Majority favors AES as new Town Hall, but more details wanted

AMENIA — All but one of the comments from residents of Amenia during a special public hearing for the town’s possible acquisition of the Amenia Elementary School (AES) building were in favor of the town converting the school into a new town hall, but several expressed disappointment that more concrete figures on the projected cost to run the building were not provided.

This spring the Webutuck Board of Education (BOE) voted to offer the building to the town for the cost of $1. Amenia’s Town Board has yet to vote on whether to accept or reject the offer. As town Supervisor Wayne Euvrard mentioned several times, the hearing on Sept. 23 was held after repeated requests from residents.

Residents spoke to the town’s need for a permanent town hall, as well as the need to preserve the historic school building.

“It’s a wonderful opportunity for the town,� explained local real estate broker Katherine Dunlop. The additional space could be used to display the town’s antiques and historical documents, rather than store them away, she said. She listed a number of possible uses for the new building, including dramatic presentations, seminars and satellite college courses.

“If Amenia does not invest in itself, why would anyone else?� Darlene Riemer asked rhetorically. Riemer, an area architect who is on the Amenia Elementary School Task Force, was in support of the project but felt that further evaluation, beyond the capabilities of the committee, was needed. She suggested hiring professional help.

With the exception of one person, everyone’s comments seemed to express the same feeling: The idea is great, but the Town Board needs to really make sure the town can afford it.

The exception was made by resident and past supervisor Arlene Iuliano,  who was of the opinion that moving into the school building would be wasteful spending and an exercise in excess.

“We always seem to need something to make us better,� she said. “But I don’t think we’re so bad right now.�

Iuliano and other residents expressed disappointment that the Town Board or the task force hadn’t prepared a presentation or given any additional information to the audience before the hearing began. In response, members of the board said that all the information the town has, including a New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) energy audit report, has been available on the town’s Web site and at Town Hall for some time now.

After a request from the town’s videographer, Gary Bonds, Councilwoman Victoria Perotti gave a summary of the audit’s figures. NYSERDA included suggestions for cost-saving measures the town could participate in, as well as the annual savings that the changes would produce. Bonds pointed out that the total cost of these measures is approximately $72,000, but Perotti said that it would only be a one-time cost and they would continue to benefit from the savings year after year.

“There are a number of issues, and we want to know what you’re doing about them,� Bonds said.

Euvrard explained that since the board is already into the 2010 budget process, he has been putting together his best estimates for the cost to operate Town Hall in the school building.  

He came up with a bill of about $52,000, which he said was roughly what it costs to operate Town Hall from the first floor of the Amenia firehouse, its current location.

“The board is working on a budget, but until we actually [move in to the new building] we’re not really going to know the true cost,� Euvrard said. “But I think that the town can run the building [more efficiently] than the school district.�

Public comments can be submitted to the town until the board’s Oct. 8 meeting. Those comments can be dropped off or mailed to Town Hall, at 36B Mechanic St., Amenia, NY 12501.

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