CoveCare Center invites the community to attend its 2023 Imagine Gala on Friday, November 3rd from 6:00-10:00 p.m. at Salem Golf Club in North Salem, New York.

CoveCare Center provides mental health and substance use prevention and treatment services to adults, children, families, and seniors. All proceeds from the event directly benefit CoveCare Center’s programs and make it possible for the agency to continue to offer accessible and affordable services.

At the event, CoveCare Center will be celebrating the career of Michael Piazza, Putnam County Commissioner of Social Services, Mental Health, and Youth Bureau, and presenting him with the Sid Gibson Imagine Award. Commissioner Piazza began his career in 1979 in the Mental Health Department as a Substance Abuse Counselor. Over the years he has taken on successive responsibilities as Director of Alcohol and Substance Abuse Services, and as Director of Mental Health Services prior to being appointed Commissioner in 1994.

“We are so pleased to be honoring Commissioner Michael Piazza at our Imagine Gala this November at Salem Golf Club”, stated Eric Toth, Chief Executive Officer of CoveCare Center. “His s CoveCare Center throughout his career has been tremendous, and we are so happy to be able to award him for all his dedication with the Sid Gibson Imagine Award. We know it will be a special and fun evening as we honor Mike and celebrate our mission to promote wellness and recovery in our community.”

The evening will include a cocktail reception, dinner, dancing, and music by Tony T Entertainment featuring The City Express Band. An exciting silent auction will be held, including a host of valuable items, such as sports and entertainment tickets, vacation accommodations, gift baskets, and more. In addition, CoveCare Center will display their Giving Tree, which will give guests the opportunity to see the many programs and services their donation could impact.

Sponsors of the 2023 Imagine Gala include: Stacey Gibson; Hudson Valley Credit Union; M&T Bank; NFP; Hilb Group; Resorts World Catskills; Search for Change; South Putnam Animal Hospital; Joseph DeMarzo; Cassandra Thayer and Halston Media.

For more information, to purchase tickets, or become a sponsor to the event, please visit
CoveCareCenter.org, or contact Development development@covecarecenter.org

About CoveCare Center
CoveCare Center is the only private non-profit agency providing recovery-based mental health and substance use treatment and prevention services in Putnam County, NY. CoveCare Center offers hope and healing to people of all ages through a comprehensive range of services including individual and group counseling, care coordination, family advocacy, parenting education, community outreach, and medication management. CoveCare Center is a member of Coordinated Behavioral Health Services (CBHS), a non-profit 501(3) membership organization of forward-thinking, community behavioral health and disability service providers in the Hudson Valley Region whose shared goal is to promote recovery-oriented and outcome-based services designed to ensure high quality and low costs. Visit CoveCareCenter.org for more information.

Fireboat McKean Preservation Project Seeks Support for Oct. 23^rd Golf Tournament

The nonprofit Fireboat McKean Preservation Project which works to preserve the retired FDNY fireboat John D. McKean will host its 4^th Annual Golf Tournament on Monday, October 23^rd, at Phillip J. Rotella Golf Club in Theills, NY.

The Fireboat McKean, which is currently docked in Stony Point, NY, served the New York City Fire Department for 58 years as Marine 1, and responded to New York City’s largest disasters. Several of its most significant actions include responding to the Staten Island Ferry Terminal Fire, the Hudson River emergency landing of U.S. Airlines Flight 1549 by Capt. Sully Sullenberger known as “Miracle on Hudson,” and the terrorist attack and aftermath of September 11, 2001 during which the boat, its crew and volunteers rescued escapees and tended to the injured at the lower-Manhattan sea wall and then went on to pump river water for days to quench the thousands of fires burning below the WTC collapse.

The fireboat was added to the National and New York State Registers of Historic Places in July in honor of its heroic service in these major events and its unique marine and mechanical design at the time it was designed in the early 1950s. The fireboat went into service to the FDNY in 1954. Today, the nonprofit relies on donations from individuals and businesses so that it can continue preservation work, celebrate those who served aboard and share their stories, and to open the boat up to visitors and for future excursions and boat rides throughout the Hudson Valley and Manhattan.

Participants on October 23^rd will enjoy 18 holes of golf in scramble format at Philip J. Rotella Golf Course in Theills, NY, a hot sit-down breakfast on site provided by Lynch's On The Green, prizes and contests including hole in one, and an afternoon luncheon at Hillcrest Fire Station including 50/50 raffle, open bar and BBQ lunch provided by Bailey's Smokehouse.

Affordable sponsorship packages and foursomes are available and sponsors are needed. Golfing is limited to the first 122 golfers. All are welcome to register to attend the afternoon BBQ luncheon, auction and awards.

The schedule for the day includes check in and breakfast beginning at 7:30 AM, tee-off at 9:30 AM and lunch and cocktails starting at 2:00 PM.

Golf Outing prizes and contests include low-gross score men and ladies, closest to the pin, closest to the line and longest drive. A silent auction and 50/50 raffle will also take place.

Tournament, Lunch, Cocktail and Tee sponsorships are available with generous recognition through tournament signage and marketing promotion. Foursomes, individual golfers and lunch-only participants can sign up by October 18^th. 

•          Tournament Sponsor -- $1,500.00, includes 4 Golfers, signage at event, listing on website and in event marketing emails.
•          Lunch Sponsor -- $600.00, includes 2 Golfers, signage at event, listing on website and in event marketing emails.
•          Cocktail Sponsor -- $500.00, includes 1 Golfer, signage at event, listing on website and in event marketing emails.
•          Tee Sponsor -- $150, includes signage at event with a tee sign on the course, and listing on website
•          Individual Golfer—Registration is $175.00 and includes golf, breakfast, lunch and cocktails and prizes
•          Lunch Guest – Non-golfers are invited to attend for $75.00 which includes open bar and BBQ lunch by Bailey’s Smokehouse

To register, visit www.fireboatmckean.org/joinus for instructions to register on line, email info@fireboatmckean.org to receive a pdf registration form by email, or call (914) 906-1932.                   

TOWN OF SOUTHEAST

1360 Route 22
Brewster, New York 10509
Thursday, September 28, 2023
EXECUTIVE SESSION 6:00
WORK SESSION/REGULAR MEETING 7:00 P.M.

Pledge of Allegiance

Notation of Exits

Turn Off/Put on Vibrate - All Electronic Devices 

Executive Session:

1. Board Interviews - Ethics

2. Board Interviews - Zoning Board of Appeals

Work Session:

1. Discussion - Brewster Heights Water District (Forward to Regular Meeting if necessary)

Regular Meeting:

1. Correspondence

2. Approval of Voucher List

3. Setting of Meeting Dates and Public Hearings

All meetings will be held at 1360 Route 22, Brewster, New York At 7:00 P.M. unless otherwise noted:

Thursday, October 12, 2023 (Set Public Hearing Copeland House)

Thursday, October 26, 2023

4. Resolution - Inter-Municipal Cooperation Agreement Brewster Central School District Transportation Service

5. Resolution - Authorization to Purchase Specialized Diagnostic Equipment

6. Resolution - Special Permit Request for EE Brewster - Senior Housing - Self-Storage

7. Resolution - Authorizing Use of Capped Landfill for Placement of Solar Array in Derogation of Zoning Restrictions

8. Resolution - Appointment to Zoning Board of Appeals

9. Resolution - Appointment Ethics Board

10. Resolution - Brewster Industrial Owner LLC - Payment In Lieu of Taxes (‘Pilot’) Agreement

11. Supervisor’s Report

12. Present Town Clerk with the 2024 Annual Budget

Recognition of Public/Public Comment

Recognition of Town Board/Town Board Comment

See the complete agenda with resolutions to be voted on tonight by clicking here.

On the evening of Sept. 14, while on patrol, Officer Tompkins received a call from off-duty ECO Franz reporting an alleged angler in a boat taking undersized fish on Barger Pond in the town of Putnam Valley.

Environmental Conservation Officer Tompkins responded to the area and waited for the vessel to dock before he moved in and approached the fisherman. The subject possessed 78 black crappie, more than three times the daily limit of 25. Officer Tompkins measured the fish and found all of them were also under the 10-inch minimum size limit.

ECO Tompkins ticketed the angler for possession of over the daily limit (25) and undersized fish. Both tickets were returnable to the Town of Putnam Valley Court for a date in early October.

It is never too early to begin planning for retirement. Individual retirement accounts provide tax incentives for people to make investments that can provide financial security when they retire. These accounts can be with a bank or other financial institution, a life insurance company, mutual fund or stockbroker.

A traditional IRA is the most common type of individual retirement account. IRAs let earnings grow tax deferred. Individuals pay taxes on investment gains only when they make withdrawals. Depositors may be able to claim a deduction on their individual federal income tax return for the amount they contributed to an IRA.

What to consider before investing in a traditional IRA

• A traditional IRA is a tax-advantaged personal savings plan where contributions may be tax deductible.
• Generally, the money in a traditional IRA isn't taxed until it's withdrawn.
• There are annual limits to contributions depending on the person's age and the type of IRA.
• When planning when to withdraw money from an IRA, taxpayers should know that:
• They may face a 10% penalty and a tax bill if they withdraw money before age 59½ unless they qualify for an exception.
• Usually, they must start taking withdrawals from their IRA when they reach age 73 (age 72 if they turned 72 in 2022). For tax years 2019 and earlier, that age was 70½.
• Special distribution rules apply for IRA beneficiaries.

Differences between a Roth and a traditional IRA
A Roth IRA is another tax-advantaged personal savings plan with many of the same rules as a traditional IRA, but there are exceptions:

• A taxpayer can't deduct contributions to a Roth IRA.
• Qualified distributions are tax free.
• Roth IRAs don't require withdrawals until after the death of the owner.

Other types of IRAs

• Simplified Employee Pension - A SEP IRA is set up by an employer. The employer makes contributions directly to an IRA set up for each employee.
• Savings Incentive Match Plan for Employees - A SIMPLE IRA allows the employer and employees to contribute to an IRA set up for each employee. It is suited as a start-up retirement savings plan for small employers not currently sponsoring a retirement plan.
• Payroll Deduction IRA - Employees set up a traditional or a Roth IRA with a financial institution and authorize a payroll deduction agreement with their employer.
• Rollover IRA - The IRA owner receives a payment from their retirement plan and deposits it into an IRA within 60 days.

For More information:
Publication 590-A, Contributions to Individual Retirement Arrangements
Publication 590-B, Distributions from Individual Retirement Arrangements
Topic No. 557, Additional Tax on Early Distributions from Traditional and Roth IRAs
Topic No. 413, Rollovers from Retirement Plans
Topic No. 451, Individual Retirement Arrangements

OCTOBER IS BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH

Thermography is a clinical medical imaging technology that records the thermal patterns of the body. These images are used by a healthcare practitioner for preventative care and to monitor and eliminate especially risky patterns and improve breast health. • It's safe - no radiation, painless, non-invasive, no contact.

• Early detection of risk factors that other screening tools can miss.

• Particularly useful for women with dense breasts.

• It's a great adjunct to any other breast screening you may be doing.

At SOPHIA, we've been providing Thermography screening to our community for 16 years. Our state-of-the-art camera and natural medicine follow-up capabilities make our center in Brookfield, CT, the most advanced resource in the region.

SCHEDULE YOUR THERMOGRAM

AND GET $30 OFF!*

CALL 203-740-9300 FOR AN APPOINTMENT

CHOOSE SAFER, HEALTHIER, BREAST SCREENING WITH

NO RADIATION, MEDICAL INFRARED THERMOGRAPHY*

*Thermography is not a stand-alone device. It does not replace any other diagnostic device or exam.

*Appointment must be scheduled for the month of October ONLY. Breast scans ONLY.

---------

SOPHIA Natural Health Center is located at 31 Old Rte 7 in Brookfield, CT 06804

Phone: (203) 740-9300 or on the web @: inm.center

The State Board of Elections has recently become aware that individuals, across multiple counties throughout the state, have been going door-to-door impersonating County Board of Elections staff. These individuals are confronting voters regarding their registration status, and erroneously accusing voters of committing a crime because of how they appear in the state voter database.
“We are extremely alarmed by these actions. These individuals are impersonating government officials in an effort to intimidate voters based on inaccurate and misleading information,” said Raymond J. Riley III, Co-Executive Director of the State Board of Elections. “We strongly encourage those engaging in these activities to cease immediately.”

County Board of Elections staff members work tirelessly year-round to ensure elections are safe and secure. They engage in extensive record-keeping processes in an ever-changing environment and are an integral part of protecting our democracy from bad actors, including those who are engaging in this current impersonation behavior.

“We want to assure all New Yorkers that any employee of the State or County Board of Elections would conduct themselves in a professional manner and willingly present identification when engaging with voters,” said Kristen Zebrowski Stavisky, Co-Executive Director of the State Board of Elections. “When in doubt, please know you can always contact your State or County Board of Elections directly with any questions.”
If a voter is approached by someone claiming to be from the State or County Board of Elections, they are encouraged to immediately request identification. If the individual refuses or appears under suspicious circumstances, the State Board recommends collecting as much information as possible, not providing the individual with any personal information, and contacting local law enforcement to report the incident.
Criminal impersonation in the second degree is a class A misdemeanor in New York State. The State Board of Elections remains in close communication with the County Boards and law enforcement to monitor this situation

If you have any questions, please contact Kathleen McGrath or Jennifer Wilson at the State Board of Elections at 518-474-1953 or by email at INFO@elections.ny.gov.

The New York State Police yesterday announced that applications to take the Trooper Entrance Exam are now over 10,000.

Applications opened on July 1, 2023. The deadline to apply is quickly approaching as applications close on October 1, 2023.

Earlier this year Governor Kathy Hochul approved a request from the New York State Police to raise the maximum age to apply to become a New York State Trooper from 29 to 34.  As a result, almost 2,400 individuals between those ages have taken advantage of this change and applied.  Military applicants may be able to apply up until the age of 42.

The New York State Police also revised its tattoo policy in 2022.  Candidates may now have tattoos capable of being covered by wearing a properly fitted long sleeve uniform shirt or business attire, with no portion of the tattoo showing. Candidates can review the entire tattoo policy here.

Candidates can learn about becoming a New York State Trooper and sign up to take the exam at JoinStatePolice.ny.gov.

The New York State Police has contracted with Pearson VUE testing centers and is offering the Trooper Entrance Exam at 59 testing centers in New York State, 250+ locations in the United States, and 112 military locations around the world.

Candidates can choose where and when they take the exam. The computer-based testing process is more convenient and accessible for those interested in becoming a Trooper. The last day to test is October 15, 2023.

A study guide for the exam is available here.

Individuals can get in touch with a recruiter by emailing recruit@troopers.ny.gov or calling (518) 485-0855.

MINIMUM EXAM QUALIFICATIONS:

• US Citizen
• 20-34 years of age (The maximum age may be extended one year for each year of full-time active military duty - up to a maximum of 7 years)
• High school diploma or Equivalency diploma. Additional requirements can be found here.

SALARY & BENEFITS:

• Minimum total compensation after one year of service: $98,300
• Full benefits & retirement

The New York State Police has redesigned its recruitment program to reach a diverse pool of candidates. This includes meeting with leaders in communities that are underrepresented within law enforcement, with the goal of building positive long-term relationships. The New York State Police has also taken the 30X30 pledge and is committed to increasing its percentage of female recruits to 30 percent by 2030. The agency has recruitment teams in each Troop to network at events and within neighborhoods.

Last week, Putnam County Executive Kevin Byrne revealed major renovations completed at the William Koehler Memorial Senior Center. Speaking to dozens of residents just outside the facility, Byrne offered praise for the beautiful work done to repair the facility. Repairs and upgrades include new long-lasting vinyl siding, fresh exterior paint, curb repair and new flooring to prevent tripping and falls. The project was completed by the Department of Public Works (DPW) with cost of the project coming in at $50,000 and took 2 months to complete, with no disruption to services provided by the Putnam County Office for Senior Resources (OSR).

“The Koehler Senior Center is a special place in our community. This administration made it a priority to restore it back to its full potential,” said County Executive Byrne. “The dedication and expertise of our DPW team is on full display here. Their hard work has given new life to this important county facility.”

Earlier this year, County Executive Byrne identified the needed repairs to the Koehler Center in his Inaugural State of the County speech and requested the Legislature dedicate $2 million a Facilities Improvement Fund to support desperately needed capital projects at county facilities.

“I couldn’t be prouder of our DPW team. It speaks to their expertise and commitment to their craft that we were able to complete this project quickly and efficiently,” said DPW Commissioner Tommy Feighery. “If

we had hired an outside contractor to complete these renovations, we estimated the cost would have been closer to $250,000 and the project wouldn’t have started until next year.”

“So many of our seniors have already expressed their heartfelt thanks for the beautiful work done at the Koehler Center,” said OSR Director Mike Cunningham. “These renovations not only improve the physical space, but also enhance the overall experience for our clients, ensuring they have a welcoming and vibrant place to connect, learn, and enjoy their golden years. Thank you to County Executive Byrne for making this project a priority, and to the men and women at DPW for their clean and efficient work.”

Click to view video

Rt 312 in Southeast traffic was snarled most of yesterday after a tractor trailer struck a utility pole at the Intersection of International Boulevard just east of the I-84 interchange. According to eye witness and social media reports, the tractor trailer struck and damaged the utility pole causing the attached transformer to catch fire.

The resulting fire interrupted electrical service in the area for hours affecting traffic lights, businesses and homeowners around the scene. That resulted in massive delays on Rt 312 due to non functions traffic lights, which runs east/west rom Rt 22 to Rt 6 towards Carmel, NY

The incident not only affected Rt 312 but the I-84 eastbound and westbound exits for Carmel and the nearby Highlands Shopping Center. Traffic was restricted to one lane on the busy roadway (Rt 312) until later in the day when a minor traffic accident at Ice Pond Rd and Rt 312 (about 1/2 mile east of the original scene) disrupted traffic even further. 

As of last evening crews were still on scene repairing the pole and transformer.