Mayor seeks continued cooperation with town
RHINEBECK, N.Y. » Village Mayor Gary Bassett says continued work with the town of Rhinebeck is a priority for 2018. Bassett said in a recent phone interview that he has invited town officials to review village financial statement to help facilitate trust between the two municipal governments.
“The relationship between the village and the town has improved over the last year, and that was one of my major initiatives,” he said.
Bassett said the village also continues to work with the town on creating environmental standards.
“The Environmental Committee is made up of true professionals in all fields that [are affected by] climate change, and they’re coming forth with resolutions for both the village and the town,” Bassett said. “The Grant Committee, which just recently formed, has already pumped out two grants and is working on a third grant. The two grants were both for [electric vehicle] charging stations, and the third one they’re working on is for records management.”
Last week, town of Rhinebeck Supervisor Elizabeth Spinzia also spoke of a growing cooperation between the town and village.
“We worked together to pave roads, saving the taxpayers over $60,000,” Spinzia said. “We’re looking at court consolidation, we’re looking at highway department consolidation, we have formed a joint environmental committee to look at policy and cost-free initiatives that we could start to move Rhinebeck away from dependence on fossil fuels, and we’ve banded together with other municipalities that get their drinking water from the (Hudson River) to be one voice to protect the river.”
On another matter, Bassett lauded a developer’s effort to provide geothermal heating and cooling options to village residents.
“This is a first ever of its kind, anywhere,” he said. “Not only will be the village of Rhinebeck provided a way for people to get onto renewable energy but also to reduce cost.”
The Village Board recently gave geothermal energy company Dandelion Energy Inc. permission use village rights of way to construct systems that would allow residents to change their heating and cooling systems.
Dandelion plans to drill holes that draw hot and cool air from boreholes that are 300 to 400 feet deep.
Also this year, Bassett said, changes are expected in the village zoning code to dealing with short-term rentals through such online services as Airbnb.com.
A committee that’s been looking into the issue “has finished their work and is in the process of writing up a recommendation to give to the [Village] Board,” Bassett said.