MAYOR’S ANNUAL REPORT

YEAR ENDING 2003

Each year it is truly a pleasure to report the progress our community has made‑‑the long worked for goals accomplished step by step, the ones still progressing‑‑acknowledging that everything takes longer than we'd all like, but with persistence and a positive attitude, we can make it happen. We are making it happen. It's the time of year when I recall how my father made "The Little Engine That Could" part of my life, and what a gift that was.

The current year end tally brings even greater delight with the two major happenings of 2003 to report. The Poughkeepsie Journal 2003 In Review began simply: "Beacon Shone!" And in the Hudson Valley Business Journal article A Year of Highs and Lows, John Duvoli led off with "First the highs‑‑Dutchess County's City of Beacon was a double winner in economic development‑Dia:Beacon, a major arts and tourism attraction, opened its doors. And Governor George Pataki selected Beacon as the future home of the Hudson River Institute." In his Reporter's Notebook column he added "Dutchess County and Beacon Mayor Clara Lou Gould grabbed the brass ring when Governor George Pataki announced that his Hudson River Institute would be located in that city. Beacon already hosts Dia: Beacon. They will combine to make this one of the great small city destinations in the Northeast."

May 15, 2003 marked the 90th anniversary of the merger of the two historic villages of Fishkill Landing and Matteawan to form our City of Beacon, and those two major happenings certainly added reasons to celebrate.

On April 21, Earth Day, our Governor came to Denning’s Point in Beacon to announce that we had been selected as the site for the Rivers and Estuaries Center, with satellites at RPI and the Lamont Doherty Observatory in Rockland County. (Stonybrook has since been added to the mix.) We knew that wherever the Center was sited it would benefit the whole region, but we truly felt Beacon was the ideal site for many reasons, and presented those reasons in the letter included with the application. It was exciting and almost a bit overwhelming to learn that the selection committee had agreed with us. We thank Dutchess County Planning Department for the excellent job of preparing our application.

The Center plans to use the old factory at the rear of Denning's Point, or its footprint, for a laboratory. Another of the Denning's Point Buildings will be restored for a project office. Docks for research vessels and educational components will be located on the adjacent Beacon Landing property. And in the meantime the Center has leased a storefront on Main Street, expected to open the middle of February, to keep the public involved and informed. The Center will provide tremendous educational opportunities and high quality jobs for the area, and the prestige that goes with them. And of course the construction required will create jobs as well. We are very thankful that our efforts were rewarded with the designation.

And the other big news of the year‑‑ the opening of Dia:Beacon on May 18. Dutchess County Arts Council, working with our Beacon Arts and Community Association, arranged a weekend of events, with flags lining Main Street encouraging us to Celebrate Beacon. Dutchess County IDA provided $25,000 in funds for promotion, which included trolley service. The trolley service has been continued on weekends. Dia had projected 50‑ to 60,000 visitors per year, but at the beginning of December had already recorded 110,000 in the six and a half months since the May 18th opening.

Dr. Ann Davis, Director of Economic Research at Marist College, has estimated that visitors to Dia will add at least several million dollars a year in direct spending. Metro North riders to Beacon have increased dramatically, so a good deal of that direct spending is coming in from outside the county and the community, a positive economic effect.

During the year other projects were finally completed, others are still pending. Our dock restoration is essentially complete, and passenger ferry service is targeted for May 2004. Dutchess and Orange counties and the cities of Beacon and Newburgh are working with DOT and with Congress members Sue Kelly and Maurice Hinchey. Congresswoman Kelly was instrumental in getting over $800,000 in Federal funding for the project. Ricardo Diaz and BACA have joined the cheering section, signing up people who would like to be involved in the opening celebration.

Work on the walkway from the dock to Dia to Wolcott finally began, with completion now expected this spring.

The State's sidewalk from the Newburgh‑Beacon Bridge to the Wolcott/Beekman intersection was completed.

The Estuary Trail went out to bid, cleanup was begun this fall and completion is expected in 2004. During the planning costs inevitably went up, but it was agreed that a waterfront trail belongs along the waterfront, so the cheaper option of moving it inland was refused and additional funding will be found for the connection to the Madam Brett Trail. And remember, the $1 million Central Hudson is contributing in lieu of an emission fine was originally scheduled to be included with the West Shore improvements. We convinced them that since the wind carries those emissions over to our side of the river, we should be included in the benefits as well and this great project is the result.

Revitalization of Main Street continued, an ongoing effort, and it's a pleasure to see the old facades renewed and the stores and upstairs apartments back in use. 27 grand openings and ribbon cuttings took place, with others joining the parade without that ceremony. Of the 27, 6 were galleries or antique stores. The others included restaurants and food service businesses, entertainment and exercise. The world‑renowned Gertrude Ford Tea Company came to Beacon, and Hudson Beach Glass restored the historic Tompkins Hose Fire House where occasional glass blowing demonstrations will be given. The Alps Sweet Shop does occasional chocolate making tours, and we hope our growing pool of artists will have periodic demonstrations in their studios as well, whether in live‑work spaces or at studios such as the Bulldog Studios in the old high school.

Notable among the openings was the doctors' offices at St. Francis Hospital, in the former Walk‑inCenter space, keeping essential local health services. We thank the doctors for their commitment to us.

Our Main Street parking situation was helped considerably with an agreement with Dutchess County to use their South Elm Street lot on weekends and holidays, adding 91 spaces during those peak visitor times. A similar contract was signed January 6, 2004 with Hudson Valley Community Health Center, which will add another 40 or 50 spots.

Our new city brochure was completed, and along with the BACA brochure, the Main Street brochure and the Second Saturday trifolds presents a lot of information on things to do and see in Beacon.

City property sales in 2003 totaled $510,000, welcome revenue and also putting those properties on the tax rolls. (2002 total was $575,000.)

Two Hundred and ninety-nine (299) new building permits were issued, to keep smart growth happening in our city. Meadow Ridge completed its rental units on Matteawan Road, now being occupied. Their next phase, proposed senior rentals, will now be presented to the Planning Board.

The senior apartments in the former Tuck Tape building are still pending, as are those suggested for the St. Francis property. We hope they all happen, and if Beacon seniors choose to move to any of those apartments their houses will then be available for others, to keep the diversity we all value, including diversity of age and income.

We received $664,500 in grants from various sources. The figure includes $250,000 for the walkway from the dock to Dia to Wolcott Avenue, and $46,500 for pagers for the Fire Department from Federal Homeland Security Funds. $25,000 was the IDA funding, $300,000 for waterfront stabilization, $4,500 for watertrail improvements and a total of $39,500 for boat launch improvements. When Governor Pataki visited Riverfront Park to announce our latest $34,000 grant for the boat launch from Hudson River Estuary funds, he reminded us that over the past few years the total funds Beacon has received for our waterfront from that source is $1,086,500. We are very thankful for the help which allows us to accomplish the work. Part of our success with grant applications is due to our committed efforts to use the funding as quickly as possible in the appropriate way, and our willingness to work with other communities and organizations whenever possible.

In addition, Law enforcement grants totaled $128,805, including $50,000 for the Byrne grant, $20,105 from LLEBG for a police car, $15,800 for Stop DWI enforcement, $8,000 for Buckle Up New York, $25,000 for mobile computers and $9,900 for a STEP grant.

We appreciate the efforts of the officers who research available grants we can apply for.

We received $328,800 in Community Development funds in 2003. Much of this is used for road reconstruction, an ongoing process essential to quality of life. One road which has been "in process" for many years is 9D, a complicated process because of drainage issues and sewer and water lines. We remain committed to working with the State and with our residents to be sure the project is completed successfully. The total project cost is over $6 million, but with State and Federal subsidies the city's share will be 5%.

Tioronda Garden Club continues as the city's beautification committee, and did their usual excellent job with plantings and holiday decorations on Main Street, city entrances and the Municipal Center. In 2003 they transformed the Verplanck Avenue entrance to Matteawan Road, creating a beautiful Patriots Garden in honor of those who gave their lives on 9‑11, as well as all the Patriots throughout our country's history. We are proud to be one of the first 22 Patriots Gardens in the State, and received funding to make it happen. Vincent Tomagna, a Putnam County legislator who is now the Hudson River Navigator, and one of the organizers of this initiative, came to the dedication in June. Our thanks to all who worked together to make the Garden a reality.

We were designated a Tree City again, and thanks to Rob Riley and his staff for keeping our street trees in good condition. Trees are an esthetic improvement, but they also provide protection which lowers heating and air‑conditioning bills, and convert harmful carbon monoxide fumes to beneficial oxygen.

The Hudson Valley Economic Development Corporation was established, another resource for us. Director Anthony Campagiorno has worked with us in his past position with the Empire State Development Corporation.

Our first female firefighters were appointed, both from families steeped in the tradition.

Legislation was passed to create the post of Alternate Planning Board Member. This had been done earlier with the Zoning Board. It is helpful because it ensures that the busy process isn't slowed by lack of a quorum caused either by absent members or the occasions when members must recuse themselves because of a conflict of interest. Alternate members are considered first when a vacancy on the boards occurs, and that’s helpful as well since they are already trained and knowledgeable of the process.

Other legislation passed during the year codified the free disposal of up to 500 pounds of trash by taxpayers who are up‑to‑date on their taxes.

The former Ski Lodge property was subdivided into two lots to allow for a possible future Bed & Breakfast. The SEQR and Zoning changes have yet to be addressed since the property was included with other open space properties being considered for zoning changes in the ongoing updating of our comprehensive plan. The work was tabled while details were being worked out, with respect to steep slopes, clustering, basic lot size, etc. There has been some confusion and misunderstanding about the status of the Comprehensive Plan, which the Council has been revising over the past ten years, partly because the old documents have not been updated, except for the map. The council is committed to completing the work in progress and addressing other needs as they come up‑‑ a constant effort. It might also be a good idea to do periodic updates of the printed plan, as we do the Code Book, to make it easier to understand the current status.

The public relations part of the Mayor's responsibilities was once again a busy schedule. The calendar shows 249 meetings of various types, not counting the ribbon cuttings already mentioned, the enjoyable visits to schools and from school students, or the weekly Council meetings. There were also 9 or 10 opportunities to be a speaker or panelist at various organization meetings, from local Rotary Clubs and organizations such as Stony Kill to the Historic River Towns of Westchester, to the Dutchess County Economic Forum, all interested in our city and the progress we're making, and of course looking to see if some of our solutions might work for them. And speaking of Rotary, the Poughkeepsie club reached out last year to include Beacon in their Mayor‑iment Roast. Our Beacon Rotary joined them in arrangements, and Mayor Colette Lafuente and I were happy to be on the hot seat for the evening since the proceeds were designated for local projects. The returns are finally in, and Beacon will receive $6,000. The beneficiary will be the Howland Center's very important air‑conditioning fund.

Representing the city at official functions is also part of the Mayor's responsibilities, and this interaction with the public is a very enjoyable part, in my view.

Another opportunity to interact with residents, including local, regional, state and beyond, came this year when I was appointed by Governor Pataki to the Hudson‑Fulton Champlain Quadricentennial Commission, which will plan and organize the celebration of those historic events. I was appointed Chairman of the Commission, and the first meetings indicate that a very capable group of dedicated people is on board to see that celebrating this important part of our history will be enjoyable, a great learning experience for us all, and undoubtedly a major tourism attraction. Local input will be sought as soon as the basics have been established. I'm really looking forward to the process for our city and our state.

Our 2000 Census numbers were finalized, and the final number is 14,810. This includes some of the residents of Fishkill Correctional Facility, but not all originally allotted to us. The Town of Fishkill argued successfully that as is the custom, when the front entrances of the buildings were in the Town, the residents of those buildings should be part of the Fishkill count. The higher number for them results in a greater percentage of the sales tax. Beacon receives a fixed percentage regardless of population.

In that instance the population number doesn't matter, but in just about everything else, I think we all agree that our community residents are our most important resource. We need your ideas, your participation, your willingness to work together with us, your elected representatives, to make the good things continue to happen. I look forward to another year of following the Community Exchange advice ‑ emphasize our History, emphasize our Scenic Beauty, keep our focus on the Arts, and whatever we do, put Community first, because if it's a good place to live, it will be a good place to visit, a great small city destination for us all.