Making the most of life in the Harlem Valley

The year 2010 is just starting and now is the time when we residents of the Harlem Valley have the opportunity to shape how our hometowns will operate for the next 365 days — how they will grow and develop, what new directions they will move in and, hopefully, how they will flourish.

For all towns and villages, much of it starts with how their local governments run things. How the town and village boards manage the maintenance and operations of their municipalities. Are they keeping their streets safe and clean? Are the roads OK to drive on the worst of winter days? Are the water lines flowing freely and are the meters operating properly? What about other matters, the “simple things� that few people think about until it becomes their turn to need them. Like, how hard is it to get a marriage license or, perhaps, a dog license? What about getting a chance to talk to the town supervisor, or the town clerk or maybe the assessor? Or will somebody help you when filing out a form on Grievance Day or when submitting an application to the Planning Board? Are there tools available to help make your government easy for you to access? If there aren’t, there should be, for that’s one part of living in a user-friendly municipality.

Then there are other organizations you might want to make sure you’re familiar with, ones that could impact your life on a regular or even an emergency basis. We’ll just mention the essentials, which you might want to do a little research on if you don’t know the basics. For instance, does your town/village have a fire department and rescue crew? Do you know how to reach them in an emergency (make sure you have 911). Are those departments volunteer? If so, would you perhaps consider putting some time in to help out? Could you even support them throughout the year by attending monthly breakfasts, parades, dances and fundraisers? If so, stay alert for when your fire department seeks support and be ready to offer it; it’s a great way to contribute to a healthy and sustainable community. Also, make sure you know how to contact your local, county and state police agencies.

But emergency services provide only some examples of the services and amenities you should stay apprised of. There are also many other local organizations and activities for you and your family to get involved with. There are so many interesting groups in the region open to the public, just waiting for your participation, like: historical societies, library clubs, gardening clubs, dancing clubs (for youngsters and adults), veterans’ groups, seniors’ groups, walking clubs, knitting clubs, athletic clubs and the list goes on. Whether you’re in Millerton, North East, Amenia, Pine Plains, Millbrook or elsewhere, there’s bound to be something to do and someone to share your plans with. Good jumping off points are at your local libraries, town halls, schools, American Legion Halls, municipal Web sites, etc. Or just try chatting with a well-informed neighbor.

The point is, learn about your community and then get out there and participate in life. Doing so will encourage others to do the same. Soon your whole town or village will bustle with energy. It will thrive and practically everyone can agree that is of benefit to all — residents, business owners and local leaders — people who want to watch this area succeed in 2010 and beyond. The key is to get involved at a local level and to stay involved; building a strong and viable Harlem Valley begins with creating robust towns and villages first and spreading out from there. With everyone’s participation that’s a very doable goal — so here’s to a fruitful and successful 2010.

 

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