October 2 (Posted 9/2/2021)
Tuxedo’s 20th annual Family Fun Day will take place this year on October 2. There will be games, face painting, music, bouncy castles, food and much more! The Town Recreation Department is looking for volunteers to help, if you are interested and available, email Recreation Director Claire Dougher at recreationcoordinator@tuxedogov.org
Yasu Shibata Opens at The Cheymore Gallery August 7 (Posted 8/1/2021)
Yasu Shibata
A Concentric Process
August 7 - September 25, 2021
Opening reception for the artist:
Saturday, August 7, Noon - 2 pm
Cheymore Gallery is happy to present Yasu Shibata 'A Concentric Process', on view from August 7 until September 25, 2021, with an opening reception for the artist Saturday, August 7 from noon-2pm. This is Shibata's second exhibition with the gallery and features new woodcuts in the Japanese style. Shibata uses the ukiyo-e and reduction woodcut techniques together, layering simple shapes of pigment that radiate intense color.
In the artist's words:
My work is Japanese woodblock prints in the Ukiyo-e tradition. In my practice, I focus on a technique known as reduction printing. First I carve geometric shapes by hand into a woodblock, then print it using watercolor pigments. After every time I print the block, I reduce the printable area of the block by cutting it smaller; I then repeat the process. Because of the transparency of the pigments I’m able to achieve intense layers of color similar to the gradation effect in Ukio-e printing called “Bokashi.” The number of layers in my prints gives them their particular depth, and the small shifts in shape and color give the prints their range and richness. Literally “repeating the process” is the essence of my work.
Yasu Shibata was born in Osaka, Japan in 1968 and received B.F.A from Kyoto Seika University in 1991. He currently lives and works in New York.
Summer Camp in Tuxedo....Sponsors Needed (Posted 6/30/2021)
St Mary’s has a long history of assisting families to pay for Summer camp experience for their children. This year some of the camps are free, but the families we are helping are either not eligible for the free camps due to where they live, or the hours and dates being offered are such that the parent would not be able to continue working and earning a living. All these families are known by us and have been adversely affected by the effects of Covid and recommended for financial assistance by guidance counsellors and teachers.
Fourteen children from ten families will attend the five week Town of Tuxedo Recreation Department Day Camp based on Murphy field and the Ringwood swimming pool. The cost to St Mary’s is $9,540.
The children are all very excited and parents relieved that they can continue to work while their children can enjoy the fun of Summer activities.
We would be grateful for sponsorship donations of any amount. The cost for the first child in a family is $660 and siblings $560.
Donations can be received online at https://onrealm.org/stmtux/give/outreach or checks made out to St Mary’s Outreach, memo Summer camp sponsorship and mailed to St Mary’s at POB 637, Tuxedo NY 10987.
Thank you for your support in any amount. It will all make a difference to children who need a happy time this Summer, especially.
Sue Heywood
St Mary’s Outreach Chair
Town Police Reform and Reinvention Collaborative Draft Review/Citizens Meetings June 29 & 30 (Posted 6/23/2021)
The Tuxedo Police Reform and Reinvention Collaborative will present a draft report for citizen review next week. Meetings will take place both in-person at the Eagle Valley Fire House on June 29 from 7-9pm and then virtually via the Town's WebEx portal on June 30 from 7-9pm.
Campaign signs are up and New York’s primary election is just a few weeks away with early voting to begin next weekend.
In Tuxedo, the outcome of Primary Day will decide who represents the Republican Party in the race for Town Supervisor this coming November. There are two candidates.
Dave McMillen is a 21 year resident of Tuxedo and was a member of the Town Planning Board prior to becoming a Town Board member in 2014. Dave is a Principal Threat Intelligence Analyst for IBM’s X-Force Incident Response and Intelligence Service (IRIS). He is also a proud U.S. Army veteran where he served as a tank commander as well as a basic training drill instructor for over 6 years.
Dan Castricone and his wife Marie have lived in Tuxedo for 25 years and are the parents of three children. He is a licensed Attorney and Risk Management Specialist. A former Orange County Legislator, he is currently the Risk Management Officer for Orange County. Dan hopes to run on both the Republican and the Conservative lines.
Both candidates have launched campaign websites.
Click here to visit Dave McMillen’s site
Click here to visit Dan Castricone’s site
Registered Republicans can cast their ballots at the polls on Tuesday June 22 from 6am-9pm. There will be one voting location for ALL Tuxedo residents, which is the Tuxedo Town Hall (1 Temple Dr. - 2nd floor)
The annual Memorial Day Parade returns to Tuxedo this year! The Parade kicks off from George Baker High School at 11:30am and proceeds up Route 17, stopping at the monument just outside the Park gates for a wreath laying, then continuing to the parking lot of St. Mary's, where Fr. Rick will emcee the traditional observances. All are cordially invited to participate in this cherished community event.
Tuxedo Families will Have Two Options for Summer Camp This Year! (Posted 5/16/2021)
Summer is just around the corner and if you’ve got kids, chances are that you might be looking for some sort of structured program in which to enroll them. For Tuxedo parents who want to keep things will local, there will be two strong options this year.
TUFSD’s 6- week Summer Bridge and EdCamp program will offer kids the opportunity to both reinforce and catch up on academics that may have lagged during the past year, while also participating in a variety of sports, games and team building activities on a daily basis. This full day program is offered free of cost to all District residents regardless of where they attend school during the academic year. Non-district residents will also have the opportunity to enroll in the program for a fee.
The Town of Tuxedo’s annual Rec program will offer children a more traditional summer camp experience. Under the direction of newly hired Recreation Coordinator, Claire Dougher, planning for the program is underway.
Both programs will hold informational sessions for parents this week as follows:
Tuesday, May 18 - TUFSD Summer Bridge and EdCamp Program:
Two in-person informational sessions will be offered on this day outside of George F. Baker High School. One session will be 1:45PM - 2:15PM and a repeat session offered 6:30PM - 7:15PM. *In the event of rain, the sessions will be in the high school auditorium. Register to attend by clicking here
Wednesday, May 19 – Tuxedo Summer Day Camp:
Please join the Recreation Coordinator, Claire Dougher, on Wednesday May 19th at 6:30pm for a virtual meeting. She will present details on the 2021 Tuxedo Summer Day Camp. Parents will have the opportunity to ask questions and give feedback. The meeting will be held via the Town’s Webex page at https://www.tuxedogov.org/webex-virtual-meetings or dial 408-418-9388 and use access code 796 956 205.
The Tuxedo/Tuxedo Park Climate Smart Community Task Force invites you to join our webinars and events in honor of Earth Day. Attached is our flyer with details of two webinars and the Farmers Market event with a hyperlink to pre-order compost bins and rainwater barrels.
The Recycling webinar on Earth Day, April 22 at 7pm will be led by Marisa Kellerhouse from Interstate Waste Services, the recycler for the Town and the Tuxedo Club. She will discuss the current market for recycled items and best practices to make sure our recycling efforts are not in vain. Improper recycling leads to more landfill waste.
The C-Change Conversations: Climate Science and Solutions webinar is an informative, non-partisan primer on climate science. Please check out their website: https://c-changeconversations.org/. This webinar will be held on Wednesday, April 28 at 7pm.
Both webinars are held via the Town's Webex at www.tuxedogov.org. Click on the Webex button and then again on the icon. We'll open the meeting at 6:45 if you'd like to check your connections. The C-Change webinar is jointly sponsored by the Village and the Town.
You can pre-order compost bins and rainwater barrels by June 10 for pick up at the Tuxedo Farmers Market on June 12. A Master Gardener and members of the Task Force will be on hand with information on composting for our gardens and reducing the landfill. The flyer contains a hyperlink for pre-ordering.
The Task Force invites you to join us every first Monday at 5:30 on the Town's Webex. We are making progress towards certification as a New York State certified Climate Smart Community with the goal of reducing our impact on the environment and helping to save taxpayer dollars!
The Town of Tuxedo is Hiring a Secretary to the Town Supervisor, Ken English
TYPICAL WORK ACTIVITIES:
Produces letters, memos, reports, and other materials, some of which may be confidential;
Serves as a receptionist, handles routine problems, screens and logs calls, receives visitors;
Opens and screens mail; answers mail independently or routes it with background data;
Maintains general and confidential files including personnel records, processes invoices;
Office management, ordering supplies, scheduling minor building repairs, monitoring service contracts;
Alerts Supervisor to statutory deadlines, official commitments, actions promised or expected;
Schedules and organizes arrangements for conferences and meetings;
May supervise assigned clerical personnel.
The position requires independent judgment, initiative and confidentiality. The ideal candidate should have proficiency in typical office suite software (Google suite / Microsoft 365) that includes document processing, and maintenance of social media accounts. Knowledge and experience in Town government is preferred. $32.37 per hour / 30 hours per week (1560 hours annually) for $50,497.20.
Please fill out the application and submit to townclerk@tuxedogov.org or bring to the Town Clerk's office on the 1st floor of Town Hall. The application can be found here.
The Town of Tuxedo Seeks Community Feedback Via Community-Wide Police Survey (Posted 3/16/21)
As Part of the New York State Police Reform and Reinvention Colaborative effort, the Town of Tuxedo is seeking community feedback via a survey focused on police interaction. The information gathered from the survey will help the Town to better understand the strengths and issues of the department and further to make recommendations as to how to enhance communication between residents and the Department. The survey is anonymous and can be completed in serveal ways:
The Town Ice Rink is Open for Skating! (Updated 2/4/2020)
The Powerhouse Ice Rink is frozen and ready for skaters! Please proceed with caution and at your own risk.
If you notice the ice becoming slushy or water bubbling up please get off and allow the rink to refreeze.
Most importantly Have Fun!
The rink will be open daily until 9pm.
Address: 57 Powerhouse Lane, Tuxedo, NY 10987
* UPDATE 2/4/21: With warmer temps and sun the powerhouse rink is not skatable.
The question was raised does the Town plow the rink, the short answer is no. If snow falls on it feel free to grab a shovel and clear it for use. In past years a few die hard teen hockey players would clear it. The Town will make sure it has water in it to freeze but other than that regular maintenance is not performed on the ice rink.
The light will be set on a timer for night skating. It will go off at 9:00pm Please leave the park immediately following the light turning off.
Openings on Town Planning, Zoning Appeals and Assessment Boards (posted 1/12/21)
The Town Board of Tuxedo invites our residents to apply for openings on the following appointed Boards: Planning; Zoning Board of Appeals and the Board of Assessment Review. Qualified candidates must be 18 years of age, a resident of the Town or Village and a US citizen. Applications for the positions, and descriptions of the responsibilities for each Board, are posted on the Town’s website under the Employment Opportunities tab. Interviews will begin the week of January 25. We welcome your participation in local government to shape the future of Tuxedo. For more information, please call Town Supervisor Ken English, Tuxedo Town Hall, 845-351-4411 x 5.
TAKE PART IN HELPING TO DEVELOP LOCAL POLICE REFORM (Posted 1/10/21)
In June of 2020, Governor Cuomo mandated that all municipal Police Agencies in the State of New York not only review all policies and procedures but also enlist stakeholders in a collaborative effort to plan for improvements. To this end, the Town of Tuxedo will be hosting a public, participatory meeting online this coming Thursday, January 14, at 5pm.
You can read more about the initiative and how the various municipalities in the surrounding area are complying here.
Below is Supervisor Ken Englishs' letter to the community, which talks about Tuxedo's response to the mandate and details how residents can register to take part in the discussiom.
Invitation to Register for Tuxedo Police Collaborative Discussion on January 14, 2021 (Originally posted 1/6/21)
Esteemed Tuxedo Residents.
My name is Ken English and I am the Town of Tuxedo Supervisor. I’m writing to announce the Tuxedo Town Board’s effort to respond to the Governor's directive to develop a collaborative vision for community policing. I’m organizing a series of Web based meetings to bring together a diverse group to dialogue about how our community responds to policing and public safety concerns.
Town Board members have been studying the state plan over the last few months and willlaunch our participatory effort on Thursday, January 14th, at 5:00pm. This meeting is accessible through the Town’s WebEx portal https://www.tuxedogov.org/webex-virtual-meetings
Or by dial in access - 408-418-9388 Access Code: 796 956 205
To preregister for this event and to receive an updated agenda prior to our meeting please email Shari Brooks at Sbrooks@tuxedogov.org with your contact information or call her at
(845) 351-4411 extension #5.
Additionally, our Town Board meetings, held virtually on the second and fourth Monday evening of each month, will include a continuing agenda for organizing and engaging key stakeholders around this topic.
It’s my hope that as the Corona pandemic begins to subside we can eventually resume in-person meetings that will help foster the respectful and open dialogue that’s essential to this initiative. The Governor has set an April deadline for this effort to convene. This is meant to ensure timely action but these issues will require a permanent commitment to sincere reflection that leads to positive action. A sustained engagement that builds off the nationwide marches that were inspired by the many tragedies of injustice and violence will be necessary to foster real change in America. This requires a collaborative community response that is not limited to the notion of police reform. We all must be willing to reflect, talk openly, identify and remove policies that contribute to our problems, and recognize that justice for all and a sense that we’re in this together are the ideals that bind us and make us Americans.
I hope that you will consider joining this discussion.
Santa Claus is Comin To Town This Weekend (posted 12/15/2020)
The three Tuxedot fire companties will conduct their annual Santa and Candy cane runs this weekend, with Santa greeting kiddos from a fire truck all across Town. Covid safety is at the forefrtont of everyone's mind, so Santa will reamin on the truck and at least 6-feet away from the children at all times. The Santa Runs through the Hamlet and Northern Tuxedo will take place on Saturday December 19, while the Eagle Valley Run will occur on Sunday Decemner 20.
So, when exactly will Santa be in your neighborhood??? Check out the schedule below:
Tuxedo Park Fire Dept. Co #1 - Saturday, 12/19/20 -4pm:
On Saturday December 19, 2020 the Tuxedo Park Fire Department will be escorting Santa around the hamlet and the east village, starting around 4pm and will conclude at the St. Mary’s parking lot at 6-6:30
This year will be a little different, as Santa will be following Covid safety restrictions, and greeting everyone from the fire truck.
We look forward to seeing everyone on Saturday. Stay safe and Happy Holidays.
Sterling Forest Santa Run - Saturday, 12/19/20 - 3-6pm:
Eagle Valley Santa Run - Sunday, 12/20/20 - 3:30pm
We will be doing this years Santa Candy Cane run on December 20th starting at 3:30pm. Due to COVID-19 pandemic we will have to maintain a 6 foot distance from Santa. Pictures can be taken near the sled and Santa but regrettably no one will be able to sit with him. Sorry!
Here is the tentative schedule subject to change.
1. Lower Eagle Valley from playground to Long Meadow Rd.
2. Woodlands
3. Babcock Rd
4. Shepard Pond rd
5. Juniper Terrace
6. Table rock
7. Upper Eagle Valley from Table Rock rd to playground
8. Hamilton Estates??
9. Regency Court
10. All of Maplebrook
11. Hillary Court
Again, this could change as we go. Ho ho
Santa
Town of Tuxedo Launches New Website (Posted 12/3/2020)
After months of hard work, the Town of Tuxedo officially launched its new website on December 2! The new site not only looks great, but it’s faster, easy to navigate and extremely user friendly! New features include a section entitled Work, Live, Play Tuxedo, geared towards visitors and local businesses as well as a Town Resources section with an interactive community calendar, meeting information and relevant Social Media links. There is also a section entitled Special Topics featuring information about local tourism, parks and hiking trails and Tuxedo’s History and landmarks among other things. The drop down menus are loaded with information pertaining to community services and organizations as well as the local government and employment opportunities with the Town. Links to Webex, meeting minutes and agendas and the Town Code are all prominently placed and easy to access. Visitors can also make online payments or sign-up to receive email alerts.
Development of the new site was headed up by Town Council Woman Maria May. "I especially want to thank Marisa Dollbaum,” May told TPFYI. "As someone who is a part time legislator, I could have never done this big job without her expert support. We are lucky to have her as our new Town Clerk. She’s very detailed oriented and well organized. She deserves as much credit as me for getting this project off the ground."
There is no question that the new site is a vast improvement over the old one and will likely prove to be a major asset for the community in many ways!
CLICK HERE FOR IMPORTANTHALLOWEEN SAFETY INFORMATION FROM THE VILLAGE OF TUXEDO PARK POLICE
Village Halloween Announcement:
10/26/2020
Dear Neighbors,
The Village Board has not put any restrictions on our Halloween celebration, other than requesting that you sanitize your hands, wear masks, and social distance. If you are feeling under the weather please stay at home. Several residents in the Clubhouse Road area where most of our Trick or Treating takes place have told me that rather than greeting people at their doors they will place treats on a table on their front porch or outside their front door.
Our police department will have officers patrolling the area as usual.
Begining at 11:30 out at Murphy Field in Eagle Valley is Tuxedo's 19th annual Family Fun Day event! Things look a bit different this year due to Covid-19, but there are still a lot of fun activities for the whole family to enjoy along with good food, drink and live music!
and don't forget about the Tuxedo Farmer's Market!! Running through the month of October this is a weekly stop not to be missed! In the Train Station Parking Lot from 9am-2pm
and last but not least, the Annual Blessing of the Animals will take place on Sunday Morning at St. Mary's from 10:45-11:30!
Public Notice: Powerhouse Park Nature Trail Closure August 1, 2020
To: Tuxedo Town residents and all visitors to Tuxedo Powerhouse Park
The Town Board and the Parks and Recreation Director hereby determine and declare that ?the area north of Powerhouse Park and located behind the stage?, owned by the Town of Tuxedo, which was created as an Eagle Scout Project for the use of a nature walk and scenic viewing of the Ramapo River, ?is closed until further notice.
This area has been misused over the last several weeks, creating a public health hazard by leaving large amounts of trash, and by visitors engaging in activities prohibited in all Town Parks by Town Code 19-11. (See below). Large crowds have been observed congregating without observing Covid 19 precautions such as wearing masks and social distancing.
O?ur code prohibits the following:
? Entering or using the parks during other than the designated hours posted by the Director of Parks and Recreation.
? Consumption of alcoholic beverages as defined in the Alcoholic Beverage Control Law.
? The use of or being under the influence of any illegal drug or substance in any town park.
? Injuring, defacing, destroying, disturbing or removing any part of the parks.
? Littering or leaving behind refuse and garbage except in receptacles provided for such
purpose.
? Starting a fire in a park except in park grills, fireplaces or designated areas.
? Failing to extinguish before leaving the park all fires started or used. The dumping of ashes
or fire onto the ground is absolutely prohibited.
In order to protect our precious natural environment ?and the health and welfare of the Public?, no one shall be permitted to enter the northern wooded area of the park, located around the Augusta Falls and dam, until further notice. Trespassers will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. The Town Police are hereby directed to enforce these regulations.
The Town Board and Parks and Recreation Director are considering all possible remedies and hope to reopen this space to responsible users as soon as possible.
Our Lady of Mount Carmel Jubilee Celebration Sunday, July 19, 2020
Good News – the Jubilee Celebration is on!
Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church will celebrate 125 years of spiritual ministry on Sunday, July 19, 2020. All are invited to a festive Mass at 10 a.m. officiated by His Eminence Timothy Cardinal Dolan. Following the festive Mass, the celebration will continue with brunch at the historic Tuxedo Club at 11:30 a.m. There will be musical entertainment and a presentation by George Langberg, Tuxedo Historian. Tickets for the brunch are $50 for adults and $25 for children and can be purchased at the parish office (845 753-5239) or after masses.
Celebrate with friends and family. All are welcome!
Memorial Day is a federal holiday in the United States for honoring and mourning the military personnel who had died while serving in the United States Armed Forces. Although, Tuxedo will be missing our annual Parade and Tuxedo Park Library Picnic/Celebration we are still keeping the most important aspect of the weekend our priority. Services will be held at both monuments, Southfields and Hamlet Veteran Walls. This will be a private ceremony no public allowed. We will be recording the event and with some special Mr.Clayton Chan Magic and help from his Tuxedo H.S. songbirds we hope to have a surprise for you all. This year’s ceremony does not deviate much from our traditional services and is outlined below. When the video is ready we will release it to the public for all to enjoy. Have a wonderful weekend, stay safe, stay masked and stay 6 feet a apart.
At this difficult time, when shopping, and having the money to shop with, are both a real challenge, St Mary's, in conjunction with TUFSD and the Sloatsburg Community Food Pantry,is looking to assist families in clothing their children and teens for Summer and Fall.
We are collecting clothing and shoes for boys and girls from babies to high school grads. These will eventually be donated to those who need them when state regulations allow.
Donations can only be received on Friday May 22nd from 1 pm to 4 pm and Saturday May 23rd from 10 am to 1 pm. All items must be clean and in good condition and packed, preferably into boxes,but acceptable in large plastic bags. Do not leave them at St Mary's or at the Train Station at any other times than these scheduled.
For the safety of everyone concerned please drive into the north entrance of the Train Station Parking Lot and move slowly in single file to the front porch of the Train Station Building. Stop in the marked space, place your donations in the space indicated and then drive on. Someone will pick up your donation and take it inside. This will avoid any direct social contact.
The donations will be stored in the Train Station for several days before being sorted by volunteers.
Tuxedo has seniors graduating from many different schools and we want to celebrate all of them! Community members can show their support by joining the Adopt A Senior Tuxedo page on Facebook.
Do You Sew? Help Make Masks for Healthcare Providers! Posted 3/25/2020
Dear Friends and Neighbors:
Everyone is busy at this hectic and uncertain time yet another need has developed that will help keep our community and healthcare workers safe.
It has come to our attention that there are local skilled nursing homes that have depleted their supply of face masks and are desperately in need of help.
If you have access to masks or are able to make them, please let us know and start production as soon as possible so that we can help protect our healthcare workers. So far two facilities have requested assistance.
Please pass this information along to anyone who you think can help. Sewers with working sewing machines are a challenge to find.
Approximately 5 can be made in one hour if you are experienced and everything goes perfectly well. With a few additional sewers we are hoping to deliver 100 asap.
Please contact Ellen Gluck at ellenrgluck@gmail.com if you are able to help and best wishes for everyone to stay healthy in every way!
Several community organizations and concerned individuals have been meeting virtually to develop a comprehensive plan to address local needs during this global crisis.
Town Board Presents Conceptual Parking Plan(posted 2/4/2020)
At their meeting on January 27, the Town Board conducted a public hearing on a proposed zoning code amendment which would exempt some of the existing commercial buildings from current parking regulations in the downtown area.
As currently written, the zoning code limits the amount of space some business owners are able to use by directly tying the usable percentage of space to the number of available parking spaces. This seriously limits Tuxedo Hudson Realty’s ability to make full use of the IGA building. In addition to the exemptions, the amendment would reduce the size of parking spaces in areas throughout the Hamlet.
With the help of a consulting engineer, the Town has developed a conceptual plan that proposes on-street parking as well as changes to current directional flow of traffic on both Store and Library Roads, both of which are located behind the new Tuxedo Hudson Realty, Antiques & Books shop.
Click here to view the plan.
Both the proposed amendment and the conceptual plan were discussed at length during the public hearing, which can be heard here.
Although all members of the Town Board freely admitted that the plan needs some work, everyone seems firmly committed to finding a solution that will both benefit the Town and help Tuxedo’s local businesses to attract more visitors
Open House at Tuxedo Hudson Realty Antiques and Books - Sunday, January 5 12-3pm
Stop into Tuxedo Hudson Realty Antiques and Books for their preview opening celebration on Sunday, January 5 between 12-3pm!
The newly renovated 21,000 sq ft Tuxedo Store Building will help anchor Tuxedo's revitalization and connects our community to Sloatsburg's Valley Rock Inn.
Sterling Forest Fire Co. , Northern Tuxedo Area: Saturday December 21st starting at 11:00am.
Tuxedo Park Fire Co. Hamlet and Village Area: Saturday, December 21st starting at 5:30pm
Santa and his helpers are coming to town - visiting the Circle, East Village, Tuxedo Park and nearby areas to bring Christmas greetings and candy. If you would like him to deliver your present to a loved one, please contact Gardiner Hempel at ghempeljr@gmail.com or-729-2343 to arrange this.
Eagle Valley Fire Co. All of Eagle Valley from Woodlands to Juniper Terrace: Sunday December 22nd starting at 4:30pm
Check out each Fire Companies facebook page for detailed schedules.
Mark your calendars Tuxedo! On the evening of Saturday, December 14 the George F. Baker High School will be ablaze with RUNWAY TO COSTA RICA, a fashion show event which also includes number of local vendors selling boutique items for the Holidays (everything from handmade jewelry to artwork, clothing and more!) tasty food (empanadas, smoothies and homemade baked goods) raffles and live music! The doors open at 5pm!
The fashion show, which has a “Mother/Daughter” theme, beings at 6 and will feature clothing provided by Runway Tuxedo Park. Models will show off both casual and dressy attire. There will be a short intermission, during which the school Dance Club will perform.
From 7-9pm the general raffle and tricky tray will be open. With more than 50 prizes up for grabs, the chances of winning are pretty good! Top raffle prizes include a farm-to-table dinner for 8 at Valley Rock Inn and a Weber BBQ grill, while the tricky tray features a wide variety items from gift certificates to more than 20 local eateries, yoga classes, beauty treatments and more! (for a complete list of pirzes click here) Raffle tickets are priced at $5 apiece or 5 for $20, while tricky tray tickets are $1 each, or 20 for $25. Everyone who purchases a ticket to the event will receive a free tricky tray ticket. Participants do not need to be present at time of the drawing to win.
Proceeds from the event will go towards offsetting costs for GFB’s upcoming spring trip to Costa Rica. While the school has traveled to both Paris and Montreal with its French students in the past, this will be their first journey to a Spanish speaking country.
“Traveling to another country is so important for all people to have a better understanding of other cultures, different languages, and exposure to nature and people with a completely different outlook on life,” event organizer Kelly Spranger recently told the Photo News. "Costa Rica is a country rich in biodiversity, ecologically crucial to this planet with more species of plants, bugs, and animals than can be imagined,” said Spranger further noting "Cultural diversity is more important than ever in this global economy, and Costa Rica is a stable country, very healthy economically and extremely well-educated with an average employment of 2.5 jobs per person. It makes for the perfect destination for our students.”
Tickets for RUNWAY TO COSTA RICA are $10 per person can be purchased online by clicking here or in person at the door!
All pieces are in the place to make this a fabulous, festive community-wide event! Do some shopping, enjoy some food, check out the show and enter yourself in a raffle…all for a great cause! Be sure to check it out Tuxedo!
It’s a new dawn and a new day for Bentley’s Deli! The hometown deli/convenience market was recently taken over by beloved, former Tuxedo Club employee Victor Ulysses and his family and the improvement has been immediate! For starters, the space has been deep cleaned. Patrons are greeted warmly by either Victor himself or one of his children behind the counter. The Deli case has Boars Head meat in it, the bread is fresh and the grill menu is loaded with classic fair. The food delicious and the service timely. The staff is welcoming and kind. Reviews, both word-of-mouth and on social media have been excellent and residents are thrilled to see the hometown business making a comeback. In the weeks and months ahead we can expect to see additional menu items and more food on the shelves….but in the meantime, please stop in, grab a cup of coffee or a sandwich, introduce yourself to Victor and help bring the hometown vibe back to this local business!!
Opening reception for the artists: Saturday, October 12, 5-7 pm
with an artists' talk in the gallery at 5:30 pm
Cheymore Gallery is happy to present Sites Seldom Scene, a two-person show featuring Neal Bashor and Sarah Hotchkiss, curated by Brad Ewing, on view from October 12 until December 14, 2019, with an opening reception for the artists Saturday, October 12, 5–7 pm. There will be a brief artist talk during the opening at 5:30 pm. This is both Bashor and Hotchkiss’ first exhibition with the gallery and features a selection of sculptures, paintings, and drawings.
Neal Bashor uses metal, paper, and paint to create objects that manifest through playful drawing sessions. The initial fluid drawings in “Satchel Series” help inform his three-dimensional works, with the drawings acting as preambling gestures. We see cartoon-like leather carriers stretching to capacity with logs and debris, as he fleshes out which shape could be the most unpredictable. Bashor’s “Arch Carts” seem to emerge from a James Castle drawing, with their molded curves and soft lines still resolving themselves. While innately resistant to the efficiency of drawing, the utilitarian carts retain the tension and energy of his first thoughts on paper. The unexpected stasis found in the “Red Letter Wall Wheels,” positioned to disrupt the architectural sameness of the gallery space, is made using a solid steel rod that Bashor has bent into place, connecting the symbols and patterns we find in Hotchkiss’ works.
Sarah Hotchkiss uses masonite, cardboard, and gouache in her paintings and sculptures to playfully explore the traditions in geometric abstraction, and entertainment ephemera (i.e. games for people and enrichment objects for animals). Her vibrant gouache on panel works “Favorite Things” and “From Red Square to Red Square” are inspired by board games she finds in her weekly outings to a flea market in San Francisco. Attracted to their elegant yet utilitarian design elements, Hotchkiss meticulously combines symmetry, bright colors andsimple geometric shapes to create visual puzzles that pose the question: how does it work? “Windchime Jellyfish,” a scaled-up version of a bird toy, fills the center of the gallery with colorful painted wooden ornaments, bells, and chain link—one of her paintings come to kinetic life. Two papier-mâché sculptures on pedestals, “Hamster Moon Bridge” and “Hamster Cannon,” are true to their original size, presented here as human fascinators, showing us the inherent need to play that all creatures have.
Neal Bashor is a Los Angeles based artist. He received a B.F.A. from Cornish College of the Arts and an M.F.A. from University of Southern California. Recent exhibitions include: “Henry is Blue” a group show curated by Sarah Lehrer-Graiwer and Despina Stokou; “The Soft Shoe” a group show organized by Mateo Tannat and Neal Bashor for Rainbow in Spanish; “A Public Fiction at The Hammer Museum/Tragedy + Time at Public Fiction” curated by Lauren Mackler and Sarah Lehrer-Graiwer at The Hammer Museum and Public Fiction, Los Angeles, CA; “Rural Sculpture,” Reserve Ames, Los Angeles. Neal Bashor was a 2015 recipient of the Rema Hort Mann Foundation’s Emerging Artist Grant.
Sarah Hotchkiss is a San Francisco based artist and arts writer. She received a B.A. from Brown University and an M.F.A. from California College of the Arts. Recent exhibitions include: "You're Weird for Building This", a two-person show with Stephanie Rohlfs at Royal NoneSuch Gallery and a three-person show at San Francisco's Guerrero Gallery. She has attended residencies at Skowhegan, ACRE and the Vermont Studio Center. She watches a lot of science fiction, which she reviews in the semi-regular publication Sci-Fi Sundays. In 2019, she received the Dorothea & Leo Rabkin Foundation prize for her work as the visual arts editor for KQED, the Bay Area's NPR and PBS affiliate.
At long last, Steve's Brick Oven Pizza will open its doors to the public on October 2!! Stay tuned to TPFYI for more details on the opening as they become available!
Tuesday November 5 is Election Day. With the Supervisor position and two seats on the council up for grabs, Tuxedo is faced with some important decisions in the weeks ahead.
The candidates are:
Supervisor:
Ken English (D)
Mike Rost, Incumbent (R)
Council:
Chris Dollbaum (R)
Michele Lindsay, Incumbent (D)
John MacNamara (R)
Maria May (D)
Town Clerk:
Donna Matthews (R) Unopposed
Highway Superintendent:
Rob Dollbaum (R) Unopposed
Polls will be open from 7am-9pm.
Are you registered to vote? Registration deadlines are as follows:
The Power House Park Concert series returns to Tuxedo this coming September with a robust lineup of music on September 14 from 11am-7pm. More than 10 bands performing a somewhat diverse range of music styles promise a little something for everyone including Jimi Hendrix percussionist Gerardo Velez, the famous Santana tribute band Stoneflower, Tito Puente Jr., an American Idol Finalist from this season and Corey Glover of Living Colour (who will be performing with Tuxedo's own Dave McMillen and his band!) Tickets range in price from $10-$75 and the event website promises an “An all day line up of extraordinary live music, food and activities, at Powerhouse Park!”
Visit the official website for more details and stay tuned to TPFYI.COM as the event gets closer for updated information on this exciting event!
Cheymore Gallery is happy to present Kevin Frances An Unexpected Houseguest, on view from July 27 until September 28, 2019, with an opening reception for the artist Saturday, July 27 from 5-7 pm. This is Frances's first exhibition with the gallery and features new photographs and woodblock prints inspired by his hand-built scale model which will be on display in the gallery.
Frances's ongoing project 'Superposition' is about a domestic relationship. This relationship exists across three separate mediums. First as a scale model, then as photographs created from the model and finally as a series of woodblock prints. Each media presents the story from a different perspective and with unique entry points. The scale model shows us a one-bedroom duplex without figures but with many personalized objects that are stand-ins for the couple. The wife is a ceramicist and in her basement studio, her potter's wheel and kiln are waiting to be used while objects from the last firing rest on the shelves. Upstairs in a living room turned home office, the husband works as a writer. We see a computer glowing on the desk and post-it notes on the wall, a reminder of unfinished business or brainstormed ideas. All around there are signs of activity. The husband's sandwich- waiting to be eaten. Papers from his printer- dropped on the floor. Yet, there is an eerie feeling as if our protagonist had to leave in a hurry.
Throughout the work, there are nods to the community of artists and designers who inspire Frances. These clues feel like Easter Eggs. In the office, we see the iconic Charles and Ray Eames chair as well as the famous mid-century bench by Charlotte Perriand. In the basement, there is a perfect miniature replica of the heater depicted in Vija Celmins' iconic painting 'Heater', 1964. On the basement wall, inspiration is tacked up in the form of the Guerrilla Girls' infamous letter to museums about women's underrepresentation in major US art institutions.
In the photo The Crux, the kiln has made a surprise appearance in the living room, like it decided to walk up the basement steps and visit. Every object plays a roll in the narrative and the objects are often depicted transplanted from their assumed positions. From instantly recognizable orange Home Depot buckets to miniature florescent lights present in many basements and artists' studios, these things act as reminders of the spaces and objects we live with. Within the photos and woodblock prints, Frances is able to direct our attention to a piece of the puzzle, like shining a flashlight on an important clue. Perhaps the most perplexing are the meteors, which have no worldly explanation as to how they got there. Are they the unexpected houseguest awkwardly inserting themselves into this domestic scene? Or is the unexpected houseguest perhaps the push and pull of egos that is inherent within a collaboration, and living with art and artists.
Kevin Frances is an artist who lives and works in New York City. He received his MFA from the Rhode Island School of Design in 2013, and his BA from the University of California, Davis in 2010. In 2012 he was a participant at the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture. His work has been shown at the International Print Center New York, the Knockdown Center in New York, Vox Populi in Philadelphia, the Kala Gallery in Berkeley, How’s Howard in Boston, and Galleri CC in Malmö, Sweden. He received a Massachusetts Cultural Council grant in 2016, and the St. Botolph Club Emerging Artist Award in 2017.
The comerstone reads 1895, but the story behan many years before. Immigrant families came to work in the iron mines and then later to lay roads and build the homes. They brought with them their desire to practice their faith. That desire and fauthfulness is where the story really began. A true and wonderful story of people meeting in schoolhouses and stores to pray together, traveling great distances to attend Mass.
Their struggle and story of determination led to the building of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church. Walk through the doors of this lovely building on the hill. No matter what religion you are there is beauty inside for everyone, the artwork, the bronze artifacts, embriodered silk banners and stained-glass windows that are awe-inspiring. The plaques on th windows are statues remind us of who came before, their love of the community and wish to make somewhere beautiful to worship.
Sunday, July 14 2019 we being our Jubilee Year with these three events:
1. A festive Mass at 10AM celebrated by Bishop O'Hara and Father Emmanuel. The church willremain open unitl 2PM forvisitors to tour this historic building.
2. Photos, artifacts and film chronicling the history of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel and the early area churches have been painstakingly collected and will be displayed at the Tuxedo Historical Society from 11:30AM-1:30PM.
3. Brunch will be served under the tent on Church grounds from 11:30AM-2PM.
*The Tuxedo Historical Society and Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church share the same hill. You are welcome to attend all three events; they are free to the public.
Tuxedo Historical Society - 7 Hospital Road, Tuxedo Park, NY 845-351-2926
Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church - 5 Tobin Way, Tuxedo Park, NY 845-351-5284
On the evening of June 13, the Tuxedo Little League- Internationals division won the Suffern Little Leauge Championship, which is called the Thomas Curley Cup named after a Suffern Police Officer who died. This was the first time in history that a Tuxedo team has won the Cup. CONGRATULATIONS BOYS!!!!
Spring and Early summer bring with them an array of benefits and fundraising events here in Tuxedo! It's a great time for residents to get out and celebrate the changing season while helping to support some of our most beloved local institutions (not to mention enjoying great food and fabulous entertainment!)
Saturday May 18 – Tuxedo PTO Spring Soiree:
This is the PTO’s annual spring fundraiser, which helps them to successfully fund programs, trips and activities for kids in grades K-12 all year long. This year’s event will take place at The Golf Club at Mansion Ridge. Ticket price includes open bar from 7-8pm, a buffet dinner, and live music by Power Nap (featuring Tuxedo's own Music Director, Mr. Clayton Chan) with a special appearance by Johanna Telander, a kindergarten parent and Broadway composer. And don’t forget the ever popular Tricky Tray raffle!!
Get your tickets here.
Monday May 27 – Tuxedo Park Library’s 16th Annual Memorial Day Community Picnic:
On Monday, May 27 from 12:00-2:30pm the Tuxedo Park Library will host their 16th Annual Memorial Day Community Picnic. At the event, a journal will be distributed that commemorates those community members who gave the supreme sacrifice while in service to our country. This event also gives the library an opportunity to show our gratitude to local service men and women, our fondness for our patrons, and an immense appreciation for the Tuxedo community. The picnic helps raise funds for the library’s wide variety of programming and has grown tremendously over the past few years.
The Tuxedo Memorial Day parade passes in front of the library on Route 17 at 11:30am. For senior citizens to observe the parade, the library provides chairs and a pop-up tent for shelter from the sun. Food, entertainment and activities are included for all ages. Entertainment will begin at 12:30pm, and raffle drawings for a wide variety of locally donated prizes will begin at 2:00pm.
Main Raffle prizes include: Thursday evening wine pairing and dinner for 4 at Glenmere Mansion; 3-hour Dinner Picnic Cruise for 8 on Tuxedo Lake catered by Tuxedo Park Events; Foursome of Golf & Lunch at the Tuxedo Club; Weber Genesis II S-310 Gas Grill; and a pair of Apple AirPods Wireless Headphones. Tickets for main raffle and tricky tray may be purchased now and up until the time of drawing.
For more information on attending this event or purchasing raffle tickets, please contact the Tuxedo Park Library at 845-351-2207.
Saturday June 1 – Musicale a Chastellux by Julliard Musicians to Benefit St. Mary’s Outreach Programs:
This delightful concert, followed by a wine and hors d'oevres reception will benefit St Mary's Outreach programs.
Kevin Zhu: Violin. 18 years old. Recently won the 2018 Paganini International Violin 1st Prize, in Italy. The most prestigious violin competition in the world. He studies at Juilliard and with Itzhak Perlman. He also won the 2012 Menuhin Junior competition as the youngest violinist ever. Kevin is already touring the world performing. You can watch him on YouTube to get a preview of what you will enjoy live.
Qiang Tu: Cello. New York Philharmonic . Qiang was the first Chinese musician to join the Philharmonic. He has been followed by many others. He has numerous recordings and a long list of professional accomplishments. Both musicians play exceptional instruments from the early 1700s that they will tell you about.
Opening reception for the artist:
Saturday, April 27, 5 - 7 pm
Cheymore Gallery is happy to present Matt Austin Plant Life curated by Daphne Ireland Whelahan, on view from April 27 until July 6, 2019, with an opening reception for the artist Saturday, April 27 from 5-7 pm. This is Austin's second exhibition with the gallery and features new paintings and wooden sculptures inspired by his pursuit of an 'Artist Plant Conservatory'. The Conservatory is a living connection to celebrated artists both past and present. It began when Austin received a cutting of the Sansevieria plant depicted within Grant Wood's iconic 'American Gothic' and 'Woman with Plants'. Stewarding the plant depicted within these paintings had Austin contemplating the fact that he was breathing air produced by the same plant that had produced air for this renowned painter. Austin then acquired a cutting of Lee Krasner and Jackson Pollock's spider plant and his work began in earnest to build his conservatory. Imbued with Austin's quick wit and parallel storylines, the new works depict the lives of these plants within the realm of the artist; yet also riff on art history and the meta act of painting a plant, based on a sculpture of a plant, of a plant found in a painting. Austin uses casein paint, a type of tempera paint that is distinctly matte. He has been perfecting this technique for more than a decade. Rendered delicately, the paintings harken back to an early American style, yet the signs of electricity and the phosphorescent sculptures let the viewer know these exist in the 21st century. The task of painting still lifes dates back centuries, and Austin's modern take on this classic painterly exercise speaks to the timelessness of his subjects.
"Matt has long been fascinated by the ways in which plants emerge in art, and how artists represent them, both literally and figuratively. Noting a particular mother-in-law plant making a repeat appearance in Grant Wood's work, he successfully obtained a cutting. He has been painting and carving its transformation in his studio for over two years. The paintings in Plant Life display Matt's mastery of realism while representing his natural, lyrical hand and inimitable use of color."
-Daphne Ireland Whelahan
Born into a family of muralists, illustrators, and painters, Austin honed his craft as an artist after spending many years involved in art installation at the Yale Center for British Art. He has followed his curiosity since 1971 and when not in his studio, he can be found at the Metropolitan Museum of Art or climbing hills on his road racing bicycle.
Please join us for our walks this spring. All are welcome:
MAY 1 (Wednesday evening) Meet Terryanne at the Sterling Forest Visitor Center front door at 6:30 pm (the building will be closed). We will walk in the area looking and listening for Neotropical Migrants. Check Tuxedo Bird Club Facebook page for weather cancellations. Done by 8 pm.
MAY 4 (Saturday morning) A Saturday morning bird walk at the Ramapo River Access Point off of County Route 106 in Harriman State Park in Southfields. Meet Terryanne there at 9 am. Over by 10:30 am. Small area, lots of birds. Check Tuxedo Bird Club Facebook page for rain cancellation. This site features a Great Blue Heron Rookery and other gems.
MAY 10 (Friday morning) Meet at 9 am at the end of Ironwood Dr, Tuxedo. Golden-winged Warblers, Prairie Warblers, and a variety of spring migrants are possibilities. Over by 11am. Check Tuxedo Bird Club Facebook page for rain cancellation. This is a Rockland County Audubon Society Walk.
JUNE 30 (Sunday evening) Meet Terryanne at the end of Ironwood Drive in Tuxedo at 8 pm to listen for whip-poor-wills. Done by 9 pm. Please arrive quietly and hope they will sing for us. Check Tuxedo Bird Club Facebook page for weather cancellations.
Popular local eatery Dottie Audrey’s has announced that they will begin to feature a different book throughout the year that can be enjoyed solo or with a child…and they will be selling accompanying cookies to reward good reading and readers.
First up? The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Graeme. They have a few issues of the book and the cookies - Rat and Mr. Toad (they call them "Bookies") which premiered this past weekend!
In a March 22 Facebook posting, the bakery/kitchen stated “Dottie loved reading to her kids and grandkids and Audrey was, among many things, a librarian. We want to encourage healthy bonding like they did - hope you like the idea.”
Stop in to DA’s….support local business, read a chapter or two of a timeless classic and enjoy a delicious treat!!
Due to the predicted cold weather this evening, the installation of a water valve has been postponed. Water service will not be interrupted and there will be no need to boil your water this week.
You will be advised when the replacement of the valve is rescheduled. We are tentatively considering replacing the valve early next week. Again, you will be notified via mail when a decision is made.
Please join us in welcoming Lauren Pakradooni for a special Artist Talk in the gallery on Saturday, December 8, at 3pm. Lauren will discuss the process and methodology of her work featured in the two-person show /Still Rendering/ with Adam Raymont curated by Brad Ewing on view until December 8.
Lauren Pakradooni is a Philadelphia-based artist and educator. She received a B.A. from Hampshire College and an M.F.A. in Printmaking from Rhode Island School of Design. She has been awarded fellowships and residencies by the Virginia Commonwealth University Qatar, The Wassaic Project, Women’s Studio Workshop, Kimmel Harding Nelson Center for the Arts, and AS220. She operates Pressure Club, a printshopand gallery in Philadelphia, PA. Recent exhibitions include The Print Center (Philadelphia, PA), Planthouse (NYC), and Knock Down Center (Brooklyn, NY)
The Tuxedo Local Development Corp. Board (LDC) met on Tuesday at 6:00 pm. Present were members Supervisor Mike Rost, Mike Reardon, Frank Peverly, Andrew Dance and Dave McMillen. Board Secretary Rachel Endress attended via phone.
Supervisor Rost opened the meeting by announcing that in order to remain consistent with the past practice of having the current Deputy Supervisor serve as a member of the LDC, he was making the motion to appoint Dave McMillen to the Board replacing the former Deputy Michele Lindsay. The motion was approved unanimously.
The following applications were discussed:
1-Tuxedo Hudson Company for the IGA building: This project has already been approved for a $350,000 grant, however plans for the building have changed and so an updated application has been submitted. Speaking for Tuxedo Hudson, Kathy Morris explained that they are no longer planning to operate a business inside the building but instead will lease space to other businesses. She added that they have been speaking with two different people who run food businesses and are interested in taking space. Plans for the upstairs of the building is to lease space for offices or studios.
2-Steve Germano for Steve’s (former Take A Break property): The slab is down and the plumbing is done for this project. Framing should start next week. Mr. Germano is hoping to be open for business by the end of the year. His plan is to start by offering pizza and once he “gets that right,” he will slowly introduce other foods as well as catering. He also has a business, which sells kitchen equipment and he intends to use Steve’s for customers to come and see his equipment (by appointment only) in operation. He plans to be open from 11 am to 11 pm seven days a week (and maybe later on weekends). There was a discussion about parking. 12 spots currently exist and Mr. Germano hopes to use some of the high school lot after hours so discussion included ways to slow down traffic in order to make crossing the street safer. The application was for a $100,000 grant.
After the presentations, the Board went into an Executive Session to discuss financials of the 3 applications. When they came out, they announced their decisions:
1- The grant for Michael Bruno and Tuxedo Hudson has already been approved.
2-Steve Germano for Steve’s will get a grant of $80,000. The Board stated that they are excited about the plans for this project.
3-Rowena Scherer for eat2explore: It was explained that the loan fund is not currently fully funded. Andrew Dance added that the grant projects were for physical improvements to the Hamlet and to support bringing businesses into the Town. He added that the loan fund was originally intended for use after the developer was able to build houses. Ms. Scherer expressed her extreme disappointment that loans were not being offered as they would provide interest. She feels the timing of the loans is wrong and waiting until after the project is “done” is just too late.
From the audience, Michele Lindsay asked Mr. Dance what had changed as her understanding was that under the Special Permit, Related was required to give to $1 million to the grant fund and $2 million to the loan fund when the permit was originally granted. She wondered if Mr. Dance was refusing to fullfill this requirement.
Mr. Dance responded, suggesting that the amount was “$250,000 for the loan fund as a revolving loan fund that stays out for several years.”
When Ms. Lindsay asked why he couldn’t give Ms. Scherer part of that loan fund, Mr. Dance replied “gee…because I’m not spending any more money in this Town until we can actually do business here.” He further stated that he was “not spending money in the Town or funding the loan fund until the school corrects the situation.”
After this conversation, the meeting was adjourned.
There has been some confusion with regard to the August 21Tuxedo Farms LDC meeting. The focus of this meeting is NOT the current status of the Tuxedo Farms project or the possible purchase of the Farms property by DragonsGate. The Farms development will likely not even be discussed.
The LDC (local development corp) was set up using funds given to the Town by the Farms to promote revitalization efforts and local development in downtown Tuxedo. Using these funds, the LDC is able to provide grants and loans to aspiring business projects. While an agenda has not been released, it is probable that on-going projects such as Steve's, Tuxedo Dairy and the IGA will be the focus of this meeting.
NOTICE OF MEETING
The Board of Directors for the Tuxedo Farms Local Development Corporation will be conducting a meeting on August 21, 2018 at 6:00 P.M. at the Tuxedo Town Hall, One Temple Drive, Tuxedo, New York. This notice is given in order to comply with the Open Meetings Law.
Opening Reception for Sally Bruno at the Cheymore Gallery July 7 - 4-6pm
Cheymore Gallery is happy to present Sally Bruno Paintings on view from July 7 until September 15, 2018 with an opening reception for the artist Saturday, July 7 from 4-6 pm. This is Bruno's first exhibiton with the gallery and features a selection of paintings from 2010 to 2016 while the artist was living in Los Angeles.
Bruno's open-hearted paintings loosely suggest interiors, animals and still lifes. She layers on super saturated colors with a loaded brush or palette knife and the paintings are often painted so thickly they border on low relief. There's a joie de vivre in the jigsaw-like compositions that snap togther with vibrant colors and patterns that unapologetically tip their hat to Henri Matisse and Elizabeth Murray. The paintings are created in a moment of intense commitment to form as she composes directly onto the canvas from her imagination. Bruno says her work is about the capacity of a colored viscous material to somehow gel into the charm of a flower pot, or communicate states as complex as energy or joy. It's these moments that fascinate Bruno, when abstract forms become objects or objects become forms raising questions about the clarity of experience and the slipperiness of perception.
Bruno earned a BFA from Otis College of Art and Design in 2010 and an MFA from Claremont Graduate University in 2014. Recent solo exhibitions include Stellar Union, South Hampton, NY, Chimento Contemporary, Los Angeles, CA, and LAM Gallery, Los Angeles, CA. Her 2015 debut show in L.A. received critical reviews from notable art critics Christopher Knight (The Los Angeles Times) and David Pagel (Gallery Magazine). She is the recipient of the Karl Benjamin Fellowship and the J&D Art Fellowship. She lives and works in Tuxedo Park, New York.
The Tuxedo Union Free School District recently engaged a National educational consulting firm for the purpose of developing a long-term plan for the education of its students, with particular focus on the High School. As part of this process, the firm will be conducting community focus groups on the evenings of June 4 and June 5 at 7pm. All community members are invited and encouraged to attend and vice their opinions as collecting feedback from all stake holders is a critical part of the process.
R.S.V.P. is necessary
Click here to view the open invitation from the School District.
Tuxedo LDC For Hamlet Revitalization Meeting, March 272018
A meeting of the Tuxedo LDC (Local Development Corp) for Hamlet Revitalization took place on Tuesday, March 27, 2018 at 7 pm. Present were Supervisor Mike Rost, Councilmember Michele Lindsay, Planning Board Chair Mike Reardon, Zoning Board Chair Frank Peverly, Andrew Dance from Related Companies and Rachel Endress, attorney from Harris Beach. Tom Nash from Sterling Bank was absent.
The Board first took care of some “housekeeping” such as approving a mission statement, electing officers and approving bylaws.
The next item of business was reviewing applications. Of the two applications received, only one applicant was present—Michael Bruno of Tuxedo Hudson. The other applicant, Steve Germano who has recently acquired the Take A Break property was not present. Mr. Bruno said that the funds he has applied for would be used for exterior renovations to the IGA building. It is his present plan to open a market/café/bar and an antique store in the interior space. He has applied for $500,000.
The Board went into executive session to review and discuss the financials of the applicants. When the meeting was reconvened, Andrew Dance, acting as spokesman for the Board, announced that they had decided to award $350,000 to Mr. Bruno. The explanation for this decision was that while they have $750,000, only $690,000 is available for grants as the rest has to be used to pay for insurance and other business expenses. Of the available amount, half is being offered to Mr. Bruno as the Board feels that his is an important project for the Town. Mr. Bruno was asked to supply a scope document with financial details from the contractor and he agreed to do so.
The Wee Wah Fishing Club is now accepting applications for new members. Members use club boats to fish for trout, smallmouth and largemouth bass, yellow perch, walleye, catfish, and more on the quiet, stocked waters of beautiful Wee Wah Lake in Tuxedo Park.
Applicants must be residents of the Hamlet of Tuxedo or the Village of Tuxedo Park. Village employees and active members of the Tuxedo Ambulance Corp. and volunteer fire departments are also eligible. To apply, send a letter to Wee Wah Fishing Club; PO Box 158; Tuxedo, NY 10987. For more information, contact Jack Haubert at 915-3089 or jackhaubert@hotmail.com.
The Town of Tuxedo is in need of a committee to help organize and manage the annual Memorial Day Parade. American Legion Post 293 has always put their best efforts into managing the parade. Unfortunately, starting this year our local heroes are unable to perform this duty.
They are looking for residents to get involved and help to continue this long standing tradition. The Legionaries have compiled all the contact information and resources needed to organize the event. Please contact the Town Supervisors Office at 845-351-2265 if you or your organization would like to be part of the Memorial Day Parade Committee. Call 845-351-2265 or email us at SBrooks@tuxedogov.org or Supervisor@tuxedogov.org
According to Highway Superintendent Dollbaum, we can expect to see more potholes than usual this year. He has requested that anyone who sees a pothole that needs attention should call the Highway Garage to report it at 351-2594
Statement from The Town Of Tuxedo Police Department
In considering recent and tragic events in the State of Florida, their community and citizens having our heartfelt support, the Town of Tuxedo Police Department has had dialogue with the Tuxedo School District and Superintendant Nancy Teed. The Town of Tuxedo Police and the Tuxedo School District, having a close relationship, have mutually agreed upon the use of frequent patrols of the schools and grounds. Please understand the presence of police at schools as the Town of Tuxedo Police Department will be present, conducting patrols and walk-throughs. The purpose is to help ensure the safety of our students, faculty and community. Any safety or other concerns should be addressed to the Town of Tuxedo Police Department at 845-351-5111 or the Tuxedo School District at 845-351-4786. As always, dial 911 for any emergency and please be safe.
Opening on the Town Architectural Review Board Posted 1-24-18
The Town of Tuxedo is looking for an individual to serve on its Architectural Review Board. All interested parties should submit a letter or resume indicating their interest and experience to the Supervisor’s office no later than February 15, 2018. The term of the appointment shall be for 3 years. Members will be chosen based on qualifications and training in the fields of landscape architecture, interior or exterior design, municipal planning, municipal government or other professionally or aesthetically related disciplines or civic interest
Important Drinking Water Notice December 27,2017 Posted 12-27-17
BOIL YOUR WATER BEFORE USING
Bring tap water to a rolling boil, boil for one minute, and cool before using. Or use bottled water certified for sale by the New York State Department of Health. Boiled or bottled water should be used for drinking, making ice, washing dishes, brushing teeth, and preparing food until further notice.
This Boil Water Notice applies to Town of Tuxedo (Hamlet) North to Hickory Hollow Nursery What Happened?
At about 10:00-PM on Wednesday, December 27, 2017 work will begin to replace a water valve in the system. This work may cause disruption in water service and/or a loss of water pressure. When water mains lose pressure it increases the chance that untreated water and harm l microbes can enter your water.
Harmful microbes in drinking water can cause diarrhea, cramps, nausea, headaches, or other symptoms and may pose a special health risk for infants, some elderly, and people with severely compromised immune systems. But these symptoms are not just caused by microbes in drinking water. you experience any of these symptoms and they persist, you should seek medical advice. What is being done?
Replacement of the valve is necessary maintenance we must per on the system. We will work to replace the valve as quickly as possible. Beginning on 12/27/17 at 10:00 PM you must boil the water until further notice.
It is likely that you will need to boil water for the next few days until the problem is fixed and confirmation samples are collected to con the absence of bacteria. You will be informed when tests show that you no longer need to boil your water.
For more information, please contact:
Tuxedo Park Water Department at 845-351-2777 or the Orange County Department of Health at 845-291-2331. Please share this information with other people who drink this water, especially anyone who may not get this notice directly or example, people in apartments, nursing homes, schools, and businesses.
IMPORTANT INFO ATION ABOUT BOUT YOUR DRINKING WATER.
The Village of Tuxedo Park Did Not Meet Treatment Requirements
Our water system recently violated a drinking water requirement. Although this situation is not an emergency, and does not require that you take immediate action, as our customers, you have a right to know what happened, what you should do, and what we are doing to correct this situation.
As part of our Disinfection By-Products Rule, we routinely monitor for removal of Total Organic Carbon (TOC) in our filters. The running annual average of test results ending in the month of September 2017 showed removal levels of TOC at .97 (a removal of 1.0 is required). What does this mean?
This is not an emergency. If it had been an emergency, you would have been notified immediately. Total Organic Carbon OC) has no health effects. However TOC provides a medium for the formation of
disinfection byproducts. ese byproducts include Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs) and Haloacetic acids ( 5s). Drin ng water containing these byproducts in excess of the Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) m lead to adverse health effects, liver or kidney problems or nervous system effects, or m lead to an increased risk of getting cancer
Our water system also monitors for TTHMs and HAA5s. Our testing for TTHMs and HAA5s did not show the presence TTHMs and HAA5s that approached the standards for maximum Contaminant Levels. What should I do?
There is nothing you need to do. You do not need to boil your water or take other corrective actions.
However, if you have specific health concerns, consult your doctor. .
If you have a severely compromised immune system, have an infant, are pregnant, or are elderly, you may be at increased risk and should seek advice om your health care providers. What happened? What was done?
Compliance is based on a Running Annual Average. Although the average is below what is allowed, history has shown adequate TOC removal. We are reviewing our sampling procedures and evaluating our Filtration system for efficiency. We are continuing to monitor TTHMss and HAA5s.
For more information, please contact the Village of Tuxedo Park at 845-351-4745 or by mail at PO Box31, 80 Lorillard Road,,Tuxedo Park, NY 10987.
Please share this information with other people who drink this water, especially anyone who may not get this notice directly or example, people in apartments, nursing homes, schools, and businesses.
TPFYI has reached an important crossroads and we are looking to chart our course for the future, both in terms of economic viability as well as overall value within the community. If you would kindly take a moment to complete the following, short survey, we would greatly appreciate it.
Town Hall will be open 9-3 on Wednesday December 27th. Tax bills will be available for pick up and payment. At the end of day on Wednesday the bills will be mailed out. Payments will be accepted Thursday 12/28 and Friday 12/29 from 9-3 at the Town Hall. Checks should be made out exact amount only and cash will not be accepted. (Bills received postmarked by 12/31/2017 will be posted as received in 2017)
The 2018 Tax bills are expected to be available by December 27, 2017
Tax payments should be mailed to Tuxedo Town Hall, One Temple Drive, Tuxedo, NY 10987 attention Tuxedo Tax Collector.
In person payments can be made during the month of January.
Monday and Tuesdays 9:00am -3:00pm
Wednesday Night’s 4:30 – 6:30.
*early payment schedule will be released once the tax warrant has been issued.
Solarize Orange Presentation at the Tuxedo Train Station Saturday, August 19
Posted 8/15/17
The Orange County Department of Planning is a sponsor of a cost-savings program called Solarize Orange. The program has state and federal incentives and there is access to low-interest loans. If people (homeowners and business building owners) sign up for a no-obligation estimate by September 15 then they can take advantage of the incentives. Come learn more about this Saturday, August 19 from 9-11am at the Train Station.
Good Things to Know about Renewable Solar Energy
1 -The “NYSERDA incentive” directly reduces the cost of your system and is paid to your installer. It is currently 40 cents per installed Watt. For an average size system (7kW = 7,000W), that is $2,800. The incentive was enacted to spur the marketplace and is designed to taper off. Likely by mid-2017, the incentive will drop to 30 cents.
2- Tax credits available to home & business owners: Federal Investment Tax Credit: 30% of the installed cost of a solar system (no cap). You may claim the credit over multiple years. For both residential and commercial property owners. Applies to 2nd homes as well as primary residences. New York State Residential Solar Equipment Tax Credit: an additional 25% of the installed cost of a solar system ($5,000 cap). You may claim the credit over 5 years. Does not apply to 2nd homes. Does cover condo/co-ops up to 50 kW.
If you lease a system, you receive the State tax credit, but the leasing company collects the federal tax credit.
3-Property tax exemption: Solar systems will not add to the taxable value of your home in NY State. To assure your tax exemption, your installer will provide you with NYS tax form RP-487 “Application for Tax Exemption of Solar or Wind Energy Systems or Farm Waste Energy Systems.”
4 - Sales tax: in Orange County, there is no sales tax charged on residential solar PV systems.
5-A solar system will likely add to the value of your home. A 2015 study by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory reported on sales data for almost 23,000 homes in eight states and found that homebuyers were willing to pay a premium of about four additional dollars per watt of solar power. That would be a home value increase of $28,000 for a 7kW system.
Solar and wind energy will dominate our energy future because they are technologies…not a fuel.
Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel and Parish Picnic Sunday July 16 Posted 7/12/17
All are cordially invited to celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel on Sunday, July 16th beginning with a festive Mass at 10am. Cardinal Dolan will be the Principal Celebrant. Following Mass, there will be a parish picnic on the church grounds, with pulled pork, hamburgers, hot dogs, homemade salads and desserts. There will also be games, raffles, and a bit of magic. Enjoy a show by The Great Charlini, a pirate/magician extraordinaire. Bring a salad or dessert to share.
Social Squash Thursday July 6 at Live Technology Posted 7/5/17
Clary Garden Art Show at Dottie Audrey’s Tuesday July 18 Posted 7/5/17
Tuxedo Chamber of Commerce Annual Summer BBQ - July 13 Posted 7/5/17
Join Friends of Sterling Forest and Tuxedo Bird Club for 2 Spring Evening Bird Walks This Week Posted 5/8/17
Join Friends of Sterling Forest and Tuxedo Bird Club for 2 spring evening bird walks during peak bird migration led by Terryanne Gmelch. Everyone welcome. Bring binoculars. We will walk on relatively flat and paved terrain first and then, if time permits, we will continue onto a rocky trail. Meet at Sterling Forest Visitor Center at 6:45 pm on the evenings of Wednesday, May 10 and Sunday, May 14, 2017. Walk ends at 8:00 pm. Practice your bird song id at: http://blackrockforest.org/listen-fores
Friends of Sterling Forest Earth Day Cleanup April 22 - 8am Posted 4/21/17
Orange County Executive Steve Neuhaus Presents Tuxedo with $5,000 For Trail Kiosk Posted 4/3/17
Orange County Executive Steve Neuhaus journeyed to Tuxedo on Thursday, March 31, 2017 to present a $5000 check to the Town as a contribution toward the Trail Kiosk which was recently installed at the Tuxedo Train Station.
Pictured with Town Supervisor Mike Rost, Deputy Supervisor Dave Mcmillen and Councilperson Michele Lindsay are (from left) County Legislator Barry Cheney, County Executive Neuhaus, Don Weise from the NYNJ Trail Conference, Town resident Sue Scher and Mary Pat Smith from County Executive Neuhaus’ office.
Sterling Forest Fire Company St. Patrick’s Day Dinner Posted 3/1/17
Shore Publishing at Art on Paper, March 2-5, 2017 Posted 2/14/17
Friends of Sterling Forest February Events Posted 1/30/17
Blazing Night Bon-fire - Saturday February 4 Posted 1/30/17
Chamber of Commerce Kick Off Mixer January 12 6:30pm Posted 1/12/17
How To Take Action To Oppose The Pilgrim Pipelines - November 29 Posted 11/22/16
New York State Senator Chuck Schumer Visits The Tuxedo Train Station Posted 10/7/16
Senator Chuck Schumer made a stop at the train station on Thursday, October 6 at 1:45 pm. On hand to greet him were Supervisor Mike Rost, Councilmembers Dave McMillen, Michele Lindsay and Valerie Reardon as well as Orange County Executive Steve Neuhaus, Rockland County Executive Ed Day, Assemblyman Karl Brabenec and Mayor Mary Jo Guinchard.
Senator Schumer was in Tuxedo to address the tragedy of the train accident in Hoboken on September 29. He said he had complete faith in the NTSB, which is conducting an investigation into the accident. Unfortunately, the Emergency Communication systems of New Jersey Transit and Metro North were not prepared to handle the necessary communication following the accident Thus commuters were stranded with no idea of where to go and how long they would be inconvenienced. Specifically, he noted that:
1-Updated information was not posted on New Jersey Transit’s Facebook page until 5 pm the day of the accident.
2-The NJ Transit website was running slow all day.
3-There was not enough staff on duty to talk to commuters who needed help.
He urged both New Jersey Transit and Metro North to “step up to the plate,” with clearer, more timely information. He detailed a 4- point plan that he would like to see implemented:
Work on expanding their efforts to sign more commuters up for email and text alerts.
Get serious about using social media for updating riders
Better public address systems and audio systems in general are needed
More staff is needed in times of emergency.
In general, Senator Schumer suggested that these systems need to be as smart as smart phones are… and they just aren’t right now.
The Cheymore Gallery presents JIM DINE Past is Present opening Saturday, Oct 15th Posted 10/4/16
Cheymore Gallery is excited to announce a new exhibition of Jim Dine prints. Past is Present: Three Decades of Prints, curated by Ruth Lingen. The show opens Saturday, October 15th with a reception from 5-7pm, and will be on view through December 17, 2016.
Jim Dine is one of the most significant artists of the twentieth century and has had numerous solo exhibitions in museums in Europe and the United States. In 1970 the Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, organized a major retrospective of his work, and in 1978 the Museum of Modern Art, New York, presented a retrospective of his etchings.
He is also one of the most naturally gifted printmakers working today and more recently he has had major print retrospectives at the Albertina, Vienna (2016); Museum Folkwang, Essen, Germany (2015/16); Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris (2007); Centre de la Gravure et de l'Image Imprimée, Belgium (2008) and Minneapolis Institute of Arts, USA (2002).
Dine was born in 1935, in Cincinnati, Ohio. He studied at night at the Cincinnati Art Academy during his senior year of high school and then attended the University of Cincinnati, the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, and Ohio University, Athens, from which he received his B.F.A. in 1957.
Dine moved to New York in 1959 and soon became a pioneer creator of 'Happenings' together with Allan Kaprow, Claes Oldenburg, and Robert Whitman.
As a shop worker for the legendary New York printmaker Joe Wilfer and midwest book master Walter Hamady, Ruth Lingen learned both her trade and the pleasure of collaborating with living artists. In the years since, she herself has become somewhat of a legend, collaborating with nearly 50 of the world's greatest artists- on prints (some for Pace Editions, some on her own) and very special limited edition artist books. She has worked with Jim Dine, Robert Ryman, Mary Heilmann, Kiki Smith, Chuck Close, Claes Oldenburg, Bob Holman, Robert Creeley, Jessica Stockholder and Jeremy Sigler, Donald Traver, Al Held and John Chamberlain, to name a few. Lingen's work can be found in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Getty, and the Brooklyn Museum, as well as in more than 20 libraries, from the New York Public Library to the Harvard University Library.
Fall Music Festival Saturday October 8 - Powerhouse Park Posted 9/28/16
Episcopal Youth Fellowship Car Wash - Friday September 23, 3-5pm Posted 9/21/16
Stop Pilgrim Pipelines INFO Event - September 22 Posted 9/16/16
NOTICE
Free Yoga Event In Tuxedo!! Posted 9/6/16
NOTICE
CHANGE IN EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION Posted 8/1/16
Effective Tuesday, August 2 2016, The Town of Tuxedo dispatch will be turned over to Orange County 911.
The old 351-5111 number will still be operational and answered via an automated telephone menu. The first instruction you will hear when dialing the old number will be “If this is an emergency, hang up and dial 911.”
To report a fire or a need for ambulance services, downed wires or trees, water main breaks, natural gas odors/leaks, nuisance animals and roadway impediments or damage DIAL 911
If you have any kind of emergency DIAL 911
The Tuxedo Police, EMS and Fire Departments will continue to be our first responders and the transition to 911 will be transparent to the citizens of Tuxedo.
If you have any questions, please call Lt. John Norton at 351-5111 during normal weekday business hours.
If you need to contact a member of the Police Department for administrative reasons, the 351-5111 system will route your call
Ramapo River Watershed Conference April 22 Posted 3/31/16
This year the Ramapo River Watershed Conference welcomes Suzy Allman, creator of the popular site MyHarriman and Dan Van Aps, noted Rutgers professor and water resource expert. Come to this free event and get the latest information on the environmental cleanups and remediations underway in the watershed in New York and New Jersey. Learn about pending development and preservation efforts.
The main conservation concern this year is the controversial proposed Pilgrim crude oil/refined fuel Pipelines which would threaten the Ramapo River, aquifer and public water supplies all along the watershed in both States.
We are pleased to once again partner with Ramapo College of New Jersey for this regional gathering. All conference events take place in the Trustee’s Pavilion at the college.
The conference begins at 9:30 a.m. on Friday, April 22, 2016, with coffee and bagels and a greeting from Ramapo College President Peter Mercer at 10 a.m. The conference ends at 4 p.m. with a reception immediately following.
Please contact GeoffWelch@gmail.com for more information and reservations. The conference is a free event. We will post the agenda soon at: ramaporiver.org
Son’s Of Italy Pasta Dinner Sunday April 3 Posted 3/29/16
Annual Tree Lighting and Arrival of Santa - December 4 Posted 11/19/15
New Parking System In The Lower Commuter Lot Posted 11/5/15
The Lower Commuter Lot at 57 Powerhouse Lane has a new parking system.
All transactions are performed online at www.parkmobil.com or by calling 1-877-727-5730. When paying for a daily parking space you must reference zone 4515, know your license plate number and have a credit card available. There is a parkmobil App that can be used by any smartphone or android.
Outdoor Horror Movie Night October 23 Posted 10/19/15
Family Fun Day Moved to October 10 Posted 10/1/15
Two Need Eateries To Open in Duck Cedar Plaza! Jobs Available! Posted 9/23/15
Annual PTO Back-To-School Carnival This Friday at Circle Field Posted 9/17/15
Thursday September 10 is Primary Day Posted 9/10/15
Thursday September 10th is Primary Day in Tuxedo.
The Republican Party has 1 race, which is Highway Superintendent.
The Independence and Green parties are also running candidates for Family Court Judge.
If applicable....DON'T FORGET TO VOTE!
The polls are open from 6 am - 9 pm. The polling place for District 3 is Town Hall (on the 2nd Floor).
Son's Of Italy Pasta Dinner September 13 2-7pm Posted 9/8/15
Tuxedo Community Forum September 19 Posted 8/24/15
Learn About the Pilgrim Pipeline slated to come through Tuxedo
August 10 at 7pm Posted 8/10/15
Learn About the Pilgrim Pipeline slated to come through Tuxedo AUGUST 10, 2015 7 PM TUXEDO TOWN BOARD MEETING Kate Hudson – speaker from the Riverkeeper
Hi Neighbors,
A company called Pilgrim is proposing to run a pipeline from Albany, NY down the New York State Thruway to transport Bakken crude oil south to a refinery in Linden, NJ and another pipeline next to it which will run north to transport the refined oil back up to Albany. Currently crude oil is transported via rail cars and barges running south down the Hudson River and the refined oil is transported north also via rail car and barges.
A Pilgrim lobbyist gave a presentation to the Town Board outlining the possible route they would like to take through our town. It does not follow the thruway when it gets to Woodbury and further deviates when it hits Tuxedo running down 17, behind the Duck Cedar Plaza, right through town up behind St. Mary’s, and crossing many privately owned properties. Many towns in New Jersey and New York have passed resolutions opposing these pipelines.
On Monday August 10th Kate Hudson from Riverkeeper will present their views on the Pilgrim Pipeline to the Town Board during the regularly scheduled town board meeting at 7:00. If you can, please take some time from your busy schedules and attend the town board meeting. If that’s not possible please look up Pilgrim Pipeline, the Coalition Against Pilgrim Pipeline (CAPP), and the Scenic Hudson Presentation video on TPFYI. An informed citizenry is vital to the safety and wellbeing of our town. Thanks!
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
For the
TUXEDO-HARRIMAN PARK TRAILS SHUTTLE BUS
Posted 7/8/15
This is a new service for hikers coming by train to Tuxedo to enjoy a day or weekend to hike in Harriman State Park.
The shuttle bus made its first run July 4th weekend. We hope to operate this bus on Saturday and Sunday mornings through October. It makes an hour run leaving the Tuxedo Train Station at 10:4 0 am.
The Tuxedo-Harriman shuttle operation needs local volunteers. If you have an hour or two to spare on a weekend morning, join us at the train station!
Volunteers begin work at 10 am getting ready to meet the 10:17 train from the city. We sell tickets to the bus ($5 one way) and trail maps to keep the hikers safe and informed, offer suggestions for hikes and overnight trips, and point out local resources. At 10:40 we board the shuttle bus, and volunteers guide the bus drivers along the route and through the park, answering questions from the shuttle riders along the way. We also keep an eye out for hikers who may want to board the shuttle near the trails. If you're mildly familiar with Harriman's trails, you'd be great at this! If not, we will provide you with information and tips.
The shuttle finishes its route at 11:50, in time for NYC riders to board the 11:58 train back to the city.
If you’re not sure if you want to ride the bus but would like to greet hikers coming off the train and sell tickets, let us know when you sign up.
Base Camp Tuxedo - Outdoor Adventure Speaker & Suds - May 9 Posted 4/17/15
Tuxedo Town Police Annual Easter Egg Hunt March 28 1pm Posted 3/20/15
Town Resident Sues Genting For Alleged Illegal Robocalls Posted 12/15/14
Town Resident Shaun Neal has filed a lawsuit against Genting, alleging that the "robo calls" the company utilized to invite community members to a party at the Renaissance Faire last September were in fact illegal. Mr. Neal argues that Pursuant to the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, it is illegal for anyone to use an automated dialing device or pre-recorded voice to robocall cell phones and residential numbers under various conditions as set forth in the act. It is an additional violation if your phone number is on the Do Not Call registry, which his cell phone number has been since 2009.
Mr. Neal sued Genting for what he charges are widespread violations of the Act, for robocalling his cell phone number with their "offensive overt attempt" to buy his support.
He was especially bothered by the fact that somehow Genting had obtained his personal cell phone number and as part of his discovery demands, he asked them how they had obtained it. Their answer - voting records. It is prohibited by NY State Law to use voting records for telemarketing purposes and Mr. Neal finds it truly outrageous that they must have knowingly lied to the State of New York to obtain his personal cell phone number so that they could "harass" him with robocalls.
According to Mr. Neal, the TCPA provides for statutory damages of up to $1500 per phone call and an additional $1500 in damages per phone call if your phone number was registered with the DNC registry at the time of the call. Also, the gaming commission considers violations of State and Federal law when evaluating applicants.
Mr. Neal will be sending copies of his lawsuit to the gaming commission, FCC and state consumer protection board this week in hopes that they will consider the activities of Genting when evaluating their application for this gambling hall
Click HERE to view a copy of Mr. Neal’s complaint.
Chamber of Commerce Annual Holiday Mixer Thursday December 11 Posted 12/11/14
This Sunday Dec. 7 AT 1 PM - PROTECTING THE RAMAPO RIVER WATERSHED Posted 12/2/14
Cheymore Gallery is pleased to announce the opening of Prophetic Diagrams II Posted 10/21/14
Prophetic Diagrams II
October 25- December 19, 2014
Opening Reception: Saturday, October 25, 2014
4-6pm
"So we didn't summon Lucifer that evening, but I was struck by the fact that besides a few incantations and supplicatory overtures to the devil, the vast majority of the spell was concerned with describing the visual nature of the process. Specific diagrams needed to be drawn, objects carefully arranged. It was less important to persuade the demon to come to you with words than to call upon them with images he/she recognized--it was all about drawing."
from the essay "Prophetic Diagrams" by Will Corwin
Cheymore Gallery is pleased to announce the opening of Prophetic Diagrams II
Based on the idea of summoning spirits via diagram, inspired by an 18th century German book of black magic discovered in a dumpster on 13th St. in Manhattan, curator Will Corwin personally asked* a group of artists to loan works that they felt were either diagrammatic or possessed the quality of summoning spirits or entities, or both. The first exhibition took place in London at the George and Jorgen Gallery and featured such artists as Sarah Lucas, Fiona Rae, Joyce Pensato, Carin Riley, Roxy Paine, Bob and Roberta Smith and Lucy Skaer. The second iteration of the exhibition opens at the Cheymore Gallery on Saturday October 25, and will run through December 19. Pensato, Rae, Bruce Pearson, Simon Patterson and Mike Ballou have all returned for an encore (almost all submitting new drawings) and they have been joined by Mike Cloud, Elizabeth Kley, Katie Holten and Fred Tomaselli among others.
In his review of "Prophetic Diagrams," David Barrett in ArtMonthly wrote "The central tenet...is the revelation that it is good drawing technique, apparently, that is the key to successfully summoning a demon. The unique rune-like marks that each spirit responds to must be accurately inscribed. This exhibition then, is a multi-voiced disquisition that extrapolates that point into a wider thesis defining the activity of drawing--drawing as a tool-making activity, drawing as diagramming, and drawing as incantation and summoning." Several of the artists present deities: Elizabeth Ferry's drippy benevolent "Froggy Totem" is contrasted with Joyce Pensato's brutal "De Niro," where Jake LaMotta explodes with black and gold enamel blood, and Tom Levine charges the intersection of two nudes, creating a hybrid monster. Bruce pearson inscribes a hidden socio-political mantra in his patchwork watercolor while Mike Could etches a not-so-suble lamentation in thick oil paint on paper.
The most diagrammatic works in "the prophecy fulfilled," Simon Patterson's zanily re-labeled cross-section of a cruise ship, Kathleen White's symbolist appropriation of music score and treble and bass clefs, and Katie Holten's networks of movement and environmental usage, serve to inform the viewer of diagrams at their most spontaneous and creative. other pieces in the show, like Paul Anthony Smith's photo collage ode to the papaya act as vectors to retool and reinterpret the intersection between abstract symbols, cartographies and text, and realistic representation.
Please find attached to this press release a copy of David Barrett's ArtMonthly review of "Prophetic Diagrams" and links to the online catalog and several other reviews.
*with the exception of Kathleen White who passed away this September and was curated into the exhibition by her friend Elizabeth Kley.
Artists in the exhibition:
Bruce Pearson
Carin Riley
Cy Morgan
Dan Perfect
Elizabeth Ferry
Elizabeth Kley
Fiona Rae
Fred Tomaselli
Joyce Pensato
Kathleen White
Katie Holten
Mike Ballou
Mike Cloud
Morgan Hughes de Rham
Nathlie Provosty
Paul Anthony Smith
Shervonne Neckles
Simon Patterson
Tim Harrington
Tom Levine Will Corwin
Tuxedo Day At Sterling Forest State Park Posted 9/18/14
Robert Steele Educates Tuxedo on Big Gambling in a Small Town Posted 7/2/14
Robert Steele, former US Congressman from Connecticut, spoke on the financial and social impacts of gambling at St. Mary’s on June 26. His experience representing the district in which the Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun casinos are located gave him first hand knowledge of the costs and broken promises of gambling that will impact our community if Genting is granted a license for the Sterling Forest Casino.
Casinos are a $ 63 billion industry. Mr. Steele emphasized the importance of educating communities that casinos bring more harm than good. What lessons can be drawn from the recent history of gambling?
Impact of Increased Competition
The Federal Government approved gaming in 1988 on Indian reservations to raise money for tribal governments; they had no idea of the Pandora’a box that would open as state after state rushed in to legalize non-Indian casinos. In 1988, Nevada and New Jersey were the only states that had legalized casinos. Today there are 39 states with 1000 casinos.
When Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun opened, the nearest competition was in Atlantic City and the new casinos attracted mostly out of state gamblers. Now, there are 57 casinos in New England alone and that number could go to 77. Increased competition has led to Foxwoods’ default on debt of $500 million and the Connecticut casinos are forced to attract local customers as they are losing their out of state clientele. To attract a younger audience, both Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun are pushing for online gambling, a highly addictive form of gambling with 24 hour availability.
Competition has led to recent bankruptcies in Atlantic City including The Atlantic Club and Revel, and Caesars has closed the Showboat casino. The State of Delaware is considering a bailout of failing gambling operations.
Mr. Steele said that new casinos poach business from existing casinos until the new casinos themselves lose business to even newer casinos.
Taxpayers ultimately bear the costs of failed casinos.
Economic Impacts of Casinos
Studies by economist Earl Grinnols of Baylor University show that the costs outweigh the benefits of casinos by a 3:1 ratio. (Gambling in America: Costs and Benefits)
Casinos do not create spinoff businesses in nearby communities, but rather cannibalize local businesses as the casinos are self-contained destinations.
There is little evidence that casinos strengthen local and state finances. In Connecticut, the state receives 25% of gaming revenues which has totaled $6.5 billion over 20 years, yet the state is in dire financial straits.
Casinos skew a local economy to low-paying jobs.
Key points in a recent study by the Institute for American Values are:
Gambling has moved from the margins of society to the mainstream.
Today’s casinos rely more on slots than table games.
Slots have transformed from the 1-arm bandit machines of yesterday to today’s sophisticated computers that accept your credit card and are specially designed to keep people gambling for hours. A book “Addiction by Design” by MIT associate professor of anthropology Natasha Dow Schüll discusses this.
Casinos are not benign mainstream businesses but rather are predatory businesses that derive 40 – 50% of revenues from gambling addicts.
Living within 10 miles of a casino doubles the chance of developing a gambling addiction.
Casino income is a regressive tax on low wage earners, minorities and seniors.
State governments have partnered with casinos by inviting them in and encouraging their citizens to gamble for state revenue.
Casinos drain wealth from nearby communities.
Economic costs of Gambling Addiction
The New London Day (CT) newspaper called Connecticut the Embezzlement Capital of America. Mr. Steele said that in Connecticut the arrests for embezzlement have increased by 400 percent since the casinos were established.
Gambling addiction leads to increased debt, bankruptcies, broken families and crime.
Impact on Property Values and Schools
The Institute for American Values showed a typical decrease of 20% in property values.
Low-paying jobs create pressure for low-income housing and social programs.
In Norwich, Ct near Mohegan Sun, the ESOL programs for non-English speaking students increased from 40 students with one teacher to 400 students speaking over 30 languages.
Quality of Life Impact
The Connecticut casinos caused a spike in traffic, drunk driving and police calls as well as a sharp increase in residents seeking treatment for gambling addiction.
A Lesson from Palmer, Massachusetts
Citizens in Palmer staged a strong education campaign (“The More you Know, the Less You’ll Like Casinos”) when Mohegan Sun attempted to build a $ 1 billion casino. Although Mohegan Sun outspent the residents by a 100: 1 margin, the citizens groups prevailed with a door to door campaign, letters to the editor and 30-second spots on the radio station. Ultimately, Palmer voted down the project in a binding referendum.
Takeaway for Tuxedo
The Gaming Commission will take into consideration the support or opposition of our community that goes beyond the 4:1 Town Board vote. We need to have our voices heard through letters and attendance at the public hearings that the Gaming Commission will hold in each region.
To view an edited version of the lecture, click here
Robert Steele To Speak About "Big Time Gambling in a Small Town" Posted 6/24/14
Bob Steele is Chairman of Connecticut-based NLC Insurance Company and has been a director of numerous other companies, including the American Stock Exchange.
A graduate of Amherst College and Columbia University, he served in the CIA and Congress, and was a nominee for Governor of Connecticut. He comes to us this evening, however, as an author to speak about casinos and the background to his book, The Curse: Big-Time Gambling’s Seduction of a Small New England Town
. WBZ Boston’s Dan Rea calls the novel “powerful,” and Connecticut author Martin Shapiro has described it as “compelling and timely…an epic story of history, money and politics that will make you wonder where America is headed.”
Bob would be happy to stay and answer questions as well as sign copies of his book following his presentation.
Tuxedo Bark Club Grand Opening May 31 Posted 5/27/14
Schedule of Memorial Day Events in Tuxedo Posted 5/23/14
1st Annual Strong Kids Picnic and BBQ This Saturday At Powerhouse Park Posted 5/15/14
Town Of Tuxedo Snow Plowing Operations Posted 2/19/14
The goals of the Town of Tuxedo snow and ice control operations are to provide timely clearing and removal of ice and snow from town streets, to minimize the hazards of winter road conditions encountered by motorists, and to restore optimum traveling conditions throughout the Town as soon as possible after each storm event.
Fire Hydrants
Owners of property and occupants of buildings that have a fire hydrant are asked by Town Officials to clear a four-foot area in all directions around the hydrant and a three-foot wide path from the street to the fire hydrant. Our Volunteer Fire Department counts on hydrants being cleared of snow to help protect your safety.
Mailboxes
While plow truck drivers make every effort to avoid mailboxes, they do, on occasion, hit or knock one over. Operators must report these incidents to their supervisor. It is also possible that mailboxes can be knocked over by heavy snow without the operator’s knowledge.
The Town is not liable for damage to mailboxes nor is the town responsible for replacement of homeowners’ mailboxes.
The post office will not deliver mail until the mailbox is replaced. Mailbox installation standards are summarized as follows:
The box should be 3 1/2 to 4 feet from ground level to the bottom of the box.
The face of the box should be flush with the back of the curb or set back 6 to 12 inches from the edge of the road.
All mailboxes should have a handle, a flag, and the house number on the right hand side as you face it from the street.
Customers must keep the approach to their mailboxes clear of obstructions to allow safe access for delivery. If USPS employees are impeded in reaching a mail receptacle, the Postmaster may withdraw delivery service.
Curbside mailboxes must be placed to allow safe and convenient delivery by carriers without leaving their vehicles.
Driveway Clearing Tips
Homeowner driveways and parking lot entrances take the blunt of snow pile up once a plow truck has serviced a road. This is an unfortunate and unintentional result of street snow plowing. Please note, home owners are responsible for clearing the end of their own driveway.
The following suggestions are intended to make your driveway snow removal easier and safer:
Do NOT shovel, blow, or plow snow from your driveway into or across the road. It is a violation of Town Ordinances to push snow into the street, and you may be held liable if this snow causes an accident. Remember, you are also responsible for the actions of your contractor!
Do NOT allow children to play on snow banks along the side of the road.
Before final clean-up of your driveway, check the road. If it does not appear to be widened out, a plow will most likely be returning to plow again and may push snow back into the entrance of your driveway. Doing this might keep you from clearing your driveway more than once. It is worth noting that depending on the forecast shoveling may be best done in stages.
Finally, please have patience. Snow plowing is a time consuming and arduous job covering approximately 46 miles of roads in Town. Some residents will have their road plowed first and some will be last, but at the end all town roads will be cleared.
TORNE MOUNTAIN PRESENTATION - Sunday, January 19th, 2014 Posted 1/17/14
Friends of Sterling Forest Lecture Series Event for Sunday, January 19, 2014 at 1pm at the Lautenberg Visitors Center at Sterling Forest State Park, N.Y.
Torne Mountain
The most majestic peak in the Ramapo Mountains, Torne Mountain's scenic beauty was depicted by several leading artists of the Hudson River School. The Torne, and its cliff edged terraces descending towards the Ramapo River, is now almost completely protected by inclusion in Harriman State Park. Also know as the Ramapo Torne and rich is biodiversity, the mountain was an important early Indian site. Those who hike to its summit are rewarded with splendid views. Join us as Ramapo River Watershed Keeper, Geoff Welch, presents a marvelous slideshow of images and tells us about the art, the history, the biodiversity and the conservation of Torne Mountain.
THE FRIENDS OF STERLING FOREST (F.S.F.) is a FRIENDS GROUP, organized to help preserve Sterling Forest State Park. The F.S.F. will continue to educate and share the beauty of this region with our friends who love the out-of-doors. There will not be any fee for our events. Donations are accepted to assist F.S.F. preserve the history of your park. Registration is required for all programs. For more information or to register, call 845-351-5907.
Town of Tuxedo Christmas Tree Lighting Sunday December 8 Posted 12/3/13
The Tuxedo Christmas Tree Lighting will take place this coming Sunday, December 8, at the Train The festivities begin at 4pm with a visit from Santa and a Holiday craft, followed by the lighting of the tree at 4:45!
Mark your calendars!
Town Board Presents Preliminary Draft Plans for Potential Project at Quarry Field Posted 10/31/13
Warm Feet Campaign - Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church Posted 10/30/13
Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Outreach is collecting new socks for those in need. Drop boxes can be found at the Tuxedo Park Library, Chase Bank in Tuxedo, S. Joan of Arc Chruch in Sloatsburg, and of course, at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church in Tuxedo. Please be generous and help us help those in need. The sock drive will continue until December 1, 2013 when the socks will be donated to shelters and charities in the Hudson Valley. For additional information or to learn how you can help by placing a drop box at your place of employment please contact Nancy Bourke at 351-5625.
Tuxedo Family Fun Day This Saturday October 5th Posted 10/4/13
Town Justice Loretta Davis Resigns Posted 10/2/13
Hon. Elaine M. Laurent
Tuxedo Town Clerk
One Temple Drive
Tuxedo, NY 10987
Dear Elaine:
One Temple Drive, Tuxedo Park, New York 10987
September 8, 2013
As you know, I have been a Town Justice for Tuxedo since 1994, and it has been a
great privilege to serve in this capacity for almost 20 years. I have had the good fortune to
work with terrifically skilled and dedicated personnel, and I would like to single out for
specific thanks Libby Smith and Judges Richard Vingiello and Shawn Brown.
It is with regret that I write to inform you and the Town Board of my decision to
resign my position. I have recently signed a contract to sell the house which has been my
home for 26 years, and I plan to move from our wonderful community. I have previously
scheduled and will preside over my criminal court calendar on September 1 0, 2013 and my
civil court calendar on September 18, 2013. My resignation will take effect at the close of
business on September 30,2013.
I want to thank all of you and the people of the Town of Tuxedo for your
overwhelming support throughout the years.
Very truly yours,
Loretta K. Davis
Tuxedo Town Justice
Judge Loretta Davis Responds to August 30 THR Article Posted 9/2/13
Chamber of Commerce to Hold 8th Annual Golf Outing September 12 Posted 8/8/13
New Show Opening at The Cheymore Gallery This Weekend! Posted 7/22/13
5K Foam Fest at Tuxedo Ridge June 22-23 Posted 5/16/13
Most people agree it's important to lend a helping hand - but did you know there are ways to have great fun while doing it, too? Special Olympics New Jersey has teamed up with the 5k Foam Fest to bring their cause along with fun, foam, and muddy running to the Tri-State area (NY, NJ, PA)! Ever run a 5k through a carwash? That's basically this race in a nutshell!
Built for beginners and experts alike, the 5k Foam Fest cleans you up after getting you down and dirty! Picture colossal mud pits, cargo net climbs, and army crawls - then picture giant inflatable obstacles full of fluffy, white foam!
You'll feel like a kid again as you run through the mud and bounce your way through giant inflatable obstacles. Then you'll have to prove you're a grown up as you tackle the Death Drop - the WORLD'S LARGEST inflatable slide!
Kami Allen from Portland loved it so much she announced on Facebook that she's running it twice this year: "[I’m actually] coming from Oregon to do the race with my aunt and friends in Orlando! Did the one in Portland last year and had a blast!"
And aside from having fun, you'll benefit a great cause. A portion of all the proceeds from the event will go to benefit Special Olympics New Jersey and athletes with special needs.
Come join in the fun on Saturday, June 22nd – 23rd at Tuxedo Ridge Ski Center located at 581 Rte. 17A Tuxedo Park, NY 10987. All participants will run, walk, and crawl their way through 5 kilometers (roughly 3.1 miles) of mud pits and fun, foamy obstacles!
The 5k race is open to anyone ages 10 and older. To register, visit http://www.5kfoamfest.com. Readers can also like the 5k Foam Fest on Facebook and follow it on Twitter to learn more about special giveaways, prizes, locations and of course Special Olympics New Jersey!
Fact Sheet
Official name: 5k Foam Fest
Host city: Tuxedo Park, NY
Date: June 22nd – 23rd, 2013
Event description: The 5k Foam Fest is an annual mud run with foam. It's basically a giant car wash for dirty humans oozing with mud, foam, and watery obstacles!
Company Mission and History: Founded in 2010, Round House Racing specializes in outdoor adventure races like the 5k Foam Fest. Our mission is to provide fresh, fun and innovative athletic events to challenge all participants--seasoned athletes and beginners alike. We are dedicated to inspiring a healthier, happier society through the combination of exercise and philanthropy.
Round House Racing was born when the owners of a central Utah bike shop noticed an open niche in the racing industry and set to work creating fun and foamy obstacles! But why foam? Three reasons: it provides a fun, unique way for racers to clean up after getting dirty, it has never been used in the racing industry before, and it doesn't have the same negative environmental impact on parks that other full-fledged mud runs do.
Featuring obstacles like the 50-foot slip'n'slide, the inflatable bounce house of foam, and the Death Drop, the 5k Foam Fest provides a fun and foam filled experience to the novice runner and the veteran alike!
Post-race interviews, photo opportunities, and media art: For more information about scheduling interviews or photo ops, or to receive high-resolution photos and video, please email our media contact.
New Show Opening At The Cheymore Gallery This Saturday Posted 5/8/13
Opening Reception: Saturday, May 11th 5-7p
IMPRINTED PICTURES
Lydia Dona / Fabian Marcaccio
Alexander Ross / Tom McGrath
Cheymore Gallery is happy to announce a new exhibition
Imprinted Pictures. This show opens on Saturday, May 11th with a reception for the artists from 5-7p, and will be on view through July 13th. 'Imprinted Pictures' brings together the works of Lydia Dona, Fabian Marcaccio, Alexander Ross and Tom McGrath to explore the relationship between painting and the process of printmaking.
Lydia Dona lives and works in New York City. She is well known both nationally and internationally. She was featured in the 1991 Corcoran Biennial in Washington, DC and the ground breaking Sidney Janis Gallery exhibition Conceptual Abstraction that same year.
Fabian Marcaccio is an Argentine born artist living and working in New York City. He has exhibited widely throughout the United States, Europe and South America. In 2004 the Miami Art Museum mounted a solo exhibition of his work and the Kunstmuseum Liechtenstein organized a major retrospective.
Alexander Ross was born in Denver and lives and works in New York City. He is the recipient of the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation Fellowship and the Lewis Comfort Tiffany Foundation Award. He has exhibited widely through out the United States and Europe.
Tom McGrath is a New York based artist who has shown internationally and around the United States. His work is included in the collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Yale Gallery of Art.
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