Due To the Storm All Putnam County Offices With the Exception of Essential Services Will be Closing at 12 Noon Today, Tuesday February 12, 2019

/in , , /by

Putnam County Executive MaryEllen Odell met with her Executive ICS Team to discuss the current weather conditions. The forecast calls for steady snow throughout most of the day changing to sleet and ice as the evening approaches. These conditions will make travel dangerous as the day progresses. Due to these conditions, Putnam County with the exception of essential services, will be closing at 12 noon today, Tuesday February 12, 2019.

As you begin your journey home please travel safe.

Putnam County EOC Remains Open – Dangerous temperatures with wind chill expected

/in , , /by

The Putnam County Emergency operations Center remains open with County Executive MaryEllen Odell continuing to oversee operations. “Our highway crews have been out all night plowing and sanding our roads but we’re seeing some issues with power” said County Executive Odell “With temperatures expected to quickly plummet today and winds picking up our first concern is the safety of our residents”.
Currently there is a reported outage in Garrison in the Route 9 area that Central Hudson has responded to. NYSEG is reporting minor outages with crews on standby.
Residents are reminded that to report a power outage or downed wires you should call your local utility company; NYSEG 800-572-1131. Central Hudson 845-452-2700 or use their apps.
Temperatures are expected to drop today reaching single digits and that along with increasing wind speeds will make it feel like it is well below zero. This is dangerous for humans as well as pets. Temperatures are expected to remain in the single digits for Monday. Residents are asked to check on those who may need extra help during this weather and to minimize cold exposure to pets. “Make this a weekend to enjoy time with family and friends indoors watching football, enjoying a movie or playing a game” said County Executive Odell.
Please remember to be safe when there are downed power lines. Wires that look dead may still be live and power could be restored at any time making those wires life threatening.
Stay out of flooded or damp basements or other areas if water is in contact with outlets, a furnace or any electrically operated appliance that is energized. The water or moisture may conduct electricity. Contact may cause serious or fatal injury.

Please call 9-1-1 if you need immediate police, fire or EMS response.

Utility Companies Ready

/in , , , /by

Putnam County Executive MaryEllen Odell along with Legislative Chairman Joseph Castellano and Protective Services Chair Paul Jonke reviewed the utilitiy companies response plan including additional crews on stand by. “We don’t know what the final outcome of this storm will be but Putnam County stands at the ready” said County Executive Odell while reviewing the additional utility company crews that have been placed on standby.

Winter Storm Harper to arrive in Putnam County Saturday evening lasting through Sunday delivering a combination of rain, sleet, snow and ice and freezing temperatures.

/in , , /by

Putnam County Executive MaryEllen Odell met with her Executive ICS Team to discuss the possible impact of Winter Storm Harper. The forecast calls for light snow to begin Saturday, January 19, 2019 evening which will increase in intensity before possibly changing to sleet and rain as warm front passes through very early Sunday morning. This transition will be brief as a bitter cold front moves into position and the storm will continue to deliver heavy snow. Any accumulated rain will quickly turn to ice causing ice patches. We are also anticipating increasing wind speeds Saturday through Sunday with wind gusts up to 25 MPH. Total accumulations across our area could reach over 12”. Temperatures on Monday will remain in the single digits.

“Our Emergency Operations Center will be activated during this event so we can continue to coordinate activities from our highway crews, police, fire and EMS” said Putnam County Executive Odell. “This storm has the potential to make quite an impact to our area and we need to stay ahead of it”. And that includes the public who are reminded to make sure they have sufficient medications, water and non-perishable food items. It’s also a good time to check the remaining fuel for your oil burner or propane appliance ensuring that you can go at least one week with needing to refuel.

Odell also wants residents to check on those that may need extra help saying, “Now is the time to reach out and check on your friends, neighbors and elderly especially those that may need a little extra help. The weekend is a good time to stay home and enjoy time with your family or friends, stay off the roads unless essential to allow our highway crews to do their job”.

Putnam County Commissioner of Emergency Services Ken Clair provides some additional tips, “generators give off dangerous carbon monoxide fumes, always run generators outdoors, not in garages, making sure all generators are connected with an electrician installed transfer switch, test all smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors making sure they are installed properly and in good working order”.

Residents are reminded to report any outages to their local utility company.  NYSEG can be contacted at 800-572-1131. Central Hudson Gas & Electric can be contacted at 845-452-2700. Both companies have an app available for download to track outages.

Central Hudson has already committed a local presence in our EOC during this storm.

Putnam County 9-1-1 is fully manned and the public is reminded that it should be used only for emergency requests for Police, Fire or EMS. Non-emergency calls should go directly to your local police, fire or EMS Corps. The Putnam County Sheriff’s Department can be reached at 845-225-4300.

At this time Putnam County Public Transportation (PART) anticipates no impact on Transit services on Saturday, January 19, 2018, as a result of the winter storm.  The PART system will operate if conditions permit on Monday, January 21.  For information with regards to impacts on public transportation and changes in schedule, please listen to 100.7 WHUD, check the Official County Website, or call Dispatch on Monday morning at 845-878-7433 (RIDE).

New Senior Center Opens in Cold Spring

/in , , /by

CARMEL, NY – Putnam County Executive MaryEllen Odell was joined by other elected officials, community leaders and seniors at the ribbon-cutting ceremony of the Friendship Center of Philipstown—the new county-operated senior center, on the former Butterfield Hospital Property in Cold Spring on Tuesday, Dec. 18.  The 6,000 sq.ft. senior center will provide meals, social activities, physical fitness classes, and other programs through the Office of Senior Resources.

“County government has come to Philipstown and we hope that the senior center is the first of many programs that will extend to the western side of the county,” said County Executive Odell. “We must thank several people for making today possible: Leg. Barbara Scuccimarra for speaking up for the needs of District 1; Leg. Carl Albano, as the chairman of the Physical Services Committee, for making sure project was both socially responsible to our senior population and fiscally responsible for our taxpayers; developer Paul Guillaro for his unwavering confidence in Putnam County; the trade unions and the highway department for their talents and craftsmanship as well as helping us implement the pilot PLA; our state representative – Sen. Sue Serino and Assemblywoman Sandy Galef for helping use secure funding for the senior center; and to Donna Anderson for her leadership and citizenship and being a shining light for this community. Each of us played a piece in the history made here today.”

Leg. Scuccimarra was proud to work on behalf of the seniors for the Friendship Center and thanked County Executive Odell for her commitment to the seniors.  “Seeing the senior center come to fruition will be one of the highlights of my legislative tenure,” she said. “Let us remember those seniors who started this journey with us but who were not able to see this day come.”

The need for a senior center for the Philipstown community had been discussed for more than a decade. County Executive Odell has been committed to the project since at least 2013.

Sen. Serino spoke about perseverance. “Thank you to County Executive Odell, Leg. Scuccimarra and Paul Guillaro for not giving up,” she said. “I am so happy that the seniors have a place to come to and be Putnam proud.”

Assemblywoman Galef agreed with Sen. Serio. “Good things don’t happen overnight, but this senior center proves that good things can still happen,’ she said.

Michael Cunningham, Director of Putnam County’s Office for Senior Resources, was excited about the opportunities the Friendship Center of Philipstown will be able to offer the services. “The seniors are already loving this new center, which reaffirms that this was worth fighting for,” said Cunningham. “We are already looking at what other programs we can utilize here to better serve the seniors.”

Cunningham’s predecessor, Patricia Sheehy, was also in attendance of the ceremony. “I am thrilled to have been able to walk through those doors and see this senior center be a reality,” Sheehy said.

Donna Anderson thanked the elected officials. She also thanked her fellow seniors for their willingness to take on the fight. “We rallied together,” Anderson said. ‘We challenged the village board for what we deserved.”

Joining the officials at the ribbon cutting were two local centenarians, Rosina Parcesepe and Joseph Etta, both of Cold Spring, and many other seniors who are looking forward to being active participants at the new center.

The Friendship Center of Philipstown is located 1756 NY-9D, Cold Spring, NY 10516. For more information about the programs and services available through the Office for Senior Resources, visit www.putnamcountyny.com/osr.

Photo caption: Leg. Barbara Scuccimarra, surrounded by seniors, elected officials, representatives from Teamsters Local 456, Plumbing and Heating Local 21 and North East Regional Council Of Carpenters Local 279 as well as community leaders, cut the ribbon at the grand opening celebration of the Friendship Center of Philipstown in Cold Spring on Tuesday, Dec. 18.

Putnam County Civil Air Patrol Wreaths Across America Ceremony

/in , /by

Putnam County Civil Air Patrol Wreaths Across America Ceremony

Raymond Hill Cemetery, 165 Gleneida Ave., Carmel, NY 10512

Join Civil Air Patrol’s Putnam County Composite Squadron on National Wreaths Across America Day to honor veterans laid to rest at the Raymond Hill Cemetery in Carmel, NY on Saturday, December 15 at noon. Invite your family and friends to an experience you will never forget as we honor our service men and women and their families.

The wreath-laying ceremony takes place nationwide, with over 2 million volunteers placing wreaths on veterans’ headstones. The annual event honors veterans and advances the Wreaths Across America mission to “Remember, Honor and Teach,” ensuring the memory of those who served our nation endures.

To purchase wreaths visit www.facebook.com/PutnamCountyCompositeSquadron, click on the Wreaths Across America post on the top of the page and follow the sponsorship instructions. Wreaths may be purchased through December 5. Contact Major Elena MacDermant at (845) 216-5433 or email elenamac@aol.com for additional information.

Putnam County Civil Air Patrol to Honor Revolutionary War Veterans
Gilead Cemetery, 28 Mechanic St, Carmel, NY 10512

Join Civil Air Patrol’s Putnam County Composite Squadron and the Enoch Crosby Chapter National Society Daughters of the American Revolution on Sunday, December 16, at noon, to place wreaths on the headstones of American Revolutionary War veterans interred in Gilead Cemetery on Mechanic Street in Carmel, NY.

To purchase wreaths visit www.facebook.com/PutnamCountyCompositeSquadron, click on the Wreaths Across America post on the top of the page and follow the sponsorship instructions. Wreaths may be purchased through December 5. Contact Major Elena MacDermant at (845) 216-5433 or email elenamac@aol.com for additional information.

 

Prospect Hill Road Bridge Reopens to Vehicular Traffic

/in , , , /by

SOUTHEAST, NY – Putnam County Executive MaryEllen Odell announced that MTA Metro-North Railroad has completed the replacement of the Prospect Hill Road Bridge in Southeast. The bridge, which had been closed for safety concerns in 2008, is now open for vehicular and pedestrian traffic.

“The reopening of the Prospect Hill Road Bridge represents the importance of investing in infrastructure, not only for our quality of life but for the safety and wellness of Putnam County residents, which has always been my administration’s top priority,” said County Executive MaryEllen Odell. “I am pleased that we can have partners such as the Metro North Railroad that share our values. I appreciate Metro North’s commitment to investing in its infrastructure in Putnam County.”

The 270-foot-long bridge, which was originally built in 1910, is located just south of the Southeast station; it carries Prospect Hill Road over the Harlem Line tracks and parts of Metro-North’s Brewster Yard. The bridge replacement cost Metro North approximately $9.45 million.

Metro-North President Catherine Rinaldi said, “The Prospect Hill Bridge has been a key component of the town’s infrastructure for over a century, and funds from the MTA’s Capital Program will help maintain it well into the future. We’re pleased that a new Prospect Hill Bridge is now a reality for Putnam residents.”

Legislators Joseph Castellano and Paul Jonke, who both represent the Prospect Hill community in Southeast, believe that residents are grateful to be able to use the new bridge.

“Having the bridge reopened after a decade brings renewed life into the community,” said Legislator Castellano, who is also the chairman of the Putnam County Legislature. “It also provides a much-needed secondary passageway from the Village of Brewster to Route 312, which could potentially alleviate some of the traffic on Route 6.”

Legislator Jonke agrees. “With the recent re-paving on Route 6 and Route 312, the new bridge on Prospect Hill Road caps off a series of incredible infrastructure projects that made  traveling through the Town of Southeast a lot easier.”

The bridge replacement process, which started in April 2017, involved the demolition and removal of the bridge truss superstructure, piers, top of the abutments and roadway approaches, as well as clearing trees, stumps and rubbish from the project area. Utility poles were removed and relocated to accommodate the structural work and the new bridge footprint; crews relocated utilities, including telephone, cable, electrical, communications, signals, and power.  The contractor then built new integral abutments, a center pier, roadway approaches, sidewalk, striping, signage, guide rails, fencing, retaining walls, embankments and drainage structures.

Photo Caption: The new Prospect Hill Road Bridge facing eastbound.

County Executive Odell and Sheriff Langley release a joint statement on Nelsonville hate crime

/in , , /by

CARMEL, NY – Putnam County Executive MaryEllen Odell and Putnam County Sheriff Robert Langely have released the following statement about the hate crime reported in Nelsonville on Oct. 30.

“We have met regarding the hateful incident in Nelsonville. We are working together to make sure all resources are being deployed to apprehend those responsible for this heinous and shameful act. We stand with the good people of this great county who believe hatred and violence against neighbors will not be tolerated in Putnam County.”

Putnam Prepares for Upcoming Storm by Teaming up with Local Highway Departments

/in , , /by

CARMEL, NY – Putnam County’s Bureau of Emergency Services Commissioner Ken Clair is working with the Putnam County Highway Department and the highway departments of the local towns to prepare for the forecasted Nor’Easter that is expected to touch down on Friday night. He is making sure that the highway departments have the necessary supplies and equipment in case downed trees force road closures or worse.

“The two nor’easters we had in March and the tornadoes that touched down in Kent, Patterson and Putnam Valley were difficult, but through it we truly learned that by working together we can get through anything,” said Commissioner Clair. “I can’t say I am looking forward to having another storm, but I can say we are ready for it.”

Commissioner Clair worked with Commissioner Fred Pena of the Highway Department to deliver a battery powered highway sign to Town of Kent Highway Superintendent Richard Othmer. The sign will be able to let residents know about road closures of where to get supplies if needed.

“When the tornadoes touched down on the Town of Kent, Putnam County’s Highway Department and the Bureau of Emergency services were there to help us through the recovery,” said Othmer. “I appreciate them sharing their resources and assisting us now.”

“We work together with the local highway departments because it is the right thing to do,” said Commission Pena. “Especially during storm recovery periods. It is not about what is yours and what is mine, it is able helping those who need it.”

County Executive MaryEllen Odell was on hand to show her support. “It is great to see our new Commissioner take the lead and make sure that we are prepared for whatever Mother Nature brings on.,” said Odell. I am confident that Commissioner Clair and Commissioner Pena will be keeping a close eye on the storm and will keep the people of Putnam County safe.”

Commissioner Clair recommends that residents sign up for NY-Alert at alert.ny.gov if they want to be informed about the latest storm information. He also recommends making a storm plan at https://www.ready.gov/make-a-plan. In addition, he recommends that people prepare their homes and yards for the potentially strong winds and torrential rain.

For more information, visit www.putnamcountyny.com/pcbes/oem/

 

Philipstown Senior Center Construction Nearing Completion

/in , , /by

CARMEL, NY- Putnam County Executive MaryEllen Odell and Legislator Barbara Scuccimarra recently toured the construction site of the Friendship Center of Philipstown to view the progress of the work being done.

“It is incredible to see how far building’s transformation into the senior center has come,” said County Executive Odell. “The seniors on the western side of the county are finally getting what they have asked for and deserve.”

Legislator Barbara Scuccimarra agreed.

“The space is truly welcoming, and the craftsmanship is impressive,” said Scuccimarra. “The Friendship Center of Philipstown will be an amazing asset for our community and the seniors are looking forward to being there.”

After years of being overcrowded in the American Legion in Cold Spring, which was used by the Office of Senior Resources to provide its meals, social activities, physical fitness classes and other services for many years, the Philipstown seniors asked the county for a center that was more comparable to the other Friendship and Nutrition Centers in Putnam Valley, Mahopac and Carmel.

The American Legion allowed the seniors to use about 250 square feet of its facility. The Mahopac Koehler Center is 18,766 square feet. When completed the Friendship Center of Philipstown will provide 6,000 square feet for the seniors to use.

The construction if expected to be completed within the next month.

Photo Caption: County Executive MaryEllen Odell looking at the craftmanship of the archway at the new Friendship Center of Philipstown.